The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store

The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store (2023)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


The premise looked interesting with a human working in a special store where the customers are all animals, however, it ended up feeling like it was lacking something overall. The art style is a bit different in a way that at least for the humans I found distracting and rather disconcerting. The floor manager is also seriously strange vibes with the way he shows up everywhere (even in a cooking pot of soup) and seems to be thought of as rather harsh, but also seems oddly caring with this new probationary employee. If anything, he seems to be more of the very strange old man acting as a guiding figure. The one who is perhaps the harshest we see very rarely and not until about halfway through the movie is there any real interaction that can be followed. The ending is certainly sweet with how things seem to come full circle and the employees and customers pull together for various challenges, but there's just something in the style and storytelling that feels off and not as engaging as maybe it could be. Might just not be my best story fit.

Hate Me, but Let Me Stay 2

Hate Me, but Let Me Stay 2 by Hijiki

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


The characters still have their moments, especially coming together as a family, but there's a lot of drama and a lot of negativity around Naoto being an omega from outside sources. Fortunately, it seems he has more support than he knew and is finding new friends and places that accept him and his family. It might be a little concerning how invested Hazuki's mom is in their relationship, but it's adorable the way Shizuku helps out and corrects Hazuki, especially when he asks about becoming her dad. This one took longer to read only because I honestly thought I had finished it for some reason and was distracted by other series only to realize when I came back to the series that I was missing the last chapter and the extras. 

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My Gently Raised Beast 8

My Gently Raised Beast 8 by Yeoseulki

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is a rather fast-moving addition to the series. So much death followed by so many new memories and meetings. In some ways, it's rather convenient how a lot of it works out, but it also doesn't seem like the roller coaster is over just yet either. At least Amon and Briddy seem to be on a good path overall, as is the rest of their family. Even Adellai seems to have weathered the worst of the storm and seems at least a little more stable on the other side. There were some pretty hard revelations thrown around with all of the reincarnation and divine power references. At least if nothing else, Briddy seems to have broken the cycle Amon was so terrified about.

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Snow White With the Red Hair

Snow White With the Red Hair (2015)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I kept hearing about this series but hadn't gotten around to watching or reading it yet. A few sleepless nights thanks to bad health and needing some easy entertainment solved that problem and sucked me right into the story so I had to keep watching. Shirayuki and Zen are obviously adorable and drawn to each other right from the start, even if it may take a while for either of them to admit to anything. The rest of their friends are equally adorable and have an interesting mix of being supporting characters, and in the boy's cases, coming across as maybe being interested in Shirayuki themselves (though none of them seem willing to act on it as they all fully support Zen). The only downside is we don't really see the end of the story in the anime, just the confirmation that they're on the same path and everyone seems happy with how things are playing out at least for the moment. It would seem we'll have to turn to the manga to find anything past season 2 and hope for the actual ending that everyone seems set on in the story.

Nina the Starry Bride

Nina the Starry Bride (2024)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Only 3 episodes in so far, but I can see where there's potential with the complex family dynamics. Perhaps the similarities and attraction between Nina and Azure develop too quickly, but it may also need to be that way at least at the start to set the foundation for the rest of the story. The third episode introduces an interesting twist with Azure being more like Nina than anyone could have thought, only he stepped into his role much earlier in life, so it was possibly an easier transition given the innocence and learning of childhood on top of how one changes while growing where Nina is trying to step into a grown princess' role just before getting married. Though now have to wonder, just who might she end up with? This unknown prince we haven't met yet to avoid the chance of war, or Azure as these two seem to gravitate around each other?

CSI: Miami

CSI: Miami (2002)

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


We have a new cast and crew in this version of CSI with Horatio Caine leading the pack in a very different scene with a lot more of the same as CSI looks for the truth and digs through all the clues to solve their cases. As usual, they may ruffle a few feathers along the way, but they're always out for the truth. What is perhaps not unusual is some conflict with internal affairs eventually digging into things and making a mess, even though they're supposed to be discreet and silent - at least until they have any real proof of anything. Seems to be a great way to rub a lot of people the wrong way very qiuckly.

Mint Chocolate 12

Mint Chocolate 12 by Mami Orikasa

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Well that ended up being rather anticlimactic. It seems most of them are convinced this lady is Kyouhei's mom, but he seems content with considering her as someone completely different and removed from him. It is rather curious the slight reaction we see to the references of Kyouhei looking like this lady and his name being similar to this other kid's. Seems like this is all a sidenote though as we move on to the cultural festival rather quickly. Of course Nanami manages to get herself roped into the worst position possible, so Andou and Kyouhei are out to save the day.... with as little effort as possible. Cultural festivals definitely aren't a thing at least for Kyouhei, though as usual, he's willing to cross a few of those boundaries if it means he's with Nanami.

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A Sign of Affection 10

A Sign of Affection 10 by Suu Morishita

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Yuki is just as awkward and still adorable as always setting up her new home with Itsu. On the other hand, Itsu is somehow maybe a little too nonchalant at times, and maybe willfully oblivious when it comes to Oushi, even though he also clearly knows they both have strong feelings for Yuki. Of course, he's not willing to give her up still either. Oddly enough, it seems Oushi and Shin may have hit it off as friends, which may hold some hope as it seems Shin is willing to share a much different perspective with Oushi than he had before. The new curiosity seems to be Yuki and Itsu's new neighbor and this new person who's shown up that Itsu seems to know. It's curious how Itsu can be both overprotective and outgoing at the same time. All eyes are on Yuki now though, whether he likes it or not.

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My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! (2020)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Katarina is about as unusual of a noble's daughter as you'll find, but this is because in her past life, she was a bit of otome game and romance book addict. After falling and hitting her head, she now remembers her past life, as well as the game story that she's now living, as the villainess. With the knowledge of every possible outcome in the game, she struggles to try and change her fate, resulting in a lot of misunderstandings and some very strange behavior on her part. Fortunately, everyone seems rather enamored with her clumsy way of living and determination to live (even if they're very confused by many of her references and choices for hobbies). So far, there is no real set conclusion to the story as season 2 introduces a new sequel game that she knows nothing about, including new characters. How is she to avoid all of those "doom flags" if she no longer knows what they are?

Hate Me, but Let Me Stay 1

Hate Me, but Let Me Stay 1 by Hijiki

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This follows a lot of the typical omegaverse norms, though the main characters both seem to hate themselves and in a way their opposite genders as well. If you are familiar with the omegaverse tropes, then it's not a hard leap to think that Hazuki's reference to Naoto's scent being stronger around him isn't necessarily because Naoto wants his scent to be stronger (it's actually pretty clear from his own confusion and responses than if anything he wishes his scent didn't affect alphas at all) but could actually allude to the common idea not only of scent attraction basically, but that it's actually an indication of their pairing. After all, it's fairly common for suppressants to fail in the case of fated pairs to assist in forcing a mating, which would make a lot of sense here as well given how it's frequently mentioned Naoto does take his meds, and yet he always has such a strong reaction around Hazuki. Fortunately, Hazuki never seems to really be too far away either, otherwise, all of these dicey situations Naoto finds himself in could have landed him with another child besides Shizuku. The actual relationship itself rushes very quickly, especially once they are both of the same mind as far as wanting to have a relationship. Perhaps a bit too quickly though considering the addition of Minato and all of them living together.

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CSI: Vegas

CSI: Vegas (2021)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Came across this recently as another addition to the CSI lineup and realized that I've forgotten to add any of them here since watching the original CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. This brings a lot of familiar faces back through various cases from the previous series, adding a touch of the familiar aside from the actual crime solving so there's more continuity to the series even as they change locations and main cast for the lab. New interpersonal interactions and interwoven cases to uncover as they work to solve all the cases, some that may seem easier or harder than others for a number of reasons.

The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor

The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor (2024)

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars


There is some definite potential here with this series coming to life that is somehow all the more enjoyable even if the story is still rather slowly paced. Some of the names are also pronounced much differently than expected when reading the story compared to hearing the voices. The art style is smooth most of the time, though there are scenes where it's almost cartoonish with the introduction blurbs and thicker outlines to emphasize shock or other highlights in the scenes. Hopefully, the next episode will start to pick things up a bit now that we've established most of the foundation for the series and are starting to gather some of the main supporting characters like Zeke and Camila. 

I'll Become the Villainess Who Goes Down in History

I'll Become the Villainess Who Goes Down in History (2024)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Alicia is a rather unique character who actually wants to be the villainess, rather than the more traditional isekai where someone finds themselves a saint, a hero, or a villainess trying to rewrite their story. Alicia does want to write her story differently, but only to become better than the original character in the game. What she seems to fail to grasp in this process is that what she actually manages to accomplish is mostly actually really good aside from maybe in her second meeting with the actual saint of the story that she's determined to make her rival. There's only 3 episodes out so far, but there's a lot of potential. For all that the story seems to insist the prince and the saint must be together, it also seems the prince has a fondness for Alicia herself at this point. That's without the constant shock of her breaking norms with her political views, learning swordsmanship, and now being a "deviant." Maybe she was a bit overzealous in her quest to become the best as quickly as possible. Now just what does the king mean in his request for her to be the saint's "watcher?"

Suzume

Suzume (2022)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Suzume's life is a rather unique story that deviates from the normal. She's not a closer like Souta, but an odd experience from her childhood leaves her able to see the doors and the worms coming through them where most others don't see them. This sets her on a rather fantastical adventure with Souta to try to save Japan and maybe find some answers about her own confusing and lost childhood. Souta is a lot harder to read given his form through most of the film, but it's still rather endearing the way these two learn about each other and come to care for the other and this unique mission of theirs. There are some very real moments, especially when it comes to dealing with their families and their perceptions of the world around them. Fortunately, it seems they both have some pretty good people pulling for them in the background, especially when you start adding talking cats and what most would consider unreasonable road trip demands into the mix.

A Tale of the Secret Saint 7

A Tale of the Secret Saint 7 by Touya

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Fia's secret may be out at least with the captain if not the rest of Sutherland, though it's unclear if they realize she does have her power or just recognize her physical resemblance and that she clearly recognizes the illness they are suffering from. The captain was an unexpected plot twist, though we don't get very far into how they're going to help the people before we're swept back in time again. The constant flashbacks are a little jarring at times, though both lives are still interesting. It definitely slows the current story down when so much of the book is revisiting the past. Now that we've found the captain after so much focus on his part in Fia's past life, slightly curious with the previous captain in the lime light towards the end if that may be another person of interest coming into play here soon.

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Sengoku Night Blood

Sengoku Night Blood (2017)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Yuzuki is the main character pulled into another world in this tale. This other world is a mix of history and paranormal where vampires and werewolves are real (though not at all ruled by the moon or night like other lore would claim). It turns out Yuzuki's blood is similar to Himemiko's, someone who appears to be a representation of peace in the land, and who disappeared around the time that yakuma start appearing (basically think possessed demons). The power in her blood conveniently calls to the demons, but can also give others the power to fight them. It's a little too convenient how quickly everyone falls for her as she's equal parts guest and hostage depending on which army is housing her at the time and how everyone wants her blood, though it seems to be a coin toss on who is willing to use it and who tries to keep it off limits for her own safety. Ultimately, nothing is really resolved at the end of the series. Yuzuki is still trapped in another world and has no idea where Himemiko is or if she can actually return to her world. The armies, while some have tentative alliances, are still at war with each other and will all want the extra power boost from her blood, and the yakuma, while thought to have at least temporarily be kept under wraps, could show up again at any time. That's without adding in Hideyoshi insisting she's soon to be his wife and trying to convince her to stay in this world with all of its dangers.

The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor 6 (Light Novel)

The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor 6 by Sarasa Nagase

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Wow, there's a lot to unpack here. Somehow, Jill manages to find just the right pieces of the puzzle to turn things around. Hadis seems to at least have some idea of what she's doing even if he doesn't have all the details, but fortunately he seems to at least trust when Jill insists she's acting in his best interest. This situation with the previous emperor and Gerald is more than a little chaotic though. And just how and when did Raw suddenly grow large enough for Hadis and Jill to ride him? He's almost always with Jill, so showing up at the festival like that is more than a little surprising. It seems the next steps will depend at least some on what happens in Kratos and if they're able to find Prince Gerald. 

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Despicable Me 4

Despicable Me 4 (2024)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


It's okay for a sequel and has funny parts as usual, but it's not a favorite. The intro is a bit of a kick featuring Blackpink given there's some k-pop fandom in our house between one my friends, my daughter, and myself. The minion hero squad is a mash up that will look familiar from many other well known heroes including Cyclops, Mr. Fantastic, The Thing, and possible Superman? The story itself is rather mixed up and slow moving with a plethora of characters. The ending is meant to be uplifting, but falls a little flat, though some watchers may be amused to recognize several of the villains in the audience at the talent show. Still rather baffling how they supposedly have this high tech network and all know about each other's accomplishments or failures, yet the other villains still consider Gru a villain in their ranks and don't seem to remember or recognize that he works for the AVL (Anti-Villain League). 

My Happy Marriage

My Happy Marriage (2023)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This story is enjoyable in all of its forms, including the live action. The subtitles to watch it currently are horrible as they mess up every name and the wording is just off enough to leave the impression it's backwards sometimes or outright off, but in general the story follows as far as we currently see in the first season of the anime though obviously there are several smaller details and sequence of events that are altered to make sense with the live acting and to condense the story into a single movie rather than multiple episodes. The marks are a bit different though as those weren't seen or referenced in any of the other formats for this show. It's also a bit strange that they keep calling Grotesqueries aliens instead in the translations. Kiyoka somehow manages to come off as even more standoffish in the movie, but it's also fairly clear he's concerned about Miyo as he gets to know her better. In any form, these two characters are enjoyable together. There is an end scene after the credits too, so between that and the books still ongoing, it might not be too out of this world to see another movie or at least another season of the anime in the future.

My Happy Marriage 7 (Light Novel)

My Happy Marriage 7 by Akumi Agitogi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This curse business seems to have a heavier impact on Miyo than might be clearly visible, especially as she reverts to silence and fear, which also isn't helped by her lingering insecurities and inability to verbally express herself, even though she's been with Kiyoka a year and all other claims are that she's growing into her power and position and happy with him. It is rather astonishing that Kiyoka didn't see it to begin with, but his father picked up on it right away. If anything, Kiyoka seems to be struggling himself in his eagerness to be with Miyo and his remaining duty to the military. For awhile there, it really did seem like things were going to fall apart, though the author did promise this would be a happy installment, so of course we finally see the wedding. We even hear from several characters from Miyo's past in this story, though only a few of them were known from previous volumes, so we have some new characters as well. The windy and turbulent story in this volume even has some familiar faces stepping forward and asking if there's anything wrong between the couple or if Kiyoka has upset Miyo. Seems like a bit of regression here, though it's let go much faster than in the past. The story certainly isn't over yet though, so hopefully we'll see things pick back up again and move forward as they adjust to married life.

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Chillin' in Another World with Level 2 Super Cheat Powers

Chillin' in Another World with Level 2 Super Cheat Powers (2024)

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars


Banaza is summoned from another world as a prospective hero. He is rather quickly dismissed as useless, though it seems perhaps he is indeed the true hero. By the time the truth is revealed, he's made a life for himself as the adventurer Flio, and has his own rather odd band of supporters. Unlike most humans though, he draws a pretty firm line on not hating anyone or choosing sides outside of trying to just be kind and help those around him. The only time this slips is when he meets Hiya for the first time and fears he may have lost Rys for good. Rys is the first of the group to attach herself to Flio in a rather awkward form of devotion, but the two genuinely do seem to grow close and want to help each other build up this peaceful idyllic life they dream of together. The story is by no means over with the end of season one, and there is a reference to season two at the end, though who knows when that may air. The theme music seems rather nonsensical as well, but overall it's a cute show with a pretty mild pace and emphasis on learning to do things right and not judge people for being different.

The Dragon’s Soulmate is a Mushroom Princess! 4

The Dragon’s Soulmate is a Mushroom Princess! 4 by Hanami Nishine

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Things get hurried along a bit here, though the majority of the action takes place on their excursion and during the wedding reception. Phillip is as delusional as ever, though it seems the royals may have been onto something when they got Agnes and Claude to put on that overly affectionate show in front of him. Agnes really is coming to accept herself and her powers more, though the mushrooms do still have a mind of their own. It's a little frightening to think Claude could be even more enamored and attached than he currently is, but apparently this is reserved for dragonmates? The ending with Therese is a little too convenient maybe, but also nice considering how friendly Cesar and Agnes have been ever since she started bringing him medicine and treats. Even Armand seems to have seen the light and is friendly now, which is certainly far more ideal than his earlier actions teaming up with Phillip and intentionally causing trouble.

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