Tag Archives: Anime

An Archdemon’s Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride episodes 2-4

Episode 2 Rating: B Episode 3, 4 Rating: B+ In my Preview Guide entry for episode 1, I had mixed feelings about this series and the seemingly-stereotypical path it was going down, but I did recognize some potential positive points. In the three episodes since then, those positive points have blossomed and been joined byContinue reading “An Archdemon’s Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride episodes 2-4”

Spica & Wolf (2024) episode 3 + English dub

Episode Rating: B+ This week the English simuldub begins, lagging two weeks behind. Brina Palencia and J. Michael Tatum are back reprising their roles from the dub of the first series, and all’s right with the world. While they had an unenviably tough act to follow in voicing the two protagonists, their performances are widely-regardedContinue reading “Spica & Wolf (2024) episode 3 + English dub”

Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 2

Episode Rating: A- Episode 1 may have established the series’ operating premise, but episode 2 is the series’ make-or-break episode, the one which determines whether or not viewers are around for the long haul. That’s because most of the episode is one on-and-off conversation between Holo and Lawrence on a variety of matters, so theContinue reading “Spice & Wolf (2024) episode 2”

Review: Gushing Over Magical Girls

In the world of shy, average teenager Utena Hiiragi, magical girls become celebrities by openly fighting to defend cities from evil organization Enormita. Utena adores and idolizes Tres Magia, the trio which protects her city, so she jumps at the chance when mascot Venalita offer to make her able to transform, too. To her dismay,Continue reading “Review: Gushing Over Magical Girls”

Spice & Wolf: merchant meets wise wolf episode 1

Note: Because I find this title obnoxiously long, I will hereafter be titling these Spice & Wolf (2024). Rating: B+ The base concept here seems simple enough: a great wolf has spent centuries being the goddess of the wheat in one village, but due to the advent of advanced farming methods, she no longer feelsContinue reading “Spice & Wolf: merchant meets wise wolf episode 1”

Winter 2024 Wrap-Up

With the last handful of titles for the Winter 2024 season having now aired, let’s take a summative look at what worked well and what didn’t this season. Because of the high volume of titles I managed to follow this season, covering every one of them here would make this post cumbersomely long. Hence IContinue reading “Winter 2024 Wrap-Up”

The Apothecary Diaries, episode 24 (season finale)

Episode Rating: A Overall Series Rating: A After the dramatic events, revelations, and symbolism of last episode, there was really only one final climax possible for this series, but that doesn’t make Lakan discovering and then picking Fengxian as the courtesan he’s going to buy out any less moving or satisfying. He’s intuitive enough toContinue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 24 (season finale)”

8 Lessons From Frieren

With its 28th episode, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End ends its initial run. By any reasonable metric, it has been a huge hit on both sides of the Pacific, to the degree that it not eventually getting further animation is inconceivable. (My guess is that we’ll see more late next year.) I could write a fullContinue reading “8 Lessons From Frieren”

The Apothecary Diaries, episode 23

Rating: A The Apothecary Diaries is undeniably Maomao’s series, though Jinshi has increasingly had his viewpoint represented of late. That makes episode 23 a major aberration, since not once during the episode is Maomao’s perspective used. However, despite our adorable little freak being limited to what essentially amounts to a supporting role, and despite theContinue reading “The Apothecary Diaries, episode 23”