After watching the 1st episode, I thought the criticism on MAL and elsewhere were overstated, since OPM is really about the story, characterization and humor. Thus, less than stellar animation was fine by me.
What is NOT fine is destroying the genuinely good bits from the Manga and ruining character building arcs. They literally skipped over Child Emperor's big moment of growth and replaced it with garbage. WHY???
Since the manga takes a billion years to release new chapters, I hadn't bothered to read it since S2 of the anime ended. Imagine my surprise to see it have an excellent continuation, which only makes the butchering of
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Nov 13, 2025
Ninja to Gokudou
(Anime)
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Ninja vs Yakuza is a crazy concept, and you should watch it knowing that this anime follows the Baki school of logic. That is, everything goes as long as it's cool.
Similar to Baki, it has interesting characters who have ridiculous powers and 2 sides face off against each other. It has some hilarious dialogue as well. One particular instance has a Yakuza guy lamenting the loss of his comrade saying that "he only tortured like 10 people, he didn't deserve to die!" Yakuza here are not at all glamorized and they are obviously shown to be scum of the earth, but the characterizations are so good, and ... 
Aug 14, 2025
Since it's rated 8.7 on MAL, and it focuses on U-18 professional clubs rather than high school, I thought it would be similar to "Catenaccio" another such manga.
But Aoi Ashito feels like he's written to make you like him, and feels too artificial and forced. And the writing itself is childish so I suspect that it will only find purchase among children. After 18 chapters, I do not care one iota about Ashito. He showed nothing of worth from Chapter 1, and if it weren't rated 8.7 on MAL, I would have dropped it after the first chapter. I usually end with a silver lining or mention ... 
Jul 30, 2025 Not Recommended Funny  Preliminary
(4/12 eps)
Under-rated seasonal anime. It really should be at least 7.30 instead of the 6.30 it currently sits at.
Story may be so-so, but the production and direction are top notch. And the characters are well-crafted. Every girl has her own thing going, and after 3 or 4 episodes you root for all of them. Making the protagonists actually likeable is a dying art, so it's doubly satisfying to see it here. Soundtrack: 10/10 By soundtrack, I don't mean OP or ED, I mean the actual sound that plays during the episodes. Almost all anime in the last decade resort to doing cookie cutter bland stuff that has little ... 
Apr 30, 2025
Mekkoku no Kangan
(Manga)
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This is criminally underrated, and a masterpiece in the making. If you liked "A Bride's Story" then you will probably like this as well. Similar vibes.
'Eunuch of Empire' is set in an AU of the Ottoman Empire at it's zenith, when it encompassed all of the Balkans, Hungary and Ukraine in Europe. Basically the same borders as the Eastern Roman Empire. The story starts off in the Emperor's Harem, and the protagonist is an intelligent young Eunuch named Jafar. Since almost every male character you see in the manga is a Eunuch, it should be obvious that there will be no romance between the harem women ... 
Apr 16, 2022
Ryman's Club
(Anime)
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If you liked Hanebado or Run with the Wind, you will like Salaryman's Club.
All the main characters are likeable and have something memorable about them. In Japan, corporations ofttimes have sports-arms, and this anime covers a Badminton team at a beverage company. The dual role of being a Salaryman and a badminton player is very exciting to see, since this is the first anime I've seen that covers this dynamic. In one episode, they're in an intense badminton match, and in the next episode, they are doing a SWOT analysis for a business proposal. The pacing is perfect. The episode will be over before you know it, and have ... 
Dec 8, 2021
Ganbare Douki-chan
(Anime)
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This is female wish-fulfillment.
Chad is chased by a beautiful onee-san, and a big breasted kouhai, but of course the only girl Chad has eyes for is the FMC. Having said that, this is the very best of that genre, and is well executed. It's genuinely funny, and you'll have a grin on your face the entire time. And with only 6 minutes/episode, it never gets to the annoying stage. ... |
