Anime Thoughts
Fall 2024
Dropped
Check out my Anilist to see what I'm currently watching.
Note - These are organized by the season I watched the show in. So there will be some shows that aired at a different time than I watched them. As for the dropped shows, I'll probably only write about the ones that I watched at least half of.
Winter 2025
Villainess Level 99: I May be the Hidden Boss but I'm Not the Demon Lord
Genre: Fantasy, isekai, comedy, romance, villainess, shoujo
Date/Season Watched: January 20 - January 21, 2025
Original Air Date: Winter 2024
Length: 12 episodes
Thoughts: So this one, I don't think I enjoyed as much as other villainess anime. I still had a great time for the most part, but I think there was just a tinge of anxiety for me throughout the entire thing. I kept worrying about Yumiella the entire time because it felt like no matter what, she still kept being misunderstood and disliked by everyone. It definitely improved by the end and it improved throughout the show, but there were so many steps "backward" that I was never really sure what was going to happen next. That in itself isn't bad, but I've been binging anime to forget my woes so this didn't make it easier for me lol. I did really like the twist here, where there were times when Alicia was being basically controlled by the game in order to fulfill certain plot points. That was pretty fun.
I did feel like the pacing was off. It felt like they were rushing over a lot of stuff in some areas? Like the random plot with Rita poisoning her and her parents holding Rita's sister hostage? It just seemed really quick and not as well thought out as I've seen in other shows. Actually, I mean having just watched The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen where they did that sort of plot really well over and over again, this plot point just felt bad in comparison.
As for the characters, I did like Yumiella and Eleanora. Everyone else was... kinda mid? Patrick was not so bad, though idk I felt pretty neutral about him. I really liked the unforms for the girls! They looked so pretty and interesting, and I kept thinking to myself that they were cool looking throughout the series. But yeah, I'm glad that Eleanora didn't turn out to be the typical mean girl and that they kind of turned her around and made her Yumiella's friend by the end! I thought it was really sweet and it was a good change of pace for that trope.
The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen
Genre: Fantasy, isekai, romance, villainess, josei
Date/Season Watched: January 19, 2025
Original Air Date: Summer 2023
Length: 12 episodes
Thoughts: This one has been on my radar since it aired, and I just have never gotten around to it. But I decided on a whim to resub to hidive so I can watch a couple currently airing shows and... yeah! I really loved this one. I binged it all yesterday, lol. There were a few episodes that made me cry a bunch, and idk I just loved all of the characters so much. Pride was such a great character and MAN it was so fun to see her be absolutely fucking OP at random times. Especially when she fought off a shitload of bandits to protect the captain, ugh ugh ugh so fucking cool. I also just really liked that no one (that was really focused on) was ever truly "evil" or whatever. Val's backstory with the kids was so cute and I really ended up liking him. He also just has a cool outfit lmao. I do kind of wish that Tiara was a bit more fleshed out, but I feel like heroine characters in these types of shows are usually pretty vapid.
Anyway, I've watched a handful of villainess anime and I do really love this sub-genre. This reminded me of a bunch of different ones that I've seen, and I thought that it fit the genre well! There were a couple moments that I felt were a little repetitive, but it wasn't a huge deal-breaker. I think those would have been more welcome had I watched this as it aired. But since I binged the whole thing, I didn't think that it was necessary. I may look into the light novels one of these days, but we'll see!
Kotaro Lives Alone
Genre: Comedy, drama, slice of life, seinen
Date/Season Watched: January 2025
Original Air Date: Winter 2022
Length: 10 episodes
Thoughts: I actually tried to watch this one a while ago, but I hated the way Kotaro's eyes looked and I also just hated Shin's character design LOL. I actually only started watching this because I wanted something to put on in the background while I drew stuff, so I actually watched this one in English instead of Japanese (I usually watch anime in Japanese). Anyway...
This was so heartwarming and also so fucking sad. I'm glad I actually gave it a go! All of the characters felt so well-rounded, and idk. It just felt incredibly realistic that everyone in the apartment building felt super random. And I loved that they all came together to take care of Kotaro, and ugh Kotaro's personality was so cute and so big and even though he tries to act like an adult a lot of the time, I love that he still felt like a child. I also liked that while they were there for him and tried to support him, he wasn't magically fixed. His trauma responses and ways of thinking didn't change overnight. There were subtle shifts, but overall he still has his deep-seated beliefs that he needs to be stronger, that it's his fault his dad was shit, etc. It's painful to watch but it also feels so so so real, and it fucking hurts lol.
I think the only thing that bothered me was Mizuki's arc. I hated the way she moved away, and idk. I feel like it only reinforced to Kotaro that you are responsible in some way for someone hurting you. But I do understand that from Mizuki's perspective, she didn't want to risk anyone getting hurt if her ex decided to do something (though I think she should have taken Isamu up on his offer LOL). And going to the police isn't a magic bullet, especially if there's little to no evidence of the harm.
Fall 2024
Vampire Dormitory
Genre: Romance, supernatural
Date/Season Watched: December 2024
Original Air Date: Spring 2024
Length: 12 episodes
Thoughts: This one was pretty addicting. I ended up binging this in two sessions lol. It got a little tiring halfway through though - I just genuinely didn't understand why Mito didn't tell Ruka that she's a woman. I did however relate deeply to Mito, and this is exactly why I love these kinds of stories. Just like.... that feeling of being so deeply lonely and wanting someone to love you and choose you above all else. Idk. It hit me right in the feels and I def cried throughout the story.
Ren was a very annoying character though. I liked him at random times, but overall it just felt like he kept forcing his will on Mito and assuming he knew what was best for her, just based on his own trauma and past. I also just don't know why a character who so deeply hates vampires and his own father would go along with his father's plot...? I guess it was to "save" Mito, but it still felt a little forced imo. Maybe if they had time to build it up a little bit? I don't know how it is in the manga. But it just seems too quick of a turnaround for me for him to go from absolutely hating his father to going along with his obviously shitty plan????
I actually didn't even really hear about this one, but I was listening to Mother's Basement's video on the best and hottest trash of 2024 and this was on the trash list LOL. He mentioned it as being a cross of Vampire Dormitory and Ouran and I was totally sold (I love Ouran). So yeah! While this wasn't perfect, I definitely cried and ugh now I want to find more romance shows to watch that I can cry over.
I'll Become A Villainess Who Goes Down in History
Genre: Comedy, fantasy, romance, isekai
Date/Season Watched: Fall 2024
Original Air Date: Fall 2024
Length: 13 episodes
Thoughts: Hmm this one was okay. I think it started off really strong, petered out a bit, and then got a tiny bit interesting at the end? It feels a little convoluted but idk.. I guess it works. I do wish that she took Gill with her at the end. And idk. I wish that the light novels were already out in English because I would have happily picked them up to find out more of what happens in the story lol. Right now it looks like there's just one and then volume 2 is coming, but it doesn't look like the second one covers where the anime left off. Anyway yeah... idk. I do love villainess stories but yeah, Liz's character annoyed me so much that it got a bit annoying for a couple of episodes. I'm glad she dropped her goody two shoes act by the end.
Natsume Yuujinchou, Season 7
Genre: Slice of life, iyashikei, drama, fantasy, supernatural
Date/Season Watched: Fall 2024
Original Air Date: Fall 2024
Length: 12 episodes
Thoughts: Love! I actually didn't feel like watching this at the beginning of the aseason, but I'm glad I changed my mind. I kind of forgot who some of the characters were, but overall it wasn't too bad. Some of the episodes made me cry a lot. UGH ESPECIALLY THE EPISODE WITH REIKO. I am SO FUCKING SAD. I wish so so so hard that she knew that Morinaga came back and waited for her. It breaks my heart that she never found out. Ugh, it hurts my heart and I'm crying again just thinking about it lolol. Anyway, and as usual Nyanko Sensei remains the best character ever. I love him so much.
Yakuza Fiance
Genre: Romance, comedy, drama
Date/Season Watched: Fall 2024
Original Air Date: Fall 2024
Length: 12 episodes
Thoughts: Oh my god I think this might be my favorite of the whole season. I was a little skeptical of the animation, but UGH I LOVE IT. Everyone is so toxic and it's completely unhealthy and totally unhinged but my god do I love all of the characters and the drama of it all. Yoshino is best girl and I hope she comes out on top in the end. All of the supporting characters are cool as shit too. I actually went and read the manga halfway through this one too, and I'm so devastated that it's on hiatus because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS. Once I figure out how to draw people, Yoshino is going to be top of the list of characters I want to draw a shitload of fanart for. I would definitely let her destroy my life too š
365 Days To The Wedding
(from here on out I don't think I'm going to rate them anymore)
Genre: Romance
Date/Season Watched: Fall 2024
Original Air Date: Fall 2024
Length: 12 episodes
Thoughts: Meh, I didn't love this one. At first I thought it was cute, but man the characters got to be a little grating for a few episodes there. Just because it felt like there was zero progress and zero communication, and that shit drives me nuts sometimes. I understand that yeah, there are tons of people out there who just don't communicate their real feelings. But my god, it felt like it dragged on for like 3 or 4 episodes and I was just so sick of it. I'm glad I kept with it though because it ended on such a good note. I'm glad they got to come clean to all of their coworkers, and then decide like... yeah actually let's get married for real LOL. I also really liked some of the side stories. I hope Gonda gets the chance to properly apologize.
As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I'll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World, Season 2
Rating: ā
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Genre: Fantasy, isekai, adventure
Season Watched: Fall 2024
Original Air Date: Fall 2024
Length: 12 episodes
Thoughts: Noooo I'm so sad this is over. I love all of the characters so much! Tbh I'm getting a little tired of the war setting and hope that it resolves itself in season 3, but who knows. I don't read the light novels for this one, but I'm almost tempted to (depending on how good the writing/translation is) just so I can know what happens next lol. This season had so many great moments though! I def cried a bunch throughout, including in the last episode. I LOVE that Pham is now a retainer! Pham is probably my favorite character of the series so far. I love that even the minor antagonists get humanized, so we actually understand some of their motivations (or at the very least, they don't feel cartoonishly evil). I hope we see more Lycia in season 3 as well, as she's grown on me a lot and she's a really fun character to watch work. Anyway, will definitely be watching season 3!! I saw that it got added to Anilist so I can't wait! I haven't yet tried to look up if there's already a date for it.
DAN DA DAN, Season 1
Rating: ā
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Genre: Action, comedy, scifi, supernatural, shounen
Season Watched: Fall 2024
Original Air Dates: Fall 2024
Length: 12 episodes
Thoughts: Maybe a controversial rating to not rate it five stars? I feel like this is a beloved show. And don't get me wrong, I surprisingly enjoyed it. I don't watch much shounen nowadays, and I also don't love shows that are super action heavy. However!!!! This show just reeled me in. I reeeeeeeeally liked the animation. It was so interesting and unique and I especially love the way that they drew/animated the faces. They just look so crisp and clear and I love it. Momo and Okarun are also just SUCH great characters. I love them and their friendship/relationship SO MUCH.
With this one, at one point I actually went and read a bunch of the manga just so I could know what happened LOL. I basically finished the current arc where the anime leaves off at the end of the season. Tbh I'm surprised they just stopped in the middle of an arc, but I guess it'll get pepople to watch the next one lol. At this point though I think I'm just reading/watching for the romance between Momo and Okarun and less for the action. I don't really find the humor to be to my taste too, and my god did I really hate Aira. I hope that things chill out with her and she and Momo become friends? Because as it is right now, I just find her really grating. Jiji is also a bit annoying, so... lol. I like him better in the manga though than the anime, but it could just be that his jokes and overbearing personality are just... less annoying in the manga.
Anyway! And of course, ugh I forgot what episode it was in the middle of the season... episode 7 or something? That was a huge fucking gut punch. I sobbed so hard. Definitely a highlight of the whole season. I really hope there are more moments like that in the future! I plan to keep reading the manga, but probably very sporadically. I'll definitely be watching season 2.
Negative Positive Angler
Rating: ā
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Genre: Iyashikei, slice of life, fishing
Season Watched: Fall 2024
Original Air Dates: Fall 2024
Length: 12 episodes
Thoughts: SO MUCH LOVE!!!! This was such a wonderful show and I cried several times throughout the season. I've had depression for more than half my life at this point, so I related to Hiro maybe a bit too much at times. But that's what made it so emotional and heartwarming for me. Seeing how low he starts off at the beginning of the season, and then watching him slowly take an interest in something and actually make friends and start to feel comfortable around other people? Ugh, my heart strings. I thought it was really nice that he gradually changed throughout the season - it's not like he met Takaaki, started fishing, and then his life was automatically better in two episodes. I think the only thing that slightly disappointed me was the ending. It felt a little bit rushed but also so bittersweet. I wanted him to keep living with Takaaki forever, or at least make plans to move back in with him after treatment. But the ending does make sense for the show and character, and I'm glad that we at least got to "see" him meet up with Takaaki and Hana at the very end.
Oh, another thing I liked throughout the series were the side characters. I really liked learning about them and I liked that they felt random. In a sense that they weren't all the same age - they seemed like they were just a collection of random people who happened to come together because they liked fishing. So I liked seeing them and learning more about their backstories. Machida was probably my least favorite, but even then he had such a nice side story with his son that felt so heartwarming to watch.
In terms of the visuals and whatnot, I really liked the art style. So much that it makes me want to draw some of the characters! I like that it felt like all the characters were very distinct. Hana's eyes and hair were completely different than Hiro's or Takaaki's, and I really liked that the characters were so unique looking.
It looks like this was an original series? I don't see any indication on Anilist that there's a manga or light novel, so that's kinda sad. I mean, it's cool that they made something like this! But I wish there was more. Anyway! I'll probably rewatch this again. It felt very peaceful and healing and that's exactly my jam.
DNFs
Iām a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic
Genre: Adventure, fantasy, isekai
Date/Season Watched: Winter 2025
Original Air Date: Winter 2025
Episodes Watched: 7/12
Thoughts: You know I'm kinda surprised I got this far tbh lol. I was really hoping it'd go more toward some cozy city building or something similar to Tensura. Or at the very least, maybe it might have some cool action sequences. But the action sequences are pretty lame. Cute girls are in trouble so he comes to rescue them. He uses the same few moves and occasionally thinks of a "creative" solution here and there. Then the dragon inside him is very impressed. The end. Repeat again next episode. I wouldn't say I had high hopes for this, but I at least hoped it'd be more dumb fun instead of being annoying. I eventually decided to give up when I found myself fast forwarding through the shitty fight scene with the dracula. This is the same issue I had with Bogus Skill Fruitmaster. It just feels like they aren't using most of their abilities and so the tenseness of a fight is completely manufactured. I don't necessarily mind that much, as there are plenty of shows I enjoy with no real stress. But they at least have something else going for them, like character development, a well balanced crew of side characters, a nice art style, a cozy plot, tenseness when it comes to romance, or something like that.
Winter 2025 Quick Drops
Okay so this is me trying something new! I'm going to write here about the shows I'm dropping this season that I've only watched less than half of. If I drop a show mid-season, I'll give it its own dedicated entry.
Dropped as of January 21, 2025
Bogus Skill Fruitmaster: About that time I became able to eat unlimited numbers of Skill Fruits (that kill you) (4): Yeah this just got aggravating. Light has unlimited amounts of fruits at his disposal and he doesn't eat any.... no thanks lol. I just really can't stand watching him "struggle" when 1) I know they're going to make it out alive, and 2) he can literally easily do something about his problems and he just... DOESN'T. FOR NO REASON.I Want to Escape from Princess Lessons (3): Well this ended up being horrific. I HATED how no one gave two fucks about Leticia or what she wanted. This could be a horror anime with the right soundtrack tbh. Clarke was so fucking creepy and psychotic. I just desperately wanted Leticia to escape and to live her own life at her own pace. Fucking barf.
Promise of Wizard (3): Way too much exposition and way too many characters at the beginning. It made it hard for me to care about anyone and anything because I had no idea what the fuck was going on and I was just getting dumped on with information about a world or character that I didn't give a shit about yet. The second episode didn't really improve anything, and this third episode was weird as fuck too because there kept being these flashes of text on the screen but they lasted for less than a second so I don't even know how anyone could read them without pausing??? The only thing this anime really has going for it is the visuals and character design. As I understand this is based off a really good game. I just wish they did a better job because I can really see the potential. Whoever wrote the script for this anime should find a new job. I love character focused stories. This is the main reason why I love shoujo and josei. But this just did not click for me unfortunately.
Farmagia (1): I found this one super boring. The characters look like Fairy Tail knockoffs, and there was just too much bad exposition in the first episode for me to feel intrigued.
Momentary Lily (2): I THOUGHT this one was going to be a cute slice of lifeISH story about cute girls fighting killer robots and making food and whatever. Then the second episode ended with the big sister character almost dying for WAY too long and then the character that was set up to sort of be the "leader" character ACTUALLY dying..... yeah no fuck that lol. Definitely not my cup of tea. I also just felt annoyed by how the characters talked and it felt like it was some kind of gimmick that I just wasn't in on.
Even Given the Worthless "Appraiser" Class, I'm Actually the Strongest (1): Yeah this ended up being way more gorey than I thought it was going to be. I just assumed it'd be a nice trashy anime with a lighthearted tone and an overpowered protag-kun. This ended up being very edgey and with lots of gore and violence... nope.
Babanba Banban Vampire (1): Ugh.,... You know, there's a lot of stuff I ,can look past in the name of anime. But I was not able to look past this. Ranmaru has basically been "watching over" Rihito since he was 5, becuase he prefers the blood of 18 year old virgin boys. Like okay... if it was ONLY that then that'd be... passable? But he gets sexually aroused and gets full on boners when he thinks about it and it just felt so fucking gross.
Amnmeku M.D.: Doctor Decetive (2): This one wasn't bad but it just felt a little bit too dark for my taste.
OKITSURA: Fell in Love with an Okinawan Girl, but I Just Wish I Know What She's Saying (1): The animation quality seemed nice, and overall it seems like a cute show. But idk, I feel like it'd hit better if I understood Japanese or something lol. It's just not for me but I think idk, maybe someday in the future I might try again.
I'm Getting Married to a Girl I Hate in My Class (1): Man, apparently this gets better with the second episode, but I was so freaking annoyed by the first one. I hated how much Akane just screams at Saito in the first episode. I'm not really a fan of characters who just... yell at everyone lol, even if she's supposed to be a tsundere character. It was also just giving me too much female harem vibes, and my god I just hate siscom shit so much (I guess looking at anilist it says they're cousins who were raised like brother and sister.... my point still stands). Maybe because I have a brother, but I just find it extremely repulsive. Anyway, idk. Honestly I can look past female harems if there's at least a fun plot or cool setting or SOMETHING, but at least with the firt episode, I didn't find anything that made me want to keep going.
The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor
Genre: Fantasy, romance
Date/Season Watched: Fall 2024
Original Air Date: Fall 2024
Episodes Watched: 9/12
Thoughts: This one... tbh I was skeptical about it from the start. I cannot stress enough how creepy it felt to have the main character (Jill) be so young, even if the actual age gap isn't that huge between her and Hadis. I think if they at least made her look older it would have been not as bad to watch? Jill is technically older because she has been reincarnated, but yeah... I really don't understand WHY they had to make her look like a child and then make Hadis look like a grown man. That aside... idk. What kept me interested was just seeing how Jill would change the future and solve her problems. It reminded me a lot of 7th Time Loop and I was hoping it was going to be closer to that. But yeah, idk after a while I just got tired of the characters and tired of the age gap. I thought about trying to finish it, but I'm also just not interested in the action/battles, and that's what the last three episodes seemed like they were going to be about.
Nina the Starry Bride
Genre: Fantasy, romance, politics, josei
Date/Season Watched: Fall 2024
Original Air Date: Fall 2024
Episodes Watched: 9/12
Thoughts: (Manga spoilers here too) Maaan. So like halfway through this one I decided I couldn't wait any longer and went and read the manga up to wherever it is now. And I really liked most of it tbh. It made me cry at times, and idk it was really moving. Until it wasn't. Until it started feeling like the author was going to start the cycle over again. The cycle being thus - Nina falls in love with tragic boi, then something happens and they get torn apart for one reason or another. Then she falls in love with another tragic boi, and then the cycle repeats. It seemed like things were finally going well with Sett, and then she found out that things were even MORE tragic with Azure, so it feels like it's going back in that direction. Anyway, once I started feeling like that, it became hard to watch the anime. Knowing that nothing is really resolved, that she's just going to keep flipping back and forth between two tragic boys and that Azure is being annoying as fuck, I just couldn't do it anymore.