Platinum End – Episode 1-9 Impressions

I’m a huge fan of Death Note so naturally, I had to check out Platinum End.

Platinum End is a killing game in which the winner becomes the god of the world. Mirai Kakehashi is granted wings and red arrows that make people fall in love with him. He learns that his childhood friend and crush, Saki Hanakago, is also a god candidate. Things become complicated when a god candidate that goes by the name of Metropoliman begins killing other god candidates. Kakehashi and Hanakago team up with another god candidate, and they try to stop Metropoliman.

I didn’t go in thinking that Platinum End would be on the same level of greatness as Death Note. After all, it seems too difficult to make something at the same high standard. However, I couldn’t help but compare Mirai Kakehashi with Light Yagami of Death Note. Although I was not a Kira supporter, I prefer Light Yagami over Mirai Kakehashi any day. They are opposites. If anything, I felt frustrated watching Kakehashi’s behaviours and words in the show. He has no backbone, and he doesn’t act when he needs to. Does he want to stop Metropoliman or not!? I may be a bit harsh, but I also don’t understand his logic. He rushes in to stop Metropoliman, but then he hesitates in the crucial moments.

Hanakago does not stand out at all. She’s also unhelpful in stopping Metropoliman. I thought she had changed in episode 9. I was excited (even though I thought it was an unbelievable and dramatic change) but perhaps I was wrong.

The events in Platinum End are random. The characters have no plan when they try to stop the villain. Metropoliman, on the other hand, is intelligent. I can think of a long list of characters from other shows that can do a better job than Kakehashi and his group.

The characters feel so unbalanced. I’ve written about intelligence and ambition, but even the characters’ appearances seem so unbalanced. Kakehashi and Hanakago look so plain compared to Kanade Uryu (Metropoliman). Even the other villains so far have more eye-catching designs (e.g., Mimimi Yamada, Hajime Sokotani).

I’ve been complaining a lot. I don’t think I’m being nitpicky, though. I really enjoyed a certain episode, as it was exciting and intense. However, I finished episode 9 and have yet to experience that again.

The question is whether to continue this series or not. There are 24 episodes, so we haven’t reached the halfway mark yet. At this point, I’m reluctant to recommend this anime.

For those of you who are watching this show, what do you think?

My Favourite Opening and Ending Songs of 2020

Obviously, I haven’t listened to every OP and ED of 2020. If you have any recommendations, let me know!

My Favourite Openings

忘言歌 Song of Words Unsaid by 赵磊 Zhao Lei (Chuan Shu Zijiu Zhinan / The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System)

This is a Chinese song. I’m a huge fan of the series (novel and donghua). I also really like the singer.

No Separation by Jeff Chang (Heaven Official’s Blessing)

This is the series I am currently obsessed with! It’s a Chinese series by the same creator of Scumbag System (above) and Mo Dao Zu Shi. I think this opening has the best art.

Chiisana Hibi by flumpool (Kakushigoto)

I am a huge fan of flumpool.

Great Pretender OP by Yutaka Yamada (Great Pretender)

I’ve blogged about one of my favourite composers, Yutaka Yamada. He also composed the music for Tokyo Ghoul, which speaks to how versatile his music is. Great Pretender is amazing anime.

Dying Wish by 畠中 祐 (Moriarty the Patriot)

This song grew on me. I didn’t have a strong opinion of it at first but now I love it. Moriarty the Patriot was an amazing anime.

My Favourite Endings

籠の中に鳥 Kago no Naka ni Tori by ユアネス yourness (Sing “Yesterday” for Me)

In a recent post, I shared that this is one of my favourite songs.

SLUMP by Stray Kids (Tower of God)

I prefer the Korean version, maybe because they are a Korean group. I think it’s great that the show used songs from a Kpop group. After all, it is an adaptation of a Korean webtoon.

Lost in Paradise feat. AKLO by ALI (Jujutsu Kaisen)

This song is amazing. It is catchy and chill. I really like the animation here too. I’m really enjoying Jujutsu Kaisen right now. It’s kind of like a mix of Demon Slayer and Parasyte.

Other Side by MIYAVI (ID:Invaded)

ID:Invaded was a good anime. The concept is similar to the game, AI: The Somnium Files.

---

Do you like any of these songs? What are your favourite openings and endings of 2020?

[Review] Moriarty the Patriot (2020)

Anime: Moriarty the Patriot / Yuukoku no Moriarty (2020)

As a fan of the Sherlock Holmes series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, I became interested in Moriarty the Patriot. The anime is better than I expected. Unlike the books, the main character in this anime is Moriarty. He is a criminal consultant that actively encourages people to commit murder. It is not necessary to know about the original Sherlock Holmes from the books.

• 

• 

From left to right: John Watson, Ms. Hudson, Sherlock Holmes, and Lestrade.

Synopsis: William James Moriarty is a wealthy mathematics professor. He also works as a criminal consultant. In an era where the rich treat the people of lower standing like dirt, Moriarty is the dark hand behind the curtain. He provides murder plans and aids people in killing the rich. Mid-way through the series, detective Sherlock Holmes is introduced. Moriarty tests Holmes; Holmes does the same.

Thoughts: In this anime, the protagonist is the villain. I think this anime does it well. It kind of makes you think, Whose side am I on? Moriarty’s victims are the wealthy who have committed terrible crimes against the poor. Is Moriarty a good guy, after all? And, what am I supposed to feel? Am I supposed to feel “content” or “satisfied” when a “villain” dies?

I think that Moriarty is evil, but other people may disagree.

The characters are a bit different from the books, which is refreshing in some ways. For example, Holmes can be rude to Watson and becomes frustrated more easily.

Moriarty and Holmes make great enemies because of their differences. As explained by Moriarty, Holmes’s method of solving cases involves studying the evidence and going to trial, whereas Moriarty will use psychology and illegal methods to prove his theory.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

I recommend this anime! Not only is it interesting, but it also made me think a lot about classism and “good vs. evil” issues.

---

Slight spoilers for Season 2, which will come out in Spring 2021:

• 

• 

The appearance of Mycroft Holmes!

Finally, a cute screencap of Holmes and Watson:

• 

Anime Cosplay: Sing “Yesterday” For Me

Rikuo Uozumi from Sing “Yesterday” For Me.

• 

I will also cosplay as Haru and Rou.

Yesterday wo Utatte Episode 1 Impressions

Yesterday wo Utatte (Sing “Yesterday” for Me) is an ongoing anime from this season.

Synopsis: Rikuo Uozumi is a recent university graduate who works at a convenience store. He does not have many ambitions and lives his life day by day. He is frequently visited by Haru Nonaka, an eccentric girl who has a crow as her pet. Rikuo is visited by another person: His former classmate and crush, Shinako Morinome.

[X] MC is self-deprecating.

[X] MC likes photography.

[X] MC is a recent university graduate.

Wow, all the things I like in a main protagonist, or can relate to, are in an anime!

While I do like optimistic characters such as the MCs in shonen anime (Naruto is a prime example), I can relate to self-deprecating characters a lot more.

Overall impressions: I enjoyed the first episode a lot. A self-deprecating main character and an eccentric character make the best combo. It feels relatable at times but I think there will be a lot to unpack later on. I am excited to watch the rest of this series. I highly recommend this anime.

• 

People hate liars, but people like them.

You lie, you play along with what people say, and live a BS life.

You have nothing to hurt people or be hurt by.

You become worthless and you become sick of being with other people.

…

Liars don’t lose anything, but they don’t gain anything, either.

I’m a liar, but for the first time, I wanted to be liked.

Maybe I’m out of places to escape to.”

These lines were said by Haru Nonaka. Does being a liar = fitting in with the rest of society?

Not being a liar = being an outcast?

Escapism –> not being a liar.

Running out of places to escape to –> being a liar –> because you want to be liked.

Hm. Well, from my personal experience, being myself = being an outcast because no one shared the same interests as me –> was not liked –> but it was okay because I could escape from reality with anime. If I cannot escape from reality –> then I think I would like to be liked –> then I would be a liar in order to fit in.

(It’s okay if you don’t follow. I tried to analyze the lines in the anime…)

Anime Wrap Up for 2019

You can read my 2018 Anime Wrap Up post here. These are the anime series, OVAs and movies I have completed so far in 2019. I am pretty quick to drop shows/put them on hold, so these ones are anime I liked a lot.

Seasonal Anime Series I’ve Completed in 2019

• 

• 

* Carole & Tuesday – This anime gave us so many beautiful songs. The latter part of the show was really interesting and the final episode was beautifully done.

* Doukyonin wa Hiza, Tokidoki, Atama no Ue. (My Roommate is a Cat) – I am normally not a fan of Slice of Life anime, but this one is an exception. It deals with issues that are really important and portrays life in such a simple yet interesting way.

* Given – One of my top two Boys Love anime. I cried for days, the music was so beautiful, and I blogged about my reaction to a specific episode.

* Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen – Good, but not one of my favourites from the season.

* Kakegurui×× – Sucked, except for one particular episode. It failed to create feelings of fear or anxiety. The first season was better. Watch Kaiji instead.

* Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer) – I felt really inspired by Tanjirou’s resilience and dedication. I blogged about that here.

* Mob Psycho 100 II – I was really impressed by Season 2. I thought it was a lot better than the first season.

* Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3 Part 2 – This is probably my favourite season of Attack on Titan. The beginning episodes were terrifying.

* Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (Shield Hero) – I really enjoyed Shield Hero and enjoyed writing about my thoughts on each episode. You can find Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

* Yakusoku no Neverland (The Promised Neverland) – Very interesting anime. I enjoyed it a lot.

* Dr. Stone – I thought this was pretty interesting overall. I can’t wait for Season 2.

Non-Seasonal Anime Series I’ve Completed in 2019

* B: The Beginning – I recommend this series. The latter episodes were brilliant and the ending song is amazing.

* Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu (Parasyte) – I really enjoyed this anime. The opening song by Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is great.

* Mob Psycho 100 – I enjoyed this one more than I expected, especially near the end.

* Tokyo Ghoul √A – This is the second season of Tokyo Ghoul. Juuzou is my favourite character in Tokyo Ghoul, so I really enjoyed watching his interactions with Shinohara and watching his character growth. Beautiful music throughout.

* Zankyou no Terror – One of my top three anime. I think it’s highly underrated. After I completed this anime, it left a void for me for a while.

* Ore Monogatari!! – One of my favourite romance anime. If I had to describe the anime with one word: wholesome.

OVAs I’ve Completed in 2019

• 

• 

* Durarara!!x2 Shou: Watashi no Kokoro wa Nabe Moyou – This was really nice to watch. For context, I finished Durarara!! in 2017 so it brought back pleasant memories.

* Durarara!!x2 Ten: Onoroke Chakapoko – Special episode on Shinra and Celty. It’s not necessary to watch this, but it’s good if you are a Durarara!! fan.

* Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii: Youth – A look at what Koyanagi and Kabakura were like in high school. Koyanagi had short hair!

Anime Movies I’ve Completed in 2019

* Tokyo Godfathers – I watched this at the end-of-year event with Anime Club. I probably wouldn’t have watched this on my own time, but it’s a really good film. I’m glad I watched it.

---

In the near future, I will finish watching Babylon and My Hero Academia Season 4. Thanks for sticking with me this year! See you next year!

Character Spotlight: Tamaki Amajiki (My Hero Academia)

Tamaki Amajiki is an important character in My Hero Academia Season 4. His hero name is Suneater and his quirk is Manifest, which lets him manifest characteristics of the foods he eats (for example, he can grow octopus tentacles if he eats takoyaki). He is a student at U.A. and is one of The Big 3.

Tamaki is a pessimist. He has low confidence because of his perfectionist nature. When he is unable to achieve perfection, his self-esteem plummets. He undermines his own talents and feels nervous and anxious often. He was shy as a child but experienced a lot character development. He’s still negative but is a very precious character.

I wanted to do a Character Spotlight post on him because I think that he is the most realistic character in the anime. In My Hero Academia, a lot of the other students have this unrealistic optimism. Where they get that optimism, I have no idea. Maybe it’s because I am a pessimist myself, so I do not understand. In the anime, the characters train to become heroes and put themselves in life-threatening situations. It’s admirable as heck but it’s terrifying. Being a person is terrifying.

My Hero Academia Season 4 episode 8 focused on Tamaki and told us his backstory. Some of you guys might not like backstory episodes, but I thought that it was an awesome episode. Seeing how Tamaki was when he was younger and then seeing him fight against three villains at once (and succeeding, on top of that) was inspiring to watch. Life is hard, but anime can help motivate you to give things another try. XD

First Impressions: Babylon Episodes 1-3

Babylon is a currently airing anime from this Fall 2019 season. The premise sounded interesting on MAL, so I decided to give it a watch. I did not really have any expectations going in, but it blew my mind. The first episode left off on a cliffhanger, which made me immediately watch the second episode. Then the third episode. Now I’m impatiently waiting for the next episode to come out.

Synopsis: Zen Seizaki is a prosecutor and is assigned to investigate a pharmaceutical company that is suspected of paying universities to exaggerate the effectiveness of their new drug. While investigating the company, he finds a suspicious page covered in blood, hair, nails and skin. The sheet has the letter ‘F’ written all over it. He realizes that things are more serious than he originally thought.

Thoughts: The art style and animation are great. The mature art style suits the more serious atmosphere. I really like the protagonist, Zen, because he is reliable and has a strong sense of justice. Anything can happen in this anime. That being said, there were a lot of twists and turns that kept the suspense going. I think I’ve become quite good at predicting shows, but I felt a lot of surprise at the reveals. Each episode leaves off on a cliffhanger, so it might be wise to wait until all the episodes are out. It’s too late for me, so I’m just going to watch it whenever an episode is released, then wait in anticipation for the next episode.

I never thought that this one case about the pharmaceutical company would turn into this whole other mess. It’s a messy web that’s intertwined with so many different things and people. I’m curious as to where they will take this story. I definitely recommend this anime, especially if you like mystery and suspense.

There are some graphic scenes in this anime, such as nudity, sex, death, and drugs. That being said, this show is not appropriate for younger audiences.

BL Anime: Given Episode 9 Review

Given is a shounen ai anime from this season. It’s still airing and it’s one of the best Boys Love anime I’ve seen. It’s been a great show since the beginning, but episode 9 has been by far, the best episode yet. It was a whirlwind of emotions. It was heart-wrenching, yet so beautiful. The tears just wouldn’t stop when I watched this episode. I got goosebumps.

Synopsis: Mafuyu Sato has a difficult time expressing himself. He is bad with words and doesn’t understand his own feelings. He wants to learn how to play guitar and is able to when he meets Ritsuka Uenoyama, a boy who goes to the same high school as him. After hearing that Mafuyu can sing, Uenoyama invites Mafuyu to join his band, the seasons. The band is offered an opportunity to perform a live show. Mafuyu is given the challenge to write lyrics for a song composed by Uenoyama. However, he is struggling to write lyrics as he has his other stuff he needs to work on. With the live show approaching, will he be able to finish the lyrics on time?

He does – and the song went above and exceeded all my expectations. To understand the lyrics fully, you have to watch the show in its entirely. Yes, go watch Given. Even if you don’t understand everything because you haven’t seen the show, you can feel Mafuyu’s feelings in this song. Through music, he was finally able to express himself and say all the words he’s been wanting to say. It was a release of so many emotions at once, and I felt it.

If you do plan on watching Given, I don’t recommend watching the video because it contains spoilers.

Spring 2019 Anime Closing Thoughts

Spring 2019 Anime Impressions post here.

.

.

1. Fruits Basket (2019)

Episodes watched: 7/?

The 2001 adaptation of Fruits Basket was one of my favourite anime in my childhood. I completed the manga several years ago, and I was so excited for this adaptation. I’ve put it on hold, but I know that I will continue it once the events go further into the deeper and “darker” sides of the story.

As a child, I looked up to Tohru. I wanted to be kind like her. Now that I am 22 years old, my opinion of Tohru has changed. This may sound harsh, but I don’t like how she pretends that everything is fine, when things are not. It feels dishonest and frankly, fake to me. I don’t like how Yuki, Kyo and her other friends constantly protect her. I think that while we can certainly count on our friends, we should be more independent. This is why I’ve put Fruits Basket on hold…

2. Kimetsu no Yaiba

Episodes watched: 12/26

I’ll be continuing this one in the Summer 2019 season. I still think that Tanjiro is an inspiring character (Read this post if you want more information). Nezuko is so adorable.

3. Carole and Tuesday

Episodes watched: 12/24

• 

I’ll be continuing this show into the Summer season. The art took a while to get used to, but I fell in love with the music from the start. The song Carole and Tuesday picked in episode 12 moved me…

4. Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3 Part 2

Episodes watched: 10/10

Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2 was more focused on titan action, and it was pretty intense to watch. The end of it was on learning the history and there were some interesting reveals. I really enjoyed the intense moments of this season!

5.  Dororo (Continuing from last season)

Episodes watched: 13/24

I used to really enjoy Dororo, but now I’ve put it on hold. The beginning was interesting and then it became repetitive. The story-telling is good, so I will most likely go back to it one day. I hear the ending is amazing, so that’s motivating to hear.

6. The Rising of the Shield Hero (Continuing from last season)

Episodes watched: 25/25

• 

I’ve blogged about Shield Hero and you can read my closing thoughts here.