Jeoffrey

Quite a nice short film on the theme of "childhood friends growing up." It's nice to watch and the accompanying music tries its best to add emotion and does a good job of it as far as I’m concerned. I can picture this as a decent trailer for a mediocre film full of clichés about the relationship between two childhood friends (boy and girl) and its (un)expected development. It didn’t hit me emotionally as much as, say, The Dog & the Boy I saw a week ago, so only a 6/10.

This short film from Netflix and animation studios Production I.G and WIT about a boy who finds a robotic dog in a junkyard is unique in that its backgrounds were all created by artificial intelligence. What this means in practice is that apart from the dog, the boy, and a few other things that move around, everything else was computer-generated. And it looks very good, almost amazing. Plus, the story itself is well-written and emotional, despite its simplicity. All in all, it’s an interesting piece of work that shows that even though animation will be more and more in the hands of computers in the future, there's probably not much to worry about. Available to watch here (official Netflix Japan YouTube channel). 8/10

For the first twenty minutes or so, I felt as if I was just watching another episode of the series. The only thing that convinced me that this was actually a movie was the slightly better animation and the much more forceful and expressive music. The rest of it was basically just the usual teasing I've seen plenty of before without anything new to significantly move the story or the main couple's relationship anywhere. Sure, there was some palpable uneasiness at times, arising from the fact that this was their last summer vacation together in junior high, but it was projected more onto the story of the secondary characters. Things changed when the white kitten suddenly appeared. The story became much more interesting with lots of nice moments and slightly sadder ones. Most importantly, the central couple's relationship started to develop. There were some powerful and charming romantic moments that made everything very enjoyable for me. You could argue that the story around the white kitten was very simple and quite transparent, and it was clear how the authors wanted to impress the viewer and how it all would end. But it was a success, and I was moved at times, with a smile on my face most of the time, so it worked perfectly for me. Even the Sanae subplot worked for me, and I also enjoyed its denouement. All in all, it was a pleasant watch, an enjoyable hour or so that was nicely accentuated by the post-credits scene. So, for fans of Teasing Master Takagi-san, a must-watch that will both please and make you excited for the next and probably final part of the series that is hopefully coming soon. 7.5/10

I am not familiar with the original Critical Role American web series. However, having played Dungeons & Dragons often with friends, I had no problem diving into this streaming television series. It is a very good fantasy adventure with just enough humor and suspense to keep me glued to the screen and not get bored for even a second. It has a well-thought-out and surprising narrative, the characters are interesting and captivating, yet no one outright steals the whole show for themselves. They are all charming in their own way. The advantage of DnD-based fantasy adventures is that players can often come up with original and unexpected solutions to the problems the "Dungeon Master " has prepared for them while playing. Some of them have obviously made their way into the show, so you get a respectable amount of originality in addition to the tried-and-true fantasy adventure subplots that appear in this show as well. The beginning is great; the journey of a disparate bunch of very extravagant male protagonists to achieve glory was really enjoyable and full of many funny moments and hilarious lines. The second part revolving around Percy's revenge was much more typical with some expected twists; however, it was still well crafted enough for me to enjoy it all. I am happy with this show, and I am looking forward to more travels with this bunch. 8.4/10.

Chainsaw Man has been such a wildly popular manga and hyped anime right from the beginning that I've heard and read so many opinions about it like I haven’t heard about any other series this season, this year, and probably in the fourteen years that I've been watching anime. Its popularity can be proven simply by looking at MAL, where it may not have become the best anime of the season by score (because the new season of Bleach has undeniable qualities, too, as well as an already established and devoted fanbase), but now that the first season is over, it is just a few steps away from a million viewers, a benchmark that many series never reach, some only months or years after being released. Hype is real! And I’m proud of myself for being able to avoid spoilers and watching it blind. Anyway, I do agree with a lot of what its devotees have said, just as I can see a few flaws that the critics have pointed out. So where do I stand? I get all the hype, I have enjoyed much of what I have seen, but I have not yet fallen in love with the series. I'm happy to watch the next season, I even wonder what surprises the writers have in store, but it’s not like I want to go and read the manga right now. In some ways, it has left me cold. Why? Let me start with the reasons that prevented me from giving the series a 5*. Most importantly, it’s the characters. There are some interesting characters here, who are certainly well fleshed out thanks to which I can understand them even in situations where others might not. But do I really like any of these characters and is there anyone with whom I strongly resonate? Unfortunately, my answer at the moment is no. My favorite character in the entire first season of Chainsaw Man is Pochita! And I'll go even further and say outright that the best episode that really worked for me emotionally and that I would easily give a 5* was the first one. It's because it's a lovely story about two tragic souls finding each other, a story of a deep friendship between a boy and a dog that managed to move me and evoke a strong emotional response. No other episode has surpassed that or even come close. Sure, there are some pretty powerful moments, but none of them actually got to me. I only felt slightly emotionally stirred today at the beginning of the twelfth episode, when a  character was remembered by someone who I believed had a really strong relationship with them, which gave all that reminiscing a better and more striking ending. Well, yeah, but the actual death of this major character, when it happened, hardly affected me at all. Nor am I able to relate to most of the characters. I feel too old for Denji and his motivations however well I understand them. There’s been a huge red flag with Makima for me since the second episode. This woman strikes me as an extremely dangerous and unscrupulous manipulator, one that I would stay away from, unlike many others (I simply wouldn't trust a woman who would immediately want to wrap me around her finger so tightly). Power is funny and she likes cats, but she's still a selfish demon who'll ditch you if it's in her best interest. Admittedly, it gives her a lot of room for future development, but she doesn't impress me much right now. Plus, like Genji, she's not the sharpest pencil in the box. Aki's pretty cool, but his backstory and motivations seem like the biggest cliché of all so far, and I almost wonder if he was originally supposed to be the main character, but then Fujimoto strategically put him on the back burner. I found Himeno somewhat likable, but I definitely need more time to establish a stronger bond. Well, and Kobeni? I still have no clue what to think of Kobeni, but there was at least one moment when she literally got on my nerves... So much for my current take on most of the important characters. It's quite possible that this is exactly how it's supposed to be, the author intended it this way and will work with it, but it just doesn’t feel right to me now, and it affects my overall impression and interest... But I have only watched the first part, so I definitely plan on giving everyone another chance, and the issue I have with the series might go away. Another shortcoming that a user here has pointed out, and which I've also noticed, are the occasional problems with pacing. The creators try to effectively stretch out some scenes, but it slows down the pace. Other times they step on the gas too much, negatively affecting the flow of the plot. It's not drastic, and I do understand the creative intent almost every time, but then again, I find it rather distracting sometimes. I guess that sums up the negatives, so let's focus on what was so powerful, skillfully done, and great about Chainsaw Man that a 3-star rating is out of the question. Let me start with the most outstanding aspect, which is the animation and the creativity of the camera work. The animation is excellent. I don't necessarily agree with the opinion that this is the very best of 2022 (the top of animation this year is still the second season of Demon Slayer), but Chainsaw Man is definitely up there in the top 10. To put it in perspective – if the animation in Demon Slayer is 10/10 during certain moments, in Chainsaw Man it is 9-9.5/10 during certain moments. The same goes for the use of CGI. It's excellent, but it's still missing something compared to the very top of what I've seen. It’s about one point short of a perfect experience. What is excellent and worth 10/10 is the camera work. For example, it's probably the first time I've repeatedly seen an absolutely brilliant use of a character’s POV, and it gives the series something truly original. Also, the fights, and especially the movement in them, are wonderfully captured. It has energy, it’s powerful and playful. Another thing I really enjoyed and I’ve come to love is the concept of the world and its use of fear as a kind of measure of power. Plus, the fact that "there are demons who are the personification of fear, but because they are fear personified, they, too, can be afraid of something..." seems pretty cool, and Fujimoto works with it in an interesting way. It's not just material things that scare people (like guns, spiders, bats...), but also various abstract notions like the future, and time. It makes me curious as to how this amazing concept will be further used in this work. I’ve kept the story itself as the last point. I find it intriguing, I want to know what happens next and I even have some idea of where it might go next, though I haven't seen enough to be sure. Hopefully, I can keep avoiding spoilers. Now that the show is out it might be easier. After all, the hype will surely die down a little over time until they announce the second season... I strongly disagree with some critics of this anime who say that it has a lot of holes. From what I've seen so far, most of it makes sense to me. I can apply logic and reasoning to the rest, so it does work as a whole. I don't see any major holes, and regarding the possible minor ones, I trust the story to patch them up, which has already happened in some cases. To sum up, let me use an analogy - Chainsaw Man is like a smart, good-looking woman I didn't get bored with on the first date, but I just didn’t feel a spark. I'll definitely go on a second date with her, it might work out, or we might just stay friends, but even those are pretty high on my list of priorities... 8/10

The story of how a boy is lost and meets a mole, a fox, and a horse, and they start philosophizing together on their way home, and if they haven't frozen to death, they are still out there philosophizing... The authors seem to have been given the task of cramming as much life wisdom and deep thoughts as they could into thirty minutes, and they didn't really bother with the fact that for an idea to have power, there needs to be some sort of context and background. Half of the life lessons that are spoken here are kind of random and have no effect on me as a viewer. It’s a short film that tries terribly hard to sell me as much as possible in a limited space, but it doesn't do a very good job of it, although the themes it wants to discuss are certainly very interesting and powerful. The filmmakers just shoot them at me and, sadly, most of them fail to hit the mark. Plus, due to all the philosophizing, there's not much time to build the story itself, so it feels very shallow, as do all the supposedly strong relationships between the characters we're supposed to believe in and who are supposed to speak to us emotionally, which, unfortunately, doesn't really happen much. What I definitely consider a positive is the gorgeous animation and great score. But, in combination with the above, it’s not enough to make this more than a mediocre experience for me. 5/10

The last season of Utawarerumono is a pretty decent ending to the series, finally giving some meaning to the previous season (False Faces) which I wasn't exactly thrilled with. It also ties everything back to the first season pretty well. I quite enjoyed the opening part where there was a lot of fighting. It sort of felt like a cheaper and more boring Kingdom in a fantasy world, but for a lover of clashes between large armies combined with a bit of politics in the background, it was pretty good. The second half was the finale itself. On the one hand, it was a decent ending to most of the storylines that provided some rather satisfying answers, especially to many of the questions I've had in my head since Season 2. On the other hand, it dragged on incredibly, and it felt like the series didn't know when to end. It’s a long time since I’ve seen so many final confrontations in a row in one series. One danger was averted only for another to arise right after that, and then another, and then another, and then... SPOILER The villain is defeated, only for it to turn out that someone else was pulling the strings, who in turn is defeated only to get the wrong idea and come back even scarier than before, and when he is defeated, danger comes from a completely unexpected direction, twice in a row – all of which happens in the space of about ten episodes. END OF SPOILER It makes you feel as if you're watching a fight in a shōnen where the villain won’t be defeated and keeps getting back up. It sounds cool, but it gets increasingly frustrating. Each time you think to yourself that it might finally be over, it never is... But I finished it anyway, it was an OK series, a decent ending to the whole Utawarerumuno. The great first season would have been enough for me, though. It is probably the only part I'd be happy to rewatch in the future. 6/10

Honestly, I expected this to be much crazier. After all, a lot more could have been squeezed out of a story with such an odd cast of characters in my opinion. I also expected to laugh considerably more often. But still, there were some funny jokes, I liked the girls quite a bit, and even though the animation was rather weaker, I don't regret the time spent with this series. 6/10

Raven of the Inner Palace quite captivated me with its visuals, especially the sense of aesthetics that the creators have shown here. I also got to like the main couple. Unfortunately, the series didn’t do it for me as far as the individual stories were concerned. I didn't find them particularly interesting, they didn't make me feel any suspense and, for the most part, I didn't really care about them. Also, the main storyline wasn't strong or compelling enough for me to want to know more about the history of Raven concubines. The romance here was quite pleasant. It was very gradual, and I enjoyed watching the central couple find their way to each other. On the other hand, I wasn't really interested in anyone else besides them. For me, it's kind of a disputable average, which is slightly elevated by the already mentioned artistic aspect of the series. For example, the scene where Ryu uses his magic (burning the pink lotus) is really impressive. 6/10

A clear winner of the entire winter anime season, and an absolutely amazing and original anime that completely won me over. And not just me, obviously. Everywhere I look, the score doesn't go below 8/10 and the vast majority of reviews are nothing but positive. From a complete underdog, a series that not many people had high expectations for, it has become an absolute treasure and maybe even a future cult classic. But only time will tell. How did this happen and what is it about Bocchi that makes her so great? Well, let's just say that you hardly ever get to see so much love and creativity in a single animated project. In my opinion, Bocchi the Rock is a combination of the best of shows like K-ON! (musical setting), Hitoribochi (a lonely protagonist looking for friends), Watamote (a socially awkward protagonist and general craziness), or even Eizōken (incredibly inventive animation). All this is skillfully combined into a unique experience. It's simply incredible, and some of the gags contain elements and ways of expression that I might not have seen in anime before (well, maybe if I watched, say, Pop Team Epic). They resonate with viewers and lead to the creation of many memorable memes, which then circulate the internet and keep spreading awareness of this excellent work. Bocchi the Rock is also unique in that it's an adaptation that might even be better than the original manga, which I've also had a peek into. While the manga is great, it's really the immense love the authors obviously had for it that has given many of the jokes in the anime an even better punchline, taken them a bit further, or added something new that you won't even find in the manga, but in perfect tune with the overall vibe. The creators not only love the original source but also understand the message that is supposed to be conveyed to the viewer, and what its strengths are. Another important aspect that makes Bocchi the Rock a perfect show and a work that so many people love is the main character herself and her social phobia. The author of the manga obviously knew a lot about this issue and managed to capture the mindset of a person with social phobia in a very creative way and with a good dose of typical Japanese hyperbole, presenting a lot of situations that many people who are not very confident in social interactions will easily see themselves in. In short, a lot of viewers found themselves in Bocchi, feeling all of her worries, and loving the humor with which the show treats them. It might have even helped them find some courage in themselves seeing all that Bocchi has accomplished... However, even for those who don't suffer from phobias, everything is so visually impressive and hilarious that they'll at least have a good laugh and enjoy the heroic struggle Bocchi wages with herself and sometimes manages to win. To be completely honest, in the first episodes, I didn't believe that Bocchi had it in her to carry the whole series. I thought she would get worn out – boy was I wrong! But it's not just Bocchi who is a distinct and interesting character that many will relate to. I've noticed the other three girls in the group (Kita, Yamada, and Ijichi) in various popularity charts, so they obviously have a strong fan base and people are rooting for them, too, just like the protagonist. I don’t find it surprising as it's an original and very memorable group of characters with their own dreams, strengths, and weaknesses. Perhaps the last thing I want to discuss, which makes Bocchi the Rock so great for me, is the animation. I've already mentioned the incredible originality and the plethora of different animation styles and other means of expression, but when I remember claymation Bocchi, or monopoly, I don’t think I have praised it enough. But it's not just that. CloverWorks did such a great job that I’ve seen the best animation of musical instrument playing ever, for example. Hands moving realistically across the fretboard of a guitar, close-ups of the strings, or capturing the rhythm of drumming, it's all there and it looks incredible, mind-blowing, just great. I was about to end my review, but I remembered that I hadn't mentioned the voice actor performances. I just feel the need to say that Yoshino Aoyama's performance was flawless, memorable, and amazing. She gave Bocchi a real personality and captured her social phobia - she really pulled it off. The creative work with the sound is also worth mentioning, such as the great use of ASMR in the last episode. If I had to nitpick, the final performance of Episode 12 didn't feel as strong as those in the other episodes (like the excellent Episode 8). I also had a bit of a problem at the beginning with one of the accompanying musical themes that was heard in the more cheerful passages and didn't seem to fit. It reminded me of the sounds of my Game Boy in the 90s. But those are just minor details in the overall impression. I don’t feel the need to take any points off the rating. It won't change the fact that this is my Anime of the Season and quite possibly my Anime of the Year 2022. Bocchi Rocks! Bocchi Rulez! Give me more Bocchi! 10/10