Some highlights from my reading this past week:

• The Secret to a Happy Marriage Is Drinking Together at Night / Fuufu no Hiketsu wa Banshaku Desu

This has developed into a really nice and comfortable romance that actually features a married adult couple. I was worried a bit when I first saw the title that it would basically be a glorified ad for Japanese alcoholic beverages. However, the drinking together part is not a focus. Instead, the story focuses on how important it is to make time for your partner and try to do things together, even if you can only do small things together. The lead couple have opposing work schedules, so they need to really put in effort to do something as ordinary as having a meal together. As I like to joke with friends all the time, the calendar is the final boss of adulthood.

• After School, We Wander in Space / Houkago, Bokura wa Uchuu ni Madou

This series has really closely followed in the footsteps of Pseudo Harem. There is a ship that the whole rest of the cast wants to help set sail and the chemistry between the leads is a lot of fun. Also, the chemistry can be explosive, in that they are in a rocketry club together. So, it’s been fun to nerd out over rockets a bit in the chapter discussion threads.

• The Color of the End: Mission in the Apocalypse / Usuzumi no Hate

This series continues to be really great. It just wrapped up a side story that was quite touching. I can’t really talk about this one too much without giving away spoilers to those that haven’t read it, but I have really been enjoying this one ever since the story seemed to shift from an anthology-style series to a more linear narrative. Looking back on it, I didn’t even notice at the time because it felt so natural. There was a very big spoiler that happened and that is when the style changed. Very neat.

Weekly ranking roundup:

1. Anime Corner - Full Results - Weekly Winner: Witch Watch
2. Reddit Karma - Weekly Winner: Apothecary Diaries

Credit to /u/Abysswatcherbel for making the chart for reddit karma and /u/Nooble5 for the Anime Trending chart.

Witch Watch continues to top the chart over on AC. Meanwhile, nothing is coming very close to The Apothecary Diaries on the reddit karma chart. I do find it kind of funny that a 2-minute long short for Lycoris Recoil was enough to win second place on the reddit chart. I also noticed that two of my favorites this season, Rock is a Lady’s Modesty and Apocalypse Hotel are both creeping up the reddit chart.

Been busy with work and traveling this past week, so I have fallen behind on a couple shows. From what I was able to watch:

• Too-Perfect Saint - I have been enjoying the anime more than I thought I would. I hope they keep it up. Bringing Mia’s storyline forward has helped a lot.
• Rock is a Lady’s Modesty - This show has been so much fun. Band Maid has really put their all into this show from doing the OP, mocap for the performances, and writing/performing songs for the jam sessions. This show has exceeded my expectations so far.
• Ninja and Assassin - No ninja is safe in this show. The effort put into this series really shows that this is a labor of love for the studio.
• Apocalypse Hotel - Another great episode. The mysteries of this world deepened just a little bit.
• Gundam GQuuuuuuX - Episode 2 was a love letter to the original gundam by Hideaki Anno…and it was gorgeous.

Yeah, it feels a bit out of place. Like, you’ve been dating for some time already and you never thought about your girlfriend in a sexual way before? This kind of chapter is very common in romance manga, but it’s usually a precursor to a character recognizing romantic feelings. We are well past that point presumably in this story.

This Hans storyline knows just how to get to me. It was really well done. I am watching Apocalypse Hotel that’s airing this season and it’s basically a whole show written from the perspective of the androids left behind. I fully expect to be a wreck from that show as well.

I suspect we are going to hop back on the plot of getting to that spot with other survivors and potentially being led into a trap next. However, I really enjoyed this diversion.

No, it is annoyingly dub only in many regions. I too want to watch Japanese audio with subs, so I can either sail the high seas for it or wait until some undetermined time in the future when it is officially released. I basically dropped this show because I don’t want to mess with it.

I guess the lesson here is that when you find yourself lost in the maze of life, simply jump over the walls and run to where you want to go.

I kind of thought that they would get all lost in the maze and that the two girls would end up as a pair with the two guys forming the other pair.

If you aren’t familiar with this series, the first season of Visions was an anthology series in which anime studios were allowed to create a single episode Star Wars story about basically whatever the hell they wanted. It didn’t strictly stick to the established canon, instead it was allowed to play fast and loose for the purpose of storytelling and just being cool as hell.

Season 2 was primarily made by a collection of international studios (not in Japan) and isn’t usually considered anime. Accordingly, it doesn’t have an entry on MAL or AniList.

I have previously posted a clip from one of the episodes that is getting a direct sequel episode this coming season, The Duel over here (direct video link). The other two episodes getting direct sequels in the Fall are two of my favorites. If you want any other recommendations from the first season, I would recommend the two episodes by Studio Trigger: The Twins (episode 3) and The Elder (episode 7).

@MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz

It’s happening!

This is probably going to depend on the community a lot too. In !anime@ani.social, I have used the rule of thumb that anything with either a MAL page or an AniList page is relevant enough. So, by that metric Avatar would not be allowed in that community. However, I could totally see Avatar artwork being allowed in some of the art-focused communities.

And the Bartender remake from 2024.

What part of becoming The Sage of the Stars didn’t make sense to you? /s

I think what they are doing is trying to be embarrassing enough so that they aren’t asked to be filmed for the club’s YouTube channel.

IDK though, all the aerospace people I have met over the years can be pretty weird. Must be all the rocket fuel fumes (or, the blood from the rockets as they say).

Just binged this series and it’s been fun. One thing I would have liked to see more of is the time from before the engagement was broken off. I feel like we jumped in partway through the story. Some gaps have been filled in through flashbacks, but there is still a lot of questions.

These two are really cute together. I was not ready for adult Akira though. Really glad we got a couple pages of her rather than just a single panel.

Her dad is a lot…but between him and the hero they have elicited some new, hilarious Jelly faces. I am sad that we won’t be seeing any of the little Jelly splits though, they were fun.

Favorite faces this chapter (I couldn’t just pick one):

So, if I understand this chapter and the translator’s notes correctly, this whole chapter was to set up the pun on the final page. I love the commitment.

Yeah, I find the Mia side of the story way more engaging. The Philia story is basically a take on the “I Got Kicked Out of My Party…” story that is pretty well trod at this point.

Alright, Dark Mia is officially here and I love it.

The Philia side of the story is pretty generic and I don’t find it nearly as interesting. Though I do think that we should all keep in mind the Prince’s advice that rest is part of the job as well. @rikka@ani.social

RIP more cute ninja girls o7

I hope they are having girls’ nights out in the afterlife. If you haven’t learned by now, don’t get attached to any characters that pop up in this series.

Konoha was being pointlessly provocative while they were chatting in her apartment about Satoko’s dreams. This shot in particular cracked me up @rikka@ani.social

More out of context innuendo: