The overall art and animation have a decent amount of detail and have an overall cutey tone. Everything is drawn to be cute from characters to animals and has a lighter tone. Won’t say the best I have seen in a cute girl going cute thing anime but it is comfortably above average for anime in this genre and it is consistent throughout the episodes.

The characters are designed in a moe style and sometimes chibi in comedic moments. It has a solid look and can’t be mistaken with any other animes. Facial animation is suitable for the type of anime it is. It is a type of animation even when the character is angry or scared, you still can say that is cute.

Background art captures the fantasy theme quite nicely and has a charming atmosphere to it. It is not the most detailed thing which is quite noticeable in some indoor scenes but whatever is in the scene looks fairly nice. E.g. foods. The outdoor scene also has a decent amount of details and colour usage is more on the light and pastel side making things look pleasing. A good amount of background characters are also used when necessary.

If you have watched some other cute girl doing cute things type of anime before, you would know that the character development won’t be as good as some other more serious type anime. The best character development I have seen in this genre recently is Super Cub and Slow Loop and RPG Fudousan doesn’t hit that height.

Fear not though, the unique quirks and initial characterization is pretty enjoyable where each of the four girls does have their unique personality. The supporting characters even though their screen time is at most one episode are fun characters too.

Kotone is the main character of the anime and a newcomer to the real estate business. She is a mage but her magic is useless. Her personality is probably the most normal compared to the other three and she is someone who does her job seriously. It doesn’t take long for her to bond with Fa since they end up living in the same apartment. 

Rakira is a warrior tomboyish girl who has a cute side to her too. She is probably the most capable one out of the group when it comes to combat. Rufuria is the healer of the group and has a serious and motherly air to her. She has some Yuri stuff going on with Rakira too.

Fa is a clumsy childlike demihuman and is like a glue which connects the character in the group. Everyone in the group takes care of her like a child and Fa have done a lot of things to make the bond of the group stronger. She can also understand the monster’s language and often act as a translator for her friends be it for casual chat or when helping find a place to stay for the monster.

Like in most cute girls doing cute things anime, the four characters bond rather fast and in a light-hearted way. Even when things are dire near the end, they still choose to believe their friends even if doubt is in their heads. Nakama power for the win.

RPG Real Estate

RPG Fudousan

The opening and ending have a more cutesy and idol-like song which is suitable for the theme but at the same time, it feels generic. But then, I may not be the best person to judge an idol cutesy style song.

The background music is fine, it is not the memorable type nor the most unique but it does its job quite well with its cutey tone. The same goes for the sound effects, not the most unique thing around but does a fine job with cute moments, expressions or comedic moments. 

The voice actress did a solid job voicing the character. They sound nice and suitable but the best one would be Fa's voice actress successfully making her childlike and bright personality shine without sounding fake.

RPG Fudousan is a laid-back, cute girl doing cute things type of anime where you can switch off your brain and enjoy. Oh and, the RPG stands for Rent, Plan and Guide, not Role-Playing Games. RPG Fudousan has a very simple and digestible story with a hint of mystery and drama near the end.

The story starts with Kotone, who has moved to the city to begin working at her new work as a real estate agent. At work, she met her co-worker demihuman Fa, tomboyish warrior Rakira and serious-minded priest Rufuria. 

In every episode, the four work with different clients ranging from monsters, and humans to elves to find them a suitable home. However, there is also an underlying mystery that was hinted at first and slowly revamp up as the story progresses and even turns into a dire situation near the end.

Real estate is a real niche topic and quite a rare topic in anime but I like it. RPG Fudousan didn’t go deep into real estate stuff like how Slow Loop did with fishing topics. The anime mostly use the reason of real estate to spin up a comedic and fun moment where the character shows potential houses to the clients and got into funny or fun moments.

If I have to compare to another real estate anime call Dragon Goes House-Hunting, I say RPG Fudousan is the better anime here. As much as I like the easter eggs in Dragon Goes House-Hunting, the comedic and fun moment is superior in RPG Fudousan for me, not to mention the mystery aspect to hook the viewer in the second half of the anime.

Much like in other anime of this genre, the dire situation didn’t keep me on edge mostly because when you watch this kind of anime enough, you know people don’t die or have serious consequences. Despite this, the anime still makes me want to know what happens next and the way they turn a depressing situation into a comedic moment is priceless.

The art and animation is the worse aspect of the show but at least not to the point that it is unwatchable. It is average if I have to summarize.

The character designs are by no means unique nor detailed and if they are put in a game, I will probably think they are all background characters but I do like the shading the character has on them. Facial expression isn’t bad, especially for Leon's villain faces. 

There are mecha in this anime and they are done in 2D instead of CG. Won’t say they look good, but they are watchable but also lack a lot of details. Not to mention a lot of combat in mecha boils down to close-up shots with little animation.

As for background art, well it is hit or miss. Some of the background art such as the mansions, the academy plaza with fountains or the hallway of the academy look decent enough but then we also copy-pasted bookshelf in library scenes or an airship which look like it is drawn by an amateur.

There are a lot of characters in MobSeka. The main character or anyone close to the main character will have the bulk of the development and interaction going on. As for the side characters, some of them have some surface-level development. 

It was the character which make the anime much more enjoyable such as the cunning nobles, useless princes, a floating AI which can crack jokes, plus the relationship and drama they have between the characters.

Leon, the protagonist of the anime doesn’t give a damn about what the others think and does what he thinks is right. Leon carried the whole anime on his shoulder. He is funny, overconfident and sometimes acts like a villain but at the same time can be kind enough to people who are close to him.

Yes, Leon might not seem anything special just by reading my review but he is a fun character to follow and he feels like a character written with personality and character first in mind over just being an overpowered character.

Marie is a two-faced girl who acts all innocent in front of the princes but a scheming fox behind. Even though not a lot of development goes into her, she is crucial for the story since her presence literally makes the story of the game as Leon knows off the scripted path.

Then we have the two heroines Angelica and Olivia. Angelica who is supposed to be the main villainess is a noble who is in love with one of the princes and got forced to keep away due to Marie. Olivia who is supposed to be the game's main heroine becomes a background character thanks to Marie. Both Angelica and Olivia become friends instead but it is not without hiccup. 

Olivia initially lacks confidence and being a commoner is often targeted for bully by other nobles with Angelica or Leon often protecting her. Olivia after a noble put some weird thoughts into her brain, think Angelica and Leon are just keeping her around as a pet instead of being a friend. Apart from relationship development, both Angelica and Olivia are capable heroines who can hold their own quite well.

Luxion, an AI in a form of a floating ball which Leon found and managed to put under his command. Luxion is literally the cheat Leon manage to get. He can control a giant spaceship, and he comes with a mecha suit and a lot of knowledge. Luxion hates the new human and often won’t hesitate to trash talk Leon whenever possible and is also quite a joker.

Finally, we have the useless and spoiled princes of the kingdom who are literally weak and can’t do anything right. Though after a few of them went on a mission with Leon, they changed their mind and plan to improve their self.

Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs

Otome Game Sekai wa Mob ni Kibishii Sekai desu

The opening music is decent but I won’t say I will miss it and sound close to becoming a generic rock music. The ending song is better, it sound playful and a bit catchy. 

The background music are decent. They do a nice job of supporting the scene but they are not memorable, unique or catchy or anything that will blow you away. I don’t notice any sound effect that are missing while I watched it but can’t tell say the sound effect quantity or quality are impressive, decent is the best I can put it. 

Voice acting is solid and are appropriate for the character they are voicing. I especially like Leon and Luxion for the villian like scenes or when Luxion trash talk with his robotic voice. Marie, Olivia and Angelica voices are also done fairly nicely.

Trapped in a Dating Sim or MobSeka is one of those guilty pleasure Isekia anime and I enjoyed it. It doesn’t do anything revolutionary in the genre or have a super deep story but heck it is fun mainly thanks to the protagonist Leon. There is this unique charm around the main character who doesn’t give a damn what other think and act like a villain. 

Leon, the protagonist of the anime is forced to complete a difficult Otome game by his sister. After going at it none stop, he fell down the stair, kicked the bucket and got Isekai-ed into the same Otome game world he was playing. However, instead of being the main character of the game, he is a mob character and the son of a lower-ranking noble.

Having completed the Otome game, Leon know almost everything about the world and quickly get into action to at least live a normal and comfortable life as a background character but instead, he kept standing out and a lot of thing doesn’t go as how the Otome game did.

Much like most fantasy Isekai anime, we have an overpowered protagonist but there is a solid caste system in this anime with women having a lot of power. There are magics and fantasy stuff but there are also robots and high-tech stuff like airships. Not the deepest world-building but it is a fun world to look at and the anime definitely successfully make it feel like it is inside a game.

At first, it seem like Leon is just following the script of the game he played but everything went off the rail as Marie who is also another person who got Isekai-ed into the Otome game world keep messing around with the princes, throwing a lot of event and story out of the loop from the game Leon played.

The comedy aspect is quite alright, they are fun and there are some parts where it makes me laugh. There are some romantic elements near the end of the anime but it doesn't really materialize into anything. However, the story does go through other aspects such as the relationship between noble and commoner.

I personally like it when the protagonist acts a bit like a villain and gets some revenge or gives a rightful justice to his opponents and this anime did it just right. Too many time we have goody two shoes that will let the enemy goes without making them learn a good lesson.  The most satisfying thing is when the story give those rival/enemy what they deserve.

I went in expecting another low-budget Isekai anime but I was surprised that it is quite enjoyable. A simple but well-written story overall but I would also have to give credit to the characters too. The anime won't be half as enjoyable without them.

The art & animation aspect of Shokei Shoujo no Virgin Road is more than solid with its fairly consistent quality but there are also a few reused scenes.

Character design and detail are pretty good and they are unique enough to tell which anime they are from. The facial expression looks natural for every range of emotion from being cheerful or in a serious battle. 

Combat animation is pretty solid with a good amount of choreography for a combat base mainly on magic spells. Combat has a good amount of animated frames and the usage of cheap close-up shot are kept to the minimum. Combat effects are flashy but not overdone. Overall quite immersive. 

The backgrounds are also well detailed. Indoor scenes such as old ruined churches have walls that have cracks and damage. Scenes such as shops are also populated with objects and items enough not to feel empty. Outdoor scenes also look equally good with a good amount of detail on things such as housing, castles and nature with appropriate use of background character to emulate the feeling that the place is alive.

There are a few characters in Shokei Shoujo no Virgin Road but the bulk of the development goes into the two main characters Menou and Akari.

Menou looks like an ordinary girl at first but she is a well-trained assassin who uses a dagger and magic to fight. She was trained from a very young age after she lost everything to a calamity event when a Lost One power went out of control. Traumatize and emotionless, Menou become a top assassin after being trained by a legendary priestess named Flare.

After Menou met with Akari and went on the journey to find a way to kill her, we can see her resolve slowly waning as the story progress. It is nice to see the two being friendly and sometimes got some cute and wholesome moments even if Menou is half pretending. At the same time somewhere at the back of my mind, it feels heavy that Akari is going to have to be killed even if Menou doesn’t want to somewhere down the line.

Akari kind of has a dual personality or person in her which isn’t really explained yet. On one side, she is a cute airhead with a more naive personality. The other side of her is quick-witted and more capable. Akari has all the foundation to be a much more interesting character but her back story and development are a bit lacking in this season. I do hope we get to know more about her if more seasons were to come.

Momo, a childhood friend of Menou, is a fellow assassin who admires Menou a little too much. She instantly reminds me of Shirai Kuroko from A Certain Magical Index but with pink hair. Momo is an amusing character, especially when she gets jealous of Akari being always beside Menou or when she talks with Menou. She doesn’t have a lot of heavy development or back story but we do get to know why she is obsessed with Menou.

Another character that makes quite a frequent appearance is Ashuna, princess of Grisarika Kingdom. Instead of doing a princess duty, she travels around fighting strong opponents and often crosses paths with Menou and Momo. Don’t really have much to say about her though. 

The main antagonist of the season does have a decent back story. Nothing too deep but enough to make the viewer care about her motive and why she is doing all the things she is doing. 

The Executioner and Her Way of Life

Shokei Shoujo no Virgin Road

The opening song is fantastic, very catchy, and memorable and the whole thing is sung in English. The ending song is pretty good, much more laid back but not as memorable.

Background music got some unique and nice-sounding music done with just a piano, a string instrument or with an orchestra. The background music definitely feels like they are composed for this and this anime only and not a generic piece of music.

Sound effects are solid from every clashing of the sword, and every invocation of spells. Minor details such as the sound of the train track inside a train carriage are also accounted for.

No complaints about the voice acting. It was more than solid for every character and the voice actress for the two main characters even though they are not impressively experienced did a quality job voicing the character, especially Akari’s voice actress.

In a pool of Isekai anime, we sometimes get anime that is quite amusing and sometimes we get anime that does things differently and Shokei Shoujo no Virgin Road fell into the latter. In fact, I might even call it a reverse-Isekai anime.

The anime starts with Menou who is a trained assassin and member of the Faust (aka the church of the fantasy world). Her task is to kill Lost One (people got summoned to their world from Japan) mainly because they got an incredible power called Pure Concepts and when they overuse it, they lose control of it. Some of the Lost One have already caused calamity size disasters to their world because of losing control of their power.

Everything was going smoothly until Menou was asked to kill a Lost One named Akari but she couldn’t since Akari Pure Concept can turn back time. Menou and Akari then went on the journey together with Menou finding a way to kill Akari.

The story is unique in a pool of Isekai anime and instantly got my attention. It is also refreshing to see the story told from the point of view of a person native to the fantasy world. The downside would be that the magic of the reverse-Isekai killing Lost One takes the backseat rather fast but become a solid fantasy anime.

The world-building of this anime is pretty good. It went through the fantasy world history and culture, e.g. how the Lost One influenced the world, advanced their technology and even to the point they use Japanese. There are also explanations of the locations, the calamity and how the people feel about the Lost One.

As Menou and Akari travel together, a lot of things happen on their path such as discovering the corruption in the Faust church. Manou growing friendship with Akari is predictable but what is not predictable is what they will encounter on their journey. That alone makes me look forward to each episode every week.

Making things more interesting is that, there are more mystery elements such as for Akari, it doesn’t seem like it is her first time going through the whole story we are witnessing. What the anime cover this season feels like it is only scratching the surface of the story and there is more to it than meets the eyes.

The art & animation is all-around solid. It overall looks vibrant and colourful with a lot of things done right than wrong. 

The character art style may not be unique but the artist nailed each character's looks by making them look like someone who is a superstar or belong in that community. Animations are smooth and natural. Facial animations are solid and body language when it comes to rap battles is fantastic and really adds to the atmosphere.

Stage performances are colourful, flashy and mesmerizing. PA Works manage to do it without relying on CG that might pop out like a sore thumb too. Everything is 2D and the performance has solid choreography especially in the early episodes and near the ending. The studio did cut a few corners here and there with still shots of the performance but it doesn’t hurt my immersion factor at all.

Background arts have solid detail to them from Eiko's room to outdoor scenes in the city. Background characters are used in necessary scenes to make the scene look believable too. Tokyo skyline looks colourful, and beautiful and didn’t look dull like some budget slice-of-life anime too.

The characters are instantly likeable. They may not have the deepest character development or have the most tear-jerking flashback but all the major characters get an equal amount of time to develop.

Kongming in Isekai terms is an OP character but not with magic but with brains. A genius strategist capable of adapting to modern life like it is no big deal and started helping Eiko by deploying famous ancient Chinese wartime strategy to bring her closer to success one step at a time. 

Kongming despite being a 10,000 IQ human being also somehow manages to be both charismatic and goofy at the same time and work like a charm. He still has flaws especially when it comes to his work habit and ego. Living a new life and helping Eiko out, he also learns a lot of important lessons and reflects back on his past life.

The best part of Kongming would be that he still donning his ancient rob and going around the modern city and partying around like it ain’t nobody's business.

Eiko is a very skilled and passionate newbie singer who is having trouble getting onto any big stages. As cheerful looking as she is, she initially gives an impression of a naive girl but her character develops as the story progresses both in her singing and confidence. 

The best part of Eiko's story would be when she meets Nanami and perform together as street musicians. She bonded with Nanami real fast and Nanami help Eiko find her own voice. Eiko grows leaps and bounds in this part and the twist of fate that comes later even though predictable is still very enjoyable.

We also have Kabe, a rapper who managed to reach the top but fell from grace. Despite coming in late in the anime, He has a really intriguing back story and his own character development progress side by side with Eiko.

Even a small-time character like the bar Owner Kobayashi adds on their value with minor things they did to make the anime more entertaining.

Ya Boy Kongming!

Paripi Koumei

The songs surprisingly all rhyme with me. Even in anime like Carole & Tuesday, there are songs which I think sound weird but Paripi Koumei nailed it with every song in the anime.

The opening is an absolute banger and memorable. The ending song is also equally catchy. Both 120% playlist worthy. It is not just the opening and ending song, all the insert songs will give you nothing short of eargasm. 

It is not just the songs, the rap battles are also well written. It doesn't get old no matter how many times I re-listen especially the part where Kabe did rap battle with Kongming. They nailed how Kongming might sound like if he rap and damn his rap lines are spicy and relevant to his background.

The songs that are sung are not the only thing in the sound department that is great. The background music is solid with a good mix of electronic music and even some memorable pieces. Sound effects range from ancient Chinese gong to comedy sound effects and they are all solid.

The only downside would be the number of songs that exist in the anime but you could also say it is an advantage since the anime took the quality over quantity route.

Voicing acting is superb for all the characters. Eiko's voice is cheerful and suitable for her character. Very impressed with the voice actor who voiced Kongming and managed to sound like some guy who came straight from the three kingdom era.

Paripi Koumei is a show that pleasantly surprise me this season. I went in not expecting much but I came back thoroughly entertained. I like anime in music genres like Kono Oto Tomare or Carole & Tuesday but I think Paripi Koumei take the cake here.

The story of Paripi Koumei is pretty much straightforward. Kongming, a famous Chinese military strategist from 234 AD got Isekaied into present-day Tokyo and no less on Halloween Day. At first, he thought he is in hell but later met Eiko, an inspiring musician with an immense amount of skill but having trouble making it big. Kongming decided to become her strategist and help her become successful.

Despite the simple premise, it was the presentation that make the anime very entertaining. Kongming being a big brain strategist deploys all the same wartime tactics from his era to make Eiko successful. Things such as Stone's Sentinel Maze strategy to trap his enemy from escaping are now used to trap the audience in the room so that they would listen to Eiko's song. Got to give it to the writer who came up with these ideas.

The comedy elements are done well with some really goofy ones. Even though they don’t all make me laugh out loud, they are still fun regardless. Things such as Eiko’s bar owner geeking out with Kongming on Chinese history or Kongming donning his ancient rob but at the same time adding on weird modern accessories on top of it add to the entertaining factor.

The anime manages to show that making it to the top of the music industry is hard. The dramas are also realistic such as veteran artists wanting to use a newbie to shine more, artists trying to find their own voice or businessman controlling the artists just to make money. 

The story never got sidetracked even though some mini side stories run alongside the main story and the pacing is just right.

An antique strategist from a bygone era trying to help a modern girl to become a famous pop star may sound like a joke but knowing Anime in general, they somehow pull it off and make it entertaining. You don’t even need to be a music fan to watch it since it is present in a way anyone can watch. 

For all the minus in the story and character department, the art & animation department of Tokyo 24-Ku is actually pretty good. The colours are vibrant, the details are solid, the environments look nice and the character design stands out.

The character design looks unique with its drawing and colour usage. The three main characters with it red green blue colours look great along with their hairstyle and clothing choices which reflect their personality.

The background looks nice with a good amount of detail be it indoors like Shuuta’s bread shop or outdoor places like Shantytown which have its own unique colour and looks. Background characters also populate all the necessary scenes. The graffiti that pops up often in the anime also look excellent.

The CG used for vehicles such as trains and cars are ugly.

The animation when they got called by their late friend Asumi with all the transition into the ear canal to the future vision with a ghostly figure of Asumi looks awesome. The overall animation is smooth and the action scenes are also fairly decently animated.

The main focus of the show is of cause the RGB trio consisting of Shuuta, Ran and Kouki but for some reason, they have a very uneven screen time between them with Shuuta having like 65% while Ran is like 25% and Souki at 10%. There are a lot of side characters but they don’t really do much or are just plot devices.

Shuuta who has the biggest amount of screen time is not a very interesting character. He is more of a balanced character between the other two main characters. However, he is the typical superhero wannabe who tries to save everyone and anyone. He is also the dumbest one out of the group and I can't help but feel like he is out of the loop with the technology and mystery of the over-arcing plot. The saving grace I guess is his kindness and the genuine effort he gives.

Ran is a skilled hacker and also a graffiti artist who is actively against the government and the AI crime system of the 24th ward. He has a more laid back, none serious personality but not much to say about him too since he doesn’t have a lot of development.

Kouki is the son of the mayor of the 24th ward. A logical no none sense kind of person and later put in charge of the crime preventative AI system. He also has the least amount of screen time for the main character, even less than some unimportant side characters.	

The three main characters have totally different personalities means more dynamic and interesting interaction between each other right? Well, no. The three when getting along made a really effective team but they are fighting among each other most of the time and the majority of the time they are not even together and kind of just doing their own stuff.

There are a lot of flashbacks, maybe a bit too much even. They mostly show what happened in the past and added a little bit more about how the character become what they are today.

Once again like the story, the character could have been better developed with more interesting and dynamic interaction. Another missed opportunity.

Tokyo 24th Ward

Tokyo 24-Ku

Both the opening and ending songs are super enjoyable songs to listen to. The opening song is a piece of an uplifting rock song and the ending song is a relaxing song. Both songs absolute fit the theme of the anime. They even name the ending 255,255,255 which is the colour code used for RGB colour.

Background music is mostly there to support the scenes, they are not generic sounding but they are not memorable either. The most memorable music would be when the late Asumi call the trio to show them the future and ended with a Suzu bell-like chiming sound effecting.

Sound effects are solid and exist in all necessary places. I say there are decent attention given such as when Ran lay on the sofa but he hit it with his body and leg a few time and not a single sound effect missed those hits.

Voice acting is solid with a lot of experienced voice actors/actresses on board. They manage to bring a suitable voice for each character's personality, looks and age.

The story of Tokyo 24-Ku started out pretty intriguing with an interesting premise but as the story progresses, the story feels very crammed in with pacing issues.

The story mainly follows Shuuta, Ran and Kouki who are named RGB probably due to their hair colours too. The city is governed by a Minority Report-style crime and disaster prediction AI system but one day the RGB trio get a phone call from one of their late friend Asumi’s number showing them a future where something bad is going to happen and it is up to them on which path they want to take.

The bad things that are going to happen are almost always a trolley problem for the RGB trio to solve and they most of the time come up with a miracle option instead of picking one out of the two choices. It is interesting to see what kind of miracle they are going to pull and they don't always pull it off.

The first few episodes get me to continue watching the show since I want to know more about all the underlying mysteries of this late friend calling them and showing them the future. With all the dystopian style sci-fi stuff, it piqued my interest but the show fail to impress.

The main problem with the show is that it wants to tell a lot of things and the pacing suffers. A lot of subplots got added to the main plot as the story goes on. An app which is actually a drug, 24th ward wanted to join Tokyo but to meet the safety standard, to use of the new Kanae AI System but at the cost of heavy privacy issues, clearing out slum zone which triggered protests, a graffiti war which happened and kind of just ended, etc...

A lot of the subplots are pretty neat ideas but for a 12 episodes anime, all these subplots just feel super crammed and messy. Might be a different story if it is a longer 24 episodes anime. A lot of the plot threads don’t have satisfying closure either.

The takeaway from the anime would be the moral choices such as forgoing privacy for security, freedom at the risk of more danger and poverty vs the rich.	

 All in all, a dead average story which wants to tell a lot of things but not enough time to do so. They really should have gone a more focused path like Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song which will still be super enjoyable even if it is generic.

While The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt is not groundbreaking in terms of production quality it is way better than Realist Hero. The overall tone and the details of the arts are pretty good while the animations, in general, are on the weaker side.

The character arts and design are nice. Not only they are unique looking, but also very suitable for the fantasy medieval theme. The details on the character are also fairly nicely done with all the ribbons, accessories, stripes and texture on their outfits. Facial expressions are also spot on from the character putting up a poker face but panicking inside to smirk faces when Wein is winning. The animation of Wein twitching like a kid out of annoyance is also amusing and well animated.

The background also looks nice with good art quality and a fair amount of detail to them. Indoor scenes are well detailed and populated with objects that give an actual vibe of the era. Some of the floorings also look really nice with detailed patterns on them. The outdoor scene also looks equally nice with well-detailed castles, houses and some pretty looking natural environments. Scenes that need background characters have no them and for an anime that is not focused on food, the foods look fairly delicious too.

I also like how the camera transit in the early part of the anime where there is a battle and the camera goes from a carved soldier looking piece on a strategic map to the real general of the enemy army. However, the combat animations are extremely weak. They are mostly still shots with effects, close up camera shots with a few awkward motions and animation.

The characters also shine in The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt even though there are not a lot of developments. The characters are well designed and come with their own set of interesting personalities and characteristics which make for a fun experience throughout. The dynamic between the characters and outwitting each other is also a big highlight of the anime.

There are also quite a lot of characters but the major focus is on Ninym, Wein, LowellMina and Falanya.

Wein, the lazy but genius prince of the small kingdom of Natra. As much as he is lazy and often complains about selling his kingdom and running away, he got a lot of jobs done in a most spectacular manner. Sometimes also by accident.

Wein may sound like a goofball behind closed doors, the side he only shows to Ninym. However, he is very cunning, creative and very good at outsmarting other kingdom’s politicians or generals. He also takes a lot of calculated risks. All these factors alone make him a really entertaining character to watch. It's like watching Shiroe from Log Horizon plan things out. As cunning as he may be, he also cares for his loved ones and if someone hurt them, he will go out for their blood.

Ninym is an adviser and an excellent aide for Wein. Cool-headed, intelligent, mature and sometimes can be a slave driver when it comes to getting things done. She is also capable of accompanying Wein anywhere from a diplomatic mission to a battlefield. Ninym is also caring for people who she cherishes and much like Wein will show no mercy to people who hurt her close friends. Ninym's relationship with Wein is an interesting one too since they are more than a friend but not lovers too. Definitely waifu material though.

LowellMina, princess of Earthwold Empire and a close friend of Wein. She is somewhat similar to Wein. Intelligent, kind, not arrogant for a noble and have the best interest of the people at her heart. The anime takes some time to establish the back story and relationship between Wein, LowellMina and Ninym too.

LowellMina, being a girl, her advice and idea are often dismissed in favour of her brothers (the princes of the Earthwold Empire) and all of them are gunning for the throne of the Earthwold Empire. The outwitting battle and mind game between LowellMina and Wein is also an intriguing one to watch.

Falanya is Wein’s little sister and someone who looks up to Wein. She can be seen in many scenes where she is studying everything from politics to battlefield strategy with her tutor. She later got a good screen time and development where she proves she is capable as a princess.

The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt

Tensai Ouji no Akaji Kokka Saisei Jutsu

The opening and ending songs of The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt are decent, they are good for listening to a couple of times but didn’t have retaining power to be in a playlist.

Background music sound nice with appropriate instruments and nice-sounding music which super compliments the scene. They are not so memorable but they do sound good. The background music quality is also well above the music that is used in some budget fantasy anime. 

I also don’t notice any sound effects missing from the anime. The anime has the standard level of detail and quantity that I expect from an anime when it comes to sound effects. Things such as the sound of a wooden block when Wein lifted a block from the strategic map or the sound of the carriage’s wheel when inside a carriage are all accounted for.

Voice acting is superb for all characters. The voice acting brings out the wit of each character nicely and things such as Wein panicking or twitching out of annoyance and complaining are also nicely voiced. As a fan of Rie Takahashi’s voice, it instantly makes Ninym a likeable character for me. Takahashi nailed the role of the character even if the character reminded me of Emilia from Re: Zero sometime.

If you like How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom, You will no doubt like The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt. Man, why are anime names getting longer? The two anime are operating within the same kind of concept and theme and I will be making comparisons to Realist Hero in this review too.

The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt is not an Isekai anime. The story starts with Crown Prince Wein who was put in charge of a small kingdom called Natra which is in debt when the previous King went out of commission. The problem is Wein is lazy even though he is cunning and a genius. At his side is his trusted sidekick Ninym who is from an oppressed minority race called Flahm.

The anime touch on topics such as making money, negotiating with other kingdoms, forging alliances, war and a lot of geopolitics. While Realist Hero also touches on similar kinds of topics, the huge difference is Realist Hero skim the surface without going deep into it while Genius Price goes into all the in and out of what is happening in a more micro-managed style.

Another huge difference between The Genius Prince and Realist Hero is that Realist Hero has a more laid back tone while in The Genius Price, Wein is literally navigating a minefield of politics with his kingdom's neighbours. It is also a much more cunning world where the leaders have to outwit each other. E.g. A prince from another country die cause of an accident in Wein’s kingdom and he has to avoid war from breaking out between the two kingdom or political backstabbing and that verbal promise shouldn't be taken to heart or attempted assassination.

There are a lot more backhanded deals compared to Realist Hero be it politics such as other kingdoms making one face in front but already got thing scheming with another kingdom. This also goes into the business side such as Wein’s making money out of products coming from kingdom A that is at odds with Kingdom B by lying the origin to kingdom B and shipping it to them. 

The Genius Price does have some comedy elements to it. It is especially done with Wein being lazy and wanting to get rid of his own kingdom but accidentally improving it instead since he is a genius. There are also times when he is calm and composed but panicking inside. It is an amusing kind of comedy than the type that will make you laugh out loud.

Worldbuilding is decent, it feels a bit fast in some parts but the anime does do a fine job at making sure the viewer knows the different Kingdoms, their rivalry and so on using an overview map. The usage of Wein’s little sister Falanya studying with her tutors for the explanation and narrative of what is happening within the kingdom or what Wein’s doing is a pretty cool idea. 

The arts and animations quality is the same as in Part 1 and didn’t improve at all.

Characters have a typical anime art style with sloppy drawing from time to time or from certain camera angles.

Indoor scenes are once again barebone with bare minimum objects to populate the scene. The textures are fine, they get the job done but are not the best-looking thing around. Outdoor scenes barely have any background characters unless it is necessary for the scene such as a refugee camp.

Once again, very dialogue heavy anime thus animation you will see commonly are walking and talking. The only combat scene that the anime has is quite clunky.

How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom Part 2 characters mostly follow in the same footstep as Part 1. Very likeable characters but has very slow character development. Characters in this anime conform heavily to the story and plot. Souma also has a lot of screen time compared to the other characters in Part 2.

Souma is still the same guy as we know from Part 1 but he has become more competent and getting the hang of ruling a kingdom. By the end of Part 2, he no longer says he is a temporary king and has made up his mind to fully take up the role of a king.

Liscia, Aisha and Juna don’t really change much and are mostly supporting characters this time. They do have cute moments with Souma. Also, a small comedy time with Excel Walter and it was amusing. Apart from that, they are supporting characters all the way.

Roroa got some screen time since she came out of hiding in Part 2. She is an interesting character with her cheerful personality plus she has excellent business knowledge but didn’t actually get a lot of time to shine or even use her business skills decently.

It is the same for Genia, an interesting character with an introvert-ish personality but she can hold a proper conversation too. She is into inventing technology but didn’t get a lot of screen time and we only get to see only a few of her creations.

There are a lot of other characters who we got to see such as Maria and Jeanne but they were mainly used to add more plot to the story such as the flaw in Mankind Declaration Treaty thus not a lot is known about them yet or even their side of the story.

All in all, likeable characters if you like how the characters are like in Part 1. Nothing much has changed in terms of character development. It is even a little bit of a step back when it comes to the development of the supporting characters since Souma takes most of the spotlight this round.

How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom Part 2

Genjitsu Shugi Yuusha no Oukoku Saikenki Part 2

The opening and ending songs are decent and I say they sound better than the songs used in Part 1 of the anime.

Background music is pretty much the same or similar as Part 1. Not the memorable type but good enough at propping up the scene they are played on. Sound effects are present for almost all the action and scenes that needed one but there are some missing. E.g in one scene, Souma is in a carriage but there is no sound effect for the carriage wheel or horse’s hoof.

Voice acting is great, no complaints here since Part 1. It is quite well done and brings out the character’s personality. The part where the heated negotiation exchange with Julius even makes the environment feel tense.

If you like How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom Part 1, Part 2 won’t disappoint you. Carrying on where thing left off in Part 1, the topic the anime touch in Part 2 are equally fascinating and realistic.

While Part 1 goes through lighter issues such as food production and improving trade all the way up to the civil war. Part 2 has much more politic heavy topics. There are a lot of good topics that Part 2 covers from the uprising, annexing a country, refugee crisis to the medical topic such as pathogens. 

We start out with the negotiation with Amidonia and the Empire to give back Amidonia to the prince and there are a lot of good philosophies that went into the negotiation. The part where the people who have tasted freedom and better life won’t want to go back to being oppressed is also so true. My country (as of this writing) is going through something similar too.

The refugee crisis is also not forgotten. Much like any country that is fighting an ongoing war in real life, there are bonds to be refugee situations. I like that Souma gives a fair choice of integrating into his country or leaving the land since they have been living as refugees for so on.

The world-building in Part 1 is pretty good and already a solid foundation. Part 2 adds to it by introducing a more scientific aspect of magic and material the fantasy world have. I also love the fact that the anime added quotes from real-life historical figures into its context.

I really love the idea of Souma abolishing slavery in his country. Since abolishing straight up will mean an uproar by some people, he turns them into employment centres where they train and find a job for the former slaves. Maybe this is why we say working for a corporate is the modern form of slavery XD. 

Souma also gets all the girls in Part 2 which is not strange for a King to have multiple wives in the medieval era and especially political marriage is a common thing. It is no different here when he marries the girls since it comes with benefits for the kingdoms and his ruling. However, the effect of the benefit from marriage is not as clearly shown in Part 2.

The comedy aspect is on the mild side but the episode where Excel Walter teaches the inexperienced girls the “way” to the man is amusing to watch. Especially the black secret book about Souma. We also get to see the reason why the King quickly relinquished the throne for Souma. Interesting reason but also feel like an afterthought.

Fantasy Bishoujo Juniku Ojisan To doesn’t seem like a high budget show and thus the arts and animations are not outstanding either. It is a bit above average with generic-looking themes overall. However, the arts are consistent throughout without much quality drop and the studio makes the most out of the comedic moment special effects.

Character arts and designs are good but not super detailed. They look nice however and Tachibana shark-like teeth are not the most common sight in anime. I have only mostly seen it done on cool or badass looking characters but it looks nice and suitable for Tachibana character design regardless. 

The background arts are fine. Forest, building, town, etc... look generic. They are not populated with a lot of details and objects either but the art quality is consistent. The outdoor scene that 100% require background character got them but there are scenes where the street is barren too.

Combats aren't long so there is not a lot of animation there. However, the special effect used for comedy scenes is top-notch and amplified comedic moments.

Fantasy Bishoujo Juniku Ojisan To characters are what make this anime real good and funny. Instead of making a character that conforms to the story, it is the character that guided the plot. The result is the characters that are funny but also got some good personalities.

Junguuji is a handsome guy and a close friend of Tachibana. He is good at a lot of stuff from academics to work. He is a total gentleman who has zero interest in girls and distrusts them despite being perfect in a lot of things.

Tachibana is a kind gent who cares about others but is the total opposite of Junguuji when it comes to being competent. He also has trouble getting a girlfriend because all the girls are only into Junguuji when the two are together. He wished he was a beautiful girl that everyone have no choice but to be charmed and got his wish granted when he got teleported to the fantasy world.

Interaction between the duo is comedic and pure chaotic sometimes. The show lives on the interaction between the two and with other characters. Now that Tachibana is a girl, a lot of funny, confused feelings arise making for some more comedic moments. There is even some real emotional drama (as mentioned in the story section) between the duo near the end. 	

Schwartz is a parody of Kirito and all the overpowered Isekai characters combine into one. He even looks like Kirito but acts opposite to Kirito. He is a total clown with Chuunibyou problem but also kind of a coward. The first time he met with Tachibana, he instantly fall in love with her not knowing she is a guy. All the miss understanding of the relationship between Tachibana and Jinguuji from his point of view is also hilarious. 

Even though Schwartz seems like a secondary character, he has some growth compared to the first time we saw him. He was a total incompetent Chuunibyou with an overpowered sword but by the end of the anime, he matured quite a bit.

There are also a lot of other supporting characters in this anime who don’t get a lot of screen time but they pack a punch in the comedic moment.

Life with an Ordinary Guy Who Reincarnated into a Total Fantasy Knockout

Fantasy Bishoujo Juniku Ojisan to

The opening song is a decent J-Pop/Rock music and the ending song have a cutesy J-Pop song which doesn’t sound bad either. Not playlist worthy but they are decent.

The background music is solid, super suitable for the scene but not memorable. The sound effects are solid without anything missing. Detail such as footstep being different from grass to dirt ground, the closing of doors, etc.. are all accounted for. The sound effect for the comedic moments is top-notch at making the scene much more prominent. 

Voice acting is excellent with all the experienced voice actors and actresses on board. They nailed the character's voice perfectly from normal moment, chaotic moment to comedic moment.

Fantasy Bishoujo Juniku Ojisan To is a hidden gem among all the Isekai anime this season and shouldn’t be dismissed just because you think this is yet another generic Isekai anime. Assuming you are okay with the theme of a guy turning into a girl of cause.

The story follows Jinguuji and Tachibana. Two good friends got teleported to a fantasy world while they were drunk. They were also granted their wishes but also got cursed by the Goddess of Love. Jinguuji is still a handsome guy but is now super strong in terms of strength. Tachibana however, got turned into a young girl who is a total cutie but useless in combat. He..err she, does have a passive skill that makes everyone around her extremely attracted or charmed to her. 

The way the world is set up in this show isn’t so different from other Isekai anime, you got a fantasy world of sword and magic, MMORPG like status menu and even a demon lord so what makes this show special? It is the Comedy. Yes, this show is super hilarious and I haven’t laughed my arse out in an Isekai comedy anime since Konosuba. It might not be Konosuba level of storytelling or comedy but still funny in it own right.	

A lot of adventuring the duo does in the show is generic or not anything new but the situation they get into or the situation that happens around them thanks to Tachibana’s charm is totally funny. The anime doesn’t take itself seriously and sometimes feels like a parody show. For E.g. Tachibana charmed the bandit, and it works but it works too well to the point he will quit being a bandit, get married to her and want 8 children. There is a lot more hilarious and chaotic stuff and I don’t want to spoil them.

Jinguuji and Tachibana also have to fight the urge not to fall for each other since Tachibana is now biologically a female and a lot of comedic moments spawn from it. Sometimes they would try to get an edge over each other too. A lot of jokes and comedic moments got thrown in and they hit more than they miss.

Some emotional moments got thrown into the show near the end. Feeling such as jealousy, envy and comparing your worth with a friend is a real feeling that people have felt before. The story manages to make it quite realistic while all the comedic stuff is happening at the same time. I don’t know how the authors did it but it works. 

Jinguuji summoning an apartment door to block the laser attack or a knock off Kirito fighting his life off while Jinguuji and Tachibana try to sort out their feeling are priceless moments that happen in this emotional part.

Stranger of Paradise put you in the shoe of Jack who is one of the angriest protagonists I have seen in a Final Fantasy series but I like him. To be in line with his personality, combat is meaty and crunchy and is the best part of the game.

Combat has a lot of Nioh DNA in it but is more simplified. You have your normal attack, ability, combo ability and guard. In addition to those, you can use soul shields which work like a perfect parry and use up your stamina and unlimited dodge.

The combat is challenging on Hard mode but also less challenging compared to Nioh or Dark Souls making it a perfect game for a beginner of Soul-Like to get into. The combat is also a bit more forgiving since you can dodge without caring about your stamina and recovering from posture-breaking is fast. Death is not as punishing too as you only lose MP and will get spent back to the last checkpoint.

Boss fights are fun, adrenaline-inducing and got a good amount of challenge to them. They have different mechanics but most are fairly straightforward damage-dealing attacks. They are definitely not a cakewalk and will require a couple of retires to get used to their mechanic and attack pattern.

Level designs are decent and they run more like a traditional linear dungeon than like dark soul with good vertically. Some of the later levels have some puzzles to solve which require some light thinking and they are fairly alright. A lot of levels are straight out of past Final Fantasy games such as the reactor room from FF-VII, Mount Gagazet from FF-X or Crystal Tower from FF-III.

For a game that uses past Final Fantasy stages, the monsters found in these stages are rarely from the original game. The variety of monsters is a bit lacking with quite a bit of asset reuse even though the Final Fantasy franchise has all kinds of different monster designs.

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