#Final Thoughts

[littlehideyhole]

WWDITS Finale thoughts from a Nandermo shipper:

Ngl I thought the writing was fire. I know we all wanted a kiss but I’d argue we got something way better, here me out

Going from this decade long power imbalance to a relationship built on mutual trust and respect (with the last thing Nandor doing in the series is prove to Guillermo that he is seriously committing to a 50/50 work load) is a really good story arc and I think the logical next step WOULD have been romance

I thought the writers were sending “HEY we love the idea of them getting together but we don’t have enough time to show that in a way that feels satisfying (they’d probs need another season of them crime fighting and building on that trust cause they got some baggage but that’s a fanfic for another day)

And that’s okay!

If we learned anything from this show it’s that, despite patterns, the vampires genuinely do grow. I feel like the implication was “they’ll get there, we just won’t be around to see it”

The only thing I love more than cheeky fan service is realistic well written character arcs and this finale gave us BOTH (idk what the other endings were but I got the sitcom one)

Listen I’m not saying I wouldn’t have loved a big romantic kiss and a “what does this mean for us” stumble into romance from the finale. I would have LOVED a final gentle hand holding shot but I also think the Guides monologue was almost a direct message to the fans “hey guys listen Nandors gotta a lot more work to do on the romance side of his mindset and we don’t have the episodes to get there so”

I mean they basically said “no matter what, they’ll head back to each other” and if that’s not canon idk what is

[ecargmura]

Dandadan Episode 12 Review + Final Thoughts - You're Ending It Like That?

The way this ended was absolutely FOUL! What do you mean I have to wait until July for season 2? Like you can’t just end it there and say “See you in about seven months!” What a way to get people hyped for the next cour yet so evil too.

Basically, the finale is about the aftermath of the Taro and Hana situation with the kids prostrating to Seiko to allow Hana to stay in the Ayase residence. That way, Taro can sneak out at night and visit his love. The way he does it is so hilarious because he just runs even when there are students in sight; the sight of him taking the train got me chuckling. He was able to make it back despite getting dissembled due to a truck that did not isekai him. It also turns out that the shining ‘ball’ on Taro wasn’t Okarun’s ball but a Christmas ornament. This part was hilarious but it’s cute to see how devoted Taro is to Hana. I’ve also noticed that these minor spirits like the Mantis Shrimp play some sort of role later on, so I get this feeling that the same might apply to Taro and/or Hana.

The episode then transitions to Okarun, Momo and Jiji going to Jiji’s house to see what the source of the curse is. Also, I’m convinced that Jiji’s energy is a mix of being an extrovert and also sleep deprivation because that guy cannot sleep properly and is probably trying to fight it off by being as silly as possible so no one would worry. Regardless, Jiji and Okarun actually do get along well as Jiji is open-minded and accepting. This makes Okarun feel more insecure because his love rival is a good guy and it would make it harder for him to win Momo’s affections. 

To be honest, I think their friendship and rivalry is adorable. Okarun doesn’t have male friends because of the constant bullying he got from other boys in school, so it would be nice if Jiji becomes his first friend. Momo is so nice for wanting them to get along hence why she left so the two can bond. I don’t remember the last time I saw two guys childishly fight over a girl they both like. Usually, male rivalries are full of silence, but it’s nice to see them express their mutual love for Momo and be petty about it too. Like I said before, it’s like a gender-bent version of two girls realizing they both like the same guy and fighting over it.

Before moving to the Ayase’s, Jiji used to live in a small town in the mountains. His father is a researcher who studies volcanoes and works at a nearby university before his hospitalization. Jiji’s energy makes so much sense given that mountainous areas are steep, so you have to be athletic or full of stamina to survive. Jiji has the energy and the stamina to climb three flight of stairs while Momo becomes exhausted and Okarun just dies. Though, the townspeople are creepy, especially the ones spying on the kids. The men are especially creepy with how they get into the same bath as Momo and are trying to assault her. *sigh* Momo has terrible luck when it comes to creeps…

But yeah, I do wonder what that weird foyer’s deal is…and that answer will have to wait until Summer. Did you know that in Western countries, fall is considered spooky season while Asian countries consider summer to be spooky season? Ghost stories are often exchanged or told in the summer, which makes absolute sense why Dandadan, a paranormal and supernatural show would return for the summer—it’s to fulfill the spooky vibes.

Final Thoughts

Dandadan was definitely the hit show for this season. Everyone keeps talking about it whether it be positively or negatively. I can see why it’s so popular. Not only is it a Jump title, but it has the ‘anime’ feel to it as it mixes action and zaniness in one. It’s not realistic and it doesn’t have to be—it’s just something fun to look at and enjoy.

I like the unique batch of characters this story has. What I like most is that they’re essentially gender reversed versions of the shounen character tropes. While Momo and Okarun share the role as co-protagonists, both are written in a way that they have traits that are normally reserved for characters of the opposite gender. Momo is blunt, abrasive and has a rude way of speaking, which is normally seen in male shounen MCs, but she also has a heart of gold and that is what attracts people to her. Okarun is a shrinking violet who Momo helps out one day and they become fast friends despite their differences in beliefs. Okarun would be the quintessential shy love interest who develops a crush on the MC and makes it their entire personality, but he does have a personality outside of Momo, which is a good thing, and his crush is used to help him grow and develop. Aira, Jiji and Seiko are unique too! However, I also like that they give personality to the supernatural creatures they encounter like Turbo Granny, Acrobatic Silky, etc. Usually, these sorts of villains would just be textbook evil for the heck of it or just throwaways, but the story does take time to let the readers know what sort of people they are underneath. Turbo Granny protects the souls of girls who died tragically in the tunnel; Acrobatic Silky was once a mom who had a daughter but failed to protect her; Mantis Shrimp was only a villain because he needed to help his son Chiquitita.

The voice acting is really good! Dandadan is one of those Jump titles that uses little new faces and more veterans. The only new face in the cast is Shion Wakayama, technically. Yet, she nails Momo so hard that it’s hard to believe that she started off voicing quiet, shy girls. Everyone else does a splendid job as to be expected of professionals. The English dub also does a spectacular job. I still can’t believe they got Kari Wahlgren and Barbara Goodson to return to anime dubbing. It’s amazing what a good production can do!

Though, I do like the animation and music the most when it comes to this anime. The animation is just so fluid and I really like how Science Saru takes time to give movement to each shot. I also like the music too! The piano score from Episode 7 really gets to me. Whoever did the music needs a raise, ASAP.

I guess a few gripes I have is that Dandadan is aggressively the most Japanese show I’ve seen this season. What I mean by that is that Dandadan does fall victim to the usual anime cliches at times, but it’s not an entirely bad thing. I just feel like some things in it are typical of animes like the unsightly scenes of the first and final episodes to action-packed scenes reminiscent of classic anime shows. People on social media do like to say that there are other cultural influences in Dandadan, but I disagree. Dandadan is very, VERY Japanese from the talk about supernatural powers to Japanese people’s views on aliens. I won’t get into too much detail as I am not Japanese myself, but it is one of those shows that could work in a Western setting, but it wouldn’t have the same flair.

Overall, Dandadan is a show I would recommend to people if they want something fun to watch without thinking too much into it. My brother is always telling me to read the manga as he says it’s better, so I might check out the manga if I get the chance. Let me know your thoughts on the finale and the anime as a whole!

[invisiblegarters]

High School Frenemy Final Thoughts

I know, I know. I'm super late with this one. To be honest I was just going to keep it for a set of micro reviews (as if there's anything micro about any of those, sigh), but well. *looks down* Yeah. So here I go.

Oh my gosh this show. What can I even say about this show. Gird yourself because you think I was long winded before? Ha, you don't know long winded. The thing is that this show was completely off of my radar. To the point that I don't even remember if there was a mock trailer for it at some point, and to this day I don't think I've seen the official one either. The only reason that I bothered watching is that one of my mutuals was telling me about it and I said, "huh, this reminds me of School 2013 I think it was. I watched it because of my undying love for Lee Jong Suk." To which they replied, "oh yes, I think it's an adaptation of that." And since I had watched that one and remembered liking it well enough, I decided to binge watch the first eight episodes (all that were out at the time). I've never been so happy for an "eh, I guess" watch in my life. Because this show was so good. Part of it is the source material - School 2013 was an excellent show that explored themes of friendship, the pressure that students are put under by parents to succeed, the trouble people get themselves into when they are desperate...it's just great. And this show explores that as well. Part of it is the cast - everyone was amazing even though I will never stop being mad that I loved Foie's Mr. Sung as much as I did - but in the end what it is is the same thing that got me with Peaceful Property: this show has heart. What I loved most about this show is how hard it fought the idea that is so prevalent today that people are stagnant. That is a lesson that I really wish we had more of in today's world - so often we're willing to hate others forever based on something they did years upon years ago, often with very little evidence that they've continued to do so as they grew older and ultimately, wiser. So often the thing that we are holding against them happened when they were teenagers. And so often those opinions have changed. But we don't account for that, and neither do some of the teachers (most notably the Vice Principal) in this show. They see Class 2 as a project, or irredeemable thugs, or lazy and unmotivated. And Class 2 isn't really interested in changing that belief. It isn't until someone actually expects them to do better - not demands it to get money for the school, but because they know that they are capable of it - that the kids start to change. But it's not really changing, as Mr. Sung points out later. It's that they're growing up. As we all do. And finally, they're doing so in an environment that is allowing them to actually grow. But it's not jus the kiddos who are learning. It's the adults too. Because shockingly enough, we don't stagnate after we hit 20, either. So many people in this show are in the process of change. Of striving to be better. Of learning - sometimes hard - that their way of doing things isn't the only one, or even necessarily the right one. Not that everyone in the show did change. Jeng remained a dick throughout, and I appreciate that, because while I do love the heartwarming message the truth is that some people actively choose to make the wrong decision and then keep on that path regardless. At the heart of the show, though, was friendship. Fractured friendship that is being mended, tested friendship, new friendship, and friendship that is so fierce it causes people to reach down into the darkness swallowing you and yank your stubborn ass out by force, even if they have to enlist the help of every single person in the class to do it.

Shin and Saint's friendship was of course front and center, and I adored it - these two are so ridiculous about each other in the absolute best way, and I think we all knew that Shin was never actually that mad about Saint breaking his leg but about breaking his leg and then leaving him - not only taking his dream but also taking the one person, ironically, who could have made it bearable: himself. The amount of pain all over Shin every time he saw Saint's big pleading puppy dog face was enough to know that, but if we didn't get it they then had him literally scream it at him (to be fair, pretty sure Saint didn't get it. He's lovely but also kinda dumb, poor thing). Their friendship was the glue that held the show together, and it was threaded throughout even when they were barely talking or had worked things out and then somehow managed to adopt the rest of the class as their unruly kiddos. They were glorious, and both Sky and Nani did such an excellent job that I immediately put Wu on my to watch list even with that absolute farce of a mock trailer. I will watch anything these two are in together, BL or not. And I genuinely did watch most of HSF without shipping Saint and Shin, although by the end I was convinced that no they're in love actually (Shin absolutely is aware of this and Saint is not. See lovely but dumb). GMMTV's first branded bromance pair? I'd be down for it. That said, Saint and Shin's friendship wasn't the only one in the show that got me. Eve and Peeta did too, as did Airy and Eve. I liked them a lot - Eve and Peeta's friendship is being tested a bit by her overbearing mother sticking her big foot in where it isn't wanted, but I really loved that when it came down to it and Peeta was starting to fall apart Eve only cared about her well-being. I also really liked that despite the initial dislike and distrust between the girls from the different schools, Airy was actually a really good friend to Eve, level headed and giving decent advice when she and Peeta were in the middle of falling out. I also liked the way she and Tangmay went to bat for Eve when they thought that Jan had kicked her out of the Thai competition due to preferring Peeta instead, and then apologized when they learned they were wrong.

The one friendship I did not expect to feel so much about was Ken, Knot, and Nate, though. I thought they were going to be just a trio of hapless bullies, there to be fought against and not much else. But no. Instead of making them two dimensional bullies and not much else, they made them well rounded human beings who adore each other to pieces, who clearly bonded because they feel like they have no one else (this is especially shown in Ken's case, that dude's dad sucks). The way that Knot begged both Nate and Ken to please think about their futures because he loved them so much. The way that Knot and then Nate pretty much dragged Ken out of Jeng's gang by the scruff of his neck (with help from Saint and Shin, resident Batmen and aforementioned coparents to a bunch of kids only a couple of years younger than them). The way they rallied around him and were willing to do just about anything to help him out. That's love, and it won me right the fuck over with ease.

Ken in particular got me in a damn chokehold. The way his face would get whenever anyone treated him like a friend always made me feel a bit teary. And the way that he really did start trying once he realized that there were more people than Nate and Knot on his side, and that he didn't actually have to fight the world.

I also really need to take a moment to talk about how amazing Mark Pakin was as Chadjen. Just an amazing performance. I really hope that he gets at least a nod for it.

I guess this turned into more of a love letter than it did a review, but whatever. The show was amazing and I loved it. The only criticism I have is that I feel like Ken's father's turn around was a little too pat. I do like that the kids weren't the only ones learning lessons and changing, but I don't buy that one conversation with Ms. Jan took Ken's dad from drinking too much and saying things like his son would never amount to anything and it was a waste of time to care about him to sincerely wanting to make an effort. I also wish that we'd seen at least some of how Shin's mom went from very reluctantly allowing Saint back into their lives (understandably, to be honest, considering everything) to making him food and treating him once again like part of the family. I have my own thoughts about it, and we didn't have to see it, but it would have been nice.

In the end those two things did keep this show from passing the Moonlight Chicken Test…but not by much. 9.5/10, almost my perfect show.

[miss0atae]

Takara's treasure, final thoughts:

I'm glad Takara's treasure will have another spin off episode because I was not ready to say good-bye to such sweetness. It was really a nice romance. Slow but steady.

In the end Takara found the courage to accept that his feelings even his possessiveness weren't inherently bad. When there is love, there is hope. It's funny how he appeared as the mature senpai at the beginning of the series while Taishin was the lost mentee coming from outside of Tokyo. However, Taishin is so much more comfortable with his love than Takara. His confidence in love and the good things it can bring, made Takara more secure and he could finally accept that there is no good or bad when it comes to feelings. You can't control everything, but as long as your significant other / friends / acquaintance is okay, then you shouldn't worry and imagine the worst.

I feel Takara was the one who learned the most.

[sorakazeno]

I totally relate to what you were saying about fans ruining Sailor Moon Super Live! I was seated in front of a guy who screamed THE ENTIRE SHOW! It was like he was trying to take away from the show. He ruined it in a way. He was just yelling constantly and cheering. I think he was drunk or high too. He was like....not right but definitely ruined the experience for me. I was pissed. I was in the VIP section too!

Bummer! I'm sorry you had such a bad experience at the show! I have to say I am impressed the man still had a voice for screaming for that long!

I understand everyone was really excited. I am was too of course. But we are here to see a show. I want to hear and watch them. Scream at the beginning, fine. But then chill later. Sadly I think it the mentality now to be as loud and obnoxious as possible during a performance to how the performer they appreciate them? It was too much.

The fans cheered at lot at the 2019 show in New York and started singing along which really surprised the cast in the musical portion. They were at least decent during the show from what I recall.

I'm hopping we will see more Super Live shows in the future and maybe fans can cool it a little so we can all enjoy the show and cheer on the cast when appropriate. Afterall, how often are you going to be able to see a live musical???

[deadkraker]

Now that I’m done freaking out about it, I honestly find it fitting how this ended the same way it started.

Despite how great it was the peaks of dsmp for me at least were never the highly scripted and thought out story lines, it was the little things that got it started, friends making a story on the fly and having fun while doing so, that was the core of the whole thing. And for it to end in the same fashion, with two friends, now grown up and moved on, roleplaying on the same now deserted and laggy server for the final time, feels right. It was always the ending we needed. It was that spark that got lost somewhere along all the fame and conflict, one that I am glad shone for the last time just for us.

[blsongbird]

Battle of the Writers (final episode)

Final thoughts -

Improvement

1. Tutoryim chemistry was great.

2. I liked the concept of 5 famous authors sitting down to write a BL novel.

3. I like how they pulled inspiration from their lives and grew together between the lines.

[increasinglygeeky]

About the final chapter:

@sweettsubaki

Put it best:

"That's because if he hadn't done that you wouldn't have cared that they died.

That's the point he's trying to make. Having people care. You might not be able to help those who are already dying but you might help the next one. It's unfair but not trying is worse.

That's his point.

Now whether you like or hate how he did it is a different story."

Mha you may have not been perfect, but thank you for a pretty fun story with memorable characters and a lifetime of wonder in my heart throughout my teenage years.

See you soon for a new journey, maybe someday.💚

[essentialthyme]

[morganski-19]

Chills Right to the Marrow, Final Thoughts

The fact that is a title alone is enough to bring me to tears. This fic that I wrote, it means more to me than I ever thought it would. When I wrote the first part, it was meant as nothing more than a singular tumblr post with no planned follow up. And then you asked for more, and I wrote it. I found solace in a character with no more than ten minutes of screen time, and wanted more.

Then Dustin's pov came along, and I had a vision of what this could be, and just wrote. There was no outline, there was a minor plan. I placed myself in these characters and told them to go. Certain scenes and moment were in mind, and I let them come when it felt right. I knew where it needed to end, but let the characters take me there.

This fic was a first for me. My first outsider pov fic, and the first in which I didn't have a direct outline. I had to hold myself back, and there were many moments lost that may never be seen. Things that I had wanted to write, but couldn't find the space to. If I ever were to come back and write more for this fic, maybe I will get to them.

But really, what this post is, is to somehow explain how this fic helped me more than I thought it would.

As with anything I write, I find little things of myself that I can use to help write these characters. There is always something that I use to help me get into their mind, but it has never been to the level this was. The catharsis that I experienced while writing this fic was unmatched.

With Wayne, I wrote the unexplainable feelings that one has seeing their loved ones go through intense medical treatments while the world keeps spinning. How, even though it feels impossible, you have to keep moving and doing other things while fighting with the darkness. And how, in the end, life can come back to you in ways that you cannot imagine.

In Eddie, I wrote for my family members who have received diagnoses such as his, and the pain they must have felt in that moment. But also, their mindset of continuing to find joy in their life, and not letting their diagnoses dictate how much they can still live.

In Steve, it was that cursed thought in my mind that no one in my life reciprocates the love I have for them, and the small ways that thought is always proven wrong.

But, no one can quite match Dustin, and how his pov has helped me. If you were to ask me which character in Stranger Things I related to the most, it would always be Dustin. I was that nerd with a fascination for the unknown, and a laugh that was never quiet. And the story that I gave him in this fic was one that I relate to a lot.

In Dustin, I wrote my frustrations about being kept out of the loop of my grandfather's cancer treatments, and the anger that I hold of hearing of his initial diagnosis from a facebook post. In Dustin, I wrote my struggle to move on and age after experiencing the pain of the Covid pandemic that started when I was seventeen. And the struggle of feeling so affected by it while coming out completely unscathed. In Dustin, I wrote of the fear of growing up, and leaving my younger self behind, but now knowing that they are always within me wherever I go.

In this fic, I wrote about the friends that stick by me every step of the way, and the community I have around me. I wrote about healing, and growth, and more importantly, the beauty of life. I wrote about finding the light while feeling stuck in the dark, and how warm it feels when held in your hands.

To "Chills Right to the Marrow", to Wayne, Dustin, Eddie, and Steve, this is goodbye. Thank you for all you have given me, it was needed more than I knew.

[ecargmura]

A Terrified Teacher At Ghoul School Episode 24 + Final Thoughts

Uh, Satelight, since when did you get the budget and why did you spend it all on the finale? Not that I’m complaining too much since everyone looks amazing, but maybe you should’ve put more effort in the previous episodes too? On that note, I can’t believe this is the final episode of A Terrified Teacher At Ghoul School! Time flies so fast!

Now that the truth of Kuniko’s past comes out, the fact that she decides to stall time and let Sano bring Haruaki to the rooftop was really noble. In this sort of situation, people would’ve convinced Kuniko to be the one to go on ahead, but since she’s the only one strong enough to subdue Kurai, she has to make the sacrifice to stay behind, knowing that she’ll have the chance to talk to Nyuudou later. The fact that the two do get cute anime original scenes at the end does make up for it. While they aren’t dating just yet, they’re at first-name basis with each other now, signifying a closer bond than before.

I also really liked Tamao’s scenes. He wanted to show off his 38 to Nyuudou, and it was also the key for Haruaki to win the competition as Tamao is the only one nimble enough to bring it to him. I do like how Tamao’s tone drops the more stubborn Hajime becomes. He spoke a bit politely towards him, but when Hajime refused to reason, Tamao just lowers an octave and starts speaking a lot more bluntly. He’s usually cute and sweet, but even he can be dangerous, as he mentioned to Hajime that Haruaki isn’t dangerous because he chooses not to be. In fact, a lot of the youkais in the school have extremely dangerous powers and they’re only a threat if they choose to do so, yet they don’t.

I was wondering how the twist of the Haruaki with Sano being Amaaki the entire time was going to play out as the difference isn’t noticeable in the manga as it’s black and white. In the anime, Haru and Ame are colored differently and have different voice actors. If you didn’t notice Haruaki’s different voice in the previous episode, then you might have been surprised at the twist. I do like that Gakuto Fujiwara had to speak in a higher tone, as if he was mimicking Ryota Osaka, and then lowering his voice two octaves and adding the Kansai dialect. Besides, this isn’t the first time Ame had to disguise as Haru, so him bluffing the whole thing and fool Hajime was an easy feat that caught both Hajime and Kurai off-guard. No one in the school knows about Haruaki’s family due to his family background, so Kurai definitely didn’t see the twist of him having a twin while only a handful of students knew. The part where he started smothering himself over Haruaki was super adorable. He definitely reminds me of Yuri Briar from Spy x Family in a way…

Hajime’s overprotectiveness stems from his desire to let there be peace in the youkai world and between youkai and human relationships all for the sake of protecting his son as a way to promise his late wife. While his intentions are good, the way he handles it isn’t. I wonder if the words Ame, when he was pretending to be Haru, was from prior experience in that when he was introduced in the beginning, he was super overprotective of Haruaki that he had to be humbled by Sano and the other students in order to let loose. Hajime was like Ame, but a lot more stubborn as he hadn’t seen eye-to-eye with his own son for so long. In a way, I do like that Hajime isn’t antagonistic, but he very misguided.

Regardless, the part where Renka thinks about her son’s name was really nice. Even if their time was short, Hajime really did love Renka and she did as well. Even though giving birth to Rensuke would be life-threatening for her, she still went with it because she wanted to. The way she named Rensuke means that she wants him to make endless connections with others, which is why Class 2-3 and his friends are dear to Rensuke. They help him become who he is and why he chose to stay at Hyakki.

I guess my only gripe is that we don’t really know how Renka and Hajime got together. It’s just there. Like, was it an arranged marriage? Did they meet one fateful day and fell in love? The manga doesn’t really delve into this either. It just mentions that human and youkai couples do exist but doesn’t elaborate too much on it. The only other interracial couple known in the story are Hijita’s sister and her human husband, but they’re minor characters. It’d be nice if Yohaji had a future arc dedicated to a youkai and human love story, but I guess that’s what Haruaki and Rintaro’s relationship surmounts to if the author does make it canon?

Final Thoughts

It’s crazy how the anime I just chose to watch for Fall 2024 happens to be a hidden gem and something that I really enjoy! It’s thanks to A Terrified Teacher At Ghoul School (or Yohaji) that I made new friends and got to interact with more people on social media. Heck, I did put this as the anime I enjoyed the most in 2024! Most of all, I got to find another manga I am into.

Yohaji is seriously underrated. People might be turned off by a few things presented in the beginning like Haruaki’s fetish for uniforms that could be taken the wrong way, but it’s all around a gag manga that’s not afraid to shift genre at times. In fact, Yohaji basically has everything from comedy to action and from straight romance to potential queer ones. The author is not shy to put in everything and expand the world of their story because of it.

Because this is a school-environment story, there is a vast amount of characters. I do like that Haruaki isn’t the only human in the story and that the story doesn’t just focus only on him being afraid and teaching the youkai students, but it’s an expansive world where they intermingle. I love that a lot of the characters are different types of youkai and they have very unique backgrounds like how Beniko is raised by three dads, how Rintaro is from an all-female family except for him, how Mame is from a yakuza family and so forth. But having so many characters does have its downside as some characters aren’t as prominent as the others like the Satsuki, Daisy and Marilyn. I think those three have the least amount of screen time and focus compared to other 2-3 classmates. There are also a lot of teachers too, but the story makes you want to care only for a few of them like the teacher trio, the principal and Ebisu. Speaking of Ebisu, having gods be included into the story is also interesting seeing how Tanaka’s vision of a supernatural world isn’t limited to just youkai. Despite that, the author really knows how to make their characters have a role in the story no matter how minute they may be. That’s a good sign of storytelling, coming from a writer myself.

While the setting primarily focuses on the school, it’s never stuck to the classroom only and that the scenery does change a lot thanks to a special youkai magic door and other factors like field trips or home visits. I think it’s creative in a way because a bad storyteller would only try to focus on the classroom happenings, but a good one knows how to take that one-room setting and make it shine. In all honesty, school stories can be a hit or miss because of it—it’s a good thing that majority of authors that use the school setting know how to expand it.

The voice cast was surprisingly great. Despite the all-star cast from the drama CD getting recasted for the anime, it’s still a very good cast. A lot of the students are played by rookies, so I won’t say too much about their performances but the stand outs amongst the rookies are Saku Hyuuga playing Fuji, Reo Tanie playing Mame and Yuri Fujishiro playing Momoyama. Hopefully, Yohaji will be a good start for their career to flourish. Other than that, the adults are played by a plethora of high quality voice actors. Ryota Osaka is definitely the standout with this role basically making him abuse his lungs and throat due to the numerous amounts of times he has to scream. Another standout to me is Shun Horie as Rintaro because I usually associate him with voicing cute boys, so him voicing an adult and a rather calculative one that speaks in the Kansai dialect really stood out. The last of the standouts is Shouta Aoi as Akira because, like Horie, I usually associate him with cute femboys. Having Aoi voice a crazy psychopathic doctor was NOT on my bingo card, but it was welcomed. What’s also crazy is that the minor characters are all voiced by rather well-known voice actors like Haruaki’s parents being voiced by Kenichi Suzumura and Mamiko Noto, Mame’s dad being voiced by Katsuyuki Konishi and Hatanaka’s kids Saki and Kamae being voiced by Megumi Han and Mutsumi Tamura. It really makes you wonder if the lack of animation budget went to the casting…

And for the downsides, the anime really was not very pleasing to look at occasionally. The faces often look derpy and the way they animate certain chapters make the pacing go too fast that all the emotional immersive aspects is gone, like Episode 15 for example. The pacing and wonky animation really ruined the first “dark” arc of the story. On top of that, the anime changed a lot of things around and made it anime-original and sort of ruined a few things. One example is the entirety of episode 16 where it animated two manga chapters but made it entirely anime original. Yohaji is a story where the littlest of details is key to many different character stories and world building, so removing one is like rewriting an entire planet. The music was alright. Nothing too boring nor too ear-catching. 

Overall, if you want an anime that gives you laughs, I would recommend Yohaji, but watch the anime first because if you’re a manga fan and dive into the anime, the discrepancies will egg at you. The manga is definitely better, though. Will I be reviewing it by volumes? Of course! Keep an eye out for manga volume reviews from Arum Journal! Let me know your thoughts on the anime as a whole!

[technicallydelightfulpenguin]

I will stop bringing more controversy related to CreathingShitmera, because, there is nothing more to say because he has shown himself to be who he really is.

[miss0atae]

Final Thoughts about High School Frenemy:

It's the end, the series is over and I will miss it. To be honest, when it started airing, I didn't really want to watch it. I thought it wouldn't be for me (especially as it was a remake and I haven't watched the OG version). However, I had nothing to watch on a Monday so I gave it a try and fell down the rabbit hole. I became quite obsessed with the series.

It made me write long posts about the series (shorter one too, but they don't require the same energy) and it usually means that I'm captivated by what I'm seeing when I take the time to write them. The cast is really good and they did a great job playing their characters.

The chemistry between the main leads is what drew me first into the story. I thought they were carrying the show, but the series surprised me because they gave more screen time to their secondary characters, in the last quarter of the series. I really wanted to see that. I understand why it happened later and it kinda makes sense now.

If I have a small complaint it would be that the women characters weren't really interesting. They would have deserved a better role and better stories. It's a shame because I'm sure the actresses would have done a great job.

Overall, I really liked this series and it will probably among my favorites in 2024.

[doodlesdreaming]

Shin Megami Log 4(After Game Thoughts)

Finished SMT V during Christmas, and I have THOUGHTS.

I'm gonna put all that under the 'Read More' bit, so if any of you are interested in this game, then scroll past and no peeking.

Right then, final thoughts:

Brief history lesson first, I knew very little about the SMT series or the spin-offs like Persona. Of course, with how incredibly successful Persona 5 is, it's hard to miss any sort of info. But even then, my knowledge of the entire franchise was very limited. All I know is that it's basically the "Dark Souls" of RPGs with character driven stories that have of ingredients than a Final Fantasy title. At least, that was the vibe I was getting.

But even then, I never have been interested enough to want to give any of the games a try. I did get Persona Q2 back when I first heard of the 3DS dying out, but it mostly because I didn't want a Persona game with Joker's face on it to be forever lost. Weird I know, but that was my train of thought, at the time. But after clearing the first boss(and realizing that prior knowledge of Persona 5's story is an absolute must) I got bored and haven't touched the game since.

Fast forward a few years later, when Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne was announced with a HD port to current gen consoles. I was genuinely excited by the announcement. This meant that if I ever decided to give Nocturne a try, it'll be alot easier for me to do so now. Then after that came the biggest surprise of all; Shin Megami Tensei V.

Now this....this caught my attention. Though I can't really explain why. Was it the character designs? The gorgeous looking world? "D" all of the above? All I can say is that something 'clicked' and I was very interested. Even though it would take two years later until I actually got it.

And I'm so glad I did.

I was invested right from the start. From the silent "show don't tell" protagonist, all the way to Lufcier himself, the story, even with its swiss cheese holes in plot at some points, had me hooked from start to finish. The combat never got boring. I was constantly thinking of strategies and building up my demons that suited my needs and my playstyle. The world was incredibly fun to explore, even though the lighting choices, in some areas, made my eyes strain a bit. It would take me up til the big boss of the area for me to finally adjust.

And the bread and butter of it all, The Law and Chaos mechanics. A stable, I've come to understand, in the SMT series. Yet an important take away from all this is that nothing is as black and white as it seems on the surface. SMT is a franchise that makes you think. It makes you question yourselves and you inner most thoughts. And SMT V had me rolling in so many thoughts, that when I reached the 'alignment lock' of the game, I had to take a break because I was starting to get overwhelmed.

Of course, this could very well be a really weird quirk of mine. But when I get into a really good story, I REALLY get into it. And the choices I make would impact the ending I would get.

By all accounts, the Law ending would naturally mean the good ending, right? Well sure...if you can live with a Law that discriminates all other forms of thinking(a.e. free will), will not hesitate to punish they see as 'unfit' and the willingness to become corrupt yourself, just to prove a point. Sure. Law is the way to go.

The Chaos ending usually entails victory for the bad guys. And yet, there really isn't a clear "villain" in this case, other then the absolute obvious ones(f you Lamau). In Chaos, there is diversity, the freedom to choice your fate, to be yourself. And yet with so many possibilities, there will be disagreements, arguments of what is right and wrong, and power competing against power. No one really wins, and there is constant strife. But hope is just as abundant, with the capability that anything is possible.

The Neutral ending is well...the Neutral ending. You don't pick a side. You're that little kid that asks, "Why not both?" A balance of law and chaos. So understandably this would the best choice. Yes...except the neutral path follows a man who has been brought down low by both law and chaos. He lost everything precious to him, to the point where he belittles his fellow man if they show any sort of weakness. So the solution? Make humanity the leading power of the universe, but take away every viture and sin that exists in the heart and soul. And by extension, all the angels and demons in existence. Never to be even a story told by campfire light because it would never be allowed to cross through the mind. Humans would be free of woe and fear, and grow abundant in their everyday lives. But will it truly last?

You could probably guess which ending I ended up getting. And quite honestly, I'm satisfied with it. Plus it lines up perfectly with my ever growing headcanons of the Nahobino. So I'm taking it as a win.

I honestly can not recommend SMT V, especially if you're like me who enjoys a good rpg that I can sink my teeth into. It has it flaws, yes. But they feel so small that it doesn't really bother me. Some of them I can just 'fix' with good old imagination. And it's definitely inspired me to play Nocturne next, for sure. But first, I want to see if I can beat the Demi Fiend himself in combat....

There's so much more I'd like to talk about, but I think I rambled long enough.

The main takeaway? I LOVE THIS GAME. Definitely gonna be alot of fanart for sure. And I'm gonna get my hands on some merch when I can. It probably won't exceed my growing Darksiders collection, but it might come close in time, lol.

The other main takeaway from all this is that I get it now. I get the appeal and why this series is standing as strong as it is. HEE-HO!!!

[yen-sids-tournament]

Original or Remake pt. 1: Summary

The Stories we tackled were: The Little Mermaid, Dumbo, 101 Dalmatians and it's sequels, Aladdin, Alice in Wonderland, The Parent Trap, Sleeping Beauty/Maleficent, and Cinderella

Thank you to everyone who voted in the polls, shared and liked the polls, and added their own personal accounts! Below is a bit more detailed de-brief of the nine polls.

The top three stories most people voted on were Alice in Wonderland with over 500 votes then The Parent Trap and The Little Mermaid with over 300 each!

All of the Animated versions out preformed the Live Action. What is unique is the 101 sequels: Patch's London Adventure was the stand alone winner, but when adding "mostly" and full preferences together, Glenn Close's 102 takes the crown. The only remake which outright won was the Lindsey Lohan Parent Trap--perhaps that's because so few people knew there were two????

Looking at the numbers, 4 of the polls had a plurality winner: 101 sequels, The Parent Trap, Sleeping Beauty/Maleficent, and Cinderella. (Meaning none of the options surpassed 50% of the votes)

Pretty much all of the stories were loved in one form or another. Which makes sense because our sample size is biased. The most beloved story was Sleeping Beauty/Maleficent--only one person voted against them! However, the least liked story was Dumbo, with 15% of votes against it. Not even an hour after posting people called out the casual racism of 1941.

Aladdin and The Little Mermaid also have stage adaptations which a small percentage of y'all prefer. Guess we'll have to get Broadway tickets for whichever Disney productions we can if we ever get to NYC.

And speaking of Aladdin...The poor Live Action! We very rarely have a poll option no one votes for. We would like to assume that the preference for the Animated version is testament to Robin Williams and the other great performers instead of a general active dislike of the live action. Side note: "The Animated!" on this one was the highest percentage (82.9) any of the options got while the same option for Alice in Wonderland was the most individual votes (275).

We also wanted to note: we kept tabs over the week on the percentages for some of these polls. And what is interesting is that after the initial few hours, the polls would fall into their pattern. Like the Animated Little Mermaid kept around 66% the whole week. And almost a quarter of people liked both 101 Dalmatians movies the same through out. Although, we are happy to say Hayley Mills managed to grab a bit more vote share in the second half!

We are planning to do a second part of these polls in a few months as we gather submissions for the next big tournament we host.

[moon0fairy]

Monster next door final thoughts:

I really liked the series, even though it‘s not gonna be in my top 3 I still looked forward to every episode! I really loved their portrayal of introverted and extroverted characteristics (I also headcanon Diew as autistic) and that communication is key!!!

I really wished we got more Beer and Wan scenes in the final episode, at least them announcing their relationship to the group, it would’ve been adorable :(

I was a bit scared how they would resolve the Diew and his mom problem, but it was fine how they handled it and you can tell the mom is genuinely sorry