Episode Rating (both): B Episode 3 ended with Stark and Fern set to go out on a date, and the first half of episode 4 deals with how that date plays out. The whole affair is as awkward as might be expected. Stark definitely tries, but he’s still operating more off a pre-set plan thanContinue reading “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End 2 episodes 4-5”
Tag Archives: fantasy
Movie Review: Scarlet
Scarlet is the latest original project from Mamoru Hosoda, the director acclaimed for movies like Summer Wars, Wolf Children, and BELLE. In this case the story is more an original take on one of the classics of English literature: Shakespeare’s Hamlet. This being anime, this naturally wasn’t going to be a straight or close adaptation;Continue reading “Movie Review: Scarlet”
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End 2 episode 3
Rating: A- So even a series as grand and respected as this one ultimately has to break down and have a hot springs episode. But that just means it’s going to be done Frieren-style. Once again, the episode is divided into two distinct parts, this time connected by a common theme: experiencing the hot springsContinue reading “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End 2 episode 3”
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End 2 episode 2
Rating: B+ This episode firmly falls into the “events while traveling” part of the series, which many fans of the franchise would argue is where the series is at its strongest. Indeed, even though this isn’t one of the series’ more exciting and impactful episodes, there’s still a lot to like and a lot ofContinue reading “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End 2 episode 2”
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End s2 episode 1
Rating: A Frieren is back, and all’s right with the world! And this time I’ll be writing about it week-to-week. Jests aside, this is a strong return. While its first episode in nearly two years doesn’t do anything dramatic, it does deliver on everything I expect from this series, and that makes it plenty goodContinue reading “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End s2 episode 1”
2025 in Review: The Best and Strangest of the Year
As we say good-bye to 2025, it’s time to take a look at the year as a whole rather than just the highlights of individual seasons. 2025 may have broken the record set in 2024 for anime titles either debuting or airing new seasons, as by my count over 210 non-kiddie titles made the schedule.Continue reading “2025 in Review: The Best and Strangest of the Year”
Special: Isekai in Audiobooks 2
Back in March I did a look at non-Japanese isekai stories based on their audiobook versions. Audiobook listening has since become an almost daily activity for me (and a staple on lengthy drives), and I have continued to mix a fair number of non-Japanese isekai series in among audiobooks of light novel series. Hence it’sContinue reading “Special: Isekai in Audiobooks 2”
Isekai Quartet 3, episode 9
Rating: B+ The appeal of Isekai Quartet is heavily predicated on clever callbacks and sly applications of lore from its components series, so few things in the franchise truly count as plot twists. The revelation that the prize for the upcoming music contest might be one of the mysterious buttons which brought most of theContinue reading “Isekai Quartet 3, episode 9”
Series Review: Secrets of the Silent Witch
In the kingdom of Ridill, the seven preeminent mages are known as the Seven Sages. Each of the seven has a title reflective of their specialty: the Barrier Mage, The Star-Seer Witch, the Witch of Thorns, and so forth. Of them, the most extraordinary is also the youngest: Monica Everett, called the Silent Witch becauseContinue reading “Series Review: Secrets of the Silent Witch”
Apoclaypse Bringer Mynoghra episode 13 (Season Finale)
Episode Rating: B- Season Rating: B Both subjectively and objectively speaking, this is not one of the season’s top-tier series, especially given the level of competition it had. (The Summer 2025 season is widely being regarded as one of the stronger recent seasons, an assertion that I am ambivalent about.) Even at its best, itsContinue reading “Apoclaypse Bringer Mynoghra episode 13 (Season Finale)”
USA Anime 