Rottcodd
@Rottcodd@ani.social
- Comment on [Episode] "Omae Gotoki ga Maou ni Kateru to Omou na" to Yuusha Party wo Tsuihou Sareta node, Outo de Kimama ni Kurashitai - Episode 7 discussion 1 day ago:
For me, this has now graduated from “better than I thought it might be” to “actually pretty good in its own right.”
It’s still an unusual combination of genres - sort of intrigue/yuri/CGDCT/action/SOL - so it’s likely not for everyone, and it’s not groundbreaking by any stretch, but it’s consistently entertaining and the overarching plot is coming together nicely.
Dein’s backstory was a bit of a surprise, but it goes some way toward explaining how he operated with relative impunity. And Ottilie was a good, and amusing, addition to the cast, and hopefully to Flum’s party. Plus I’m sort of weak to twin drills, and especially in red.
And most importantly as far as I’m concerned - I’m already looking forward to the next episode.
- Comment on [Episode] MF GHOST Season 3 • MF Ghost 3rd Season - Episode 8 discussion 1 day ago:
Meh - hot blood, masculine pride and a childish complete failure to understand romance. The formula wears a bit thin when they’re not in the cars.
We’re 2/3 of the way through the season and they haven’t even started the next race, which means that we’ll only get to see the beginning of it, and will have to wait until about 2028 to see the finish.
The formula wears a bit thin even when they are in the cars …
- Comment on [Episode] SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table • Shibou Yuugi de Meshi wo Kuu. - Episode 7 discussion 2 days ago:
Lots of symbolism and not so much meat in this one.
Still trying to sort out the role of the agents - Yuki’s clearly set her up before this game, but when Yuki confronted her, she sort of dodged the accusation with that “all I can say is that we support you girls from the bottom of our hearts” line, then the camera focused clearly on her for the first time and we got to see how strongly she resembles Yuki. That can’t be a coincidence.
I’m starting to suspect that I’ll have to read the LN if I want real answers.
- Comment on Anime Questions, Recommendations, and Discussion Thread [2026, Week 08] 2 days ago:
Yeah - that’s why I said “apparently last.”
That said, I’m mostly hoping it’s over because I’m prone to vicarious embarrassment and after hanging on for so long, I just have no more hope that it’s going to redeem itself. It appears that it really is sincerely as stupid as it kept distractingly appearing, and I feel bad for whoever’s responsible for it. They just need to slink away quietly and pretend it never happened.
- Submitted 2 days ago to manga@ani.social | 0 comments
- [Chapter] Starting Today We're Childhood Friends - Ch. 162 - Childhood Friend and Headpats - MangaDexmangadex.org ↗Submitted 2 days ago to manga@ani.social | 0 comments
- Comment on [Chapter] Journey Home After School - Ch. 51 3 days ago:
That was an even better chapter than I expected.
And now I’m looking forward to a year from now, when Shun is studying for his exams.
- Comment on What are some of the weirdest/most niche genres (in your opinion) that you enjoyed watching? 4 days ago:
Poputepipikku
It’s on my “I have no doubt it’s good so I’m in no hurry to watch it” list. I should probably get on that…
- Comment on What are some of the weirdest/most niche genres (in your opinion) that you enjoyed watching? 4 days ago:
One of my favorite genres is one I call “surreal goofball comedy.” It’s gag humor in which not even the limits of reality are respected. Nichijou is the most well known example, but Pani Poni Dash is probably my favorite. Other examples include Excel Saga, Asobi Asobase, Galaxy Angel, Ueno-san wa Bukiyou, Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, Kill Me Baby, and most recently, CITY The Animation.
- Comment on The 20 Darkest Anime Series of All Time, Ranked 4 days ago:
That’s actually a better list than I expected, though Evangelion is apparently there just because of its first place ranking on the “Anime that people stick on lists” list. And right off the bat, Bokurano should pretty obviously be there, along with Casshern Sins. And it’s sort of weird that Serial Expreriments Lain isn’t, especially with its notable ranking on the aforementioned “Anime that people stick on lists” list.
Still though, it’s better than I cynically expected, and I’m especially pleased to see Now and Then, Here and There, which tends to get overlooked.
- Comment on Anime Questions, Recommendations, and Discussion Thread [2026, Week 08] 4 days ago:
Started off the week gently bouncing off of Hyouka. I liked it and will certainly watch it in the future, but it just didn’t quite hook me this time.
Then I switched to one I happened on a few weeks ago - [As the Moon, So Beautiful(anilist.co/anime/98202/Tsuki-ga-Kirei/) (Tsukigakirei), and it was wonderful. It’s quite possibly the most satisfying romance anime I’ve ever seen. It’s a sweet, unpretentious third year middle school romance with two terrific characters, realistic awkwardness, just enough drama to spike the emotions but not enough to bog it down, and genuine, believable progress. I loved everything about it.
Next up was the latest episode of MF Ghost, and Shuichi Shigeno’s weirdly awkward and oh-so-Japanese conception of masculinity and approach to women and the concept of romance was on full display, just as it was too often in Initial D. I couldn’t help but laugh cynically when Shun punches Kanata, then stands over him and demands to know why Kanata didn’t tell him that Ren was the Angel he had a schoolboy crush on, and actually says, “Do I really seem that stubborn and unreasonable?” Seriously dude - you’re asking the guy you just punched.
Next up was the latest episode of Roll Over and Die, which I’m still enjoying. It was mostly amusing filler - a bit of CGDCT and a bit of yuri and a bit of background intrigue, and it ended on an interesting cliffhanger. I don’t expect any amazing surprises from this, but it’s solid entertainment.
Then came the latest episode of Frieren, which was fine, but had virtually nothing to do with the overarching plot.
Along about then, I wanted to watch a full series, and didn’t want to gamble, so I went with one of the many sure things on my TBW - The Apothecary Diaries. I guess I don’t need to say that it was excellent. I watched both cours of the first season - watched the first 12 episodes over a couple of days, then over another couple of days rewatched them, then watched the second 12 in a single sitting. It definitely deserves its accolades.
In the midst of all of that, there was the latest episode of Trigun Stargaze, which… sort of sucked really. Stampede IMO managed to work out to be good overall in spite of its flaws, but it’s looking like Stargaze isn’t going to be able to pull that off - too many flaws are piling up and there’s not enough good to make up for it. And I can’t believe that we’ve reverted all the way back to Knives in his gigantic hood again doing a painfully accurate recreation of a cliched villain from a cheesy gothic horror flick.
Then the latest (and apparently last) episode of Gnosia, which I dropped last season but recently caught back up with. And I shouldn’t have bothered.
The latest episode of Scum of the Brave was okay but not great. Yashiro and Jougamine still have the same chemistry they had in the beginning, but the thing that was good about it in the beginning was that it was promising, and five episodes later, the promise remains unfulfilled and they’re just tediously repeating themselves.
Then You and I Are Polar Opposites, which was predictably terrific.
And Journal With Witch, which continues to be exceptional
- Comment on [Episode] MF GHOST Season 3 • MF Ghost 3rd Season - Episode 7 discussion 5 days ago:
So what I thought from the brief glimpse was Sawatari’s new Alpine was actually an (oddly small) Aston-Martin V8 Vantage. Driven by an arrogant bitch who’s already made it her mission to make Ren miserable.
I wonder why Shuichi Shigeno always seems to make romance as difficult and painful and painful as possible.
Ah well. At least we’re getting closer to another race. Though I suspect that we’ll have to wait for next season to see the finish.
- Comment on [Episode] TRIGUN STARGAZE - Episode 6 discussion 5 days ago:
I’m increasingly disappointed by this. I wasn’t even particularly eager to watch this episode, and wasn’t very impressed by it when I did.
It might still redeem itself, but I think it’s becoming less likely all the time. Ending this episode on yet another round of Knives in his enormous hood pounding out a sinister tune on a suspiciously organ-looking piano surrounded by gargoyle-ish statues like a terribly cliched gothic horror villain knocked it down into a hole it might not be able to dig its way out of.
- Comment on [Episode] You and I Are Polar Opposites • Seihantai na Kimi to Boku - Episode 6 discussion 5 days ago:
This series puts a silly grin on my face every time.
- Comment on [Episode] Journal with Witch • Ikoku Nikki - Episode 7 discussion 5 days ago:
I think the thing that impresses me the most about this series is that it goes in entirely unexpected directions that make perfect sense after the fact.
This is hardly the first time that an anime has dealt with grief or sibling rivalry or social anxiety or romantic longing or any of the other things this one does. It’s not even the first time that one has done a notably good job of revealing insights into such things. But still, somehow this is head and shoulders above… everything I can think of. It somehow reaches extra deeply into things and drags out insights and comments and interactions that expose depths and complexities that I’ve never seen in an anime before. And they all then just slot neatly into place, as if they were obvious all along.
- Submitted 5 days ago to manga@ani.social | 1 comment
- [Chapter] Gals Can't Be Kind to Otaku!? / Otaku ni Yasashii Gal wa Inai!? - Vol. 12 Ch. 88 and Ch. 89 - MangaDexmangadex.org ↗Submitted 5 days ago to manga@ani.social | 0 comments
- [Chapter] Me, the Second Best, and My Number One Girlfriend / Nibanme na Boku to Ichiban no Kanojo - Ch. 7 - MangaDexmangadex.org ↗Submitted 1 week ago to manga@ani.social | 0 comments
- Submitted 1 week ago to manga@ani.social | 0 comments
- Comment on [Chapter] Yankee JK Kuzuhana-chan - Ch. 270 - Selfie - MangaDex 1 week ago:
I didn’t plan on even posting this, but the credits page gag is one of the best ever…
- Submitted 1 week ago to manga@ani.social | 2 comments
- Comment on Anime Questions, Recommendations, and Discussion Thread - Nominations Edition [2026, Week 07] 1 week ago:
I’ll let you know if it redeems itself down the line. I still suspect it will - there has to be some more meat to this if they’re going to go as far as they do to take the edge off of the violence. If they don’t get into some political intrigue or psychological suspense or something, then it’s just going to be violent, but not really, which is sort of dumb and pointless.
Not that it would be the first dumb and pointless anime, but still…
- Comment on [Episode] SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table • Shibou Yuugi de Meshi wo Kuu. - Episode 6 discussion 1 week ago:
Yow.
Well… we didn’t see Azuma at the end, which is a good sign at least. Maybe. She’s a good character - at least close to Yuki’s skill level, and apparently a sincere ally.
Even more now I want to know what the deal is with the agents. Again, the agent for the girl who was voted out at the end of game 10 appeared to be emotionally devastated by that, but it’s certain now that Yuki’s set her up. She gave her a different sedative at the beginning of this game, with a weak cover story, and obviously it was actually so that she’d wake up late and end up trapped in the bath rather than with the entryway team (and I don’t doubt that Mishiro was given the regular sedative so she’d wake up earlier and they’d end up opponents).
Next episode’s going to be a nail-biter.
- Submitted 1 week ago to manga@ani.social | 0 comments
- Submitted 1 week ago to manga@ani.social | 0 comments
- Comment on [Episode] MF GHOST Season 3 • MF Ghost 3rd Season - Episode 6 discussion 1 week ago:
Ah… that’s right - they hinted at a beach episode.
Yeah - I expect the next episode will include that, but not focus on it. If nothing else, we also need to be introduced to Sawatari’s new car, and catch up with what they’re doing with Kanata’s car. And hopefully at least get the details on the next race.
- Comment on Anime Questions, Recommendations, and Discussion Thread - Nominations Edition [2026, Week 07] 1 week ago:
I should’ve been more clear - likely won’t immediately renew their romance.
I assume rhat over the course of the series, their reconciliation is a sure thing. But I also assume it’ll be a sort of tough road from here to there, and they’ve only taken one, albeit significant, step on that road.
- Comment on Manga Best-Of 2025 and General Discussion Thread [2026, Week 07] 1 week ago:
Just End it Already
Yankee JK Kuzuhana-chanNo kidding. It was bad enough when they were just constantly adding new members to the harem and not resolving anything, but now they’re not even doing that. It’s just chapter after chapter of not resolving anything.
Even the credits page jokes are getting weak - it’s as if there isn’t even enough going on to serve as a springboard to a joke.
- Comment on Manga Best-Of 2025 and General Discussion Thread [2026, Week 07] 1 week ago:
I think the series that impressed me the most last year was a late arrival - Unexciting Date. It’s easily the best dialogue I’ve seen all year (since Food Court de Mata Ashita is still stalled) and it’s an oddly satisfying slow-burn romance (with their awful communication skills, any romance at all is an impressive accomplishment).
As far as ongoing stuff goes, I’m still very impressed by Boku dake ga Shitterun daze aka Only I Know. It’s a somewhat typical young romcom that’s most notable for the MMC - Waku - who has a lot of the cliched reflexive reactions to all this nascent romance stuff, but instead of just allowing himself to be subject to them, he stops and considers why he’s reacting that way and what he should be doing instead and, most notably, what would be best for the FMC - Oura - then he steels his resolve and does what needs to be done, and it’s such a pleasure to watch.
And Renge to Naruto just gets better all the time. It started off as just a sort of goofy ecchi comedy with an enthusiastic gyaru running a Chinese restaurant and a sort of quiet and awkward working stiff who becomes a regular, but over time it’s morphed into an impressively subtle and complex character study/slice of life/rom-com.
- Comment on Anime Questions, Recommendations, and Discussion Thread - Nominations Edition [2026, Week 07] 1 week ago:
Picked up and caught up on two more current series last week - Roll Over and Die and Shiboyugi: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table
Roll Over and Die (“Omae Gotoki ga Maou ni Kateru to Omou na” to Yuusha Party wo Tsuihou Sareta node, Outo de Kimama ni Kurashitai) looks at first glance as if it’ll be a revenge-focused action series, but it’s really nothing of the sort. The protagonist - Flum - has virtually no combat skill - she just has enormous and ever-growing stats and a whomping big sword, so most of her battles consist either of her curbstomping the enemy or her failing to curbstomp the enemy and having to run away. And though she’s been horribly wronged by her former party, she’s not out for revenge - she’s focused elsewhere.
It’s actually mostly political intrigue and a growing yuri romance, and both are done if not brilliantly then at least well enough to be entertaining. I’m enjoying the characters and watching both the mystery and the romance unfold.
Shiboyugi (Shibou Yuugi de Meshi wo Kuu) is an oddly unsettling… something. It should be a sort of horror suspense thriller, very much in the vein of Squid Games, but it has an oddly serene atmosphere to it that takes a lot of the edge off of the horror and suspense. It’s no less horrifying for that - in fact, one of the main plot points is the protagonist’s memories of horrible things she’s seen and done (and one in particular that caps off the first episode) and violence and death are constants. But still, between the art style and the presentation and some of the details of the games, the violence seems a bit muted, which is sort of creepy in and of itself. I don’t know where it’s headed, but it’s intriguing.
The only old thing I watched last week was the second Love, Chuunibyou and Other Delusions movie - Take On Me - which was okay all in all I guess. Tohka was even more of a heartless, self-centered bitch than in the past, only to do a completely unbelievable heel/face turn at the end, but at least Yuuta and Rikka mostly got themselves sorted out, and the supporting cast had some good moments. After the terrific first season, I actually considered just stopping there and not watching any of the rest of it, and in retrospect, that’s what I should’ve done.
As far as other current series go:
MF Ghost - I just want them to get back in the cars. Kanata out of the car is such a child-like suck-up that it sort of creeps me out.
Trigun Stargaze was decent. Vash’s attitudes are starting to infect Wolfwood, much to his chagrin. The battle with Midvalley played out interestingly if not terribly excitingly. And Legato really drove home the point that he’s not even vaguely sane.
Scum of the Brave was pretty good. We’ve gotten focus episodes with each of the three girls now, and have gotten enough hints of the deeper plot that I expect we’re going to dive into it with the entire ensemble, and that should be the bulk of the series. I’m looking forward to it.
You and I Are Polar Opposites was terrific again, and we finally got to meet Nisshi, who was easily my favorite character in the manga. It’s following the manga closely enough that there haven’t been any surprises for me, but the whole thing is so well done that I’m thoroughly enjoying it anyway.
And Journal With Witch was terrific. This episode was actually a bit light on profound moments - it seemed to be mostly laying the groundwork for future stuff - but then it made up for all of that by throwing in a surprising development with Makio and Shingo that likely won’t renew their romance but at least should take down some of their walls.