Tag Archives: anime

Mob Psycho 100 Review

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Genuinely, WHAT is up with psychics and identity crises in anime? Is it just me? Not complaining, though.

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Mob Psycho 100 is, if anything, the strangest and best show I’ve ever had the privilege to watch. The show has an extremely unique animation style and an even more uncommon soundtrack, with both being clearly overshadowed by the non-archetypal, deep-yet-seemingly-unserious, and brilliantly-written characters who constantly subvert expectations and grow in ways that feel both bizarre and deeply human. Like, have you ever seen an anime with green outline art? Green?

While the show is genuinely hilarious at times, please, please, please don’t be fooled by the (if I must admit) goofy-looking art style and the comedy hashtag. Behind every joke is a bigger tear-jerker waiting to be unearthed and an even greater lesson to be learned. I’d be lying if I said this show didn’t teach me some of the biggest lessons I’ve ever learned in life.

Mob Psycho 100 (TV Series 2016–2022) - IMDb

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Review/discussion about: Mob Psycho 100 | The Chuuni Corner
Shigeo Kageyama | Mob

Shigeo Kageyama, otherwise known as just ‘Mob’, looks no different than an average middle school boy who has absolutely no game (sorry, Mob). However, beneath his unassuming appearance and kind demeanor are intense, powerful psychic powers that he’s had since he was born. To keep from losing total control of his incredible power, Mob has grown into a young man who lives under constant emotional restraints– never angry, passive, and always surpressing his emotional burdens. He doesn’t have many friends and is embarrassingly weak with low stamina (with powers suppressed), and generally has no direction for the upcoming high school years ahead.

In order to learn more about his psychic powers and identity, Mob, since he was in elementary school, has worked as an assistant to Arataka Reigen, a con man and self-proclaimed psychic. Reigen Arataka is a businessman, liar, fake psychic, and most importantly, Mob’s best friend. He’s the owner of Spirits and Such Consultation Office and exorcises spirits with Mob (Mob is the one who does the actual exorcising). Although Mob is clearly more powerful (not to mention the fact that he’s the actual psychic), he sees Reigen as his master—someone who teaches him how to live as a kind, grounded human being, not as someone inherently ‘better’ than others just because of his abilities. In a weird way, even though Reigen constantly lies to everyone in his life, his genuine advice to Mob carries surprising depth and speaks to the audience in a way that feels personal and strangely comforting. I won’t spoil much about his character, but truly, their student-teacher relationship is one of the best I’ve ever seen. Even when viewed separately, I don’t think I’ve ever encountered characters quite like them.

Mob Psycho 100" Self-Proclaimed Psychic: Reigen Arataka ~And Mob~ (TV Episode 2016) - IMDb
(left to right) Mob, Reigen Arataka

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Mob Psycho 100 is, in a nutshell, half the best fighting scenes you’ll ever see (they lock in on the animation for all fight scenes, I swear) and half deep identity and character exploration, especially for Mob. The truth is, we’re all capable of change– change that helps us grow and see the world in a new light. This show is the epitome of that truth, even going one step further and teaching us how lucky we are to have people around us who help us grow.

Mob Psycho 100 Announces Series Finale 'Graduation' Event - ComicBook.com

Everyone has something going on in their life, and although how we choose to respond to our own issues is eventually up to ourselves, the most important fact is that there are people to support you along the way. You may not realize it right now, but eventually, there will be moments where you’ll sit there with people and think “man, I’m so happy right now”. I’ve come to learn this lesson after rewatching this show so many years after my first watch.

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Each and every single character in this show has their own form of struggles while navigating through life. Even though psychic powers seem to be a decently regular occurrence in their world and clearly not in ours, many viewers find at least one character relatable in the sense that they understand their worries and fears. Sometimes, even the characters’ actions might seem to ring a bell. They laugh, worry, make mistakes, make even bigger mistakes, before laughing about it all in the end. Quite literally, a main theme in the anime is the word ‘improvement’. After watching, I found myself wondering a simple yet complicated question: What do I want to do right now?

Mob Psycho 100 II Production Notes 1 – Sakuga Blog
What do you want to do?

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Okay, we’re out of the heavy stuff! The show in itself is pure comedic gold. All the jokes are insanely original and require context, which in my opinion, is the best form of a good joke. It’s like the TikTok comments section but anime form.

REIGEN ARATAKA!!!! WHO DO I DRAW NEXT?? . . . . #reigen #reigenarataka #mobpsycho #mobpsycho100 #mobpsycho100fanart #mobpsychofanart #fanart #art #animeart #anime #animefanart #shigeo #shigeokageyama #fyp #fypage #trending #explorepage
Mob Psycho 100- Teruki Wig- Help!
10 Reasons Mob Psycho 100 is the Best Anime in Decades
Mob Psycho 100 – Series 2: Episode 1 – Ripped Apart ~Someone Is Watching~ Review – A Richard Wood Text Adventure

As for the manga, I’ll start by saying that the art style is, well,

…right.

I’ll leave the description up to you.

I made a panel from the manga into a wallpaper. : r/Mobpsycho100

It’s certainly unique. But that’s also what makes it so enjoyable to read. The original manga was written and created by One, who admitted themselves that they honestly suck at drawing yet still wanted to create a manga with their story in mind. However, Mob Psycho 100’s manga has a strange appeal through the simplistic art style itself, as seen in its fast rise to popularity over the years, giving it the well-deserved anime adaptation in July of 2016. From there, Mob Psycho has continued to grow in popularity up to this day with numerous stage plays, collaborations, and even a live-action adaptation.

As always, the manga provides more small interactions and details for each character. However, and this is another great thing about Mob Psycho, the anime studio Bones created the anime adaptation with a lot of intent and budget, therefore, they included all of the important and highlighted moments/scenes from the manga in the anime. Which (it shouldn’t be, but) is quite rare. I personally love both, but solely watching the anime is a great option as well.

If you love The Disastrous Life of Saiki K or One-Punch Man, this show is definitely for you. I’d say think 100x deeper than Saiki K but 100x more unserious than One Punch Man.

Mob Psycho 100' Season 3 New Key Visual : r/anime

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I don’t know what to say. Mob Psycho 100 is, in my opinion, one of the best works I’ve ever seen. Contrary to what people often hear, it actually takes a lot to not judge something by its cover, anime included. So I won’t ask you to not judge this anime by its cover. But hey, I’m hoping that at the very least, this review can help you see Mob Psycho in a new light and that you learned something new about one of my favorite shows.

Now, your final question will probably be, what is up with the percentage sign? Well, throughout the entire anime, there is a percentage that appears flat out on the screen every couple of minutes, starting and going up from 0%. What it represents, however, I’m actually not going to tell you.

Yeah, it’s a cliffhanger. Sorry. I hate those. But how else should I get you to watch it?

Get back to me whenever you figure it out, okay?

This may contain: the letters are made up of different colors

The Summer Hikaru Died Introduction and Review

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The Summer Hikaru Died (August 31 – Present) is a horror coming-of-age shounen manga that recently announced its highly anticipated anime adaptation, set to premiere this summer. What better way to celebrate this exciting news than with a manga review?

In my opinion, The Summer Hikaru Died is the golden definition of a gem. It has a stable fanbase and is popular with much critical acclaim, but definitely not enough for it to be considered mainstream. It’s hauntingly beautiful—familiar, yet slightly out of tune, creating an uncanny sense of distance between you and the characters, the strange, mysterious countryside, and the constantly buzzing cicadas…

The Summer Hikaru Died - Anime Confirmed! : r/TheSummerHikaruDied

Set in a small town in rural Japan, the series explores the slice-of-life of two childhood friends: Yoshiki and Hikaru. The two have maintained a close bond over the years despite their contrasting personalities, Yoshiki being reserved and quite paranoid, while Hikaru is an outgoing airhead who is well-liked by everyone in town. Yoshiki has also had a one-sided crush on Hikaru for a long time. However, one winter day, Hikaru inexplicably decides to hike up a nearby mountain, resulting in a nearly fatal injury and him going missing for a whole week. Yoshiki was the one to find him passed out in the mountains, luckily still breathing. The unconscious Hikaru was taken back to town to rest.

However, stranger than Hikaru’s seemingly random decision to go up the mountain is the fact that, after waking up and fully recovering, he has no memory of why he went there— or of what happened on the mountain at all. This incident is quickly brushed off as the two return to their normal lives.

Watch The Summer Hikaru Died | Netflix Official Site
anime adaptation cover art

Six months have passed since the strange incident. Now, in the middle of summer, the two friends are on their usual ice cream run. The air is thick with humidity, the cicada buzzing relentlessly, and their playful exchanges as ordinary as ever. In the middle of their conversation, Yoshiki suddenly brings up the incident again. Hikaru, as always, denies any recollection of it. Then, Yoshiki asks a simple yet heart-stopping question, the world around them falling into an eerie silence.

“You’re not Hikaru, are you?”

Chapter 1 Page 7
The Summer Hikaru Died, Volume 1
Manga Review: The Summer Hikaru Died - maria's corner

The Truth: Upon entering the mountains and getting injured, Hikaru’s dying body caught the attention of an |||||||||||||||||||| creature, an entity that is uncomprehensible to the human mind. Wanting to experience being human, the entity possesses Hikaru with consent, consuming his mind, memories, and feelings to the point of physically ‘being’ Hikaru, yet remaining the consciousness of the separate being at the same time. Hikaru is definitely dead. ‘Hikaru’ decided to make use of the death and use Hikaru’s physical body and mental psyche.

Alien or monster? Friend or foe? What will Yoshiki do when his friend, his crush, sitting right in front of him, actually turns out to be… ‘Hikaru’?

The Summer Hikaru Died Is a Chilling BL Horror Worthy of Mainstream Success

I absolutely adore this manga series. Coming from a scaredy-cat who can’t watch one second of any horror film, I believe that The Summer Hikaru Died has the perfect amount of uncanniness and terror for any reader to fall deeper into its spell. I especially love the unconventional themes (when put into this context) that are essential to the plot: grief, acceptance, trust, and most importantly, how anyone would characterize others as them themselves. Does Hikaru being technically dead mean Yoshiki should see ‘Hikaru’ as something (?) entirely different? What lengths does it take for love to be broken or trust to be gained? Is an entity’s desire to simply live for the first time justified? There is also a great sense of mystery revolving around Hikaru’s past actions and the buried truths of the town, which Yoshiki and ‘Hikaru’ are now on the path to uncovering.

I’d also have to add my comments about the characters and the pacing. Pacing-wise, I genuinely think it is perfect. I love my books and manga to be on the slower side, so this series did a great job of slowing down the atmosphere without making pauses feel forced. I also love how the characters themselves are like tweaked versions of standard character archetypes, or rather, how character archetypes would react in the context of this plot. The characters become nonarchetypal in this sense.

Forbidden Bodies: The Summer Hikaru Died and the Desperate Terror of Queer Adolescence - Reactor
official art

It’s worth mentioning how usually, mangas in this style would be highly character-driven without much plot support. In The Summer Hikaru Died, however, both the characters and plot depend on each other to create this haunting story, making them both equally essential. When I cried as I was reading, I could not tell whether I was crying because of the plot or for the characters, which is great because it means the readers can feel the depth of the storytelling.

Personally, I am very squeamish and get disgusted easily, which made certain scenes in this manga a bit disturbing. However, it quickly became clear that even though I was put off by the body dysmorphia and blood, I was also intrigued to read more at the same time. If you’re like me, I’d suggest searching up some panels of the manga just so you can judge the disturbance level for yourself. I’ll put it out right now that the worst it gets is entity body dysmorphia and blood, so technically not that bad, but still, read at your own risk!

I also want to point out a common misconception people have about this series. The Summer Hikaru Died is not, I repeat, is not, a Boys Love (BL) manga series. Specifically, the series is listed under Seinen horror manga. The author, Mokumokuren (gender not publicly disclosed), has clearly stated in the past that they never intended for the series to be BL, but rather a horror manga with queer representation.

Forbidden Bodies: The Summer Hikaru Died and the Desperate Terror of Queer Adolescence - Reactor

All in all, proceed with caution! And for those who finish reading this review thinking ‘whoever reads this must be out of their crazy mind’, I want to say that there’s never a book/manga not worth trying. I always push myself to try genres that I normally would not like, and boy am I glad I do, because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have picked up this beautiful series in the first place.

As summer approaches, I’ll definitely be rereading this with a slice of watermelon in hand, sprawled out on the ground, wondering what might be out there, waiting, quietly, quietly, quietly….

shriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishriishrii

The Summer Hikaru Died by Mokumokuren is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Introduction and Review

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I’ll start off by saying one thing: this one is not for the weak.

If you’ve been a part of the anime/manga fandom for long enough (or even if not, really), you’ve definitely either seen this meme (right) lingering around the internet across multiple forms of media or have heard the song Cruel Angel’s Thesis.

Well, it’s good to know where memes and songs come from. These two insanely popular and widespread bases for lighthearted humor are actually from the existential, gut-wrenching, apocalyptic psychological drama (with a side of sick robots): Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Hello! Can someone please photoshop me into the shinji chair pose? : r/PhotoshopRequest
Neon Genesis Evangelion (TV Series 1995–1996) - IMDb

Neon Genesis Evangelion created by Hideaki Anno, abbreviated as NGE, follows the point of view of 14-year-old Shinji Ikari in a futuristic Tokyo-3, 15 years after a worldwide cataclysm. Shinji’s flaws are extremely obvious and made known quickly (literally ten minutes into the series); he’s emotionally insecure, weak, and pathetically vulnerable to the pains of the world around him. Having had a traumatic childhood with both his passed mother and disapproving distant father, Shinji struggles with feelings of inadequacy and self-worth, making it difficult to form meaningful relationships for much of his life. However, his weak self-perception is challenged throughout the entire series as an overarching question: how do we perceive ourselves, and what is the meaning of existence and the nature of humanity?

In this apocalyptic world, beings with a 99.89% genetic affinity to humans called Angels seek to initiate a ‘Third Impact’ to reclaim Earth from humanity. To counter Angels, an organization called NERV was created, along with gigantic mecha-robots called Evangelions. These Evangelions require a pilot to ‘link’ to them, and those pilots will feel the same amount of pain of whatever pain the Evangelions feel during combat. In this sense, the Evangelions and pilots become one.

During an Angel attack, Shinji was suddenly recruited by his absent father to become a pilot for Evangelion Unit-01. This initiation is the starting point for the rest of the series as we follow Shinji’s struggles, the hauntingly relatable actions of every character, and see for ourselves the cost of advantage and greed, the instability of mental health, and the complex relationships between duty, identity, and self-worth. As Shinji and the other teenage pilots face gigantic monsters, their personal battles become intertwined with the fate of humanity, forcing them to confront not only the Angels but also the darkest parts of themselves.

(left to right) Shinji Ikari, Asuka Langley Soryu, Rei Ayanami, Kaworu Nagisa

So, that sounded horrifying! But trust me, walking into this piece of media will either make you question your own sanity or give you the biggest brain stretch you’ve ever had. Both aren’t that great, but you gotta believe me when I say it’s amazing. To be honest, I understood 30% of what I watched when I decided to give NGE a go for the first time. However, after delving into the intricate symbolism and trying to understand the psychology of each character, I found myself getting more and more hooked on this show’s eerie atmosphere and strangely familiar story work.

Neon Genesis Evangelion' Ending, Explained: Not the End We Expected - Thrillist
“Anywhere can be paradise as long as you have the will to live. After all, you are alive, so you will always have the chance to be happy”

If you couldn’t tell at this point, this definitely isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But can I tell you a secret? It clearly wasn’t mine either! I have a strong dislike for dystopian, fighting, and fantasy novels or shows, but I decided to put aside that fact and give this show a try. I can’t say that everyone I’ve recommended this show to has acknowledged or come to like NGE as a wonderful classic, but I can announce that every single person has told me they enjoyed the process of watching it. In my opinion, NGE isn’t just about understanding the show and its deep, hidden intents fully, but rather enjoying the process of watching and feeling yourself fall deeper and deeper into a world filled with questions, theories, and feelings to explore.

Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (1997) - IMDb

There are several different parts to the full story of Neon Genesis Evangelion, including multiple movies and the original series. As such, the watch order should be as follows:

1) Neon Genesis Evangelion (26 eps TV, 1995), 2) The End of Evangelion (Movie, 1997), 3) [Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone] (Movie, 2007), 4) [Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance] (Movie, 2009), 5) [Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo] (Movie, 2012), 6) Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0: Thrice Upon a Time (Movie, 2021)

My personal note is that you only really need to watch the 26-episode anime and The End of Evangelion. The movie gives a more clear-cut yet tragic parallel ending to the anime finale.

Do you believe these endings are in the same universe : r/evangelion
“And to all the children, congratulations!”

I highly recommend this anime as it opened my eyes to many more abstract ideas and insights on characterization. In a way, I believe that it also challenges traditional anime plotlines. As always, I hope this overview/review was an enjoyable read, and this time, congratulations on making it to the end! Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations!

Ann

Neon Genesis Evangelion is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.

SK8 the Infinity: TV Series Review (Spoiler-Free)

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SK8 the Infinity is a lighthearted slice of life anime about skateboarding (which you probably could tell by the title). It’s a great show with lots of comedy and drama to boot, all wrapped up in a neat 12 episodes, making it a quick and easy watch!

The show is about two main characters: Reki, a skateboard-loving, overenthusiastic highschooler who skates at a dangerous underground course called “S”, and Langa, a quiet, blunt transfer student from Canada. The two quickly bond as they dive deeper into the top-secret insanity that is “S”!

Reki and Langa are incredibly endearing as protagonists, making it super easy to want them to succeed. The side characters all have great chemistry with each other, making the in-between character moments just as special as the dramatic skateboarding races.

Speaking of that, this show tends to be very overdramatic at times – which might not be ideal for someone who prefers very grounded shows. It does do a fairly good job at ramping up the unbelievability as the show goes on instead of throwing the viewer right in, but the point still stands. It’s best to go into this show with some suspension of disbelief. However, I personally found the drama to be incredibly entertaining and fun to watch!

In the end, I would highly recommend SK8- it’s got great characters, intense races, and fun episodes that I continue to rewatch. Check it out!

Erased: Manga And Anime Review

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The commonly used phrase “Re” in anime actually stands for the word “again”. Re:Re (Again:Again) also just so happens to be the opening song for in my opinion, one of the greatest works of fiction to exist: Erased. The name Re:Re is a perfect way to pave an introduction to this classic, science-fiction mystery, as not only does the main character go through the same intense, thriller-filled experiences over and over again, but Erased itself also made me read and watch the story more times than I can count.

Erased (TV Mini Series 2016) - IMDb

Erased begins by narrating the pathetic, hollow life of 29-year-old failed manga artist Satoru Fujinuma in 2006. Due to this, Satoru works as a pizza delivery driver to make ends meet. Unexpectedly, after a singular life-changing encounter while delivering pizzas, Satoru awakens a special power that he calls “Revival”, an unexplained, supernatural ability that transports him (however many minutes he needs) back in time to “fix” a tragedy that is about to occur. For the next couple of weeks, “Revival” happens to Satoru almost every day, giving him the hero-like chance to save the lives of many strangers around him.

However, after an uneventful day out and coming home from work, Satoru is met with the horrifying, startling murder scene of his dear mother. To make matters worse, the neighbors come in at that exact moment, pinning Satoru as the suspected killer. In this hell-like scenario while running away and hiding from the police, “Revival” suddenly occurs once more, except this time, instead of time-traveling 1 minute, 5 minutes back in time, Satoru opens his eyes to find himself in the body of his 11-year-old self. He had traveled back in time all the way to 1988. Watch Satoru find his hero within as he tries to save the lives of three fifth-grade classmates who were kidnapped and killed in his past while also trying to identify the person behind murdering his mother in the future.

US] Erased (2016) - Satoru is sent 18 years into the past to prevent his mothers murder. By becoming friends with his shy classmate Kayo, Satoru hopes he can stop a series
Satoru Fujinuma, 2006, Age 29

I watched Erased (anime) for the first time many, many years ago. For the record, I had been an avid fan of mystery-genre fiction for a while, yet still, the emotional thrill while binging all 12 episodes in one day was ingrained in my memories and left an indelible mark in my heart for the rest of my life, all up until now. While the plot as described sounds very action-packed, in my opinion, Erased is much more like a reflective commentary on society, problems within households, friendships, the importance of believing others, love, and creating your role, your hero, no matter what it takes. The anime not only gave me the rush of intense drama, but also made me cry and wail, cheer for the friendships and progress made for Satoru and his peers, and even pause the show entirely to digest the weight of its emotions and ideas.

I thoroughly enjoyed the low-key tenseness of the tone throughout the show, as my interpretation of it is that it’s a reflection of Satoru’s inner turmoil. That being said, all the characters are all very well-developed, complex, and gain a better understanding of themselves as the show progresses as well.

Now here comes my opinion on the manga, which I have to say, is at least 100x better than the anime adaptation.

Erased, Vol. 1 (Volume 1) (Erased, 1)
Erased Manga ; Volume 1

Yes, you heard me right: anime adaptation. As what happens with most animes, Erased is yet another unfortunate victim of an animation production team taking the original manga and cutting out parts of the storyline to fit the budget. Except in this case, the anime not only cut out supplementary enjoyable moments but also a big, important chunk of the storyline and even the entire ending. You heard me right again– the entire ending of the Erased anime was in fact not the original ending.

This is also a reason why many viewers were split in their opinions on the show. While very few people say that the whole anime was bad, lots of reviewers on either side (positive and negative reviews) can agree that the ending for the show was, in fact…pretty bad. Personally, when I saw the anime, I felt indifferent to the ending overall, yet can agree it lacked so much potential impact. When I read the manga with the original ending (that the anime should’ve gotten), however, I realized just how perfect this work of fiction actually was. I am a firm believer that the unanimous critique of Erased being “bad” solely because of its ending can easily be revoked if everyone had just read the manga after, or even before.

On ERASED: comparing the manga and the anime | HOT CHOCOLATE IN A BOWL
“The town where only I am missing is my treasure!”

The manga goes much deeper into the psyche of all the characters, their motivations, backstories, and thinking. In fact, the entire last volume of the series (Volume 5), is literally the narration of Erased in the perspective of all major characters. Not only does the anime lack the depth in characters that is characterized in the manga, but it also barely clears up confusing plot points– or even covers them at all!

If you’re thinking about picking up Erased, your question would probably then be: Should I read the manga or watch the anime first? My honest answer would be that it depends on what you’re looking for. And I’m going to be honest: while I do definitely recommend to both read and watch Erased, doing one or the other first could impact your experience/impression of it. I personally watched and then read, but for others, watching the anime ending of Erased first might make them drop the manga. I’m telling you (if you decide to watch the anime first) to trust me on how the manga is worth the read (even if the anime made it seem like that isn’t the case). On the other hand, if you choose to read the manga first, watching the anime after will feel like a waste of time and even a disappointment. Either way, Erased itself as a work of fiction is absolutely phenomenal and worth the tears.

Bokumachi_11
“…”
Bokumachi_10
“I always believed.”

This post has been NECcesarily long (haha), but I would like to end with just another fun point. In the original manga and anime release in Japan, Erased is actually called “Boku dake ga Inai Machi”, which directly translates to “The Town Where Only I Am Missing”. Only upon its English release did that name somehow turn into Erased. This sudden change of a name is particularly startling for me, as the original Japanese title makes much more sense and is directly correlated to the storyline. The name Erased, however, is only a name and title without any further meaning.

The name The Town Where Only I Am Missing seems really dark. But after watching the show, maybe then you’ll realize that such isn’t the case.

Erased by Kei Sanbe is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library.

Solo Leveling

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Solo Leveling is an action anime based on a light novel. It has one season and a second season set to release in late 2024. Solo Leveling is set in a world threatened by monsters; the only people who can fight the monsters are people with magic called hunters. The story’s protagonist is Sung Jinwoo, who was born with barely any magic but gets a second awakening after dying in a dungeon. Thanks to his second awakening, Sung Jinwoo gets the ability to upgrade his stats such as his speed and strength and to gain other special abilities just like in a video game. As you continue to watch the show you get to see Sung Jinwoo gain more power and fight many powerful beasts.

At the show’s beginning, the audience gets introduced to the main character who was given the nickname by his coworkers of the world’s weakest hunter. The first important thing we see the protagonist do is go into a dungeon with a group of other hunters. Very soon after, we discover that it was a double dungeon that had two dungeons, one of which was so dangerous that it killed almost every hunter that went into it including Jinwoo. What happens next is that he gets a reawakening and is given the ability to become more powerful through hard training. After discovering this we see Sung Jinwoo train hard each day until he becomes powerful to kill the beast who would’ve killed him instantly before. As we continue to watch the show we see Jinwoo become one of the most powerful characters we see in the show and watch him fight beasts such as knights and a three-headed dog.

Watching this show gave me a lot of fun. It had many qualities that fit my interests. These qualities include magical beasts, character development, and a powerful and likable main character. As I continued watching the show I gained more respect and started to understand the protagonist more and more. I also enjoyed the world-building the show provides. Getting to see how this world works was life-changing for me because of how bizarre and creative it is. The show also did a great job of showing how much Jinwoo changes throughout the show. For example, near the beginning, he fights some beasts he is no match to, but near the end, he runs into them again and doesn’t struggle to beat them. Therefore, Solo Leveling has many characteristics that people find fun and enjoyable.

Overall, Solo Leveling was a great piece of entertainment. After I finished an episode I immediately wanted to go to the next. It also had moments that had me on the edge of my seat making me wonder what was going to happen next. Once I finished the show it had me wishing season two would come quicker. I highly recommend this show to anyone even if they’re not familiar with the Anime genre. 

-Matthew R

Bungo Stray Dogs

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Bungo Stray Dogs, created by Kafka Asagiri and brought to life by the illustrations of Sango Harukawa, presents a bewitching narrative set against the backdrop of Yokohama. This anime film was released in March 2018. A third season aired between April and June 2019. A fourth season aired between January and March 2023. A fifth season aired from July to September 2023.

The story orbits around the Armed Detective Agency, a cadre of remarkable individuals endowed with extraordinary powers to unravel endless mysteries. At the forefront of it all is Atsushi Nakajima, leading the agency through a maze of mysteries and challenges, bravely facing each enigma and obstacle head-on.

The series contains elements of mystery, action, the supernatural, and even some humor interwoven seamlessly in a world where select individuals possess extraordinary abilities, known as “Gifted.”

As the tale unfolds, readers find themselves irresistibly drawn into a captivating world where every unexpected turn feels like a personal invitation to unravel the secrets alongside these characters. Choosing your favorite character is inevitable, like picking your favorite ice cream flavor. And let’s face it, there’s always that one character who’s not quite your cup of tea—a bit like that quirky neighbor you pretend to be busy when they knock on your door. Of course, my favorite characters are not my friends, so we fought over that sometimes. But it’s all in good fun.

The vivid streets of Yokohama pulse with life, mirroring the complexities of the individuals who roam its pathways. With each chapter, anticipation builds, urging readers to join the characters on their journey of discovery and adventure, where surprises lurk around every corner, just waiting to be uncovered.

A unique element of Bungo Stray Dogs is its incorporation of real-life literary figures as characters, such as Osamu Dazai and Ryunosuke Akutagawa, making the series stand out more. Harukawa’s artwork in the manga is gorgeous and a great inspiration for me as a student of anime art. The series excels in creating a storyline that keeps readers engaged, with each arc getting better each time. Whether you’re a mystery, action, or literature fan, Bungo Stray Dogs is a thrilling manga series full of surprises.

Just like many of my fellow anime lovers, I was utterly hooked on this series. Every Wednesday after school couldn’t come fast enough because that’s when my friends and I would huddle together to watch the latest episodes. It wasn’t just a show; it was our thing, our particular time to bond over something we all loved. We laughed, gasped, and shared in the excitement of each new plot twist. Those moments were some of the highlights of my week.

If you are new to anime and manga, the adventure begins in Bungo Stray Dogs. This series isn’t just another story; it’s like finding a treasure chest with mysteries waiting to be unraveled. When you think you’ve cracked the case, another one just as mysterious awaits you and beckons you deeper into its spellbinding narrative.

The great news is that Bungo Stray Dogs is available at the Mission Viejo Library. So grab your siblings, friends, or anyone who shares a love for anime and dive into the world of Bungo Stray Dogs. Trust me, it’s an experience you won’t regret. You’ll be satisfied whether you’re turning the book’s pages or watching the series.

Happy Anime!
Bella H.

Anime Expo Pasadena 2023

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I went to Anime Pasadena 2023 on Saturday, and It was like a dream world. You’re transported into a totally different world when you enter the convention. If you have never been to Anime Expo, you are seriously missing out on the most incredible experience ever, especially if you are into anime or anime artists looking for new ideas. This place is like a dream come true for any anime fan. Here’s a scoop on what Anime Expose is about from one teen to another.

Just imagine your dream world-

Close your eyes and imagine you’re in your favorite anime show, and you are one of the characters. Well, Anime Pasadena is like that, but in real life! You are surrounded by the best crowd, a trillion people who love Anime as much as you do. Well, except for a few parents who accompany their minors. 

Cosplay Heaven

Cosplay? What is that? Here is a short explanation for anyone who doesn’t know what this is. Cosplayers dress up as their favorite anime characters from their favorite movie or show. The costumes are mind-blowing and look like they were taken from the screen and even some incredible homemade cosplay outfits that are just out of this world. Some Cosplayers look like they just stepped out of your favorite Anime. You ask for it, you’ll see it all here. Of course, you’ll fit right in if you want to dress up as one of your favorite anime characters. This is not just about looking at things but more like enjoying the experience and having fun. We only have a few years to be teenagers. Besides the seriousness of school and part-time jobs, we need to have fun in a safe environment, and this place is it. 

Shop ‘Til You Drop

Anime Pasadena events have many sellers selling anime products, so get ready to shop for anime art you can’t find elsewhere. It’s like a shopping spree in anime heaven. There’s official merchandise, rare collectibles, manga, and almost everything and anything Anime you can imagine. This is the place for you if you want collectible figures, manga volumes, or even a unique anime T-shirt. If shopping is your game, they’ve surely got you covered!

Hang out with the Pros

Did I mention that they invited real anime pros to Anime Pasadena? Voice actors, directors, and other industry insiders come to meet fans. I was so happy to talk to my favorite voice actor from Bungou Stray Dogs. I would get an autograph from them, but the cost was more than I planned to spend. Of course, I did take pictures with them and even asked them questions. It’s like meeting your favorite characters in person. It was an experience like no other. 

Artist Alley

Artist Alley is where you’ll find many talented artists showing off their talents. The artworks, prints, and handcrafted goodies are original and were crafted by these artists. Of course, they are all anime-inspired.

It’s a goldmine for finding unique and gorgeous anything anime uniquely crafted by an artist that you won’t get anywhere else. I love Artist Alley. I got some stickers and a few other items here, and since my brother knew a few of these artists and sellers, I also got some gifts from them. They were super accommodating.

It’s All About Community

After all the shopping and admiring art from different artists, we went to a community meetup. The best part of Anime Pasadena is the community. Everyone is super friendly and welcoming. Here is a great place to make new friends, geek out together, and create memorable experiences. We went to a Bungou Stray Dogs meetup (a pretty popular anime), and it was entertaining! The host of the meetup group was very kind; she gave everyone Bungou Stray Dogs’ favorite character stickers. We took pictures together.

So, there you have it. Anime Pasadena 2023 is the ultimate experience for anime lovers. Whether you’re looking to meet new friends, meet up with your old friends, shop for unique anime collectibles or T-shirts, or just want to experience the anime world, this convention has got you covered. Check their website if you are still interested in going to a similar one. They have various locations. Don’t miss out on this fantastic experience – it’s the anime adventure of a lifetime! 🎉

Happy Anime!

Bella H.

Kimi ni Todoke Review

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Kimi ni Todoke, also known as From Me To You, is a Japanese romance manga written by  Karuho Shiina and adapted in different ways such as the Netflix adaptation. The anime has two seasons as of now, but a third season is confirmed to be aired on Netflix.

In the story, the main protagonist, Sawako Kuronuma, is misunderstood and is called a ghost because of her appearance and because she resembles the ghost from “The Ring”. The high school student is often called “Sadako” which is the name of the ghost she resembles instead of her actual name, Sawako. The protagonist lives this life until Kazehaya Shouta, the popular guy at school talks to her and actually calls her the right name. 

Because of Kazehaya, her life started to change and she started to make friends and be happy despite the obstacles she faced such as rumors and many misunderstandings. Sawako and Kazehaya then start to like each other and they get together by the end of season two. 

I really like this show and I definitely recommend watching it. I love how their interest in each other develops and I like how friendship is portrayed in this anime. The main leads are super adorable and I like their interactions. I suggest watching the anime first instead of the Netflix adaptation because the Netflix adaptation is more complicated to me but it’s my personal preference. Like I said, I definitely recommend watching it, especially if you want to feel giddy and happy.

Original vs. Parody: Sword Art Online

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Sword Art Online (SAO), written by Reki Kawahara, is a name that sparks many arguments among anime fans. Some claim it to be one of the greatest shows ever made while others claim that calling it hot garbage is an insult to garbage. Meanwhile, SAO’s YouTube parody counterpart Sword Art Online Abridged tends to be much more beloved by general anime fans with much fewer people complaining about the negative aspects of the show. The review/dissection seeks to examine the two shows to discover why SAO Abridged is considered to be a better show than its original.

Likely the first thing to talk about when discussing why people like SAO Abridged over SAO proper is the characters. In the original Sword Art Online, most of the characters had very, very bland one-dimensional personalities. The general lack of personality in these characters usually meant that the storylines arising from them tended to be rather flat. Additionally, the main protagonist of the series, Kirito, shares this lack of defined personality traits or is at least perceived to. Meanwhile, SAO Abridged infuses even minor one-off characters with personalities. From the NPC Gary and his goal to save his family to the now psychopathic protagonist Kirito every named character in Abridged has personality in spades something which makes it vastly superior to the original.

The next thing to be talked about in SAO Abridged is how it improves upon the character arcs. In SAO Kirito does not have so much a character arc as he effortlessly transforms from a (supposedly) cool loner to a (supposedly) cool loner with a wife, a kid, and a close group of friends. Meanwhile SAO Abridged follows its version of Kirito on his journey to becoming a better person because he frankly is not a good person at the series start. In fact in episode four of Abridged Kirito is described by one of the characters as “like, the worst person I’ve ever met.” However, Abridged improves upon the original SAO by having Kirito struggle through a variety of setbacks to eventually become a better person.

The last thing to talk about with SAO Abridged is the improvements to the story. Now, I’m not going to bring out the dead horse of the community of the “lol I forgot” comment because I disagree with that necessarily being a plot improvement. However, Abridged has many more improvements to the plot beyond the aforementioned scene. For example, episodes five and six are improved by addressing the fact the original show’s version of the plot only works as an idiot plot and in Abridged the plot instead works because Kirito does a wee bit of trolling. Other plot improvements include the removal of the incest subplot (don’t ask if you don’t know) and the fact that Asuna retains her personality in the second arc.

In conclusion there are many a reason SAO Abridged is considered to be superior to its original incarnation, not all of them mentioned here because there are way to many. So to anyone who wants a surprisingly thought provoking series with admittedly raunchy humor I would highly recommend SAO Abridged. And to those who want a power fantasy with a protagonist who is very easy to project onto, I present you with SAO proper.