Slice of Life Archives | 100 Word Anime

My Dress Up Darling Episode 10 – Marin’s Not The Only Dress Up Darling

Posted on March 13, 2022March 12, 2022 by Karandi

My Dress Up Darling split its episode in two this week with the first half giving us the conclusion of the photoshoot and the second half focusing in on Marin and Gojo. Which meant the OP played weirdly about midway through the episode. Though bright side, I’d been so engaged with the antics of the characters as they took photos, had heart to hearts and had a wardrobe malfunction that I hadn’t actually noticed the OP hadn’t played so it caught me somewhat by surprise when it finally started.

My Dress Up Darling engages by being fun and somewhat relatable.

To no one’s surprise, Marin really struggled with the photoshoot. As much as she loved the character and wanted to do the photoshoot, staying in character proved to be a struggle as Marin’s trademark goofy grin kept threatening to explode from the sheer joy of getting to become the character and getting to work with Juju having a real photoshoot.

I loved that My Dress Up Darling didn’t turn this into a whole dramatic thing. As much as Juju has some thoughts about the matter, given she takes a far more serious approach to her cosplaying, ultimately they all just work through it and get some amazing photos.

My Dress Up Darling also took time to have Juju and Shinju actually talk about what they want and to really communicate. It was great to see but it kind of felt like the anime was shelving them at that point so it could turn its focus back to the main pair. When Juju was first introduced I’d have happily had her shelved but now I kind of want to see the group work together more so I’m on the fence as to whether I want these two to be in the next couple of episodes or whether I’d prefer the Marin/Gojo focus.

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And the Marin/Gojo focus has a few things it needs to deal with.

Yes we have Marin’s crush which also manifests a little bit as jealousy as Gojo explains how he and Shinju worked together on her cosplay. But we also have Gojo making a costume for Marin and then having to tell her he can’t help her actually wear it or take photos because of how revealing it is. Given he’s already measured her in a swimsuit there’s clearly more going on then exposed skin that’s making him feel a bit uncomfortable.

Also, My Dress Up Darling took a large chunk of this episode to have Marin and Gojo interacting outside of a cosplay setting with Marin trying to get Gojo some different outfits. For once he was the dress-up darling and Marin was thrilled with her efforts even if Gojo ended up passing and wearing his usual working clothes.

Still, we learned from the beach episode just how much fun these two characters can be when they are just hanging out together and honestly it makes me want them to become a couple more than watching them work on the cosplay together. It is one thing to share a common goal and get along to achieve it and another to get along in the day to day. These two get along regardless.

As usual, My Dress Up Darling is sweet and fun and Marin is definitely getting more forward in her flirting with Gojo. All things considered, with two episodes to go, it doesn’t seem likely this anime will make a wrong turn at this point so I’m looking forward to the conclusion. Though I can’t really say if I want them to be an official couple by the end or not because honestly this back and forth flirting and blushing is kind of fun.

Images from: My Dress Up Darling. Dir. K Shinohara. CloverWorks. 2022

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My Roommate is a Cat Series Review – It has a Cat in It, Enough Said

Posted on March 11, 2022March 5, 2022 by Karandi

My Roommate is a Cat Episode 2 Cute Moment

When My Roommate is a Cat, or Doukyonin wa Hiza, Tokidoki, Atama no Ue (what a mouthful) premiered, reactions were clearly split. The first episode by its very nature turned part of the audience away which is kind of a shame given this story ends up being one with a lot of heart and a dramatic climax that feels earned.

My Roommate is a Cat Episode 5 Haru and Subaru

My trepidation going into My Roommate is a Cat was the slice of life label on it. I’m not the biggest fan. Couple that with the bright yet bland promotional image of all the happy smiling characters and the jumping cat and basically I thought I was going in to something that was going to bore me to tears before I’d just stop watching and walk away.

However, the thing that was annoying a lot of first episode viewers was actually the thing that caught my attention and dragged me into the story.

And that was Subaru.

My Roommate is a Cat is more than just a cute cat, it is also Subaru.

As a central character I kind of understand why a lot of viewers didn’t like him and even why a few outright hated him. Another anime character with dead parents. Starting with a funeral sequence to garner sympathy for a character we don’t know or have any reason to care for. And then there was his general attitude. He was rude to his editor and really to everyone in the first episode. So yes, I get why a lot of viewers didn’t like him.

My Roommate is a Cat Episode 1 Subaru — Blunt – but given the circumstances potentially justified.

I didn’t like him either. But I understood him and felt a bit of a connection. Subaru is socially awkward and anxious. He doesn’t like interacting with others and when forced out of his comfort zone his defences are up. That comes across as rudeness but is really a self-defence.

I actually blamed the editor in the first episode more than Subaru. When he should know his writer well enough to know that meeting him in a public place was just going to set him on edge. For me the sequence established Subaru’s character beautifully and the underlying issue he was going to need to face and so while I agree that Subaru wasn’t a nice character, I was intrigued from episode one.

Then there was the cat.

My Roommate is a Cat Episode 2 Cat on Keyboard — My cat would love to do this but knows the keyboard is an absolute no-go zone.

While Subaru may have been the repellent for a lot of potential viewers, the as yet unnamed stray cat was the lure. Adorable and standing in for every cat everywhere in mannerisms, the eventually named Haru stole the show.

Interestingly enough, when Haru was rude or cagey or defensive people found it adorable and yet Haru and Subaru are literally two of a kind. That’s why the two form such a strong bond as they both grow over the course of the series.

However, most slice of life anime know these days that you do in fact need some kind of gimmick to keep people watching and clearly My Roommate is a Cat isn’t relying on the cute girl factor, although Nana is kind of cute. No, the gimmick in My Roommate is a Cat is that each episode tells the events twice. Once from the human point of view and then from the view of the cat. Mostly the cat view is a brief few minutes at the end of the episode but some episodes give more time to Haru’s perspective particularly toward the end of the season.

Yes, Haru isn’t just a plot device to inspire Subaru’s character growth. Haru is a fully fledged character in her own right going through her own healing character arc alongside Subaru. While I’ll admit that some of the cat sections added little in some episodes, they were always cute, and at times they did offer some interesting insight and certainly allowed Haru the growth she deserved within the story.

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There’s little more to say about the plot given each episode is just another day for the man and the cat who are now sharing a house. Various events occur, the characters react, learn something and we move on. It is slice of life and it does that well providing some very calm and occasionally amusing viewing.

What sets this one apart from so many slice of life anime though is that it did offer a climax that I felt was emotionally rewarding. I’m not going into detail here, but it brings the story of Subaru and dealing with the loss of his parents as well as moving forward to a satisfying conclusion and really consolidates the relationship that has grown between Subaru and Haru throughout the series. I couldn’t have asked for more from the final couple of episodes and just loved it.

Visually it works well enough. I’m not really into the colour scheme being used and it is all just a little bit bland really, but given the subject matter and tone the visuals work well enough for that. The animation for Haru is perfect and I’m sure if you are a cat lover you will see your own cat in her at various points, but there’s a lot of sitting and talking in this anime and a lot of very still sequences with little movement so while the animation works it isn’t exactly awe inspiring.

My Roommate is a Cat Episode 8 Subaru and Haru

However, I do have to mention the OP. Unknown World is an incredibly infectious song and I found myself happily bobbing along to it most weeks and occasionally even replaying it just because it made me smile. I also really enjoyed the imagery used during the opening as it fit the tone of the show perfectly even if it wasn’t the most exciting ever. I definitely recommend giving the OP a listen to even if you have no interest in My Roommate is a Cat.

Still, for cat lovers this is a must watch. For people who enjoy slice of life anime, this one works well enough. If you are looking for a character who is slowly opening himself up to new experiences and working through issues of social awkwardness and anxiety, there’s plenty to enjoy here. While My Roommate is a Cat is a far from perfect anime, it was a delightful intrusion into the season and ended up being one I looked forward to each week.

Images from: My Roommate is a Cat. Dir. K Suzuki. Zero-G. 2019.

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Senryuu Shoujo Anime Review – Watch out for cavities with this one.

Posted on March 7, 2022March 5, 2022 by Karandi

Say It With Senryuu Shoujo

This is going to be a short review, which makes sense given the nature of the anime being reviewed. Senryuu Shoujo is about Nanako, a high school girl who doesn’t speak but communicates by writing poems. Instead of being a story about a lonely girl who is bullied, this is the story of a cheerful girl surrounded by supportive friends and a love interest who seems to enjoy every day.

While there are hints of a dark and lonely past, this isn’t the focus, and really this anime just wants to leave you smiling at the antics of these adorable dorks.

In fairness, it is hard not to smile. I’m not really into slice of life, or comedy, or anime set around high school clubs, and Senryuu Shoujo is all of these things and yet still hit the mark for being cute and fun to watch for me. There was something infectiously charming about the main pair in this story, Nanako and Eiji, and the support cast were stellar as well.

That isn’t to say this is a slice of life better than any others. As is the case with the genre, the appeal of slice of life is highly subjective. Without a plot driving forward to carry the audience along, it is left to the tone and cast to be the draw and what one person likes and appreciate won’t necessarily work for another. During the Spring Anime season many anime fans loved Hitoribocchi but that was pretty much a swing and a miss for me. Whereas, Senryuu Shoujo seemed somewhat underappreciated given just how sweet it was.

Senryuu Shoujo - Nanako bends her board.

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Visually this one leans heavily toward bright and pastel colours. They suit the tone and the characters just fine but make this one fairly unremarkable in terms of standing out from other similar stories. The exception is for Nanako herself. While her character design is fairly ordinary, there’s something truly striking about her smile and I absolutely loved how her whole face lit up. For a character who never speaks she is incredibly expressive even when not writing her poems.

On that note, characters who communicate in alternative ways is something of a theme as we also have the art girl in the story that comes in midway. She only communicates through drawing and regularly holds her art book over her face with a cute girl drawn to express whatever the girl wanted to say.

The acceptance these somewhat oddball characters experience in their group is astounding and while it is clear that not everyone in this anime universe is equally nice, all the cast members we spend any time with just take each character as they are.

It isn’t nuanced or subtle but it does add overall to that feeling of sweetness and the idea that this anime just wants you to feel better for having watched it. It isn’t wanting a deep dive into social commentary about ‘normal’ or ‘ableness’ though the themes are definitely there.

The one sour note on the cast is probably Nanako’s father who is just a little too over the top. Fortunately the family only feature in a few episodes and generally he’s fine in small doses.

There’s not a lot more to say about this one. Short episodes running around 12 minutes are the perfect length, the tone is very mellow and relaxing, and the characters are super nice and fun to spend time with. While Senryuu Shoujo isn’t about to change the world it is an anime well worth trying if you missed it.

Images from: Senryu Shoujo. Dir. M Jinbo. Connect. 2019.

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My Dress Up Darling Episode 9 – Yes It Can Be More Adorable

Posted on March 6, 2022March 5, 2022 by Karandi

Last week I asked whether My Dress Up Darling could get any more adorable. Episode 9 answers with a definitive yes. I’ll admit, cute isn’t the be all and end all for me and if that is all an anime has then eventually it is going to run into the problem of holding your interest (platelets and little mummies are an exception to this rule). My Dress Up Darling is so cute and yet a lot of the cuteness comes because these characters are awesome.

However, leaving aside cute and adorable, there were just so many moments this week that made me smile. My Dress Up Darling has managed to build a decent working relationship between Juju and Marin that has enough chemistry even while Juju maintains her distance as a little more stand-offish. I loved it when Marin expressed that she seldom got comments on her photos on social media and Juju pointed out it was because mostly she took pictures of food (and then proceeded to diss Marin’s cooking though she didn’t know it).

Sure My Dress Up Darling is cute but it’s also grounded.

One of the things I really am liking about My Dress Up Darling is that all of these characters feel like real people. They have flaws and concerns and they make mistakes and they get excited over really little things and they are just great to watch.

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I’m also loving that Marin and Gojo are both in a way acting as proxy’s for the audience as they are both new to actually cosplaying (while Marin new a bit about it she’d never tried it properly before meeting Gojo and he knew nothing about it). That means there’s plenty to learn about costumes, make-up and wigs and yet it feels organic and not like a massive info-dump.

If I was to have one complaint this week it would be around Shinju’s character. Now Shinju is a great addition and I loved her chemistry with Marin last week. This week, Gojo realises she actually wants to try cosplay to and decides to help her out which naturally leads to some fan-service and poor comedy moments revolving around the size of her bust given the character she wants to cosplay is actually a guy.

Much like Juju’s initial introduction, My Dress Up Darling seems to just push that little bit too far when first establishing this new character. Hopefully, as we saw with Juju, now that they’ve gotten that out of their system, they might start treating her a little less like a gimmick and just let her be who she is going forward. I mean, Marin still gets plenty of fan-service moments (like lifting her skirt to show off her bathing suit and even flashing her bra) but those moments feel more ingrained with the character and story rather than tacked on extras.

Certainly the smiling, happy photos of the three ready to start their first cosplay photo-session were a welcome close to the episode and honestly it was great seeing how excited they all were to get started. I hope we get to see the actual posed photos from the shoot because those costumes looked amazing.

Minor complaints about character introductions aside, My Dress Up Darling remains the feel-good show of the season and one that really appeals to me as an anime fan. Actually, I’m really hoping covid has settled to the point where my plans to cosplay as Sailor Jupiter might actually happen later this year. Though there’s a lot of maybes around that, watching this has definitely made me keen to go for it and honestly I’m now getting inspired to put a lot more effort into it then I originally intended. We’ll see how that goes.

In the meantime, I’m loving this anime and hopefully it continues to make me smile until the end.

Images from: My Dress Up Darling. Dir. K Shinohara. CloverWorks. 2022

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How To Keep A Mummy Episode 4: And Without The Star What is Left?

Posted on March 3, 2022March 3, 2022 by Karandi

My previous episode reviews have left no doubt that about the only thing How To Keep a Mummy has going for it is the single cutest mummy in existence. So what happens when we get a whole episode with barely any appearances by said mummy because they are introducing the second little character, a child oni (demon)?

How To Keep a Mummy diluted its own winning formula.

The answer is, not much. I didn’t really click with this new character and don’t find him particularly cute. I did enjoy some of Tazuki’s reactions to the oni but basically that was the whole first half. Oni shows up, Tazuki reluctantly lets him in, next morning he kicks him out and bemoans the fact that he’ll come back.

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The second half at least has the oni meeting the mummy and that is kind of adorable, but it isn’t quite enough to off-set the rest of the episode.

While How to Keep a Mummy wasn’t bad this week, it is just kind of average. And I’ve known from the start that everything about this show is pretty ordinary and it has only been the presence of Mii-Kun that has really elevated it to something I’ve enjoyed. Still, here is hoping that next week goes a bit better or at the very least we have more of the mummy and less of the oni.

Images from: How To Keep a Mummy. Dir. Kaori. 8Bit. 2018

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How To Keep A Mummy Episode 3: The Word Cute Will Not Appear In This Review Even Though Mii-Kun is The Cutest Ever

Posted on March 1, 2022February 25, 2022 by Karandi

Another episode of How To Keep a Mummy that seems to know exactly what its strength is and ensures every scene plays to it. However, we’re still kind of left with no plot other than the day to day life of Sora looking after a mummy and instead focusing on particular incidents. While episode 2 was the Mii-Kun went to school this is the Sora get’s sick and then gives it to Mii-Kun episode.

How To Keep a Mummy captures the caring of pets.

We did however finally get introduced to the other person living in the house though it still isn’t clear if Kaede is an older sister, some other relative, or just a random person living in the house. Still, it made for some interesting interaction between human characters taking some of the screen time away from the bandage blob who has completely stolen the spot of my favourite pet or mascot in an anime.

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Okay, other than the general feel good aesthetic that How To Keep a Mummy generates, this is really the usual boy gets sick with cold and needs nursing kind of thing. While there are a few laughs and chuckles along the way, it is a pretty standard episode including the serving of porridge (which apparently requires things to be cut with a knife to make so I’m wondering what the porridge includes and whether I’ve been making it wrong my entire life – probably given it tastes pretty awful when I make it and would be the last thing I’d want to eat when sick).

And yet, I’m kind of happy just watching this despite it really not being my usual kind of thing and despite the lack of an overall story (and usually by episode 3 the lack of a story is a death sentence for an anime on my watch list). And look, I made it to the end of this episode review with using that word.

Images from: How To Keep a Mummy. Dir. Kaori. 8Bit. 2018

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My Dress Up Darling Episode 8 – Scouting Locations For Photos and Dates?

Posted on February 27, 2022February 26, 2022 by Karandi

Can My Dress up Darling get any more adorable?

I thought Marin was the sweetest and nicest character ever and then we meet the more introverted by equally sweet Shinju and no surprise, the two get on amazingly well as they discuss the camera, different ways to take photos and explore an old hospital as a potential shoot location. My Dress Up Darling is spoiling us by giving us nice characters who are also interesting (a combination that is harder to come by then it seems).

Though it was great seeing Gojo getting a chance with the reaction faces this week. Normally Marin dominates in the facial expression range but I think episode 8 definitely had Gojo come out on top for sheer number of facial expressions pulled throughout the episode.

My Dress Up Darling is planning for a cosplay shoot and for Marin’s summer of dating Gojo.

I was actually pleasantly surprised by the first half of My Dress Up Darling episode 8. Despite Juju’s initial poor impression as her character seemed to be used for terrible fan-service fodder, she’s actually not a bad character now that they’ve settled down a bit. Admittedly, she’s still hitting all the clichés for anime girls as she cowers in the corner after their abandoned hospital exploration gets interrupted by a storm.

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Still, there was some pretty good chemistry between Gojo and Juju and Marin and Shinju hit it right off and were having a great time as they explored. The only thing that really confused me is they said they were going to a studio and that the hospital had been converted but it just kind of looked like an abandoned hospital. Not a big issue but it just made me wonder.

The second half of the episode focuses in solely on Marin and Gojo and after they finish their exams she proposes going to the beach. Innocent that he is, he assumes it is to scout locations for photos but turns out Marin just wanted to go to the beach. However unlike so many other anime, My Dress Up Darling doesn’t unleash another bikini scene on us or even an accidental drowning or similar beach scenario. Instead we just see two high schoolers letting off steam on the beach and having their food stolen by a bird.

It’s nice that even though My Dress Up Darling does lean into some anime tropes it knows when to subvert your expectations. Besides, we’ve already seen Marin in her bikini so a beach scene wasn’t going to show us anything new from that perspective. Rather, it used the scene to advance Marin’s feelings toward Gojo and she not so subtly invites him to hang out with her all summer.

I kind of hope she just tells him how she feels soon. I mean, they are super maxing out the cuteness as Marin experiences Gojo’s first time at the beach and the two of them share food, looks and the occasional blushing red face that the other one conveniently doesn’t see.

Really, My Dress Up Darling just continues to be the feel good show to watch this season. The fan-service was way down in this episode on prior episodes with far more focus on the character relationships. The saddest part though is there’s only four episodes left and honestly I just want more of these characters. It has been such a great anime to watch each week and I can’t help but smile while watching it.

That said, I am really looking forward to seeing the outfits Gojo is going to make for Juju and Marin. Hopefully we see that completed before the season ends.

Images from: My Dress Up Darling. Dir. K Shinohara. CloverWorks. 2022

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Sasaki to Miyano Episode 7 – Past Traumas Losing Their Bite

Posted on February 27, 2022February 25, 2022 by Karandi

This week Sasaki to Miyano addresses Miyano’s issues from middle school where he grew tired of people noting his more feminine face. Admittedly, this comes about after his class votes for him to their representative in a cross-dressing competition and could have been handled quite tackily. Instead, in true Sasaki to Miyano fashion, Miyano’s friends rally around him and Miyano slowly realises he doesn’t really object as much as he used to.

Of course, he has other problems still to mull over given he still hasn’t quite worked out how he really feels about Sasaki and whether or not he’s ready to step into his own BL experience. Admittedly, this week did feel like it was starting to stretch this plot thread about as far as they could without it snapping the patience of everyone watching. Episode 6 managed to ride feels and carry through but episode 7 is definitely pushing the limits.

Sasaki to Miyano needs to reach a turning point soon.

Fortunately, salvation came from the will I / won’t I drama as Miyano runs into the girl from middle-school that he had a crush on, and who crushed his tiny ego when she asked him to wear girls’ clothes. Turns out, like most anime romances, this whole trauma was actually a misunderstanding caused by appalling communication skills. She actually wanted to paint him as a model for her art class which is naturally why she just blurted out ‘wear girl’s cloths for a bit’.

Also convenient that her art class just happened to be buying supplies in the same shopping street that Miyano was walking down with Sasaki and that Sasaki just happened to go get a drink at that precise moment. Coincidence is kind of the cornerstone of most romances in the end but the trick is making them not feel too awkwardly shoved in. This one felt a little bit forced.

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Though at least middle-school crush and budding art student seemed like a nice person. Sasaki to Miyano is actually genuinely full of nice people. They do have misunderstandings and occasionally nag or make snarky comments to one another, but none of them are mean or malicious for the sake of it. They are all just normal people going about their day with their own concerns and interests and while someone else’s misfortune might amuse them they don’t go out of their way to cause it.

It’s just kind of pleasant to spend time with characters who aren’t petty for the sake of creating artificial drama.

Of course, that doesn’t mean there aren’t individual agendas in Sasaki to Miyano. When Miyano’s friend invites Sasaki to the hospital to meet his girl-friend or to introduce her when she’s released the obvious goal is revealed in his thoughts as he walks away, his girl-friend would love to see BL in real life.

Likewise, Miyano’s middle-school friend has a really interesting reaction after Sasaki hauls Miyano away from their conversation in a fit of jealousy.

I will admit, visually this scene was great. Again, the animation not so much as Sasaki to Miyano skipped over a lot of it. But the way they softened the focus in time with a beating heart and the use of light and colour was just gorgeous.

And again, Sasaki realises he shouldn’t have reacted that way but at the same time it leads to such a cute exchange between the two characters.

I’m really hoping we see more of Miyano’s middle school friend and I’m also hoping they move forward from the confession in the next episode of Sasaki to Miyano.

Images from: Sasaki to Miyano. Dir. S Ishihira. Studio Deen. 2022

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Sasaki to Miyano Episode 6 – Exams and Harder Questions To Answer

Posted on February 25, 2022February 25, 2022 by Karandi

Sasaki to Miyano is one of those anime where weekly episode reviews aren’t really going to do it justice. Any given episode is a great watch but it isn’t so much about what happens as much as it is about the feels each episode is throwing off. And episode 6 of Sasaki to Miyano, as Miyano ponders (really hard) about his response to Sasaki’s confession, really leans into it being about the feels rather than actual events.

The end result is I could sum up the whole episode by saying the boys go to school, sit exams, and go home from school rinse and repeat and that really doesn’t tell you anything about just how sweet and adorable this episode was.

Sasaki to Miyano either makes you go ‘aw’ or there’s very little to enjoy.

I can’t imagine how watching Sasaki to Miyano is for someone who isn’t totally swept away in waiting to see how the boy’s relationship develops. So little happens outside of their own introspection. Sure Sasaki is studying for exams and has been told he has to score high or else and Miyano has his own exams and his friends babble about their relationships, but all of that is merely the background dressing this week for Miyano to think through how he actually sees Sasaki and whether he can actually consider a relationship with a guy.

And while in some stories this will he / won’t he holding pattern that Miyano has fallen into could get a little tedious, here it just plays out as adorable. Or maybe that’s just me.

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Sasaki for his part is as charming as ever. While earlier episodes indicated he might be a little too possessive and eager, here he is most definitely giving Miyano the space he needs to really come to his own answer. That doesn’t mean he isn’t turning on the full charm offensive at various points, but he isn’t pressuring Miyano to rush to a conclusion or continually rubbing the question in his face.

That said, Sasaki to Miyano can’t stay in a holding patter forever so either Miyano is going to make a move, Sasaki is going to get tired of waiting, or a third party is going to intervene (and given I was behind so the next episode is already out, I guess I can just go find out which way this will go).

It is odd though that this story has drawn me in the way it has. I’m not the biggest fan of slice of life stories where very little happens, yet for some reason, provided I’m buying into the romance story, I am happy enough for romances to take their time and meander to their conclusions. Sasaki to Miyano isn’t an exciting viewing experience and yet it is one I look forward to each episode.

The one area it continues to excel in is the use of visuals. That isn’t to say it is an animation masterpiece because it isn’t. In the grand tradition of BL anime this one seems to be on a budget. But that doesn’t mean they haven’t tried to capture the feeling of each scene even if movement is pretty limited.

As we saw in Given, even a staircase can become a familiar and beloved setting if used appropriately and Sasaki to Miyano uses its soft focus and floating triangles and sparkles to amazing emotional effect episode after episode.

Okay, I’m done babbling about this boy’s love story. I’m enjoying it but I want to know what happens next and I know there’s an episode waiting for me to go watch. If you haven’t tried Sasaki to Miyano this season it is very consistent in its delivery and quality and is actually quite the sweet romance so far.

Images from: Sasaki to Miyano. Dir. S Ishihira. Studio Deen. 2022

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My Dress Up Darling Episode 7 – I’m never going to get tired of Marin’s facial expressions.

Posted on February 20, 2022February 19, 2022 by Karandi

Before the Winter 2022 season began, my thoughts on My Dress up Darling were pretty meh. It looked like it could be fun enough but I wasn’t exactly counting the minutes until it began airing. Now it is the highlight of my watch week and honestly I think I’d happily just watch a looped reel of Marin emoting.

That said, this week we got to watch part of the anime that Marin and Juju are going to do a combined cosplay of and I absolutely loved how My Dress Up Darling presented it in the older style format. Honestly, anyone who grew up on Sailor Moon and other magical girl stories would have fallen in love with what we saw of it and can I just ask if they’ll actually make it a real anime because I think it would be awesome.

My Dress Up Darling brings all the characters to the party.

One of the things that I had been a little concerned about so far was that Gojo seemed to be being dragged along by Marin. This week, we clearly see that Gojo is actually really enjoying the process of making cosplay and learning new things and his new connections and experiences are actually improving his core dream of making a better Hina doll.

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Haikyu Kotaro Bokuto (Re-Run)

While Juju was reluctant to cosplay with Marin at the end of last week’s episode, this week Marin found the winning phrase that would get her exactly what she wanted, she offered to share the cost of the photo studio. However, unprompted, Gojo (the guy who has been doing all this work for no pay) also offers to put some money towards it. It kind of shows he’s motivated even without Marin pulling him along and it was what My Dress Up Darling needed to address if we were ever going to get to a romance that made sense. Gojo needed to be involved by his own choice.

Of course though, the highlight of the episode comes when Gojo visits Marin at home. Sure we get some fan-service along the way but mostly what we get is a wholesome ‘home date’ with Gojo largely oblivious to Marin’s growing crush and the two just hanging out, watching anime, and eating food that… well Marin tried and at least My Dress Up Darling didn’t go the full cliché and make some sort of potion looking purple swill.

It’s just such a sweet moment between the two and most anime fans should be able to relate to the first time they’ve watched anime with a crush and where you end up spending more time watching them and their reaction than you do the anime. Also definitely understand the feeling of only eating pudding and then realising that real food is probably a good idea.

Basically, the whole sequence was sweet and relatable.

About my only real criticism of the sequence was that somehow they managed to watch an anime that apparently has 126 episodes through to some fairly climatic moments in a single sitting. While an 11 episode show I could understand binge watching in a single sitting. A 24 episode one I’d accept if they pulled an overnight. 126? Nope. Unless it is a short form anime with 4 minute episodes I’m not buying it.

However when I have to pull real world timing in order to find something to criticise its probably good evidence that My Dress Up Darling pretty much nailed its tone this week. While last week the fan-service plunged into the slightly uncomfortable, here the episode was fun and light and largely adorable and it was exactly what I needed this Sunday.

Images from: My Dress Up Darling. Dir. K Shinohara. CloverWorks. 2022

Thank-you for reading 100 Word Anime.
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Karandi James

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