Rating: A- Note: My apologies for this being so late. This episode did have the misfortune of hitting on the front end of a ridiculously-heavy weekend of Summer 2025 season debuts, but past a certain point I also just forgot that I hadn’t done this review yet. With this episode, the franchise concludes its adaptationContinue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 48 (series 2 finale)”
Author Archives: Theron
Spring 2025 Wrap-Up
Except for The Apothecary Diaries, all Spring 2025 series which aren’t continuing into the summer season are complete at this point, so it’s time to do an update on what was and wasn’t working over the course of the second half of the season. Because of the high volume of titles I followed, covering everyContinue reading “Spring 2025 Wrap-Up”
Summer 2025 Preview Guide
Final Update: 4:17 p.m. EDT 7/24/25 Welcome to my seasonal Guide! (The debut schedule can be found here.) I expect to cover every full-episode series that will be debuting this season and is available in streaming form, including many of the sequels/returning series. The ones I will NOT be covering (because I’m not caught upContinue reading “Summer 2025 Preview Guide”
The Apothecary Diaries, episode 47
Rating: A For the Shi clan, there is no possible happy – or even neutral – ending. At least two of its principle members knew that, accepted it, and so left the stage on their own terms. Meanwhile, the one who didn’t – and couldn’t – accept that falls in disgrace. In many ways it’sContinue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 47”
The Apothecary Diaries, episode 46
Rating: A- The point that many fans have been awaiting for ages has finally arrived, the point where Maomao can no longer continue to deny what she’s been trying to keep herself from figuring out: that Jinshi is the Emperor’s (official) brother and thus the Crown Prince. (Or at least he was the latter untilContinue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 46”
The Apothecary Diaries, episode 45
Rating: A The screen shot I’m using here is a bit misleading, as it represents the one humorous part of what is otherwise a very dark episode. However, in some senses it’s also the perfect shot to use, since it reflects the sensibilities of the series as a whole: even in the midst of trulyContinue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 45”
The Apothecary Diaries, episode 44
Rating: A- Before I get into the review, a bit of news. According to a report first posted on ScreenRant, episodes 45 and 46 will air as normal over the next two Fridays, but episode 47 will be delayed by a week, thus airing on June 27th instead of June 20th. In its place aContinue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 44”
The Apothecary Diaries, episode 43
Rating: A- No matter her situation, Maomao can’t stop being Maomao. The narrator spoke to this at the end of episode 1, and we’ve seen countless examples of it over the course of the series, but nowhere is that statement more true than in this episode. Though not treated as a hostage, that’s what MaomaoContinue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 43”
Spring 2025 Mid-Season Report, part 2
See here for part 1. This half of the report covers the rest of the titles I’m following that didn’t make part 1. All of these titles have hit either episode 6 or (in most cases) episode 7 since part 1 was posted. Additionally, a look at one title which debuted too late to makeContinue reading “Spring 2025 Mid-Season Report, part 2”
Spring 2025 Mid-Season Report, part 1
With the Spring 2025 season entering its seventh week, it’s time to take a look at how some of the season’s titles are doing so far. While I’ve taken a conscious effort to be a bit more conservative on my viewing list for this season, I still wound up following 20 series which debuted orContinue reading “Spring 2025 Mid-Season Report, part 1”
USA Anime 