Slightly disappointed by the first episode of Dungeon Meshi / Delicious in Dungeon on Netflix. The subtitles, as usual, leave a lot of on-screen text untranslated which is annoying but not the end of the world, but mostly I'm just not feeling it. The pacing and tone are a little off, and while I like the colours and character designs, there's something about it that feels even cheaper than usual for a Trigger production. Maybe it's just that the source material doesn't allow their usual hyperkineticism? It's just a bit tame.
Or maybe it's just that Frieren has been so, so brilliant that "decent" isn't cutting it.
I'm late to the party - the second season has started - but I've been very pleasantly surprised by The Apothecary Diaries.
It's part slice of life, part political intrigue mystery, in a Chinese period drama setting. It's also extremely funny, with a success rate to ours jokes that's fairly uncommon in anime. It's also extremely light on fanservice and violence, which I'm appreciating.
Maomao is a young self-taught herbalist working mostly with courtesans and brothels, who gets kidnapped and sold to the royal palace as a servant, but her ability to read and (unofficial) medical training - especially her knowledge of poisons - end up getting her promoted to food taster for one of the emperor's concubines.
The stakes, on a political scale, are often quite high, but the show manages to give them a very human element that makes the immediate consequences matter to the characters (even when the wider outcomes don't), in a way that kind of reminds me of Hyouka, one of the anime mystery GOATs.
If there's a problem I have with the story it's that the titles of the concubines get confusing, but I'm assuming this part is based on actual historical traditions (and the names possibly aren't as easily confused in the original language; I'm watching the dub, which is excellent – one advantage of coming to the thing a season behind everyone else).
It's been a while and I have also not watched Anime in a while (I am still re-reading Sailor Moon though), the most recent was Konosuba because yes, I haven't seen it. I really like it, Darkness is my favourite. (Can we get a Tank in the next Expansion for XIV that is masochist with a masochist gauge please)
Also the anime adaptation for Whisper Me a Love song but that is in scheduling hell at the minute so I can't even be bothered to catch up, it was a pretty fine adaptation so far but I'm not going to out of my way if it's not finished. At this point I'd rather go back to reading it too, shame. Yori is the coolest Yuri character probably.
Also starting Bakemonogotari because I can't take it anymore, I've heard too much about it and apparently the new series came out recently? What a first episode! Stylish as hell on multiple fronts.
Also what the fuck is going on with Netflix? they just announced a million anime series of video games, Devil May Cry, Splinter Cell and Tomb Raider? I guess the second season of Castlevania Nocturne counts. I'm not saying these won't be good for sure, but I am not too keen on DMC yet despite being a big fan because I wasn't too sold on the trailer or the premise quite frankly. And I hated Castlevania Season 3 and especially 4 so much that I don't want to watch Nocturne Season 1 so probably not going to be seeing the second season any time soon!
Finally second season of Edgerunners, the Cyberpunk anime. The first season was fucking amazing and well worth watching but part of me thought it was nice as a one and done.
Apocalypse Hotel is unbelievable.
Apocalypse Hotel doesn't care about your genre labels. Apocalypse Hotel doesn't care if two ideas are diametrically opposed. Apocalypse Hotel doesn't care about tone, or art style, or even, at times, character development.
Apocalypse Hotel is going to do what it wants, when it wants, and you are going to fucking love it.
It's been years since I've seen a piece of media with this confidence; one that has such disregard—bordering on disdain—for what's expected of it. That's determined to follow its instincts, consequences be damned, and then have those gambles pay off every single goddamn time.
It starts a bit slow, to be fair, but you need to establish a rhythm below you can break it.
It's hilarious, it's sweet, it's exciting, it's poignant, it's devastatingly beautiful. No two episodes are alike in tone, style or pacing, but none of that reduces its warmth, consistency, or quality.
There's one more episode to come, but it'll have to be an incredible fumble for this not to stroll off with anime of the year.
Sadly, I haven't heard of it, but then again I haven't watched anything in ages so it's not a surprise. Fell off Monogatari but I'll get back at some point, same for Konosuba. I've been watching the odd episode of Maria Sama Watches Over Us aka Marimite and I'm starting to think I prefer it to Strawberry Panic over all…
The way the anime adaptation for Whisper Me a Love Song was terrible and the author deserved better, but there's a New One coming out very soon called 'There's No Freaking' Way I'll be Your Lover…unless" (can you tell it used to be a Light Novel lol) which as far as I know is a romance comedy.
Other than that, big regret, kinda wanted to rewatch Kannazuki no Miko but June is almost over. 
but there's a New One coming out very soon called 'There's No Freaking' Way I'll be Your Lover…unless" (can you tell it used to be a Light Novel lol) which as far as I know is a romance comedy.
I've read a bit of the manga for this one, it gets pretty tedious pretty quick. It's stuck in that basic rom com trap of not really wanting to commit to anything, and the main characters are kinda unbearable as a result.
Yeah I know a fair bit of the setup but not any big conclusive moments, I will say Renako having some pretty hefty self esteem issues really interests a fair bit. Also that in the face of Mai being sincere if not completely batshit with her love towards Renako.
If I ever get to the reading it I think it'll be in LN form, Adashima has been absolutely knocking it out of the park on that front lately.
Watched Cosmic Princess Kaguya last night 'on Netflix', an anime film somewhat loosely based on the tale of the bamboo cutter with some modern spins on stuff (she's found in a lampost instead of a shoot of bamboo for example) and despite really enjoying it for the most part at first and thinking the hype was justified it really rushed the latter portion of the story for me and made the emotional parts of it not really land for me, still good but I'm not sure I vibe with the full thing as much as people online are, I'm told to rewatch it and see if I notice stuff so maybe I will.
It is very pretty though, that and the songs were a highlight for me, and the two leads are good but Iroha and her VAing and her reactions really carried.
It's been ages since I watched any anime, but I'm enjoying Natsume's Book of Friends. Seems to be quite low on anime tropes, and I've always found Japanese ghosts/spirits/whatever Yokai are fascinating. They're so different from anything in Western culture.
What's your take on Spirited Away? It used to be my favourite Ghibli movie but I'm not sure it is anymore, but that worldbuilding and yokai stuff is still fantastic. I just looked up Natsume and I was not expecting the '7 seasons' nuke to the face, whoa. It's nice to have something you can just dive into like that though.
I'm buzzin' because the bluray OVAs for 'You're Under Arrest have been released and it looks niiiiice
There are two kinds of people in this world, a Natsuki Guy or a Miyuki guy!
Spirited Away was probably the first anime I ever knowingly watched (stuff like Speed Racer was snuck into my life as a kid, I had no idea they were anime at the time).
And yeah it's brilliant. Not my favourite Ghibli, but I love how ALL Ghibli films turn their back on the usual anime tropes. If I'm looking for anime to watch, I spend most of my time trying to avoid chibi(?) faces, melodrama and sexism. Which is bloody hard.
Aside from slice of life stuff, and anything aimed at women (I forget the name of the genre), the disaster trilogy (Your Name etc) are the only things I've found that come close.
I spend most of my time trying to avoid chibi(?) faces
You're missing out on a bunch of good comedy stuff if this is a hard line—and even a historical drama like the impeccable Apothecary Diaries makes liberal use of rubbery faces at times.
I get you, though; the fanservice in particular can be a real drag on what would otherwise be great character stories (looking at you, most rom-coms). I guess this is the problem when most headline anime is based on shonen manga and light novels, both aimed squarely at early-teenage boys.
