Manga

Rebuild World

Rebuild World is a manga I had come across about two year ago after a recommendation, though I admittedly dropped it after having read the first few chapters. Dystopian settings usually don’t draw my attention, however, there are elements of bio-manipulation and AI that were hard for me to overlook. After shelving it for some time, I now decided to give this manga another look, mainly because the light novel came to my attention recently. Simply, I wanted to refresh my memory before deciding as to whether I would give the first volume of the LN a try.

This manga, and its parent LN story, follows the journey of Akira, an orphan from the slums located at the edge between one of the remaining bastions of civilization and the rest of the dilapidated world. Humanity had reached its pinnacle with technology and bioengineering, however, said bio enhancement led to the near extinction of humanity. The world is now roamed by bio-techno- enhanced animals that stand guard over the old world ruins, full of technology and items that can make one tremendously wealthy in current society. Brave individuals, called hunters, set out into the old world for these relics in the hopes of riches and power.

Akira is one such individual, however, as an orphan from the slums, he is no hunter, and terribly underprepared to face the wilds of the old world. Desperation forces him out into this dystopia with a mere pistol, and when faced against bandits and those enhanced beasts, Akira can only run. Fate would then intervene when Akira is approached by a beautiful woman, one only he can see. This woman, an AI augmented reality projection named Alpha, immediately becomes his companion by commanding Akira to move, lest he wishes to die. Surviving an onslaught of lethal proportions, Alpha later explains that Akira is quite special to be able to see her and promises to help him. Now accompanied by this AI AR projection, Akira has a fighting chance in the world, yet the reasons for why Alpha offers to teach, guide, and protect Akira remain a mystery.

I have to say, I’m feeling the same intrigue that I once felt previously and maybe this time I’ll read a few more chapters of the manga. The same con that dissuaded me though, Akira’s dull, uninspired character, is something which I’m again finding difficult to overlook. I guess I’ll try to tolerate it, as the action and mystery of the world are attractive enough for now. – Drew D.

Flying Witch

I’ve liked this manga right from the start, with its themes of magic, mythology, and the supernatural. Flying Witch follows the light-hearted story of Matoko Kowata, a 15 year old witch-in-training. She moves in with her relatives in the countryside to continue her studies while also attending regular school. She’s incredibly casual about being a witch, as are her relatives, and soon many new classmates and friends learn of her abilities.

I think what truly makes this manga stand out is how it pulls off the slice-of-life genre so well. This is a story about a witch, yet it takes a poignant down-to-earth approach. We readers are made aware quickly that this is a very sweet, playful story that never takes the supernatural elements too seriously. Combining magic and the supernatural with slice-of-life themes and the overall inviting feel of charm and casualness are what I find most impressive, especially considering how easily the mangaka pulls this off, too.

The artwork is only a bit on the minimal side, but given the length of each chapter, it’s understandable. I do wish chapters released sooner than three months apart, but that’s just me being greedy and wanting more.

For those looking for an easy read with plenty of charm, light-hearted humor, and approachable fantasy elements, then I can most definitely recommend Flying Witch. – Drew D.

What anime are you watching? What manga and light novels are you reading? Let us know in the comments!

You can read previous Week in Anime & Manga entries here!

The post Oprainfall Week in Anime & Manga: Nov 3-10 appeared first on oprainfall.

During a special screening to celebrate the anime’s 1st anniversary, a second season was announced for Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. MADHOUSE returns to produce the anime, and the second season’s story will start from chapter 61, volume 7 of the original manga.

You can check out the announcement trailer below.

Tsukasa Abe, the illustrator of the original manga, drew two illustrations to celebrate the second season’s announcement. You can check those out below. (Illustration 1, Illustration 2)

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is a manga written by Kanehito Yamada and illustrated by Tsukasa Abe. It is published by Shogakukan in Weekly Shonen Sunday. The manga is licensed by Viz Media for release in North America. The anime’s first season was produced by MADHOUSE and ran for 28 episodes. It aired from September 2023 to March 2024 and Crunchyroll streamed the series in North America.

If you’re interested in the series, you can follow the manga’s official X account, anime’s official X account, and check out the anime’s official website.

The post Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End TV Anime Season 2 Announced appeared first on oprainfall.

A brand new trailer has been released for the Netflix animated adaptation of Devil May Cry. The series comes from the mind of Adi Shankar, known for his work on the Netflix Castlevania animated series, and Studio Mir animates the project.

You can check out the trailer below.

Johnny Yong Bosch, the voice actor behind Nero in the Devil May Cry video games, voices Dante in the animated series. Reuben Langdon, Dante’s voice actor in most of the video games, was quick to congratulate Johnny and mentioned Johnny was already part of the DMC family.

Devil May Cry is set to premiere on Netflix in April 2025. It is an adaptation of the popular series of hack-and-slash video games of the same name by Capcom.

The post Adi Shankar’s Devil May Cry Animated Series Premieres 2025 appeared first on oprainfall.

At Aniplex Online Fest 2024, a TV anime adaptation for The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity (Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku) was announced. The anime is an adaptation of Saka Mikami’s romance manga of the same name which is published in Kodansha’s Magazine Pocket. CloverWorks will produce the anime and it is scheduled to premiere in 2025.

You can check out the announcement trailer below.

Japanese Trailer

Kodansha USA publishes the original manga for English reading audiences. The synopsis for volume 1 is as follows:

Chidori High is a boys’ school that takes in the dregs of society with the lowest grades. Next door stands Kikyo Girls’ High, where the wealthy, high-class families send their precious daughters. Chidori second-year Rintaro, who has a fierce face but a gentle heart, is helping at his family’s patisserie when he meets a girl named Kaoruko. The two hit it off right away…but this blissful peace is quickly disturbed when Rintaro discovers that Kaoruko is actually a student at Kikyo. Worse, she doesn’t seem to realize what a huge problem this really is! Will these two be able to forge a path for themselves, and sidestep the traps (metaphorical and literal) laid by their classmates?

The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity TV Anime is produced by CloverWorks and scheduled to air in 2025. For more information, you can follow its official X account and check out its official website.

The post The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity Gets TV Anime in 2025 appeared first on oprainfall.

Manga:

Solo Leveling

Since I had recently watched the first half of the first season of Solo Leveling, I thought I’d re-read (binge) some of the manhwa to compare. I think I’m leaning toward writing a review once the entirety of season 1 debuts, which, as far as I’ve heard, should continue this fall. When I talked about the anime a few weeks ago, I had mentioned how the adaptation more closely follows the manhwa rather than the light novel regarding its story details and character depth, or lack thereof. Having re-read the first thirty some odd chapters, I only reconfirmed what I already knew. Still a fun, quick read, yet it reaffirms my desire to see more from the anime. I can hope, right…?

Also, as I had said previously, the art of the manhwa definitely outshines the anime’s visuals. A sharper, deep style really makes the manhwa pop, whereas the anime looks too similar to other anime productions. Yes, the anime captures Sung Jinwoo and his exploits fairly well, but I can’t help but think it also has a common, general feel to its production, versus the manhwa which just has more vividness and a raw or feral edge to its visuals.

I’ll go into more detail comparing the aesthetics of the manhwa and the anime when the time to write that review comes. I’m also hoping the second half of season 1 sees a visual improvement, for as of now, my re-read of this manhwa is only demonstrating to me what could have been. – Drew D.

What anime are you watching? What manga and light novels are you reading? Let us know in the comments!

You can read previous Week in Anime & Manga entries here!

The post oprainfall Week in Anime & Manga: Sep 8 – 14 appeared first on oprainfall.

At Aniplex Online Fest 2024, Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online II received a new trailer and unveiled a second key visual (English version shown above). It is scheduled to start airing on October 4th, 2024 in Japan.

You can check out the new trailer below which previews the anime’s opening theme. The opening theme is “GG” by ReoNa.

Japanese Trailer

English Trailer

The anime synopsis is as follows via the trailer’s description:

LLENN, M, Fukaziroh, and Pitohui form the strongest team, LPFM for short, and enter a new battle royale death match tournament that was annouced out of the blue.

LPFM is eyed as the top favorite candidate team to win, but the team will have to endure several rigorous ordeals to get there: a playing field that sinks into the ocean with the passage of time, an unknown area hidden in the middle of the map, and an anonymous team conspiracy.

In addition to all of this, all players will have to follow some shocking special rules if they want to play the game and win…

The trailer’s description also showcased the staff working on the anime. They are as follows:

Original Work: Keiichi Sigsawa (Dengeki Bunko)
Original Illustration & Character Design Concept: Kouhaku Kuroboshi
Director: Masayuki Sakoi
Original Concept & Supervision: Reki Kawahara
Series Composition & Screenplay: Yosuke Kuroda
Character Design & Chief Animation Director: Yoshio Kozakai
Mechanical Design: Ju Ishiguchi
Design Works: Ryo Akizuki
Graphic Art: Hirofumi Araki
Art Director: Takumi Hashimoto (KUSANAGI)
Background Design: Risa Iraha (KUSANAGI), Atsushi Morikawa
Colorist: Akemi Tejima (Wish)
3DCG Director: Kohei Ogawa (Marco)
Technical Director: Haruhi Goto (Asahi Production)
Director of Photography: Mutsuki Aoki (Asahi Production)
Editor: Yuki Honda (Asahi Production)
Sound Director: Jin Aketagawa
Sound Effects: Rei Ueno
Sound Production: Magic Capsule
Music: DAITA, Daisuke Shinoda
Produced by: EGG FIRM, Straight Edge
Animation Production: A-1 Pictures
Production Committee: GGO2 Project

In addition to broadcasters in Japan, it was announced that Crunchyroll would stream the series in English speaking, Latin America, and European countries.

Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online II starts airing on October 4, 2024. For more information you can check out its official X account (English, Japanese) and website (English, Japanese).

The post Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online II Gets New Trailer & Visual appeared first on oprainfall.

Light Novels:

Spirit Chronicles Volume 5 – The Silver Bride

In preparation of my next review, I spent this week wrapping up my read of Spirit Chronicles Volume 5. I had expected a long-awaited return to previous storylines, a bit of development with the major isekai event that happened in Volume 4, and I had hoped we would have more time with some of my favorite characters. Unfortunately, my high hopes were not quite met, with only brief moments with my favorites, more setup than substance, and an unexpected storyline in the second half of the novel.

Well, I’m happy about the long awaited return of Celia, a mentor and the first friend of our hero, Rio. She plays a strong role in Volume 1, but is then sidelined until now. Four years have past since Celia and Rio had last interacted in the story, which actually seems a bit ridiculous given the vast abilities and resources Rio has had for some time now. Anyway, they have their reunion, Celia is upset with life, and Rio essentially brute-forces a solution, because he can now. Crude, yes, yet somewhat entertaining, though this volume features more conversations rather than action. Also, these convos are rife with classism, arrogance, entitlement, and plenty more that can make for a stressful impact on readers. Lastly, since the story is back to where the series started, plot points and characters introduced in Volume 1 are now being dredged up again, though I doubt they’ll linger for long, assuming the next volume plays out in similar fashion. – Drew D.

What anime are you watching? What manga and light novels are you reading? Let us know in the comments!

You can read previous Week in Anime & Manga entries here!

The post oprainfall Week in Anime & Manga: Sep 1 – 7 appeared first on oprainfall.

Manga:

Otaku ni Yasashii Gal wa Inai!?

I can’t quite remember how I first encountered this title, but I’m glad I did. Otaku ni Yasashii Gal wa Inai!?, or Gal Can’t Be Kind to Otaku!? is a high school slice-of-life manga depicting the relationship between an introverted, yet kind otaku, named Seo, and two gyaru. While Ijichi is your typical outgoing, energetic gal, Amane is cool, stoic and secretly an otaku herself.

One of the main themes of this manga is how differences in character or interests don’t need to be a wall or hurdle for a friendship to form and blossom. Another, more subtle, theme is how assumptions based on looks, style, or interests can be ignorant and shortsighted. Each character has their own personality and background, and although common interests and circumstances do help to initially form the friendship, the story allows these three to maintain their distinctions while growing, both individually and in their relationship. And sure, some of the common high school tropes come into play, like popularity, attraction, social hierarchy, as do the typical situations of festivals, exams, and summer vacation. Yet, this manga does a nice job of using these tropes merely as a step before moving forward to genuine character development and charming relationship building.

I will say, Seo, our male lead and titular otaku, is a bit trope-like and typical, especially when compared to the two female leads, so hopefully more background or more diversity in his character is introduced soon. As for the girls, they really make this manga. I love how Ijichi is so much more than the stereotypical gal, frequently breaking away from the expected. Amane’s stressing with fitting in, being social, and hiding her interests out of fear is relatable, and her coming out of her shell, similarly to Seo, is a pleasure to see.

No news of an official English release yet, though the fan-translations over on mangadex are satisfactory. Fun, funny, yet gentle and good-natured, Gal Can’t Be Kind to Otaku!? is an easy recommendation. – Drew D.

Hajimete no Ojou-sama

Hajimete no Ojou-sama, The First Times’ Lady, is a lighthearted rom-com centered around sheltered princess Ojou Kotone. Ojou, in order to experience life beyond her affluent, yet limited upbringing, is eager to learn more about the world and is ready to experience many new “firsts” for herself. Determined to be more self-sufficient as well, the story begins with her first hurdle of using a train ticket machine.

Suguru Sewa, a typical high schooler, sees Ojou having trouble and bluntly guides her through the process. Then, he witnesses Ojou’s next struggle of getting though the ticket gate. Seeing how helpless she is, Sewa can’t help but keep an eye on Ojou for the time being.

When they part ways, Sewa doesn’t think he’ll meet Ojou again, only to be shocked that Ojou has transferred to his high school and same class, all in order to continue her efforts of independence and learning about the world outside her affluence.

Hajimete no Ojou-sama is pretty obvious with what it delivers, yet it’s done notably well. This short publication has plenty of humor, from slapstick to innuendo, and lots of charm, too. Ojou is cute and a bit air-headed, but hides deep thoughts and feelings. Seeing hers and Sewa’s character development is a highlight of the manga. As is the ability for this duo to make the mundane and everyday into something much more. As I said, this one’s short, only 21 chapters, and I wouldn’t have minded more. Cute, funny, even uplifting too, I very much enjoyed Hajimete no Ojou-sama for its bursts of humor and lighthearted fun. – Drew D.

What anime are you watching? What manga and light novels are you reading? Let us know in the comments!

You can read previous Week in Anime & Manga entries here!

The post oprainfall Week in Anime & Manga: Aug 25 – 31 appeared first on oprainfall.

Currently Airing:

My Deer Friend Nokotan

The series definitely has kept it random type of humor and smallest amount of plot as possible. For a show like this though it is route they probably should go with. One of the recent episodes stayed very much this route with it being made up of a bunch of different short random stories. Though it kind of doesn’t really make it too much from a regular episode other than being able to put more random gags in. The series is very fourth wall breaking with it more or less admitting it is brain rot which is not much of an exaggeration. They have added a few more characters in and I do like it when they bring in their home room teacher. It is keeping up with its image as being a dumb comedy and I am fine with that. – Walter

You can watch My Deer Friend Nokotan on Crunchyroll.

Anime of the Past:

Solo Leveling

Having enjoyed the manwha and having read (most) of the Light Novel series thereafter, I though I would explore the anime adaptation of Solo Leveling. Twelve episodes released earlier this year, and with a supposed second half of season 1 due to release before year’s end, I thought now was as good a time as any to give this a watch.

For those unfamiliar, Solo Leveling depicts a world under constant siege by monsters originating from dungeons; parallel dimensions that connect to the real world via gates. Ever since the first gate appeared, individuals around the world awakened to superhuman abilities. Appropriately dubbed hunters, these awakened individuals are the only ones capable of fending off the monsters and protecting earth from annihilation.

One such hunter, Sung Jin-woo, is labeled the weakest hunter, as he struggles against even the lowest grade of monsters. With an ill mother and college-bound sister to care for, Jin-woo endures his harsh life. On one particular dungeon raid, he encounters a second dungeon within the first, and after a disastrously deadly series of events, Jin-woo experiences a change in himself and his perceptions regarding gates and dungeons. For it seems Jin-woo has been granted the impossible ability to increase his power through training and combat, and has been granted a guiding interactive system similar to those seen in RPGs. With newfound power and advantages, he has unknowingly been placed into a fated story full of strife and against unimaginable adversaries.

As an anime, I expected a mix between the visual strength of the manhwa and the light novels’ greater depth and detail of its story and characters. What I experienced instead was a familiar effort, one too similar to other shounen anime productions, and one lacking a bit in depth. It more closely resembles the manhwa regarding story and character development, as in there isn’t a whole lot beyond the basics and the necessary. There are a few forced scenes full of lore dumping, too. The quality of its visuals also leaves me wanting, as the efforts of late manhwa artist Jang Sung-rak, nicknamed Dubu, ranged from excellent to downright spectacular. Perhaps my expectations were too high, as the anime’s style, while serviceable, is average at best. Add to that a handful of action scenes overly reminiscent of Naruto or Bleach and you have, again, an average effort overall. I do hope the latter half of season 1 sees more of what originally makes Solo Leveling so distinguished.

A final thought, I find it odd, and a touch excluding, that the Korean dub seems to be only available to Korean residents. As it’s based on a Korean manhwa, I think I would have liked to have heard Korean voice actors. Well, not that I know any Korean anyway. – Drew D.

You can watch Solo Leveling on Crunchyroll.

Manga:

Yasashii Hikari

When I came across Yasashii Hikari, I never expected I would discover such a hidden gem. This is a story of how an overworked salary-man, Miyake, finds solace and renewed purpose within a laid back community on an isolated island. Upon his first day, Miyake meets high schooler Hiyoko, who guides him around and introduces him to the charms of his new home. From there, we are treated to innocent interactions, inclusivity by his new community, and a wonderfully calm aesthetic, though moments of stress or excitement do pop up now and then. Its relaxed country setting, the appreciative attitudes and outlooks of its supporting cast, and the subtle blossoming of a sweet relationship were all a pleasure to experience.

I couldn’t have expected just how much this story resonated with me. It goes to show how you just never know when a feature, mention, or suggestion will lead you to something truly outstanding. From a quick click in order to read a synopsis, I was soon completely drawn in and immersed. I can easily recommend Yasashii Hikari looking for a bit of charming solace. – Drew D.

What anime are you watching? What manga and light novels are you reading? Let us know in the comments!

You can read previous Week in Anime & Manga entries here!

The post oprainfall Week in Anime & Manga: Aug 11 – 17 appeared first on oprainfall.

Currently Airing:

No Longer Allowed in Another World

I decided to dip my toes back into the world of Isekai because I’ve been feeling the need to watch some enjoyable trash, and No Longer Allowed in Another World hit all my buttons. Big busty elf priestesses, cat girls getting groped by trees, truck-kun finally receiving the adulation he deserves, a protagonist who absolutely Does Not want to be here – it’s got it all. The idea of there being another world that summons dying humans to give them a second chance at life, but the most recent person they choose is Osamu Dazai, who notoriously does not want to live, is such a fantastically incredulous setup I had to see it for myself. And it honestly worked pretty well. Interrupted right before committing double suicide with his lover Sacchan, Dazai finds himself in a Western-styled fantasy realm where he’s the hero destined to save everyone. He’s greeted by a blonde elf named Annette, who has ushered in countless other heroes over the years and grown disillusioned with her role; however, not only does Dazai want nothing to do with saving the world, he has abysmal stats to the point he’s actively dying of poison. His blase attitude intrigues her, though she’s unable to stop him from leaving on his own. While wandering, he finds a cat girl being attacked by a Death Tree, and his pitiful non-attempt to save her finds him trapped in hits clutches. Hilarity ensues. His interactions with both women are honestly pretty funny, and his actor delivers deadpan lines with fantastic comedic timing. This was a super breezy first episode with enough hooks I’m willing to give the show a real chance. If you like your Isekai with a dash of irreverence, you could choose worse than this. – Leah

You can watch No Longer Allowed in Another World on Crunchyroll.

Days With My Stepsister

I went into Days With My Stepsister expecting some horny trash, only to get swept up into a contemplative, melancholic, and slow burning examination of loneliness and the distance that exists between people. Yuta Asamura and Saki Ayase are classmates who suddenly find themselves siblings when their divorced parents marry. Despite being in the same class, the two have barely interacted before, and are as close to strangers as possible – only now these strangers need to navigate living together and the changes that come with inviting someone new to live under your roof. Both Asamura and Ayase are content to remain distant from each other, two people who simply share a home, but despite their best efforts they slowly connect, learning more about each other while breaking down the barriers they’ve each put up following their parents’ divorces earlier in life. The show captures their sense of uncertainty and awkwardness beautifully through the deft use of the camera, often lingering on empty hallways and dark spaces, the characters just out of frame or passing like ghosts across the screen. Reflections are used liberally. The scenery here is as much a character as Asamura and Ayase, setting the mood and conveying more through silence than most shows do their dialogue. Stepsister has been an absolute treat to watch, with surprising emotional beats and two main characters who I can’t help but cheer on. This one is absolutely worth your time. – Leah

You can watch Days With My Stepsister on Crunchyroll.

The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to be Archenemies

Having vanquished Byakuya’s familiar, the Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant continue their charade of being enemies, only for Mira’s henchmen to go and actually kidnap Byakuya, bringing her to their evil lair to be tortured. Mira takes this about how you’d expect. Every interaction between him and Byakuya remains a joy, with her quiet naivete complimenting his over-the-top infatuation. Every time he loses his cool because he can’t handle how cute Byakuya is, I feel it. She is just absolutely the most adorable. This episode gives us some more insight into why Byakuya is the way she is, finally beginning to peel back the layers of her nonchalance to let her personality peek through. Despite being half length episodes, this show is still the one I most look forward to every week, because it fills my heart with such joy to see these two characters interact. We’ll finally meet another magical girl next week, and I cannot wait to see what happens. – Leah

You can watch The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to be Archenemies on Crunchyroll.

Nyako to Hakase (Nyako and Doctor)

Nyako to Hakase, or Nyako and Doctor, is a short manga series that follows the daily lives of a doctor and her cute cat maid, Nyako. The doctor is more of a researcher who one day simply wanted a cat girl companion, and so she created one. From there, we are treated to a charming series of slice-of-life chapters depicting the doctor’s and Nyako’s days.

This became an instant favorite of mine since its debut, and every chapter has been a treat. The doctor is eccentric yet caring, especially regarding Nyako. Nyako herself is easy to frighten, yet adorable, inquisitive, and incredibly kind. It has been a pleasure to watch as Nyako expresses her curiosity, playfulness, and kindness.

This manga has just ended, having been published on the author’s twitter since 2021, and I’ll certainly miss this one. Adorable and funny, it was always a welcomed bright light every time a new chapter was released and translated. Whether through the author’s future works or through an extra chapter, I hope the author chooses to revisit this series someday, allowing us to check in on these two again. – Drew D.

What anime are you watching? What manga and light novels are you reading? Let us know in the comments!

You can read previous Week in Anime & Manga entries here!

The post oprainfall Week in Anime & Manga: Aug 4 – 10 appeared first on oprainfall.

Currently Airing:

My Deer Friend Nokotan

So I’ve been waiting on this one for a while even before all the memes started rolling out. I randomly took a look at the manga a while back and didn’t really think this one would be getting an adaptation. That being said I’ve been liking it so far. It follows the former delinquent Koshitan, who has changed her ways and is seen as the perfect student, while trying to hide her past. However things go awry as the strange deer girl Nokotan appears, who immediately can tell what she was like and transfers to her school. Koshitan ends up becoming the club president of the “deer club” and is forced to take care of Nokotan and the chaos that follows her. I’ve heard some comparison to Nichijou with this one, which I don’t completely agree with, but I wouldn’t blame anyone for saying they are similar. While Nokotan is definitely strange, the other characters that appear also have their quirks with Koshitan being the only seemingly reasonable one. One thing I always like is how almost no one else is bothered by Nokotan’s antics and seems to see it as normal, though quite a bit of it is at Koshitan’s expense. I wouldn’t say that this is a series for everyone, but if you want an out there comedy, this one will work. – Walter

You can watch My Deer Friend Nokotan on Crunchyroll.

Manga:

Sore wa Rei no Shiwaza desu (It’s the work of the Ghost)

Over the past two weeks or so, I went ahead and re-read a silly romance, high school life manga called Sore wa Rei no Shiwaza desu, or, It’s the Work of the Ghost. This follows the blossoming relationship between Torii Nozomu, a second year high school student and new transfer student, Kirishima Kyoko. On the outside, Kyoko is a cute, charming young lady with an approachable personality. However, only Nozomu can see that Kyoko is haunted by a frightful-looking apparition. A female ghoul haunts Kyoko without her or anyone else aware, yet Nozomu can see her clearly.

Despite this, Nozomu musters his courage and befriends Kyoko. And this is what ultimately drew me into this manga. You have a new student, Kyoko, in new surroundings and not knowing anyone. She happens to be placed next to Nozomu, and he, regardless of the floating terror behind her, steps up and helps Kyoko adjust to her new surroundings. From there, a lovely friendship and more, forms, full of concern on Nozomu’s part, yet also brimming with all of the fun, emotional, and caring times and situations that accompany a high school life romcom.

A bit more ecchi than what I typically read, Sore wa Rei no Shiwaza desu is nonetheless a fun story with moments of genuine emotion and depth. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been any official English release, nor plans for it, but the fan-translation over on mangadex is serviceable. – Drew D.

Youkai-tachi no Iru Tokoro (Where the Yokai Are)

I also came across a charismatic one-shot called Youkai-tachi no Iru Tokoro, or Where the Yokai Are. I guess I’m in a bit of a supernatural mood with my reading choices, not that it should be a surprise given my penchant for fantasy and fantasy-esque genres.

Similar to It’s the Work of the Ghost, we again have a main character, a middle schooler named Ginji, who can see spirits. However, these spirits simply choose to reveal themselves only to Ginji. With his kind nature and his rural home, many yokai have settled around and befriended Ginji. However, when they find out that Ginji has aspirations of leaving the countryside for a high school in Tokyo, the yokai stress out and begin taking actions to prevent their friend from leaving.

Mid in length, there’s plenty of humor and feelings of friendship to be had in this read. Fan-translated and available on mangadex, this is a quick, yet charming read for anyone looking for a heartwarming story with a dose of supernatural. My one critique would be that I simply want more and wouldn’t mind in the least if this were serialized. – Drew D.

What anime are you watching? What manga and light novels are you reading? Let us know in the comments!

You can read previous Week in Anime & Manga entries here!

The post oprainfall Week in Anime & Manga: Jul 28 – Aug 3 appeared first on oprainfall.

Currently Airing:

The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to be Archenemies

I don’t usually watch short episode anime, but I made an exception for this one. The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to be Archenemies (aka Mahoaku) is just too charming to resist. Byakuya Mimori is an orphan girl who works hard at her many (many, many, many, many) part time jobs, including being a magical girl. On one of her magical girl outings to defeat an evil rampaging dragon, she comes face-to-face with the Evil Empire’s right-hand man, Mira – who instantly falls head over heels in love with his enemy. Rather than engage in battles as they should, Mira instead takes to bringing Byakuya gifts, and the two slowly grow closer and learn more about one another. This pleases neither Mira’s evil cohorts, who insist he needs to take care of the magical girl, nor Byakuya’s magical girl familiar, who may or may not be yakuza.

It’s a fun but heartfelt genre spoof, gorgeously given life by Studio Bones, who lovingly convert the detailed and delicate manga by Cocoa Fujiwara into colorful, striking animation. Each episode is only 12 minutes, but they pack so much into each, and it never feels like you’re losing out on the extra 12 minutes you’d get in a full episode show. Fujiwara unfortunately passed away before the series finished, so I’m curious to see if Bones will give the story an ending or stick to only what Fujiwara was able to create. Regardless, I’m along for this ride. – Leah

You can watch The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to be Archenemies on Crunchyroll.

Manga:

Papa Told Me

When I last contributed to our Week in Anime & Manga recap, I talked about Papa Told Me, an episodic slice-of-life manga that mostly centers around Chise, an elementary schoolgirl wise beyond her years, and her author father. I had also mentioned last time that I had finally reached or was approaching chapter 100. I was looking forward to a mostly familiar experience by this point; however, the chapters that have followed have been vastly more whimsical than earlier ones, and many have been open-ended in their stories. No definite beginning or end, these particular chapters drop readers in at a moment where there may be a shift in someone’s life. We get to see some of the proceeding events, only for it to end openly and leave us with a sense of knowing that there is more to come, we just won’t see it. I cannot help but see the parallels of this style to real life, as we take actions and live our particular, individual moments, and we know more is in store, yet we don’t know how our personal storylines will end.

Another note, Chise’s maturity and leadership has begun to challenge her father’s role in the story. He has become a passive passenger rather than a teacher or leader as a parent ought to be. Several times, Chise has appeared to be the more reliable and reasonable of the two. Yes, she’s the MC, but undermining the father’s character does zero favors for a moment of humor or progress in this stand-alone chapter style.

Regardless, I’m almost at the end and will tell you my feelings once my journey with this mostly delightful manga ends. – Drew D.

Karakai Jouzu no (Moto) Takagi-san

It’s always melancholic when a great series comes to an end. Earlier this week, Karakai Jouzu no (Moto) Takagi-san or Skilled Teaser (Former) Takagi-san, just had its final chapter released in Japan. This manga takes place years after the original Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san (Skilled Teaser Takagi-san) where Takagi and Nishikata are married and have a five-year-old daughter named Chi. Teasing is, of course, one of the main themes, yet family, growth, experiences, and appreciation are all themes of this manga, too. Just as lighthearted and entertaining, (Moto) Takagi-san was an absolute pleasure to read.

This series ending is made even more melancholic, as once the final spin-off series ends, that will mark the end of the entire Takagi saga. Since 2012, we have enjoyed the teasing skills of Takagi throughout her middle school years, as well as into her and Nishikata’s adulthood. We’ve seen her love for Nishikata blossom, as well as Nishikata’s own realization of his feelings for Takagi. We also got to see how great they are to each other and as parents to Chi. I, and I’m sure plenty of fans, would have liked to have seen their highschool and college days, but, as of now, we are being told that this is the conclusion of the Takagi era.

*Sigh*… I’m realizing more and more that I’m finding it hard to say goodbye. Yes, I’m overjoyed that we received a wonderful manga and so many excellent spin-offs too. And yet, these goodbyes are becoming more emotional and tougher as time goes by… – Drew D.

Light Novels:

Spirit Chronicles – Vol 4

I’m almost finished reading volume 4 of Spirit Chronicles and I’ve also begun writing my review. While trying not to sound like a broken record, I reiterate what I said last time, in that this volume has marginalized most of the supporting cast again, but this time to introduce one new main character, yet two others who will mostly likely end up on the ever-growing list of side-characters. It’s a shame because the author, Kitayama Yuri, has such a talent for creating and developing characters. And so to see so many characters forgotten along the way, I can’t help but feel like this series is becoming an ongoing cycle of missed opportunities.

I am hoping the flow of new characters finally ceases and we get to spend more time with those we have, as so many of them are unique and intriguing. Not to mention the list is already immense and any more, at this point, may just dissuade me from immersing myself, as I would then know that disappointment is all that awaits. I want to keep reading, but author Kitayama is making me work for it… – Drew D.

What anime are you watching? What manga and light novels are you reading? Let us know in the comments!

You can read previous Week in Anime & Manga entries here!

The post oprainfall Week in Anime & Manga – Jul 21 – 27 appeared first on oprainfall.

Manga and LNs

Papa Told Me

For several years now, I’ve been steadily reading through an older manga called Papa Told Me. Presented like a collection of charming, slow moving slice-of-life episodes, Papa Told Me follows the lives of Chise, an intelligent, curious, yet sometimes rambunctious elementary school student, and her widower, novelist father. Chise possesses a particular way of seeing and interacting with the world, usually approaching each day with maturity and calmness, with good bits of charming childishness too. She is inquisitive and tough, too, as she isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes.

I like this manga as it does an amazing job of emphasizing the point that chance encounters and meetings can have profound affects. Chise seems able to influence the days, works, or even lives of those she meets throughout. You never know how an interaction will occur or how it will play out, and that element is exceptionally developed here. I also appreciate how much emotion the characters possess and convey, whether they are regulars like Chise’s aunt or her dad’s editor, or one-time characters that have been impacted, directly or in passing, by Chise. This manga is truly heartfelt and I am impressed with how vivid the feelings can be. Every chapter is something new to look forward to.

Unfortunately, I don’t believe Papa Told Me has an official English translation, but the fan-translation available on Mangadex is more than satisfactory. – Drew D

Spirit Chonicles – Vol 4

If you’ve been following my reviews, you’ll know that I’ve been making my way through the LN series Seirei Gensouki – Spirit Chronicles. And after three and a half volumes of reading, I have to say, I question the direction this story is proceeding. The first volume was excellent, with wonderful development of backstory for our hero, Rio, and an immersive introduction to its world and its many facets. Volume 2 went further and offered a fantastic continuation of rich world building, exciting action scenes, physical and mental trials for Rio, and the debut of Latifa, one of the most vivid characters thus far. In two immersive volumes, the story also offered a robust cast of charismatic side-characters, each possessing qualities that I hoped to see enhanced and refined. Volume 3 took quite the detour, however, by having Rio take off and leave everyone and everything else behind. And now, with Volume 4 and Rio’s return from said detour, another major isekai event has been introduced.

With Volume 4’s newest additions to both the overarching story and the cast, unfortunately, there’s not enough novel to include everyone. My biggest grievance is the treatment of Latifa, my favorite character and one who again receives brilliant character development in Vol 2, who has since been relegated to side-character status. We also haven’t seen Cecilia at all since Volume 1. She was a mentor and the only real friend our main character had for five or so years of his life, so you would think there would be something, anything, regarding her. I have heard she, at long last, appears again in Volume 5, so we’ll see.

Needless to say, I simply don’t know where the story will go next, but I do hope the spotlight returns to those who imparted such an impression on me during those first two volumes. – Drew D

What anime are you watching? What manga and light novels are you reading? Let us know in the comments!

You can read previous Week in Anime & Manga entries here!

The post oprainfall Week in Anime & Manga: Jun 30 – Jul 6 appeared first on oprainfall.

Blue Archive The Animation, the anime adaptation of Nexon’s popular mobile game, has finally received an air date in North America. The anime will begin airing May 24, 2024 at 0:00 AM UTC (May 23 at 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT) on the Blue Archive Global YouTube channel. The North American stream will have English subtitles.

You can check out the opening animation below.

Blue Archive The Animation is produced by Yostar Pictures and studio CANDYBOX. The anime began airing in Japan and countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific on April 7th. The anime was licensed in Southeast Asia and the Pacific by Medialink. Medialink streamed the episodes on the Ani-One Asia YouTube channel. Seven (7) episodes have already aired in the areas mentioned.

Senseis in North America will finally get to officially watch Blue Archive The Animation in English starting May 24.

The post Blue Archive The Animation Begins Airing May 24 in North America appeared first on oprainfall.

The post Mahjong Soul KAN!! – Episode 1 is Out Now appeared first on oprainfall.

At AnimeJapan 2024, new information was revealed for Blue Archive The Animation, including the long-awaited reveal of Sensei’s design in the upcoming anime.

First of all, on the 1st day of the event, a new trailer promoting the anime was revealed, you can check that out below.

On the 2nd day, Sensei’s character design was finally shown and you can check that out below. Sensei will be voiced by Sakata Shogo. Sakata-san has previously voiced characters such as Aki Hayakawa (Chainsaw Man) and Usato (The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic).

In addition to Sensei’s debut, a good chunk of the anime’s first episode premiered for both the in-person audience and those watching the livestream. You can check out the premiere below (starts at 42:51).

AnimeJapan 2024 Day 2 Stream

Blue Archive The Animation begins airing on April 7th, 2024 on TV Tokyo. It is produced by Yostar Pictures and studio CANDYBOX. For more information, you can check out its official website and follow its official X account.

The post Blue Archive The Animation Reveals Sensei Design & Voice Actor appeared first on oprainfall.

Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online II, the follow up to the 2018 Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online TV anime, will begin airing in October 2024. The main cast returns to reprise their roles, including Tomori Kusunoki as LLENN. Studio 3Hz also returns as the anime’s production company.

The cast and staff is as follows:

 [ CAST ]
LLENN: Tomori Kusunoki
Pitohui: Yoko Hikasa
M: Kazuyuki Okitsu
Fukaziroh: Chinatsu Akasaki

[ STAFF ]

Original Work: Keiichi Sigsawa (Dengeki Bunko)
Original Illustration & Character Design Concept: Kouhaku Kuroboshi
Director: Masayuki Sakoi
Series Composition / Screenplay: Yosuke Kuroda
Character Design & Chief Animation Director: Yoshio Kozakai
Music: DAITA, Daisuke Shinoda
Animation Production: Studio 3Hz

You can check out the broadcast date announcement trailer below.

English Trailer

Japanese Trailer

In addition to the broadcast announcement, the first season will also be rebroadcast starting in July 2024.

Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online II is a TV anime adaptation of Keiichi Sigsawa’s light novel of a similar name. The first season aired from April 2018 to June 2018 and was produced by Studio 3Hz. The second season will begin airing in October 2024. If you’re interested in the anime, you can check out its official website and follow its official X accounts (English, Japanese).

The post Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online II Airs in October appeared first on oprainfall.

A short new promotional video (PV) for Blue Archive The Animation has been released. This time, the PV focuses on Abydos Highschool 3rd year and President of the Foreclosure Task Force, Takanashi Hoshino (CV. Yumiri Hanamori).

You can check out Hoshino in all her sleepy glory below.

The previous short PV released focused on Abydos Highschool 2nd year, Sunaookami Shiroko (CV. Yui Ogura). In case you missed it, you can check that out below.

Blue Archive The Animation is produced by Yostar Pictures and studio CANDYBOX. It is an anime adaptation of the South Korea-developed mobile game, Blue Archive, and is scheduled to air in April 2024. The mobile game first launched in Japan in February 2021, followed by a global release in November 2021. The game was later released in China in August 2023. Nexon published the global version while Yostar published the Japanese and Chinese versions.

For more information on the upcoming anime, you can follow check out its official website and follow its official X account.

SOURCE: BA The Animation X Account

The post New Blue Archive The Animation PV Focuses on Takanashi Hoshino appeared first on oprainfall.

During day 1 of a special event celebrating the 3rd anniversary of Blue Archive, more information on the upcoming anime adaptation was revealed. First, more character design drawings were shown, this time featuring the rest of the Foreclosure Task Force and also the members of Problem Solver 68. Previously, Shiroko and Arona’s designs were shown.

You can check out the newly revealed character designs below.

Foreclosure Task Force

Problem Solver 68

Afterwards, the main visual was unveiled, which at the same time revealed the big news that Blue Archive The Animation will begin airing in April 2024 on BS11. The visual features the members of the Foreclosure Task Force. You can check out a textless version of the visual below.

Finally, a new teaser PV was shown, giving us a first glimpse of the anime in action. You can check that out below.

Blue Archive The Animation will be produced by Yostar Pictures and studio CANDYBOX. Some of the staff is as follows. (Thanks to AIR_News01 for staff translations.)

Director: Daigo Yamagishi
Assistant Director: Shunji Maki
Series Composition: Hiroshi Onogi / Daigo Yamagishi
Character Design, Chief Animation Director: Hiromitsu Hagiwara
Art Director: Kazuhiro Arai

The cast announced so far is as follows:

Yui Ogura as Shiroko Sunaookami
Yumiri Hanamori as Hoshino Takanashi
Ohashi Ayaka as Serika Kuromi
Chiyuki Miura as Nonomi Izayoi
Sayaka Harada as Ayane Okusora
Reina Kondo as Aru Rikuhachima
Yukiyo Fujii as Kayoko Onikata
Erika Ishitobi as Haruka Igusa
Rumi Okubo as Mutsuki Asagi
Konomi Kohara as Arona

More characters will be coming soon according to the official website.

Blue Archive The Animation is scheduled to air April 2024 in Japan. It is an anime adaptation of the popular mobile game, Blue Archive, which is currently available worldwide for Android and iOS devices. For more information on the anime you can check out its official website and follow its X account.

SOURCES: Blue Archive The Animation Official Website (Part 1, Part 2), BA 3rd Anniversary Event Day 1 Stream

The post Blue Archive The Animation Airs April 2024, Unveils New Trailer appeared first on oprainfall.

Currently Airing:

Sasaki and Peeps

The series is the based off of a light novel that I honestly never heard of before. I read the description of it and decided it might be something worth trying. After watching the first two episodes (the first episode which is longer than a normal one) I think that the description doesn’t really do it justice. To be fair there is a lot going on in this one. It follows an almost 40 year old average office worker named Sasaki. On a whim he decides to get a pet and ends up taking home a bird he finds cute. From there things start getting crazy with his new pet being more than a normal bird. Being able to go into another world, Sasaki finds success trading things from home to this new world. He takes advantage and becomes quite the businessman there and learns some magic. While things are going smooth for Sasaki in his new life he ends up seeing an attack in our world by a killer and decides to intervene. From there Sasaki’s life takes another turn.

As a character I like Sasaki and identify with him at times. He would rather have a relaxed slow life and follow others, but things change quite a bit. The series has some good humorous moments in it so far. It’s something that I have to say is interesting which all the angles there are to it. This is will definitely be something I’m going to follow this season. – Walter

— You can watch Sasaki and Peeps on Crunchyroll.

Urusei Yatsura

Lum is back, hooray! Season 2 kicks off with a silly gimmick episode. Ten is playing with chewing gum that, when blown into a bubble, will recreate anything you think of. Ataru of course steals the gum for nefarious purposes – namely recreating the women in his life so he can ogle them. Lum, understandably, does not take kindly to this idea and hatches a plan to get back at him. It backfires in typical Urusei Yatsura fashion. I love these kinds of hijinks and they’re what make the show such a joy to watch, especially when paired with david productions’ stellar use of color and texture. The second half of the episode sees Lum suffering from temporary language loss after Ataru hits her in the head with a rice cooker. She can’t remember Japanese, and so can’t communicate with anyone. This upsets everyone at school except Ataru, who of course tries taking advantage of his interstellar girlfriend’s amnesia to try and hook up with other girls. Despite the circumstances of the episode and the heavy comedic bend, there were some genuinely tender moments here. One of my favorite things about Takahashi properties is the way she can so seamlessly blend comedy and romance, and that’s on display here. I’m really looking forward to what’s in store for the rest of this season. – Leah

You can watch Urusei Yatsura on HIDIVE.

What anime are you watching? What manga and light novels are you reading? Let us know in the comments!

You can read previous Week in Anime & Manga entries here!

The post oprainfall Week in Anime & Manga: Jan 7 – 13 appeared first on oprainfall.