10 years ago I wrote about a unique little short series unlike any other before it about hot springs, time-traveling Romans, and the wonders of fruit milk. Fast forward to today—we’ve been given a …
May 6, 2022 • Subscribe
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Thermae Romae Novae Streaming
Part of the joy of this series is the realization that people are people no matter where and when they live. How does this second adaptation of Mari…
Thermae Romae Novae – Episode 1
If it can get back to business and commit to being silly, Novae might hit its stride. But aside from offering me an artistic glimpse into the ancient…
What to Watch: Thermae Romae Novae
As a European, I thought this show was pretty awesome.
Spring 2022 First Impressions – Thermae Romae Novae
Streaming: Netflix Episodes: 11 Source: Manga Episode Summary: Lucius Modestus is the son and grandson of architects specializing in the design and construction of bathhouses. Because his father…
How to Build a Series: Thermae Romae Novae
WARNING: This discussion violates my rule on not talking about anime that are just out. It contains spoilers! Be warned. In a lot of ways Thermae Romae Novae…
Thermae Romae
A manga about an ancient Roman bathhouse architect Lucius, who time travels to modern Japan and gets inspired by their bathing customs and advancements. Continue reading →
Thermae Romae and Soft Power Imperialism
Thermae Romae is an award-winning historical comedy manga published between 2008-2013. It’s getting a new anime on Netflix this year, starting (and given Netflix standard operating procedure,…
Thermae Romae and The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World
AEW is very nice. Very evil. This episode, we’re talking about Mari Yamazaki’s Thermae Romae published by...
Thermae Romae and The Savior’s Book Cafe Story in Another World
AEW is very nice. Very evil. This episode, we’re talking about Mari Yamazaki’s Thermae Romae published by...
Bastard!! Season 2 Review [Video Review]
For fans of Bastard who enjoy OVAs, we’re finally treated to an arc that goes beyond the fight against Abigail. As for season 2, it offers a glimpse…
Spiraken Game Review: Xbox One Review
Hello ladies and gents, boys and girls, reds, blues and all you good folk of the Spiraken community! We’re back discussing your eventually go-to devices for all the…
Synergia Review
Note: Review code provided by Top Hat Studios When it comes to yuri settings the most common I run into over the years the top 3 are Slice…
Bonnouji [Review]
Zenji Oyamada & Michio Ozawa If there is one thing I hate in a romance manga, it is wasting time. Almost every romance manga I have read has…
D4DJ Review
“Because its DJ gimmick fails to expand, the only talking point, then, is how this is actually a CGI tech showpiece”
BNA Review
I don’t usually watch Trigger shows. But when I do, I hear that they’re really good for the niche audience that’s a fan of the style and presentation. …
Psycome Review
Literally Psycho Love Comedy, the title of this light novel is just as what you would expect… with a particularly extreme twist to a classic genre. Written by…
Review: TRIGUN
Let's wrap this month up with a series that's had a recent resurgence, but how does its original source material hold up? TRIGUN ( Toraigan...
Review: Leaper
Published in the west by Irodori Comics under their Aqua (All-Ages) line, Leaper is a one-shot doujinshi by mangaka, Isaki Uta. For those unfamiliar, doujinshi are manga that are…
Review – “Monster”
I wrote this a long time ago, for a blog that no longer exists (it’s for the best, trust me). I can’t remember if I ever published it…
Asymmetry Review
Oh to have a crush on a very beautiful girl in your class. Written by: sheepDPublisher: LilykaRelease Date: October 6, 2020Official website: LilykaGenre: Shoujo ai Asymmetry has a…
Vagabond [ Review ]
The whole world’s gone crazy. A man might as well be a dead leaf, floating in the autumn breeze.Yoshikawa Eiji, Miyamoto Musashi The artwork of Vagabond is simply…
Review: MABURAHO
Well, for once I'm reviewing a harem manga where I understand precisely what the girls see in the lead. It's a terrible reason, but I can co...
Glasslip Review
Despite Glasslip's visuals, there's too many narrative and character issues that make it a poor watch. Our anime review.
Review: DIVE!!
Swimming events are always some of the most popular events at the summer Olympics. If only this series understood anything about its appea...
Review: STRAVAGANZA
Good news! I found a fantasy manga to review this month that isn't an isekai light novel adaptation! The bad news? Well... STRAVAGANZA (...
Review: PLUTO
Of course, I can't talk about robot manga without talking about this one. While it's only tangentially connected to one of mecha's foundin...
Review: PRETEAR
Spring is finally springing forth at last, and with it comes a month of magical girl manga here at the Manga Test Drive. Our first title is...
Review: Mirai
Mirai takes the audience on a journey into the world of Kun, his household, his parents, and his ancestors. The past and future converge on Kun when his…
Clannad Review
“it is stuff like Clannad that represent the worst of television”
Beastars Review
Well, certain circumstances have left me saddled with a bit of time, so I decided to check what was available on Netflix and stumbled across Beastars.…
Inukami! Review
Back when I was at the young age of…. young enough, before Isekai ran rampant and the harem genre was actually a thing on its own, I remember an…
Review: BASTARD!!
Let's escape the stress of the everyday world (if just for a bit) with some fantasy manga. We could all probably use the break. To begin,...
Review: SEIMADEN
SEIMADEN, by You Higuri. First published in 1993 and first published in North America in 2005. PLOT: Hildegarde is a beautiful, graceful da...
Aggretsuko Review
Unless you’re very lucky, you’ll have to accept the fact that you’ll have to work for most of your life. It is a cruel fate but one that…
Battery – Review
Battery isn’t a great show. In fact, I think saying Battery is a good show might be stretching it a little, because out of the all the anime…
86 Review
“while the handling of Lena’s story in relation to the concept’s exploration is 86’s best asset, Lena herself is probably its greatest weakness”
Review: ARIA
Oh god, I'm totally going to get cancelled for not liking this iyashikei classic. ARIA, by Kozue Amano. First published in 2002 and first ...
Bustafellows Review
Released: July 30, 2021 Developer: NIPPON CULTURAL BROADCASTING EXTEND INC Publisher: PQube Genre: Adventure, Role-Playing Platform: Nintendo Switch, PC My brothers and sisters in Christ, I have finally…
Review: BOKURANO:OURS
We got a lot of original mecha stories around the turn of the millennium, most of which were anime originals. This is one of the rare excep...
Review: Suzume
Suzume is the latest movie from acclaimed director Makoto Shinkai, and it would be unmistakable as one of his projects even if you didn’t know the director going…
CHECKMATE REVIEW
I welcome you to yet again a short review of a series I’m reading. I wonder if writing about the stuff I read on a weekly basis and still…
Flag Review
“They want to use their journalistic craft to bring an end to the bloodshed, and Flag shows how they can do that – by capturing life, humanity and…
Aggretsuko Review
Unless you're very lucky, you'll have to accept the fact that you'll have to work for most of your life. It is a cruel fate but one that…
Review: HAPPINESS
I thought that reading a vampire manga by a more modern horror mangaka would be a good plan, but after reading this one I'm not entirely sur...
BEASTARS Review
"BEASTARS is one of the more gracefully written anime of the year, and it continues in that vein as it enters its first dramatic arc"
Evergate Review
Note: Review code provided by PQube Here we are with another game starring a female protagonist (Yes. Ki is female). A soul like entity with the ability to…
Review: BTOOOM!
Remember the old days, when getting sucked into a video game was all the rage in video games? This manga certainly does. BTOOOM!, by Junya ...
Horimiya Review
“what happens from dating onwards is a dragging-out event, giving us a series of disconnected skits linked to side character romances with no hook pulling you in. It’s…
Euphoria Review
There are fetishes or taboos that almost nobody will ever understand or appreciate. Especially ones that might make someone feel nauseous or disturbed by how it is portrayed.…
Review: BOMBA!
Let's take a look at one of the most recent retro releases from this year - a new selection from the vast library of Osamu Tezuka. BOMBA!…