| ANIME - In/Spectre |

SYNOPSIS: Iwanaga became the goddess of wisdom for supernatural beings. With the help of her boyfriend, Kuro, she maintains the balance between the human world and the supernatural world.

GENRE: Mystery, Supernatural, Comedy
NUMBER OF EPISODES: 12

RATING: 6.5/10

I thought I would enjoy this a lot more than I did. The story was very intriguing. I like that it involved supernatural beings such as yokai, ghosts, etc. I love the first episode. It had a perfect amount of mystery, action, and comedic elements to it. If the next episodes had gone the same way, I would've been happy with this anime. Sure, we still had the mystery and the comedic elements in the next episodes, but the action was gone. I'm not against anime with a whole lot of dialogue, but this one is almost all dialogue. There was only one major plot point in the ten episodes. You would feel slightly fed-up with it. Also, it felt incomplete. It didn't end in a cliffhanger, but you'd want more episodes. I wanted more stories revolving different Yokai and ghosts. 

In terms of art, I like it. It was simple, but it captured the essence of what it wanted to present. Some supernatural beings were creepy, but it's not on a nightmare level. The character designs looked amazing, especially Iwanaga's.

In terms of characters, I love them. They were funny and interesting to watch. Iwanaga was very dedicated to her role as the goddess of wisdom for the yokai. She's very witty, too. There are times when you may cringe because of her inappropriate response. Kuro didn't show much personality, but I like his interactions with Iwanaga. Their banters were funny. I like them together, but their relationship is a bit confusing. I don't know if Kuro just likes teasing her or if he truly wants to escape her clutches. However, Kuro doesn't show it much, but you can feel that he somewhat cares about Iwanaga. I would've liked it if we got to see their relationship develop more. 

 

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WARNING: SPOILERS!

RANDOM THOUGHTS AND REACTIONS

• The banters between Saki and Iwanaga was hilarious. They teased each other a lot because of their attraction to Kuro. I'm glad that they became sort-off friends in the end. Their teamwork was great, even though they argued a lot. It's cute that Saki let Iwanaga sleep on her lap after the fight with Rikka. 
• I want to know if the story Iwanaga told the snake was real. Did Aoi throw her child in the lake?
• Nanase's boobs were ridiculously big.
• Kuro's family were a bunch of psychos. They sacrificed a lot of people for their experiments. I felt sorry for Kuro. He went through a lot as a child. I don't even know how he is sane now.
• I felt sorry for Terada. He became a casualty even though he didn't do anything to deserve his fate. Although, most of the characters here did anything to deserve their fate.
• I felt bad for Saki when Iwanaga kept playing a prank on her with the ghosts. Still, I found it funny, especially the one with the large skeleton.
• Weirdly, Kuro has feelings for his cousin. I dislike it. I'm glad that we didn't see much of it.
• I love that Mamoru Miyano is the voice actor for Kuro.
• I felt sorry for Kuro when Saki broke up with him. They were together for a long time, and she left him. Honestly, you can't blame her, though. If a supernatural creature runs away from you, that's not a good sign. She was terrified. I'm glad that Kuro managed to find Iwanaga (or Iwanaga found him), and that Saki was able to get her closure.
• It's adorable that the Yokai are not afraid of Kuro much anymore. They got used to him being with Iwanagi a lot that they started to rely on him.
• I dislike that we get a time skip three episodes in. I want to know what happened during that time. Seeing it as a flashback kind of annoyed me.
• SCENES I FOUND ADORABLE:
• Kuro doesn't want Iwanaga to be in danger. He follows her and helps her around.
• Kuro prepared mountain climbing attire and equipment for Iwanaga. He also gave her some food.
• Kuro fed Iwanaga chocolates to restore her energy. 
• Kuro didn't tell Iwanaga where he was because he didn't want her to get involve and be in danger. 
• Kuro told her that he needs Princess Iwanaga, and he told her that Iwanaga's pretty.
• Kuro and Iwanaga held hands on their way home.
• SCENES I FOUND FUNNY:
• Everyone in the hospital knew and talked about Saki and Kuro's relationship. Iwanaga managed to keep track of their relationship because of the nurses.
• The ghost of the samurai didn't want to move on into the afterlife because he still had novels to read.
• Iwanaga thought Saki and Kuro were promiscuous because they went on a trip before marriage, but they did that as well. 
• Iwanaga's vulgar jokes, especially the one with the banana.
• The yokai always wondering why Iwanaga fell for Kuro.
• Kuro refused to come with Iwanaga to the mountains because he had to cook pork miso soup.
• The snake pointed out to Iwanaga that Kuro didn't come even though the soup was cooked when she left.
• Iwanaga showed Saki her couple pictures with Kuro, and Kuro looked so dead inside.
• Iwanaga used a giant skeleton as her ride.
• The fights Saki and Iwanaga had about Kuro. 
• Iwanaga spread the blood on the face of the child ghost to creep Saki out more.
• Iwanaga got mad at Kuro because he agreed that Nanase's chest is bouncy. Kuro told her that if he cared about big boobs, he wouldn't have dated her and Saki.
• Kuro imagined Iwanagi as a girlfriend who does his housework and was terrified.
• Iwanaga made Rikka feel bad about what she said about her when they first met, which resulted in their friendship. She was proud of herself for what she did.

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SUMMARY OF EVENTS

1. After she was kidnapped, Iwanaga became the goddess of wisdom for the yokai. Her eye and leg were taken. Two years later, she approached Kuro, who she fell in love with when she first met. She asked him out. He was single now because his ex-girlfriend broke up with him when a Kappa ran away from him. She got scared of him. Iwanaga also asked him for help. There is a strong yokai that she can't defeat on her own easily. He helped her, and she discovered that he's an immortal. He ate two yokai when he was young - a mermaid and a kudan. 
2. Iwanaga went to visit a giant serpent in the mountains. She wanted Kuro to come, but he didn't want to. She didn't know that he followed her because he was worried that she would do something reckless. The snake wanted to know why a woman dumped a dead body in his lake, but she hoped that the body would be found. Iwanaga claims that it was because she wanted the body of her child to be found.
3. Two years later, a ghost called Steel Lady Nanase, started to commit crimes. She's a ghost made from the imagination of the people who believe in her existence. She killed a police officer. Kuro's cousin was behind her existence. Saki, Iwanaga, and Kuro had to join together to come up with a solution to destroy her. 
4. Rikka knows about Kuro and Iwanaga's relationship. She lived with Iwanaga for a while before she disappeared. Kuro and Iwanaga defeated her Steel Lady Nanase.
5. Kuro told Saki that Rikka is experimenting on things so that she can find a way to go back to being human. Like Kuro, she also ate a yokai as a child and is immortal, but doesn't want to accept it. She wants to go back to being normal.
6. Kuro and Iwanaga went back home to spend time with Iwanaga's parents.

| ANIME - The Case Files of Jeweler Richard |

SYNOPSIS: Seigi decides to work at Richard's jewelry store. There they encountered different customers with their own stories to tell.

GENRE: Mystery, Slice of Life
NUMBER OF EPISODES: 12

RATING: 6/10

The story wasn't that entertaining, but it was okay. It felt kind of bland, and the pacing was quite slow. Some episodes were enjoyable, but most of them were a bit meh. Most of the time, I didn't feel the connection between the jewelry/gemstone to the story of the owner. Honestly, it made me question sometimes why most of them told their problem to Richard. He's a jeweler and not a detective or a psychiatrist. Also, I feel that most of them could have solved their issues on their own. 

I liked seeing the jewelry and the gemstones because they were pretty, but I wasn't interested much about their background.  

In terms of art, it was beautiful. However, there were times where it became inconsistent, especially with the drawing of the characters. There are times where Richard didn't look that handsome. Also, I still can't forget how big Chieko and Catherine's forehead was. 

In terms of the character, I didn't feel much personality in Richard and Seigi. They were entertaining at times, but they kind of felt shallow. Still, I liked their friendship. However, I still don't know if the author was confused as to what to do with them. They felt on the verge of a romance, but it wasn't pushed, which is kind of annoying. 

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WARNING: SPOILERS!

RANDOM THOUGHTS AND REACTIONS

• The cutest scene was when Richard became so happy (he moved his feet) because Seigi made him some pudding. 
• My favorite episode is the one with the cat's eye. I love that the father bought the cat's eye for his son, and the meaning is honey and milk, which is his son's favorite. Although they could have resolved their issues by talking.
• I think that the woman who owned the pink sapphire was very lucky. Losing it improved her life and helped her find happiness. It's terrible that it became sort-off a curse to Seigi's grandmother.
• I dislike Sasu. She hurt Homura a lot with her indecisions. I'm glad that she realized what she wanted in the end, though. 
• Yamamoto was kind of annoying in the beginning. It's not Richard's fault that he's beautiful. Still, I'm happy that Yamamoto was able to become more confident in herself.
• I dislike that Hase played Seigi. He was Seigi's idol, and he became such a disappointment. I'm glad that he returned the opal and realized his wrongs in the end. 
• I still don't know why Iyumi went to Richard when she was looking for his boyfriend. You should have gone to the police my dear or a private investigator. 
• I felt sad for Richard when we found out about his childhood. I'm glad that he found Chieko again, and they were able to mend their relationship. 
• Seigi's father is the worst. He's so creepy, and he only went to his son because he needed money.
• Seigi's step-father is the best. It was so touching when he came to his son's rescue, and they were able to connect.
• I didn't feel any chemistry between Shoto and Seigi. I don't know why Seigi keeps pushing. He always thinks about Richard when he was with her, and he's always distracted. I'm glad that he didn't confess, though, because I didn't want it to work out.
• It's ridiculous that Richard's scam only badly affected those he didn't like. It seemed so petty.
• I'm still confused as to why Seigi is a valid marriage candidate for Richard. It should have been an English-woman yet, Seigi is a man and Asian. If Asia was allowed, then Richard could have been with his ex-girlfriend since Sri Lanka is part of Asia.
• The fight over the inheritance seemed kind of stupid. I get that Richard didn't want to be controlled by his family, but he just felt stubborn. Jeffrey is stupid for making him think that money was all he wanted, he should've shown him Henry's condition early on. I think that if Jeffrey just talked properly to Richard, they could've saved themselves a whole lot of trouble.
• Their great-grandfather was stupid for not thinking that his direct descendants would be the people who are most affected by what he did with the inheritance. It would have been satisfying if he got his revenge on his racist relatives, though.
• I felt sad for Seigi when his heart was broken because Richard suddenly left him. His lines were so relatable.
• I love that there is a Les Miserables reference.
• I didn't feel that Seigi helped anyone except for Richard. It kind of annoyed me whenever they kept using Seigi's name as something heroic. I didn't see that in him.
• I'm still confused about Seigi and Richard's relationship. They kept telling each other that they like each other, but I don't know if it's romantically or not. Honestly, they already seemed like a couple. I just wished the creator pushed it.
• I love that Seigi learned to cook a pudding and other recipes for Richard. It was adorable to see Richard's sweet-tooth.
• Richard reminds me of Tamaki Suoh sometimes. They looked alike, but Richard would be the silent version of Tamaki.

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SUMMARY OF EVENTS

1. Seigi wanted to know about the pink sapphire that his grandmother stole. He wanted to return it to the owner. She told him to take it. Losing it improved her life.
2. A woman checked if the ruby brooch she owned was heat-treated. She was going to use it as a sign if she was going to leave her boyfriend or not. She was miserable with him because she wanted to be with another girl, Akashi. 
3. A child was looking for a cat's eye because he wanted a matching one for luck. His mother is about to give birth, and his father moved their lucky cat. There's a parasite that cats may have that can harm pregnant women, so his father temporarily relocated their cat.
4. A woman wanted to buy a garnet as an engagement ring. She wasn't getting married. She just thought that she'd buy one herself because nobody would ever give her one. Richard and Seigi managed to make her feel more confident, so she didn't buy the ring. Richard told Seigi that his careless words can hurt someone.
5. Seigi reunited with his old friend. He told him the story of the pink sapphire, and his friend used it as a cover-up to sell a fire opal. The niece of the owner of the fire opal told them that the friend lied. She claimed that he stole it from her aunt, who has dementia. He told them that the aunt gave it to him. He was going to sell it to help her pay for her medical bills. It turns out that he just needed money. He returned the fire opal in the end.
6. A schoolmate of Seigi was looking for a turquoise charm to find her boyfriend. It turns out that he was a con-artist who sold fake turquoise. Seigi and Richard infiltrated their store by posing as someone who can sense the aura of gemstones. They told them that the gemstones are cursed and angry customers posted online about their scam. They vanished. Richard recalls the time when he to was a con-artist.
7. Richard was asked by an antique dealer to buy Jade's Hand in an auction. The original owner's grandson wanted it back because of his fond memories with his grandfather. Richard told Seigi that his grandfather also left an inheritance that caused their family to fight.
8. Seigi's crush is going on a marriage meeting with Homura. He didn't want to ruin Shoko's plans, so he let it be. Richard convinced him not to let Shoko go because he regrets letting his ex-girlfriend go. She broke up with him because she didn't want to be tempted by his inheritance. Seigi gave Shoko an aquamarine and told her not to get married, but he didn't tell her about his feelings. Richard closed the shop and left Japan.
9. Richard's store opened, but Richard wasn't there. Only his mentor. He told Seigi where to find Richard. Richard went to London and was ambushed by Richard's cousin. Jeffrey wanted Richard to claim the inheritance to cure his sick brother. The inheritance can only be claimed by Richard if he marries an English-woman. Jeffrey was the one who convinced Richard's ex-girlfriend to break-up with him.
10. They found out that Seigi is a viable marriage candidate. They went to claim the inheritance and found out that it wasn't a diamond. It was a white sapphire. Their great-grandfather wanted to spite the family for not accepting his son's marriage. The actual inheritance was given to his son. The inheritance issue was resolved. Seigi made pudding for Richard. They went back to Japan.
11. Seigi managed to run into Richard's old governess. She didn't want to see Richard because she believes that she hurt him. She was blamed by Richard's mother when her jewelry went missing, and she went back to Japan. She and Catherine planned it so that Richard wouldn't be separated from her, but she still left him. Seigi ran into his father.
12. Seigi hated his father because he didn't show remorse on the abuse he inflicted on his mother. He went to his son because of his debt. Seigi became stressed and dreamt of hurting his father. He decided not to tell Richard. Richard contacted Seigi's stepfather, and they threatened Seigi's father so that he would leave his son alone. Seigi accepted his stepfather and has his coming-of-age ceremony. Richard decided to teach Seigi English.

| ANIME - Masamune-Kun's Revenge |

SYNOPSIS: A story about Makabe who, was treated badly by his childhood friend, and decides to seek revenge.

GENRE: Romance, Comedy
NUMBER OF EPISODES: 12

RATING: 3/10

I decided to watch this because I thought it would be fun. I didn't expect that it would disappoint me so much. There were funny scenes, but most of the time, it pissed me off. The plot seemed intriguing, but there was no actual progress in the storyline. There were characters introduced that didn't add anything to the storyline (Kanetsugo and Neko). They just made things more confusing. I think the plot points weren't resolved properly. I dislike most of the characters. Maybe the source material is better, but the anime sucked. Also, it ended in a cliffhanger way that would make you hate it.

Makabe was such a disgusting main character. I didn't see any redeeming qualities in him. Sure, he had childhood trauma, but that doesn't excuse his behavior. He was vain, childish, and a jerk. Aki is not the best person in the world, but she didn't deserve the betrayal. By the end, I'm still not sure about Makabe's feelings towards Aki, but I sure as hell don't like them together in the anime. I don't like people who play with other people's feelings.

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WARNING: SPOILERS!

RANDOM THOUGHTS AND REACTIONS

• I felt bad for Makabe in the beginning because of what happened when he was young, but I didn't like the person he grew up into. I think he was better when he was chubbier.
• Kanetsugo was such a horrible person. Sure, he had problems with money, but to deceive a girl? Even if it is Aki? That's wrong on many levels.
• I found Kojuro Shuri very adorable. I felt bad for him every time his classmate would tease him and dress him up like a girl (bow, swimming, play), but he was so cute. He's also the most decent character in the whole show.
• Makabe's mother was such a trap character. I was so surprised. How the hell did she give birth to Makabe and his sister? She looked like an actual child. Makabe even calls her Loli Hag (which is hella accurate).
• There are so many lines from Makabe that were cringy as hell. Everyone he confessed his feelings towards Aki, and every time he praised his body and looks.
• I didn't get Neko's deal. She just showed up out of nowhere and decides to confuse everybody. I don't feel her feelings for Makabe.
• Who the hell would hide a picture between the boobs? That will get wet because of sweat. 
• Why the hell does Neko go commando? That's uncomfortable since she wears short skirts.
• I don't even know why Aki agreed to let them all stay in her private villa. It was such a stupid plan to spite Makabe.
• It was embarrassing when Aki decided to wear a magic girl costume on her date with Makabe.
• It's funny that Aki gets hungry every time. She even had herself tested for parasites.
• It's funny that Kojuro is not worried about the test even though he had a single-digit score on the previous test. 
• I don't know why Aki was wearing a Darth Vader-ish helmet when she was mad at Makabe. It was funny, though.

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SUMMARY OF EVENTS

1. Makabe decided to get his revenge on Aki by making her fall in love with him and dumping her when she does. She rejected him when they were young because he was fat. 
2. Koiwai decided to help Makabe because she wanted to teach Aki a lesson to make her more modest. 
3. Makabe and Aki made a bet against who will get a better score on the exam. They both weren't able to take the test.
4. Makabe tries to flirt with Aki, but Aki is disturbed. He ignores Aki, which makes her sad. She becomes jealous of Koiwai. Makabe runs after her and saves her from getting hit by a car. Neko shows up and hugs Makabe.
5. Aki remained angry at Makabe because of Neko. Neko transfers to their school. Makabe chased Aki in the hallway, and they got punished for wandering during class hours. They were to clean the swimming pool. Makabe told Aki he saved her from drowning because he loves her. Aki asked him to prove it.
6. Neko and Yoshino were invited to Makabe's home. Neko took photos from Makabe's room.
7. They went to Aki's summer villa. Makabe and Aki pretended they were dating. 
8. Makabe realized his photos were missing and went to Neko's house. He rejects Neko.
9. Neko went missing. They searched for her. Makabe asked Aki if she recalls the nickname, Pig's Foot. Neko talked to Aki about feelings. Aki liked her childhood friend. She doesn't realize that Makabe was her childhood friend.
10. Kanetsugo was introduced. He claims that he is Makabe. Aki doesn't leave his side.
11. Makabe and Kanetsugo had a contest to decide who gets to dance with Aki.
12. Makabe and Kanetsugo were locked-in by the two's respective teams. Makabe was able to escape. He decided to join Aki's play so that she would have a prince (since Kanetsugo is still missing). Makabe kissed Aki. 
13. They had a karaoke party after. Nothing much happened, and it ended in a cliffhanger.

| ANIME - Ore Monogatari |

SYNOPSIS: A story about Takeo Goda who doesn't have much luck with women because they all fall for his best friend. That is until he meets, Rinko Yamato.

GENRE: Romance, Comedy
NUMBER OF EPISODES: 24

RATING: 7/10

I like this anime. It has a simple plot, but it's fun to watch. It's lovely to see Goda and Rinko's relationship develop. They were adorable together. Their romance is so pure and fresh. I also love Goda and Makoto's bromance. They supported and took care of each other a lot, and it was pleasing to see.

The issues I had were: I thought 24 episodes were a lot for this anime, and I didn't care much for some of the side characters. They weren't that interesting and some were even annoying. Most of them had character development, though.

 

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WARNING: SPOILERS!

RANDOM THOUGHTS AND REACTIONS

• My favorite character is Makoto. He was such a kind and pure character. He helped and supported Goda a lot. He was genuinely happy for Rinko and Goda's relationship.
• I love Makoto and Goda's friendship. They were adorable together. They've been through a lot and you can see that they care about each other a lot. Honestly, Goda would have been in a lot of accidents if Makoto wasn't there to guide him when he was lost in his thoughts.
• I love Goda and Rinko's relationship. They found it hard to express their feelings and thoughts, but you can see how hard they tried. they used each other as inspiration to do better in their studies and goals. 
• I love that Rinko and Goda included Makoto in most of their activities. They tried to make him feel like he wasn't a third-wheel. It's funny when Makoto question why he is there in the first place. 
• I'm glad that Goda exercises because, with the number of food that Rinko kept feeding him, he'll get unhealthy real fast.
• I hated that Yamato's friends talked smacked behind Goda's back when they first met him. I'm glad that they managed to see why Yamato likes him so much.
• My heart broke for Rinko when Goda got stuck in the fire. I'm glad that Makoto was there to motivate him to escape the fire.
• I know that Ai is coming from a good place, and she just wanted to be sure that Goda wasn't being tricked, but did she had to insult him? 
• It's funny that Rinko thought that physical intimacy like cuddles and holding hands were impure things.
• Goda's baby sister is so cute. She was so chubby. I wanted to pinch her.
• I dislike Ichinose. He assumed that Rinko should be with him just because they like the same things. Rinko has a boyfriend for heaven's sake! I'm glad that he respected Rinko's feelings in the end.
• I felt sad that Goda had an inferiority complex towards Ichinose. It's normal in a relationship to think that the person is not for you, but it's still sad.
• I felt bad for Mariya because she liked Goda. She didn't stand a chance because Goda loves Rinko. 
• I had mixed feelings about Osamu and Nanako's relationship. They were great together, but I wanted to hit Osamu when he said the wrong things to Nanako. I get that its nerves, but damn that was painful.
• I felt bad for Yukika. She liked Makoto, but he wasn't interested in a relationship. I'm glad that she has fond memories of him though. He even kept her anonymous letters. Although, it was creepy when she admitted that she stalked him.
• MY FAVORITE / FUNNY SCENES:
• Makoto told Goda that he rejected the girls that liked him before because they insulted Goda.
• The first time that Goda and Rinko tried to hold hands.
• Goda tried to practice kissing with Makoto.
• Goda planned Rinko's birthday celebration with Makoto. Also, they remembered each other's birthday.
• Goda and Rinko decided to stay with Makoto during his father's operation instead of continuing their date.
• Goda and Rinko thought that it would be good to find a girl for Makoto that's like Goda (and they thought physically).
• Rinko's friends gave her an alibi when Rinko didn't come home after her date with Goda. Her response to their question of how was the overnight was so inappropriate and funny.
• Makoto and Goda tried to make Mariya lean on their shoulder when she twisted her ankle.
• Goda and Goda's father tried to stop Goda's mother from doing chores and extra-curricular activities because she was pregnant.
• Rinko asked if Makoto has even kissed someone, and he recalls when Goda practiced on him.
• Rinko and Goda prepared a birthday cake for Makoto.
• Rinko kissed Goda during his birthday, and he thought an insect landed on his lips. Goda was such an idiot there.

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SUMMARY OF EVENTS

1. Goda saved Rinko and she fell for him. However, he thought that Rinko liked Makoto.
2. Makoto helped Rinko and Goda get together by tricking Rinko into confessing while Goda hid.
3. Goda meets Rinko's friends.
4. Goda and Rinko's relationship develops - intimacy issues, judo practice, beach, same college, first Kiss during Goda's birthday, chocolate during Valentine's, Goda calls Rinko by her first name. 
5. Makoto's father underwent surgery on Rinko's birthday. Goda and Rinko decide to stay with Makoto instead of going on their date.
6. Goda and Rinko get stuck in the mountains overnight.
7. Takeo and Rinko surprised Makoto with a birthday celebration.
8. Hayato arrives to confess to Makoto's sister, Ai.
9. Takeo starts training Mariya Saijou. Mariya confessed to him.
10. Osamu and Nanako get together during the Christmas Party.
11. Goda's mom gave birth to a baby girl.
12. Yukika confessed to Makoto, but he didn't feel the same way.
13. Ichinose tried to steal Rinko from Goda.