Anime Questions, Recommendations, and Discussion Thread [2025, Week 22]

Welcome to another general discussion thread! Feel free to use this thread to talk about things you have watched recently, questions you have, or recommendations you want to give!

As always, remember to be mindful of spoilers. If you want to know more about how to handle spoilers in this community, check the guide here (also linked in the sidebar).

26 comments

I finished watching orb, on the movements of the earth this week. I always wait for them to finish weekly airing then I decide if it's worth watching and this one really surprised me. Orb is great in every aspect.that said The strongest part of this show got to be the fantastic dialogue and the ending couldn't be any better in my opinion. 9/10 for me

These last two weeks "Listening to bad anime while I work", turned into watching at "kingdoms of ruin with shocked pikachu face for self harm purposes" I wouldn't know where to begin:

I could go on, this thing is endless it is a non Euclidean construct of bad.
Now off I go to watch "Conception" (2018)
On the good side of anime I watched Code Geass and at first I was baffled at the aesthetic until I noticed everything was designed by CLAMP , once I settled down with the medieval knight mecha designs and Shojo sensibilities I enjoyed it quite a bit. As a matter of fact I learned something about myself: I am not inmune to power fantasies. It seems that to my particular neurosis Power fantasies of being an edgy Oc in another world with surrounded by a harem of girls just don't cut it. I'm not like other boys, What really floats my boat is the idea of:

Anyway, I can't criticize this shit, I had a ball with it; It had the silliest political subplots, grandiose high stakes battles, the most convoluted schemes and machinations, load bearing suspensions of disbelief and an ending that had me both hollering at the screen and thinking: "yeah they can't end it any other way."
Now off to watch "Mobile suit Gundam" (1979)
- this thing is endless it is a non Euclidean construct of bad
  Please keep up these negative reviews.
  From a macro perspective, we (read: people in general) have too many positive reviews, which is natural due to selection bias. The problem now is that we have an imbalance: we know what to look for but don't know what to avoid.
  At a personal level, I found your negative reviews entertaining.
  I am not immune to power fantasies.
  This is only normal; we could all use some junk food to "balance" our diet from time to time.
  Now off to watch "Mobile Suit Gundam" (1979)
  Get ready for peak.
  Btw, I don't know if you have seen any Gundam memes. In my case, watching OG Gundam is like rewatching LOTR: I'm always trying to spot the memes as they come up.
  
  May I suggest Mermaid Forest for your next "listening to bad anime" experience. Gosh, that show left me frustrated over the story and production.
  
  I felt a Little self conscious reading you there, because on one hand, My drive to reach out for something we might call "bad anime" responds to a need to see something that is rough around the edges, based around the experiences or obsessions of a single author; I feel there is an enjoyment on what I perceive as flaws. I feel so much media feels corporate-made and sanitized these days and Manga , Anime and some literature are the only places I find some unadulterated dirty, fallible, human voice.
  On the other hand Kingdoms of ruin is bad in more ways than just the "technical" aspects and I would not recommend it to anyone without an encyclopedia of content warnings.
  But yeah, I would not want to come off as excessively negative; I recently rekindled my love for Anime and a big part of it is that I enjoy it's unapologetic roughness.
  As for Gundam; It is really weird for me because until recently I have never been a big mecha fan; Gundam in particular was intimidating for me because it has such a monumental history. So I'm jumping in blind; Aside from a few Charr memes I am very unaware of the meme ecosystem; But I have been enjoying the show 5 episodes in; I am kind of surprised how "modern" the story telling feels for a show from back in the 70's
- I was tempted to check out Kingdoms of Ruin to hate watch back when it was airing because it just sounds so ridiculous.
  
  I regret not watching it drunk with friends; It's the kind of show that is fun to riff at

Still trying to hang on to as many series as I can find time for this season.
Apocalypse Hotel - This show has been incredibly good. I can't recommend this series enough if you haven't checked it out yet.
Ninja and Assassin - Like Apocalypse Hotel, this show has been incredible, but in a very, very different way. This show is probably one of the darkest comedies I have ever seen. Even having read the manga, Shaft really makes you feel the darkness.
Evil Lord Isekai - This continues to be dumb fun. Not much happened this past episode though.
Too-Perfect Saint - Great episode this past week with some big plot reveals. Looking forward to more.
Rock is a Lady's Modesty - A bit of a setup episode this past week, but Battle of the Bands is starting up next week, so I am looking forward to that.

Weekly ranking roundup:
Anime Corner - Full Results - Weekly Winner: Loser Ranger
Reddit Karma - Weekly Winner: Gundam: G-QuuuuuuX
Anime Trending - Weekly Winner: Uma Musume
Credit to /u/Abysswatcherbel for making the chart for reddit karma and /u/Nooble5 for the Anime Trending chart.
No Apothecary Diaries this past week means that there is a new winner this for the reddit karma chart this week. There is a whole lot of variation between these three charts all season long and this week is no exception.

Hello c/anime!
I'm not a regular anime watcher, but have been thinking about checking out new shows that have come out since I last watched a bunch of anime. The last time I was watching stuff that was "current" was around 10 years ago. The last two things I remember watching around then was One Punch Man season 1 and My Hero Academia season 2 or 3. The only anime I've seen since then was Mashle seasons 1 and 2. And I guess Cyberpunk Edgerunners and Delicious in Dungeon from Netflix if those are considered anime.
I'm open to trying new genres or styles, so not concerned with finding shows similar to shows I already like. Just interested to know what people thought were good, even if it's not mainstream good. I would prefer recommendations for shows that are series complete or have full complete seasons rather than currently airing new shows as I like to binge shows I really like.
So if anyone has any "you have you watch this" type recommendations, I welcome them.
Thank you in advance for any recommendations you have!
- If you're okay with Movies:
  Liz and the Blue Bird: (technically part of Hibike Euphonium but works as a stand-alone) A masterpiece film by Yamada Naoko, about a timid girl's struggle with her relationship
  The Colors Within: Another Yamada Naoko film about finding your own color, super low stake drama, more on feels good anime
  Silent Voice: Yet another Yamada Naoko film about forgiving yourself and finding strength through each other (CW: suicide attempt)
  Look Back: The love and struggle for doing art
  Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Beginning of a new Era: (Just finished this one) An anthropomorphized race horse's struggle to rise to the top, beautiful animation and drama
  As for series:
  Hibike Euphonium: band drama
  Hyouka: a highschool detective solving mundane every day life through clever deduction, more character driven story
  Keep Your Hands off Eizouken: about making animation (not a real life representative, lean on the whimsical and creative aspect of animation)
- Bastard
  Sailor Moon
  Precure All Stars F
  Run For Money: The Great Mission
  Attack on Titan
  Tokyo Mew Mew
  Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction
  Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall
  Undead Unluck
  Chained Soldier
  Gintama
- 10 years is a long time so I'll try to be really selective:
  Kaguya-sama: Love is War - Two tsunderes have fallen for each other, and they're trying every trick from every book to force the other person to admit it first. This is my favorite romance anime, and my favorite comedy anime as well. The manga is complete, and the anime has adapted just over half of it so far (3 seasons and 1 movie).
  Brave Bang Bravern! - Big gay robots. After all the Gundam and other shows I've watched I can't believe something this silly is my favorite mech anime. It 100% deserves it though. What a sense of humor. This show is complete.
  Mob Psycho 100 - Same author as One Punch Man. A boy with psychic powers questions the value of having such a thing and tries his hardest to become the best person he can be. The same excellent writing quality you experienced with Season 1 of One Punch Man, but with even more incredible animation and a great ending. This show is complete.
  Honorable mention goes to Delicious in Dungeon. I loved that show, but recommending it to someone who's already seen it would be silly.
- open to trying new genres or styles, so not concerned with finding shows similar to shows I already like. Just interested to know what people thought were good, even if it's not mainstream good.
  prefer recommendations for shows that are series complete or have full complete seasons rather than currently airing new shows
  Here are my completed (read: anime original or fully-adapted) 10s:
  (if I include 9s, it would be too long)
  Cherry Magic! - Romance, Comedy, Yaoi
  Erased - Mystery, Time travel
  Cells at Work! - Educational
  K-On! - School life, Music, Cute-girls-doing-cute-things
  Gundam: Witch from Mercury - War, Politics, Yuri
  Madoka - Magical Girls, Lovecraftian Horror
  Murai in Love - Slapstick, Romance
  Odd Taxi - Mystery
  Shirobako - Working life, Educational, Drama, Meta
  Terminator 0 - AI, Suspense
  Toradora! - School life, Drama, Romance, Comedy
  Violet Evergarden - Drama, Rehabilitation
  Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song - AI, Suspense
  Attack on Titan - War, Politics (already mentioned; seconded)
  as I like to binge shows I really like.

Past Seasons
I completed Quintessential Quintuplets season 2 last week.
Personally, I found it to be a step up compared to season 1 in terms of entertainment value. This show is a soap opera from beginning to end.
Plot-wise, I found it sad that

Anyway, I lost interest in it towards the end, so I doubt I will be continuing with the rest of it.
I also tried the first episode of Jujutsu Kaisen and I've got to say I'm hooked. This first episode alone has a superficial similarity to Kaiju No. 8.
I hope the rest of the show delivers.
This Season?
This could belong to the past season section but since Cinderella Gray is airing now:
which of the other Umamusume anime is similar to Cinderella Gray? Would enough context be provided to watch a season as a standalone series instead of starting from season 1?
I heard that the first season - Pretty Derby - is more slice-of-life focused which I am not in the mood for at the moment. I am looking for something more intense with drama and rivalries.
- which of the other Umamusume anime is similar to Cinderella Gray? Would enough context be given to watch a season as a standalone series instead of starting from season 1?
  You could try the movie Uma Musume: Road to the Top and Uma Musume: Begining of a New Era. Haven't watch either, but I've hear a lot of praise for them
  
  Thanks, but my other concern is whether watching past seasons is a prerequisite.
- I haven't watched Quintessential Quintuplets, but I have read the manga. Overall the story has its ups and downs but I ended up generally liking it by the end. If you are looking for an alternative that is perhaps a bit less dramatic and doesn't include the familial angle, you could try Bokuben (another series where I read the manga instead of watching the anime). I really liked how that series ended (and the manga does something a bit unique with the ending I really enjoyed).
  
  Bokuben
  Thanks for the recommendation, but I have read the manga too.
  I think 100 girlfriends set the bar too high. After it came out, none of the harem romcoms hit the same (Edit: At least those that are targeted at guys. I'm still holding out hope for Fruits Basket.)

Does anyone know of a silly slice of life anime like Yotsuba&! (manga series) ?
- Yuru Camp
  Non Non Biyori
  Hidamari Sketch
  Ms. Vampire who lives in my neighborhood.
  Asobi Asobase
  Tamako Market
  Wataten
  Yuyushiki
  Hanayamata
  Sansha Sanyou
  Himouto Umaru-chan

26 comments

Past Seasons

This Season?