- Last OnlineYesterday, 2:17 PM
- GenderMale
- JoinedOct 11, 2025
Also Available at
RSS Feeds
|
![]()
Jan 14, 2026
The plot is unclear until the final act, and the characters and themes are not expanded upon from season 1. These shortcomings of the substratum have ensured a mediocre, perhaps slightly subpar product.
Rikka is the one that the story revolves around. Whether she should become more normal is the primary plot thread and is explored through her romance with Yuuta. Season 1's conclusion gave us the following answer: she can be quirky without actually deluding herself about what is real and what is not. It's somewhat banal, but within season 1, it was a satisfactory conclusion for a lighthearted show touching on serious themes such
...
as this.
This theatrical release recycles the same question. It's presented differently, now in the form 'Will Yuuta still love me if I stop acting like an oddball?' but is fundamentally still the same question. It's a valid angle to take, but it could have been confined to an episode of the anime. I'll avoid spoilers, but I will say this: the conflict is established near the end of the film, and the resolution provided is tragically flat. They not only chose a perspective that could hardly carry a full-length film, but also failed at the simple task of establishing the framing in good time.
Yuuta's perspective on individuality or 'eighth-grade syndrome' doesn't show any change either. He's no longer ashamed of the way he acted when he was 'Dark Flame Master', and sometimes adopts the role as part of a personal form of play with Rikka. To put it plainly, he has no character development beyond season 1, and his contribution to the primary theme of the story does not progress therebeyond.
It really is a pointless motion picture. Imagine watching this in the cinema and being left with the message that 'it's okay to be different' when the lights come back on. Season 1 of this series was already not very impressive, and here they've just stretched out the same material until it was movie-sized. Rubbish storytelling and overrated visuals…this is Kyoto Animation heritage.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
What did you think of this review?
Nice
 0
Love it
 0
Funny
 0
Confusing
 0
Well-written
 0
Creative
 0Show all
![]()
Jan 8, 2026
There is just something in Gochiusa that is better. My review of season 1 alludes to this, but it's a bit of a sentimental mess. Now I have arrived with the keys to the Rabbit House and will show you how they brewed their better blend.
Gochiusa's plot is episodic in structure, and it very much leans on its characters to captivate the audience. This is standard for a show in the slice-of-life genre, but Gochiusa trounces the competition here, making shows like K-On! look embarrassing and rudimental. The five protagonists – namely Cocoa, Chino, Rize, Chiya and Syaro – sport diverse personalities and are designed
...
to combine with each other. The show's comedy and calming effect generally sprout from these characters and their interplay.
Firstly the main character, Cocoa. If you've watched K-On!, you'll probably compare her to Yui. She's cheerful and silly, and she definitely has the biggest presence of all the characters. Without Cocoa, not much would happen. Most notably, Chino would have no self-proclaimed big sister, meaning she would never thaw. In addition to that, all of the scenarios would be blander and more predictable. Because of Cocoa, you can't count on anything to go as expected, which is crucial. 'What are stories but mystery boxes?' – a quote by J.J. Abrams, oft-memed but nevertheless pithy in a way, and fitting in this context. Cocoa makes a mystery box of everything.
Fortunately, Cocoa is not a mere gimmick; she's a character in herself. Her 'sister complex' encapsulates her core quite well. It's made fairly explicit that Cocoa wants to be like her own big sister is and is tired of being the litte sister, and that's why she's so eager to claim Chino and others as her little sisters. Not much attention is drawn to it beyond that, but one might be inclined to wonder how much of Cocoa's persona actually is just brought about by her attempts to behave like a 'reliable big sister'. When Cocoa tries to embody that persona but messes up, one might even sympathise with her instead of just laughing. Cocoa ends up being surprisingly relatable and compelling, especially to anyone who's ever felt as though they need to be something they not quite are yet.
Chino has some discreet weight to her as well. At just 13 years of age, her mother is expired and she bears heavy responsibility running the Rabbit House with her father. The show doesn't dwell on Chino's wounds, but they nevertheless explain why she is so distant and cautious, as well as laying out the groundwork for her development. When Chino grows to smile more thanks to Cocoa's relentless affection, it is wonderful because both characters' needs are met thereby: Cocoa's desire to offer warmth, and Chino's need to absorb it. Cocoa and Chino's bond is resonant on the emotional level, and they have the most screentime for good reason.
Chiya, too, pairs well with Cocoa, being just as whimsical and even more mischievous. They are a classical pair of lighthearted friends, providing some of the best comedy in the show. Chiya often goes without affection due to her elegant, somewhat distant persona, wherefore she readily accepts the attention offered to her by Cocoa, which then encourages Cocoa even more, since Chiya is the only member of the cast not to resist Cocoa at all. Their bond is practically a circular ecosystem.
Chiya's other pairing is with her anxious childhood friend Syaro who contrasts with her sharply. Chiya has a lot of control over Syaro's feelings and behaviour, and she uses her leverage not only to tease Syaro but also to ease her. For example, Chiya destabilises Syaro when she points out that she gets tense whenever Rize is around, but stabilises her when she promises that they will be together forever. They even made a character song about it featuring both characters: 'Zutto issho'. The depiction of Chiya and Syaro's long-time friendship is hilarious, touching and oddly realistic.
What makes Syaro vital to Gochiusa is that she makes its world feel more grounded and tactile. In the anime about an idyllic town with motifs of rabbits and coffee, Syaro is broke, fears rabbits and cannot handle caffeine. Basically, her vivid interactions with the world and objects within it makes said world and objects feel more genuine and less like props. Moreover, Syaro's evident anxiety and insecurity prove that the milieu doesn't have to be flawless in order to be pleasant, thus eliminating the chance of the viewer fearing that the balance of the setting might somehow be disturbed. She initially obscures the fact that she lives in a shabby home, and even after the others discover that truth, she remains desperate to put on a prim-and-proper ladylike appearance that belies her economic status, especially in front of Rize. In the end, Syaro actually strengthens the calming effect of Gochiusa by showing that there is room for all sorts of imperfection therein and that one does not have to be perfect to inhabit such a place.
The last character, Rize, is the one whom Syaro desires but doesn't have the guts to seduce. Rize is outwardly immaculate: hardworking, intelligent, tough, beautiful and helpful. Wobbly people such as Syaro are naturally attracted to people who appear simultaneously robust and gentle such as Rize – in fiction as well as in real life – and I should know, hahahaha! But wait, Rize has a little secret: she doesn't see herself the way that other people do, which is only natural, since her public persona is a mere mask. She learnt to present such an unwavering image of herself growing up under her military father, but she also has a girly side which she mostly represses. She can't quite seem to combine her identity into one piece, and so she projects stoic perfection in public whilst stacking up soft toys in private.
The tension between Syaro and Rize works so well partly because they are much more similar than they know. Rize's façade – which Syaro is attracted to – is a product of Rize's own anxiety, and the mutual anxiety of the two makes it very difficult for either of them to confess despite the feelings of romance likely going both ways. This sort of paradox is not something you see in every slice-of-life anime, I'll tell you that much. Rize's struggle not only makes one root for her, but also is a driving force in the sweet but frustrating thing that she has with Syaro.
As has been said, it is largely these characters and the way they mesh with one another that sets Gochiusa leagues ahead of the competition in the slice-of-life genre. K-On! attempts something similar, for example with Ritsu the tomboyish drummer often messing with Mio the bassist who's a nervous wreck. Their dynamic is roughly equivalent to the dynamic between Chiya and Syaro in Gochiusa, but K-On!'s characters never grow out of being mere archetypes, and so their execution is shallow in comparison despite those characters being endearing and entertaining in their own right.
Permanence is a major theme in Gochiusa, with its most prevalent symbol being the picturesque European-style town in which the characters spend their days. Although things change, one never gets the impression that they're going to change too much. Even Chino's grandfather manages to live on as Tippy the speaking rabbit, somehow. Furthermore, Chino, Chiya and Cocoa are guaranteed to be serving coffee for quite a while, as the former two are set to inherit cafés and the latter dreams of becoming an 'international barista lawyer'. Rize and Syaro might eventually seek new employment, especially considering they're in an elite high school, probably having their careers ahead of them. Nevertheless, they're almost certainly going to remain in town, which is what truly matters. In comparison, K-On! takes the opposite approach, drawing much attention to the way in which time is spent, oft namely having tea when they should be practising. The fact that K-On! is predominantly set in the light music club of a specific high school means there is a time limit on everything. This approach is engineered to make you cry at the end, whereas Gochiusa, much like Chiya to Syaro, promises constancy and comfort.
In conclusion, Gochiusa is simultaneously funny, captivating and soothing. The characters are likeable with more depth and better synergy than their contemporaries in shows like K-On!. The promise of fixedness which seems to echo throughout Gochiusa is enabled by the town setting and further symbolised by Tippy. Overall, Gochiusa is much like a reliable café: it doesn't move anywhere, and it always gets you exactly what you need.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Jan 7, 2026
The GAME is good. But the ANIME? Just fucking HORRIBLE. Why make an anime about a story that can only be conveyed through a game? The gimmick in the game is that you have to keep restarting and finishing different arcs until you get the true ending. Now, I know everyone is thinking I can't possibly critique the execution of this, having watched only three episodes. But hey, listen to me. This is one of those things that you just know. This is never going to work as an anime. It's going to jump around and it's going to feel like shit. And I'm not
...
watching more. No chance.
Firstly because of the woeful visuals. The fan is 3D. The characters are anaemic. And the show generally just looks like a generic hentai. Can't think why. What studio made this? Who cares?
The soundtrack isn't much better. It's ripped straight out of the game. So it's a game soundtrack. But is this a game? No, it's a fucking anime. So what are these visual novel background tracks doing here? Fuck it.
So there you have it. It's just a total ass bomb. And in case you were wondering, the studio that made it is 'feel.' Make sure you write it lowercase with a full stop. Is it a hentai studio? Maybe.
FEEL these motherfucking nads, bitch!
Reviewer’s Rating: 1
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Jan 6, 2026
I would say that Girls' Last Tour encapsulates many of the most pertinent problems that we humans face right now. It explores questions like what it means for something to be alive, what the point of everything is, and the bleak aftermath of unchecked technological advance and warfare.
Girls' Last Tour flips the slice of life format in such a beautiful way. The genre is often criticised for stories that go nowhere, but this time that's the point. The girls are just going. Going where? Up. Why? Maybe there'll be something there. Everything will be set right when we've gone as high as anyone can go.
...
The writers have simply captured the zeitgeist through and through. We climb, because we have nothing, which means we need more. When we're like this, can anything be enough or will we always just need more?
The show might test your patience a little. The characters aren't the cutest or most moe you'll ever have seen. Essentially, there's no immediate payoff to any of the episodes. You have to have the patience to sit through it and then judge the big picture after finishing the show. For me, it was worth it, as all the components totally clicked into place, and thus I unequivocally recommend Girls' Last Tour.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Jan 5, 2026
Pretty good. It has character development for Azunyan, and surprisingly for Tsumugi too. Mostly this sequel serves Azunyan, though. It felt like her character needed this, and now she's complete. This manga also sheds light on what After-school Tea Time's legacy is like, and how people in-universe think about the old cast. Sawa-chan's return was another highlight, since I always liked her. She plays a major role. Overall, I recommend this. It puts a bow on everything despite the new light music members being nothing special.
I really don't have much more to say about this manga, but the site won't let me post unless I
...
write some more. So yeah, one of the new light music club members is a computer nerd. She actually acts as the group's producer; the original crew didn't have one of those. That was kind of cool and different. I hope this is enough text.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
Jan 5, 2026
That was barely worth reading. You get a bunch of new characters that go nowhere. I can't even remember their names anymore. I couldn't believe it when it just ended at chapter 14. Nothing happened. I detest the criticism of slice-of-life works that 'nothing happens' in them, but here, it's true. I guess this manga confirms that the girls are continuing with their music, but it was already fairly clear. We had no reason to assume they wouldn't continue. I do like that we have this certainty now, but this thing doesn't justify itself otherwise.
So that's all you're going to get from this. The
...
girls are still together and practising music. They're doing okay at university. If you're a K-On! fan, maybe it'll be good enough but piss you off at the same time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Jan 1, 2026
K-On! completes its premise as a low-stakes slice-of-life anime with finesse. The characters driving the story are likeable and their interactions simultaneously entertaining and relaxing. Messages are conveyed through the characters as well, whereby the show evades vacuity without ever being distressing.
The show encourages one to try new things. In the beginning, Yui is shown to be a lazy girl and struggles to find a club that appeals to her. She joins the light music club soon enough despite having no musical skills after assuming that the club would be easy to participate in due to the appearance of the adjective 'light' in its name.
...
The club poses some trouble for Yui at first, but she quickly gets chummy with the members, and the purpose of their bond never truly is about music, rather about the intrinsic value of the bond itself, which becomes more and more clear by each episode. The decision to join the club turns Yui's life around, and thus she proudly exclaims her love for the club in episode 12. This arc tells the viewer that one should be bold and take chances instead of remaining stuck due to excessive prudency.
The focus on the girls' friendship rather than the music is heartwarming. It's clear that Mio takes the band much more seriously than the others who frequently prefer to have tea, but the thing they all have in common is that they would not want to practise and perform with anyone else. The diminishment of the ostensible purpose of the club and the simultaneous elevation of the girls' attachment to one another creates an amiable and secure atmosphere, allowing the viewer to relax.
Overall, K-On! provides everything it sets out to provide. It calms the viewer even whilst laying out meaningful narrative arcs which induce maintained engagement and strengthen emotional resonance. The potential of positive change hiding behind any given decision is highlighted, as is the value of friendship.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Dec 31, 2025
It's tired. That's something I and the franchise have in common. Three anime seasons, an animated film, two specials and a live-action film in, huh? Oh, sorry if I forgot something.
I don't know if it's even fair to review this thing. It doesn't really have a plot. I don't think it develops the characters in any substantive way. It just seems like an ad for a final season of the anime or an actual film. But everyone's going to rate it 9 or 10 anyway. So here I am, giving it a 2.
The special seems to be intended as a transition, as implied by the
...
title "Stairway to Adulthood". But as a stairway, it's still rather shabby. It's like a stairway with a chasm in the middle that you have to leap across. It doesn't go step by step with you; instead it forces you to follow several steps at once. It simply takes you to where it wants you to be, I presume so that they can soon sell you one last thing after it. I curse the thought.
This special is just so disjointed. Jumping through random gags and chapters from the manga. As an actual story, this is horrendous. Imagine if in this review, the paragraph after this one were about hamsters. That's how this special flows. It just jumps from one thing to the next. Chika bald cap joke, Shirogane's dad Vtuber joke, Shirogane and Kaguya sex, something in between, Shirogane goes to America. It doesn't make any sense.
And you can tell I'm right when you just look at other reviews. All the fanboys eating it up are pointing to moments like Shirogane's responsible behaviour towards Kaguya, the telephone conversation, et cetera. It's just a collage of moments, and it knows it. It's a bunch of flashbacks coming one after another as adult Kaguya looks at photos. Well, guess what. You're not clever. This is the worst flashback story I've ever seen. I saw it done better in Sly Cooper 3: Honour Among Thieves where Sly is left in a tense situation in the beginning of the game and we get the actual story up to that point as a flashback. An actual story. Just because you're doing flashbacks doesn't mean you're free to disregard all structure. Be more like Sly 3 and less like Kaguya: Grown-up Staircase, forgot what it's called.
Being episodic or slice-of-life is a structure too, by the way. I'm not knocking that kind of structure. It's that this thing has a beginning, then it has a bunch of random shit in the middle, then it has an ending. This isn't slice-of-life, this is just piece-of-shit.
Call it rubbish or call it an ad, but don't let them pull a fast one on you. A lot of you will, though. They know you will. That's why they didn't even try.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Dec 31, 2025
I watched the first 6 episodes of 'Listen to Me, Girls. I Am Your Father!'. I kind of liked it, but it didn't grip me, as the stakes are very low and the scenarios repetitive.
There are other shows with low stakes that I love, such as 'Is the Order a Rabbit?'. That show captivates me with its large cast of sweet characters who complement each other and have some purpose to them. For example, Cocoa's sister complex directed towards the shy Chino provides a small conflict in the story without making things stressful, with the arc of Chino warming up to Cocoa over time being
...
predictable and cute. Another example of a minor dichotomy in 'Is the Order a Rabbit?' is the fact that the show has explicit motifs of coffee as well as rabbits, and the character Syaro gets extremely hyperactive from coffee and fears rabbits. That show has dynamics of this sort everywhere, which keeps it from getting boring. 'Listen to Me, Girls. I Am Your Father!' has nothing like that.
The fat paedophile is pretty creepy and made me fear that the main character and his adopted daughters might not be safe, but he should have featured more. The fear for the protagonists of the story that he provided actually made the protagonists feel more valuable, as I found myself hoping that the main character would be able to protect them. In the end, the fact that this creep's role wasn't executed quite right made it feel like the main character and the girls were simply safe to keep doing banal family stuff until the end of time, and that makes for a boring watch.
In conclusion, 'Listen to Me, Girls. I Am Your Father!' has the ingredients for a decent cute slice-of-life affair but falls short. A show like this needs to provide either some stakes in the story or entertaining character dynamics, and this show squanders what it sets up in those departments.
Reviewer’s Rating: 4
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
![]()
Nov 22, 2025
This anime film, 'Kaguya-sama: The First Kiss That Never Ends', is the epitome of artistic bankruptcy. It perfectly encapsulates the way in which so many franchises plummet off the deep end, veering from their premise and betraying their roots.
The premise of two geniuses in an absurd competition to make the other confess his crush first is funny, but it should only last for a few manga volumes and one or two anime seasons. The author Aka Akasaka probably knew that, which is why the plot very unnaturally morphs into a drama as it nears the end.
That's all well and good, but I just don't care
...
about these characters enough to want to watch an unironic drama about them. These characters were established to me as jokes, so what do you expect? Even if the drama arcs were the most nerve-wracking, heart-rending masterpieces imaginable, it wouldn't work, as it would be akin to coating a turd in ice cream sprinkles.
Naturally, in addition to the characters not lending themselves to drama, the drama itself isn't great. It's just the same sludge about inner critics, authenticity and identity that we've seen a million times before. I do not care about Kaguya and Shirogane's insecurities, and I do not care about their romance beyond the comedic value it used to provide. I do not care. Get it?
Imagine if they'd done the same drama arcs but played them for jokes. That would have been perfect. It would have been a proper extension of the story. The whole series is about a frivolous thing being taken too seriously, so thereafter it would be a logical evolution to handle serious things flippantly. Alas, we are left with an incongruous, unresonant *product* (as contrasted with *a work of art*).
Overall, this film made me want to puke like a cat. I enjoyed the first few volumes of the manga and the first two seasons of the anime which were comedic and clever. Unfortunately, everything after that is characterised by a sort of unnecessary seriousness that comes across as pathetic and fabricated. The end result is boredom. You lose, Mr Akasaka. You ruined it. Learn to quit.
Reviewer’s Rating: 2
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
|
