As we say good-bye to 2022, it’s time to take a look at the highlights of the year. Prior to Anime News Network starting its current “Best of Year” format in 2016, I spent several years at the site teaming up with one of two fellow reviewers to make a “Best of Year” format thatContinue reading “2022 in Review: The Best and Strangest of the Year”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Isekai³: The Isekai Quartet Movie
Isekai Quartet The Movie: Another World Japanese Premiere: 6/10/2022 English Premiere: 12/21/22 (on Crunchyroll) Though American media has a tradition of cross-overs going back at least 40 years, they have always been quite rare in Japan, which is part of what made the two TV seasons of Isekai Quartet (aired in Spring 2019 and WinterContinue reading “Isekai³: The Isekai Quartet Movie”
Who Lurk in the Shadows?
The Eminence in Shadow, episodes 1-12 Minoru Kageno was a young man who never outgrew his childhood desire to be a hero – specifically, a warrior from the shadows known as Eminence in Shadow. He trained hard so he could beat up biker punks and criminals, but that only went so far; shonen-style great powerContinue reading “Who Lurk in the Shadows?”
Princess Principal: Crown Handler
The recent BD English release of the second installment in the Princess Principal: Crown Handler OVA series led me to realize that I never did get around to reviewing the first installment when it was released back in March (of 2022). Hence this review covers both installments. The anime-original Princess Principal TV series aired forContinue reading “Princess Principal: Crown Handler”
The Magic of the Inner Palace
Raven of the Inner Palace episodes 1-11 While I don’t specifically consider myself a fan of Chinese Imperial Court-influenced fantasy series, I must have a high tolerance for them; after all, three titles which would probably make my all-time Top 10 list for favorite anime series – The Twelve Kingdoms, Story of Saiunkoku (aka ColorCloudContinue reading “The Magic of the Inner Palace”
Review: Is the Novice Alchemist Managing?
Management of a Novice Alchemist One interesting trend in anime in recent years (and by extension its common source material) is fantasy series with an entrepreneurial bent. While the series may have flashy magic and action elements and typically features a protagonist that’s unusually capable (if not outright OP), it focuses much more on buildingContinue reading “Review: Is the Novice Alchemist Managing?”
Dual Review: Farming vs. Taming
Note: My apologies for getting nothing posted last week! I had fully intended to continue rotating through various series airing in the Fall ’22 season, so to make up for that, I am combining the intended topic for last week with this week’s to create a compare/contrast perspective on two currently-airing fantasy series: I’ve SomehowContinue reading “Dual Review: Farming vs. Taming”
Special Preview: Arknights: Prelude to Dawn
Streams: Crunchyroll on Fridays Rating: 3 (of 5) Anime series which adapt mobile games are hardly unusual in recent years, but I am hard-pressed to think of another one which is based on a tower defense game. Yet that’s exactly what’s going on with this adaptation of a Chinese mobile game. (It has also beenContinue reading “Special Preview: Arknights: Prelude to Dawn”
Review: Summer Time Rendering
Rating: A- When Shinpei Ajiro left his home island of Hitogashima to attend school in Tokyo, his childhood friend Ushio (whose family he had lived with since the death of his parents) didn’t take it well. Now, two years later in mid-July, he is finally returning to the island – but for her funeral, afterContinue reading “Review: Summer Time Rendering”
The Devil is a Part-Timer!! episode 12
Rating: C+ There is a moment early in this episode which speaks best to the spirit and attitude of the show: the scene where Maou and Ashiya have to take the subway to get to the second tower, while Emi just conjured up magic boots and flew over to the first tower. Sadly, it’s oneContinue reading “The Devil is a Part-Timer!! episode 12”
USA Anime 