Anime

Binge watched season 4 of The Legend of Vox Machina last night. It was thoroughly enjoyable. What do we call it? American anime? Feels strange to call it cartoon. It does not feel like cartoon the way Ben 10 felt, which, for a long time, was the last watchable American production for me. Perhaps it’s the adult themes that make me reach for a term other than ‘cartoon.’ In any case, it was a pleasant surprise to see something of this quality coming out of America. It was the middle of 2025 when I watched all three seasons of the series. ...

Ninety-seven chapters in and I yet do not understand why Witch Hat Atelier (WHA) is marked seinen. Despite its tragic themes, it does not have the grittiness of Vinland Saga or Berserk. Demon Slayer and Attack on Titan have arguably more darkness than WHA, yet they are labeled as shounen. Also with the number of teenagers in central positions, the manga deliberately circumvents adult themes and emphasizes simplicity, cuteness, and all that you would expect in shounen or shoujo. ...

Witch Hat Atelier’s Qifrey is one of the most intriguing characters I have come across. Gentle and cheerful on the surface, Qifrey masks a fair amount of darkness which occasionally manifests in a scary way. In the beginning, while we are unaware of his past, his interest in the brim caps along with the use of intimidation and memory wiping magic to protect his secret plant doubts about his alignment. Is Coco someone Qifrey protecting merely to serve his goals of tracking down the brim caps? Why is Qifrey not more forthcoming about his knowledge with his peers and students, if not the magical authorities? ...

The first season of Lord of Mysteries gripped my imagination late last year, compelling me to read the entire series of light novels. This month, three special episodes came out covering parts of volume 1 that did not make it into season 1 for good reason. Again, the production was absolutely captivating. IMDb Blurb “Zhou Mingrui awakens in the body of Klein Moretti in a Victorian world of steam and hidden magic. As a new Beyonder, he confronts secret societies and dark rituals while seeking the truth behind his mysterious transmigration.” ...

The Verdict Witch Hat Atelier S1 was truly beautiful. The only annoying thing was Coco’s overly cartoonish reactions. I know it’s supposed to make her look cute, but it was overused. Everything else about the anime was great. The artwork and animation were beautiful. The characters were engaging. The conflicts were set up very well. The magic system was well designed. I don’t anticipate being able to wait a couple of years for the next season. I will probably pick up the manga at some point, especially given the sort of cliffhanger we have been left with. ...

In no particular order, the following are some of my favorite anime shows. These are all completed series I have fully watched, sometimes multiple times. Avatar: The Last Airbender This is the series that really got me into watching anime. A fun story about the last airbender traveling through different lands and ultimately defeating the evil king in the fire nation. Simple, children’s cartoon with excellent characters and relatively predictable plotlines, but very well executed. ...

Did Qifrey just wipe Nolnoa’s memories? How much of them did he wipe? This cannot be good. Witch Hat Atelier was much anticipated, and I have been watching each episode as it’s getting released. Little pre-teen girl casts a spell that kills/traps her mother, gets adopted into an atelier, and begins her journey into the precarious world of witchcraft. The artwork and animation are great. The over the top expressions often are too annoying. The character-work is excellent. ...