thoughts from tsujirii

After the fiasco with the MAL mods, I decided not to chance it, and just write in my diary instead. It felt safer, and I do like that this space now exists for me to truly be myself, On MAL, I always felt like I was holding myself back. Though I guess that could be said for how I behave in the U.S. in general.  Anyway, here's the review for Phantom in the Twilight! Maaaan. I really wanted to like this show. It started out so strong. From Episodes 1 - 4. I was like, "this better have a season 2, it's so good." Vampires, werewolves, ikemen, in a somewhat old London setting, and with a heroine character who resembles me in like.... 80% of ways HAHAHA. What's not to like? My dream fantasy.  From Episode 5 onwards, the flaws grew bigger as the plot / logic grew smaller: 1. Robots. AIs. That are somehow powered by magic. The first clue we had with the whole robot fiasco was when 'Van Helsing' appeared. We're supposed to believe that supernatural hunters, at ...

Note: This is the review that started it all! It was partially deleted by MAL mods (apparently people reported it? Guess they had nothing better to do with their lives and didn't read my profile disclaimer about age differences). I was honestly infuriated when I got the notice of deletion. It's terribly ironic that as a non-American living in the U.S., known for 'freedom of speech', I've never been silenced so much in my life.  This is probably the 6 - 8th time one of my posts was removed on Reddit, MAL or some other U.S. user-dominant website. It was incredibly hurtful and hostile to know that my own voice was being erased. And, more than that, that the people behind silencing me were undoubtedly racist or xenophobic - those who have no desire or care to learn more about nations and cultures other than their own. Despite being silenced, I know what I said was true and still want my voice to be heard.  I can only wait for the day I'm finally able to return back...

TLDR version: This film was less 'love story in Kyoto' and more 'mediocre sci-fi fanfic'. Everything is half-hearted in this show. Long version: I was so excited going into this film. Seeing the Kibuneguchi (貴船口駅) sign set me off, and I knew it had the makings of a beautiful, heartfelt anime... good looking characters, a colorful craft / souvenier shop set in the heart of Gion... what's not to like? It's got the recipe for the perfect love story in Kyoto, and (almost) everybody loves Kyoto. Except that this film wasn't so much about 'love story in Kyoto/Japan' as it was 'mediocre sci-fi fanfic.' Things they should've improved on to make it a 10/10 in my completely biased and uneducated opinion: - Storytelling Ohmygod. This movie could have been almost completely salvaged if it wasn't for the poor storytelling. There is very little information given throughout the movie, so it's hard to follow the story. You're forced to piece ...

I don't review animes I didn't enjoy - not as often as I used to anyway. But I felt like I had to speak up about this one - it's confusing from start to finish. The first episode had a lot of potential: historic setting, fairy fantasies, and a dash of military power and action. There's clearly a backstory between the protagonist and her long-lost childhood best friend suddenly appearing as an enemy. It had all the makings of a wonderful, intruiging story.  And then it kinda goes downhill by the 4th episode. There's too many plotholes to list (LOL) so I'm just going to type a few points why it the series fell short: - The art is beautiful, but the world building and timeline is communicated very poorly. There's a lot of "U.E. 1940, 1945" etc. when the screen could have simply said "5 years later" "1 year later." Seriously. I don't think they even cover what the U.E. stands for?  - By the way, there's no map of anything. T...

If you grew up or spent a lot of time in East Asia, and then had to move to a foreign country (in a different region)... this is the anime for you! In a land of heroes and fantasy magic, I think food is often overlooked, if not placed on the lowest priority for many people. However, in the case of Mukouda, food *is* his only skill, and he makes it work really well! What sets this apart from other food-based animes is that: - There's an actual storyline It's not just 'one diner, one episode' or 'one meal per visit to an isekai restaurant' *cough*. There's travels, battles, and powers learned along with the "local culture." - Character depth Flat characters are common in this genre, and they don't have much of a role beyond delivering the food or helping out another secondary character... this series focuses on its two - later three - mains, and we learn a lot about Mukouda's likes, dislikes, preferences and consideration towards others. Each...

It's hard to watch a love story unfold when you're rooting for the underdog in a love triangle.  I was drawn in because I love vampires, fantasy, and handsome anime boys - and this ticked all the boxes for me. It's an EXCELLENT series that scores well in thoughtful writing, music, character development and more... it felt like I was watching an anime movie with cinematic frame cuts and zooms, perfect editing and metaphors in every single episode. I wouldn't describe it as anything other than a visual and literary masterpiece, as it evokes the kind of complex emotions one rarely feels from series today.  However. Due to the complex (back)story of the vampire history, it also felt like the series was cramming too much content into 12 episodes. The main arc (the vampire kingdom's rise to success) ended by episode 7, and every episode after that introduced a new plot point that deserved another arc of its own. There was too much going on with too little time. And yet, t...

Man, I almost dropped this show. I was disappointed to say in the least, because I'm a jewelry artist with my own small business. I was over the moon during the initial episodes, where each episode revealed a different 'case' or customer story and their connection with gemstones/jewelry. The insight and knowledge on gemstones was pretty spot-on. But after Episode 5... the series focuses heavily on the relationship between Seigi and Richard. Which, despite my reservations, proved to be increasingly romantic... there's even a marriage proposal. There's nothing wrong with that, I just wish there had been a 'Boys' Love' tag for this title, because it's not my cup of tea. Even 'Romance,' would've sufficed to give more clues to the viewers of what they're getting into.  There was less and less screen time about rocks and gems, and more screen time on how much affection the two men have for each other. It was also very confusing, as the anim...

My synopsis: Watch extremely handsome men battle it out in an apocalyptic world where it's humans vs. vampires, a nice take on a classic situation! They're so good looking that I was honestly surprised there wasn't a josei/shoujo tag. TLDR: Ok. I actually wanted the vampires to win this one. I mean it was hard to pick sides since I liked them all so much, but I'm starting to wonder if I just want vampires to win against the human race, because I don't like most humans.  1. This anime is all about honoring the past. I feel like it's really common in reality for people to forget their pasts, and even if bad things happen, they get 'overwritten' with good memories, just like computer files. Romance exists? Watch people forget the world before the romance happened... e.g. half of my friend group. They forget about relationships/friendships the moment they have something or someone good or 'better' to replace the past completely. But not Owari no Sera...

I am in love with Loid Forger, and this review was written for straight women like myself, but anyone is welcome to read it. (I noticed others writing reviews early, so I will write mine and update it if needed). My first thought: Ohmygod. No one told me the main character [Loid] was hot! I'm stunned that friends had mentioned the series to me, but no one said he was this handsome. They should've, because I'm thirsty for hot anime boys and would've dropped everything to watch this WAY sooner. The Animaxplay synopsis is actually accurate for this one and the vibe I would describe is a combination of the following media titles - the higher number of titles you like below, the more likely you'll love Spy x Family: [ ] Fugou Keiji: Balance:Unlimited  [ ] Gakuen Babysitters [ ] Usagi Drop [ ] Hinamatsuri [ ] Who made me a princess (manhua) [ ] Any media dealing with 'adopted daughter' premise e.g. Alice & Zoroku This anime is like if Daisuke Kambe married Su...

Been a while since I reviewed something with such a low score, so... get your popcorn ready if you wanna read my 100% personal, biased, interpretation of dirt. Because I'll be dishing it out by the PAN.  To start - I fully enjoyed Hakuouki Season 1. Even gave it an 8/10. It's got ridiculously good looking ikemen, fighting/action, natural dialogue among characters, and a solid plot based on real historical events in Japan ... sounds like all the elements of a 素晴らしい  subarashii anime (let me be my weeb self). I loved every minute of it as much as I love my 'historical otome games.' Even if Hakuouki was mostly based on entertainment value and not actually worth much in history books, it was still a delight to watch. I was shocked I hadn't heard of such an excellent series. Then I started Season 2 (aka episode 12 - 24, some sites display the videos together), and my thoughts turned to 'ah, now I know why.' The quality, story, and characters rapidly deteriorate. ...

I first started watching 'Kara no Kyoukai,' after seeing it recommended on a forum here for 'strong female leads,' and I haven't been disappointed once. I adore this series/franchise.  From the beginning (Part 1), it was clear that the writers of this show had very in-depth knowledge and possibly personal experience from the stories they were portraying. I had never watched a series that fully accurately conveyed how I felt about death (and more importantly, suicide) until now. Satsuriku no tenshi (Angels of Death) came VERY close, but this took it to the next level. I felt so completely understood and validated. If I had watched this series when I was in high school, it probably would've saved me sooner. To know I wasn't alone, I wasn't weird, and that depression was actually something that existed; that it was something that could be - and should be - professionally treated.  Anyway, despite the late discovery, I'm still incredibly fond of this ani...

Originally discovered this anime thanks to Kyosuke_Kosaka's recommendation for 'similar anime to Sakurako,' which ya'll know I love. This series DID NOT DISAPPOINT. TLDR: The cast of Kamisama is well rounded, characters with more depth than Sakurako's, and the ending leaves you feeling quite satisfied - no loose ends or plot holes. Now onto the nitty gritty for anyone who might be entertained by my fan girling: OMG the character depth! In the beginning, we're introduced to various support characters and a large cast, but we gradually get more tidbits of their own lives and personalities with every episode. There's so much humor in their dialogue that I'm really not sure how this is missing the comedy tag. I think the creators deliberately paced everything slowly so that the audience wouldn't be overwhelmed with the details - especially while solving detective cases.  I wasn't sure if I was going to like Narumi going in, because it's a (sadly)...

If you got blue ball(s) while watching "My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! | 乙女ゲームの破滅フラグしかない悪役令嬢に転生してしまった…"  (I'm going to abbreviate it to MNL for my review) this is THE anime for you. The uncensored version is the adult version of MNL - and frankly, all the things that MNL should've been.  If you haven't watched MNL, I'd still recommend it if you like: A) Super handsome princes B) Otome games C) Equally good looking male and female leads D) Hentai anime with realistic human proportions (seriously) E) All of the above  The characters have excellent depth as hentai animes go, and I feel this story is beautifully unique on two main points: 1) the protagonist actually plays along with the game storyline.  We see so many otome isekai protagonists doing everything they can to "reverse" "reduce" "prevent" their tragic fate, and get their happy endings (wish that happened irl). But this isn't the case here - our ...

I enjoyed Ghost Hunt WAY more than I thought I would. Originally discovered after someone recommended 'similar anime' to Beautiful Bones (Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru) on MAL, I can see the similarities of mystery/horror genre. Sakurako is more psychological/crime drama, while Ghost Hunt is for people who enjoy supernatural/occult/Japanese folklore themes.  Entertaining as it was (10/10, seriously), I hesitate to give it more than an 8/10 overall, because of a couple points: - The story pacing is too slow, especially in the first case. They drag out a mystery 'case' that could have been solved in 1 - 2 episodes. - They introduced too many characters at once.  Don't get me wrong. I LOVED the supporting characters, and each had decent character depth (not to mention good looks). But, because there's typically 5 - 10+ characters on any one 'case,' it felt overwhelming to watch in the first half of the series, and I was wondering why th...

TLDR: Recommended to fans of crime/forensic investigations/Sherlock (BBC)/Natsume Yuujinchou. Had potential to be a masterpiece, but I took 1 point off for 3 major unsolved plot points and nonconsensual relationships.  -- I wanted so bad for this anime to be a 10/10. It had all my favourite elements: A strong and beautiful female protagonist, Sherlock vibes, crime/forensic drama, and the other main character resembling Natsume Takashi from Natsume Yuujinchou. Indeed, I found out about this anime while searching for more of Ishida Akira's voice acting work (he plays Natori in Natsume Yuujinchou).  Sakurako is so cool and attractive, and I wanna be as smart as her, though maybe not as weirdly passionate about morbidity. I felt the same way about Sherlock, so I was positive this anime would be a new favourite to my collection.  Sadly, there were a couple of alarming points that I couldn't look past. The rest of my review will include spoilers / elaborating on the problems. P...

In a nutshell: If American youtubers who made anime parodies were given license to write the entire script for a school series.  I wasn't sure if I'd like it going in. I assumed it would be another slice of life anime with overly kawaii characters, fanservice, harems, and no actual depth - the kind of anime that's popular nowadays, and unfortunately, tends to be a hit in North America. I figured I'd drop it after the first or second episode. But the storyline was intelligently written, and it was easy to follow along after the second episode.  All the mini stories, almost like 'chapters' of a book, were hilarious, because the characters were hilarious. For me, Hanako's "socially repressed, thus insane at times" character was actually the most relatable, especially when I was growing up, so it was super funny to watch. Each character breaks an anime archetype in their own way, and more than once. This anime is full of self awareness, so a lot of the...

 I see a kimono, I click.  Animax's description said "Japanese culture gains popularity in the West", which was grossly inaccurate of what actually transpired. So let me break it down for you real quick: 8 year old* Japanese child moves to Paris in hopes of 'studying abroad' all things French. Instead, she becomes an au pair (domestic helper who is typically unpaid) to a working-class family on the verge of bankruptcy. Every episode is filled with culture shock, subtle racial discrimination, and abuse from her host family. Whether you choose to watch this series is totally up to you, and there are many parts that are enjoyable - but I feel all viewers should be aware of the above, instead of being completely deceived like I was. Honestly, the initial description led me to expect affection and admiration of Japanese culture. And Japanese products to be in high-demand by all of society. Which already happens today in certain niche social groups as we know - and may ...

 If you've ever seen Karneval and Avatar the Last Airbender...  Thorfinn (the protagonist) is like a perfect combination of both Gareki and Zuko. Extremely traumatizing past, leading to a lot of *unresolved* emotional angst and insane fighting skills. He has so much potential, and it's because of this, I really liked the story, but thought it could've been better. His character depth doesn't develop or transform the way Zuko's does, which is disappointing.  Overall: Would recommend Episode 1 - 11 Episode 12 and onwards is optional - it's addictive to watch, and the political / action elements keep you in suspense. But the emotional depth of characters, while touched on, still wasn't enough for me, and Thorfinn's original goals (like family) are quickly lost in the scuffle of other character plots (Canute's, Askeladd's). Long version: Thoughts in bullet points, no particular order: - Lots of characters with gray morales (e.g. Askeladd), constantly...

I never thought I'd find another anime that hit me as deep as Natsume Yuujinchou did. And then I came across this treasure and was in love from the first episode. It's hard for me to even begin describing it, because it's such a powerful and inspirational series - not to mention highly relatable.  I'll start there: Who it's for, and who I would recommend it to: - Aspiring artists - Creative souls - Stigmatized, marginalized, or minority folks (define minority how you like, I am using the term liberally here). The more you have been discriminated against (or faced extreme hardship) to pursue your life's passion, the more you will be able to relate to, and enjoy this show.  - People who enjoy strong female characters - Friends of those mentioned above. If you don't fall into one of these categories above, I'd still encourage watching it, but I can't guarantee that you will like it. This is not a light-hearted story like Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun, where ...

Expectation: Protagonist magically heals broken hearts from lots of emotional high school romances, divorces, and mild trauma in each episode that ends on happy notes. Alright, sounds like just the right blend of bittersweet but warm and empowering, I'm in.  Reality: Ditzy girl with 0 superpowers devotes the majority of her life to a failing kindergarten with predictable children. "Helps" people by forcing her way into the daily lives of neighbourhood's residents, and is rewarded when they smile.  - I was initially surprised that I hadn't heard of this anime before. The description sounded appealing for a sensitive sh*t like me, and I generally appreciate protagonists who try to make others' lives better, because I too, like helping people in real life. Now I know why it was never popular, and hope it stays that way. It is NOTHING like the description said; the description is a LIE.  - Out of 24 episodes, we can say maybe 2 of them were actually 'broken he...