You and Idol Precure ♪ – Episode 1
The Pretty Cure franchise’s newest entry hits successful high note on its first try, setting up a charming new addition to a series full of young girls being their own heroes.
Posts by Cy Catwell
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I Left my A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths! – Episode 1
I knew this review was going to be something special when the first thought I whispered under my breath was, “What in the fuck is this discount Konosuba lookin’ shit?”
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Übel Blatt – Episode 1
A grimdark series premiere that’s confusing, desaturated, and a bit out of time and place with modern anime adaptations.
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Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! – Episode 1
Combining our world and another, Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf asks the question, “What if elves could go from the forest to the big city via our dreams?” and executes on it with a perfectly okay premiere.
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The Daily Life of a Middle-Aged Online Shopper in Another World – Episode 1
Check your bank account, bookmark your favorite online shop, and get ready to chill out to the fantasy of living a peaceful, comfortable life.
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Honey Lemon Soda – Episode 1
A gently fizzy premiere that’s sweet as a dollop of honey; not because of any romance, but because of the kindness of strangers helping one another and becoming friends.
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Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms – Episode 1
Meet the discount Yamada’s First Time, only with far less charm, definitely less nuance, and a lot more partial nudity.
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OKITSURA: Fell in Love with an Okinawan Girl, but I Just Wish I Know What She’s Saying – Episode 1
A largely enjoyable romp through Okinawa and its native language that gets messy when real-world history meets what’s supposed to be a fun, linguistic experience backset by island life.
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Medalist – Episode 1
Compelling and warmhearted, Medalist will capture the gold in your heart as a story with a lot of potential to be one of Winter’s best.
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Headhunted to Another World: From Salaryman to Big Four! – Episode 1
I hope you asked for extra hours this week because this well-executed premiere will have you working overtime with how much you’ll relate to being an office worker in another world.
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Bogus Skill «Fruitmaster» ~About that time I became able to eat unlimited numbers of Skill Fruits (that kill you)~ – Episode 1
Fruits aren’t the only thing that you might find bogus here in a premiere that’s okay but definitely isn’t the best Winter 2025 will have to offer.
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Press Start to Begin Again: Mental Illness, Adulthood, and Recovery of an MMO Junkie
We might have only one life but the chances we have are limitless. Thankfully, Recovery of an MMO Junkie demonstrates that there’s infinite ways to meander the path of adulthood, no matter what life throws at you.
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Nina the Starry Bride – Episode 1
Dive into the story of a girl’s unexpected rise from rags to brutal riches as she tries to keep her head while pretending to be one of the kingdom’s most valuable nobles!
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Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii – Episode 1
Expect the unexpected in a premiere that combines sensuality, sexuality, and the darker side of the yakuza underworld in a girl meets boy crime thriller that never slams on the brakes.
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Orb: On the Movements of the Earth – Episodes 1-2
Step back in time to witness a young man suss out the secrets of the Sun and Earth, all while having to evade the grim reality of life in the Inquisition.
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The Healer Who Was Banished From His Party, Is, in Fact, the Strongest – Episode 1
Tepid on the surface and bland as can be, this premiere invites questions about the overall “I’m secretly the strongest” subset of fantasy narratives and its implications.
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Ranma 1/2 (2024) – Episode 1
Love is never easy, especially when your dad decides to force you into a marriage with his best bud. Thank goodness your spouse is a girl…wait, now he’s a guy?! Hijinks ensure in this new adaptation of one of Takahashi Rumiko’s funniest and most earnest series.
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TRILLION GAME – Episode 1
I’ll give this to Trillion Game: it holds fast to the cosmic truth that no one ethically gets that much money. But I think it’s expecting me to side with the protagonists.
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The Most Notorious “Talker” Runs the World’s Greatest Clan – Episode 1
A pretty okay premiere that skirts a lot of the troublesome bits of the genre and sets up a potentially interesting story as things progress.
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Loner Life in Another World – Episode 1
Kick start your teen boy loner life with the frustratingly chatty Haruka as he gets summoned to another world and gets nothing but hard knocks for his trouble.
