What have you been watching / reading this week? (Anime/Manga)

Finished Slime Datta Ken.

The pacing is great, there's never a dull moment. The main character is charismatic, childish and wise at the same time, and very well voiced. This show introduces many characters in a short period, but the authors managed to give nice backstories and distinct appearances to all of them. I tend to have trouble remembering too many characters (ADHD), but not here. That's an achievement in itself.

The fact that there is not a "singular master plan" like @Akir pointed out, is not a concern for me: Slime first season is basically a huge first act. The first main saga has not yet been presented. I like this kind of story structure because it gives me time to get to know the characters and create an emotional bond with them.

The only negative I can think of is the character of Milin Nava. She's basically a kid in very revealing clothes (from behind you can almost see her anus). I'm not a prude and I think eroticism has its place in anime (including this one). But the hyper-erotization of Milin is ridiculous, distracting and totally unnecessary.

All in all, Slime is funny, thrilling and endearing. Rimuru (the slime) is genuinely good, and the way his virtuous character is able to change a new world for the better is genuine, refreshing and heartwarming. I really think this is one of the best anime I've watched in the last few years (not that I watch much). Slime Datta is remarkable. I'm anxious for season 2.

My previous comment about this anime.

Well I'm nearing the end of the 2010 shows I'm watching, and somehow still haven't gotten around the watching some of the movies I wanted to watch. Really need to sit down and watch them don't I.

Dance in the Vampire Bund Ep 9:
What a strange episode, it felt slightly rushed to me. Like they wrapped up that minor villain really quickly, so they could introduce the next bigger arc. And I’m not really looking forward to the next arc. The whole bigger set of clans, and that guy talking about going to meet their fiancé. Seems like a much larger arc is being introduced, with only 3 episodes to finish it up and I just don’t see that happening. Feel like these last 3 episodes will end up rushed or ends on a read the source cliffhanger.

Sound of the Sky Ep 9:
After 9 episodes, I am just kinda tired of this show. We are in the final stretch, when I would hope to get some answered and entering the final arc to finish off the show. And we spend another episode, essentially doing nothing. We get a tiny bit of extra backstory for one of the characters, and Rio seems concerned about the message and call. We saw that the townsfolk are worried about the kids, which we already knew. Guess we also know they live in an area that gets typhoons, don’t really understand the geography that allows that given I haven’t seen an ocean? But what happened to further the story, I honestly would call this another essentially filler episode. Which I wouldn’t have an issue with if this was a 24-episode show, but with only 12 episodes I feel each episode needs to have a solid purpose and really flesh out the characters or continue the plot or lore.

It is also around this point; I wonder what everyone else sees in this show to give it good reviews on AniList and MyAnimeList. It doesn’t do Cute Girls Doing Cute Things very well, it doesn’t do the military drama well, it isn’t a music focused show, and it doesn’t have any good action scenes. So, what is it that everyone else sees that lets it get such praise?

Omamori Himari Ep 9:
What has gone on with this episode. Felt like this all came out of nowhere, getting into this final arc just wasn’t very graceful. Also, an issue with how serious they are trying to get this arc to feel when this show just can’t do serious well at all. This just isn’t a show that I feel should get serious, keep things rather lighthearted.

This episode also showed off, how little the MC has changed at all over the course of the show. He is still incapable of fighting back or helping in any way. He has no part in anything that occurs, even though for some reason people keep talking about him as if he was some amazing fighter and is super important. But all he ever does is stand around and let his friends fight for him, but then somehow take all the credit? I really wish they had done something more with his character, at least a tiny amount. Because I don’t understand who is supposed to like this guy or feel like they could take his place or anything like that.

Additional movie review I watched and did after posting this. Figured I'd just add it into the main post.

Decided to also watch Garden of Sinners Chapter 4 after a rather long break between movies. While I’ve not really enjoyed the alt timeline stuff with Fate, if that is what the connection is? At least not after Fate/Zero that is. Honestly, I think it is because of the seriousness of the characters and events and plots in both Garden of Sinners and Fate/Zero. Where it feels more like adults dealing with adult issues, rather than a bunch of kids that are somehow fighting a war to their deaths. But with Chapter 4 with the flashback movie, I almost feel like it was a decent time for me to jump back into it. Kinda get a chance to remember who the characters are and what is going on.

I love the music in these movies, it always improves the scenes and never takes away from it. While I don’t think any of it is super memorable, but I wouldn’t turn it off if it started playing on Spotify. But hey, I’m always a sucker music that I could easily turn on in the background when I am doing something and just improve the general feeling of the current task.

Visually the movie is as stunning as I would expect from Ufotable. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a work of theirs I didn’t really like, so I wouldn’t expect any less. Ton of details in every scene and the fight scene was rather simple, but incredibly smooth. Everything just flows together really well and melds in a way you just have to expect of Ufotable.

Overall, I’m rather impressed still, and need to remember to get around to keep watching them. Just always seems like I have something else to watch instead of my anime movies.

Today I started Rage of Bahamut: Virgin soul link but checking wikipedia, It's the second season. I don't sure if they are indepent.

I decided to try reading Beasters, after finishing part 1 of the Japanese series online. It's fun so far. A bit of a shame that the art style is different to the lovely one used in the anime, but allegedly there's a lot more in the manga that isn't yet in the anime (or was skipped over), so I'm enjoying myself!

Beastars is also the first anime I've ever watched an entire series of in almost 30 years.