When I reviewed the premiere for LUPIN THE 3rd PART 5, I said I was disappointed to see that the franchise looked like it was sinking back into the slurry of mediocrity that characterized the late ‘90s and 2000s, interested only in updating the aesthetic sheen without tackling any […]
This series is made possible by a commission from Frank Hecker. You can find out more about commissions here. In the city of Sternbild, heroes are a part of everyday life. In fact, the superpowered beings called NEXT are reality TV superstars, wearing sponsor logos and competing for […]
Back again! Here’s the second half of what I reviewed this season. Some unexpected gems and also the worst the season has to offer. As always, one line summaries are also linked to my longer reviews.
I made it to the end, for better and worse. The short version? This is a real case of diamonds encased in shit, Ryumako is a good and canonical ship, the StuCo are cute kids, and if anyone tries to talk to me about this series in future […]
It’s that time again! The time of year when I don’t sleep and my schedule is completely wrecked by the need to have opinions about anime. I love it, I really do. The season’s about half over, and there’s been a surprisingly good crop of potential. As always, […]
Kino’s Journey (2003) is one of the great classics of anime: directed by the late Ryutaro Nakamura (Serial Experiments Lain) with his characteristic eye for negative space and eerie, melancholy sound design, the series is a quiet but purposeful sequence of short stories ranging from the fantastical to the […]
The show lulled me into having a fun time with the Kansai arc and then sucker punched me directly in the anus with The Worst Scene Ever. Just in case I forgot that every nice thing in KLK has to be balanced by a heinously awful thing.
I got together with Caitlin and Dee to talk about one of my favorite anime of all time. You may remember it from the considerable number of essays I’ve dedicated to it over the years. And if you haven’t checked it out yet, I can’t recommend it enough […]
This essay was commissioned by Shawn. You can find out more about commissions here. Horror anime is rare and rarely affecting. Series often have difficulty conveying or maintaining unsettling atmospheres and slow burns, and turn instead to gore and body horror—subgenres that can be quite effective but can […]
This batch of episodes had some things I quite like (them Student Council kids are quality, can’t believe nobody told me about the Good Ship Satsuki/Nonon), and some things I reaaaaaaaaaaally hate. Have I mentioned my loathing for Noble Poverty stories? Well, now I have. In detail. Also: […]
