heavenly_pearl (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
heavenly_pearl) wrote2022-01-01 09:18 pm
heavenly_pearl) wrote2022-01-01 09:18 pm
Entry tags:
- anime,
- bakuman,
- death note,
- fanfiction,
- fruits basket,
- heaven's design team,
- laid-back camp,
- my next life as a villainess,
- oddtaxi,
- platinum end,
- pretty cure,
- requiem of the rose king,
- restaurant to another world,
- sakugan,
- sasaki and miyano,
- sk8 the infinity,
- takt op. destiny,
- the aquatope on white sand,
- the case study of vanitas,
- the night beyond the tricornered window,
- welcome to demon school iruma-kun,
- zombie land saga
Happy New Year! And Fall Anime Review
Did my usual look back at the fanfiction I wrote last year over on Tumblr!
2021 Fanfic Year In Review
2021 Fanfic End of the Year Asks
It's also time for the usual seasonal anime review, as well as the reveal of my top ten favorite series of the year!
The aquatope of white sand - Last season, I said this had the potential to be one of my favorite series this year, and I happy to say...it is! Kinda annoyed that the "visions" from the first half of the series never really went anywhere, but that's my only real complaint. Otherwise, the characters are great, the animation is gorgeous, and it's just a really, really good show!
(* means I didn't watch it simulcast, but picked up later)
And new category! My Anime Movie of the Year was... the Sailor Moon Eternal movies, of course! I don't think I ever got around to gushing about them here, but while the first film admittedly had some pacing issues, the second one was amazing and was about all I ever wanted as an animated version of my favorite manga arc.
2021 Fanfic Year In Review
2021 Fanfic End of the Year Asks
It's also time for the usual seasonal anime review, as well as the reveal of my top ten favorite series of the year!
The aquatope of white sand - Last season, I said this had the potential to be one of my favorite series this year, and I happy to say...it is! Kinda annoyed that the "visions" from the first half of the series never really went anywhere, but that's my only real complaint. Otherwise, the characters are great, the animation is gorgeous, and it's just a really, really good show!
Restaurant To Another World 2 - I don't know if this series really needed a sequel, especially several years after the first season originally aired, but I'm glad it got one anyway! I liked that this season brought back a lot of customers from the previous season, and of course, the food porn was incredible! Especially since a lot of the food highlighted this time were some of my personal favorites. I was always excited when it came to watch a new episode, to the point that I actually considered it one of my favorites of the year, as you'll see below!
The Night Beyond The Tricornered Window - I will say that this got off to bit of a rocky start, especially with how Hiyakawa was so possessive and controlling of Mikado (which is a BL trope I hate) but it got a lot better once the story started focusing on the main mystery. It helps that Hiyakawa was given an understandable backstory for why he acted that way and that the story never really portrayed their relationship as healthy or sexy, with several other characters calling out Hiyakawa's problematic behavior. Actually, for a story that's supposed to be BL, I have to say it kinda sucks as one, with a main couple who honestly don't have any real chemistry, but as a paranormal mystery, it's great!
The Night Beyond The Tricornered Window - I will say that this got off to bit of a rocky start, especially with how Hiyakawa was so possessive and controlling of Mikado (which is a BL trope I hate) but it got a lot better once the story started focusing on the main mystery. It helps that Hiyakawa was given an understandable backstory for why he acted that way and that the story never really portrayed their relationship as healthy or sexy, with several other characters calling out Hiyakawa's problematic behavior. Actually, for a story that's supposed to be BL, I have to say it kinda sucks as one, with a main couple who honestly don't have any real chemistry, but as a paranormal mystery, it's great!
Tropical-Rouge Precure - After complaining that Sango, Asuka, and Minori were being ignored in favor of Laura and Manatsu, this cour delivered by giving the other three Precures a couple of focus episodes each. It would have been nice for them to have been more spread out through the series, admittedly, but as much as I love Laura, it was kinda nice to have a break from the "Laura and Manatsu Show".
SAKUGAN - I'm not really sure how I feel about this mecha series, to be honest! It got off to an amazing start, and there are moments of that initial brilliance in later episodes, but there are also quite a few low moments. Overall, I really liked it, but I also thought it could have been even better.
takt op.Destiny - I feel the same about this series as I do about SAKUGAN. There were points I really, really liked, and I loved the character designs, especially for the Musicarts, but the villains were pretty weak and uninteresting, and the stuff with Anna near the end was just...weird.
Platinum End - Though I had heard some less than positive things about the manga this series is based off, I still wanted to give it a chance because I absolutely love Death Note and Bakuman, created by the same writer and mangaka. The verdict? Yeah, it's pretty bad. The main character, Mirai, is the complete opposite of Death Note's Light in that he's 100% opposed to killing in any situation, even self-defense, which is fine, but he also lacks Light's intelligence or charisma, making for a dull lead. The main villain, Metropolitan, is slighlty more interesting, but he's no L either. Honestly, the best character by far is Mukaido. It's too bad he's not the main character, because I think he has the most interesting story to tell. Also, there are a couple of sex scenes featuring minor characters that are purely there for shock value that I found rather off-putting. That being said, this first cour ended with one heck of a cliff-hanger, so of course I'll be sticking around for the second cour to see if things can get any worse. *laughs*
For the upcoming Winter season, I plan to keep watching Platinum End (assuming it resumes right away; details about the start of the second season haven't been given yet, but there was a title card for the thirteenth episode at the end of the last one) and Tropical-Rouge Precure. I'm also catching up with the first season of The Case Study of Vanitas (which Crunchyroll unexpectedly picked up a couple of weeks ago despite being originally a Funimation title) so I can watch the second season (assuming Crunchyroll also gets it from the start this time). For new shows, I'm hoping Crunchyroll also gets Requiem of the Rose King and Sasaki and Miyano, but those are the only two that have really caught my eye so far based on summaries.
And as for my Top 10 Favorite Series of 2021...
*drumroll*
For the upcoming Winter season, I plan to keep watching Platinum End (assuming it resumes right away; details about the start of the second season haven't been given yet, but there was a title card for the thirteenth episode at the end of the last one) and Tropical-Rouge Precure. I'm also catching up with the first season of The Case Study of Vanitas (which Crunchyroll unexpectedly picked up a couple of weeks ago despite being originally a Funimation title) so I can watch the second season (assuming Crunchyroll also gets it from the start this time). For new shows, I'm hoping Crunchyroll also gets Requiem of the Rose King and Sasaki and Miyano, but those are the only two that have really caught my eye so far based on summaries.
And as for my Top 10 Favorite Series of 2021...
*drumroll*
1. Fruits Basket
2. The aquatope on white sand
3. Zombie Land Saga Revenge
4. Sk8 the Infinity *
5. My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! X
6. Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun!
7. Laid-Back Camp Season 2 *
8. oddtaxi *
9.Heaven's Design Team
10. Restaurant To Another World
(* means I didn't watch it simulcast, but picked up later)
And new category! My Anime Movie of the Year was... the Sailor Moon Eternal movies, of course! I don't think I ever got around to gushing about them here, but while the first film admittedly had some pacing issues, the second one was amazing and was about all I ever wanted as an animated version of my favorite manga arc.
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