Hello everyone, and I'll start off my post with a big welcome into the new year! I hope that all of you will have a fruitful year ahead~
Anyway, Bushiroad has announced recently that they'll be terminating the Love Live! School Idol Festival app, a well-loved rhythm game that has stuck around with Love Live! fans for close to ten years. Its last day will be on March 31st, 2023.
I saw this notice the moment I opened up my SIF app *tears*
I'm sure most of us are devastated, but with sad news also comes bigger news: the upcoming release of SIF 2! Miracle Live, sort of like a sequel to the original game but with some changes to the UI, gacha system and possibly some enhanced gameplay mechanics.
Now even though change is always a good thing, I'll have to admit that I still felt a huge wave of heartbreaking nostalgia when I heard about the news. As a die-hard Love Live! fan (especially during the OG era with the lovely μ's girls), it's always hard to see something you've grown attached to go. But that also means staying even more connected with the friends I've made throughout my SIF journey, and bonding through memories of the game together before we move on to the next one. Maybe this time, we'll team up to save the game instead of the school? Heheh.
On another note, I also managed to see some sneak previews of the game.
I'm glad to see that most portions of the gameplay is the same, retaining the circle beat area.
I'll be sure to look out for more sneak previews in the coming months leading up to the release of the game!
Here's a trailer if you haven't seen it yet (hearing Heart to Heart by μ's playing in the background brought a smile to my face):
With that, I'll continue to enjoy the rest of time in SIF, until it terminates its service in March 31st~ 愛してるばんざーい!
Hi everyone! I hope all of you are keeping well. While I haven't been keeping up much with the latest anime, I have recently gone on board the hype train of Lycoris Recoil, one of the anime released this Summer season. I'm sure ya'll know by now that I'm a huge fan of the cute-girls-doing-cute things genre so this was one anime I didn't wanna miss!
Except...
The cute things involve some good ole' action and guns.
The last time I watched something involving girls in battle (and a wonderfully made anime at that) was probably Princess Principal, and it's really nice to revisit more strong female characters taking the lead again!
In the first episode,we learn that orphan girls are trained to be 'Lycoris', a form of assassins to maintain violence control. We see our cool black-haired girl, Takina, wielding a huge gun just to save a teammate in trouble. However, her actions weren't received with much praise, because she was only told to standby. Hence, she got transferred to work under another Lycoris at a... cafe...?
We now see a bit more of Chisato, our chirpy protagonist, who will be Takina's senpai. One thing I love about Chisato is that even though she looks like our generic genki protagonist, she presents so much personality that surprises me. I love how she's so strong-headed, and a HUGE BADASS in battle.
You gotta watch it to see it. The way she talks to Takina also reminds me of an onee-san, which is really cute.
Right off the bat, I can tell that Chisato and Takina will hit it off real quick, and I'm looking forward to see their partnership evolve from this episode.
What I also find cool is the addition of Mika, the manager of the cafe. He has links with the Lycoris too, so I'm interested to see more of his backstory in the following episodes to come.
Overall, the first episode of Lycoris Recoil didn't disappoint and I'm so excited to watch the next few episodes. I'm pretty sure more characters will get revealed along the way so that'll be fun. Also, the anime is animated by A-1 Pictures (some of my favourite works by them include Blend S, Anohana and Wotakoi) so the animation quality is pretty top-notch.
Now I wish all the episodes are out so I can binge it all at one go~ but if you do decide to watch Lycoris Recoil, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do!
After the last episode of Attack on Titan’s third season (second part) aired last April, fans were delighted to know that a third part will return next year. After all, there’s still so much to conclude from where we left off. So, why am I only writing about AOT right now?
As a female anime watcher who mostly finds interest in girls’ club and slice-of-life anime, I didn’t find myself on board the AOT hype at that point, which holds a largely shounen demographic. But don’t get me wrong, I believe that most people, regardless of gender, enjoy the show because of its intensity, the insane effort put into the story as well as its compelling characters. This is evident in almost all of its show’s seasons finding themselves ranked in the top 50 section of MyAnimeList, with its latest season in third place.
As the final season crept in early this year, I was coerced by my friend who was curious as well. I then decided: why not give it a shot?
And wow, I was not disappointed.
Just a note, the following write-up may include some spoilers, if you haven’t watched it yet (although I believe most of you already did). Also, this isn’t a full review of the show. Instead, it’s more of just some personal thoughts and opinions that I would like to share!
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What immersed me immediately when we started the show was the accompaniment of a narrator, who gave us hints and clues about the environment surrounding the MC Eren Yeager’s hometown in Shiganshina.
To add it on, the names of the respective walls have an important meaning to them, and they are addressed later into the show. It is details like these that really ties everything together in the end, leaving us gasping once they are all unraveled.
In slice-of-life anime, I always find myself appreciating the friendship trope. In AOT’s case, however, these kids are fighting titans 10x bigger than them (okay, maybe 10 is an understatement…). Yet, I still find myself drawn to their dynamics.
Whether is it Eren, Mikasa and Armin’s tightly knit childhood friendship…
… or the comedic yet heartwarming trio of Sasha, Connie and Jean.
But another thing that I find impressive about the show is the way they portray their female characters.
First, we have Mikasa Ackerman. Initially, I was afraid she would fall into the shadows of the determined, forward-thinking Eren. Even though she might also act on the impulses of protecting Eren (in the guise of a possible romance), Mikasa is extremely headstrong, and might I emphasise, strong.
She is ruthless, slashing every titan in her way with her agility and strength.
Mikasa is めっちゃかっこいい! (Hella cool)
I guess having relations to the Ackerman clan sure has its perks, as seen in Levi Ackerman, humanity’s strongest soldier.
But back to the girls.
Sasha, our favourite food lover holds a strong place in my heart as well. Even though we mostly see Sasha in her wholesome, cute moments at the start, we slowly get a sense of her humbling backstory. I think it’s amazing that she’s a bow-wielding soldier too, and this can be seen in the earlier season when she saves a young girl from a titan, who ends up admiring her years later.
I also wish we had seen more of Annie after she was left crystallised for a few years, but her time on screen has proved that Annie is a strong and independent fighter on her own.
Even though Annie has her own motives for joining the Military Police, she isn’t just the stone-cold person she makes herself out to be. Even as the Female Titan, she faces a moment of compassion when faced with Armin, whom she has taking a liking to.
In fact, when we see her again in the latest season, I appreciate how Annie is portrayed to be a ‘softer’ character, while still being as strong in combat as ever. The moments between Annie and Hitch, who are former enemies really surprised me, but it warmed my heart as well.
There’s also a rather cute moment between Annie and Connie, when Connie sees her chomping down on some food.
There are still so many other female characters I could talk about in AOT, but I really have to give it to Hange Zoe too.
Although she is portrayed to be an eccentric character at first, I was really impressed with her arc. Having to make hasty decisions on her own and lead a team after being handed the role of commander isn’t easy, but her intelligence and skills are something worth noting. Every time Hange ends up injured in a fight, I’m just thinking to myself, “please don’t be gone, please don’t be gone…”
Also, a special mention: Ymir and Historia.
Although their relationship was rather short-lived, I really enjoyed the addition of these two. It’s quite amazing to see each of their personalities evolve through each other, and I appreciated the subtext of their intimacy in the show.
Having finished the current episodes of AOT in 2022, I can conclude that it has become one of my favourite shows. I really have to commend the show for the portrayal of each character. The battle sequences are one of the most engaging fight scenes I have seen in an anime, and much props are given to the animators who did a great job as well. Also, I get the shivers every time Erwin yells out “SUSUME” to commence the battle. The amount of plot twists keep me engaged in the show, and I find myself gasping each time something new unravels.
Also, just an additional note, as a slice-of-life watcher, I was thinking, is AOT ever going to have a filler beach episode?
But alas, this is as far as we can get and I’ll take it xD
I even went to the Attack on Titans exhibition in Singapore, and it’s still on now as we speak. So do go over if you’re a fan as well!
I hope you enjoyed this read! Let’s all hang in there till the final (final final) part of the final season next year!
Winter 2022 is a great start to
the New Year for anime fans. One of the most awaited anime, Attack on Titan:
The Final Season Part 2 has been released. Scrolling through the list of Winter
2022 anime, Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru, aka My Dress-Up Darling caught my
attention.
Being a fan of rom-com and slice
of life anime, I had to give it a try and what a gem this anime turned out to
be! This is my review of My Dress-Up Darling and the reasons why Marin Kitagawa is the perfect waifu. Be warned, spoilers ahead.
Our boy Gojo Wakana is your
average first year high school student except with a rather unique goal. He wants
to be a hina doll craftsman and spends his days honing his skills but keeps
this a secret from others. He is introverted and has low self-esteem due to a
bad past experience resulting from his love of hina dolls.
One random day in class, our girl Marin Kitagawa comes crashing into his life, literally. Marin is the complete opposite
of Gojo. She is popular, cheerful, energetic and is also his classmate. Marin
chances upon Gojo while he was sewing a hina doll costume in the school’s sewing
room after school.
“It’s all over” was the first
thought that went through his mind. Yeah no, instead of being ridiculed by Marin,
she admired his ability to sew and even complimented the hina doll. Marin then
goes on to reveal that she loves manga, anime and games. She requests for his
help to make a cosplay outfit of Shizuku-tan from one of the video games that
she plays.
Shizuku-tan
Black Lobelia
Liz-kyun
My Dress-Up Darling is mainly
about Gojo helping Marin with her cosplay costumes and how their relationship
deepens along the way such as attending cosplay events or watching anime
together. Personally, I like the Shizuku-tan and Liz-kyun cosplay the most.
Character development and pacing
were well done. As the anime progresses, you could tell that Marin helped Gojo
slowly overcome some of his insecurities and the love between the two blossomed
steadily. Gojo and Marin make a cute couple and they complement each other really
well.
I enjoyed this anime a lot as I could
feel the passion towards cosplay being radiated from the characters. I have
always respected cosplayers for their tenacity in preparing their costumes and
make-up which can get very complicated and time consuming depending on the
characters they are trying to cosplay as. Furthermore, cosplaying can be expensive.
My Dress-Up Darling does a great job showing us some of the challenges faced in
cosplaying but that it is all worth it in the end.
The anime also has many humorous
moments and plenty of fan service. I would recommend this anime to anyone who
would like to learn more about cosplay in general or fans of romance anime.
Reasons why Marin Kitagawa is the perfect waifu
Although Gojo Wakana is a good
main character who is extremely passionate about what he does, the star of the
anime is obviously Marin Kitagawa. Marin is no doubt the best waifu of Winter
2022. She is also a strong contender for best waifu of the year. She is one of
the most talked about characters in the anime community since the anime aired. Below
are some reasons why Marin Kitagawa is the perfect waifu.
1. Marin is hot
Yeah, what can I say, she is what
she is.
2. Marin is very cultured
Anime tapestries check. Anime
posters check. Dakimakura of favourite character check. Manga check. Anime
figures check. Marin is just too cultured and her sanctuary of a room clearly showcases this.
3. Marin is supportive towards Gojo
Marin is very supportive and
encouraging towards Gojo. She doesn’t realise how important this is to him but
she made a huge impact on his character growth. “You just don’t go making fun of
things people clearly like.” – Marin Kitagawa episode 1. That one statement resonated
hard with Gojo in the kokoro. Gojo’s confidence improved evidently after meeting
Marin.
4. Marin is energetic, genuine, and has the cutest reactions and
expressions
The best trait of Marin Kitagawa is probably the vibe and
energy that she gives off. She is just a joy to be around and brings plenty of
positive vibes. She also feels real and relatable. She is passionate about what
she loves and is not afraid to show or discuss it. I mean we also have at least
fifty number one favourite characters, right? Her reactions and expressions are
always so cute, you can’t help but fall in love with her. The pure joy that she
felt when she became Shizuku-tan was so heart-warming.
5. Marin likes to tease Gojo
Gojo: * Sweats. Doki-Doki. *
The perfect waifu doesn’t exi …
that is until Marin Kitagawa decided to show up. Marin is the embodiment of
every top tier quality in an anime waifu. She has redefined the meaning of waifu
and set the global standard for waifus. She is in a league of her own and has
transcended into a goddess tier waifu.
OP - San San Days
ED - Koi no Yukue
Support us at Milkx Studio by MilkCanAnime
Overall, I really enjoyed My
Dress-Up Darling and it is the top anime for me personally this season. The
animation was fantastic as expected of CloverWorks. The music was so good that one
should never skip the OP or ED. The music video of the ED, Koi no Yukue by
Akase Akari, features her incredible cosplay as Marin, Shizuku-tan and Black
Lobelia. I am at a lost for words at how on point her cosplay was. I am looking
forward to a season 2 which will hopefully be announced in the near future.
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