Another year comes to a close and so here are my top 5 anime of 2025, manga discussion, and a brief Hundred Lines talk. Life’s pretty busy right now so this is going to be a bullet point list this year.
1) Umamusume Cindrella Gray - Umamusume became my newest obsession in 2025. I watched all the anime entries (season 2 is the best narrative, Beginning of a New Era has the best animation). Cindrella Gray is a shonen style sports manga that focuses on Oguri Cap. Unlike the other entries since this is a long running manga serialization so there is a lot of space to build up rivals for each race. The races are so high tension that you feel like it's anyone’s game even if the result is set in stone from real life history. The game is pretty good too!
2) Sorairo Utility - Cute girls play golf the anime. I find a lot of entertainment in watching someone discover a new obsession and the rabbit hole of knowledge that comes from constantly discovering new things about the obsession. This one was very well animated and had a lot of personality. It was a lot of fun to spend a cour with Minami and the group last winter.
3) Ruri Rocks - Another anime about a girl discovering her newest obsession: rocks. Ruri Rocks places a heavy emphasis on curiosity and the joy of learning new things. The world around us came into its current state through a series of processes that are actively still ongoing. There’s always something new to discover if you look around. The staff sure went beyond to make everything look so pretty in the show.
4) Dress Up Darling season 2 - Season 2 took everything that was great about season 1 and enhanced it to a brand new level. You couldn’t ask for a more perfect adaptation of this manga. My favorite parts are when it shows the work Marin is about to cosplay. I’m hoping they give it another season to finish out the manga. The last arc is my favorite.
5) The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 2 - This series continues to be extremely committed to the bit of a 100 girlfriend harem. Season 2 added many new fun characters and more whacky scenarios to navigate. It never fails to make me laugh and you really never know what kind of girlfriend will be next. I have to read the manga at some point.
Manga Section: Jump+ Cleans House
I previously talked about a few titles that ended in January, so below I will continue the list.
Dress-Up Darling - It ended on its best arc yet. The Haniel arc culminates everything about Marin’s journey thus far and has some of the best art in the series. The ending was a little abrupt, sure, but I am more than satisfied with where it ended up.
Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective - Never a favorite of mine, but geez the final arc was especially awful. Ron’s dad was alive this whole time and then a meteor came down to destroy the island. Nothing about that final death game ultimately mattered. Complete waste of what I thought was a decent villain up to that point.
Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. - Adult magical series tend to be violent and oversexualized while Magilumiere actually respects the genre. Working girl series where the profession is magical girl and the fight is against deregulation threatening to upend the industry. It's a very thoughtful take on magical girls that I felt speaks to its young adult audience. I miss Sakuragi and the gang.
Kaijuu #8 - Extremely cool action scenes that only lacks substantive character writing considering it had an adult cast. It was written like a shonen manga who’s only unique aspect is that the main characters happen to be in their 20s/30s. However, watching them hack up kaijuu was the coolest I saw each week a chapter dropped. I bet it reads really well by the volumes.
Tying the Knot with an Amagami Sister - Harem series using the Kyoto backdrop which I thought makes for a unique flavor for this type of story. I liked seeing the sisters, who are not blood related, go above and beyond for each other. I’m not a fan of individual endings, but at least in Amagami it felt on point thematically. Above Average harem rom-com.
2.5D’s Seduction - Similar to Dress-up Darling but a little more battle-like in its writing style. This was a very passion filled series where the characters learn there’s nothing wrong with liking what you like. The childhood friend won in a surprising turn of events at the end. 2.5D was always a highlight of my Fridays when a new chapter dropped.
Hundred Lines Last Defense Academy:
Kazutaka Kodaka hasn’t stopped making games since Danganronpa finished. Rain Code was a fun adventure in a mysterious city where nobody escapes and there are secrets abond. Akudama Drive was a very cool anime original project whose legacy is underestimated I feel. Tribe Nine was a gacha that existed for a minute. However all of these pale in comparison to the monster of Hundred Lines. A visual novel story that boasts 100 endings. They promoted it by saying each ending was fully fleshed out and unique, but to be honest there are really about two dozen endings and then mostly variations of those. I would argue only 12 or so endings give you a full complete story. It took me 175 hours to play the entire game. Between Hundred Lines an Shuten Order (I haven’t finished at the time of this writing), Kodaka sure seems convinced that AI will bring about humanity’s downfall right now. Playing Hundred Lines was a major highlight of the year. I eagerly await any future DLC content.
Looking ahead: 2026 is going to be the year of Akane Banashi. Its my favorite Jump manga (besides One Piece) and its finally getting an anime in the coming spring. I’m hoping they do it justice and it gives the manga a big sells boost. The other major anime I am looking forward to is the final course of Bleach the Thousand Year Blood War. I’m expecting a lot of new material and possibly a better fleshed out ending. It's no secret that Kubo burned out near the end of the manga. While his involvement with the anime has only increased with each cour. I think Bleach is finally going to have the ending it deserved.
Lastly on the Weekly Shonen Jump front, it appears Someone's Hertz will be the hit of 2025. It's an enjoyable rom-com where the main duo is bouncing one liner jokes off each other. The series is a very chill that I think hit its stride very quickly. I think the biggest surprise this year was Nue's Exorcist completing its transition from boring exorcist manga to a 2010s era battle harem series. I can't believe I can say that I am currently where the story is. The wonders of manga serialization. In 2026 the magazine will likely see several long runners end so it might be a turning point for a new generation of hits to emerge.
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The long runners keep ending so I figured why not write down some thoughts about them
I cover the following series:
1. Misson: Yozakura Family
2. Undead Unluck
3. Wonderful Precure
4. Komi Can't Communicate
Spoilers below!
1. Misson: Yozakura Family
Misson: Yozakura Family was never among the most popular series in the magazine nor one of the highest sellers, yet against all odds it completed a 5.5 year run in Weekly Shonen Jump. It spent the first year or so doing mostly single chapter stories to introduce the family members and how they play off each other. From there it shifted into battle manga mode for the remainder of the run.
Ultimately, I consider it a very "safe" series. It doesn't reinvent the formula and it doesn't push the genre boundaries, but instead carves out its own niche in the magazine for knowing exactly what you would get week to week. Yozakura Family had the classic shonen power ups in the middle of fights which also had the classic 1v1 action sequences. Every character gets the spotlight against someone. Kiyochiro was my favorite character. Futaba was great too.
The Momo arc was where the series peaked, but the Asa arc did have many cool moments as well. Yozakura performed a seamless protag switch to the twins Alpha and Hifumi which I thought brought some new life into the late stages of the story. The scene in chapter 257 when Kiyoichiro opens his eyes and acknowledges Taiyo's effort was the exact payoff this series needed. Taiyo earned that level of mutual trust and respect after overcoming everything during the story. It felt extremely earned!
I always believed that if Yozakura Family had come out 15 years ago it would have been a long running daytime anime with abundant filler episodes. It's a great all-ages type of manga that was enjoyable to read every week. Gondaira delivered on the potential I saw in his writing from the Poro days. Hope they return again in the future.
2. Undead Unluck
Undead Unluck is another series that really should have been more popular. It's a fantastic series about characters who live life in a world that hates their existence. The negation powers were super creative and you never knew how their abilities would be applied in battle. There were some amazing highs like the battle versus spring and against Language. Undead Unluck also performed a seamless protag switch-up. Fuuko was a great main character to follow in the back half. I think it sufficiently fleshed out a lot of characters between seeing them in the Union and experiencing their power origin stories in the post-loop.
However, the pacing is quite uneven across the series. Tozuka always moved the story at a breakneck speed. Billy's betrayal early on is an example of how the story suffers from quick developments. The post-loop arcs were also a mixed bag depending how attached to the star characters I was. However, I also have to give Tozuka credit for switching up the setting in nearly every single arc. From space, cooking, idols, and battle tournaments, it became a different type of manga in basically every volume.
Usually I'm on the side of saying final arcs/final battles aren't as rushed as they seem but not in this case. Ouch! I really wanted proper 1v1s against all the master rules. Instead it came down to an all or nothing battle against Soul. The previous fights against Sick, Beast, and especially Language were some of the biggest highlights post-loop. Anyhow, I’m sure Tozuka has learned a lot from this serialization and he’ll come back with a stronger series in the future. He’s got a creative mind that I hope to see more from.
3. Wonderful Precure
This is mostly a continuation of what I said in my 2024 Anime Post. I thought the bonds between animals and humans were shown really well. We get to experience the positives of having a pet through Iroha/Yuki, Mayu/Yuki, and Satoru/Daifuku. While Gaou and Subaru show how loss can mess up someone. It's a theme that doesn't hit particularly hard for me. I thought the strongest aspect of Wonderful was the main cast interacting with each other. They get along really well and constantly have funny moments. The secondary mob cast also added some flavor to the series. Mayu is my favorite character (probably no surprise to anyone). Thankfully Satoru didn't devolve into a Tuxedo Mask type.
However, that's about where my praise ends. The lack of battles, the dog main character, and a very razor thin plot makes this different compared to most other Precure seasons. Iroha and Komugu divided the main character space which means both lack sufficient character development. Mayu goes through the “shy character becomes more comfortable with friends” arc that we've seen a few times recently. Satoru and Daifuku transformed should have been mainstays in the series instead of limited appearences.
I wouldn't call it the worst Precure, far from it in fact. This kind of super pacifist writing simply isn't what I watch Precure for. I will add that the Wonderful movie is pretty decent. You get all the best parts of this series in a nice 70 minute package. Luckily I'm already much more optimistic about the 2025 series. Precure is long overdue for an Idol themed series.
4. Komi Can't Communicate
I started Komi later than most people since I waited for the official English release to start. I read chapters by the volumes starting in 2019 up until when Viz started the simulpub and then I caught up to those chapters. So I only spent the final year of the series reading it weekly. However, Komi sure is a long series, no denying that. But I think it's one of the best at covering all 3 years of high school that you'll see in manga.
Its got that Sunday pacing of putting characters before story progression. A lot of chapters are just Komi being Komi by reacting to whatever the scenario is. Additionally there are plenty of chapters for the side characters to have their moments. The cast grows in a natural way over Komi’s 3 years of high school. Komi starts as a kouhai and later becomes the senpai to a whole new class. It grows into quite a lively series by her 2nd year and 3rd year. Komi also has the Reiwa rom-com element of going beyond the confession. Overall, I can't say I ever got that bored of it.
I think it's a little disingenuous to magazine readers for a good number of the friends to get formalized in the volume extras. Where were the last 2? Getting that 100th friend should have been a big moment. My favorite part of the story was the Rumiko arc in the middle. She really got Komi to be more forward about her feelings and stop being hesitant about taking action. Komi's growth is gradual and the payoffs are so rewarding when they happen. In her 3rd year it can be easy to forget just how timid she was at the start.
Komi will finish as a generational title for Weekly Shonen Sunday. It was the much needed international hit that the magazine had been so desperately seeking for years. Frieren has also helped a ton for them. I will be back for whatever Tomohito Oda does next. (It should have ended at chapter 500!)
I have been an avid reader of Weekly Shonen Jump manga since I was a child, and later started following the magazine closely since around 2009. In that time I've witnessed countless titles start and finish. My Hero Academia is the rare kind of series that connects us from the previous generation of the magazine to its current era. It started in Issue 32, 2014 and finished in Issue 36-37, 2024. That makes it the 2nd oldest series in the line-up at the time of ending. Below is my review of the series. I give my thoughts on several of the story moments and give my final impressions. There will be spoilers and it's a long discussion.
Let's first flashback to the summer of 2014. I was in college preparing to spend my Junior year abroad in Japan. My Tumblr was very active and about to reach new highs with my presence in the Nisekoi fandom. In the Weekly Shonen Jump world, a generational shift was about to occur with the new debut of a new battle manga from a previously 2 time canceled author, Kohei Horikoshi.
Looking back on the issue when My Hero Academia started, we can clearly see how it was a completely different era of Jump. Naruto was still running at chapter 683. That is near the end of the 4th Great Ninja War arc. Naruto would later finish that fall in Issue 50, 2014. Additionally, Kuroko was just a couple of issues away from wrapping up and cementing itself as one of the best sport manga Jump had seen in a decade. One Piece was in the middle of Dressrosa, where little did we know that chapter 752 would only put us halfway through the arc. Gintama was just about to make a major pivot into full time battle manga mode. This issue also saw the conclusion of iShoujo at 20 chapters. (It would later get rebooted on Jump+ as a launch title and run for 14 volumes). It's very clear how My Hero Academia started in a complete era than where are now.
So, how was My Hero Academia in the early days?
Well, quite honestly I thought it was a very middle of the road title. I was already familiar with Horikoshi through Barrage (the very first simlpub in the digital Jump era that Viz started from chapter 1). He always had a good sense of perspective and the way he draws mouths with depth is a distinctive feature. The series also wore its Naruto inspirations quite openly, while taking advantage of the popularity in superhero movies to add some visibility in the eyes of readers. I thought it was riding the coattails of current trends.
The early chapters were standard fare in modern day shonen. Speeding through character introductions and establishing the setting. Shigaraki made an early appearance with the mob baddies called Nomus but it was hard to get invested in the central conflict so soon. However Shigaraki’s eerie design of being covered in hands certainly stood out at the time. I was curious but not necessarily invested right away. (of course in retrospective its clear how Horikoshi used the early events as building blocks for what was to come later)
But you know what sways me the most: Tournament Arcs!
This Sports Festival tournament was where I finally started feeling invested in the series. In part because tournament arcs provide an easy to use template for establishing character relationships, create unexpected match ups, ground character arc trajectories, and provide payoffs if used later in the story. The big plot point introduced in this arc was the #2 Hero Endeavor and the relationship with his son, Todoroki. If All Might is the honest public face hero, then Endeavor is the power obsessed guy. He destroyed his family and took extreme measures to produce a child that can beat All Might. Todoroki's story begins with him outright rejecting his father. However, this changed during a fight with Deku.
Deku and Todoroki are both foils and yet mirrors of each other at the same time. They were both blessed with powers that were not obtained naturally. Deku was given a quirk on the spur of the moment from All Might. Todoroki was given his abilities in service of someone else’s goals. One accepts their reality and the other does not. Deku showed that Todoroki accepting the power is not the same as acting in father's wishes. He should use the powers gifted to him in whatever ways he sees fit. This moment comes with the first end of chapter title drop and the moment when Horikoshi’s writing clicked into place for me. The scene when Todoroki uses his flames for the first time is powerful because I loved how they were depicted coming out so naturally. These flames are a part of himself and always have been. Todoroki has at last accepted that side of himself going forward.
After the tournament, it shifts into a short arc with the Killer Hero Stain. He brings up the idea that Heroes should be more than symbols for people to worship, and instead Heroes should practice what they preach. He sees All Might as the only authentic hero to follow. This is the first time we see a villain figure making a valid point that pins down one of the faults to hero society. Stains describes how everyone is doing it for fun, out of obligation, or for making money. All Might is someone whose confidence is so strong that his hero persona and outward personality are one in the same. Sadly this arc was too short to fully explore the idea, but it would come up again later.
Jumping ahead, the series quickly reached its first major story climax: All Might vs. One For All. I went into this fight thinking All Might was going to die and was very surprised when he didn't. The master passing the torch to his student through a death scene is such a common trope (which yes, it made me even more surprised how All Might survived the entire story). I was on the edge of my seat when reading this weekly and consider it a high point of the series. This fight ended up marking the beginning of the end to the Hero Society. All Might's retirement shakes the very foundation of the Hero world. Who can possibly replace someone who inspires people from all walks of life? From this point on, Deku and Shigaraki are now walking similar paths as the heirs to this conflict. The following arcs saw the league of villains poking at the cracks and expanding the seeds of distrust.
When manga serializations are constantly one-upping itself on story climaxes, it can be hard to return to any semblance of a daily life in the aftermath of major moments. This middle section of the manga from about volume 12 to 24 is a boring stretch of the series. First getting the provisional licenses felt unnecessary in the grand scheme since there's really nothing stopping them from fighting the bad guys other than technical loopholes in the writing. Then the Shie Hassaikai arc was almost like canon filler to me. It amounted to very little at the time and came off like a side quest. (This arc also marks the beginning of frequent breaks). Afterwards the U.A. school festival was a refreshing turn back into school life but still, Gentle isn't the fodder we need to see. Lastly, the worst offender of this stretch by far was the class A vs. B matches. A tournament style arc just for show. No stakes. Nothing of consequence. It basically paused the story for about 2 volumes. Thankfully Horikoshi would resume the plot right afterwards with a bang.
My Villain Academia is exactly what the story needed to get itself back together. The League of Villains seemed like they were supposed to be foils for class A-1 and yet any comparable character development just wasn’t happening. This was finally going to change. This arc focused exclusively on the villains and each member would get a quirk power up, while Shigaraki received the rampaging ally Gigantomachia. We also have the Tenko: Origin chapter to put his past into perspective. While I still have issues with the villain writing, it felt like the villains could finally stand on their own in the story.
The momentum continued into the Paranormal Liberation War. An all-out fight between the heroes and villains at their peak across multiple areas of Japan. The countdown to Mirko stopping Shigaraki from reaching his true form was thrilling. Then came the first real clash between Deku and Shigaraki. However, the star of the show for this arc was undoubtedly Dabi who effectively canceled Endeavor’s entire career. Dabi exposed the past of Endeavor by explaining his own story. He showed that Heroes put up a public positive face to hide their power hungry desires motivating them behind the scenes. This makes Heroes no different from villains in many regards. These words brought an end to Hero society as we knew it. The public was already feeling uneasy after the retirement of All Might, and signaling out Endeavors’s past showed how the system was built on an image, not human understanding. Japan was left in ruins, numerous convicted villains were released back into the wild, and the people have nobody they can trust.
I consider the spread page above to be my favorite from the entire series. Horikoshi’s art reached new highs throughout the Paranormal Liberation War arc. His ability to depict Shigaraki as a real force of nature against the Heroes was crazy good. You could really feel the impact behind every attack on each individual and the surrounding environment. Shigaraki ability is something that alters landscapes wherever he goes.
The final stretch of the story begins with Deku acting like a vigilante. Hero Society at-large has hit its lowest point where the institution of Heroes who maintain public safety is no more. The public is scared for their life. Heroes have largely abandoned their post. One for All and the strongest villains are on the loose, and Deku has been completely worn down by the burden of his role. His mind has entered the idea that only he alone can fix this. The Lady Nagant storyline was awesome. She is someone who had to adapt to survive in these precilous times. A hero and a villian is only matter of perspective after all. Sometimes people will do what they need to in order to survive. If even our main character can be swayed then where is the line hero and villain?
The Dark Deku arc is when Deku is stripped down to his core convictions: the desire to protect his friends and defeat One for All. However it's the very friends that he was trying to push away, who ultimately reached out the hand to save him. Deku has touched each of their lives in ways he can't even begin to imagine. Now it was time for them to return the favor. This brings the story to a touching scene where Uraraka yells to an audience of scared citizens to remind them how Heroes are people too and Deku is one of them. This section is my favorite part of the entire story. It felt like everything had changed. We didn't know where the story was going next nor where to begin tackling the awful state of the world. Everything was so raw. It was an exciting time to be reading weekly.
After reaching a new series high, we drop down to one of its lowest points in my opinion. Star & Stripe vs. Shigaraki was an absolute shame. There should have been a study abroad arc so Deku could meet and experience heroes around the world. So when the Number One American hero is introduced, with death flags, I was skeptical about why. I don't like when characters are introduced just to die immediately. The whole point was to artificially weaken Shigaraki so the heroes would stand a chance in the upcoming final battle. Similarly, I would have liked the traitor reveal if it had been more important throughout the story. Barely came up after the training camp arc in volume 9. It came off like Hoirkoshi just needed to check off that box to appease readers before entering the final battle. But, finally seeing Hagakure’s face was a very nice reward.
Despite the stumbles to set up the final battle, I thought it was incredible. One of the best in recent memory from Jump. A fight with the future of Japan on the line across numerous locations. In shonen manga style, it pulled in every single character from throughout the series, used all the mobs to their fullest, and pitted villains vs. their foil villain character. Iit definitely checked off all the boxes of what you need for a grand finale to a long running battle shonen. I think Dabi and Todoroki got the thematic ending it needed. Spinner could have used a little more focus. Himeko and Uraraka reached an understanding at the very end that was probably the safe end for their storyline. I loved seeing the floating stage slowly descend to the surface as the climax approached, while the fighting began to center around Deku and Bakugo. Horikoshi once again reached new artistic highs I couldn’t even imagine throughout the final battle. I like to think the frequent breaks allowed him to pace it better than you typically find in Jump manga final arcs.
As the series comes to close, I am left very pleased with where character arcs ended up. Deku is someone who had to grow up almost overnight. From a quirkless boy to saving all of Japan in the span of a year. He has something that All Might lacked. The spirit to never give up on leading a hand to someone in need. If All Might presented himself with confident bravado, then Deku was the honest human type. Shigaraki is someone who was beyond saving, and yet even if for a moment, Deku wanted to give the respect he deserved as a person. Deku losing his powers cements the story as being about a moment in his life. That he never took the powers he was blessed with for granted, and used them to the fullest throughout the story.
I appreciated that Horikoshi made no effort to justify the villain's actions (besides partly Himeko). They are a product of unfortunate circumstances and deliberate choices which brought them to this point. Their actions speak for themselves. This applies to the heroes as well. Endeavor is a complex man with a storyline that reads more mature than you'd expect at first glance. He is a man who drove his family to ruin for the sake of strength, and those choices came back to haunt him in the form of Dabi and Todoroki. He's effectively lost everything. I think Horikoshi stuck the landing by giving readers the final judgment if he should be redeemed or not. The family members were left mixed, and Endeavor is prepared to rebuild from nothing.
Shigaraki’s death is best for the sake of tying a bow on the story. Deku indirectly caused it, but he doesn’t beat himself over it that much. The world is the same as it was before the conflict. Heroes will remain in people’s lives. The systemic issues of a Hero society that sells certain images of people and casts aside those who don’t fit will persist. Another person or organization like the league of villains could easily rise up again in the future. However, Horikoshi presents a simple solution. Leading a hand to each other is a good starting point towards making the world a better place. Happiness can spread from person to another, and lead to a better understanding of those we don't know. It takes collective action to make the world a better place for everyone and that can begin with a single person.
So overall, what do I think of My Hero Academia?
Ending at 430 chapters is an incredible run for a weekly manga in this current era. Horikoshi covered a lot of characters and topics, many of which I still didn’t cover at this post. I think the series has some of the strongest battle manga highs we’ve seen in the past decade, and of course some parts could have been better. I take issue with pacing and writing choices at times. The villains collectively speaking were the weakest aspect, but the genuine passion for Heroes shines through in every aspect of this work. He used that as a lens to look at problems of the world. Naruto is very optimistic with how communication is the key to bridging differences. My Hero Academia in comparison says that is only a piece of the puzzle. Everyone needs to make a conscious choice to reach out to others. We all can be a hero to someone out there.
My Hero Academia will be remembered as the generation-defining Jump series of the past 10 years, In the same way its beginning overlaps late Naruto, perhaps in the future, Kagurabachi fans will remember how it started at the end of My Hero Academia’s run. My Hero Academia will finish as the 9th longest series ever in the history of Weekly Shonen Jump. This is a position it will hold long into the future. I don’t expect anything in the current line-up to come close in length. I've considered Horikoshi to be the best artist in the magazine for the past several years. He always kept improving right up to the end with insanely detailed panels and spread pages. His presence in the magazine will be missed.
Thank you Kohei Horikoshi. It's been a long ride. I'm glad you could finally cross the finish line. I look forward to whatever you might do next in the future!
The end of January is always a bittersweet time to be a Precure fan as the currently airing series comes to a close and the next series begins the following week at the first of February. I have been watching Precure on a weekly basis for 6 years ever since Hugtto in 2018 and I watched the entire backlog of episodes over roughly 2 years. I wanted to write a post about why All Stars F and Soaring Sky Precure were the perfect anniversary projects.
The staple of any Precure milestone year is a new All Stars movie. They used to be yearly until there were simply too many characters to sustain the purpose of the format so now its saved for special occasions. I'll start by saying All Stars F was phenomenal! The action has never looked better and unlike Memories, it was almost completely in 2D. It's hard to miss when they distill the franchise into its purest form of magical girls beating monsters. The main point I want to focus on is the film's antagonist Cure Supreme.
(note the fake logo, Supreme is merely going through the motions)
They are an unworldly existence who completely destroyed all the cures. Kind of like an end of series boss character. Yet on a whim Supreme wanted to learn more about where a Precure's strength comes from such as why did they try so hard. Supreme recreated earth, gave themselves a mascot, a ton of monsters to defeat including a boss figure, all to essentially live as the main character of a Precure series. It's a very cynical way of looking at the franchise with its repeatable formula. She sees all the parts as simply something they have.
In the climax of the film Supreme is faced with Precure being more than the sum of its parts. They see the hardships, trials, moments of happiness, and the moments of sadness that have occurred in the history of the franchise. A Precure is someone who puts their best foot forward and looks to make a better tomorrow regardless of any obstacles. By splitting part of their power into a mascot and trying to imitate being a cure, Supreme has already taken the first step of their redemption story. In the end, All Stars F uses Supreme to show the audience why Precure is such a long lasting franchise. It might be a repeatable formula, it might appear silly, but ultimately what defines a Precure is someone giving it all their to improve themselves. That is something that can resonate and inspires an audience of all ages which even Supreme is not immune from. The film concludes with Supreme and they're mascot Puka realizing that perhaps together there is more to life when they share experiences.
(Manatsu grinning with happiness as her first encounter with Laura replays before their eyes. You can feel how proud she is of having a friend like Laura. It completely changed the trajectory of her life for the better)
If All Stars F is a refresher of Precure's overarching themes, then Soaring Sky Precure is a throwback to the duo dynamic of the early days with a theme of Heroes. We have the central duo of Sora and Mashiro. Sora is an outsider and the team lead. She befriends Mashiro, the human character, who is a kind person who doesn't always have the best self confidence. Together they teach other how to exert themselves more. Both Mashiro and Sora come to learn how acts of kindness come in many forms. Similarly, Tsubasa (first male cure, aspiring knight) and Ageha (adult, nursery school teacher) form a secondary duo. They're mostly stuck in supporting roles for most of the series, but both show anyone can embody the qualities of a Precure in their life. Super heroes don't always wear fleshly capes after all. Elle is a somewhat of a throwback to Luminous as a supernatural entity in the group. She's mostly the insert character for Precure's young target demographic. By becoming Cure Noble it adds to the idea of people in supporting roles being heroes in their own right. Even if they are fallen nobility. Precure's don't let their past define them.
This brings us to the main antagonist Kaiserin. If Sora finds positivity from those around her, then Kaiserin is her foil as someone who has a pure heart but became tainted by negative surrounding circumstances. Kaiserin had been told over and over that strength is everything. These ideals were forced upon her through fabricated events. At the climax with Kaiserin wavering, the dark power went into Sky because surely a hero with strong convictions would desire the ultimate power at all costs to save a friend. But turns out Sora's bond with Mashiro is even stronger than that. Power for powers sake can only go so far and Mashiro never stopped believing in Sora. They both push each other to new heights that senseless strength could never obtain. Kasarin sees this and rejects the power. Giving in to those desires has only stunted her ability to cultivate relationships. She can now get a second chance with her loyal followers now seeking to redeem themselves as well.
The franchise began as "Futari wa Precure" (We are Precure) for a reason. It's about how people can connect and push each other. Whether its someone from another world and a human on earth, an alien being destructive powers, or.... a dog and her pet owner? Sometimes the larger group dynamic and gimmick is more important in modern precures, but going back to those roots from Futari wa Precure every once in awhile is a good reminder of how it runs through every installment to this day.
Tldr - I'm thinking way to hard about a children's television series whose main goal is selling toys. We're lucky it consistently has such strong character writing. I really like when the lead can shout their dream at every turn and grows to embody that ideal. We got spoiled by having a full 50 episode series this year. The power of 4 cour is amazing. Late night anime could only dream of having that much time.
Another year comes and goes, and with it another year of anime comes to a close. The number of shows I watched continues to decline. While at the same time I’m spending more time reading manga. There was a strong mix of anime originals and creative adaptations this year. Without further ado, here’s my annual top 5 anime of the year (and manga) list:
1) Mob Psycho 100 Season 3
Mob Psycho 100 has joined the short list of manga that got completely adapted into anime. While I wasn’t as into the season due to the passage of time, it ended on a very high note for me. The remaining plotlines landed in a good place, character arcs reached their resolution, and its message remained on point to the very end. I don’t have much more to add compared to what I wrote in 2016 and 2019. I hope it will be remembered as a classic from this time period.
2) Bocchi the Rock
This was the most creative anime visually for me this year. Every single interaction is a struggle for Bocchi, and that is conveyed through each incident being depicted differently. It brings a lot of life to Bocchi’s personality as no two situations are quite the same for her. It’s also an uplifting show as she grows closer to her new found band friends. Bocchi the Rock was definitely the surprise hit of the year.
3) Spy x Family
As someone who has been reading the manga since it began, I had a feeling it would become a hit someday. The dynamic between Twilight (the spy with a thousand faces), Yor (assassin by night, office worker by day), and Anya (the all knowing psychic) makes for comedic and wholesome situations as they live together under the same roof. Next season will have the much anticipated Yor boat arc. There’s also a movie to look forward to.
4) Made in Abyss Season 2
If you thought season 1 and the movie was the most emotional it could be, well, the series still had more tricks up its sleeve. This season took us down another layer into the legendary Golden City. The story began with a previously unseen group of explorers who descended down to this level. I can’t even begin to describe the horrors they experienced. It was some of the cruelest material yet in the series and a stark reminder how the abyss is a place that rejects outsiders. Unfortunately it might be a long time before another season or movie gets made.
5) Chainsaw Man
This was one of the most anticipated anime of the year for a good reason. Tatsuki Fujimoto draws manga like nobody else in the shonen genre. I was worried how his cinematic yet deliberate panel work would translate to screen, and I can say Mappa did a respectable job. The content from here is where the series had me on the edge of my seat every week. I can’t wait to see Reze, the Gun Devil, and basically the entire second half animated.
Other series worth mentioning: Call of the Night, Dress Up Darling, Lycoris Recoil, Kaguya-Sama: Love is War Season 3 and Bleach The Thousand Year Blood War Part 1
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Biggest Disappointments of the Year:
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 6 - Turns out when you just adapt the manga panels to tv, it loses a lot of visual personality. Thankfully the story alone was enough to make it watchable. My greatest fear going into 2023 is a poor adaptation of Steel Ball Run on Netflix
Devil is a Part Timer season 2 - This was a long overdue sequel. In the time between seasons, I was able to read the entire light novel series. The books are a nice read. The anime however, looked terrible. Perhaps it was best to not adapt it again if that’s the best they could do. Save yourself and read the novels instead. It’s highly unlikely the anime will be able to adapt all 21 volumes anyways.
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Best Openings/Ending of 2022:
1) Urusei Yatsura (2022) Opening - Fun opening and catchy song makes for a perfect match to a reboot of the classic manga
2) Spy x Family Ending 2 - It perfectly captures the peaceful life they enjoy during the day vs. their personal struggles in the shadows.
3) Call of the Night Opening - A simple yet stylized opening to convey how meeting the Vampire Nazuna is changing his life.
4) One Piece Opening 24 - Upbeat song and visuals to showcase the battles against the Tobi Roppo in this section of the story. I hope for a gear 5 animation update when the anime gets there.
5) Chainsaw Man Ending 4 - Among all of Chainsaw Man’s endings, #4 was my personal favorite. Who knew it was possible to show the chaotic yet fun energy of Power in 90 seconds.
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Next up, I’m adding a manga section for the first time. I read a lot of current titles and sometimes I try to check out older series that I missed. The number of legal manga services have started to take off in recent years.
Weekly Shonen Jump and Jump+ have a ton of anime on the schedule for 2023. Undead Unluck is one to watch for big hit potential (don’t let the early crudeness deter you, it matures very quickly), and maybe Mashle if the fights are well animated. Among new serializations, Akane Banashi is without a doubt the best new title of 2022. Its a Rakugo-battle manga that addresses both long standing sexism and the modernization vs. traditional debate within the art form. Takamasa Moue draws well detailed spreads to immerse readers in the world of the stories being told. This will be a big hit when it is eventually animated. Also a big shoutout to Ruri Dragon. I look forward to the day it comes back from hiatus.
Speaking of hiatuses, Hunter x Hunter came back for another 10 chapter run this year. This time it devoted nearly every page to the Spiders and mafia plot on the lower levels of the ship. But overall, not a lot actually happened. The Phantom Troupe backstory was a nice treat for long time fans at least. I still don’t expect to ever see the end of this arc.
Outside of Jump, Tying the Knot with an Amagami Sister is a harem rom-com that I find very enjoyable with a good mix of supernatural antics and fun moments you’d expect in the genre. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is probably going to be one of the biggest anime in 2023. The manga tells the story of Ef who outlived her party. She now seeks to make new memories while learning the meaning of the little things in her previous journey. Its a story that puts everyday life moments into perspective.
Lastly for a few older titles I read this year:
Negima and UQ Holder - This is the kind of series that I would have been immensely into if I read it during its run. The rom-com elements are nice and all, but what truly sold me on the series is the fantasy adventure they have during the entire second half. Negima is one of the best at blending harem and battle troupes together. Unfortunately the sequel UQ Holder isn’t nearly as good. Poor pacing and incoherent plot held it down. At least it provided the final arc that Negima skipped at the end. I think it’s a series that has aged surprisingly well in this modern isekai era.
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer - I heard this was a fantastic title and... I thought it was boring. It’s not drawn particularly well, the story is a bit formulaic, and everything falls flat for me. It simply didn’t feel ambitious enough for the story it wanted to tell (and let us not go into the bland anime adaptation it received). I’ll get around to Satoshi Mizukami’s other titles eventually.
Sun Ken Rock - Since Dr. Stone finished this year, I went back to read another Boichi work. I was really impressed by the Yazuka drama mixed with a non-Japan setting. I quickly learned Boichi sure tamed himself before coming to Jump while still always striving to improve his art. His already impressive spreads during Sun Ken Rock only become more detailed over time and throughout Dr. Stone.
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I look forward to the anime adaptations for several of my favorite manga in 2023 and can’t wait to discover new manga series. The year seems like it will be off to a promising start with JoJo Part 9 coming in February. A few big hitters from Weekly Shonen Jump are also likely to end. There are plenty of things to look forward to in the coming year.
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Another year is coming to a close and once again its time to recap my favorite anime of the year. Rather than a long piece about my thoughts on my top 5, I'll keep it brief this year. As a whole the high end shows were few and far between, but a few definitely stood out from the crowd. (light spoilers ahead)
1) Tropical-Rouge! Precure
I was skeptical going into this year’s Precure series due to Healin’ Good falling to pieces under the pandemic, and knowing the next series would be a comedy. But within the first few episodes, I found myself getting more and more invested into the series. Manatsu and the mermaid Laura’s friendship is the backbone of the series. Its also genuinely funny a lot of the time. A big surprise has been the well developed side cast. Each one is given a character arc with episodes on a regular basis (Asuka’s story being given the most attention). In a bad year, it was refreshing to have a consistently well animated and well written show to watch each week.
2) Yuru Camp Season 2
The year begin with a new season of everyone’s favorite cute girls go camping series. The relationships from season 1 continued to develop, and by the end of the season Nadeshiko’s love of camping becomes increasingly unique compared to Rin. An interest that started with a chance encounter is taking a life of its own. The secondary cast had great antics from start to finish as well. Definitely a highlight of the year due to being pure comfort food. I’m looking forward to the movie in 2022.
3) Mushoku Tensei
I never expected to get invested into Mushoku Tensei. The first cour was great, but not overly amazing. That changed during the second cour. Rudeus’s journey with Eris and Ruijerd took them into an array of unique locations one after the other. Rather than have an opening theme, the series opted to use that time for montaging the adventures and show off highlights of the current location that episode. It made the world of Mushoku Tensei feel very alive. However, the moment that solidified its place at the top of year for me was the last 2 episodes. As the journey concluded, Rudeus was left in a major crossroads in his life. The journey could hardly be called inconsequential, but nothing had fundamentally changed for him. For the first time he had to step up for his own sake to progress forward. Mushoku Tensei is the rare isekai series that is actually a very good show.
4) Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen is an interesting shonen series. I wouldn’t say it reinvents anything, nor is it appealing to the eyes (especially the manga). However, it combines some of the best defining elements of previous gen shonen to provide a fresh experience you won’t find in another series right now. Season 1 covered the introduction arcs with jaw dropping animation at every turn. This is one of my favorites of the year due to its sheer level of flashiness. We are in for a treat if they maintain this quality during the Shibuya arc. As a manga reader I can only say its the moment that changes everything.
5) SSSS.Dynazenon
Dynazenon is a lot less straightforward than its previous entry, but it’s perhaps stronger in the delivery of its themes. There is a strong emphasis on the relationships people have with each other whether they are lovers, long lost friends, unexpected encounters, or even if the relationship spans across time itself. The interwoven subplots through the kaijuu battles may not be for everyone, but I found it to be approached in a nuanced manner. The subtlety of its character writing and meticulous presentation made it just as memorable as the first series for me.
The Promised Neverland season 2 - cut content and an extremely shorted story makes this very incoherent
Muv-Luv Alternative - not enough episodes to have a sufficient adaptation + lack of anything for Extra/Unlimited
Best OP/EDs for the Year:
1) Tropical-Rouge Precure opening - The catchy song and fun dancing visuals provide a quick overview of everyone’s personalities.
2) Komi Can’t Commutate opening - A surprisingly artistic opening which never fails to leave me impressed.
3) Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S opening - This is a 90 second showcase of everything that makes Dragon Maid fun. It was great seeing KyoAni back on the TV anime scene in 2021.
4) Pretty Boy Detective Club opening - A good opening can capture and display the positive qualities of a show. This achieves both while getting the viewer in the mindset for the episode ahead.
5) Attack on Titan Final Season (Part 1) opening - The military imagery with distorted visual and lyrics truly set the tone for the setting change in this final stretch of the story. It’s a good metaphor for how muddled the situation has become for all parties in the series.
The current trends in the anime world are concerning. Everyone has split off into their respective corners of the market, often backed by a major company willing to buy out as many shows as possible. This has lead to an unsustainable number of anime getting made today, and a complete oversaturation of the market. I think this is only going to get worse in the years ahead. They have learned that mass produced anime is more than enough to fill the content demand consumers crave. At least there’s a few high quality adaptations mixed in there to look forward to.
The year 2020 is finally coming to an end. It’s been an unusual year to say the least. Coronavirus more or less almost cancelled the entire spring anime season, which lead to a strange anime schedule for the rest of the year since delays have trickle down effects to what was in the pipeline. To be completely honest, this was not a good year for anime. I watched only a handful of very good shows, and the rest were mediocre at best. The top 5 shows I talk about here are definitely worth watching at least.
So with the introduction out of the way, lets get into this. As usual this list is just my opinions. Don’t take it too seriously.
1) Kaguya-sama Love is War? (Season 2)
The second season of Kaguya-sama took everything from season 1 and brought it up a level. The visual gags became more impressive, the voice acting was just as good, and the show is delivering sharper writing as we get deeper into the manga.
Season 2 added two new notable aspects to the show. First, a new member to the main cast by the name of Iino. She adds a new angle to exploit for the skits as someone who adheres strictly to the rules. This often means Iino and Kaguya frequently bump heads. In fact how they interpret a situation can be entirely different, which creates numerous misunderstandings between them. Second, Kaguya-sama began expanding the skits into long form stories. There were a series of skits that form an arc spanning an entire episode, or in some cases multiple episodes. Episode 11 was the highlight of the season where Ishigami confronted his past to overcome the bad stigma surrounding his character. Additionally, the story added depth to his connection with Shirogane while making us realize there was more to Ishigami than meets the eye. Kaguya and Shirogane also both became a little closer as the tangled web of their schemes yielded unexpected results at times.
Kaguya-Sama has an ova and season 3 planned. I eagerly look forward to seeing what new crazy situations the characters find themselves in.
2) A Certain Scientific Railgun T (Season 3)
After waiting 6 years since the conclusion of season 2, the Railgun anime finally returned to adapt two more arcs from the manga.
The first half was a Railgun version of the Daissheisai Festival arc. This version focuses on a completely different event in the arc with a story involving Misaki, Misaka, and Dolly. It pulls us deeper into the story threads established in the Level Upper and Sisters arc of what the scientists were doing out of the public eye. We meet the original Misaka clone and how Misaki came to meet her which adds a new layer to the current Misaka and Misaki relationship that we never knew. We see how Misaki is also a victim of the dark experiments occurring behind the scenes in Academy City. The experiment to turn Misaka into a level 6 was a very hype moment. Railgun’s Daissheisai Festival arc definiely hit all the right notes.
The second half of Railgun season 3 was the Dream Ranker arc. Like in previous seasons, I found the 2nd cour arc to be weaker than the first half. Indian Poker is a fun concept, but didn’t cleanly tie into the overall story. I also found it weird how special cards that can exchange dreams suddenly exist out of nowhere. Additionally, this arc brought it characters from the Accelerator spin-off which I wasn’t familiar with. It had a few cool and funny moments scattered throughout. The final fight at least brought the conflict to a satisfying conclusion. The only thing holding back Railgun for me like always is my lack of knowledge of the greater Raildex universe. Hopefully this won’t be the last we see of Railgun in animated form because I picked up the manga and the next arc is pretty neat.
3) The Journey of Elaina
The Journey of Elania is an anthology-centric anime where we follow Elania on her adventures. The first episode is a prologue to how she became a witch and the origins of her ambitions. Episode 2-onwards follow a fairly straightforward template of Elania arriving at a new location. She notices something isn’t quite right or learns about something from a local. As the story unfolds, Elania often takes a backseat role and opts to watch things playout. An anime of this style always brings a mixed bag to the table with the kind of stories that are told within the universe. Each episode/adventure is only loosely connected through the main character Elania traveling to a new location, but otherwise they are mostly independent besides a handful of recurring characters.
Naturally this format means there are both great and not so good episodes. There are bitter sweet tales, comedic, and even a few darker entries mixed within this show. In particular, there were a few standout episodes that cemented this show as something worth watching. Episode 7 was a comedy episode split into two halves. One half showed how two towns divided by a wall were ironically doing the same thing to the wall on each side. The second half recalled how Elania accidentally started a grape stomping tradition in a tiny village. Then there was episode 9, the darkest entry of the show so far, when Elania went back in time to help someone save their childhood friend. However, this person came to realize she hardly knew what her childhood friend was really like. Lastly, the last episode was unexpectedly deep where Elania met various alternate versions of herself and had to confront a dark version spawn from the events in episode 8. It showed how her journey can take all sorts of directions if events had transpired even a little differently.
A high part of the appeal to me was never knowing what kind of story we would get each week. Was it going to be light-hearted? Serious? Would it focus on Elania or not? Her adventures were certainly full of unexpected happenings. The light novels are 17 volumes in and still going. I wouldn’t mind seeing more if they ever wanted to make another season.
4) Tonikaku Kawaii
From the prolific author Kenjiro Hata comes an anime adaptation of his newest work under the “Crunchyroll Originals” label. The story is simply about a guy who is head over heels for his new wife and can’t get over how awesome it is living with her. Tonikaku Kawaii is a simple show that chooses to highlight the little moments between our main couple Nasa and Tsukasa. We go through all sorts of everyday events with them such as the act of buying a ring, a new television, bedding, and meeting each other’s family. All the characters are so earnest you can’t help but enjoy their silly banter. There is little to no drama here to drive the story forward. You just get to enjoy a newlywed couple discovering new things about each other as they go through everyday life.
However, at the end of the day Tonikaku Kawaii is far from complete and is honestly the type of show that likely wouldn’t make my list most years. It hardly scratched its overarching story during the 1 cour run. The thing that put it over the top for me was simply how likable each of its characters were. They all present their emotions like an open book and you come to enjoy the little quirks of each one. I was slightly confused at how this show became a “Crunchyroll Original” when anything by Hata would have probably gotten an anime sooner or later. There are plenty of other Weekly Shonen Sunday series that could really use an outside force to help them get animated. I can only hope it did well enough for Crunchyroll to consider investing into more from the magazine .
5) Ahiru no Sora
As usual, my list usually contains at least 1 show that began in the previous year. Ahiru no Sora is an anime that not a lot of people watched, but became one of my favorites each week. This is a 4 cour basketball series about a main character named Sora who is too short for basketball. Despite this set-back, he has a deep passion for the game imparted from his mother and wishes to someday find the same success as she did at the sport. The story begins when he enrolls in a new school and has to build the basketball club from scratch. However, the catch is the basketball team is basically non-existent. He ends up creating a team from a group of unlikely people: the ones who were bullying him. Ahiru no Sora presents a down to earth human side to the sport. There are no fantasy or supernatural elements found in this story. It follows a group of rough around the edges guys whose lives gets back in order through playing basketball together.
All of the main characters go through a decent amount of growth as their personal stories are explored, and Sora especially is taken through a series of events that allow his character to grow more than anyone. I was pleasantly surprised at how emotional it got at times. There was some real heart put into this series. In the middle of the show it genuinely felt the team had hit rock bottom. They lost a major game, the club room was lit on fire, and Sora lost his mother all right in a row. It was the recovery from that period and how each member matured from their experiences that solidified Ahiru no Sora as one of the top shows this year. The only thing holding back the show is that it's left incomplete since the manga is on-going (and actually on hiatus at the moment). I hope there will be an opportunity down the road to have more episodes.
I enjoyed Death Parade, Mob Psycho 100, and Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer was pretty good too. So I figured another original anime from Tachikawa Yuzuru would be something I would like, and yet Deca Dence barely resonated with me. I could never wrap my mind around the setting of the show where robots would enter an alternate world called “Deca Dence” for sport or how these robots had a human persona in the game. The humans were effectively NPCs in the game to the eyes of the robots. The show no doubt had a story it wanted to tell, and it certainly went through the plot beats it wanted to hit, yet I could never get invested in the show. I’m still looking forward to whatever Tachikawa Yuzuru does next. I’ll just consider this as something was not for me.
2) The Day I Became God
This show marks Jun Meada’s 3rd anime original project with P.A. Works. I understand that Angel Beats and Charlotte are flawed shows, but that did not stop them from being enjoyable for me. This unfortunately did not apply to The Day I Became God. At a base level it has many of the usual troupes you would expect from a Jun Meada title: the humor, baseball, an emotionally driven story. The place where this shows failed hard was having no backbone to back up the story it was trying to present. I enjoyed the comedy in the early episodes quite a bit and was somewhat intrigued by a subplot in the background that was slowly creeping up on the main plot. Ending each episode on a countdown to the end of the world helped to keep a looming sense of unease during the early part of the show.
Then in typical Jun Meada fashion, the plot of the show hit all at once. Episode 9 was the big climax where the subplot and main plot collided to send the show into its “true” storyline. The hacker kid who uncovered everything about Hina in the early part was poorly utilized and underdeveloped. So when he joins our main group in episode 10 for a short period of time, his presence makes very little sense. I can only describe that part as a 10 hour VN plot condensed into 10 minutes. The male lead Narukami has almost no personal stake in the story. Hina is hilarious in the comedy episodes, but lacks any sufficient character arc built up to carry her into the final section. Jun Meada is trying to sell this as a love story between Narukami and Hina, but I just don’t see it. Narukami spent at least half the summer trying to wow his childhood friend only to suddenly change at the last minute. It felt so haphazardly put together.
The Day I Became God is an extremely bare bones Jun Meada story. It goes through the motions of similar elements to his previous works, but comes out feeling emotionally hollow. While Angel Beats and Charlotte also felt rushed in the grand scheme, I can at least say he got the emotional aspect right. This will be remembered as one of, if not Jun Meada’s weakest title.
1) Jujutsu Kaisen Opening 1 - The song is great, but it’s the visuals that really sell this opening. Each shot is brilliantly connected to showcase how everything in the world of Jujutsu Kaisen is layered. There is far more than what meets in the eye in our surroundings. Curses and humans co-mingle more than you might think.
2) A Certain Scientific Railgun T Opening 1 - There still hasn’t been a bad Railgun opening yet. Flipside once again delivers a song that once again never failed gets me in the mood for the episode each week. The visuals highlight some of the best action moments in the arc too.
3) Black Clover Opening 10 - Unlike the other songs on the list this year, this a slower somber song. It always makes me think of Nero’s backstory and how the story was leading up to the fight versus the devil. The black and white aesthetic with rain conveys how everything is laid bare for this major story climax.
4) Kaguya-Sama Love is War? Opening - Just like how this season is more character focused, the opening animation is basically a 90 second skit. It never fails to get to get me in the mindset for the hijinks that are ahead in the episode. The song itself is also a great follow up to the previous opening.
5) Rent-a-Girlfriend Opening - It’s a colorful opening that highlights the best aspects of each character. It completely conveys what the show is about with some nice music. I love how fun and upbeat this opening is. It definitely helped to set the tone for the episodes each week.
....and so, that brings 2020 to a close. The North American anime scene is shifting once again with Sony buying out Crunchyroll. Hopefully the result of the merger keeps Crunchyroll as an entity alive. I’ll be curious to see how everything shakes out. In the coming year I am most looking forward to Chainsaw Man’s anime. The manga is quite an experience and anime viewers will be spinning their heads over learning how such a series was published in Weekly Shonen Jump. I think it has a good chance of being one of the most talked about shows in the new year.
Another year of anime has come and gone. This year I ended up watching a lot less due to the over saturation of Isekai and light novel anime, but there was still plenty to enjoy. As usual I consider any show that ended this year as a contender to be on my list. This is simply my opinion and there will be spoilers below.
1) Pokemon Sun & Moon
Starting this list with a show I watched for 3 years, Pokemon Sun and Moon was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had with the Pokemon anime. It took the best aspects of XY and added loose animation to the mix. Ash and friends have never had so much personality as each episode brought the characters to life in new ways with funny facial expressions. As an adaptation of the game, Pokemon SM did better in some areas compared to others. The trials were simplified or restructured to account for Ash’s classmates being trial captains in the game. While the Kahuna battles were spaced out very far apart in the anime. I always thought it was strange that in-between major story battles, Ash barely ever thought about the challenges.
The two major story highlights of the anime are Lusamine’s arc and the Pokemon League. Lusamine’s story was the main plot of SM and it played out almost exactly like the game. Her downfall to her Ultra Beasts obsession and then Lillie knocking some sense back into her mom is still an emotional highlight of the series. In any Pokemon anime, the Pokemon League is what brings meaning to Ash’s entire journey through the region. SM’s league is similar to the game where it’s the first league of the region. The rival pairings and matches were completely predictable, but it ended with two big surprises. First, Ash was actually allowed to win for once (matching your character becoming the first champion in the game), and secondly he had a full 6 v 6 match with Kukui. It spanned 3.5 episodes with Ash’s Litten completing its character arc by reaching its final form during the battle. It was a rare match where both parties are battling it out for fun and it ended with a flashy finale of two hype Z-moves. Pokemon SM will be remembered for its simplicity, yet ambitious approach in always showing something new week after week.
2) Mob Psycho 100 Season 2
Mob-Psycho continues where it left off in season 1. The main protagonists have come away from a battle with Claw and now daily life resumes. This season featured a love story, Reigen’s arc, deeper exploration into psychic powers, and the return of Claw. Just like in season 1, Mob continues to excel in two major areas. First is of course the animation. An average episode of Mob is literally that one stand-out episode of a one cour anime. Psychic power usage is often a reflection of emotions and they are animated in different ways depending on the characters thoughts in a particular scene. There were so many highlights this season that it would be impossible to list them all.
Mob’s second strength is the character writing. In season 1 Mob was a boy struggling to create his own identity. This season Mob actively tries to break out of his shell and become his own unique person. We see this through his efforts with the fitness club, again when he separates from Regien, and again as he shows everyone that having psychic powers is no substitute for personal growth or status. Mob is no longer a timid boy like he was at the start of the series. He can now stand on his own two feet and help others who are struggling to get up. Considering there is still a little more manga left to cover, I can only hope it gets one last season to finish out the story.
3) Kaguya-Sama: Love is War
In order to understand the appeal of Kaguya-Sama, just for a second imagine if Death Note was a romantic comedy. Both of the protagonists are locked into a battle of wits to outsmart the other in the events of daily life. The mere act of choosing a vacation spot, going somewhere, or giving an item to each other suddenly becomes a high stakes duel. Kaguya-sama follows Kaguya herself and Shirogane as they try to avoid being the first to admit their love for each other. The side characters only help to add wildcards to each battle such as Chika being able to change the tide of battle with a single phrase.
I enjoyed seeing how absurd each battle would become week after week. The presentation is simple, yet very effective in this anime. Resources were definitely allocated for use in certain places for maximum impact. The voice acting also helped a ton in selling just how important each battle was in the minds of the characters. Overall, the series knows how to play with your expectations. Some battles turn out as expected, some with a twist, and others end on some kind of middle ground. However, each battle brings them a little closer together. I can’t wait for the next season in April.
4) Run with the Wind
Almost all sports anime revolve around high school students trying to become as good as possible and win nationals before the 3rd years graduate. However, Run with the Wind takes a different approach to this formula. It focuses on a group of college students who, at the start at least, would rather do anything else than run. It takes about half of the show before our group of characters even get on the same page about running. I enjoyed how this anime put us into the heads of each character. Some have personal reasons for not wanting to run, while for others it was something trivial. However, by committing themselves to the team they each gained a new outlook on themselves and those around them. It was quite literally an uphill for the team to reach the level of success they got at the end. The final run brilliantly showed how each character learned from the experience and how the time they spent on the team was a positive life changing moment. Run with the Wind shows that it's never too late to try something new.
5) JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 5: Golden Wind
Jojo is back on the list after an extended break between parts 4 and 5. Compared to previous stories, Part 5 is most similar to part 3. There is a quest to clear and it involves the main group traveling across the land and defeating enemy stand users each step of the way. The differences between part 5 and its previous stories becoming apparent right away. First off, the protagonist is not a traditional Joestar. He is the son of Dio born from when he had Jonathan’s body. Secondly, the group of main characters are not exactly good guys. As mafia members they display a sense of unity, but lack the high integrity of previous Jojo characters. A connection they all share is being looked down upon in society, but placing a place in the world through Bucciarati’s squad.
The aspect that makes or breaks a JoJo story for me is usually the villain. I consider Diavolo to be the weakest of any villain across the various JoJo stories. During the early arcs of the story, Diavolo comes off as an interesting character. He has a mysterious personality and will clearly stop at nothing to keep his identity hidden, including killing his own daughter. The series then adds layer of complexity when we meet his alter ego Doppio. The two personalities are clearly distinctive, but the line between which one is charge can be murky. However, his character intrigue quickly comes crashing down as the final arc fully brings Diavolo into the limelight. The story comes down to who can control the stand arrow, which is a sharp contrast to previous villains who drove the final arc on the back of their eccentric personalities. While JoJo part 5 is still a good anime, it will always come near the bottom of my favorite JoJo parts.
The Year of High Profile Weekly Shonen Jump Anime Adaptations
As the 2016-17 hits from Weekly Shonen Jump have aged up, all of their anime dropped in succession this year. I am a huge fan of the magazine, so here’s a section with some quick thoughts of their anime.
The Promise Neverland - The anime changed the escape arc from a mental battle to a horror series. While animation is definitely better suited to playing with the idea of show don’t tell, the result ended up being telling the story through a different lens. While I appreciated the idea, I feel it came up short. The loss of Posuka Demizu’s art was another major blow to the mood they were trying to create.
Kimetsu no Yaiba - When the manga first began, I never imagined it would become a 1+ Million seller. Ufotable brought their top class digital effects to a manga that at a quick glance would make anyone think it would be the last series to get such treatment. The anime brought a lot to the table and greatly helped to bring the manga to life. It was a great experience from start to finish (episode 19 is a major highlight of the year). I’m looking forward to the upcoming film.
Dr. Stone - Compared to the other Jump anime this year, Dr. Stone’s animation and presentation stuck very close to the manga (if not even inferior to Boichi’s creative spreads at times). The aspect that sold this anime best was the voice cast. They brought so much life into the characters and conveyed the passion each one has for science and learning. I enjoyed seeing Senku create his inventions in animated form.
Bokuben - This might not exactly be considered “high-profile”, but I can’t help but find myself impressed by the anime week after week. It adds a few touches here and there to better tell a cohesive story and occasionally adds a scene or two. I appreciated the heart the anime brought to the series through the seiyuu. Introducing a new seiyuu unit from the cast was also a nice bonus as well.
Best OP/EDs of the year:
1) One Piece Opening 22 - The One Piece anime has changed dramatically under Tatsuya Nagamine. This opening is fast paced and filled with future story teases. It changes the format by cutting the op run time down to 2 minutes and includes clips of the episode. The final sequence of Luffy vs. Kaido always gets me hyped each to watch the episode each week.
2) Mob Psycho II Opening - This opening feels like a natural continuation of the first season opening. It once again showcases how the show is full of creative animation and unusual characters.
3) Mix Opening 1- Mitsuru Adachi is known for his nuanced writing of giving characters the space to convey their thoughts. This opening fully shows these traits through its sequence of character shots that feel like a natural usage of his writing style.
4) Kaguya-Sama Chika Ending - Cute song and amazing choreography. There’s a clear reason why this swept across the internet last winter
5) JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 5 Opening 2 - Not only is Traitor’s Requiem a very cool name for a song for this part of the story, but the plot teases are perfectly timed in the song. The opening animation also kept on giving with the villain version and Giorno later recapturing the opening.
This brings 2019 to a close and another decade comes to an end. As my way of recapping the decade, here is a list of my top shows in each post I have made since I started posting them in 2014:
Space Brothers
Hunter x Hunter
Kill la Kill
Nisekoi
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 3
Sore ga Seiyuu
Death Parade
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 3 (Second Half)
Hibike Euphonium
One Punch Man Season 1
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 4
Mob Psycho 100 Season 1
Yuri on Ice
Konosuba Season 1
Sakamoto Desu Ga?
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
Tsuki Ga Kirei
Re:Creators
Ero-manga Sensei
Owarimonogatari (the Monogatari series in general)