Review: In This Corner of the World
Anime Reviews, Movie Reviews Dustin Cabeal Anime Reviews, Movie Reviews Dustin Cabeal

Review: In This Corner of the World

By Dustin Cabeal

Animated movies from Japan tend to be amazing from a story and film perspective. Not because I’m biased, while I do love animated films in general, I will always prefer 2-D animation. No, the real reason is that it is 2-D animation and the bulk of the world has moved on from caring about the art form. It’s a shame, but because of that stories like In This Corner of the World aren’t held to the same storytelling restraints that most films are nor are they pigeonholed into tropes like anime. Simply put, Is This Corner of the World only works in this format because it’s allowed to create a new storytelling narrative that doesn’t rely on the three-act structure or any other structure that you’d associate with Japan.

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Review: Fuuka – Season 1
Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal

Review: Fuuka – Season 1

By Dustin Cabeal

There is a reason I don’t read manga and then watch the anime adaptation, and it’s because of series like Fuuka. I have had a hate-hate relationship with this series if you refer to my single episode reviews. The music was bad and yet the entire premise centered around music. The love-triangle was being forced heavily even though readers of the manga know it was pointless.

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Review: Saekano: How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend – Flat (Season 2)
Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal

Review: Saekano: How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend – Flat (Season 2)

By Dustin Cabeal

The problem with a lot of anime, especially of the harem variety, is that they’re great for six episodes and then not so much.  That was true of the first season of How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend which started with a solid introduction to the characters and the premises and then sat on its ass for the last six. With the second season, it was in reverse, sitting on its ass in the beginning and then cranking out the story at the end.

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Review: Renai Boukun – Season 1
Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal

Review: Renai Boukun – Season 1

By Dustin Cabeal

For some reason, Renai Boukun translates to “Love Tyrant” which personally doesn’t make a damn lick of sense with this story. A longer title for it is, “The Very Lovely Tyrant of Love” which makes even less sense. Mainly because there’s no tyrant in the story nor does anyone act like one. I'm not picky, but rather preparing for anyone that complains about me not calling it “Love Tyrant” and instead referring to it as Renai Boukun throughout the rest of this review.

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Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal

Review: Tsugumomo – Season 1

By Dustin Cabeal

If you follow the site, you’ve probably noticed a lack of anime reviews lately, and that was intentional. Not that anyone gives a hoot, but my writing time is limited, and it got to the point that I wasn’t able to keep up with episode reviews and host an anime podcast. Instead, I decided to review first episodes and entire seasons. Partially to see how my thoughts are shaped and formed over the course of the season. With that comes the possibility of only first episode reviews because I’m not above dropping a series I’m not enjoying.

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Review: My Hero Academia E.025
Anime Reviews Shanel Kamara Anime Reviews Shanel Kamara

Review: My Hero Academia E.025

By Shanel Kamara

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed how different Todoroki’s hair looks since his battle with Midoriya. It’s funny how his hair almost reflects his state of mind. Before his hair was flat and lifeless giving him an air of indifference, frigidity, and formality but after his fight with Midoriya it has assumed a more tousled look.

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Review: My Hero Academia E.024
Anime Reviews Shanel Kamara Anime Reviews Shanel Kamara

Review: My Hero Academia E.024

By Shanel Kamara

Things are beginning to heat up in Boku no Hero Academia, this season, with the arrival of a new antagonist and the upcoming long awaited battle between Todoroki and Bakugou. The appearance of the Hero Killer, Stain this episode is one that is bound to initiate the start of a potential all out war between the league of super villains led by the notorious Shigaraki Tomura and class 1-A’s students.

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Review: My Hero Academia E.023
Anime Reviews Shanel Kamara Anime Reviews Shanel Kamara

Review: My Hero Academia E.023

By Shanel Kamara

The long awaited battle between Midoriya and Todoroki has finally arrived! Nevertheless, I am still reeling over the shock of finding out about Todoroki's tragic childhood. I know that it was several episodes ago that we learned of Todoroki's dysfunctional family but I still cannot believe Todoroki's own mother poured boiling hot water on him because she considered his left side 'unsightly.' It's not his fault! However, despite how cruel and awful the act was, I can't help but feel sympathetic towards her; Endeavour drove her to edge and during the midst of her breakdown she saw her defenseless son as a subject to vent her anger.

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Review: My Hero Academia E.022
Anime Reviews Shanel Kamara Anime Reviews Shanel Kamara

Review: My Hero Academia E.022

By Shanel Kamara

Okay so it’s official, Boku no hero academia is truly befitting of a place in MY top ten anime series (emphasis on mine and not on MyAnimeList). Every episode this season, so far, has been more rousing than the previous one, but this week’s episode was exceptional. All the episodes revolving around the sport’s festival have been thrilling as well as moving, but Uraraka and Bakugo’s fight was profoundly inspiring. The duration of their match was not brief like Yaoyorozu and Tokoyami’s fight, and stems primarily from the fact these two characters are part of the main cast. However, this episode was not merely about highlighting the face-off between two main characters, but it was also subtly about the enduring battle for equality among the sexes.

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Review: Kenka Banchou Otome: Girl Beats Boys E.02
Anime Reviews Shanel Kamara Anime Reviews Shanel Kamara

Review: Kenka Banchou Otome: Girl Beats Boys E.02

By Shanel Kamara

If I didn’t actually know the title of this series, I would have just thought that the plot revolved around an effeminate male whose physical prowess is counterintuitive. The title is essentially the only indication of the protagonist’s sex. I understand that in order for the female protagonist, Hinako Nakayama, to swap places with her twin brother and for the swap to be believable, she cannot be overtly feminine. However, what I don’t understand is why every aspect of her form had to be completely devoid from femininity; she could have at least had longer eyelashes! Her twin brother Hikaru Onigashima ends up wearing a long wig in order to convince the people in Hinako’s life that he is indeed Hinako. The fact that he does this is just bizarre in my opinion, Hikaru and Hinako are identical twins which means that Hikaru donning a girl’s uniform should really be more than sufficient. Hinako doesn’t even have long hair, so why should her twin brother have to wear a long wig in order to persuade people that he is a girl?

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Review: My Hero Academia E.018
Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal

Review: My Hero Academia E.018

By Shanel Kamara

Things are heating up at UA academy's sports festival, literally. The competition between Bakugou, Midoriya, and Todoroki is fierce; it’s non-stop action from start to finish with Midioriya being the center of it all; Class 1-B’s presence only makes matters more explosive when Neito Monoma, a student from Class 1-B, challenges Class 1-A by abruptly taking Bakugou’s headband. Neito’s bold and rather shrewd move garners a lot of attention for Class 1-B, and for the second time this season we get the chance to find out what some of the students from Class 1-B abilities are. Neito’s copying ability is reminiscent of Rogue from the X-men; his snide personality only exacerbates Bakugou further.

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Review: My Hero Academia E.015-017
Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal

Review: My Hero Academia E.015-017

By Dustin Cabeal

If you’ve listened to our anime podcast Super S – Anime Podcast or read any of my past anime or manga reviews for My Hero Academia, then you know that I’m not hyped on this anime. It came just after One-Punch Man, and so the expectation was that it would be handled with the same level of care as OPM. It wasn’t. The first season was not brilliant and frankly dragged in all the wrong places, while rushing its way to the ending.

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Review: Attack on Titan E.029
Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal

Review: Attack on Titan E.029

By Dustin Cabeal

Admittedly, I’ve fallen behind on reviewing this show. I still haven’t quite figured out what day it releases because I’m just watching it on Hulu. Fuck I wish they were getting more simulcast titles now that I’ve gone commercial free. Anyway, I would have bunched a few of the episodes together for review, the 27th episode was character driven, and the last episode just had too much going on. I will probably just talk about it on the podcast and call it a day.

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Review: Busou Shoujo Machiavellianism E.03
Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal

Review: Busou Shoujo Machiavellianism E.03

By Dustin Cabeal

This show… I don’t even know if it’s really trying to be believable and yet, I can’t stop watching it. The premise, again for those who forgot, is about a school dominated by girls that discipline delinquents that arrive at their gates. Boys, in particular, are treated like scum because let’s be honest, they’re scum. This made the formation of the Five Swords. A group of girls that rule over the school and are allowed to carry actual swords and are masters of their different sword styles.

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Review: Tsuki ga Kirei E.01
Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal

Review: Tsuki ga Kirei E.01

By Shanel Kamara

Tsuki ga Kirei is a very distinct romance series in that both protagonists become aware of each other simultaneously. Often in traditional romance series, the male character or female character – depending on the demographic – becomes interested first, before the subject of their affection reciprocates or rejects their feelings. It is very rare in romance series for the protagonists to have mutual feelings at the beginning and it is usually at least halfway or near the end of the series when the characters admit that they have feelings for each other. Typically, romance series conclude with the main characters becoming a couple or entering a close relationship.

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Review: Berserk (2017) E.03
Anime Reviews Robert Ramos Anime Reviews Robert Ramos

Review: Berserk (2017) E.03

By Robert Ramos

Why hello, everyone! It’s been a hot minute since I’ve gotten my ass into gear and reviewed anything and what better way to kick off my return to reviewing with something that I hold near and dear to me…Berserk. Yup, the second season is in full force and I am one happy camper!

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Review: Saekano: How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend S2 E.00-01
Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal

Review: Saekano: How To Raise A Boring Girlfriend S2 E.00-01

By Dustin Cabeal

The first season of Saekano was very enjoyable up until the Cousin character was added. After that, it just became a dense man surrounded by beautiful women and not fighting off their advances, but just playing dead and each of them taking turns trying to pounce him while the others fought each other. It ceased being enjoyable at that point, but I finished the season hoping that they would lay the groundwork for something more. That something more was just that “hey, we haven’t made that game yet… so we’re going to keep doing that.”

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Review: Fukumenkei Noise E.01
Anime Reviews Shanel Kamara Anime Reviews Shanel Kamara

Review: Fukumenkei Noise E.01

By Shanel Kamara

Finally, it’s here! I’ve been waiting for more than a year for the release of the anime adaption of Fukumenkei Noise, and it’s finally here. Naturally, I had certain expectations for the show that is an adaption of a fairly popular and ongoing drama romance manga. However, before I delve into whether episode 1 met, partially met, or exceeded my expectations, I’ll briefly explain what Fukumenkei Noise’s plot is about.

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Review: ID-0 E.01
Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal Anime Reviews Dustin Cabeal

Review: ID-0 E.01

By Dustin Cabeal

The problem with checking out every new anime show possible is that eventually, you run into something like ID-0. Something that I have zero interest in ever watching again, mostly because I’m not even sure who it’s geared towards, if I had to guess, I would say tweens, which I am not.

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