Youjo Shenki

Viktoriya Ivanovna Serebryakov writes in her journal about her time in the army and her thoughts on Tanya Degurechaff. She believes Tanya is a kindhearted person, although she can be scary at times. Viktoriya also asks Tanya what the word “salaryman” means, as Tanya had mentioned it at one point. Although Tanya tells her not to worry about it, the word prompts her to reflect on how she ended up in this world. Despite adapting to her new life, she still resents Being X for bringing her here and repeatedly putting her in danger in an attempt to make her acknowledge him as a God. Meanwhile, Viktoriya can only watch as Tanya makes a variety of facial expressions while lost in thought. When Viktoriya asks what she was thinking about, Tanya claims that she was thinking about dinner and how delicious it is going to be. Thats the reason she couldn't help but smile to herself.

Youjo Shenki is a series of short episodes that last around two to three minutes each. It was fun to see the characters from Saga of Tanya the Evil doing things like playing card games and celebrating at a restaurant. The chibi versions of the characters also reminded me of Isekai Quartet. The series remains mostly clean, although there is a scene in which Viktoriya Serebryakov reveals some skin after unbuttoning the top of her uniform. However, the chibi character designs lack the depth and detail of the original designs, making it difficult to view the scene as fan service. If you enjoyed the main series, Saga of Tanya the Evil, this mini-series might be worth checking out as well.

Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs Season 2

After Leon stops the attack by the Fanoss Principality, Princess Hertrude is taken captive, and Leon is rewarded with the title of Viscount. As a result, girls begin sending him letters, but none of them are motivated by love. Instead, they are all interested in his status. After rejecting their offers to be with him, Leon visits a bulletin board that advertises news and job opportunities for students. There, he learns that the Saint is looking for guards. Although he isn't interested, he receives an order from the palace to participate in an expedition.

Despite his achievements, the nobles of the Kingdom of Holfort still don't trust Leon. They decide to send him to a floating island where "treasure" is said to be hidden, requiring him to use his own spaceship. They also send Princess Hertrude along, hoping Leon will fall into a trap they've set for him. Duke Redgrave and the kingdom's minister want to protect Leon because he helped their families in the past, but they lack the influence needed to change the court's decision. As a result, Leon sets off for a mysterious floating island covered in trees and home to a village of elves. However, will the elves welcome him after being enslaved by humans?

Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games Is Tough for Mobs Season 2 was interesting, with both good and bad aspects. The fights are really cool and remind me somewhat of I'm the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire. This season also answers questions that were left unresolved in the previous one, such as who Marie is and why she's taking over the role of the protagonist. The show's sense of humor is pretty funny as well.

The change in animation and art style was a little strange at first, but I got used to it by the end of the first episode. There are a few instances of fan service throughout the season, including a bath scene in the first episode, a scene in the finale where Olivia and Angelica wear revealing dresses, and a short clip of Leon imagining himself at the beach with the two girls wearing bikinis. The season also contains quite a bit of swearing. While I don't appreciate the unnecessary fan service, I still think the anime's unique story makes it worth giving a try.

Heroine? Saint? No, I’m an All-Works Maid (And Proud of It)!

Celesty McMarden has dreamed of becoming a maid ever since she saw one as a child and was captivated by her beauty. She secretly trained to become a maid until she turned fifteen. After her mother passes away, Celesty discovers a letter revealing that her mother knew about her dream and had once been a maid herself before becoming a mother. Her mother's final wish was for Celesty to become the best maid in the world. Determined to fulfill that wish, Celesty resolves to pursue her dream not only for herself but also in her mother's memory. It is then that she awakens her maid magic.

After using magic to change her hair and eye colors, she adopts the name Melody Wave and heads into town to find work through the Commerce Guild. She lands a position at the Rudleberg estate as an all-works maid, meaning she will be responsible for handling every task in the mansion on her own. When she arrives, the estate looks as though it's haunted. The walls are crumbling, the trees are dead, and crows circle above the rooftop. As Melody searches for the servants' entrance, she is greeted by a young girl with messy blond hair. The girl introduces herself as Luciana Rudleberg and explains what will be expected of her in the position. Melody enthusiastically accepts the job and puts her all into every task as she begins working toward her dream of becoming the world's best maid.

Heroine? Saint? No, I'm an All-Works Maid (And Proud of It)! was really good! It was cool to see a protagonist whose dream is to become a maid. What's even funnier is that Melody is completely oblivious to the fact that her existence is essential to the world. Usually, characters who are powerful but don't realize it can bother me, like Lloyd from Scooped Up by an S-Rank Adventurer. However, Melody always approaches things with a positive attitude, which I think is what sets apart the oblivious characters I enjoy from those I don't.

All the characters remain modest, too. There is a scene where Melody uses magic to create a maid outfit, and it plays out somewhat like a magical girl transformation sequence. However, her entire body is censored, although you can still see its outline. There's also a bath scene, but Melody is wrapped in a towel for the majority of it. If you enjoy fantasy or slice-of-life anime, I would definitely recommend giving this one a try!

The Forsaken Saintess and Her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World

Rin Takanashi is a Japanese girl who loves camping. After getting caught up in a saint summoning, the summoners decide that her skill is worthless and abandon her in a place called Lake Lear. With nothing else to do, Rin decides to go fishing. However, instead of catching a fish, she pulls an adventurer out of the river who had fallen in after running out of stamina while climbing a mountain. Once he wakes up, she feeds him and learns that his name is Vil and that he belongs to a race called the Dragoul. Vil explains that Rin is on a continent originally created by demi-humans who were tired of the human supremacy that ran rampant throughout the world. Eventually, humans who preferred to coexist with demi-humans also began settling on the continent. After enjoying her delicious Risotto, Vil invites Rin to join his adventuring party, Smorgasbord, as their cook and porter. After thinking it over for a night, Rin accepts and sets off for the nearest town to meet her new traveling companions.

The Forsaken Saintess and Her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World was great! I really enjoyed the personalities of the members of Smorgasbord and how well they interacted with one another. It was cool to see not only magic but also the characters using the unique abilities of their respective races. For example, Aria uses her spider thread to attack monsters. The series reminded me a little of Campfire Cooking in Another World, particularly because of its focus on food and Rin taking a winged cat as her familiar. However, overall, it bears more of a resemblance to Princess Connect! Re:Dive because it focuses on an adventuring party whose members love discovering and eating delicious food.

There is a hot springs scene, but the girls remain dressed, so their skin isn't exposed. The scene is also viewed from above, keeping the focus off their chests, unlike most hot springs scenes in anime. There is some swearing here and there, but it isn't particularly noticeable. If you enjoy anime that focuses on cooking, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a try!

You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2

Miyu Suzuki and her friends from Class 2-7 are back! With their end-of-term tests over, winter break is finally here. To celebrate, the class holds a feast in their classroom. Meanwhile, Nishi and Honda walk past and compare the sight of everyone eating to the Straw Hat Pirates from One Piece. Yamada offers them some fried chicken, but they decline because their hands are full of bags. Before going their separate ways, Yamada and Honda say goodbye and wish each other well until next year. However, Yamada secretly makes plans to meet up with Nishi by pointing at his phone and silently mouthing that he'll text her.

Afterward, Watanabe, Sato, Azuma, Taira, Suzuki, Tani, and Yamada head to a neighborhood decked out in Christmas lights and decorations. They take pictures and chat about their plans for winter break. As they walk home together, Taira and Azuma gradually grow closer. Meanwhile, Tani and Suzuki decide to bake a cake together on Christmas Eve. They go shopping for ingredients before preparing a delicious-looking dessert. After dinner, they exchange Christmas gifts. Both have bought each other gloves to help keep them warm during the cold winter months ahead.

You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 was really good! However, it felt different from Season 1. The first season was more lighthearted and followed the typical romance clichés found in many romance anime. In contrast, Season 2 focuses more on the characters' personal growth while continuing to develop their relationships. There are no lewd scenes, and although a swear word pops up here and there, profanity is kept to a minimum. If you enjoyed Season 1, I would definitely recommend giving Season 2 a try!  

Catch Me at the Ballpark!

Ruriko is a new beer vendor for the Chiba Motorsuns. During every baseball game, she makes her way through the crowd, selling beer and snacks. Her first customer is a man named Kotoro Murata. Rather than maintaining a strictly professional attitude, she teases him to convince him to buy from her. As time goes on, more and more people come to the stadium not just to watch the games, but to see Ruriko as well.

Catch Me at the Ballpark! was not what I expected. I initially thought it would be similar to Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You. The two are alike in the sense that Murata attends baseball games hoping to see Ruriko. However, Catch Me at the Ballpark! continually expands its cast of characters, making some of them less memorable. 

However, once I stopped comparing the two series, I realized that Catch Me at the Ballpark! has a lot of good points. The little stories dedicated to each character make it feel like everyone has a purpose. The variety is great, and I found myself hoping to see more of certain characters. You also get to know the players on the Motorsuns and watch them improve, not just as baseball players but as people, too.

Overall, while it's hard to classify this as a romance anime, I would say it's worth giving a try. There's no fan service, and the swearing is kept to a minimum.

The Insipid Prince's Furtive Grab for the Throne

Arnold Reks Adler is the seventh prince of the Kingdom of Andrias. While some see him as unmotivated and lacking in talent, he is secretly an SS-rank adventurer known as Silver. Although he is incredibly powerful, what Arnold really desires is for his twin brother, Leonard Reks Adler, to take the throne. However, the other royals won't go down without a fight.

The first thing Arnold does to help Leonard gain the upper hand in the succession is find allies. While most nobles and merchants have sided with the second princess, Zandra; the second prince, Eric; or the third prince, Gordan, Arnold heads to the Duchy of Kleinert. He initially visits as Silver, using the monster outbreaks in the area as an excuse to meet with the family. However, he is turned away at the gate because they refuse to believe that an SS-rank adventurer would show up in their territory.

Arnold then appears as himself and uses illusion magic to arrange a meeting with Silver in front of the duke's daughter, Finne Von Kleinert. They discuss their desire to gain the Kleinert family's support in helping Leonard become the next crown prince. After their conversation, Silver quickly takes care of all the monsters and returns to his room in the duke's residence using teleportation magic. However, Finne is waiting in the room when Arnold takes off his mask. With his identity revealed, he asks her to keep his secret. Finne tells her family that Silver has single-handedly wiped out all the monsters, and she expresses her desire to help Arnold and Leonard moving forward. The duke agrees to support Prince Leonard in the succession and sends Finne to the capital to aid them. Will Arnold be able to maintain his act as an incompetent prince while controlling events from the shadows?

The Insipid Prince's Furtive Grab for the Throne was cool to watch. While the fights aren't particularly long or drawn out, the way the story weaves individual events into a grand plan captivated me. It reminded me a little of The Eminence in Shadow.

There is a shower scene, a bath scene, and a scene in which Elna Von Armsberg and Finne Von Kleinert are shown in their underwear. While I wasn't happy about the unnecessary fan service, I would still recommend giving the anime a try. In my opinion, the story more than makes up for it.

Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You

Sasaki is an overworked corporate slave at a trading company. While some people turn to games or books to relieve stress, Sasaki visits the supermarket to see a cashier named Yamada, whose smile brightens his day. One day, after noticing that Yamada isn't working, Sasaki looks for a place to smoke. After wandering around, he is invited to smoke behind the supermarket by an employee he's never seen before. She asks him why he always lines up at Yamada's register, even when other registers are completely free. Suspecting him of being a stalker with ill intentions, she questions him about his behavior. However, when he explains that Yamada's smile is a treasure to him, she lets it go.

The next time Sasaki goes to Yamada's register, she tells him that Tayama mentioned he was her fan and that it made her happy. Caught off guard, Sasaki drops his point card. Embarrassed that Yamada learned about their conversation, he decides to visit Tayama again. When they meet to smoke behind the supermarket, he tells her that he didn't appreciate her revealing their conversation and that he now feels embarrassed every time he goes to register #2. Despite this, Sasaki gives Tayama his favorite snack, Yummy Mochi Chips, as thanks for letting him smoke with her the other night.

After a few conversations, Sasaki starts wanting to visit the supermarket not just to see Yamada, but to spend time with Tayama as well. However, Tayama is keeping a secret from Sasaki. Will their relationship change if he finds out?

Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You was good. In the past, I've mentioned that I'm not a big fan of adult romance anime, but watching this made me realize that it's office romances that bore me. I really enjoyed watching Tayama and Sasaki get to know each other as they talked about things happening in their lives. The anime felt very relatable in that sense. While I enjoy the typical hand-holding and dates that you see in most romance anime, watching two people grow closer through casual conversations felt like a nice change of pace. The anime doesn't have any lewd scenes, either. If you enjoy romance anime, I would suggest giving this one a try!

On Your Mark

One day, the police burst through the window of a religious building and attack the residents. Inside, the officers discover a room filled with people wearing hazmat suits lying on the floor. As the search continues, a winged human is found unconscious on the ground. The two officers help her regain consciousness before transporting her in a police vehicle. After discovering that she is being experimented on, the officers break into the facility and free her from her cage. Using a car to escape, the trio hopes to reach a place where the winged human can finally be free.

On Your Mark was interesting. I decided to watch it because it was only seven minutes long and was created by Studio Ghibli. However, since it had no dialogue, I had to watch it multiple times to understand what was going on. Still, I think it was a cool idea. The world portrayed in the video has a post-apocalyptic feel to it. If you are a fan of Studio Ghibli, I would suggest giving this short film a try.

The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker

 

Atobe Arihito wakes up in a long line after dying in a bus accident alongside his colleagues. He is greeted by a woman who tells him to visit the guild and find a job. He then finds himself in Labyrinth Country, a place where people explore dungeons that connect to various parts of the world. Upon arriving at the guild, he learns that a girl is looking for people with rearguard classes to help her. Unsure which class would suit him best, Atobe simply writes “Rearguard” on his license, and the guild accepts it as his new class. Since no one has ever listed Rearguard as their class before, the guild receptionist warns him that it will probably be difficult to find a party without knowing what his class can do. Atobe then heads to the mercenary guild, where he meets and hires a lizardman girl named Theresia. Together, they venture into the dungeon, where Atobe begins to discover his various abilities, including shielding his party from attacks and making their attacks more powerful.

The World's Strongest Rearguard: Labyrinth Country's Novice Seeker was enjoyable. I particularly liked that the monsters were different from those typically seen in fantasy anime. Instead of slimes and goblins, you encounter cotton balls and harpies. I found it interesting that the characters' licenses serve as more than just identification; they function more like phones, keeping track of their skills and other information. The anime features some fan service, including a bath scene, a beach episode, and scenes that show off some of the characters' cleavage. If you enjoy fantasy anime, I would recommend giving this one a try.

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You Season 3

A TV show host for Love Talk! Spill the Deets! shows up at the mall and sees a group of girls. She asks them if they have any stories about things their boyfriends have done recently to make them feel cherished. Each girl shares a story that starts out romantic but takes an unconventional turn.

Hahari shares a story about how one of her heels broke during a date, and her boyfriend caught her before she could fall. He then carried her for the rest of the date. Next, the host talks to Meme about her experience. Meme shares how her bra came unclasped and her boyfriend held it together. However, instead of using a safety pin, he used his fingers to hold it in place the entire time. After that, the host turns to Shizuka, who explains that her boyfriend wanted to share her love of books, so he memorized entire novels to discuss them with her. The other interviews follow the same pattern, and the host becomes convinced that boyfriends these days are turning into monsters. However, unbeknownst to the host, all the girls in the large group happen to be dating the same guy!

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You Season 3 was great! There is so much to love about this anime. The characters are absolutely hilarious, and Hakari and Karane's arguments always make me laugh out loud. Hahari's reactions to different situations add to the show's humor, and I love the relationships Shizuka shares with both Nano and Rentaro.

Another fun aspect is the different drugs Kusuri creates, which cause all sorts of unforeseen chaos. The way the characters break the fourth wall and reference various other anime and manga is also a source of enjoyment. There were some inappropriate scenes, such as a bath scene, a hot spring scene, a shower scene, and a scene that shows Nano's cleavage. If you enjoyed the first two seasons, I would definitely recommend giving the third season a try as well!

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4

The Festival was a success in getting other nations interested in what Tempest has to offer the world. After everyone has gone home, Rimuru inspects the Magitrain site. The children he taught are brought to a new school in Tempest, where they are taught by Hinata the Saint.

Meanwhile, Ramiris, Veldora, Mjollmile, the Hero Masayuki, and Rimuru work together to improve the dungeon after receiving complaints that it is too difficult. What they discover is that the adventurers attempting to conquer it are simply too inexperienced. Masayuki suggests creating a class to teach adventurers how to conquer the dungeon. However, what really changes the situation is Mjollmile's suggestion to add a monetary reward. This change brings adventurers there in droves.

However, the path to peace isn't an easy one. Many people still see Rimuru as an enemy. Will he be able to gain the trust he needs to create a world where humans and monsters can live in harmony?

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4 was exceptional. The animation, story, and action were unbelievable. There were many new characters introduced who were exciting to see, and we also got to learn more about the backstories of some of the older characters, which was interesting. If you've enjoyed the anime so far, I would definitely suggest giving Season 4 a try.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Tears of the Azure Sea

Rimuru and his friends are invited to a tropical resort by Queen Elmesia. They fly to the island aboard her dragon airship and immediately begin relaxing in their own ways. While Rimuru, Shuna, Shion, and Eren are walking around, Gobta notices that a suspicious girl has been following them, so he confronts her. She says her name is Yura and claims that she just happened to be walking in the same direction as them.

When Gobta and Yura are attacked and later found by Rimuru and his friends, Yura opens up about what is really going on. She tells them that she is a priestess from the country of Kaien. She left the country after learning about a secret plot to abuse their guardian deity and is now being pursued. Will Rimuru be able to save a country that is being destroyed from within?

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Tears of the Azure Sea was really good. The animation was absolutely beautiful, and the sea and birds looked especially realistic. The action was good too. What surprised me was that the majority of the focus was on Gobta. It was kind of nice to see him get more screen time.

Since the movie is set at a tropical resort, you do see girls in bikinis, but it didn't feel too distracting to me. If you enjoy That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, I would definitely give the movie a try. It takes place between Season 3 and Season 4 if you want to watch it chronologically.