Author Archives: Theron

The Eminence in Shadow, episode 29

Rating: B The prostitute Marie was shown too prominently back in episode 21 for her to not pop up again later, so it’s little surprise that her reappearance comes as the story shifts to what Cid was doing after he stepped out of the picture for a while at the end of episode 27. Unfortunately,Continue reading “The Eminence in Shadow, episode 29”

The Apothecary Diaries, episode 8

Rating: A- Maomao’s back home, so naturally she’s going to get involved in a brothel-related mystery while there. Actually, two arise, and both are left open-ended, though in dramatically different ways. The first is what initially appears to be an attempted double-suicide involving a courtesan and a customer. However, a few things don’t add up,Continue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 8”

The Eminence in Shadow, episode 28

Rating: A- What self-respecting anime series with a bevy of sexy ladies in its cast – especially one with a reputation for pointed use of fan service – wouldn’t have one or more of a beach, water park, or hot springs episode? With Cid gone for a season (in fear of the girls’ displeasure withContinue reading “The Eminence in Shadow, episode 28”

Fall ’23 Mid-Season Round-Up

For the last two seasons, I have done a mid-season round of of isekai titles. While there are certainly enough of them this season (eight total, if you include reverse-isekai) to do a piece on just them, We also have a bevy of series about characters displaced within their own timelines (four in all!) andContinue reading “Fall ’23 Mid-Season Round-Up”

The Apothecary Diaries, episode 7

Rating: B+ If last episode was the big showpiece of the garden party, this episode is the metaphorical side of the clean-up. It covers in efficient fashion a number of matters brought up last episode, providing the smoothest and clearest sense of plot progression seen so far in the series. Few details from last episodeContinue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 7”

The Eminence in Shadow, episode 27

Rating: A- Confirmation bias is a psychological characteristic whereby people tend to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in ways that align with their pre-existing beliefs or values. It lies at the heart of many of the ironies in this series, and it is very much on display in this episode, where the ShadowContinue reading “The Eminence in Shadow, episode 27”

Movie Review: The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes

Posted: 11/13/2023 Note: This review is based on the subtitled version. A dubbed version is apparently also circulating, but that was not shown in my area. The Tunnel to Summer is a late 2022 movie which has only recently had a U.S. theatrical run, courtesy of HIDIVE. It adapts a 2019 light novel and isContinue reading “Movie Review: The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes”

The Apothecary Diaries, episode 6

Rating: A- More than any other, this particular shot strikes at the essence of how much of an adorable little freak Maomao is. It is the franchise’s signature moment, the one that any fan of the LN and/or manga versions was eagerly waiting to see, and the anime production has executed it well enough thatContinue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 6”

The Eminence in Shadow episode 26

Rating: B+ The series has been cycling through members of the Seven Shades for feature treatment this season, and this episode is Alpha’s turn. What we learn about her here is quite interesting and, honestly, a little heartbreaking. It’s hard not to sympathize with her given how Cid/Shadow/John Smith handles the situation. To this point,Continue reading “The Eminence in Shadow episode 26”