esc27

@esc27@lemmy.world

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anime Questions, Recommendations, and Discussion Thread [2025, Week 16]⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨week⁩ ago⁩:

  Early impressions:

  Good:

  • A Ninja and an Assassin Under One Roof - Wow, just wow. I had no expectations for this, the title sounded like it could be fun. But no, the animation, style, humor, timing, everything was awesome. I watched it twice. If the rest of the series keeps up with this first episode it will be a classic, but I’ve been let down before…
  • Apocalypse Hotel - Really enjoying this so far. The setting is fun and the mix of humor, whimsy, and a touch of melancholy, work for me. I love how alien the alien actually was, and the conflict within the robots of both expecting to break down working for people who will never return and remaining optimistic that more guests will come.
  • Aharen-san - I forgot how much fun this one was. The animal crossing joke went too long, but otherwise it has picked right up and the new character is a great addition to the cast
  • I’ve Been Killing Slimes… - First half of the first episode was rough, but then it picked back up to what I remember from the previous season. Fun, low stakes, comfy show.
  • The Too-Perfect Saint - Anime has been good so far and a major improvement over the light novels. Hopefully that continues as the original source is a bit light, even for a “light” novel.

  TBD:

  • Once Upon a Witch’s Death - I like the overall settings, concept, etc. but the complete lack of urgency from a character which a ticking time clock on her life is just off-putting. I’m still not sure what to make of it. It sort of feels like an overly drawn out intro to a wandering/travel anime.
  • Summer Pockets - I’ve enjoyed it so far, but few anime like this keep my attention for long. Seems like something always ruins the story.
  • Witch Watch - First episode was rough, second was much better. Too early to get a feel for this one. Needs a little more chemistry within the cast and a little less slapstick, but that should develop over time.
  • The Unaware Atelier Meister - I generally enjoy this sort of silly humor and unaware op main characters, but it has declined a bit from the first episode and I’m not sure how long the same jokes will work.
  • The Gorilla God’s Go-To-Girl - I did not have high expectations for this, but it has been pretty good so far. The humor works, the harem aspect is not being forced to hard (yet…), the main character is fun.
  • The Beginning After the End - I always enjoy the overpowered baby trope… Using the main characters new life to force reflection on his past and slowly unwinding that story while moving through the present, can work well or blow up. Hopefully this one continues strong.
  • Kowloon Generic Romance - I’m at least one episode behind… Been awhile since I watched a mind skrew style anime. Done well it could be excellent. Hopefully the underlying mystery is more profound than what has been implied so far.

  May Drop:

  • The Brilliant Healer… - First episode was a mistake (skip it) second was much better, but I don’t have a lot of hope for this one.
  • Anne Shirley - I’m an episode or so behind. Not really familiar with the source even though it may be one of the most commonly adopted stories ever… Seems pleasant and fun, not sure it will have much of a plot.

  Dropped:

  • The Shiunji Family Children - Watched part of it without any prior knowledge, and even before the “plot” something about it just was annoying and unlikable to me. Then I find out it is a technically not incest sibling romance story from the same person as Rent-A-Friend and it all made sense.
• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨A Ninja and an Assassin Under One Roof • Ninja to Koroshiya no Futarigurashi - Episode 1 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Wow, this might be the most I’ve enjoyed a series premiere since spy x family. Hope it holds up.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Kowloon Generic Romance - Episode 1 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  I hope this is well written and lands at a satisfactory conclusion. Seems like it has a lot of potential. The memory theme is strong, especially with the goldfish. the bit about how that area is supposed to be nostalgic hinting that it could even be staged. Then that brief flash to a ruined version of the tea house. So many hints and hopefully a bit of misdirection.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Winter Anime Season Wrap-Up Discussion [2025, Week 14]⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Random superlatives:

  So Stupid it Hurt - Bogus Skill “Fruitmaster” I wanted to like this one, and stuck with it way to long. Finally dropped it when the utter dumbness of the characters and story starting to cause me actual pain. 2/5

  Most Improved from Launch - Magic Maker The first few episodes were mid tier at best and I nearly dropped it, but that turned a few episodes in and it developed into a fairly decent show. 3/5

  Top of the heap - Possibly the Greatest Alchemist of All Time There were a bunch of adventure themed anime with isekei and harem themes this season, and I think this was the best of the bunch. Still fairly average, but the one I’d most like to see more of. 3/5 (Runner’s up: Middle aged Online Shopper and Left my a-rank party)

  Better as a Light Novel - I May be a Guild Receptionist… I don’t think this adapted well to anime. The novels are very episodic and a bit repetitive without a lot of substance, and the anime just highlighted those problems. 3/5

  Best Returning - Solo Leveling This is very, very close between Solo Leveling, Apothecary Diaries, and Re:Zero, but I give the edge to Solo Leveling. Each episode was satisfying and while it is a power fantasy, it does that very well. Re:Zero was a bit fragmented (partially due to scheduling/production) and did not end nearly as strong as the last season, and Apothecary Diaries, while still excellent, is mainly setting things up for later. All three 5/5

  Most Surprising - Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf Knowing nothing about this, I expected something more lewd and fanservice like. Way, wrong! This was wonderfully wholesome. Somehow it managed to balance both the light adventure aspects of the fantasy world with the reverse isekai cultural discovery aspects of the Japan side. Maybe the best new show of the season. 4/5

  Most Disappointing - Zenshu This looked like it could be something really special. The art, theming, concept, etc. were all solid. The plot, just wasn’t meaningful in any way, at least not before I dropped it. 3/5

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Once Upon a Witch's Death • Aru Majo ga Shinu Made - Episode 1 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Yep. The frame story, character designs, etc. seem interesting, but the sob story of the day was cliche and predictable. Hopefully it will develop beyond this and have more range, but I’m not optimistic.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Logitech is dropping support for its oldest Harmony remotes⁩ ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩:

  Logitech has gone from one of the best tech brands to essentially garbage.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨dear republicans, what's the point of alienating every single ally of the US?⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago⁩:

  Simple bully logic. If you are bigger than someone else, simply hit and threatening them to get whatever you want. Works really well until all the victims gang up and fight back together.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Suppose you were a dissident facing political persecution, how would you preserve your personal files so that you can retrieve it many years later, in case of imprisonment?⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago⁩:

  Lawyer, friends/family, cloud storage, or safety deposit box all seem like viable normal options.

  To be extra safe. 6 hard drives (each with a copy of the files, and four stacks of Blu-ray disks (each with a copy of the files). Divide these into at least two yeti coolers (include a large silica gel pack just in case), and bury the coolers as deep as possible in the woods.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 3 • Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu 3rd Season - Episode 11 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago⁩:

  Yeah, they are named after stars and Subaru shares his name with a star cluster. That has to mean something…

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨You Can’t Post Your Way Out of Fascism | Authoritarians and tech CEOs now share the same goal: to keep us locked in an eternal doomscroll instead of organizing against them⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  A third term implies the constitution is still in place and don’t see them passing an amendment without doing something ridiculous like creating a bunch of extra states.

  Far easier to just never end the second term. Claim a national emergency and suspend elections/the constitution.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Mexico asks Google to reject U.S. renaming of the Gulf of Mexico.⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  The people with the authority to officially change the name in the U.S. did so. The opportunity to do something about it was 3 months ago when only about a third of eligible voters voted against this crap. So here we are, and it is only going to get worse.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anime Questions, Recommendations, and Discussion Thread [2025, Week 05]⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  ---

  Watching Headhunted to Another World This one has been surprisingly enjoyable so far. They made the office worker serving the demon lord gimmick work. The characters are fun, but generally more mature than in typical anime, with pretty good chemistry. Episodes do follow a roughly repetitive format, but so far that is not an issue. 4/5

  I’m a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic It is still ridiculous how easily everything falls into place for the main character, but that seems less silly and annoying in the anime. There does not really seem to be much of a plot and none of the characters really stand out yet, but it holds my interest just to see how much crazier the power creep goes. 3/5

  Zenshu So far the good is outweighing the bad, but I’m not sure how long that will last. I love a lot about the show. The throwback vibe of the character designs, the art style, the overall concept… but something about it just feels empty. Like it is more of a picture book than a story. I hope that improves, but as is… 3/5

  Solo Leveling I enjoyed the first season well enough, but this season has really amped things up. I binged the first few episodes, and really enjoyed them. Seems like several parts of the story are developing in the background. 4/5 maybe even 5/5.

  The Apothecary Diaries The first season set such a high bar, I worried this one would be a let down. It is not. Everything, story, art, music, attention to detail, etc. picks right back up where it was. Having read some of the novels, it is amazing to see how many little details and concepts were teased earlier on than I realized. The writing is probably the best of any anime. I mean, there will be little side conversations, set pieces in corners, unnamed side characters seen only once, many of which end up mattering later and get expanded on in one way or another. 5/5

  *I Left my A-Rank Party… I’ve seen several versions of this same anime lately… This one is doing it better than most. It was nice to see the main character stand up for himself and leaving on his on instead of being kicked out for once. Can’t say it is doing anything especially good, but it isn’t doing anything annoying either. 3/5

  Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf For some reason I was expecting this show to be more sexualized, so I’ve been pleasantly surprised that it has kept the stereotypical fanservice to a minimum. The characters have good chemistry, the overall concept is fun, there is a hint of a bigger story, the world jumping gimmick is working so far. This one definitely exceeded my unfairly low expectations. 4/5

  I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time This is another one that might work better as an anime than a novel, at least the overtime complaining has been less annoying so far. The plot is decent but slow moving. The light novels follow the same basic formula of presenting an overtime based problem that leads to a bigger issue, that then resolves to reveal another piece of the meta plot. Very formulaic. The anime seems to be handling this well. 3/5

  The Daily Life of a Middle-Aged Online Shopper in Another World I was not sure what to expect of this one, there was a similar anime a while back that I found incredibly dull, but so far this has been kind of interesting. The contrast of bringing in modern stuff that makes no sense in the context… reselling modern goods in the fantasy world market, base building, etc. has been interesting enough as are the characters. 3/5

  From Bureaucrat to Villainess On paper, this looks ridiculous, but somehow it works. Much better than I expected, and a fresh feeling take on this whole sub genera. 4/5

  ---

  Close to dropping:

  Possibly the Greatest Alchemist of All Time Hmm, I know I’ve watched this, but nothing notable comes to mind. 3/5

  Magic Maker: How to Make Magic in Another World This one started weird. The whole: adult reincarnated as a child using (probably not pedophilic/incestual) love to unlock magic angle was concerning, but thankfully the show seems to be moving past that. Pacing has been incredibly slow so far, but the last episode finally had a good plot and felt much more impactful. Hopefully we are past the intro arc and things will pick up. 2/5

  Even Given the Worthless “Appraiser” Class, I’m Actually the Strongest The typical" betrayed, dropped in a dungeon, and became absurdly strong scenario. I like some of the designs, especially the gremlin monsters, and it seems like it should be a good show, it just none of the characters are any good. The doormat MC, meek and nearly silent love interest, and cheeky abusive guide… maybe once they add a few more characters and get the next arc going it will improve. 3/5

  Bogus Skill <<Fruitmaster>> Not completely terrible, but not great. The big battle of the first arc ended very underwhelmingly, the MC is becoming increasingly stupid, none of the characters really stand out in any meaningful way. 2/5

  ---

  Dropped

  I’m Living With an Otaku NEET Kunoichi There is nothing to this other than absurdly lewd characters and fan service. No real plot, characters barely have any personality outside their kinks, humor falls flat. 1/5

  I want to escape from princess lessons The very first episode, by itself, was excellent. The rest is trash. Not only is the main character denied any agency (with clear foreshadowing that she will be abused/Stockholm-syndromed into “falling in love” with the prince) but she is presented as a clown with all the people around her, who are forcing her into this relationship, presented as the normal/rational ones. Apparently the audience is supposed to side with them and laugh at the “foolish” girl who does not want to spend the rest of her life as an emotionally stunted doll that exists only to be seen and admired by others.

  Farmagia Tried watching this one recently. There might be elements of a good show in there somewhere, but they are buried under a pile of aggressively annoying nonsense. Far too much pointless slapstick, far too little of anything else. Basically everything I disliked about FairyTail without any of the stuff I liked. 2/5

  Promise of Wizard I did not even make it through the first episode as it was clear I’m not in the target market for this. No plot, just an endless parade of forgettable characters. Apparently this was made to promote some sort of gatcha game.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Oracle and Microsoft are reportedly in talks to take over TikTok⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  So, a fate worse than death.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Fuguushoku [Kanteishi] ga Jitsu wa Saikyou Datta: Naraku de Kitaeta Saikyou no [Shingan] de Musou Suru - Episode 3 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Failing so hard you unlock super easy mode, then using cheats to one shot a boss does not deserve victory music… I’ll give it one more episode now that we are out of the intro arc, but I’m losing interest. Other anime seem to use these same tropes so much better…

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Magic Maker: How to Make Magic in Another World • Magic Maker: Isekai Mahou no Tsukurikata - Episode 3 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  I was close to dropping this, but that was actually a fairly solid episode.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨I Left My A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths! • A-Rank Party wo Ridatsu Shita Ore wa, Moto Oshiegotachi to Meikyuu Shinbu wo Mezasu. - Episode 2 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  I was really hoping for “explosion” there at the end.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Fuguushoku [Kanteishi] ga Jitsu wa Saikyou Datta: Naraku de Kitaeta Saikyou no [Shingan] de Musou Suru - Episode 2 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  I love the gremlin design. The one eye, goofy but fierce smile, batty elements, sound effects, etc. hope this isn’t the last of them.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Magic Maker: How to Make Magic in Another World • Magic Maker: Isekai Mahou no Tsukurikata - Episode 2 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Plot and pacing seem really slow and it has yet to give me a reason to keep watching.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨I'm Getting Married to a Girl I Hate in My Class • Class no Daikirai na Joshi to Kekkon Suru Koto ni Natta. - Episode 2 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Binged the first two episodes. It’s about 33% funny and enjoyable, 33% infuriating, and 33% nails on a chalk board. If the setup wasn’t so stupid, the mains were not such push overs, and the arguments were toned down a Touch I would like it better, but as it is… looks like either they are either going to gaslight each other into a relationship or endlessly bicker and neither is for me.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨ZENSHU • Zenshuu. - Episode 2 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  The tavern scene with side character reminiscent of some one from the real world gave me a sort of Wizard of Oz vibe, which is how I realized the Wizard of Oz was an isekai… It does seem likely this will all resolve as having been essentially a dream.

  Hopefully now that we are passed the intro and her usefulness is proven to the team the show can develop past the generic monster of the day formula.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨I Want to Escape from Princess Lessons • Kisaki Kyouiku kara Nigetai Watashi - Episode 2 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  As much as I loved the first episode I hated the second. The fourth wall breaking was fine once, maybe twice, then horribly annoying. None of the “comedy” landed, especially when it all derives from the girl desperately trying to escape from a cage with everyone around her seeming working against her.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨I Want to Escape from Princess Lessons • Kisaki Kyouiku kara Nigetai Watashi - Episode 1 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Lots of nice details in this… That nostril flare animation… the way the music immediately cut out when they reached the capital… all the camera focuses on the instructor’s stick but without any scenes of abuse… the lifeless, but not completely dead look in her eyes after the time skip…

  I’m not sure how it will transition out of the prolog, but this episode could stand alone as a short.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨I’m a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic • Botsuraku Yotei no Kizoku dakedo, Hima Datta kara Mahou wo Kiwamete mita - Episode 1 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Ah yes, the Maryest of Mary Sues, where everything he tries either succeeds (with some effort) or fails in a way that actually works out better.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨ZENSHU • Zenshuu. - Episode 1 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Wow, the first episode was solid. Love the quirky throwback vibe of the heroes, the mix of art styles, and it definitely left we looking forward to the next episode. I have no idea how they will make a coherent plot out of this, but hopefully it will at least be fun and creative.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨I’m Living with an Otaku NEET Kunoichi!? • NEET Kunoichi to Naze ka Dousei Hajimemashita - Episode 1 discussion⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Something is just not quite landing for me with this one. It feels like the knock off version of a better anime. I think maybe it is just trying too hard sort of like when someone tells a joke then keeps repeating the punchline hoping for more laughs but all that does is ruin the joke. Hopefully it will improve as the situation gets established and new characters show up. 2/5 for now.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨The writers have run out of ideas⁩ ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  This picture represents everything i expect out of 2025…

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Anime Questions, Recommendations, and Discussion Thread [2024, Week 49]⁩ ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Let This Grieving Soul Retire - Has been fun so far, certainly better than more generic shows. The gimmick with the MC is holding up ok. There are hints of a bigger story, but not enough to tell so far. 4/5

  The Most Notorious “Talker” Runs the World’s Greatest Clan - At first the lack of likable characters, and deliberately nasty MC were a turn off. But this one grew on me. I especially like the contrast between this one and Grieving Souls. The two MCs are so completely different. 4/5

  Nina the Starry Bride - I’m enjoying Nina’s optimism and willfulness. Part of this feels like the knock of brand version of Apothecary Diaries (now were near that shows level of course… but something about the setting and having a strong, willful heroine.) I worry that it is going to fall apart with the implied love triangle. 3/5 depending on how it ends.

  Shangri-La Frontier S2 - I enjoyed the first bit that wrapped up the leftover arc from the previous season, but have no interest in whatever is going on now that the anime seeming abandoned the titular game for something else. Dropped for now. 3/5

  The Healer Who Was Banished From His Party… - Slightly above mediocre now that the current story arc is moving along. Otherwise pretty generic. Almost dropped it a few times. 3/5

  Good Bye, Dragon Life - Perfectly mediocre, room temperature, beige… Nothing particularly wrong with it, but nothing noteworthy either. Almost dropped it a few times. 3/5

  Acro Trip - One of my favorites this season, that I look forward to each week. The characters are fun, especially the kuma kaijin. The show seems irrelevant on the surface, but everything is actually well connected to a developing meta plot, with reasonable foreshadowing. 4/5

  I’ll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History - I do enjoy the villainess sub-genera, and this one has been enjoyable. Especially how much the MC enjoys playing up her role. But the last few episodes felt lacking somehow. Seems like it is building toward something that will either make or break the season. 3/5 for now.

  Re:ZERO S3 - Wow this hit the ground running. So much going on, so many characters I had forgotten, yet it works. Great to see how much the characters have grown. Looking forward to whenever this comes back. 5/5

  Arifureta S3 - J-Novel Club had the light novel on catchup last month, so I caught up on it, and now I understand why the anime was so disliked. I went back to rewatch a scene from season 1 and wow it was horribly disappointing compared to the LN. Looks like they try to squeeze at least three LN’s into an anime season, which is very aggressive for stories lacking excessive filler. I really do not get some of the decisions made, even in this season. They will waste time on long scenes of characters just standing around, then quickly skip through other parts (abrupt scene transitions) making them a confusing mess. There is enough there to still enjoy, but should be better. 3/5

  You are Ms. Servant - Is there a name for this strange maid/housekeeper subgenera? I’ve enjoyed this one so far, and it seems well put together. 4/5

  DAN DA DAN - I finished the first arc and need to pick it pack up. Once it got going it definitely lived up to the hype. 5/5

  The Do-Over Damsel - That age gap… It almost works, since the male lead is fairly innocent and the MC is mentally an adult, but no. I looked up the description for a later light novel, and it looks like the age gap remains a primary plot driver and the main, ongoing “joke” in the series with no hope of the characters aging up to where it is more appropriate. 2/5

  Loner Life in Another World - I forgot how much fun the first novels were before it turned into nothing but multiple chapters of magical groping and I dropped it… I’m not sure the adaptation has done a good job of explaining how his skill combinations and development works, and I don’t like how obvious they made the dungeon emperor situation, but the source wasn’t exactly high art either so it does not hurt it too much. 3/5

  Is it Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon S5 - Plan to watch, but have not started yet.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨brains!⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  At least half of us are below average.

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨USA President term limits⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  He could run again as a placeholders VP, then have the placeholder resign after taking office. This would bypass the can only be “elected” twice rule.

  Yes, there is an amendment that requires a VP to meet the same eligibility requirements as the president that should prevent this, but a corrupt court could rule that since that amendment does not explicitly mention term limits, those do not apply…

• ⁨Comment⁩ on ⁨Microsoft stealthily installs Windows 10 update to nag you to upgrade to Windows 11 – and not for the first time⁩ ⁨⁨5⁩ ⁨months⁩ ago⁩:

  Oh, and the worst issue is the hardware support. It requires a newish processor and TPM (or equilivant)