so many walls you'd think i was a castle

Eventually I’ll get to a 2024 wrap-up, but for now… been watching a lot of things again!

( anime )
( movies )
( tv shows )

Back at it with more of my throwing recommendations into the void!

( anime )

( movies )

( tv shows )

( books )

okay look I don’t make the rules on what I end up binge watching next—

anime

buddy daddies
studio: P.A. Works
comedy, action
Look you give me wacky suddenly-found fake family, I’m in. Two assassin bros have an assignment go sideways and end up adopting a target’s kid. But then you make it super adorable and sweet and then give both guys tons of background trauma that informs their parenting decisions and… well. I may have been a few too many g&t’s in on the later half of this one but I cried. I also laughed. This was great, and I am in love. Also you can’t tell me that Kazuki and Rei aren’t married because they fucking are and you’re a liar.

the case study of vanitas
studio: Bones
action, mystery, vampires, steampunk
I’m down to watch the occasional vampire series, it isn’t always my thing, but this had a lot of things going for it imo. Steampunk and interesting art style? Check! Fascinating characters and a different take on vampire lore overall? Check! Potential for more seasons? Hell yes!! Like all the others on today’s list (well except UMF because that’s a current-season title), binged whatever was available in a very short amount of time. Not sure if we’ll get more on this but it definitely felt like there was SO MUCH MORE STORY LEFT. And yeah I defo ship vannoé and you can’t stop me lmfao, they made it TOO EASY. (Although!!! I don’t mind the canon pairings they tossed at us. I really don’t mind them at all.)

the millionaire detective balance: unlimited
studio: CloverWorks
action, crime, mystery
So this one has been on my list a while, but I finally went LET’S DO IT this weekend and well, here we are. It felt almost way too rushed, like there was WAY more story they could’ve told in the meantime, but honestly I loved every minute of it. Even if there’s a ton of unexplored psychological trauma and understated consequences to some of the events and revelations… but that’s what fanfic is for lmao amirite— oh yeah this is a few years old now, kids these days kill fandoms off fast after they’re done lmao;;; ANYWAY. Buddy cops, one with the heart of gold, the other who was raised with a silver spoon and has a bottomless bank account. Yeah, you bet I’m in. And you bet I’m in for DaiHaru.

undead murder farce
studio: Lapin Track
supernatural, historical, mystery
So this is a 2023 fall season title and it’s brand spanking new, and so far I am ABSOLUTELY on board. Basically you’ve got an immortal whose body was stolen (literally just a head in a bird cage), her overpowered maid, and a half-oni going around Japan and Europe solving crimes in the 1800s à la Sherlock Holmes (ANNND he makes appearances in this too LMFAO) but specializing in supernatural cases. Toss in a bunch of hilarious dark humor (look, Aya Rindo is a 950+ year old head and she is KILLING it with the dad jokes) and some very well animated action sequences, and I’m a sucker. Also the storytelling in this is super artsy and intriguing, you can tell the director is having a blast experimenting with the style. I’m very invested and am wholly caught up to current, and you can bet this one is a weekly regular for me now.




Also as for movies, I saw a ton this summer and eventually I plan to do a write-up… lmao just not yet.

It's been a while lmao. Have watched quite a lot of series lately, a pretty big mix of all the things this past year, wanted somewhere to shout my glee about the things that made me v. happy!

anime

86 EIGHTY-SIX
studio: A-1 Pictures
mecha, war, politics, drama
Look, this is what Gundam Wing could've been if it was written nowadays and had more concise storytelling. I'm only sometimes into mech series and this one had come highly recommended, and it didn't disappoint. Lots of wartime politics and deals with some very dark topics (including racism, classism, oppression, and what's effectively genocide). It's a little confusing at first until you get to know some of the characters and realize the hellish landscape that's been painted for them, and then it's a very wild ride. As much as this series has a tendency to crush your soul, it's got a ton of heart.

Aggretsuko
studio: Fanworks
slice of life, comedy
I fucking love this series so much. It had been recommended to me so many times and I am so glad I finally listened to my very wise friends. Who knew that a series with adorable animal characters could be so damn relatable! I have a corporate job, and while it's not strict the way this office drama is portrayed, hoooboy I have never felt so called out in my life by an anime series. It's just great. Retsuko is a QUEEN and I love her so much. (Also so uh nobody told me Sanrio had a hand in this but it oddly makes SENSE and somehow makes this even better lmfao.)

The Way of the Househusband
studio: J.C.Staff
slice of life, comedy, yakuza
Okay this had me at "retired yakuza becomes best domestic husband" basically that's it, that's the show. I will admit the animation style had me a little unsure at first because it feels like they just basically sorta-animated manga panels, but the storytelling is so goddamn funny and the voice acting is *chefs kiss* and I just really had a great time watching this one. Great series to watch very casually since the episodes are a little shorter and are mostly self-contained moments. Can't wait for more!

Spy X Family
studio: CloverWorks / Wit Studio
spy, comedy, action
Yeah yeah yeah we're all watching this right now and I don't care, it's great and I am very invested. Super cute and silly and charming in all the right ways (well, almost... after all, Yor's brother is really fucking creepy). Very excited that this is back and currently airing again!


tv series

Reservation Dogs
provider (US): FX (Hulu)
slice of life, coming-of-age, comedy, drama
This was kind of a surprise hit for me. It had a lot of critical acclaim, so I finally started watching it (with my mom) and we are both now super invested... and about 2 episodes from catching up to the end of the current season. In short, it's primarily a slice of life/coming-of-age story about a friends group of Native American teens living on a reservation in Oklahoma, but honestly it's so much more than that. Community, family, spirituality, culture, identity... it covers so much that I feel like I've received an education while watching this. Phenomenal cast (primarily Indigenous North American), phenomenal writing, it's made me laugh and cry and think and reflect. Highly recommend this show, can't recommend it enough. (Plus, Taika Waititi is one of the showrunners!)

For All Mankind
provider (US): Apple TV+
alternate history, science fiction, spaaaaaaace, drama
I'm a sucker for alternate history, and while that's what first got me to start watching this show, Everything Else kept me super invested. By the start of Season 2, I was faithfully tuning in every Thursday night as soon as the new episode would drop, and boy howdy was it tough to wait a week between some of these doozies. This is how it starts: in the 1960s, the USSR lands on the moon before the US. The show explores the possibility of an endless space race through multiple decades, and while this is a major part of the story, it's really as much about the characters and their relationships as it is the space and science and politics. Phenomenal writing and cinematography, and this is another show I can't recommend enough. Absolutely worth subscribing to Apple TV+ for long enough to get through the current 3-season slate (and S3 ends on yet another whammy, holy shit guys!!!).

Our Flag Means Death
provider (US): HBO Max
historical, pirates, dark comedy
Hot damn Sam, a dark comedy starring queer pirates? Sign me the fuck up. Very fun and interesting take on pirate culture and lore, and as someone who literally wrote not one, but TWO history research papers on pirates while I was in college, fUcK yEs!!!! This show is brilliant and hilarious and moving all at the same time. Definitely doesn't take itself too seriously, but also has some really hard-hitting dramatic elements to it that keep you on your toes. Great characters, great storytelling, and fuck fUCK FUUUUCK I'm mad that the first season ended where it did. I want more. Give us more, Taika!!! (Yes, another Taika Waititi masterpiece. That man is unstoppable!)

Ted Lasso
provider (US): Apple TV+
comedy, sports, slice of life
This show got tons of critical acclaim, and honestly, I think it deserves it. Probably one of the most uplifting shows I've seen in forever, without being patronizing. Jason Sudeikis did such an amazing job, and there are so many great characters in this series that it's hard to really pin one down as a "favorite" (BECAUSE I LOVE ALL MY CINNAMON ROLLS). Plus, while this is labeled a comedy and does hit that label hard, there are so many great insightful character moments that cover a variety of more serious topics, like mental health and trauma and dealing with culture clash. IMO, definitely lives up to the hype, and another show I can't recommend enough. Very pleased to be promised more seasons of this one.

Hacks
provider (US): HBO Max
comedy, drama
Aight, this one was one I was super surprised I got sucked into, tbh. The dynamics between the two main characters in this series is GREAT (it's literally a "Boomer vs. Zoomer" type relationship and HOT DAMN do they not pull punches there lmfao, nobody is safe). Tons of twists and turns and "gotchas" for a comedy show about an aging legendary comedienne and the 20-something down-on-her-luck writer that has been assigned to work with her by their mutual agent. Jean Smart is brilliant in this, and so is Hannah Einbinder. Even though they definitely could have ended it as-is at the end of Season 2 (which is where we are right now), apparently they've green lit a 3rd season and I AM VERY OKAY WITH THIS PROSPECT. What the fuck are they gonna do next though lmfao!!! I'm down!

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
provider (US): Amazon Prime Video
comedy, period drama
Look, I wasn't actually a Gilmore Girls fan, because the show's dialogue cadence annoyed the living daylights out of me and I wasn't really a fan of the main characters. But I saw a few trailers for this show during S1's run and was like heck, I might actually like this one even if it's Amy Sherman-Palladino as the showrunner. Not only did I like it, I FUCKING LOVED IT. This show is so brilliant and so good, I've been devouring episodes as they drop since halfway through S1 and I have zero regrets (except I constantly crave more haha). Midge is inspiring, I love her so much, and there is SO MUCH character development throughout. Fantastic show and I really hope they give it the full run it deserves. Can't wait for more seasons.

Gamers
provider (US): Paramount+
mockumentary, comedy, drama, esports
HAHA FUCK okay this was recommended to me by a coworker and even though I am not really a fan of watching the actual League of Legends pro circuits, I know enough about it to understand this series. It's fiction filmed as a documentary, with some actual LoL organizations and players thrown into the mix to lend it some credibility. (The handful of LoL esports league fans I know who have seen this apparently attest to this.) I legit binged this one so fast that I'm mad I didn't wait for more seasons or something. This was like watching reality TV junk food without it being fully reality, and I'm all here for it.

Obi-wan Kenobi
provider (US): Disney+
science fiction, fantasy, drama, STAR WARS (totally a genre okay)
I love Ewan McGregor. I felt so bad for him during the whole Episodes I-III era because it felt like his talents were horribly wasted and it almost felt like he KNEW it but was too classy to say anything about it. And honestly? I felt like this show kind of helped fix some of the worst of the offenses of Episodes I-III, made some sense of the madness, and really gives us a reasonable bridge between Episodes III and IV. Maybe that's just me? Idk. But having Uncle!Obi-wan with baby!Leia was apparently something I never knew I needed until this show. I am so glad Jon Favreau was given the reins of the SW franchise because I feel like it's finally getting good again, and this is definitely part of the "good" IMO.

Cobra Kai
provider (US): Netflix
martial arts, action, drama, comedy (maybe more like dramedy?)
I grew up watching the Karate Kid movies and was a huge fan as a kid, so when they first announced Cobra Kai with the original cast members coming back, I was already SOLD (except it was on YouTube Red at first so I waited until they gave us S1 for free and then waited again until Netflix finally picked it up for good). FUCKING LOVE THIS SHOW. It's so dumb and silly and heartwarming and fun all at the same time. I love that the show doesn't take itself too seriously, but still somehow manages to have great dramatic moments. Who knew that Johnny Lawrence would make the best Himbo Dad ever??? I legit screech every time they bring in a cameo from the movies. And the next gen of kids creating karate mischief all around the L.A. Valley area just is so outlandishly fun. I'm so glad I'm not the only one who is invested in this show. Have not yet finished S5 but am definitely making headway.

Pachinko
provider (US): Apple TV+
historical, drama, slice of life
Look, sometimes I'm a simple girl. You cast Lee Min Ho, I watch. Easy peasy. EXCEPT ONE THING: this show is absolutely gorgeous and the story is so good. Legit a work of art, absolute masterpiece. I'm really glad they picked this up for a second season; very much looking forward to it. I picked the book up after watching the first season because I wanted to know more about where this goes, and honestly so far I think they've done a really amazing job. Highly recommend this one (and the book too, it's phenomenal).

Squid Game
provider (US): Netflix
survival, thriller, horror, drama
I'm not usually into the survival genre and I generally don't watch horror, but I definitely got sucked into this one the same way just about everyone did at the time. I've watched plenty of Korean shows, but none of them have hit this hard. Holy shit. If you haven't seen this already and you can stomach some gore and extremely heavy themes, this is absolutely worth your time. I don't want to say too much because it's way too easy to spoil things for people who haven't seen it yet. While they tied up a ton of loose ends by the end of S1, there are still plenty of story threads that have yet to be explore, and I can't wait to see what they do with S2.

The Untamed
provider (US): Netflix
xianxia, "danmei" (in quotes because CCP censorship), or in other words, Chinese historical fantasy mlm heroes
Fuck, okay. This got recommended to me so many times by so many people and I knew I would like it if I gave it time (and leniency because lmao dat FX and stunt budget was legit two coffees and a discounted day-old croissant, I was warned ahead of time but it's kinda true). I will sadly admit I have not watched like, ANY TV series in Chinese before, not for a lack of trying, but partially because it was challenging to pick up contextual cues in a language I truly have like zero grasp on, plus it sometimes just has really awkward English translations. (Most of the foreign language shows I've watched are in languages I've either studied, or have enough of a grasp of enough basics to get some of the additional context, which helps when English translations/localizations are awkward.) But once I finally started to get the feel for the tone and context, it was game over for me from there.
Long story short, I finally did give it time (and leniency), so here we are. I think what surprised me most was that this series is actually mostly about the PLOT, and while the primary BL relationship (which is implied and not actually stated because CCP) is a big role, I had no idea it was actually a slow burn with so many high stakes, oh my gOD. I stan Wei Wuxian, our favorite wildchild bisexual grandmaster of demonic cultivation, and his stoic graceful & supportive husbando Lan Wangji. Bought the first 3 novels in English after I finished the show because I really needed more and also wanted to know more about what the show sadly had to leave out about these two babies. They're precious. Also, the Jin Ling's Uncle meme is *chefs kiss* amazing. (MDZS as a whole is living in my head rent-free right now, send help. Already almost done with the first book.)


movies (2022)

Bullet Train
director: David Leitch
action, thriller, comedy
Aight I don't care what anyone else thinks, this was one of my favorite movies that came out this year. I know it's not entirely true to its source material (which is on my "To Read" list), but I personally had a blast watching this in the theaters and am super excited to watch it again digitally. Totally a crazy, wild, colorful ride.

Top Gun: Maverick
director: Joseph Kosinski
action, drama
I also grew up on Top Gun, and was a little skeptical of the hype on this one because lol super-delayed sequels? (We running out of material here, Hollywood?) HOWEVER, I was very pleasantly surprised and delighted by this particular sequel. It harkened to some of the best moments of the original, and yet gave it a totally modern take and story, and I fell in love with all of the new characters and dynamics and DAT CINEMATOGRAPHY HOT DAMN. I saw this in a Dolby theater and it was 1000% worth seeing it in an Advanced Media format, have never felt so immersed in an action movie before holy shit (was GRIPPING MY ARMRESTS until my hands cramped on some of those in-jet scenes!). Tons of fun, tons of heart, and a sequel truly worthy of the franchise (to the point I actually secretly like it better than the OG, shhhh!!!).

The Woman King
director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
historical epic, action, drama
Watching this film made me realize just how little African history I know. Totally am aware that this film takes massive liberties with the "true story" that it's based on, and for some is considered more of an alternate history that kind of glosses over some major issues with the kingdom it takes place in, but for what it was, I really, really enjoyed watching the movie. It actually made me want to learn more about the story and culture and understanding how badly the slave trade truly impacted Africa (which is the point, right?). The cast is amazing and beautiful and inspiring, and the cinematography is gorgeous. Plus, hot badass women kicking ass, amirite?

Everything Everywhere All At Once
director: Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert
science fiction (multiverse), action, comedy, drama
This movie is a mindfuck in the best possible way. Multiverse theory plus Michelle Yeoh plus Stephanie Hsu? SIGN ME UP. Look, I've done enough multiverse research (hey if I'm gonna try to write fiction for it, need to do some reading up on it) to have a ton of familiarity with the concepts, and yet my brain still melted while watching this and it was glorious. If you haven't seen this already, please do. It's a TREAT. And a legit trip.

Elvis
director: Baz Luhrmann
biographical musical drama
I'm a sucker for musician biopics, okay. Don't @ me. Anyway, I wasn't sure what to expect with this one; I grew up around Elvis fans (my uncle was an Elvis impersonator at one point in his younger life, and my aunt was also a huge fan) so I'm very steeped in the music and fanfare and have an appreciation for his craft. Took a little bit to get into the style of the film, but once it settled in, this was a delightful surprise. It felt like they really tried to do a full look at the tragedy of Elvis Presley. (Not sure on the accuracy, but it did get me curious.) Austin Butler knocked his performance out of the park, and this has a GREAT soundtrack imo.

Thor: Love & Thunder
director: Taika Waititi
superhero, based on comics, action/adventure, comedy
Like many folks, I've been having a touch of Marvel Fatigue with how much material is out there to keep up with. (Was not impressed with Eternals, still haven't finished Moon Knight, and Ms. Marvel isn't gonna happen for me. Have watched just about everything else though.) THAT BEING SAID, fucking loved this movie. I know some people bitched about the movie as a whole, but I was ALL FOR giving Natalie Portman some quality time with Mjölnir, Chris Hemsworth adding some surprising layers to Thor's character, Russell Crowe being completely ridiculous, and honestly I really enjoyed the ride (and was also crushed okay, NGL). Plus I think I can call myself a Taika Waititi enthusiast at this point. Definitely one of the Marvel highlights this year, IMO.





Aaaaand coming up on my watch list this fall/winter:
- Avenue 5 S2 (FUCK YEAH)
- Chainsaw Man
- Spy X Family S1 "cour 2"
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
- Till
- Devotion
- The Greatest Beer Run Ever
- LotR: The Rings of Power
- Star Trek: Picard (I'm so behind, gotta catch up!!!)
- whatever else suits my fancy in the moment, yikes

Aight so I am still a binge-watching machine... somewhat lol. Been sneaking a few series here and there when I have time.

Sk8: The Infinity
studio: Bones
extreme sports, comedy, action
This series really takes after the extreme sports genre in its ostentatious, over-the-top take on extreme underground skateboarding, kind of in the same vein as series like Air Gear (yes I'm old ok) or Prince of Stride. If you're looking for something realistic, lol, um this won't be your cup of tea. It's ridiculous and loads of fun, and for me the biggest draw is actually the relationships between the characters. And yeah, so sue me, I totally think Renga and Matchablossom are canon, you can't convince me otherwise (like even the Japanese VA and English dub casts are on board). It's the only recent series where I've watched both the original Japanese and the English dubs (yes, I've seen it more than once, okay stop judging me), and I would watch it again. Only one season, but I'd take more, and I've heard rumors that follow-on projects have been green lit? I think? Either way, thought this was tons of fun. And the animation is gorgeous. And someone, please arrest Adam, he is a creep.


Kakushigoto
studio: Ajia-do Animation Works
comedy, slice-of-life, shounen (like idk how this got this genre but that's what the internet says?)
This series is precious and hilarious all at the same time. Basically, the premise here is that our main protag, a single father named Goto Kakushi, is a manga artist for a living, but because he tends to specialize in crass, off-color series (think more along the lines of Gintama when it's at its crudest lol), he keeps his profession a secret from his adorable young daughter. Basically most of the series is a lot of hijinks where Kakushi keeps getting into hot water where his daughter Hime is constantly on the edge of discovering that her father isn't actually a salaryman. My only complaint, really, is that they had some potential with making a truly interesting ending to the story, but it didn't quite live up to the potential I thought it had. Otherwise, totally cute and hilarious, and it's also only one season.


Those Snow White Notes (Mashiro no Oto)
studio: Shin-Ei Animation
music, slice-of-life, school club competition (like sports but it's not a sport)
Okay so this one. I'm a sucker for these kinds of series, but this one is... well, the animation is gorgeous, for one, and secondly the music is outstanding. The shamisen is such an interesting and uniquely Japanese instrument, and they do such an amazing job of drawing you into the history behind the art form and bringing it into a modern setting. The series revolves around Setsu, a high schooler who grew up learning how to play the shamisen from his grandfather, an accomplished grand master of the art. After his grandfather dies, Setsu loses his passion and moves from the countryside to Tokyo to try to rediscover his own unique sound, since he'd spent much of his childhood learning how to (very admirably) imitate his grandfather's distinct style. Without going too far into the plot, the true draw for this series really is the music and the visuals they use to illustrate it, which are so good, like I can't emphasize it enough. There's only one season for this series and it kind of ended on an unfinished note (which I hope means more seasons??? please????), but seriously this one feels like it really flew under the radar.


Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun (Mairimashita! Iruma-kun)
studio: Bandai Namco Pictures
shounen, comedy, isekai
I usually hate the isekai genre with a burning passion, but this one is a rare exception for me. And it's total brain rot trash but I keep watching it because it's so fucking dumb and hilarious that I keep coming back to it. This one is not a good binge series in my opinion, because I really do feel like my brain is leaking out of my ears after a few episodes in a row, but I've been watching it with a friend of mine and we just have way too much fun enjoying how over-the-top stupidly funny this series is. The basic premise is that there's this high school aged kid named Iruma who was stuck working horrible jobs to survive because his parents were basically human trash, and ultimately they sold him to this high-ranking demon named Sullivan, who just wanted a grandson. Iruma gets pulled into a lavish life in the underworld and is enrolled in the local demon academy (basically a high school for demons). Plot twist though, demons live to eat humans, and Iruma has to ensure that his identity as a human goes undiscovered. You can imagine the dumb hijinks that comes out of this pile of trash, but I am here for it and it's the train wreck that I won't stop watching, stop judging me okay.


Blue Spring Ride (Aoharaido)
studio: Production I.G
shoujo, slice-of-life, romance
So yes, on occasion, I am a huge sap. I don't care. The story centers around a high school girl named Futaba who spends the first part of her high school years really trying to be as unfeminine as possible to make friends who are girls, because she'd been pretty heavily ostracized and outcast in middle school by the other girls because they were jealous that boys were attracted to her. Futaba is a bit bored with her life as it stands, until one day she is reunited with her middle school crush, Kou. Kou had moved away suddenly in middle school, but on his return, he goes by a different family name and has become kind of a jerk. And I think you can kind of get a sense of where this goes... It's super cute and sweet and Futaba is a fantastic female lead, I really appreciated her growth throughout the season. Fair warning, this series is a single season and doesn't cover the full story, and it doesn't look like there are plans for follow up seasons, sadly. However, it's so sweet and precious that I'd still recommend a watch. If you want the whole story though, you should really read the manga.


Banana Fish
studio: MAPPA
drama, action, mafia, not quite bl but definitely influenced by it
Aight, I admit, I actually watched this series a while ago, but it's still really good and I want to at least drop a mention. The story revolves around Ash Lynx, a teenage NYC street gang leader and former sex slave who worked his way up to becoming an heir to an organized crime family, and Eiji Okumura, a Japanese college student visiting New York to do a study on street gangs. Ash and Eiji form a deep connection (and yes, it's definitely a romantic relationship), but due to Ash's dangerous lifestyle and countless enemies, this constantly puts Eiji in danger which puts Ash on edge. Fair warning for the series as a whole, though--there are a lot of very heavy themes, some of which may be triggering. Rape and sexual assault are directly referenced, and one of the characters involved is underage. It's treated negatively and is the source of a lot of trauma for the underage character, but it's definitely there and if it's triggering, you may want to steer clear of this series. Also, the series has a heartbreaking end to it. I won't spoil what happens beyond that, but I'm still upset, even though I'm turning around and recommending it anyway.


RE-MAIN
studio: MAPPA
sports, shounen, slice-of-life
Aaaand I'm back on the sports series lol, it's my drug I can't help myself. This one is about high school water polo, but with an interesting twist. Minato was a famous prodigy water polo player in middle school, but an accident leaves him with no memory of his middle school years as he starts his first year of high school. He has no plans to play again until he ends up taking on a bet to win the nationals, but he has to start from scratch, and at a high school that has a struggling water polo club. Great characters, really pretty animation (I see you, MAPPA), and a good fun entry in the sports series genre (my weakness!).



A Silent Voice (Koe no Katachi)
studio: Kyoto Animation
drama, slice-of-life, angst
If you haven't heard of or seen this film yet, you are really, really missing out. Fair warning in advance, this movie does address suicide and delves into topics like depression and mental health, so if this is triggering for you, you may need to steer clear. A boy named Shoya used to bully a deaf girl named Shoko in middle school with some of his friends, and as the ring leader, he is singled out and punished for his actions, but this turns him into an outcast. Fast forward to high school, and Shoya now grapples with suicidal depression and really struggles to connect with other people because his reputation as "Trouble" still sticks with him. He eventually reconnects with Shoko in an attempt to apologize and make amends, and the two end up becoming friends. It turns out that Shoko also is dealing with her own internalized issues, and there is still a fair amount of unresolved baggage, and working through all of these issues is where this film really shines. Won't spoil beyond that, but wow, get ready for this film to sucker-punch you in the feelings a few times. Some folks have said this film changed their lives, and honestly, I am not at all surprised; poignant, beautiful commentary on mental health, relationships, redemption, and respect. I can't recommend this enough.


Your Name. (Kimi no na wa)
studio: CoMix Wave Films / Makoto Shinkai
drama, supernatural, slice-of-life, romance?
Okay, so I understand if you might've missed A Silent Voice, but if you missed out on Your Name, you're living under a damn rock. Might be the best animated film of the last 10 years, in my humble opinion. Pacing, storytelling, animation, music... all of it is pristine. It doesn't hold your hand to tell you what's happening, you kind of start picking up on it in bits and pieces, and then it just sucker-punches you with all the feels once you realize what's actually happening. Mitsuha, a high school girl from the countryside, and Taki, a high school boy from Tokyo, suddenly start swapping bodies (like a complete Freaky Friday thing) after Mitsuha (out of boredom) wishes to become a boy from Tokyo in her next life. So Much Hijinks ensues during their body-swapping, like it's so hilarious and wonderful. The two ultimately form this crazy connection as they learn about each other and how to communicate with each other once they both realize what's happening (and despite the fact that they aren't actually meeting in person here). And uh, anything beyond that goes into massive spoiler territory, but just know that shit gets crazy. This movie made me ugly cry and I was totally fine with that, it's a well-earned tear-jerker. SO FUCKING GOOD.


Demon Slayer: Infinity Train (Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train)
studio: Ufotable
shounen, action, historical, drama, supernatural
Okay so yeah I wanted to round this back out to 10 titles, and even though I already talked about this series, I hadn't seen the movie yet but I DEFINITELY HAVE NOW OH MY GODDDD. If you've watched season 1 and plan at ALL to watch season 2 (SOOOOON AHHH), you need to watch this movie. This literally picks up immediately where season 1 left off, and will bridge the gap to season 2. I'm not going to spoil much else because I already talked about Demon Slayer last time, but come armed with tissues. And be prepared for stunning visuals and music, because Ufotable goes hard.


And again, here are a handful that I'm currently watching, or plan to watch soon:

- To Your Eternity (I'm only like 2-3 eps into this and my soul is already crushed ok)
- Tokyo Revengers
- 86 EIGHTY-SIX
- The Way of the Househusband
- Joran: The Princess of Snow and Blood (still haven't watched this yet)
- Violet Evergarden (same on this, haven't jumped on it yet)
- A Whisker Away

Crazy year it's been too. I know I don't post much about myself--or anything at all these days--online, but after being stuck indoors a lot (like many folks) during the pandemic, and even more so with bad air quality (hi I live on the West Coast in the US and we're literally on fire), feeling the need to do a little outlet of something. ANYthing.

I wrote 1000 words of fic for the first time in years today. And I'm going to keep going. I rewatched a few of my old favorite anime recently and it got me wanting to write and be creative again. My work schedule has been pretty strenuous for many years now so I haven't really had as much energy or drive to exercise that part of my mind in a long time, and ohhh boy is it rusty haha. I've tried starting a few story ideas and they just went so horribly that they got trashed right after. Today was my first bout of success, and probably for the best that it's on an existing story that's already partly out in the wild. (For the curious, "the clockmaker's dilemma" part 2.)

Anyway, what's the point of this again? Idk. Maybe it's just to say HI. I'm alive. I'm actually doing pretty well, all things considered. I miss being creative. I miss fandom friends. I still want to write. I need to stop editing myself so much, though it's a pretty persistent habit nowadays.

Maybe that's part of being an adult? Whose idea was adulting anyway, they're fired.

YAY it's a DW account~! I'll have to figure out what to put up here later. 8')