Best anime ensemble? Best manga ensemble? What makes a great ensemble work together?
Mar 7, 2023 • Subscribe
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What’s your favorite unintentional comedy anime?
What mood is the series going for? What makes it funny rather than sincerely effective (or is it both)? Would you recommend it to others?
The Best Comedy Anime of All Time
Mobile Suit Gundam’s creator, Yoshiyuki Tomino, is one of the most influential directors of all time. And while his works as Gundam’s director is great, my favorite work…
What’s your favorite CLAMP series?
What do you know about CLAMP? What’s your favorite title? Manga or anime? Are you still a fan if you grew up with it?
What’s your favorite BL series?
What’s your favorite overall title? Single volume vs series? What unadapted manga would you like to see as an anime?
What’s your favorite yuri series?
What’s your favorite (single or multi-volume)? What do you love about it? What series would you most like to see as an anime?
What’s your favorite josei series?
What’s your favorite josei manga or anime? Do you have a favorite manga artist who mostly works in josei? What makes your fave so special?
What’s your favorite mystery series?
What’s your favorite series/movie? Does it cross over with other genres? What makes a good series-long mystery work?
What’s your favorite Gundam series?
What was your first series? Your favorite? What do you recommend as a good starter for newbies? Which series has the best/worst track record with female characters?
What’s your favorite short series?
Best comedy and best drama? What full-length show would’ve been better as a short? Short that could’ve or should’ve been full-length?
What’s The Best Internet Provider in Japan?
Discover the best internet provider in Japan for 2025. Compare costs, contracts and top picks for expats, tourists, and residents.
What’s the best PreCure for new fans?
What makes it a good pick for newbies? What’s special about that season? Do you have a different pick for showing the show to young fans?
What’s your favorite magical girl series?
Favorite classic (pre-2000) series? Favorite team vs solo series? Series that hasn’t been licensed that you’re still waiting for?
What’s your favorite spin-off series?
What makes a good spin-off work? Is your fave more or less well-known than its source? Are you a fan of the source material too?
What’s your favorite magical girl series?
Who was your first magical girl? What’s your favorite older (pre-2000) series? Favorite modern series?
What’s the best anime opening of the last decade?
What would you label the overall best? The best song on its own? The most striking/memorable visuals? Most representative of its series?
What’s the longest you’ve waited for a series continuation?
What was the series, and was it adaptation or original? Was it worth it? What were the biggest challenges about picking the series back up?
Introducing the Hashikko Ensemble Playlist
Every month, I review the newest chapter of Kio Shimoku’s manga Hashikko Ensemble. Because it’s music-themed and a lot of real-world pieces play both major and minor (no…
What’s your favorite bonus/post-series OVA?
How do you feel about OVAs (Original Video Animations) that follow a series? Do you prefer ones that try to cover additional arcs or ones that are just…
What’s your favorite series about making art?
Do you prefer broader or more grounded stories? If you’re an artist, is there a series that especially captures the medium you work in? Favorite comedy vs drama?
What’s your top underrated shoujo/josei series?
Most underrated anime? Show that got an incomplete adaptation or none at all? Why must shojosei fans suffer like this?
What’s your favorite series starring adult women?
Favorite title? Do you have a favorite for genre fiction vs slice-of-life? Bonus: best adult female character as part of an ensemble cast.
What’s your favorite romance series about adults?
Favorite comedy series? Favorite drama series? An excellent manga that hasn’t been adapted (yet)?
What’s the best anime ending theme of the last decade?
What would you label the overall best? The best song on its own? The most striking/memorable visuals? Most representative of its series?
What’s your favorite series about fighting evil billionaires?
Favorite comedy or kids’ show? Favorite serious critique? To what degree have people drastically misunderstood the themes of your fave?
What’s your favorite absurdly high-drama popcorn series?
What drew you to it? What’s your favorite wild twist? Does it hold up on a second watch?
What’s the best anime you discovered thanks to a recommendation?
A recommendation from a friend? From a review? Is there one title you’ve successfully gotten several people to try?
Japan Debates: What’s the Best Raw Egg on Rice Recipe?
Do you stir before putting the egg on - or after? And IS there one right way to eat tamago kake gohan, Japan's famous raw egg on rice…
Thoughts on ensemble casts
Today I want to briefly talk about ensemble casts. The basic rule for ensembles is that the more cast members there are, the simpler they probably be, as…
Heavenly Delusion Series Review – The Best Spring Anime!
An unknown length of time ago, the civilizations of the world crashed and normal law and order ceased. This was called The Collapse. Natural disasters were common, food…
Comedy in the Raw
Time for some more raws from the attic. These two are rare comedies that never made it past laserdisc. Go Go Toraeman is a one-shot OVA fro...
Writing Prompt: What’s the best time of day to watch anime?
Figured I’d toss in a short and easy one here, since not every question has to be all that thought-provoking.
What’s the best anime or manga about digital media/internet culture?
How does it elevate itself above the trap of “old man yells at cloud”? If it’s an older series, how well has it aged/is it still applicable? Is…
What’s your favorite film sequel to an anime series?
Do you like direct film sequels to tv shows? What separates a good one from a bad one? Thoughts on recap movies?
Settling the Score: Hashikko Ensemble, Final Chapter
48 chapters later, friends compete for the first time in this conclusion to Hashikko Ensemble. Summary It’s shortly after the start of the new school year at Hashimoto…
Over the Top: Hashikko Ensemble, Chapter 32
A new story arc begins in Hashikko Ensemble, Chapter 32! Summary Summer is over, and the students at Hashimoto Tech are back to school. While things seem mostly…
When Comedy Anime isn’t Quite Comedy
Comedy anime series get the short end of the stick. I think that’s a real shame. Mostly because I’m a huge comedy fan and I defend my own.…
The Best Series Out Now on the Viz Manga App
Looking for some recommendations for what to read on the new Viz Manga app—now available in the United States and Canada? Our team of reviewers has you covered,…
8 of the Best Delinquent Anime Series to Watch
Looking for a collection of delinquent anime to watch and enjoy? Here are eight different anime fitting the bill!
Ahiru no Sora, Bucchigiri, GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka, Ikebukuro West Gate Park, Maji
What’s a weird piece of trivia about your favorite series?
Is it to do with a spin-off or adaptation? Is it about the production of the series or the creative team? Or the always-amusing bizarre tie-ins or advertising?
Idiots: Hashikko Ensemble, Chapter 30
Emotions run hard and Hasegawa gets to the heart of the matter in Hashikko Ensemble, Chapter 30. Before we get into the review, I have a couple things…
Anime Review 168 Ensemble Stars
I haven’t played any of the Ensemble Stars games mainly due to how inaccessible they are without doing some iOS exploit that lets you get games regardless of…
Comedy Anime – What makes a good comedy.
Alex (oocentral) shares his thoughts on what makes a good comedy anime, promising more lengthy blogs in the future.
Comedy Anime: What makes a good comedy.
Why hello there, Alex (oocentral) here with something different. This right here is an opinion piece written by myself on a topic anime-related. The subject of today’s blog…
Prelude to the End: Hashikko Ensemble, Chapter 47
Jin has a breakthrough and Kozue reveals another side of herself in Hashikko Ensemble, Chapter 47. Summary Kozue catches up to Jin, who has left the clubroom because…
What’s the best anime you watched this year that DIDN’T air in 2024?
What led you to this title? Was it popular when it aired? Would you recommend it/does it hold up?
What’s your favorite niche or obscure series to share with others?
What’s your top “feels like only I watch this” show? What makes it a tough sell? What’s great about it?
Writing Prompt: What’s a complete anime series that was too short?
Perhaps we’ll tackle the opposite version of this question also, but to start I thought that we’d go with this one. I’m not sure which one comes up…
Kanon Indeed: Hashikko Ensemble, Chapter 42
Kozue commences a competition among the boys to do push-ups while singing The Chorus Appreciation Society bolsters its ranks, but not all is smooth sailing. Summary In a…
Dissenting Voice: Hashikko Ensemble, Chapter 29
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Superdimensional Forte: Hashikko Ensemble, Chapter 36
Everyone gets hit by a Minmay Attack in Hashikko Ensemble, Chapter 36. Summary The next round is on, and the Chorus Appreciation Society takes the stage once again.…