Summer ’25 Mid-Season Wrap-Up, part 1

With the Summer 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. Even with a couple of series which I held on through four episodes falling to the side (The Summer Hikaru Died, Tougen Anki), I have still wound up stayingContinue reading “Summer ’25 Mid-Season Wrap-Up, part 1”

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”

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”

Review: The Rose of Versailles (2025 movie)

No list of the most important and influential of all manga titles would be complete without including The Rose of Versailles. Its 1972-73 publication transformed the shojo genre by introducing fully-rounded characters, complex plotting, deep exploration of sexuality and gender roles, and permanent deaths, thus elevating the genre from being just kiddie fare. It inspiredContinue reading “Review: The Rose of Versailles (2025 movie)”

Winter 2025 Wrap-Up

Due to some production delays, not all Winter ’25 series that aren’t continuing into the Spring ’25 season have wrapped at this point; both My Happy Marriage and I Left My A-Rank Party still have episodes to air as of 3/31/25. However, with the Spring ’25 Preview Guide getting underway, I have decided not waitContinue reading “Winter 2025 Wrap-Up”

Winter 2025 Mid-Season Report, part 2

This half deals with titles which hit either their 6th or 7th episodes during the week of 2/17/25-2/23/25. It also includes the remainder of season 3 of Arifureta, which finished airing during this time frame. Arifureta s3 episodes 12-16 Rating (these episodes only): B- After a short delay, the third season of Arifureta finished itsContinue reading “Winter 2025 Mid-Season Report, part 2”

Fall 2024 Wrap-Up

With the last handful of titles for the Fall 2024 season having now aired, let’s take a summative look at what did and didn’t work well this season. In addition, I will have some wrap-up commentary at the end about a certain Spring season series which finally got around to finishing. . . Because ofContinue reading “Fall 2024 Wrap-Up”

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? V episode 9

Rating: A- Given Hestia’s persistently undignified behavior, it can be easy to forget that she is actually a goddess. Even with her divine powers curtailed, she is still the supreme power in Orario within her domain: that of purity. Unfortunately for Freya, that domain is the one that stands most directly opposed to the allureContinue reading “Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? V episode 9”

Fall ’24 Mid-Season Report, part 2

See here for part 1. This half of the report covers Orb (which I somehow overlooked in my first half) and all fall season series I have been following which are first hitting episode 6 or 7 between 11/16 and 11/20 inclusive. Mostly these are the series that were later starters, though in one caseContinue reading “Fall ’24 Mid-Season Report, part 2”