Category: Anime Reviews

Guest Post: Unearthed Baubles with Firechick – Fire Emblem Engage (74/100)

by Lenlo, posted in Anime Reviews

Rating: 74/100

As of today, I’ve gotten through quite a few Fire Emblem games, with varying degrees of completion. I’ve played the NES Switch port of Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, and the subject of today’s review, Fire Emblem Engage, to completion. I’m halfway through both Three Houses and Sacred Stones, started Fates, but haven’t finished it yet. I originally wasn’t going to play Engage because the commercials for it made it seem like a console gacha game with monetary microtransactions, though that turned out to not be the case. What clinched the deal was finding out one of my favorite newer voice actors was going to play one of the characters, so…yeah. I know, I’m shallow like that. It turned out to be money well spent, as I found Fire Emblem Engage to be pretty fun, though not without its issues.
Continue reading “Guest Post: Unearthed Baubles with Firechick – Fire Emblem Engage (74/100)” →

Guest Post: Unearthed Garbage with Firechick – Ongaku Shoujo (30/100)

by Lenlo, posted in Anime Reviews

Lenlo:  Hey everyone, Lenlo here. Amun is taking a break for a while so I’m filling in as Firechick’s pack mule, bringing her latest review! Hope you enjoy, everything after this is all her.

Hooo boy. Strap yourselves in people, because I’m gonna go on a BIG rant.

Rating: 30/100

So I heard that an anime called Ongaku Shoujo was going to be made in 2018. Then I saw it was a 25-minute OVA before that, and I sat down to watch it. But I won’t lie, this OVA is really bad.

I mean, seriously. I’ve never seen something so absolutely insipid, vapid, and downright annoying. It’s basically about two girls, a shy blue-haired girl and a perky blonde haired girl, who run into each other thanks to singing, decide to become idols, and a lot of drama happens. That’s it. There’s absolutely nothing about its storyline that makes any effort to stand out, it doesn’t even try to make use of its potential or be interesting in any way. It’s just a cookie cutter cutesy idol drama anime with no substance to it at all. Many anime I’ve seen that were similar to this one happened to pull off the premise much better, and the ham-fisted drama near the end really didn’t endear me to it at all. It doesn’t help that the characters are bland, empty, and have no substance to them at all, and their voice actresses over-act to hell and back, and every single line that comes out of their mouth is hammy, screechy, high pitched, and downright grating on the ears, which is a shame because I know these actresses can put on MUCH better performances.

Continue reading “Guest Post: Unearthed Garbage with Firechick – Ongaku Shoujo (30/100)” →

Kemono no Souja Erin Review – 71/100 – Throwback Thursday

by Lenlo, posted in Anime Reviews, Finished Series: Adventure/Fantasy/Science Fiction, Finished Series: Slice of Life/Drama, Kemono no Souja Erin, Reviews by Lenlo, Throwback Thursday

Seirei no Moribito has always been one of my favorite anime. Oh times change, I grow older, new shows come out or I find old ones I had never seen. Slowly it moves down the list, falling to newcomers like Ping Pong the Animation, Mob Psycho 100 and Keep Your Hands off Eizouken. But it never really left my mind, I always end up revisiting it every few months, either looking it up on YouTube or listening to its OST. So imagine how pleasantly surprised I was to learn that Moribito’s author, Nahoko Uehashi, had gotten another adaptation, animated once again by studio Production I.G. It is that show, Kemono no Souja Erin, directed by Takayuki Hamana and with music by Masayuki Sakamoto, a story about a young girl struggling to survive and keep to her ideals in a country at war with itself, that we’ll be talking about today.

Be warned, this review contains minor unmarked spoilers for Kemono no Souja Erin. It also contains major spoilers in some sections however these will be heavily marked to avoid accidents. Continue reading “Kemono no Souja Erin Review – 71/100 – Throwback Thursday” →

Vinland Saga S2 Anime Review – 92/100

by Lenlo, posted in Anime Reviews, Finished Series: Slice of Life/Drama, Reviews by Lenlo, Vinland Saga

The last time a seasonal anime impressed me, affected me, this much was 2018’s Run With the Wind. Not because of any surface level similarities, one is about kids in college running track and this is about Vikings and farming. Rather it’s because of their similar themes of finding oneself, of accepting who you were and resolving to be better, of just taking that next step regardless of how hard it seems. Upon hearing that it should then, for those that know me or have looked at my previous reviews, come as no surprise that I absolutely loved this season of Vinland Saga. Directed once again by Shuuhei Yabuta, his 2nd ever directorial credit, and this time animated by Studio MAPPA, Vinland Saga returns to once again dominate its season. But this time it does so with plows, not swords, sweat rather than blood, and wheat instead of arrows.

Be warned, this review contains minor unmarked spoilers for Vinland Saga Seasons 1 and 2. It also contains major spoilers in some sections however these will be heavily marked to avoid accidents. Continue reading “Vinland Saga S2 Anime Review – 92/100” →

Spring 2023 Super Post with Amun

by Amunchet, posted in Anime Reviews, Reviews by Amunchet

Welcome to my last-minute reflections on Spring of 2023.  There are many reviews in this post instead of a focus on a specific show (hence, the “Super Post” designation), so be warned of the length!

TL;DR: I was pretty disappointed by several of the marquee shows, so the following post may be flame inducing.  I’m not that worried, but if differing opinions on anime triggers you (not to be confused with the studio, lol) then be warned…I might have some not nice things to say about some of this season’s shows.

Let’s go!
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Kimetsu no Yaiba S3 Anime Review 48/100

by Lenlo, posted in Anime Reviews, Finished Series: Action, Kimetsu no Yaiba, Reviews by Lenlo

Another year, another season of Kimetsu no Yaiba. As what is most likely the most popular, and profitable, current Shounen series being produced, it’s no surprise Kimetsu no Yaiba got a 3rd season. The thing probably prints money. So you would expect at least some of that money to make its way back into the series, either in the form of grander visuals, longer schedules, larger time frames, better writing, etc. Yet the sad truth is that we don’t appear to be getting any of that. In fact it appears to me that this 3rd season, Kimetsu no Yaiba: Swordsmith Village, is the worst season we’ve got yet. Why could that be? It’s still directed by Haruo Sotozaki, still animated by Ufotable, and the original story still Koyoharu Gotouge. So why then is this the least excited I’ve ever been for the series? Let’s dive in and find out, but before you go on, which demon slayer hashira are you?

Be warned, this review contains major unmarked spoilers for Kimetsu no Yaiba Seasons 1/2 and minor unmarked spoilers for Season 3. It also contains major Season 3 spoilers in some sections however these will be heavily marked to avoid accidents. Continue reading “Kimetsu no Yaiba S3 Anime Review 48/100” →

Dr. STONE S3 Anime Review 75/100

by Lenlo, posted in Anime Reviews, Dr.STONE, Finished Series: Adventure/Fantasy/Science Fiction, Reviews by Lenlo

Whether or not it’s actually the case, hat tricks feel kind of rare in anime. A 1st season? Simple enough, get your adaptation. A 2nd? Good job, you held out, already in the upper half. A 3rd?! Well that’s when you start thinking a show might actually get adapted all the way to end. And it’s those hallowed halls that Dr. STONE is stepping into. Animated by TMS Entertainment with original story by Riichirou Inagaki and original art by Boichi, Dr. STONE returns with a new director at the helm, Shuuhei Matsushita. How will his take on the best non-battle-battle Shounen currently being made compare to that of the original director, Shinya Iino? Can he bring it back from the brink after the dip that was Season 2? Well I’ll give you hint: Abso-freaking-lutely. This is the best season of Dr. STONE yet. So without further ado, let’s jump in!

Be warned, this review contains minor unmarked spoilers for Dr. STONE. It also contains major spoilers in some sections however these will be heavily marked to avoid accidents. Continue reading “Dr. STONE S3 Anime Review 75/100” →