Project Hail Mary was an enjoyable watch. The premise is interesting: aliens do exist and they are an immediate threat to human life, not in an intentional way but due to their life cycle. This feels refreshing as it is still a great narrative conflict without the direct violence often introduced with extraterrestrial life. The strongest part of the movie is Rocky. Their ingenuity, quirky behavior and child-like curiosity make them adorable....
Witch Hat Atelier is an amazing anime constrained by the short duration of its first season. The 13-episode run is not enough to properly develop most characters beyond their basic motivations and leaves the series in a criminal cliffhanger. The season ends at a moment of peak tension, which feels unnatural and is likely a symptom of the rigid episode schedules anime productions face today. It is refreshing to watch an anime in which power is derived from skill rather than innate abilities....
The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 has a larger scope than the previous season, focusing on developing the world’s backstory. The narrative centers around the imperial family’s history and the rear palace, unlike Season 1, which was focused more on Jinshi and Maomao themselves. The structure of most episodes remains the same: a mystery case that highlights Maomao’s intelligence or knowledge. It does not really work as a typical whodunit, as episodes are short, hints are a bit too on the nose, or the solution requires very specific knowledge....
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc remains as surreal, violent and funny as the anime was. The choice to present this arc as a movie was well made as the shorter arc naturally translates to the structure of a film and the format keeps the momentum without breaks. The highlight of the movie is its characters. Denji remains as naïve and silly as he always was, but it works for the narrative....
Season 3 of Jujutsu Kaisen is the series at its most intense version. Animations are the best the show has ever had, battles are visceral and impactful, and there is no shortage of epic moments. The overall momentum of the series has always been breakneck, and this season, like the previous ones, is not concerned with offering breathing room between the action. The problem with this relentless rhythm is that it trades character development for action, leaving no time for the cast outside of combat....