Rate the last anime you watched out of 10

[Lordhippos]

I've never really gotten along with harem shows (nor many examples of its modern cousin, the isekai, though there are exceptions to this)

For the most part I definitely agree, a lot of harem shows are kind of poor, but I like some of them (and I am a fan of the better isekais personally, I don't like them all though).

Which isekais do you like out of interest? My list would be things like: Overlord, Saga of Tanya the Evil, Konosuba, Slime, Shield Hero.

due to finding their bland and uninteresting (and often weirdly sex-averse to say they’re surrounded by women lusting after them) male MCs who are apparently supposed to be viewer inserts utterly unrelatable

I never really got the viewer insert angle, do people watch stuff so they can put themselves in the MC's position? Maybe because I'm a bit older, but no matter what I am watching I don't ever feel like I'm the MC, I just want to see what happens to the characters and the story

The only kind of harem protagonist I’d be interested in is one who screws all of the girls and then leans back, smiling as he is beaten to death by them in the final moments of the show and whispers “worth it”

You'd like School Days then!

 

[Dai]

I've never really gotten along with harem shows (nor many examples of its modern cousin, the isekai, though there are exceptions to this) due to finding their bland and uninteresting (and often weirdly sex-averse to say they’re surrounded by women lusting after them) male MCs who are apparently supposed to be viewer inserts utterly unrelatable.

This is why I tend to like yuri more than straight romance anime. With no need for one character to be the viewer's cardboard avatar, the MC tends to be more interesting. Off the top of my head, the only straight romance show in the last decade that I thought had a good male MC was My Love Story.

 

[RadFemHedonist]

This is why I tend to like yuri more than straight romance anime. With no need for one character to be the viewer's cardboard avatar, the MC tends to be more interesting. Off the top of my head, the only straight romance show in the last decade that I thought had a good male MC was My Love Story.

I liked Golden Time myself, didn't feel like the MC was too much of the cardboard avatar type. He's nice, but feels like an actual character and not just a viewer insert. My Love Story was also great I agree got really attached to that one

 

[Lordhippos]

Both golden time and my love story are still on my ptw lists but intending to do both at some point!

 

[ayase]

Which isekais do you like out of interest? My list would be things like: Overlord, Saga of Tanya the Evil, Konosuba, Slime, Shield Hero.

Konosuba is the only one I’ve actively enjoyed, but I have seen the first couple of episodes of Tanya and I’ll probably continue with that at some point, becoming the (violent, psychotic) little girl is certainly a much more interesting concept. I’m torn over whether to try Overlord or not, again it seems a more interesting concept, but from what I’ve heard it doesn’t exactly sound compelling if the MC is just so OP he beats everybody all the time.

I never really got the viewer insert angle, do people watch stuff so they can put themselves in the MC's position? Maybe because I'm a bit older, but no matter what I am watching I don't ever feel like I'm the MC, I just want to see what happens to the characters and the story

I mean, given that the whole purpose of harem shows is just to lust over the girl(s) of your choosing (or ship, if you’re into that, I’m not) I can’t really think of much other reason for the male MCs to exist. As such, I’d much rather they were a character I would actually root for getting the girl(s) than one I’d just like to shove off a cliff and take the girls for myself.

School Days recommendation noted. Oh, and I forgot to mention in the previous post your questionable taste, genki girls and tsunderes at the BOTTOM of the list?

This is why I tend to like yuri more than straight romance anime.

Eh, yuri’s not really for me either. Honestly if it’s romance (rather than harem, which I think is a big distinction) just give me two decent characters, or maybe a love triangle at most. I don’t have anything against romance, things like Maison Ikkoku and After the Rain are lovely. But if the purpose of the show is just “look at all these cute/hot girls” just give me the girls and forget the boys.

 

[Professor Irony]

Off the top of my head, I remember quite liking Natsuyuki Rendezvous, as romance things from the last ten years go, but I think a large part of that was possibly down to the sheer novelty of it being about adults, with the male mc in love with a widow.

 

[ayase]

I remember quite liking Natsuyuki Rendezvous

That’s been on my list for a while, destined to be one of those shows I keep forgetting about and will end up watching about ten years after everyone else. Ever see Maison Ikkoku yourself Prof? I ask because that description makes me think you’d probably enjoy it.

 

[RadFemHedonist]

That’s been on my list for a while, destined to be one of those shows I keep forgetting about and will end up watching about ten years after everyone else. Ever see Maison Ikkoku yourself Prof? I ask because that description makes me think you’d probably enjoy it.

I've seen Maison Ikkoku and really liked it (though not gotten around to the movies yet) I tried Natsuyuki Rendezvous but didn't massively care for it, was a bit of a mixed bag and I dropped it after a few eps :/

 

[fabio de lunatico]

Maison Ikkoku is amazing, obviously, but for anyone planning to watch* it I'd recommend going in expecting a sitcom with some romance rather than a romantic comedy (for what that distinction is worth). I've encountered a few people who were frustrated with how slowly the main relationship progresses and how immaturely the characters often behave, but for me the fun is in the wackiness of the ensemble cast and amusing flaws of the mains.

*or read the superior manga

 

[Professor Irony]

I did see a decent chunk of Maison Ikkoku a few years ago, but must confess that I never finished it - I should really go back to that. Funnily enough, I was wondering recently if that kind of living arrangement, with the boarding house sharing a communal area and having little tenants rooms splitting off that, still exists in Japan now?

Saying that, I wonder if it was even still a common thing at the time the series was new. Despite its 80s trappings, Maison Ikkoku feels very much like it‘s looking back at an earlier time, presumably more like the 1960s (something something Norwegian Wood).

 

[ayase]

Maison Ikkoku is amazing, obviously, but for anyone planning to watch* it I'd recommend going in expecting a sitcom with some romance rather than a romantic comedy (for what that distinction is worth).

Fair point, and certainly worth making people aware of, but I do think the romantic aspect is still pretty moving. Probably more-so because it’s not the sole focus. Godai and Kyoko are good characters in their own right beyond their relationship.

Funnily enough, I was wondering recently if that kind of living arrangement, with the boarding house sharing a communal area and having little tenants rooms splitting off that, still exists in Japan now?

From what I’m aware, it does appear to still be a thing. There are certainly a few in existence as I’ve found when looking longingly but fruitlessly at the prospect of visiting Japan for a while. Maybe one day.

 

[Dai]

The Relative Worlds
This had one interesting idea, but the movie's execution left me cold on just about every level. The plot stumbles from one messy development to the next, growing increasingly incoherent and picking up worn-out genre tropes as it hurtles downhill. The kernel of what could have been an interesting story ultimately ditches its strongest conflict halfway, and then contents itself with super-powered shonen fight scenes for the rest of its runtime. The director's attempts to inject pace and drama into the proceedings are continually undone by CG characters that unintentionally feel as lifeless as the intentionally uncanny cyborgs from Ghost in the Shell. Individual elements of the production (voice acting, music, direction) seem okay in isolation, but nothing gels, resulting in a weirdly detached experience that feels like a hollow imitation of a movie, a calculated average like something made by an AI.

5/10

 

[Lordhippos]

School Days recommendation noted. Oh, and I forgot to mention in the previous post your questionable taste, genki girls and tsunderes at the BOTTOM of the list?

School Days is actually kind of ridiculous, go into it with an open mind and you may well enjoy the way it turns out.

Genki girls are actually the worst, always chirpy and annoying, that's why Miku is the best girl in QQ because she doesn't need a trope!

 

[D1tchd1gger]

Genki girls are actually the worst, always chirpy and annoying

I don't think Yotsuba is over genki-y though. Just about the right amount of cheerful!

she doesn't need a trope!

She's the "quite one". I do like characters like that, but there has to be something about them to make them interesting otherwise they just come off as boring.

I can take or leave Tsunderes though, I guess it depends how Tsun they are. Too much and they're annoying, not enough and they're going to be a bit boring.

 

[Lordhippos]

Clannad (both seasons)

I am not binging a prodigious amount of anime don't worry, I just watch a few things in sequence (normally 3-5 different anime) so I can watch across a few different genres. I started Clannad a few weeks ago I think.

I was going to give this a solid 8.5 overall but, for me at least, I think the ending was slightly spoilt from what I envisioned it was going to be. I still don't think the huge eyes were a good character fit but I was able to overlook them (⓿_⓿)

Spoilers ahead:

The first season I could kind of take it or leave it, it was very moe, and pretty light-hearted especially compared to season 2 (After Story), however I think it was necessary for it to exist to really make AS build on it.

AS was a whole different level for me, without being spoilt somehow I got to like episode 9 or so and I just got this overwhelming sense of sadness as I knew Nagisa was going to die, I didn't know how I knew, but I did.

Of course we hit her death around episode 16, and I think I was just a total mess from then onwards, it's the saddest an anime has made me since Violet Evergarden. I thought the sadness would end with her death in an episode or two, but no, it carried on for the next 8 or 9 episodes in bursts

I actually wanted it to end with a bitter-sweet happy ending, Tomoya raising Ushio with the help of Sanae and Akio, he's lost Nagisa but Ushio becomes the redemption and his reason d'aitre.

Instead we got a slightly cop-out ending in my opinion, with Nagisa coming back to life via multi-verse theory or similar. For this reason I can't give it the 8.5 I wanted to give it overall.

I think a lot of what KyoAni does is a good fit for my tastes and I want to watch some more of their shows, I've not seen them all yet.

8/10

 

[Lordhippos]

She's the "quite one". I do like characters like that, but there has to be something about them to make them interesting otherwise they just come off as boring.

I can take or leave Tsunderes though, I guess it depends how Tsun they are. Too much and they're annoying, not enough and they're going to be a bit boring.

I think it's just my tastes as I am fairly quiet in reality also, it appeals to me more rather than a hugely outgoing personality. Although there is definitely a limit, and unable to speak levels of shyness would put me off personally. Miku isn't like that though.

Tsunderes can work but I think they need to lose the tsun a bit as time goes on, Nino didn't change all that much.

What was your top 5 from QQ?

 

[D1tchd1gger]

What was your top 5 from QQ?

Yotsuba
Miku
And then the rest I can't decide. Ichika is a bit bland and then was quite underhanded in the second season, Itsuki is the all rounder so again doesn't really stand out and Nino like you say is still a bit too Tsun.

 

[Lordhippos]

Yotsuba
Miku
And then the rest I can't decide. Ichika is a bit bland and then ψ(._. )> in the second season, Itsuki is the all rounder so again doesn't really stand out and Nino like you say is still a bit too Tsun.

Absolutely agree with your assessment on Ichika, I felt like it was a plot thing though, needed something to spur some drama.

I think I had Itsuki 2nd precisely because she didn't really stand out or annoy, but the others had their own quirks.

Always fun to see what different people think though!

 

[WMD]

Clannad (both seasons)

I am not binging a prodigious amount of anime don't worry, I just watch a few things in sequence (normally 3-5 different anime) so I can watch across a few different genres. I started Clannad a few weeks ago I think.

I was going to give this a solid 8.5 overall but, for me at least, I think the ending was slightly spoilt from what I envisioned it was going to be. I still don't think the huge eyes were a good character fit but I was able to overlook them (⓿_⓿)

Spoilers ahead:

The first season I could kind of take it or leave it, it was very moe, and pretty light-hearted especially compared to season 2 (After Story), however I think it was necessary for it to exist to really make AS build on it.

AS was a whole different level for me, without being spoilt somehow I got to like episode 9 or so and I just got this overwhelming sense of sadness as I knew Nagisa was going to die, I didn't know how I knew, but I did.

Of course we hit her death around episode 16, and I think I was just a total mess from then onwards, it's the saddest an anime has made me since Violet Evergarden. I thought the sadness would end with her death in an episode or two, but no, it carried on for the next 8 or 9 episodes in bursts

I actually wanted it to end with a bitter-sweet happy ending, Tomoya raising Ushio with the help of Sanae and Akio, he's lost Nagisa but Ushio becomes the redemption and his reason d'aitre.

Instead we got a slightly cop-out ending in my opinion, with Nagisa coming back to life via multi-verse theory or similar. For this reason I can't give it the 8.5 I wanted to give it overall.

I think a lot of what KyoAni does is a good fit for my tastes and I want to watch some more of their shows, I've not seen them all yet.

8/10

I also happened to finish watching this today, though for me it's a rewatch. Much like you I find the ending to be a cop out though being ready for it meant it didnt anger me like the first time I watched years ago.

Interestingly I could remember loads of season 1 but almost nothing from season 2. I think season 1 is excellent. For me the first third of season 2 is dull and deals with a bunch of characters I dont care about. Once it gets back to telling the main story it is excellent though.

 

[Lordhippos]

I also happened to finish watching this today, though for me it's a rewatch. Much like you I find the ending to be a cop out though being ready for it meant it didnt anger me like the first time I watched years ago.

Interestingly I could remember loads of season 1 but almost nothing from season 2. I think season 1 is excellent. For me the first third of season 2 is dull and deals with a bunch of characters I dont care about. Once it gets back to telling the main story it is excellent though.

What a coincidence!

Overall I didn't miss a lot of things about season 1 (it wasn't terrible it just didn't stand out to me), but in season 2 I think I missed seeing how the other characters were doing towards the end. I guess they ran out of time to really cover what the side characters were up to, I think we saw a bit of Kyou as the teacher, and they had a mini party/gathering with Nagisa and Tomoya.