Some of the very best movies leave behind a sense of aching melancholy, a intangible feeling that persists long after the end credits roll. 2018’s Penguin Highway is one such film — an aquatic story that effortlessly outmatches the similarly themed anime Children of the Sea. As the perfectly matched closing song “Good Day” tugged at my heartstrings, … Read more
Finally, season 2 of this criminally under-looked show is available to watch in the West on Netflix — today, April 9th 2020. It’s been a long, painful wait for these concluding episodes to arrive and I’ve been sitting on this article for months, waiting for just the right time to post it. If you weren’t … Read more
I am a lucky guy. My wife counts herself as an anime fan, though choosing which anime to watch with her can be a fraught process. She doesn’t consent to watch weird Japanese cartoons with me as often as she used to. I guess when we were just dating, she was more invested in keeping … Read more
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms is a film I wish I’d seen in the cinema. Sometimes I am lucky – anime occasionally shows in rare isolated theatrical screenings here in the frozen north of Scotland. I managed to see Mirai, Mary and the Witch’s Flower and My Hero Academia: Two Heroes last year, which (film festivals notwithstanding) may be the most … Read more
We’re finally there – the absolute, definitive (if only in my mind) ranking of the best anime of 2018 (that I watched). I promise that this is the end. Part 1 of this list is here, while Part 2 is here. 10) Zombieland Saga This show was an absolute scream from beginning to end. It was the first … Read more
Right. Here’s where the struggle gets real. With so much great TV anime in 2018, how on earth to choose which is best? This is my best shot for 11-20. For the also-rans and not quites, see part one of this article here, the same caveats mentioned there still apply. 20) Beatless Did anyone else watch this? Beatless seemed to … Read more
There’s nothing quite like good timing. A review of 2018 at the end of March 2019 probably isn’t the best example of this – but bear with me here. Some of 2018’s shows have only just finished airing their final episodes, so now I feel I’m in a good position to comment on what I … Read more