All tagged winter 2021

Did the SK8 the Infinity Finale Queerbait Us?

Did the SK8 the Infinity Finale Queerbait Us?

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

The original skateboarding shounen anime SK8 the Infinity was one of our favorites of the Winter 2021 season. Its colorful and immaculately detailed art direction, over-the-top depictions of underground skating tournaments, and lovable cast of characters gave it a unique style that we couldn’t get enough of. But above all else, the heartwarming relationship between main characters Reki and Langa kept us coming back week after week to see if these two adorable idiots would ever realize that they’re meant for each other. Unfortunately, though, the series ended without any declaration of love in sight. Did we just get queerbaited again? Let’s take a closer look at the situation to see what exactly happened here.

Horimiya Review - Rushed, But Realistically Romantic

Horimiya Review - Rushed, But Realistically Romantic

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

This winter, we were blessed with the long-awaited adaptation of Hiroki Adachi’s webcomic/manga romance series Horimiya. It’s a tender tale about two high schoolers whose real personalities don’t match what they show to the world and how they break down each other’s facades to discover that they’re not so different after all. The source material is considered by many to be a phenomenal romance story with complex characters and memorable scenes, but does the anime live up to these lofty expectations? Let’s see!

Beastars Season 2 Review – More Beastly Than Ever Before

Beastars Season 2 Review – More Beastly Than Ever Before

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

Despite its rather high barrier to entry (all-CG animation, anthropomorphic animal characters, Netflix exclusive, etc.), the first season of Beastars exceeded expectations and garnered a sufficient fan following. That’s because, once you look past the initial oddness, you’ll find a deeply intriguing story about good people just trying to live in a fundamentally hostile world. But does season 2 live up to the demographic-shaking appeal of its predecessor? Let’s see!

5 Winter 2021 Anime That Didn’t Quite Hit the Mark

5 Winter 2021 Anime That Didn’t Quite Hit the Mark

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

The Winter 2021 anime season had some truly outstanding shows, but unfortunately, not all of the anime we were looking forward to watching lived up to our expectations. Solid narratives that rushed themselves towards the end, shaky adaptations of far superior source material, inexperienced or overworked studios biting off more than they can chew... for any number of reasons (some of which definitely had to do with the pandemic delaying or canceling many anime from last year), this season just wasn’t as solid as it could’ve been. Here are five Winter 2021 anime that didn’t quite hit the mark.

Kemono Jihen Review – Cool Concept, But Frustratingly Forgettable

Kemono Jihen Review – Cool Concept, But Frustratingly Forgettable

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

Kemono Jihen is a supernatural mystery story set in modern-day Tokyo. It follows the exploits of the Inugami Detective Agency, a secretive group populated by kemono (yokai/demons that can take human forms) who investigate strange happenings related to rogue members of their own species. Their newest member is Kabane, a half-kemono who possesses a powerful stone called a “life stone” and desperately wants to find his missing parents who left it with him. It sounds like a neat little concept on paper, but does this anime do anything new and exciting that you can’t find elsewhere? Let’s find out!

Jujutsu Kaisen Review – A Gritty Shounen with Style and Substance

Jujutsu Kaisen Review – A Gritty Shounen with Style and Substance

Mary Lee Sauder
Blog Post

Yuuji is just an average occult-obsessed teen, but when he unwittingly becomes the vessel for an ancient Cursed Spirit named Ryoumen Sukuna, he plunges face-first into the secretive world of jujutsu sorcerers. With their power to control cursed energy, this collection of misfits keeps Japan safe from Curses... but they can’t always save everyone.

Jujutsu Kaisen is one of Weekly Shounen Jump’s biggest properties right now, so its anime adaptation certainly has a lot to live up to. But does it capture the same melancholy atmosphere that its premise promises and its source material is acclaimed for perfecting? Let’s take a closer look and see!

Load More