The Dragon Knight's Beloved 8

The Dragon Knight's Beloved 8 by Ritsu Aozaki

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Blue still doesn't seem to like it when Melissa is away from him, but he's getting better at understanding some limits and his speech during the ceremony is rather clear and fluid. Melissa even finally gets to see her parents, even if she gains a secondary adoptive father along the way and the couple may feel things are out of order with gaining permission and announcing their engagement. Hubert's cousin certainly didn't help that situation at all, though his desperation was rather obvious when Melissa finally turned him down. There are sure to be more adventures in the future, but it looks like this ends the current arc of the series. It will be interesting to see where things go from here. 

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Always a Catch! How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince 6

Always a Catch! How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince 6 by Mayo Momoyo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


There are far more questions than answers here, but the naivete and determination Mimi usually strikes out with shine through, even if it often makes her a tad too exuberant. It is good to see if nothing else her relationships with Prince Renato and the others are very solid, to the point that between that and her own lack of understanding, even when issues could arise with the Sandelz empire during this visit. Princess Ancelline especially seems like she could be problematic, along with these unknown attackers. It seems like something may also be a key point around this sorcerer, though it's clear this is a sore subject for Aida. Still, even with all this confusion and things not going according to plan, Prince Renato seems unshakable in his faith when it comes to Mimi and vice versa. Rather envious truly, including the hilarious shenanigans Mimi cooks up just to try and do her part to make Prince Renato happy.

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Always a Catch! How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince 5

Always a Catch! How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince 5 by Mayo Momoyo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Prince Renato finally gets to meet Mimi's family, though it's unclear if anything could truly prepare him for this encounter. Fortunately, Renato is nearly as popular with Mimi's family as she is with his, though likewise, it's not something they'll believe themselves to start with. This Gabriele on the other hand, may not be like all of the others. Hopefully, things won't go too awry with the visit from the Sandelz empire, though we leave the story with a bit of a bombshell from Prince Renato of all the characters to have some added shock value.

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Always a Catch! How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince 4

Always a Catch! How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince 4 by Mayo Momoyo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It seems Prince Ireneo may be a bit of a handful in his own way, though Mimi may still beat him in the end. Still, even as she struggles to be a good lady for Prince Renato, she continues to blunder her way through things in the strangest and most endearing manner. At least it seems the most important parts of the event go well, even if the rest may not end up anything like expected. Of course, it's not a volume of Always a Catch without touching scenes between Prince Renato and Mimi somewhere in the mix. Even Raimondo seems to be thawing more than he pretends to the rest of the public. 

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Always a Catch! How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince 3

Always a Catch! How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince 3 by Mayo Momoyo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The hilarious entertainment continues as Mimi sets off to return to the capital, with a slight detour to see how the chief's daughter is faring. Once again, she dives into something full force and may not actually have all the pieces together. Luckily, she has more than a few new friends and admirers to help out when things get dicey. We even have some rather sweet moments with Prince Renato when he rejoins the main storyline, though it seems his aid may also be aiding in blocking some of their romance while also keeping watch over the duo.

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Always a Catch! How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince 2

Always a Catch! How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince 2 by Mayo Momoyo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


We get to see more of Mimi's unique family and interactions in this volume as she returns home to visit them following her engagement. It's clear that while her family may be a bit eccentric, they all love each other dearly and are a tight-knit family. We even get to see Mimi's adorable little brother that she's so taken with. Readers may even recognize what her "hairpin" actually is, though they use different descriptions so far in the story. Of course, Prince Renato is not too happy with Mimi being so far away from him, even if she does inadvertently give him a great reason to follow when she sends the villagers to the palace for aid. 

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Always a Catch! How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince 1

Always a Catch! How I Punched My Way into Marrying a Prince 1 by Mayo Momoyo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I wasn't sure what to think going into this, but it's so different while still driving the romantic interests that the story is hilarious. Mimi should be a proper lady in everyone else's eyes as the daughter of a duke, except her family is rather unique. Combine her strength with her habit of saying what she's thinking and her unique point of view on things (if a bit naive and off the mark at times) and it makes for some rather hilarious situations and interactions. Things start off rocky when Prince Renato declares their engagement is annulled in front of a crowd, except he's not engaged to Mimi at this point, but to her cousin Aida. It seems everyone who meets her can't help falling for her innocent charm, even when they come across as possibly even hating her. That's a useful ability, even if she has no clue why everyone else might be so taken with her. 

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The Apothecary Diaries: Maomao's Notes from the Inner Palace 14

The Apothecary Diaries: Maomao's Notes from the Inner Palace 14 by Natsu Hyuuga

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Maomao may be hoping to avoid Renshi after everything that happened during their travels, but that won't last for long, especially given her involvement in all these unusual incidents. As if to add to the questions as well, we get new eunuchs at the palace, though there have also been frequent references to no new eunuchs being made, so they must come from other places. Renshi doesn't seem too happy that Maomao hasn't let him finish sharing his secrets yet, but that irritation appears to fade as they settle back into their routine. It's a strange routine perhaps, but it oddly works for them.

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Beware the Villainess! 2

Beware the Villainess!, Vol. 2 by Soda Ice

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Melissa continues to stay strong, though most of her schemes don't seem to go as planned. On the plus side, we've now met all four of the love interests, along with an extra in Nine who is an interesting addition and seems to be rather enamored with Melissa. Melissa is even stronger this time around now with her sword training, to the point that two of the love interests now seem to be afraid of her, one of them being her own brother. In a strange twist of fate, it seems she's now on friendly terms with Yuri, who appears to be disgusted with the two love interests we know she's met at this time. On the other hand, she seems to idolize Melissa, especially after the episode with the bandits, though she has a bit of a rocky start with Nine. Hopefully, she'll get along with him in the next volume, especially as they both want the best for Melissa.

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Beware the Villainess! 1

Beware the Villainess! 1 by Soda Ice

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is your typical isekai in the sense that Melissa dies in Korea and wakes up in the body of the villainess in a novel she had read back in her original world. The exception this time is that Melissa doesn't want to be either the villainess or the "Mary Sue love interest." She has a bit of a handicap however as her features lend her expressions to look rather villainess, and her character's previous behavior before she woke up in this life was known to be violent and obsessive, especially when it came to her fiancé, Prince Ian. Now however, Melissa wants nothing to do with Prince Ian, not only because he is one of the four main love interests who are supposed to fall for Yuri, but also because of his rather blatant infidelity that he constantly flaunts in front of her. Truthfully, Melissa is far stronger in this new version than the past one that would throw a fit and demand he keep her promise. Prince Ian doesn't seem to be cooperating, however. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

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How My Daddies Became Mates 2

How My Daddies Became Mates 2 by Mikkamita

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


The flow in this volume is a little better where the backstory comes first and then jumps back into the current timeline with Shima and her parents. It does leave a question on if Aoi's friends were correct with their assumption or if he really was just sick given the symptoms and no tests known of. We have yet more "troublemakers" identified as well, though one becomes a good friend and the other a person for them to avoid to the point that even that individual intentionally avoids contact with Aoi's family. Rather a bit of a change of pace after the kidnapping attempt, but it is also probably for the best so they aren't constantly aggravated. That wasn't a good move or in any way appropriate, especially knowing that Aoi already has a mate and has clearly said no repeatedly.

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How My Daddies Became Mates 1

How My Daddies Became Mates 1 by Mikkamita

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


While the basic omegaverse gender and society roles apply here, the world building is a bit different. In most cases, the omega comes across as more timid and in many ways forced into a relationship. In this case, we get the story not as it happens, but as recounting events for their daughter, Shima. It turns out both of them were basically punks in rival schools until that rivalry turned into fantasizing and eventually revealing their feelings to each other in about the most awkward ways possible. Aoi seems a bit closer to the mark a lot sooner with his research on fated mates while Akane is in denial up until he convinces himself he doesn't have a chance. It doesn't seem to take them long to get on the same page once their feelings are out there, though they still rush the whole mating and at least talk about marriage (though that doesn't come until after the mating). The rush is somewhat expected though given the whole premise of fated mates and how they're drawn together, even if it seems Akane still isn't hitting the mark with any realizations there. Rather, seems he might just be really lucky.

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I Abandoned My Engagement Because My Sister is a Tragic Heroine, but Somehow I Became Entangled with a Righteous Prince 2

I Abandoned My Engagement Because My Sister is a Tragic Heroine, but Somehow I Became Entangled with a Righteous Prince 2 by Masuke Mawata

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Lingsha has officially joined the story in the manga version and we're starting to see the puzzle pieces coming together as Leia settles into her role as one of Prince Eric's guards. Jill somehow comes across even more conflicted and twisted in this format where we can see her expressions to go along with her dark thoughts. She and her mother really are something else. It's good to see Leia learning to realize just how bad things were at home and that she doesn't have to put up with that sort of treatment, let alone the unreasonable demands. It's interesting to compare the light novel and manga formats to each other to see how they line up and build the story up more between the additional descriptions in the light novels and the art work in the manga.

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My Happy Marriage 8 (Light Novel)

My Happy Marriage 8 by Akumi Agitogi

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This volume is a bit of a surprise as it's a collection of short stories rather than a traditional light novel. That being said, each story is still enjoyable and the characters are still great, it's just a little harder to follow along and figure out where each story takes place as they aren't in a linear timeline. While we don't see much of Miyo outside of the more recent timeline, we get a fair bit of information regarding Kiyoka's childhood, and even Godou's. It's always been clear these two are friends given how Godou tends to be way more energetic than Kiyoka, yet he trusts and relies on him a lot more than most of his squad, beyond just being an aid. From the author's notes at the end, the main two stories were written specifically for this volume as an official part of the storyline while the rest are various short stories that have popped up in random locations over time while working on the series, so those are more like small extras. The piece about Kiyoka's parents was especially surprising, though we still got several touching moments between Kiyoka and Miyo. 

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Psych

Psych (2006)

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars


Unsurprisingly, this series reminds me a lot of The Mentalist, which, looking back at past notes, was loosely based on this earlier series. Shawn Spencer takes his act above and beyond pretending to be a psychic for the police force. He has one very clear and vocal opponent who refuses to believe him and finds him a nuisance while most of the rest of the team seems to appreciate his assistance and are perfectly fine waiting for him to tell them who to arrest, even if they do wish he'd get to the point faster without all the drama. Truthfully, as with many other series along this theme, he's just highly observant thanks to the "training" his father raised him with while he was working with the police himself. 

The Boy & the Heron

The Boy & the Heron (2023)

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars


While the art is beautiful and many pieces of the story may look familiar to fans who have watched other Studio Ghibli works, the story here is slow progressing and is more difficult to follow than many are. The story itself isn't really clear until the end of the film. As a result, if you only watch it once, you may feel that it's lacking a lot of the inherent charm and storytelling that Ghibli films are known for. If you really pay close attention and are willing to watch it again, you'll pick up more nuances that build this new fantastical world so it is clearer than before. It's not hard to rewatch it, given the fantastic art style, but if the story drags too much for the watcher, it may be challenging.

I Abandoned My Engagement Because My Sister is a Tragic Heroine, but Somehow I Became Entangled with a Righteous Prince 2 (Light Novel)

I Abandoned My Engagement Because My Sister is a Tragic Heroine, but Somehow I Became Entangled with a Righteous Prince 2 (Light Novel) by Fuyutsuki Koki

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


While the trajectory of Prince Eric and Leia's relationship isn't a surprise, Prince Dale may be the most surprising character here. For all that he genuinely seems to be kind and longs to be closer to his brother, he may play his part a little too well creating the gap between them that allows him to get closer to his brother's enemies. Where the last volume ended on a happy note, but still had a lot of pain between both sets of siblings, this volume has a happier tone all around, despite the constant danger and intrigue they're all caught up in. Finding so many secrets out in the open now seems to be a very good thing all around.

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I Abandoned My Engagement Because My Sister is a Tragic Heroine, but Somehow I Became Entangled with a Righteous Prince 1 (Light Novel)

I Abandoned My Engagement Because My Sister is a Tragic Heroine, but Somehow I Became Entangled with a Righteous Prince 1 (Light Novel) by Fuyutsuki Koki

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


As usual, the light novel covers much more of the story than the manga edition by the same numbers. This volume ties up the main arc that starts the story rather neatly, though it's revealed there are more plots to uncover and changes to prepare for coming. In many ways at least, the beginning crux of the issues with Leia's family are exposed, though it seems no one else in her family is willing to admit or accept their faults regardless. The last scene with Leia and Prince Eric before the short stories is rather touching and could draw a parallel to something else it could be instead, though readers might think with these two, they would be more direct normally. We'll have to wait for the rest of the story to see how things pan out with their new goals established, but if nothing else, there is hope with this new tight group that serves Prince Eric. It's nice at least for Leia to have a home where she is accepted and not ridiculed constantly.

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NCIS: Hawai'i

NCIS: Hawai'i (2021)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Similar to series like CSI, this is part of the NCIS franchise, which also has several spin-offs overlapping in different areas. In this case, the series takes place in Hawaii. Jane Tennant isn't always the focus of each episode, but she plays a key part as the one who runs operations for NCIS in Hawaii. She has a rather complex past that creates a very nuanced character, though she's often mostly portrayed as tough and getting the job done. Even though she has a rocky start when she takes over NCIS, it's pretty clear early on in the series that she has a solid team under her and there's little they won't do for each other. This is especially highlighted as the series continues and some of the cases can get close to home. If you enjoy crime dramas, this is a good one to pick up with lots of material to keep you entertained.

The Apothecary Diaries: Maomao's Notes from the Inner Palace 13

The Apothecary Diaries: Maomao's Notes from the Inner Palace 13 by Natsu Hyuuga

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Maomao's mix of knowledge and naivete remains a source of entertainment. In this volume, we see Renshi acting not as his usual self but as his other persona, which we previously only briefly glimpsed during the incident with the falling beams and leading the religious rites. It seems Renshi wants Maomao to know the truth at this point, but she remains convinced this isn't something she should know, so she'll continue to act oblivious and has no idea how far his real identity goes. Between her misaligned assumptions and the stern insistence and muttering about frogs, there are more than a few moments to chuckle about mixed in with some high tension when the assassins first make their presence known.

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I Abandoned My Engagement Because My Sister is a Tragic Heroine, but Somehow I Became Entangled with a Righteous Prince 1

I Abandoned My Engagement Because My Sister is a Tragic Heroine, but Somehow I Became Entangled with a Righteous Prince 1 by Fuyutsuki Koki

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This seems to be a mix of Cinderella and common villainess stories that are popular right now, just minus the issekai spin. Leia's life isn't exactly easy to begin with given her covetous younger sister who always manages to paint herself as the tragic victim, her step-mother who seems convinced her little sister can do no wrong, and her father who doesn't seem to know what to think or do other than ask Leia to make things better as the older sibling. Things come to a head when Leia's little sister steals her fiancé, claiming that Leia is always bullying her. Even Crown Prince Eric seems to believe these rumors shared with him by Leia's now ex-fiancé. The difference seems to be that Eric realizes at least something seems off and things may not be what they appear. He's not taking Leia's word either, but he seems more inclined to look for the truth and not just take her sister's word as gospel. There's definitely some potential in the relationship between Leia and Eric, though it's far too early to see just how we may hope that it goes.

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Tearmoon Empire

Tearmoon Empire (2023)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


While the beginning is similar to many villainess isekai series that are popular right now with the main character dying and getting a second chance at life in some form or another, Mia is a little different from many of them. Most seem to wake up living in a game or story that is familiar from their previous life or as a younger version of their own life. Mia fits this mold in the waking up younger category, though her diary of the previous events follows her back in time as proof of her experience. What is most different, is how naive and self-centered Mia is. While in some ways any villainess could be identified as self-centered in some fashion, Mia does not set out to be a villainess specifically or to intentionally make herself out to be better this time around. Her focus rather is solely on how to avoid the guillotine at the end of her life. In this endeavor, Mia is a tad clueless, yet somehow manages to fumble her way into the best situation possible time and time again. As a result, she makes many new connections as she slowly rewrites her story. It isn't until the end of this series that she has a bit of a revelation regarding her new life and relationships, but at least she does get there. Meanwhile, everyone around her still seems enamored with her, some in perhaps the strangest and most blinding ways possible, yet while somehow still making it work for their relationships and the tasks they have at hand for their positions. Overall, this makes the series a fun bit of fluff that is never entirely serious and always a little goofy while still reminding of Mia's focus to avoid death a second time. 

I'm Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness

I'm Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness (2023)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Based on the title, I wasn't really sure what to think of this, though it kept coming up in my recommendation feed, so I finally decided to check it out. In the end, this is entertaining and just quirky enough to be both amusing and cringe-worthy at the same time. Allen's definition of "naughty" is about as tame as possible, though it seems some of the female wardrobe choices might as well not exist because of how much skin is shown all the time. Charlotte herself is extremely innocent, leading to further disbelief that she could possibly be some awful criminal like her family and previous home attempted to frame her for. There are a lot of ups and downs, but there's plenty of fantasy mixed in with a bit of romance and some general slice-of-life storytelling. 

A Man & His Cat 1

A Man & His Cat 1 by Umi Sakurai

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is a cute little tale told from multiple points of view, including the cat's. It starts rather sad with a lonely cat growing from a kitten watching all the other kittens get adopted while he remains alone behind his windows. It seems one worker there had taken a liking to him, but for the most part, he is often sad and overlooked. At least until the man comes into the store and the two seem nearly inseparable ever since. It's rather amazing to think about what these two might get into and the emotions that must be pulled in given how many volumes there already are in this series. We even get stories from co-workers and friends as we piece together their tales and how these two came together. Honestly, the emotional story and the art deserve more stars, it's just a tad slow as a story overall which can make it easy to walk away and come back as needed rather than devouring it as quickly as possible. 

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Kamigami no Asobi

Kamigami no Asobi (2014)

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


Also known under the title Ludere Deorum or Play of the Gods, this series was a bit different than anticipated. It seems to be a bit of a twist on the 2 videogames by similar titles, combining the otome routes in both and changing the specific learning about love direction to learning about humans in general. Despite that switch, this is still very much a reverse harem with everyone ultimately falling for Yui in some small way, even if they see it more as a friends (though it sure doesn't seem that way when the the school play comes about). Really, Apollon seems set apart from the beginning in the relationship spectrum, with Balder being a close second. Zeus himself even seems to have a few lessons to learn in the process, especially given his background knowledge and very high handed way he goes about setting this all up. The first episode starts off at the end with some very obvious fanservice clips before basically rewinding to start from the beginning and tell the story of how they end up there, carrying on to the end. It's an interesting twist with a mix of myths from various regions all brought together in one place and mixed with a bit of humanity. The ending is still rather open ended, as most anime tend to be, but it's also a much better note than some have chosen to land on. It would be fun potentially to see the chaos that may happen with this group in the human world, but it seems as if that isn't to be. 

Meiji Tokyo Renka

Meiji Tokyo Renka (2019)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The first episode is a bit rough as we have a very solid combination of an isekai story with with Mei thrown back in time to the past, and a harem story with all of the men that end up drawn to her as she learns to navigate this other world and rediscover herself with her partial memories. The story in the past and even the harem bit is tastefully done, though not without it's own dramas, so there's never really a question of where Mei's loyalty lies and she's not stringing anyone along. The ending is rather sad and irksome where it seems like she's finally happy and found a place she can belong with people she loves and who love her in return. She even reaffirms herself multiple times that she wants to stay, and tells them as well. Yet even with all of this, when her memories return, are a couple of strangers who could potentially be friends in the future worth giving up this new life for? For all that we know of her life at the antique shop and isolation due to her ability to speak to spirits, there is never any mention of her family outside the obvious that she must live with someone as a child and someone threw her the birthday party that her friends drew away from her in the first episode. It begs the question if she does have a family to return to as well or if she's alone in the antique shop and making the best of things on her own, and if that is the case, why is all of that a reason to give up finding love and happiness? Overall, the ending is rather dissatisfying, even if fans may be hopeful with Olgai reassuring Shunsho they'll see her again. Seems unlikely without Charlie, and if she would just make the same choice again if she seems convinced she needs to live in her own time. 

Ascendance of a Bookworm: Side Story

Ascendance of a Bookworm: Side Story (2020)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The first two OVA which are included in this title are short side stories focusing on other characters mostly that take place during the first season, though their release was apparently timed with the stories from the light novel version of this tale. In the first one, we don't see Myne very often as it focuses on those who were sent by the cathedral to gather information on them, though you might recognize them as we saw them briefly in the main series tailing around. It's both amusing and endearing how clearly the town pulls together and are wary of those asking after one of their own.

The second story includes Myne a good deal more as she's involved in the introduction and business negotiations, though the focus is more on her sister and mother in this case and their love for sewing. While they don't really drive a lot of new content overall to how the series progresses, they are some cute behind the scenes moments that flesh out what we know happens as eventually we do see Tuuli especially more often around the town like Myne has taken to with her adventures.

I've also noticed the English version of the series often uses "Main" for the main character's name, while the Japanese version of her name is "Myne", which I honestly thinks looks a lot better and makes more sense with the pronunciation. 

Like a Butterfly 10

Like a Butterfly 10 by Suu Morishita

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


The characters are still cute, but this is still a major slow burn. The story is at least familiar, and if something escapes memory, a quick glance back at past reviews and summaries jogs the memory enough to bring things back up to speed again, especially with how slow things move in this story. Suiren is still painfully awkward and has trouble speaking most of the time, except it seems when she's talking about Kawasumi, and of course she's doing better actually talking to Kawasumi himself. Kawasumi is struggling between being the overprotective boyfriend and a supportive friend, while it seems like Ato has more than a little interest in Suiren, but admits at least to himself he doesn't want to break Kawasumi and Suiren apart (not that his actions follow that logic entirely). We also get to see Suiren meet Ito for the first time and some real time comparison that shows why the others may think they're somewhat similar, though Suiren seems to think Ito has a much more imposing aura. The ending is a bit on the hilarious and wary side between Kawasumi being shocked to see Suiren and the non-challenge from Ato that really does seem more like a challenge all in all. Not sure how he thinks they'll never spar again unless he's planning to disappear again or quit karate, which we've seen hasn't worked out well in the past. 

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Ascendance of a Bookworm

Ascendance of a Bookworm (2019)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Like many isekai series, the main character dies in their original world and wakes living a different life in another world. Unlike many others, in this series, Myne is not previously known from any game, book, or story of any type that Urano knows about prior to her death, so there is no frame of reference or plot to follow when waking up in this new child's body. The suspicion is that the original Myne also died at the same time due to her illness which is part of what allows Urano to wake up taking her place, though she does seem to have access to at least some of Myne's memories. There are more than a few odd situations and blunders as Urano tries to navigate this new world of hers and pursues her love of books. Also unlike many others, at least some of the people around her suspect there's something unique about Myne, though only her closest friend so far has gotten the real story confirmed, though we never see them share her previous name and he returns to calling her "Myne" shortly after their big revelation. If anything, the ending of season one is a bit surprising given how bleak things have seemed with Myne's illness up to this point and how heavy handed the church was once they realized who her parents were. At least one of them it seems does care at least on some level. The beginning of the series also seems to indicate far more that may happen beyond this first season as it starts out with Myne in a blue robe we can later recognize from the church with another in a matching outfit handing her a magic device to see into her mind, which takes us into the story of her memories. Fortunately, this series also seems to have been around for awhile and has good reviews, so looking forward to watching the other seasons and the OVA to see what happens to little Myne and her unusual situation.

Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits

Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits (2018)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This kept coming up on recommendation lists, so decided to give it a try and thoroughly enjoyed the series. As with most anime, it's left a little open ended, so while you can infer a lot of it, there's also room for production to pick it back up again for another season or a feature film down the road depending on the ratings and how the books are doing. While Aoi struggles to find her place and keep herself safe in the hidden realm, she does find some pretty significant answers by the end of this version of the story, though we're left to wonder about her relationship with the master. If her flashbacks are accurate, and they keep expanding throughout the story to show more detail, it would seem it wasn't just one ayakashi she met as a child, but two, though the wording when they leave does beg the question if they already had the contract at that point or not. We're even teased with a very tender scene in the dragon palace ruins that also doesn't turn out like watchers think it will to begin with, but that isn't for a lack of chemistry, even with a healthy dose of denial in the mix. Aoi may be human, but she definitely proves to be more than valuable to her new family, and they all obviously care for her by the end as well.

CSI: Cyber

CSI: Cyber (2015)

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


As with other CSI series, stick around long enough, and you may see a few familiar faces as these arcs all overlap at various points in time. What is different in this version, as the name entails, is that they aren't just looking at physical evidence, but specialize in code - cashing down various types of hackers and solving the crimes they commit. Anything from human trafficking to accidents, theft, etc. The most terrifying thing if you think about it is that everything in these episodes could actually happen in this day and age of virtual tech and everything being online. Really hammers home just how easy it is to make a mistake or lose something with how heavily we rely on data. It's a good reality check mixed in with an engaging story and interesting characters that keep things moving constantly.

The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


While this is the original movie everyone thinks of when they think of Dorothy and the Emerald City, in a lot of ways, it's been eclipsed in recent years by Wicked. They both take place in the same land, but are based on book series by different authors. The Wizard of Oz takes after L. Frank Baum's series, while Wicked is based on the prequel spinoff series written by Gregory Maguire. Due to this there are many similarities, but also some differences between the series. For example, Wicked the movie has chosen to stay true to the original silver slippers from the books rather than the ruby slippers of the movie and the stage adaptation (originally changed because red appeared better on screen). This original movie also combines Glinda with the Witch of the North, who is a different witch in Baum's book series (Locasta or Tattypoo). In the books, Glinda is originally the Witch of the South. Due to Glinda the Good introducing herself to Dorothy as "The Witch of the North" in this film though, this is the title she keeps in Maguire's adaptation as well. 

There is also a lot of perspective that isn't really thought of unless you come back and watch this movie after reading some of the books or seeing Wicked. For example, if Glinda and Elphaba were friends, why does Glinda give away her sister's shoes? That would have been a very simple and easy way to help her friend. If Glinda is so "good" as her name implies too, why did she use the entire movie to teach Dorothy a lesson and drive her to kill her friend rather than just helping her home to start with? Dorothy wouldn't have believed that she had the power to go home herself after just meeting both Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West, or the munchkins? Realizing she's in another world isn't enough of a surprise to swallow that magic would be that difficult too? It also would have played off better had the entire thing not been written off as a dream at the end of the movie, though it's understandable why given the medium and the audience of the time when this was produced.

While this original tale is still a classic and well known for many reasons, it does fall just a tad short once you really dive into the world and what the backstory may be for all of these characters. That also applies just with the L. Frank Baum books alone, let alone adding in the mythos from Maguire's storytelling to add to the mix. All in all, if you enjoy this world, there's no shortage of material to entertain with.  

I Swear I Won't Bother You Again! 5

I Swear I Won't Bother You Again! 5 by Haru Harukawa

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


It's hard to tell at this point with the little realizations along the way if Violette actually does like those around her, including Claudia, or if she's still set on being alone, though she does seem to think at least Rosette, Yulan, and Miran are worth changing her plans for if she can stay close to them. Still, is this engagement something she actually wants, or is she just following the path of least resistance? It's really hard to tell currently. We get a little scene between Claudia and Yulan too, which has really been a long time coming, not that Yulan has really stepped forward the way Claudia has either. Seems like whenever Yulan shows back up again, things might get interesting if he decides to step in. On the other hand, he could stay in the background and follow Violette's lead like usual, too, so it's hard to say. We also haven't seen Rosette's reaction to the news yet either as she's pretty much absent from the beginning of this installment. Claudia on the other hand, seems very sure of himself at this juncture and isn't afraid to admit what he wants. While we don't see a lot with Violette and her friends in the manga drawings, we do get Violette's backstory when she first met Miran and how they came together, as well as a very sweet short story for valentines day (or the "Day of Love" as it's called in this story).

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