Winter 2023: A whole new look + What am I watching this season?
Starting in 2023, all of my anime reviews will be posted on this Substack blog as opposed to Twitter and Twitlonger.
With Twitter on the verge of dying any day now, I figured it might be appropriate to move my anime reviews to a site more fitting for blog-style posts. I’m still new when it comes to navigating Substack, so please bear with me as I make this transition! I think I’m planning to make at least one post per month when I don’t have a review post ready to share with everyone.
What am I watching this season?
That being said, just what exactly am I watching during the winter 2023 season? Well, originally this list started with only three to four shows, but as more release dates were confirmed the list has quickly expanded to include nine shows. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep up with weekly releases due to personal commitments, but I’ll certainly try my best (even if it means binge watching shows on weekends).
The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague
The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague is a fantasy rom-com, which features some notable voice actors including:
Ishikawa Yui (Haebaru from The Aquatope on White Sand, Reira from Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V) as Fuyutsuki-san
Kobayashi Chiaki (Yuuichi from Tomodachi Game, Rinnosuke from Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS) as Himuro-kun
Uchiyama Yumi (Puck from Re:Zero) as Komori-san
Uchiyama Kouki (Miyamura from Horimiya, Kaito from Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL) as Saejima-kun
Sakura Ayane (Yotsuba from Quintessential Quintuplets, Iroha from Oregairu) as Otonashi-san
Himuro is an office worker who belongs to a race of supernatural beings with strange powers. Whenever he is deep in concentration, he subconsciously plunges his poor coworkers into a close rendition of the Arctic. Even so, contrary to his icy powers, Himuro is a warm and kind person. He likes flowers and cats, but alas, he cannot get too close to either. Himuro has a soft spot for his colleague Fuyutsuki, a calm woman who has a knack for providing simple solutions to his unconventional problems. Whenever Fuyutsuki does something for him, a snowstorm of emotions builds inside Himuro's heart, and he fails to notice the raging snowstorm he causes on the office floor. Thanks to his snowy tantrums, Himuro's feelings are apparent to everyone but Fuyutsuki. However, fueled by immense adoration and desire, Himuro is prepared to do whatever it takes to capture her heart.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
The first episode was good! Based on the opening, it looks like Himuro and Fuyutsuki won’t be the only ship the show focuses on (rooting for fox girl!) I thought the chemistry between Himuro and Fuyutsuki was great and served as a solid introduction to their new friendship. Some netizens thought it was a bit repetitive, but I honestly didn’t mind getting to see Himuro blush and gush over Fuyutski multiple times; I thought it was cute, including the way he summons snowstorms and miniature snowmen in the office. I think the only thing that held it back was the pacing, but I’m sure that’ll fix itself in due time. I’m excited for this one particularly because I wasn’t the biggest fan of Wotakoi, and I thought Recovery of an MMO Junkie was a 7 out of 10 at best. I’m actually a huge fan of the character designs in this one (Fuyutsuki’s eyes and the variety of her earrings!), so hopefully studios Zero-G and Liber continue to deliver.
Spy Classroom
Spy Classroom is an action-comedy with a bit of mystery added to it. Seven spy trainees deemed as washouts by their original academies are grouped together to form Lamplight, a group of spies who will be sent on an “Impossible Mission,” missions that result in a 90% mortality rate even for first-rate spies. Their teacher is Klaus, a first-rate spy who claims to be the greatest in the world but is terrible at teaching.
Spy Classroom boasts a stacked cast of voice actors including:
Amamiya Sora (Aqua from Konosuba, Chizuru from Rent-A-Girlfriend) as Lily
Yuuki Aoi (Lucy from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Mami from Rent-A-Girlfriend) as Monika
Itou Miku (Miku from Quintessential Quintuplets, Kokkoro from Princess Connect) as Grete
Touyama Nao (Yui from Oregairu, Rin from Laid-Back Camp) as Sibylla
Kusunoki Tomori (Romin from Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS, Rovian from Yu-Gi-Oh! Go Rush!!) as Annett
Sakura Ayane (Yotsuba from Quintessential Quintuplets, Iroha from Oregairu) as Sara
Umehara Yuuichirou (Tsukasa from Romantic Killer, Kureno from Fruits Basket) as Klaus
After a gruesome war wreaked havoc on the general populace, the governments of the world turned to a more elusive tactic to further their agendas - a war fought in the shadows. Lily, a beautiful girl with white locks, is a student in one of the many institutions that train youths into becoming capable spies. Unfortunately, despite scoring well in the written exams, she only manages to barely pass her practicals. With no real world skills to speak of, her hopes of graduating are dismal - until she is offered an opportunity to join the mysterious team "Tomoshibi" and partake in an Impassable Mission. Excited by the prospect of working with the elite, Lily enthusiastically accepts. However, she is struck dumb when she arrives at Kagerou Palace and the true purpose of Tomoshibi and its hopeless situation comes into light. Joined by other problematic female spies along with a mysterious young man spearheading the operation, Lily realizes that this is not the ideal escapade she had pictured.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Unlike most folks on r/anime, I actually really liked the first episode! Coming off of watching Spy x Family, I’m definitely more interested in watching shows that integrate spy activity and espionage. It seems like a lot of people were disappointed by the expectations they had for the show to which I say that’s their own fault. A lot of comments also made comparisons to Assassination Classroom and Princess Principal, which are two shows that I haven’t seen so perhaps I’ll enjoy this one more than the traditional anime fan. Obviously there are a lot of characters to introduce, and not everything will be accomplished in 24 minutes. But I think Spy Classroom did a decent job of introducing us to the world and the problem these seven girls face. The focus of the first episode is on Klaus and Lily, the latter of which is designated the leader of Lamplight by the former. Based on first impressions, I was ready to assign this one a 7 out of 10 until the last five minutes or so when things started to get interesting (with a touch of humor to go with it!) Definitely keep an eye out for this anime as I’m expecting good things from it over the next few weeks.
Onimai: I'm Now Your Sister!
In my experience watching anime, gender bender (or magical sex shift as it’s called on MAL) is often hit or miss. Some titles I really enjoyed which use this concept include Your Name, Kokoro Connect, and Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches. Flops include Kämpfer and Gonna be the Twin Tail!! Coincidentally, this isn’t the only gender bender anime airing this season. This is all leading me to say that I’m cautiously optimistic.
Mahiro Oyama was just a normal eroge loving guy until he woke up one morning as a woman! Turns out his mad-scientist little sister Mihari tried out one of her new experiments on him with a disastrous outcome as far as Mahiro's concerned! But Mihari is as determined to study him as he is determined to go back to his shut-in, game-playing life, and one thing's for sure: life is going to get a whole lot weirder from here on out!
[Source: Kodansha USA]
By the end of the first episode, this all seems to be a ploy for Mihari to rehabilitate her older brother living the life of a NEET. I thought this was good; the comedy hit perfectly, there were some fun borderline ecchi moments, and I can totally see the series taking some crazy twists and turns. As pointed out by other netizens, the animation is quite fluid (sasuga Studio Bind) and is most noticeable in the ending song visuals. Also, can we talk about how Mihari not only found a way to change her brother’s gender but also regress his age? If you isolate those two things, Mihari could be making a LOT of money for anyone looking to transition or stay young and fit.
Anyway, I’m expecting a ton of smiles and laughs from this one, so if the premise doesn’t weird you out too much I welcome you to join in on the fun.
Ayakashi Triangle
Moving on, we have the second gender bender anime of winter 2023: Ayakashi Triangle. What sets this show apart from Onimai you might ask? More ecchi, so if ecchi ain’t your thing, skip this one. I actually tried to read the manga in preparation for this show, but I only got past the first chapter before shelving it. Not because I wasn’t interested in it but because I couldn’t be bothered to lay down and read it. I’d much rather just turn my brain off and passively absorb information through a visual medium like anime.
Notable voice actors include:
Ichinose Kana (Purin from Do It Yourself!!, Sayu from Higehiro) as Kanade Suzu
Chiba Shouya (Ayanokouji from Classroom of the Elite, Aoi from Iroduku) as Kazamaki Matsuri (male)
Tomita Miyu (Iino Miko from Kaguya-sama: Love is War) as Kazamaki Matsuri (female)
Ishige Shouya (Gojou from My Dress-Up Darling, Yusaku from Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS) as Ninokuru Soga
Arai Satomi (Beatrice from Re:Zero) as Ninokuru Ponosuke
Tomatsu Haruka (Hori from Horimiya, Anaru from Anohana) as Toba Yayoi
Matsuri Kazamaki and Suzu Kanade are childhood friends, bonded by their shared ability to see ayakashi - youkai in search of a life force to devour. However, in high school, their relationship deteriorates. As Suzu's one-sided feelings are growing, so is the difference in their ayakashi views: Matsuri considers all ayakashi a threat to his friend while Suzu is an ayakashi medium - someone who exudes a significant amount of life force compared to the average human - and loves them all despite the risk. When the two stumble upon a talking white cat named Shirogane, they are unaware that it is a four-hundred-year-old ayakashi known as the "King of Ayakashi." He is hell-bent on gaining even more power by devouring Suzu, but as Matsuri swoops in to try and save her by sealing Shirogane's powers, the ayakashi uses a jutsu to turn him into a girl instead! Matsuri vows to protect Suzu from further harm as her best friend, but he must learn how to act like a girl until his grandfather - a famous wind jutsu exorcist ninja - can undo the jutsu. Meanwhile, Suzu must work out her romantic feelings for Matsuri now that he is no longer a boy. But when Matsuri takes the king as his pet, the future of the two friends seems uncertain.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
A really solid first episode! Right off the bat, the opening is quite catchy. Not only that, but I thought the pacing was excellent. The exposition and backstory of Matsuri and Suzu doesn’t feel shoehorned and felt very natural. The animation, art, and insert songs were all fantastic.
I was not expecting Suzu to be the thirsty one in this relationship, so this should get interesting real quick.
My standards for action in anime aren’t very high, but I liked the fight scene between Shirogane and Matsuri. Also, has Shirogane, like, never met a gay person before? He is 400 years old, so I suppose that checks out.
Will this be yuri bait? It’s possible, but I really hope it’s not. On a more serious note, I’m wondering whether this anime will go the route of trashy ecchi gender bender action rom-com or if, as a result of Matsuri’s sex change, we’ll get to see him/her and Suzu question their sexual orientation and how it affects their long-standing relationship as childhood friends. It could get unexpectedly deep, and I’d be welcome to a change of pace.
Either way, this is bound to be hella spicy. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting the uncensored version until the Blu-rays are released. Lame. What’s the point in producing an 18+ anime if there’s censorship? sigh
High Card
High Card is a bit of a wild card because I have no idea what to expect. According to MAL, the genre is action with a focus on superpowers. Studio Hibari is also relatively unknown (at least to me) outside of a producing credit for Classroom of the Elite. The use of playing cards reminds me a bit of Alice in Borderland, whose live-action adaptation recently came to an end with the release of its second season on Netflix.
Some notable voice actors include:
Satou Gen (Tomozaki from Bottom-tier Character Tomozaki) as Finn Oldman
Masuda Toshiki (Tenjin from Fuukoi, Shark from Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL) as Chris Redgrave
Umehara Yuuichirou (Tsukasa from Romantic Killer, Kureno from Fruits Basket) as Vijay Kumar Singh
Horie Shun (Kazuya from Rent-A-Girlfriend) as Leo Constantine Pinochle
Shiraishi Haruka (Fumino from We Never Learn!, Aoi from Oresuki) as Satou Wendy
Morikawa Toshiyuki (Kazuma-shishō from Fruits Basket) as Greg Young
Sonozaki Mie (Shiunin Sora from Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V) as Brandy Blumenthal
Takahashi Rie (Megumin from Konosuba, Emilia from Re:Zero) as Sugar Pease
After discovering that his orphanage was on the brink of closing due to financial stress, Finn, who was living freely on the streets, set out for a casino with the aim of making a fortune. However, nothing could have prepared Finn for the nightmare that was awaiting him. Once there, Finn encountered a car chase and bloody shootout caused by a man's "lucky" card. Finn will eventually learn what the shootout was about. The world order can be controlled by a set of 52 X-Playing cards with the power to bestow different superhuman powers and abilities to the ones that possess them. With these cards, people can access the hidden power of the "buddy" that can be found within themselves. There is a secret group of players called High Card, who have been directly ordered by the king of Fourland to collect the cards that have been scattered throughout the kingdom while moonlighting as employees of the luxury carmaker Pinochle. Scouted to become the group's fifth member, Finn soon joins the players on a dangerous mission to find these cards. However, Who's Who, the rival car maker obsessed with defeating Pinochle, and the Klondikes, the infamous Mafia family, stand in the way of the gang. A frenzied battle amongst these card-obsessed players, fueled by justice, desire, and revenge, is about to begin!
[Source: TMS Entertainment]
Really enjoyable first episode! If you can’t already tell, it’s hard to upset me when it comes to anime. What stood out to me the most about High Card was its art style (with a nice color palette that pops) and well-animated fight sequences (the animation on the glove equipping is sick). This episode was also a really good example of “show don’t tell.” Going into this blind, it’s easy for the viewer to understand that Finn is trying to make a quick buck to save the orphanage. I wouldn’t be surprised if he grew up there himself. He keeps the two of Spades as a good luck charm, but by the end of the episode Finn unlocks the hidden power inside his playing card. I’m sure we’ll come to understand what exactly happened in the cold open within the next two or three episodes.
This is super random, but I couldn’t help but think Chamber from the video game Valorant would fit right into this show’s universe; he’s dressed the part, plus he wouldn’t mind being flashy when necessary. If someone’s card ends up giving them the ability to teleport, know that I’ll be watching with a smile on my face the entire time.
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten
Considering romance is my most frequently watched genre of anime, I’m obligated to watch any and all shows that look remotely interesting to me. The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten is also being produced by Project No. 9, and I’ve generally liked what they’ve made over the last two years (e.g., Love After World Domination, Higehiro).
Some notable voice actors include:
Iwami Manaka (Tooru from Fruits Basket, Teresa Wagner from Tada Never Falls in Love) as Shiina Mahiru
Shiraishi Haruka (Fumino from We Never Learn!, Aoi from Oresuki) as Shirakawa Chitose
Yashiro Taku (Luke from Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS, Natsuo from Domestic Girlfriend) as Akazawa Itsuki
After catching a cold by giving his only umbrella to a girl sitting in the rain, Amane Fujimiya only expects her to eventually return it. However, Mahiru Shiina, the "Angel" of Amane's school and his neighbor, instead gives him a lot more than that. Instead of just the umbrella, she insists on returning the favor by helping him recover from his cold. However, she is oblivious to the battlefield that is Amane's apartment. The only word Mahiru finds from her mouth to describe the chaos is "unsightly." But despite her unsympathetic description, Mahiru proceeds to help the hopeless Amane. The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten follows Amane as he is taken care of by Mahiru, who attends to various chores - from cleaning his apartment to cooking dinner. Is there anything that the Angel can not do?
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
I’m getting serious Tonikawa vibes from this description, so if this can be at least half of what the first season of Tonikawa was I’m sure it’ll hold me over until the second season arrives later this year.
I was surprised to see this one score so highly on MAL (above a 7.5), so my expectations were already heightened. Generally, rom-coms are subject to a lot more scrutiny than other genres. The first episode was good; I like how reserved and subdued our protagonists are. They seem quite chill and easygoing while also keeping their guard up around each other. I especially like Shiina’s attitude; it’s an interesting mix of stern but also cute. I could see her becoming the tsundere type as the show progresses.
I think the one moment that stood out to me was when Shiina fell on top of Amane. Not only did physics actually work correctly (i.e., no groping or perverted moment cliché), but both Shiina and Amane got back up and didn’t make a big deal out of it (though we do see Shiina blush after the fact, which is totally fine). The show is making a statement; it’s like it’s telling me, “Oh, you thought that was gonna happen? Nope. None of that BS,” which is refreshing and makes you wonder just how Amane and Shiina will come to understand each other. I’m intrigued and looking forward to more.
Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible
Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible is probably gonna be my fluffy high school rom-com of the season. Right away, I’m getting vibes similar to Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie, When Will Ayumu Make His Move?, and Aharen-san is Indecipherable. I’m excited to see what sort of relationship Nagisa and Junta will have.
Some notable voice actors include:
Hanazawa Kana (Ichika from Quintessential Quintuplets, Onodera from Nisekoi) as Kubo Nagisa
Itou Miku (Miku from Quintessential Quintuplets, Kokkoro from Princess Connect) as Kubo Akina
Amamiya Sora (Aqua from Konosuba, Chizuru from Rent-A-Girlfriend) as Kubo Saki
Taketatsu Ayana (Kotori from Date A Live, Nino from Quintessential Quintuplets) as Taira Tamao
High school student Junta Shiraishi has a simple goal - to live a fulfilling youth. However, achieving this goal appears to be harder than expected as everyone in his surroundings often fails to notice him due to his lack of presence. In fact, Shiraishi's lack of presence is so severe that people think his seat in class is always empty and mistakenly assume that he often skips school. There is even a weird rumor spreading around in class, claiming that those who successfully spot Shiraishi will be blessed with good fortune for the day. So far, the only person who notices his existence is Nagisa Kubo, the girl seated next to him. Unfortunately for him though, Kubo likes to tease him on a daily basis and often puts him into unprecedented and nerve-wracking situations. However, as Kubo's playful antics continue to involve the reluctant Shiraishi, he may soon discover that his youth might not be as boring as he initially thought.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
And the first episode went exactly how I thought it would go, which is a good thing! Kubo is just so cute, and I absolutely love how expressive she is (top notch pouting). It was also nice getting to see her older sister tease her about how happy she was. I don’t have anything else to say other than this show was made for me. Watch it.
Below are some screenshots to give you a taste of the Kubo’s cuteness.
The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World
I’m gonna be honest: this tweet from Crunchyroll is the only reason I picked this one up. I have a thing for red-haired girls in anime (e.g., Rias Gremory, Shirayuki, Yona), so why not give this one a try? It’s pretty generic as far as summaries go (plus it’s an action-fantasy taking place at a school), but who knows? Come the end of the season, I might be pleasantly surprised. The show is being produced by Cloud Hearts, a relatively new animation studio (founded in 2021), so approach with caution.
Some notable voice actors include:
Enoki Junya (Yuzaki Nasa from Tonikawa, Mukai Naoya from Girlfriend, Girlfriend, and Spider-Man in the Japanese dub for Tom Holland in Marvel movies) as Ray White
Uchida Maaya (Yamai Kaguya from Date A Live, Tachibana Rui from Domestic Girlfriend) as Carol Caroline
Waki Azumi (Senko from The Helpful Fox Senko-san, Hikage Takumi from Do It Yourself!!) as Rebecca Bradley
Hondo Kaede (Maple from BOFURI) as Claris Cleveland
Everyone knows of the most powerful soldier, the Iceblade Magician, who led the country to victory three years ago, but few know his true name: Ray White. After weathering through a bloody war, Ray enrolls at Arnold Academy, ready to experience a normal life - a luxury he never had. To further this goal, he keeps his identity as the Iceblade Magician a secret, the scars of the past still haunting him to this very day. Despite being ostracized for being a commoner, Ray befriends the prideful yet kind Amelia Rose, the muscle-brained Evy Armstrong, and the shy and bookish Elisa. However, conspiracy is lurking in the academy walls, and Ray is tasked with hunting down a spy whose motives remain unclear. To protect his newfound friends and the people he holds dear, Ray will do whatever it takes, even if it means confronting his past.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Well, it’s not looking promising. After watching the first episode, I felt like I learned absolutely nothing. The worst part about it was the horrendous pacing. It was fine up until the end of the first sorcery class. I would’ve much preferred more time spent in the classroom experimenting with sorcery techniques rather than Ray meeting his new friends in rapid succession (his first interaction with Evi lasted less than a minute). Why not spend more time on Ray and Amelia? Or tell us how Ray and Abbie are acquainted with each other! What is Ray’s purpose masquerading as a first-year student? The goals of an anime’s first episode are to set the tone and establish the protagonist’s goal; neither of those things happen in this one, so I’m left quite confused as I have nothing to look forward to. But hey, if you’re into generic action-fantasy shows, here’s your serving for the season.
BOFURI (Season 2)
Believe it or not, a friend of mine recommended this show to me after noticing that I really liked - of all anime - That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. Two vastly different shows, I know. Back when I finished the first season of BOFURI (August 2021), I was incredibly excited by the fact that a second season was confirmed for 2022. Unfortunately, I went the entire year without getting to see Maple destroy everyone with her incredibly overpowered abilities with a gentle smile on her face. For the uninitiated, here’s a brief synopsis of BOFURI:
After an enthusiastic invitation from her friend, Kaede Honjou reluctantly agrees to try New World Online: a very popular VRMMO played by thousands of people across Japan. Naming her in-game character Maple, she sets out on her journey. As a complete novice to such games, she allocates all of her stat points into vitality, desiring to not get hurt. With not a single point in any other stat, Maple has extraordinarily high defense, but she can't move quickly or hit hard. This doesn't end badly for her, however. Due to her high defense, Maple acquires overpowered skills such as Total Defense, Poison Immunity, and Devour. These skills, along with the incredibly powerful items she obtains, allow her to obliterate most enemies in a single hit. After only a few days of playing the game, Maple claims third place in a server-wide event, gaining a reputation as a player who is both unkillable and absurdly powerful. Despite her overpowered character, Kaede has much to learn. As she progresses through the game, she meets new friends and acquaintances, helping her complete new levels and events. Through all of her adventures, she may even pick up some other crazy skills that exceed all expectations.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
The true beauty of BOFURI is getting to watch Maple plow through her opponents with ease using her innovation, much to the chagrin of the game developers who are constantly malding over Maple’s ability to break the game’s balance. You’d think it’d get boring really quick watching an overpowered protagonist, but the absurdity of Maple’s strength along with her carefree attitude is what makes the show so compelling. There are so many “wtf that’s so stupid” moments, but they aren’t written to frustrate you. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. There’s very little drama, and the show has relatively low stakes (unlike Sword Art Online, for example). So sit back, relax, and enjoy as Maple and her guild wipe the floor with everyone in the server.
10/10 first episode. BOFURI seamlessly transported me back into its world and did a great job spotlighting our main cast and reintroducing us to their rivals. All while still providing the same amount of silliness and wholesomeness from season 1. I mean, just look at this screenshots! I couldn’t help but smile or laugh during each of these scenes! Moments like these are why I was anticipating BOFURI, and I absolutely cannot wait for my soul to be healed on Wednesdays.
What am I watching that’s not a seasonal anime?
With my IRL obligations growing in the next few weeks, I won’t have as much time to watch non-seasonal anime as often as I’d like. However, I do plan on finishing the following shows within the next month (before I become very busy).
Fruits Basket: The Final Season
I started the final season of Fruits Basket in mid-November 2022, and I’ve been putting it off for so long not because I’m not liking this season (in fact, I actually think this is the best one) but because so many other things (including anime) are higher on my priority list. Luckily, I’m more than halfway done, and I’m happy to report that the exposition I’ve been looking to has finally arrived, and the payoffs are fantastic. I cannot wait to see how this ends.
Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear
I picked up Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear mainly because it was recommended under shows similar to BOFURI, so I thought I’d give it a try. It seems like fun, but I’m not sure if I like how smug the protagonist Yuna is. Granted I’m only one episode in, but I shall soon see if she’s humbled over time. One of the best parts of BOFURI is how whimsical Maple is when it comes to her ability to fight, so it’ll be interesting to see if Yuna forms a party or faces any difficult opponents. One thing’s for sure: I’m definitely finishing this before the second season arrives in the spring.
Odds and Ends
To Your Eternity (Season 2)
The second season of To Your Eternity has slipped under most people’s radar mostly because those who watched the first season were expecting the same plotted formula: character buildup followed by a tragic death. But for those who stuck around, they have been rewarded with something even greater. Fushi is slowly reaching his full potential thanks to the help of Kahaku and Prince Bonchien, two new characters introduced in this season which takes place several centuries after season one. As the Nokkers become a more dangerous threat, Fushi must overcome his fear of losing the ones he holds dear in order to save the lives of thousands of civilians (even if they don’t necessarily believe in him or see him as an incarnation of the devil).
To Your Eternity features the vocal talents of both Koyasu Takehito (Clayman from That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Roswaal from Re:Zero) as Prince Bonchien and Tsuda Kenjirou (Seto Kaiba from Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, Tsuchiya from Romantic Killer) as the Black Hood.
After seeing enough death and tragedy, the immortal Fushi secludes himself on an island, defending himself from enemy Nokkers. However, instead of attacking Fushi in isolation, Nokkers begin targeting the settlements outside of his reach in hopes of luring him out. Soon, a group known as the Guardians - led by Hisame, the descendant of the deceased warrior Hayase - finds Fushi. Inspired by how Fushi protected Janada Island from the Nokkers years ago, the Guardians have grown a considerable following and are recognized throughout the world. Initially reluctant, Fushi allows the Guardians to accompany him to the site of the Nokkers' recent attack. In their village, Fushi meets a few valuable allies, both new and old. But as the conflict with the Nokkers only leads to more loss, Fushi must find the inner strength to face his inevitable sorrow.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Yu-Gi-Oh! Go Rush!!
I’ve already expressed my thoughts on Twitter, but I’ll reiterate them here as well. After taking a break from Go Rush after episode 28 (following the introduction of the Great King of Terror and Yudias’ duel against Rovian), I binged watched the remainder of the arc hoping that it would be a better experience than watching it weekly. Unfortunately, I soon found out that it didn’t matter; I simply saved myself from being disappointed week after week. I get that this show is supposed to be part comedy, but the fact that The☆Luge wasn’t a threatening villain whose manga is apparently so bad that it puts people in a cryogenic state was a huge letdown in my opinion. If it weren’t for Zwijo’s interference and the dramatic appearance of SEVENS’ Yuga, I would’ve probably stopped watching altogether. I will admit that episode 39 was a treat getting to see Yuga team up with Yudias and partially answer some questions about when Go Rush takes place in relation to SEVENS. It’ll be interesting to see what sort of role Yuga has in the story as the show enters its second year.
But for now, I think it’d be best for me to put Go Rush on hold again until at least episode 52 when the next arc ends not just because I think it’s better to binge watch but also for personal reasons that have soured my relationship with the Go Rush fandom and online Yu-Gi-Oh! community.
Final Words
Wow, this was a lot longer than I planned on it being, but don’t worry! I’m sure this won’t be the norm.
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