self-embodiment of perfection

 Why am I comparing these two shows? Is it because they both have the color "black" in the title? No! That is merely a coincidence. It's because I started watching them roughly at the same time. I don't have good things to report, mostly, but one of them I have more good things to say about and am still watching. Overall, I like the premise of Black Clover--a plucky protagonist wants to show that through hard work and not giving up, he can achieve an impossible goal, even though he's different from everyone else. But I noticed something pretty quickly about the combat. Stop me if you've heard this one: a big bad casts a magic spell, and no matter how difficult or scary the enemy is, Asta cuts through it with his magic-nullifying sword. It gets old. With just a swipe of his arm, he can nullify any and all magic. I do like Yuno, but like every spellcaster in the show, he doesn't have to work to learn new spells or even gain them. Good shit just happens to hi...

Currently watching: Naruto Shippuden - I'm at the Five Kage Summit arc. Not much else to say right now without getting into specific plot points about Madara, Itachi, and Pain. I'm enjoying it but the show is a massive undertaking and has a lot higher stakes and bigger consequences than the OG series. That can be exciting, but it's also intense.  My Hero (Rewatch) - This might actually be my favorite anime, not Haikyuu. It makes me so happy to watch or to listen to the soundtrack! I could easily plow through the rest of this (I'm just past the Overhaul arc in Season 4), but I'm trying to slow down so I can savor it. Black Clover -  I didn't expect to like this so much. It's really simple and by the numbers, but it's fun and entertaining. I am only 12 episodes in so far. I thought Yuno would be my favorite but he hasn't been in the show that much. I'd say Magna is my current favorite. Recently finished: Death Note (rewatch) - I had two main reas...

A decoy of various anime characters   For a long time, my default answer to "What's your favorite anime?" was Naruto. At that time, I had only seen the OG but it was a comfort anime and had become really special to me, even though I saw it in my 30s for the first time. Naruto and his Rasengan After I saw Attack on Titan and Vinland Saga back-to-back, they became my1a and 1b answer for favorite anime--and have been for at least 6 months now. Attack on Titan: Misaka, Armin, Levi, and Eren Thorfinn across the years, Vinland Saga But now, a new challenger appears. It worked its way into my heart in 2024 with my first watch-through, cosplay, and beginning of the manga. It's Haikyu!! Haikyuu's Karasuno High School Volleyball team More than just a sports anime, this is an anime (and manga) with great storytelling, heartwarming emotions, lovable characters, and an inspirational message that goes beyond just "I've got to get stronger". It manages to combine t...

Mob Psycho 100 cast The first time I watched Mob Psycho (in 2023), I liked it but didn't love it. I wanted to love it the way everyone else did, but I had a major problem: I couldn't relate to Mob. I could not understand why he wouldn't use his powers, even when he was in danger, even when others were in danger. Well, he would use them, but not to actively harm another human being. It was maddening to me. Sometimes violence IS the answer, I reasoned. It was frustrating to see him refuse to solve problems in a way that felt so obvious. Then I watched Vinland Saga's 2 seasons. My current rewatch of Mob makes a lot more sense. There's more than one way to be strong, as Thorfinn taught us. In fact, it's not always about winning. Certainly not with brute strength or intimidation. He truly opened my eyes to what pacifism can look like, especially in a world where fighting was not only common, it was expected. Mob's 2nd season is a perfect encapsulation of what the...

- The Disastrous Life of Saiki K - This one came out of nowhere. I watched the first two episodes and thought the MC was way too overpowered, even for a "gag anime" as it later refers to itself. I don't know what compelled me to pick it back up, but I did. It's hilarious, it's light and easy to watch, it's highly bingable, it's smart, and it features some of my favorite Japanese VAs. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K  - Mob Psycho 100 (Rewatch) - I picked this up again because I have to be honest, I was in peak shonen mood when I first watched it and felt it deserved more attention. Even though I knew it was anti-traditional shonen, like One Punch Man, I kept wanting fights. I wanted the point to be that Mob realizes it's okay to use his powers and be strong by standing up to others. I did watch all 3 seasons and still enjoyed it, especially his relationship with Regen, my favorite character, but I felt I was missing out on the greater themes of the sho...

True form Mahito  One year after the Shibuya incident re-aired, I rewatched it. To be more accurate, I rewatched the last few episodes a year after they aired. The other episodes, before Mahito starts losing the 2 v 1 vs Yuji and Todo, I had rewatched at least once.  It's physically painful to watch him get beaten up. It's frustrating to watch Todo and Yuji succeed with their plot armor. It doesn't often feel like a fair battle given the circumstances, skills, and abilities of all 3 fighters. Beyond that, it's just utterly embarrassing to watch how desperate and pathetic Mahito acts in his final moments. I'm also angry that Gege wasted Mahito. He was the strongest cursed spirit. He was built up as the leader of the disaster curses. He was fast to learn and faster to adapt. Gege could have really drawn that out. Maybe I'm just selfish and wanted more time with him. I'm also insanely salty that one black flash by Yuji knocked Mahito out of his true form and ba...