#wysw

*spoiler free!*

First Love is a 2022 Japanese drama that focuses on two former high school sweethearts who have grown apart as the years passed. They end up crossing paths again 20 years later in the city of Sapporo, and the story follows their journeys both individually and together as they've grown into different people than their teenage selves could have predicted.

While the story is told non-linearly, both of the main characters are at 'present' 35 years old; one of them is a security guard, and the other is a taxi driver and a single mom. I really appreciated that these characters were a bit older, had regular jobs, and had been in previous serious relationships. Not that 35 is old by any means, but a lot of romance media is focused on young people or takes place in high school and college. While this story does contain high school and college romances as well, it felt very fresh to have a different demographic take the protagonist seat.

The characters in this story are very likable and immediately sympathetic, however to me they also feel a lot more real and grounded than many other fictional romance protagonists do. And this is because these characters are not perfect; far from it. They make questionable choices, hurt others, hurt themselves, and while you may find yourself frustrated and disappointed with some of the decisions they make, they are still human decisions. If you go into it with an open mind, you will end up loving and appreciating these characters despite their flaws.

An interesting aspect to this drama is that the story was loosely based on the song First Love by Hikaru Utada (in addition to the later song Hatsukoi) and several songs from the First Love album are featured on the soundtrack. Hikaru Utada is practically a character in the story; they are the same age as the protagonists, and their music often reminds Yae and Noguchi of several important moments in their life and their relationship with each other.

One last thing of note is that this show is extremely well shot, showcasing both the beauty of the Hokkaido countryside and Sapporo's city landscapes. I was amazed by the cinematography and had to mention it in this review somewhere.

*spoiler free!* (WYSW = Why You Should Watch)

Our Beloved Summer focuses on a pair of former high school classmates, one who was the top of their class and another who was at the very bottom. While they were still in school, a documentary was made about their situation and it went viral due to their comedic dynamic and surprising chemistry. Right after the documentary was finished, against all odds the two fell in love and started dating. 10 years later, a documentary sequel is proposed, however the now working adults are no longer together and seemingly hate each other. What happened?

That's all you need to know going in, but if you like romcoms you're already in the right place. From the protagonists Yeonsu and Ung, to Ung's childhood best friend/practically surrogate brother Jiung, to the strange and impulsive young pop star NJ, to Yeonsu's quirky and nosy coworkers, each and every character is likable but complex enough to feel real.

This show is very pleasant and easy to watch. While there are heavier topics sprinkled throughout the series (and I can't deny I teared up at times) it is overall a very soft and fluffy show. One of the main themes the series focuses on is that who you are in high school does not necessarily reflect what your future will look like, and you can't judge others based on superficial notions of success.

The show also has a surprisingly vulnerable portrayal of how poverty can harden people in ways not often talked about. I found this to be one of the most compelling aspects of this series that gives it some much needed depth.

This is a side note but as someone who watches a lot of anime where the average age of a protagonist is like, 17, I really love that this show focuses entirely on characters in their late 20s. Really, most kdramas are centered around working young adults, so if that is something you value I'd highly recommend looking into more of them.

Seriously though, if you haven't watched any kdramas this would be a good one to start with. I actually watched this show with my mom. She had never seen a kdrama before, and she really loved it! Especially if you like rom-coms, I'd really recommend giving Our Beloved Summer a shot.

Thanks for reading,

*why you should watch*

*spoiler free!*

I actually already made a Love is War recommendation post ages ago, but now, 3 seasons and many manga chapters in, I have more to say about it and even more praises to shower upon it. And some convincing to do, if you haven’t watched the show yet. If you like comedy anime, romance anime, or romcom anime, and you haven’t seen Love is War yet, what are you waiting for?

If you don’t know the plot, Kaguya-sama: Love is War focuses on the student council of an exclusive high school for the children of Japan’s elite. The president, Miyuki Shirogane, and the vice president, Kaguya Shinomiya, secretly have a crush on each other but refuse to let the other person know. Instead, they’re determined to make the other confess to them first.

I’m not the first to say it, but Love is War genuinely has Death Note level mind games. The lengths these two go to in order to get in each other’s heads is truly impressive and frightening. But, there actually is a developing heartfelt story underneath all of the silliness, and despite their resistance and stubbornness you will be rooting so hard for Kaguya and Shirogane to get together.

The show has a wide variety of beloved characters, from the other members of the student council to Shirogane and Kaguya’s quirky families. Everyone is very likable and funny, with their own personal struggles that get explored as the story gets more complex.

Love is War has a lot to say about relationships, crushes, insecurity, classism, growing up, and even more, and does it all while being one of the funniest anime I’ve ever seen. If you’re looking for a lighthearted romcom with a bit of depth to it, Love is War is the show for you.

Thanks for reading!

**WYSW = Why You Should Watch**

**Spoiler-free Review!**

To be honest, I don’t really know what prompted me to give Vinland Saga a shot- it isn’t a newly airing show, I didn’t have any friends who were watching it, I didn’t even see anyone online recommending it. But I must’ve just had a feeling that it was something worth watching, and that feeling was 100% correct. So here’s why you should, too.

Here’s a quick plot summary: Thorfinn is a young boy living in Iceland with his family, bored of his everyday life and blissfully unaware of much of the danger and peril that exists outside of his small bubble of reality. Longing for adventure, Thorfinn sneaks onto a warrior’s ship and ends up becoming severely traumatized by what he witnesses. Far away from home and desperate to survive, Thorfinn begrudgingly becomes a valuable lackey to the man he despises most in the world.

Vinland Saga is often praised for its fight scenes, but in my opinion the real appeal of this show is the interpersonal struggles of the characters and their relationships with each other. Thorfinn and Askeladd in particular have an incredibly unique dynamic that I really have never seen before. Thors (Thorfinn’s father) subverts a lot of stereotypes about what a warrior ‘should’ be. And all of the supporting characters have their own surprises and unique color as well.

Something else appealing about Vinland Saga is its historical value. I like to say I have a decent grasp on world history, but the war between Denmark and England in the 12th century is definitely a weak spot for me. However, I ended up learning a lot about it while watching this show because surprisingly Vinland Saga had like, genuinely good historical info? Obviously many specific moments/battles are exaggerated for entertainment purposes, but the timeline and general big historical events are fairly accurate to real life, which is pretty cool.

A couple of other small things: the writing is excellent, and personally I think this show has one of the best anime villains of all time. It’s very hard to make a character so despicable and yet you somehow end up rooting for them in the end anyway. Both OPs are total bangers. Also, a second season is going to be coming out in 2023! So you can get ahead of the curve if you watch season one now.

Content Warning: tons of gore, death, and violence. But you might have expected that lol

Thanks for reading!

**spoiler-free!**

To Your Eternity released this Spring season, and is another animated work originally written by Yoshitoki Oima, the author who created A Silent Voice. Both of these works are excellent, but they’re vastly different. A Silent Voice takes place in the real, modern world; meanwhile, To Your Eternity takes place in a fantasy universe and is filled with much more action and adventure. One thing they have in common, though, is that they both will absolutely destroy you emotionally.

Here’s a short summary: To Your Eternity is about a magical orb created by a mysterious god-like figure released into the world in order to learn about the planet. This orb has the ability to change its form into any object, creature, or person it touches (with some caveats, of course). Eventually gaining sentience and the name Fushi, this orb sets off on a heartbreaking journey to learn the meaning of life and death.

It is difficult to discuss this kind of anime without spoiling it, but I will say this show is full of really heartbreaking and emotional scenes, fun characters, and frightening villains. Fushi is an incredible protagonist. It is so fun to see them learn and grow, and they develop into a really sweet and lovable character.

Fair warning, there is a significant amount of gore and violence in this show, although I wouldn’t say it’s gratuitous or hard to watch. The most difficult part is definitely the emotional hits. If you’re mentally prepared for a really heartbreaking story, I would highly recommend To Your Eternity! A second season has already been announced, but if you’re impatient, there’s always the manga.

Thanks for reading!

*Why You Should Watch*

**this review is spoiler-free!**

Psychological Thrillers are some of my favorite anime to watch, and whenever you see a list recommending anime psychological thrillers, Monster is almost always on the list. However, I hadn’t heard many people talk about the show, especially recently; it came out in 2004 and isn’t exactly popular with young anime fans today. So, I’d like to make a case for it in this post.

I really don’t want to say much pertaining to the plot, but you need at least something to go off of, right? Here’s my synopsis:

Kenzo Tenma is a brilliant Japanese surgeon living and working in Germany in the late 80s. His moral sense of right and wrong is challenged every day, as he is forced to work with corrupt doctors and hospital directors who insist he use his skills on only the wealthiest and most important patients. One day, Tenma decides to go against the wishes of his superiors, a decision that will ultimately lead him to go on a long journey rife with murder and mystery.

The show is 74 episodes and took me quite a while to get through, but it was definitely worth it. This show introduces a large amount of characters, some proving to be relevant for the entire show and others only showing up for an episode or two, however they are all equally important and weave perfectly into the story. Tenma is a very complex and fully fleshed out protagonist, as well.

Even though it is an anime, I actually think Monster would work well as a live action show. Not that I’m advocating for a live-action series to exist of course; I just think that might give you a good idea of the type of story that Monster is. It is very grounded in reality, and while I do actually like the animation, it’s very realistic and not fantastical in the slightest. This would be a good show to watch with someone who is unfamiliar with anime.

Something else to note is that the show deals quite a bit with medical procedures, murder, guns, abuse, and trauma, so if any of those things are disturbing to you I would proceed with caution.

If you have seen Monster and were curious about my unfiltered thoughts on it, here is my spoilery review.

Thanks for reading!

**why you should watch**

I’ve put Mushishi on plenty of my anime/manga rec lists on this blog but have never made a whole post about the anime, and I definitely think it deserves one. (Also, fun fact, this anime is where my profile picture is from! Art is by @leahdrawsstuff​)

Mushishi is the story of Ginko, a mushi master (or mushishi). Mushi are small, magical beings sort of like yokai, except they are not conscious and have no intentions or motivations for anything they do. Therefore, mushi end up being a nuisance some of the time, or even a complete disaster that can lead to death and tragedy. Ginko has been studying mushi for many years, and spends his days traveling around looking for people to help who have been inconvenienced by mushi.

Mushishi is a slice of life seinen anime based on the manga of the same name that takes place around the Edo/Meiji periods of Japan. The show provides a unique look into the historical setting by introducing a ‘magic’ element through the mushi. Also, much of Mushishi’s plot involves historical Japanese cultural elements and circumstances which is a really cool learning opportunity. The show is generally very calm and low-key, however at times the story can get dark and will introduce heavy themes or a sad storyline.

The show is episodic, and because Ginko travels to a new location every episode, the characters besides Ginko rarely ever make a reappearance. There are a few characters here and there that pop up once in a while, but generally Ginko is the only one you’ll see, which is actually pretty great because he’s a very interesting character. There is no overarching plot, but the story keeps you on your toes because each new mushi you meet is different from any other you’ve seen before.

I would highly recommend Mushishi if you’re looking for a low-key, slice of life story. It has two seasons and a movie but is fairly quick to get through in my opinion.

Thanks for reading!

Gonna start a new series called Why You Should Watch! Figured I’d start with my favorite underrated comedy, Saiki K!

Reason 1: the humor

Saiki K has such absurd, ridiculous humor that can honestly appeal to anyone! It can be sarcastic, there’s some physical comedy, Saiki is very deadpan as you can see above, etc.

Reason 2: the characters

Every character is an extreme exaggeration of a popular anime trope, or a subversion of a popular media trope, and they are all hilarious. The gif above features Saiki’s parents, who love each other so much that they are competitive with their love for each other.

Reason 3: Saiki is a nice wholesome boi

He can act a bit disinterested and can be focused on himself too much sometimes, but overall Saiki uses his powers for good and is willing to lend a helping hand/embarrass himself in order to help out one of his friends.

Definitely check out Saiki K! It’s on Netflix, but can likely be found elsewhere if you look!

Thanks for reading!