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. 

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.

Spy x Family Code: White

Spy x Family Code: White (2023)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Operation Strix may be in danger unless Anya can earn another Stella star by winning the cooking class competition coming up. As a result, Loid takes the family on a trip to try the dessert Anya will make, leading to a series of rather hilarious misinterpretations and landing in trouble with a few extra missions on the side. Really, it's a miracle Loid and Yor haven't figured out what the other really is or at least what they are actually capable of at this point. No clue where this fits into the manga, or even if it does at all, or if it's just a fun side story with the goal of earning a stella given it ends up being delayed overall. Some of the animation style changes for Anya's imagination scenes which are pretty out there, and it's rather hilarious with the details in certain scenes how Loid and Yor can be so focused and perfect in the face of anything while Anya looks like she's about ready to lose it all. Overall, this could be watched as part of the series or a stand alone movie, and does well on its own.

Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan (2013)

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars


Done by the makers of Death Note, the art style is somewhat inconsistent. The titans are somewhat androgynous and disproportionate. An especially telling detail is the eyes and the way the hollowed out/haunted faces are done - very similar to the earlier series. The story line itself is rather twisted and complex. It takes time to sort out and make sense of what is going on or has happened leading up to current events. Even with these gaps, each episode ends with a hook that leaves you thinking "it's just another 20 minute episode..." until you realize it's well past bedtime and you really do need sleep more than you need to see that next episode, no matter how badly you want those answers from the story. Rather dark and bloody, it's not for the faint of heart in that regard. A little on the disturbing side overall.