Rating: B+ Though setting Ruby into the footsteps that her mother followed has been a plot element since episode 2, she has largely remained on the back burner over the last several episodes as the story has focused more on what Aqua is up to and his recruitment of the other two girls who willContinue reading “Oshi no Ko episode 9”
Author Archives: Theron
Oshi no Ko episode 8
Rating: A- One of the things I love about this series is about how it plays all sorts of different angles, and yet all of it is, to some degree, interrelated. Aqua is playing a very big and very long game here, and everything which goes on in the series somehow gets worked into thatContinue reading “Oshi no Ko episode 8”
Love’s Gentle Spring. . .
Among the sea of isekai (and isekai-like) titles in the Spring 2023 season are a couple of sweet, tame, more old-fashioned anime romantic comedy titles: TONIKAWA: Over The Moon For You and A Galaxy Next Door. While the two titles have some distinct similarities, the way each of them approaches its romantic elements, and howContinue reading “Love’s Gentle Spring. . .”
In Memoriam, Anime-Style
Though many countries have their own versions of holidays to celebrate the dearly departed, Memorial Day being on the last Monday of May is a uniquely American thing. In honor of 2023’s occurrence, I’m going to take a special look at several anime titles which are profoundly influenced (if not completely defined) by the deathContinue reading “In Memoriam, Anime-Style”
Oshi no Ko episode 7
Rating: A After producing one hell of a hard-hitting ending last time around, the series faced a difficult assignment: find a way to follow through and resolve the problem without cheapening the circumstance which got the show there. Instead of just contenting itself with that, the writing went for the extra credit as well: takeContinue reading “Oshi no Ko episode 7”
Oshi no Ko episode 6
Rating: A- “Egosurfing” (the apt title for this episode) is the act of looking one’s self up on social media to see what others are saying about you. While it can be a very gratifying experience when people are saying complimentary things about you, it can be crushing when they aren’t and positively toxic whenContinue reading “Oshi no Ko episode 6”
Oshi no Ko episode 5
Rating: 4 (of 5) In a recently posted interview on ANN, the writer for the source manga, Aka Akasaka, explains how he came up with the idea for this series and the process he went through to gather sufficient insider details to make the effort feel realistic. I recommend it as a complementary read forContinue reading “Oshi no Ko episode 5”
Spring ’23 Isekai Round-Up
Posted: Tuesday May 9, 2023 With some series hitting their sixth episodes this week, we’re now approaching the midway point of the Spring 2023 season. That means it’s time to take a look at this season’s crop of isekai series, most of which I am following this season to some degree. Which ones are moreContinue reading “Spring ’23 Isekai Round-Up”
Oshi no Ko episode 4
Rating: B+ The writer for the source manga, Aka Akasaka, is probably even better-known as the creator of the acclaimed Kaguya-sama: Love is War source manga. That manga series got a live-action adaptation in 2019, prior to its highly-regarded anime form, and that first adaptation is widely-regarded as a bust, with an IMDb rating ofContinue reading “Oshi no Ko episode 4”
Oshi no Ko episode 3
Rating: B+ Since episode 2 aired, news has broken that the first episode of Oshi no Ko was HIDIVE’s biggest debut ever, and also that opening theme “Idol” is topping multiple Japanese music charts. (It’s also currently the top-rated show for the Spring 2023 season on MAL, even over the new season of Demon Slayer.)Continue reading “Oshi no Ko episode 3”
USA Anime 