#2025 stuff

ExtraSensitive Pervert: extremely horny, extremely debauched, threw me into an extremely intense couple of days where I had an existential crisis that got me out of a long life estupor (we're still working on it, but got DAMN!!). Warning for obvious NSFW, sex and violence, but it's a very recommended read.

Charity Case: this one ripped into my core, lit it up, and also proceeded to shake it for good measure. Long nights of ugly crying while reading, putting into context a ton of stuff in my life; this "little" comic made me accept that I was polyamorous, and didn't accept a no for an answer. Read it like three times in three days, each time crying even more somehow?? I repeat myself, but also very recommended, obviously.

Akari: single volume story about the role art plays in our life, and the ties that bind us, be it to our families, friends, or both. Very beautiful art, and a touching story to go with it. This one didn't send me on an existential crisis!! First time in this list!!

Apocalypse Hotel: one of the sleeper hit shows this year, I liked the trailer and I was compelled to watch it. What I was NOT expecting was to laugh, cry, and be overwhelmed by emotion by this little cast of robots, aliens, and more. A tale of family, found and had, love, and friendship. Please watch it!

Yofukashi no Uta: after years of reading some chapters and leaving it to the wayside, I finally sat down and read the whole 20 volumes of this manga. Gorgeous art, an incredible mood that perfectly captures The Night In The City™, and some lesbianism here and there. I can see the influence Creepy Nuts had in it, and I can see how Creepy Nuts continue making bangers for its anime adaptation's OPs and EDs. The ending can be a bit "eeeeh...", but it didn't sour my overall time with it.

The Bad Guys 2: they decided to go above and beyond with this sequel, upping the scale of events even more, and also giving us plenty of pretty good character moments and development (in my animated film movie??). Also, the new ladies' design are AMAZING, zero critics from my part, I love them all. The OST, both original tracks and licensed songs, is also a-ma-zing!

Avataro Sentai Donbrothers: watched it along Kamen Rider Gavv, and wow!! I missed Inoue's writing antics. The sheer absurdity of this show episode after episode is contrasted by very solid character writing, which makes following their antics an exceptionally fun time, and very rewarding when everything starts to pay off. Shoutout to Oni Sister, the true protagonist of the show (no shade, she really is! Momoi Tarou is cool, but he's just the Force of Nature with which Everyone, friends and enemies, have to deal with constantly).

CITY The Animation: it was a daunting task to "do better" than Nichijou (as much as adapting a different show can be better than adapting a previous one, anyway), but Kyoani decided to do the impossible. The team led by Ishidate Taichi remixed and expanded the original manga in a bold new direction that allowed for crazy animation, elaborate setpieces, and showstopping sequences that boggle the mind when thinking about how everything must have been made to fit together. It's gorgeous, it's beautiful, sounds great, and it will probably make you cry as well! Welcome to the CITY!

Polarium Advance: "what the fuck is a GBA puzzle game doing here", you might ask. "Aren't you having existential crises and looking at cool stuff??", you probably wonder. To that I say, my dear friends, that this little game accompanied me every day (until end of September), as I did what the game suggests, input the date I started playing, and did just one puzzle a day for a year. It was a wonderful experience, always having that little (or not so little) puzzle waiting for me to make it, and grow in my knowledge of solving them alongside the growing difficulty. I eagerly recommend the experience!

Ongaku (or ON-GAKU: OUR SOUND in other markets): I had been waiting for YEARS to watch this little film, and this year I finally could! Kenji Iwaisawa had a dream, and he almost singlehandedly made this movie; the result is a slice-of-life, music-based tour de force, where chill sequences of this bald dude just walking around or sitting get interrupted by the most beautiful music playing you've ever seen in animation. It has one very Hetero Moment™ in one place, but in my opinion it's a slight blemish in a very beautiful and unique whole. Please do watch it if you can.

Jesucrista Superstar, by Rigoberta Bandini: this one will probably sounds pretty out there for most of you, but its sound grabbed me and never let go. I already knew of this artist due to the beautiful theme she sang for "Te Estoy Amando Locamente/Love And Revolution", a gorgeous movie I love with all my heart, but this album is something else entirely. I recommend a listen, even if you don't understand Spanish! Highlight song: Simpática Pero Problemática.

LEGION, by Creepy Nuts: their latest album, mixing singles they've been releasing for anime OPs, EDs, and on their own, with whole new songs, the sound of this album captivated me, and can go from the chill (as chill as they go, anyway) to the outright crazy and diabolical, with lyrics to accompany it. Pretty unique sound, listen to Creepy Nuts! Highlight song: 二度寝 (nidone).

Random Access Memories (10th Anniversary), by Daft Punk: I think I sort of knew it existed, but I had only listened to that one song they released an MV for (Infinity Repeating); I sat down this year to listen to it in full, and wow, there are a TON more songs, and also early demos of others! Random Access Memories already was a huge album that defined my late teens/early twenties, and now it managed to encroach into my early 30s, too. Highlight song: Contact (but Touch is a close second, the whole album is golden anyway!! Get Lucky, song of the summer 2013!!).

Pájaros en la cabeza, by Amaral: another album in Spanish, this one feels pretty nostalgic, yet still relevant; I had heard some songs waaay back in the 2000s from the album, but I had never really sat down to listen to these albums in full. This one has a wide range of songs, talking about the way politicians helped in destroying the river from her youth, among other themes; I recommend at least a listen, either way. Highlight song: En el río.

Do No Harm, by Jamie Paige, Marcy Nabors, & Penny Parker: who knew the opening for a fandub of that one 2000s game would be one of the most important songs for me in this ending of the year? It manages to hit on a note I didn't know I wanted, but god DAMN does it hit it hard! I discovered Jamie Paige this year, too, so it feels like everything comes full circle. Go listen to more of its music! It's awesome!! Highlight song (lol): Do No Harm (Atrial Mix). Also, most of her songs from last and this year, Machine Love made me really appreciate Teto and jump into listening more of her!

Se nos lleva el aire, by Robe: I only found out about this artist on an RIP, as he died recently, but the sound of this album at least is something I have really enjoyed. Recency bias and whatever, blah blah blah, but it's one I've already listened to a fair few times, and I see many more in the future. Highlight song: El hombre pájaro.

There has been a lot more stuff of course, and I'll probably remember more right as I hit "Publish", but I think it's good to leave it here. It's been an honour and pleasure to live this last year alongside all of you, and I hope we can still continue to do so, hellsite be damned. Love you all!