The art and animation of Mahou Shoujo Magical Destroyers are solid but not mind-blowingly good either. There are plenty of shots where the visuals are above average, but for normal scenes, they are pretty standard. For example, the magical girl transformations are not only high-quality in animation but also very creative and unorthodox. The opening song visuals are also excellent.

The overall art style is also unique compared to the standard anime art style, with bright contrasting colors and distinctive drawing style. The closest thing I can compare it to is FLCL.

The characters look solid, especially the three magical girls when transformed. The main character, Otaku Hero, looks a bit more normal since he has no special power, but I love what he did to his helmet, like soldiers in World War II.

The background looks solid most of the time, but a lot of things take place in the ruins of Akihabara. There are scenes where I think it feels too empty or sloppy.

The animation is also nicely done for the most part, especially for the parts that matter, such as magical girl transformations and high-adrenaline fighting scenes. The combat animation area is well-balanced between combat choreography and close-up shots, which makes it just right and doesn’t feel awkward like a low-budget anime. Outside of combat, the animation in everyday life and movement are pretty normal.

There is not a lot of character development going on here, but the main characters are not only likeable but also quite relatable.

Anarchy is one of the magical girls with red hair. She is deep down a caring girl who will protect the otakus, but at the same time, when it comes to combat, she is crazy and dangerous. She is an easy-to-understand, straightforward character and a supportive pillar for the Otaku Hero. Also, I think she has the best magical girl transformation moment.

Blue is a masochist girl with blue hair who loves to joke around. She is the main source of masochist comedy and will make all kinds of lewd faces when in masochist moments with all the kinky stuff. She also happens to be the mouthpiece for Pink because Pink doesn’t really talk and she is the only one who can translate for her.

Pink is a small girl with pink hair and while she may seem cute and only make “Gobo Gobo” noises instead of talking, she is one crazy bitch. Her weapons are syringes and she is into drugs, yes, the hard stuff. I really enjoyed the episode where the Otaku Hero went to get her back into the team with all her followers drugged up and all kinds of crazy things happening.

The Otaku Hero, the hero all the otakus need, the brain and leader of the revolution, is a guy who we otakus can relate to since he is just an ordinary human without any special power. Because the Otaku Hero is an average guy who the other otakus can relate to, they follow him as a leader and fight together with him to achieve a common goal.

The Otaku Hero uses tactics to win fights, but he is not like a master tactician protagonist like Lelouch from Code Geass or Shiroe from Log Horizon or Sora & Shiro from No Game No Life. He is a normal guy doing his best to come up with tactics that will win the fight and gain respect from others who follow him. The Otaku Hero is also very human in that he has moments when he is low on morale, depressed or sad, but he also has moments when he will chill and enjoy the achievements that he has made.

Magical Destroyers

Gospelion in a classic love by The 13th tailor

Mahou Shoujo Magical Destroyers

Both the opening and ending songs are bangers that fully represent the theme of Mahou Shoujo Magical Destroyers. The opening rock song is a total headbanger that will stimulate all your senses and make you hyped up for the anime, and the ending song is full of emotion and, with the visuals that accompany it, it’s a hard-hitting song.

The composer of the background music and OSTs also did a heck of a good job for this anime. It delivers hard, especially those background music pieces that play during the magical girl transformations, where the three have different styles of music. The tense scenes feel more tense, and emotional scenes hit harder than they should, all thanks to the OSTs.

The voice acting also delivers with experienced voice actors and actresses that have starred as main characters in high-profile to mildly successful animes. The voices suit their characters’ designs, personalities and sound real. For example, Anarchy’s voice gives a vibe of more rebelliousness and Blue’s masochist moments are done really well. 

Mahou Shoujo Magical Destroyers is not your typical anime about magical girls. It has a unique premise that come at a right time exploring the oppression and resistance of otaku and weebs by an organization that claims to protect them while taking away their hobbies and interests. Your waifu figures and dakimakura? Confiscated. Your fellow ecchi anime lover? Jailed. The surviving crew of otaku and weebs revolt against the organization and its leader, Shobon (which means dejected in Japanese), from the ruins of Akihabara with the help of three magical girls and the protagonist Otaku Hero.

Why do I say it come at the right time? It’s because the anime reminds me of the modern-day woke, tourist and cancel culture that tries to judge and change anime based on their own tastes and colonialist views on long-standing anime culture, such as loli or incest, while having very little knowledge of this medium and what makes it unique. I can’t help but see Shobon and his organization as those kinds of people, but apart from the eerie similarity, how is the story?

The story doesn’t really take itself seriously and it is one of those stories where you should turn off your logical circuit while watching. Why are there real magical girls in the anime? Don’t ask, but they are there to kick Shobon’s ass and give you a good time. It’s a story that goes from 0 to 9000 in a few seconds with crazy ideas thrown into the pot, and if you try to analyze it logically, it’s a leaky pot.

If you have been part of the otaku culture for quite a while, you will feel right at home, especially when the Otaku Hero raises the otaku flag. It was quite a sight to see. You will witness all kinds of otaku culture, ranging from anime/manga to things like guns, RC cars, itasha and much more. It is fun to see how the otaku use their armoury of different anime merchandise, airsoft guns, RC cars with bombs attached, etc., to defend themselves against Shobon. I find it really creative. Not only that, there are plenty of inspiring lines from the Otaku Hero in the story.

The comedy is pretty solid, not many laugh-out-loud moments but ones that will make you grin and relate to. The three magical girls also provide some solid humour and don’t follow the typical pure innocent magical girl route. Plus, there are wild scenes, such as giving an injection in the ass to a giant robot, forcing it to make sexy noises. However, the anime doesn’t fully commit to the craziness either and also has emotional moments, such as older otaku and newer otaku coming together.

I was hoping they would try to end the anime in one season because getting a season 2 seems unlikely, but the story didn’t end here unfortunately and all we can do is hope that season 2 does happen. The story also lost some of its craziness as the season finale drew near. The takeaway message from what Mahou Shoujo Magical Destroyers wants to convey is: Live your own life the way you want, protect what you love (especially from those woke tourists), don’t be ashamed of what you love and enjoy it fully.

With Madhouse Studio leading the production, the art and animation of Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru are actually quite good. The art style features clean, bright, and colourful visuals with good attention to detail. The overall aesthetic is visually pleasing, making it a good-looking anime.

The character designs are closer to reality since the series is set in modern-day Japan, without any extravagant fantasy elements, yet they are all well-drawn. The in-game chibi characters also look great and come to life effectively. The facial expressions and comedic moments are portrayed accurately, and there are plenty of close-up shots showcasing the characters' expressions beautifully.

The backgrounds are adequately detailed, though not overly intricate. Indoor settings, such as rooms, have decent details, but some places like bars could benefit from additional background objects. Outdoor scenes are particularly impressive, with well-drawn background characters engaged in various activities, detailed trees, and buildings.

The animation is smooth and fluid, whether it's character movements, facial expressions, comedic timing, or special effects. Attention to detail is evident, such as when characters are caught in the rain, with raindrops splashing on their shoulders and heads, and water dripping down from their hair, adding to the immersion. Overall, it is a visually appealing anime.

All the characters in Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru are incredibly relatable to me, perhaps because I've witnessed similar situations during my time in Final Fantasy XIV. They are all likeable characters, and although the main focus is on the development of Akane and Yamada, the supporting cast is also solid.

As a guy, I naturally watch through Yamada's perspective. I must say, he is the perfect embodiment of a gamer upon first impression. Introverted, socially awkward, tech-savvy, and with games, raids and min-maxing status on his mind. However, being a Shojo anime, he looks stunning and exudes a mysterious vibe. Let's just say, I really like his character, and I gained even more respect for him when he rejected a girl trying to confess to him by saying it was almost time for a raid event in-game soon. Total Chad even though he didn't know the girl is trying to confess.

Jokes aside, Yamada undergoes subtle changes after meeting Akane, and these become more noticeable as the show approaches its end. His realization of his own feelings is also apparent. One of his crushes, Tsubaki, even puts these changes into words, watching him like a CCTV camera... Just like I did with my first crush (sigh). Not to mention, his confession is incredibly wholesome.

Akane is an overall lovely and bubbly girl. She's not a gamer by any means but joined the MMORPG Forest of Savior because of her ex-boyfriend, and I kind of respect that—few girls would do the same. Her cluelessness in games is portrayed in a natural and relatable way for someone who has never played games before. I couldn't help but laugh at her hoarding tendencies in the game, as I do the same. 

Akane is the type of person who gets along well with almost everyone and is the person you'd want to guide a newcomer to your guild. However, she does have a slight jealous side to her when she sees Eita and Yamada having fun together in the game, thinking they're a couple before meeting them in real life.

Eita is the perfect guild leader. His first impression in-game might make you mistake him for a girl in real life. Yes, I've seen my fair share of those in Final Fantasy XIV. He doesn't undergo much character development, but he's such a fun character to watch and someone I can relate to as a former guild leader. Although he may seem aloof, he genuinely cares about his guild members.

Runa, Eita's little sister, is a middle-school girl who dresses in a Lolita outfit. She's the jealous type, wary of newcomers joining the guild, as she is more introverted and wants to maintain the same friendship and guild dynamic. I understand Runa since it's a legitimate fear for some players that the guild's vibe might change due to new members.

Kamota is another player who has a small, cotton-like creature as his avatar but is actually the oldest adult in the guild with a vast network of business connections. He's like that one guy you rarely see around the guild, but when he logs in, he gets along with everyone. He has very little screen time and is used mostly for comedic scenes.

Looking at all these characters, their interactions, and the situations they find themselves in, really makes me miss my Final Fantasy XIV days.

My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999

Gradation (ぐらでーしょん) by KANA-BOON feat. Yuuho Kitazawa

Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru

The opening song of Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru is incredibly catchy and a joy to listen to. It brings a fun and energetic vibe. On the other hand, the ending song has a jazzy feel to it and, while not as catchy, remains pleasant to the ear. Both songs are a perfect fit for the anime.

The background music is also quite good, even though it may not be particularly memorable. You can still discern when the background music is well-crafted for the anime rather than just generic ones. The sound effects are also well-detailed, including elements like birds chirping in the background or the sound of ice breaking in a drink. These small details add to the overall experience.

The voice acting is fantastic, with a talented team of voice actors and actresses bringing the characters to life. For instance, Kouki-san perfectly captures Yamada's cold and aloof personality through his voice. Inori-san, known for voicing characters like Rem and Itsuki Nakano, does an excellent job portraying Akane's voice and personality, capturing them perfectly.

As someone who used to be deeply involved in Final Fantasy XIV and served as a guild master for years, Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru hit a bit too close to home for me, much like other similar anime such as "Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii," "Net-juu no Susume," or "Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta?"

Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru is a romance anime centred around a newbie gamer girl named Akane, who plays an MMORPG called Forest of Savior because her boyfriend plays it. However, she gets dumped after her boyfriend meets a girl in the game and falls for her instead, in a comical manner, mainly because I find the new girl unattractive.

Following a heartbreak, Akane meets Yamada one day in her guild called Chocolate Rabbit. Later, she encounters him in real life at a gaming event, where she trips, and almost starts crying. Yamada picks up her shoe when she tripped and approaches her, thus begin a boy-meets-girl scenario.

Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru portrays many experiences that I've encountered myself or witnessed with my friends in Final Fantasy XIV. It captures elements such as guild gatherings, guys falling for girls in my guild or vice versa, heartbroken moments when things don't go as planned, and having to listen to guild mates pour out their hearts, similar to what Akane does with her best friend. Of course, real life is less comedic and wholesome than anime, but it does hit close to home.

This anime is a romance series, but not one with high drama or complex relationships. It takes a more relaxed approach, with relatively low stakes and light-hearted tones. Emotional scenes exist, but they are presented in a softer manner, and themes like jealousy, breakups, and rejections are handled with an overall chill and happy vibe.

While most of the scenarios take place in real life, there are also in-game moments, with approximately 70% of the anime focusing on real life and 30% on the game. Real-life typical events like guild gatherings, work, and school are used to create incidents and foster romance between Akane and Yamada.

My description may sound generic, but the series is genuinely entertaining and fun to watch, not to mention incredibly wholesome. Additionally, anime has the ability to make every confession cute and beautiful, even if it occurs in a non-romantic setting.

Of course, the in-game elements are well-executed as well, featuring gamer terminology such as weapon rarity, guild chests, questing, and boss fights. The anime also touches on things like a bubbly female character in the game might not be a cute girl in real life but revealed as a stunning guy instead (minus the stunning guy part in reality). Since this is a Shojo anime, the male characters naturally have stunning appearances.

Unlike "Net-juu no Susume" or "Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta?," Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru concludes in a satisfying manner without leaving any cliffhangers. It can be considered a definite end if desired, while also leaving room for a continuation if the studio wishes to release more seasons.

The art aspect of Megami no Café Terrace is pretty solid, with its bright and lovely colour palette choices and clean art style. However, the animation aspect leaves quite a bit to be desired. Nonetheless, being a non-action Harem Ecchi anime, this is still quite acceptable.

The way the character designs are drawn reminds me of the good old days of Harem, and Ecchi anime. They are beautifully drawn, clean-looking, and not over the top or overly designed. The depiction of breasts and butts is also handled quite well by Tezuka Production, which is fairly important for an Ecchi anime. I am telling you, those panty shots are *chef-kiss* solid. My only complaint would be some rough facial drawings in certain scenes.

The background art is good enough to not feel empty, but it lacks intricate details, whether it's indoors or outdoors. The backgrounds are decorated with a decent amount of details and objects, enough to get by.

As for the animation, it is rough, and many scenes, such as when one of the girls falls down the stairs with her panties on full display, have barely any animation and rely on camera tricks and line effects. To be honest, anime like this don't really need top-notch animation, but it would be nice to have some decent animation too. At least the quality remains consistent throughout the anime.

Even though the story of Megami no Café Terrace is fairly simple, the characters are quite likeable, and each of them has a solid backstory. However, like in many Harem anime, the girls are tied to certain tropes.

Let's start with the main character, Hayato. Unlike other Harem, Ecchi anime, Hayato is not a total simp, pervert, or gigachat. He is a well-balanced character who falls in the middle of those traits. He can be somewhat edgy at times but also displays a more mature side. Despite being strict and calculating for the sake of the cafe business, he has a kind side that he subtly shows. Moreover, he is willing to learn the necessary skills from the girls to run the cafe.

Ouka is the red-haired Tsundere girl who has a sharp tongue but is actually very caring about the girls and the cafe. She fits the typical tsundere girl archetype.

Akane is the short-haired Kuudere girl who gives off a mysterious, arrogant, and distant vibe at a first impression. However, her backstory reveals a lot to like about her, and she also has a cute side.

Riho is the Hiyakasudere girl with orange hair. Honestly, I just like her teasing and cheerful manner. Behind the facade she puts up, she is very hardworking to the point of exhausting herself.

Shiragiku is probably the most normal one among the girls, but if I had to assign a trope to her, it would be Dandere. She has green hair, big boobs, a lovely voice, and is more shy and laid-back compared to the other characters. She also tries her best to get along with Hayato, but when alcohol kicks in, no matter how small or even the smell of alcohol, oh boy, our eyes are in for a treat.

Ami is the blue-haired girl, and she is just a straight-up Bakadere. She is a hyperactive, muscle-brained Ahogirl who operates on a completely different wavelength than the other girls. She often serves as the main source of comedy or livens up the scenes.

I mentioned that the characters have solid backstories, and this is true. They even include backstories of Hayato's late grandma and how she treated the girls as her family and cared so much about Hayato. Each of the girls has a solid backstory, with their own unique situations that make me sympathize with them. Moreover, the slow growth of Hayato went throughout the anime can clearly be seen. 

The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses

Unmei Kyoudoutai! (運命共同体) by Neriame (音莉飴)

Megami no Café Terrace

The opening song is very catchy. It starts out with an appealing tone and flows well overall. The ending song is more laid-back and feels a bit generic.

The soundtrack is fairly generic but sufficient to accompany the scenes; it's average, to say the least. The same can be said for the sound effects, whether they're for everyday activities or comedic moments. They don't really scream high quality, but at least they get the job done.

The voice acting is great, featuring a mix of newcomers and more experienced voice actors and actresses who have previously voiced the main characters. Both the newcomers and the veterans did a solid job of voicing their respective characters and sounding suitable for each one. The comedic, embarrassing, angry, and energetic moments all come across pretty well.

Ah, Megami no Café Terrace, such a throwback to the good old days when I was a weeblet. This anime runs like one of the mid to late 2000s Harem, Romance, Ecchi anime. As someone who fully dove into this medium and became an otaku thanks to an anime called Love Hina, which also happened to be a Harem, Ecchi anime, how can I say no to Megami no Café Terrace?

If you have watched Harem anime before, like Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai, Shuffle!, Love Hina, To Love-Ru, or even the more recent and popular 5-toubun no Hanayome, you know half of the things you can expect from Megami no Café Terrace already. But that doesn’t mean it's not fun to watch, assuming you like Harem anime, of course.

Our lucky bastard in the anime is Hayato, who inherited his late grandma's house and café named Femilia Cafe Terrace. There he meets the five girls who live in the house with his late grandma and work at the café. Since this is an ecchi anime, you cannot just "meet." It comes with plenty of side boob, butt, and panty shots for your eyes to feast on.

Apart from the Ecchi element in the beginning, the overarching story or goal of the anime is to save Familia Cafe Terrace from its financial crisis, and a lot of things that happen in the story revolve around that goal/theme, be it conflict, drama, romance, or ecchi.

The anime also tones down the Ecchi element a bit in favour of the story as the anime progresses, and Ecchi is added in to liven things up. The anime takes serious events and situations seriously. Each episode has a plot that is linked to the main goal of the story, and they are fairly interesting.

So, what about the comedy? Well, you won’t be rolling on the floor laughing, but they are more amusing and will make you smile at most. There is also a lot of slapstick comedy coming from one of the girls. The comedy insertions are fairly well executed and overall fun.

All in all, Megami no Café Terrace, much like other Harem anime, has a simple story and doesn't do anything new, but it is genuine and goal-driven. It is fairly enjoyable and well-executed. The story also comes with plenty of well-executed ecchi, romance, and even some really wholesome moments. Megami no Café Terrace is something I would watch when I want to destress.

The art is quite okay, but the animation is average at best. However, I hardly notice it because I was drawn into the story. Since My Home Hero is a suspense anime, it doesn't really need a lot of highly detailed or well-animated scenes in my opinion. And for the scenes that do matter, the team at Tezuka Productions captures them fairly well.

As a realistic anime, the art style also follows suit for the character designs. They look ordinary, dressed in outfits that a normal person would wear. It's done fairly well and suits the theme the anime is aiming for. Details like bruises, cuts, etc. on the characters are also quite realistic.

The background art is also fairly detailed, with rooms having background objects and outdoor scenes populated with background characters. There's enough detail to make sure the scenes don't feel empty. Small details like clothes hanging in a wardrobe when someone hides in it are also accounted for, instead of just having an empty wardrobe as seen in some low-budget animes.

The animations and effects are a bit lacking, especially when it comes to the few action scenes the anime has. Most of them are still shots with effects added around them. Some of the blood effects, such as the whole screen turning red, are quite okay. However, the animation for movement is quite stiff, although the facial animations are decent.

The characters mostly focus on Tetsuo, our main character, as well as his wife, Kasen. Despite the story revolving around Tetsuo's daughter, Reika, has very little screen time and remains oblivious to what is happening around her. On the Yakuza side, we have Kyouichi and Yoshitatsu, who are the most memorable characters.

My Home Hero, much like its name suggests, is all about family and familial love, in this case, Tetsuo and Kasen's love for Reika. It truly showcases the parents' willingness to go above and beyond for their child, although it is an extreme example in this anime. I can feel it while watching the anime, especially when Reika remains completely unaware of what her parents are going through to protect her.

Family love is not only the theme on Tetsuo's side but also on the Yakuza side with Yoshitatsu, whose son was murdered by Tetsuo and seeking revenge. Episode 11 serves as the peak for both sides, showing their parental love and the conflicting emotions of guilt and anger.

Unlike other anime, there is no extensive character development or backstories. It's a matter of whether you like them or not based on how they are presented.

Tetsuo, to me, is a solid main character. He is an ordinary guy with a sharp mind, covering up the murder, planning ahead, and protecting his beloved family. He gives off a calm and chill vibe, but, like any human, committing a murder takes a toll on his mental state, which the anime portrays nicely. The way he covers up and plans things can be somewhat sloppy as it should be for an ordinary person, but sometimes his plans are also quite ingenious.

Kasen is a superb supporting character for Tetsuo who gets a lot of things done behind the scenes, sometimes risking her own life for the sake of her family and daughter. She clearly understands Tetsuo well, and I can sense the strong bond between the two through their actions and the way they understand each other's intentions.

My Home Hero

The opening and ending songs are quite okay. I personally prefer the opening song, especially the first few minutes of it, which gives me a vibe of love that I think is quite fitting for My Home Hero, which showcases a lot of parental love. The ending song feels a bit out of place with its rock and upbeat tone.

As for the background music, it's fine, but it doesn't stand out or become memorable in any way. However, it does suit the scenes and supports them well. The sound effects are also in the same boat and do a solid job of making the scenes more thrilling. It can be said that the sound department did its job.

The highlight of the sound category in this anime would be the voice acting. All the voice actors/actresses not only suit the characters they are voicing but are also really good at conveying their emotions, whether it's happiness, relief, or fear. This enhances the thrilling factor of the suspenseful scenes.

It's not every day that a mystery suspense anime comes out. It's hard to pull off, especially if it has a realistic theme like My Home Hero, rather than something like, let's say, Gosick. Nevertheless, My Home Hero is a solid suspense anime that I can derive enjoyment from.

The premise of the story is straightforward. A normal family man named Tetsuo murders his daughter Reika's abusive Yakuza boyfriend in an attempt to protect his own daughter. This triggers a whole chain of events with the Yakuza members, as they try to find the culprit. Tetsuo must cover up his murder, plan, evade, and trick them, often being right beside them.

As a suspense anime, My Home Hero does a solid job of keeping me on the edge of my seat in many close-call moments. I love the fact that Tetsuo is just trying to protect his family and, by all means, he is not a murderer or an expert at tricking people.

Most of Tetsuo's skills come from reading and writing mystery novels, and it shows in the story through his unorthodox methods and plans. In a sense, some of his plans are not realistic, but who cares? It's enjoyable and makes me want to know if his plans work or what else he has in mind.

A lot of the suspense comes from the fact that some of the things he plans out are quite risky and require some luck to pull off, especially when he's around the Yakuza gang members or being watched by them. For example, switching out an ultraviolet flashlight for an ordinary one and hoping the person using it to detect blood doesn't notice. It's not all purely calculated plans like Death Note's Light Yagami, and Tetsuo relies on his luck to some extent, which adds to the thrill of watching.

The pacing is also pretty solid throughout the 12 episodes, and it wraps up the story fairly well, although I didn't like one of the events that happened near the end, where another character inexplicably acted illogically, and Tetsuo escaped solely due to sheer luck and coincidence. Despite this slight slip-up near the end, overall, My Home Hero has a solid story.

Let's just say that the animation won't blow anyone's mind. It works decently well for a lot of still, non-action shots, but the combat animation is just awkward.

The characters look good, especially the characters inside the Otome game world. The art is fairly solid for the blushing, cute, sparkly romance moments. However, there are also character art moments where the characters are shown in a full-body shot and their facial expressions look weird. Outside of any Shojo sparkly moments, there can be weird emotional facial expressions here and there.

The background art is fairly standard for an anime of this genre, with a few details, but at least it's not to the point where things feel awkwardly empty. However, the same cannot be said for the combat animation, as there is a lot of awkward camera work, animation, and close-up shots to get it done.

Despite the actual meat and potatoes of the content's art and animation being fairly average, the ending art looks quite pretty to me. The lines are more solid, and the drawing quality is better.

All the characters in Tsunlise are likeable, even though their screentime and development vary, and some of them are very strictly troped.

Siegwald is a handsome prince charming character who embodies all the qualities of a good prince, such as being patient, kind, loving, and moderately flirty. What I like most about him is when he tries to pronounce "Tsundere" but ends up saying "Tsun de rais" instead.

To those who hate Tsundere characters, calm down. Lieselotte is not the abusive type and is another example of a well-done Tsundere due to her background and upbringing. She never becomes annoying throughout the story and is never used for cheap comedic moments.

In fact, she produces some nice cute scenes that make me want to pet her head. Initially, she may seem like she has no good qualities, but the plot makes you root for her, and the dynamic between Siegwald and Lieselotte is perfect. Lieselotte is certainly the main highlight of the characters in this anime.

The anime does a solid job of showing the true nature of the characters inside the Otome game, and there are also unexpected changes from what is supposed to be in the game scripts, such as the main heroine Fiene becoming a side character while fully retaining her personality.

Of course, the characters outside the Otome game world are not forgotten either. Endou and Kobayashi are a match of their own, and the anime initially shows that Endou likes Kobayashi one-sidedly while Kobayashi is oblivious to it. It turns out that things work out in the end, as they should, since the two have great chemistry, and seeing them being goofy together is nice.

Another somewhat major supporting character who has a big role to play is Fiene. She is the type of character who appears weak on the outside but can actually stand and fight. Honestly, she is overpowered in a fight but has a solid backstory. 

Fiene holds a major plot point, and her connection with the two in-game main characters makes her character feel polished. Not to mention, she runs her own subplot with Baldur, who happens to have less development.

Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte

Tsundere Akuyaku Reijou Liselotte to Jikkyou no Endou-kun to Kaisetsu no Kobayashi-san

I didn't really like the opening and ending songs. They sounded like pretty generic Shoujo music to me. I don't hate them, but they won't be going into my playlist, nor will I sit through them just to listen to the songs.

The background music is not as memorable, but it is very suitable for the moment and scene they are played on, and by the sound of the background music and sound effects alone, I can tell that this is a Shoujo Otome anime with all the magical, sparkly sounding effects.

The voice acting is quite good. It's pretty hard to find fault, even though nothing really stands out either. The tsundere impression of Lieselotte is perfect, as is Siegwald's princely manner. The mispronunciation of certain trope words like "tsundere" or "kawaii" is quite good too.

"Tsundere Akuyaku Reijou Liselotte to Jikkyou no Endou-kun to Kaisetsu no Kobayashi-san," or "Tsunlise" for short, is essentially an Otome Game anime with a refreshing twist that isn't an Isekai. Well, that's not entirely true; I guess their voices are the ones that got Isekai-ed.

The story follows Kobayashi and Endou on our real-world side and Lieselotte and Siegwald on the game world side. Kobayashi and Endou are in the broadcasting club and, to practice their commentating skills, they decided to play an Otome game and commentate on it.

It turns out that all their voices can be heard from inside the game by the characters, like Lieselotte and Prince Siegwald, and all the scripted events that are supposed to happen are changed according to their voice guidance. Kobayashi and Endou are like gods to the characters in the Otome game world, and they can bestow blessings on the characters too.

I love the fact that Endo and Kobayashi have to explain what Tsundere is to Prince Siegwald so that he would understand Lieselotte's behavior, who is his fiancée. Siegwald's understanding of Lieselotte is necessary since Endou and Kobayashi are determined to save Lieselotte from a certain disaster falling on her and get the good ending.

"Tsunlise" has an interesting story concept that is executed fairly well in a straightforward manner but not to its full extent, in my opinion. Most of the episodes revolve around romance, a mild cute tsundere from Lieselotte, and preparing for the big disaster ahead.

I feel that some episodes could have spiced things up more by making use of the unique two-world situation and fantasy theme more, instead of just some romance slice-of-life episodes. However, it is a Villainess Otome genre, so this anime story is the best I have seen in this genre, and I enjoyed the anime a lot more than all the previous Villainess Otome animes. There are a lot of cute blushing moments that will make you warm inside too, with a lot of praise and compliments from the prince.

I like that both the real world and the Otome game world are shown equally, and the pacing is nice for the 12-episode anime series. Nothing feels rushed, and the minor plot twist near the end is pretty neat and necessary to act as a catalyst, not only to bring the two in the Otome game together but also in the real world.

We are talking about MAPPA here and even without Attack on Titan level budget, MAPPA still delivers. The art and animation department single handily defeated all the generic Isekai anime animation out there easily. It may not be as pretty as Mushoku Tensei but it is way better than Isekai Shokudou especially when it comes to the food.

This is a Gourmet anime so let's start with the foods. God damn, they make my mouth water. It is as good as Shokugeki no Soma’s food in terms of detail. Not only how the food look, the animation on the cooking, the sizzling of the meat when it hit the pan, the smoke that comes up, and the slicing of the meat are all high quality and hunger-inducing.

The backgrounds have a beautiful watercolour-like paint to them be it in the wilderness or in cities. Cities have background characters populating the scene and some are even animated and moving. However, combat animation is on the weaker side with camera tricks to mask the lack of animation but the spells and attacks do look crisp.

Character art looks clean and lovely with no drastic drop in quality even when the characters are shown from a distance. The best part of the art & animation department is that the quality stays largely the same throughout the whole season.

The character's personalities are what help make the anime shine too. There is not a lot of character development and the dynamic stay the same til the end of the season but damn they are fun character to follow.

Mukouda’s first familiar, a legendary Fenrir named Fel is a beast who has lived over a thousand years and has enough power to destroy anything in its path easily. He is proud, boastful and selfish but never thought he would also be a glutton especially when it comes to Mukouda’s cooking to the point he drools a fountain of water from his mouth.

Not to mention Fel hate his greens and Mukouda has to hide the vegetables tactfully like he is feeding a kid who doesn’t want to eat vegetables. The reaction Fel gives upon eating Mukouda’s food is priceless and I would happily cook for anyone if they react like Fel too. It is a heartwarming yet also funny scene because Fel will just keep asking for more and slave drive Mukouda to cook more.

However, after a while, Mukouda found a way to leverage his cooking and food to somewhat tame Fel selfishness too and do some of his bidding which eventually at the end of the season makes Fel look like a pet dog when Mukouda is bathing him.

Mukouda’s second familiar is Sui, an adorable baby slime who happens to be even more powerful than Mukouda himself after eating trash and Mukouda’s cooking. However, don’t let the look fool you because Sui in battle is very deadly and seems to love fighting after being with Fel for a while.

Mukouda himself isn’t really anything special either but he is a likeable character with a laid-back personality with somewhat decent cooking skills. I won’t say he is a master chef like Soma from Shokugeki no Soma since he still uses ready-made condiments to prepare his food. He is also cowardly when it comes to fighting which made for some comedic moments.

The relationship between Mukouda and his two familiars is akin to parents with two children going on a fantasy adventure with Mukouda making sure they are well-fed while dealing with their selfish requests or playful actions.

Of cause, no Isekai is complete without the goddesses and the goddesses in Isekai Hourou Meshi are akin to Aqua from Konosuba. One word which can describe them is “useless” lol. However, they make the anime fun to watch with their comedic moments demanding sweets and items they want from our real world while also trying to undermine each other.

Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill

Tondemo Skill de Isekai Hourou Meshi

The opening song is very catchy but not very memorable but it does hype me for the anime when I first listen to it and the visual of the food in the opening song scenes will make any stomach rumble. The ending song is a chill decent song but I won’t say it is playlist worthy.

A lot of the soundtracks used in the anime are very medieval sounding with a lot of airy, tavern-like vibe. They don’t sound generic but I won’t say memorable either but did a really good job at setting the vibe of the scene. 

Battle sound effects sound crips and are impactful whether a spell is used or when Fel jumps onto places. The chopping of the cooking ingredient and the sizzling of the oil and pan are all very realistic sounding too.

I cannot fault the voice acting too since every character's personality is portrayed perfectly by their voice actor. Mukouda sounds normal and laid back but that is also because it is Mokouda’s personality. Fel's voice actor captures the essence of someone proud and loves to speak from the upper hand perfectly but can also do a switch when it comes to Mukouda’s food. Sui is voiced by a voice actress who usually voices child characters and needless to say, she nailed the childlike cute voice.

Tondemo Skill de Isekai Hourou Meshi is a comfort show about cooking and gourmet like another similar show called Isekai Shokudou. It is a drama-free, plot twist-free, chill show with good-looking food that will make you hungry combine with some light-hearted comedy.

Our Protagonist Mukouda is a 27-year-old salary man who was summoned to another world to become a hero as part of the hero group of four. However, unlike the other three who are students with useful battle skills, Mukouda has a rather cryptic skill called “Online Grocery”.

Deem to be useless, Mukouda was not included in the hero party and was allowed to live freely. The other three heroes who were students went on the typical Isekai story of saving the fantasy world from the forces of evil but not Mukouda.

Mukouda found out his Online Grocery skill is basically Amazon with instant teleportation delivery (which we all wish is the case in reality) and started making food while on his merry way. While feeding a group of adventurers he is travelling with for protection, Mukouda attracted the legendary Fenrir who demands he cooks for him. 

After eating Mukouda's food, Fenrir who is often referred to as Fel forced Mukouda to make a familiar contract with him because he wants to keep eating the food he cooks. Mukouda also gain another familiar which happen to be a slime and named it Sui.

Isekai Hourou Meshi is one of those shows which I must watch while eating my dinner or else the food he cooks is just going to make me hungry again. It is a laid-back comfort show without much plot like Shokugeki no Soma for example. The focus is of cause on the cooking and it is always satisfying to see the people in the fantasy world react to our real-world foods.

Fel being a legendary being can easily hunt monsters of the fantasy world and Mukouda using those monster meat to cook new dishes is also quite intriguing even though a lot of their monster meats are close to our real-world counterparts, e.g orc = pork. Still, as someone who has dabbled in cooking in my free time without formal training, it is quite inspiring to watch Isekai Hourou Meshi and try to recreate what Mukouda cook in the anime.

There is some comedy aspect in the anime but mostly in the form of Fenrir and Sui giving trouble to Mukouda like two children to their parents. Never thought I will see the day when a legendary Fenrir drool like a fountain when looking at food either. 

There are also comedy aspects such as Mukouda being a bit of a coward when it comes to battle and the addition of useless goddesses to which Mukouda have to give offerings and which he dubbed “divine disappointment”.

If you love a laid-back anime just to de-stress while eating dinner or lunch, this anime got a cover. If you are expecting a plot like Shokugeki no Soma or world-building like Mushoku Tensei, this ain’t it.  Isekai Hourou Meshi's story goes in one straight line without up or down.

The art style anime studio project no.9 adopted is a bit on the generic side, especially for the character. I only own the manga to compare to and the manga have more details going on even though the art style for the character looks somewhat similar but not identical to the anime.

Overall art and animation quality is hit or miss. Some close-up shot looks nice such as when Mahiru is eating pizza in episode one where there is a cheese string from her mouth but in some scenes, the character looks distorted when shown from a short distance.

The same can be said for the background, some scenes got background characters moving about and some scenes feel very empty be they outdoors or indoors. At least the character expressions are good enough to convey their emotions to the viewer and there is no shortage of cute facial expressions.

The characters are not doing anything out of this world and their character development is okay and nothing out of ordinary but both Amane and Mahiru are extremely likeable characters. 

Amane may seem moody, cringy, and loaner but he is not all that. He is deep down a kind, gentlemanly person and every time he tries to resist Mahiru and the temptation of having a cute and kind girl around him, I can’t but related to him as a fellow introverted loner.

I have done the same in high school where I always say to myself “this is impossible, she is out of my league or she won’t romantically like me, etc...” But of cause reality is often disappointing and no Angel like Mahiru drops into existence (LOL).

Mahiru is “chelf kiss” a top tier waifu. She is smart, adorable, talented, can cook well, can clean well, can take care of herself, pure and shy with a bit of selfishness and possessiveness which makes her cuteness meter go off the chart.

Both Amane and Mahiru are not flawless characters either. Mahiru was never loved by her parents as a child and was left to her own devices. As for Amane, he is super sensitive and conscious about his surrounding due to his doting parents. The first time Mahiru met Amane's mum is the first time she experienced parental love firsthand. 

I like the aspect that Amane and Mahiru slowly show each other their true colour and not the mask they wear at school. I kind of like the aspect of keeping secrets and keeping up a fake front at school. It makes it feel like the secret only two of them know. The chemistry between the two characters also just work where they depend on each other.

As for the side character couple Chitose and Itsuki... well they exist and didn’t get a lot of screen time. They are one of the best wingmen/girls who do their best to nudge the main couple in the right direction though. Much like in reality, a good wingman is a blessing to have when it comes to pursuing romance and having a close-knitted circle is also a blessing for Mahiru. As someone who prefers having small close knitted friends around me, I approve of this.

The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten

Otonari no Tenshi-sama ni Itsunomanika Dame Ningen ni Sareteita Ken

I like the opening song, it is pretty catchy, especially the chorus. Could there be a better-fitting song for the anime? Probably but the opening song is pretty solid. 

The ending song(s), yes there are multiples are all sung by Mahiru’s voice actress and they are all very good and really cute. Chiisana Koi no Uta, you can’t mess up that song. Ai Uta was also pretty good.

The background tracks aren’t anything special. They are very typical slice-of-life sounding tracks but did a good job at setting the tone of the scene, especially some of the piano tracks. Sound effects are alright without anything missing be it when Mahiru slide the plates or at school with a noisy background. 

The voice acting to me is very soothing. Both Amane and Mahiru's voice actors and actresses did an excellent job voicing the characters. Mahiru in one scene gets close up to Amane ear to whisper something into his ear and the anime make sure to give us an ASMR-like effect to us viewers too.

The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten is a uber wholesome anime that will make you squee like a little girl and make you warm inside. I say it even rivals or outdid Tonikaku Kawaii in the wholesome department.

The story is very simple and in a typical boy-meet-girl setting. Amane the male protagonist saw Mahiru the female protagonist aka the Angel sitting in the rain at a public park. Amane shields Mahiru from the rain using his umbrella and went back home in the rain which later causes him to catch a cold. He later found out Mahiru live next door and she ends up taking care of him. One thing leads to another and their lives begin to intertwine.

If you are like me and love slice-of-life romance anime where everything is wholesome and calm without any real drama, you will like The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten and find it to be quite entertaining. 

Not to mention this anime is the biggest wish-fulfilment anime where the waifu is a perfect angel. Every episode makes me so warm and fuzzy inside by just seeing how sweet and caring Mahiru is and how wholesome the two relationships are to the point I wish my high school life is a quarter of Amane and Mahiru's life. 

Yes, it is a simple story. A lot of scenes are mostly in Amane’s room but I am surprised that this is another one of those anime that I wish wouldn’t end so that I can keep self-inserting myself in Amane's shoes to experience the wholesomeness.

In the last episode where the generic male background character messing with Amane when they found out he and Mahiru are close, the thing Mahiru said to them are some of the most down-to-earth and sensible words such as “do you pick your partner just because she is pretty?”.

The story shows the relationship between Amane and Mahiru slowly ramping up which starts rather cold and become warmer and the two characters feeling become more obvious. I have never read the LN which this anime is adapted from but I would say the pacing is a tiny bit fast. In some episodes, I feel like huge progress has been made between the two protagonists without me knowing.

The best part is the whole season didn’t end with anything solid happening but actually ended with a wholesome and warm confession. 

I will be honest, giving Isekai Ojisan “7.5” is kind of stretching it but I can kind of forgive the lack of animation since the studio behind the anime AtelierPontdarc is still a very new player in this field.

The still images and art style are really good with a good amount of details. The art style might seem a bit weird at first but it grows on me and the anime honestly won’t be half as funny if isn’t for the art style too. The way the character reacts, the effect and facial expression, and the old CRT TV-like effect when rewatching Ojisan's Isekai adventure all amplify the story and events more.

As for the animation, well there is only the bare minimum here such as the slice-of-life moments and easy spell effects. Combats are all close-up camera tricks with pretty spell effects or spell circles. The lack of combat animation is noticeable if you are looking out for it but usually, the story is interesting enough to distract you from it.

I don’t usually talk about opening and ending animation but I like the retro pixel-style opening of Isekai Ojisan a lot as someone who grew up with the pixel art game and early 3D games. It triggered all the right nostalgic chemistry in my brain.

Isekai Ojisan doesn’t have a lot of character development or changes. I would even say the characters are kind of flat but the characters are fun to watch and it does one thing correctly.

This anime handles the aspect of the character’s personality quite well which is missing from other generic Isekai anime unless it is something really excellent like Mushoku Tensei or Re: Zero. A person doesn’t suddenly become a new person just because they got Isekai-ed. Old habits and trauma die hard and Ojisan in the Isekai fantasy world is no different. 

Ojisan doesn’t like the fantasy world. He was an Otaku and he just want to go back to the real world and play his SEGA games. He barely socializes in the fantasy world much like what he did in the real world and his social cue are all off thank to his lack of experience in socializing with people. 

This lack of social cues or romantic experience makes for some good comedic moments but is probably quite awkward in real life. Not to mention his ugliness still follow him in the Isekai world where people mistake him for an orc and avoided him or cause some hilarious misunderstanding.

However, there is also a lesson to learn from Ojisan in the fact that Ojisan doesn’t really care about what other think of him and just want to enjoy his life and do what is fun for him. Ojisan doesn’t go around hurting others too like our modern-day comment section but is actually a nice and caring person who all in all just does what he loves doing. All these make Ojisan easy to relate to especially for weebs and gamers.

Isekai Ojisan also uses tropey characters like tsundere for example but the difference is that the anime use them to make good comedic moment and use the character well it does. Even though I don’t know a whole lot about them, I still instantly like the characters.

It is the same for Ojisan’s nephew Takafumi who is always game to watch Ojisan's Isekai story and probably secretly judges him multiple times for his uncle's inability to take romantic cues from the girls. However, he is also guilty of it himself with Fujimiya who happens to be his childhood friend.

The character here doesn’t have like super character development but the synergy between them and the personality they currently have supercharged the story and comedic element of this anime.

Uncle from Another World

Isekai Ojisan

The opening and ending songs are not really anything special. They sound nice but are not catchy or memorable enough for them to be playlist worthy.

Background music for the normal moment is not as memorable but does serve the scene well. I really dig those early JRPG game-sounding music in some fights and adventure moments. Even some of the sound effects can be a throwback to the 90s era.

Voice acting is top-notch. The voice really brings the character's personality to the forefront such as Ojisan's voice actor actually sounding like an uncle. Elf is voiced by Sword Art Online's Asuna voice actress too and she did the tsundere impression perfectly. The rest are also quite good too especially Takafumi and Fujimiya's voices when reacting to Ojisan’s adventure and mishaps.

Saying Isekai Ojisan is an Isekai anime is kind of misleading because it is in a way Isekai but not really too. Isekai Ojisan has a fresh take on the Isekai genre in that the Isekai part is already done. 

Okay, let's rewind back a bit to the 90s, the era when SEGA consoles are the talk of the town and the time when Neon Genesis Evangelion is airing. Ojisan got taken by trunk-kun and got Isekai-ed and his body was in a coma at a hospital. However, he has now returned from the Isekai world back to our real world with his magic power intact and started showing his Isekai event to his nephew Takafumi and his friend Fujimiya.

The best thing about Isekai Ojisan is that it breaks the mould of the typical Isekai anime and did something fresh and that is coming from a guy who loves his trash Isekai animes. The comedies are spot on, and it is even better if you are born in the 90s and understand the Otaku/Gamer culture about SEGA, Sonic, Megadrive, flip phones, Nintendo and the console war. 

The shock on Ojisan face when he found out SEGA lost the console war to the point he wipe his own memory with magic is quite hilarious. Ojisan not knowing what a tsundere is (a trope that is not popularised yet when he got Isekai-ed) and thinks it is harassment and not a romantic behaviour by “Suzailgillazegallnelbuzegillreagranzelga Elga” aka “Elf” is pure comedy gold.

The anime split between the real world and showing the Isekai world to Takafumi and Fujimiya on a magical screen in a well-balanced manner. On the real world side, the generation gap is apparent. Things such as putting up a video on Youtube, online shopping or dealing with modern-day hate comments are alien concepts to Ojisan but he gets hold of it really fast. But all of this is done in a comedic manner of cause.

The thing that happens on his adventure inside the Isekai fantasy world is also nothing short of fun moments. Such as accidentally turning Mebel a Mythical Ice Sword user into a NEET because Ojisan defeated what she is supposed to or helping the hero party to get over a difficult quest only to wipe their memory because Ojisan thinks it is cheating and might cheapen the feeling of completing the quest. My words cannot do it justice unless you watch it yourself.

The world-building is on the weaker side since it is clear that the focus is on comedy, such as meta humour or making comedic moments using the typical anime trope to its advantage. Things run in a somewhat episodic manner too. In the end, we are just there to follow Ojisan life in both the real and the fantasy world (much like Takafumi is in the anime) which is assisted by the well-written and paced out story.

Azusa Nakano Brilliant Stage is quite a well-detailed figure and let’s start from the most detailed part of the figure, which is… Azusa’s guitar. It looks like a real guitar with metal parts that actually look like metal, knobs with black paint that give an impression that they are turnable and the guitar strings are actually real strings.

The clothes on Azusa also look fairly detailed with the way they wrinkle. Her coat sleeve also shows that she has a short-sleeved shirt under the coat. She is also holding a guitar pick on her right hand which is a good attention to detail.

The inclusion of a guitar tuner and two headbands, which are the nekomimi and usagimimi, is a lovely icing on the cake. Of course, we all know we have to put nekomimi on Azusa. She is perfect with it.

I guess the least detailed part of the figure is the hair. You could say it fits how the hair looks like in the anime of the era K-On! was released, but compared to modern-day anime figures that have insane hair details with multiple strands, it is less impressive. Overall, still charming nonetheless.

Azusa Nakano is one of my favourite characters from K-On! However, since the anime is old now, there is no hope of new scale figures coming for K-On! Therefore, I ended up getting this figure from AmiAmi in A/B condition.

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