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Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion
Streaming on: (Crunchyroll)
Premise: Living inside a fairy tale may sound like a dream, but for this heroine, it’s more of a nightmare. After her mysterious death, Rinko is reborn as Raeliana—a loved and wealthy character in a novel. But she knows the ending: her murder at the hands of her fiancé. So, she hatches a plan to stay alive, one that involves a devilish duke and a phony engagement. Can she rewrite her story?
Fun fact: This is the adaptation of a Korean web-comic that was adapted from a light novel series, not Japanese manga! The English web-comic version has received over six million views on the app it is hosted on!
Watch it you love: Series that lean towards thrillers, web-comic adaptions, another Isekai draft pick anime
Mini Review (Five episodes in): As spotlighted here in this piece I previously wrote explaining the then-upcoming series, Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion has been an hotly anticipated series! Genre-wise, the Isekai sub-genre of villainess/side female characters that change up the story keeps the genre fresh in my most humble opinion. First off, the animation is gorgeous! I am happy with the visual look of the series, yet if I am allowed a little nitpicking, there are a few small moments that I am sad the animation team missed the mark on. I am so happy to see Noah and Raeliana’s interactions animated. It is a faithful adaptation of the web-comic that I love this so much.
These two are so fun to watch and see try to outdo each other time and time again. I feel if you’re not a faithful fan of the original, you may have a hard time with the pacing of the series in the beginning or may not care for Noah’s personality and behavior towards Raeliana, at first. If that’s you, stay on for episode six or come back and watch this season in chunks of episodes to see the expanding story that Raeliana has created for herself and the cast of characters that end up involved in her life that wasn’t supposed to be!
Skip and Loafer
Streaming on: Crunchyroll
Premise: This country girl is ready for the big city! Well, at least she thought she was. Mitsumi’s dream is to attend a prestigious school and make the world a better place by way of first improving places like her small hometown. But when she finally gets to Tokyo, it turns out she isn’t exactly prepared for city life. Luckily, she runs into Shima, a sweet and handsome classmate who becomes her first friend! Can she make it in Tokyo with Shima by her side?
Fun fact: It is not Shojo, apparently much to the discourse of manga fans online! (Seriously, quite tweeting the Shojo girlies gross comments just because you’ve been gently corrected!) Skip and Loafer is of the Seinen genre variety–published in a Seinen manga magazine.
Watch it you love: Coming-of-age and slice of life series, anime set around school life and lots of humorous and fluffy moments
Mini Review (Five episodes in): I bought the first volume of the Skip and Loafer manga at a Book-Off location here in Southern California a year ago and loved it. I was really blown away by the infectious, fun energy of the manga that so far, translates on screen in its anime adaptation. To call Skip and Loafer simply a romance anime is wrong as it focuses on connections with a special emphasis on friendships new and old. Each episode brings about a beautiful but small lesson that you can miss if you’re watching on auto-pilot, like the fifth episode that I just watched.
Skip and Loafer brings the heat with so many different characters at school that have desires and have hurts that they are still healing from. Whether that be being a popular person but feeling lonely, not having a lot of people you can depend on, to struggling to keep up with beauty standards, and wanting to be loved, there’s someone to feel kin to and watch. With just a handful of episodes in, this entry on this list is super charming and funny with some surprising LGBTIQA+ representation that is a positive plus! If you like your wholesome slice of life anime, you’ll probably love this series of the odd-ball yet lovable Mitsumi, the beat of her own drum that she marches to, and her school life that flowers and blooms with each episode that airs.
My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999
Streaming on: Crunchyroll
Premise: Akane, a female college student, faces the absolute worst situation when she ends up breaking up with her boyfriend after he has an affair with another girl he met playing an online game. While relieving her stress by rampaging through the open hunting grounds of the online game they started playing together, Akane spills everything about her heartbreak to “Yamada.” He’s a player she met by chance who happens to be in the same guild. But when Akane gets a makeover and joins an offline event to get back at her ex-boyfriend, she hears those dreadful words again when she meets Yamada face to face.
Watch it you love: Romantic comedies, the slice of life genre via anime, and series gamer girls
will probably approve of
Mini Review (Five episodes in): My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 is hilarious, truly. Over the pandemic, I think those of us who love games (tabletop, video games, mobile games and more) appreciate and cherish the gaming communities we’ve become apart of. Here in this anime, the online game, Forest of Savior better known as FOS is how Akane becomes acquainted in online communities and meets friends of all ages. She initially joined in with her then boyfriend and even after being dumped by him (he left her for another girl he met online playing the same game, brutal) and continues playing and finds a place to belong without him. Yamada is the first player she meets online in real life from the guild she belongs to and others follow. You’ll know if this series is worth watching if you get past the twist at the end of the first episode.
The ridiculousness that flows every episode is paired very well with worthy character development even if some of the tensions of the more serious parts of certain episodes, like the fifth episode, don’t feel resolved or executed well. I do love how this series does include relevant struggles like meeting online friends, cyber-stalking, and having poor communication. It does help that My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 has so many of the comedic bits down, because there are several moments of frustration with the main characters, especially Yamada and Akane. Overall, Akane has a genuine desire for friendship and that carries her far. I will say that this series does a great job in giving us young adult characters having new experiences, meeting new people, and just developing into more self-aware, mature persons enjoying life.
Insomniacs After School
Streaming on: HIDVE
Premise: Ganta Nakami is a high school student who suffers from insomnia. He’s not quite popular with his gloomy disposition with few friends or ambitions. He meets Isaki Magari, a girl with the same condition. She, on the other hand is a bubbly, popular classmate who is his exact opposite. A relationship forms between the two as they share a secret and catch up on their sleep in their school’s abandoned observatory.
Watch it you love: That wonderful school life genre, an interest in astronomy or astrophotography and more Iyashikei flavored anime series
Mini Review (Four episodes in) Oh, no! Insomniacs After School has no business being this good! Its simple premise has really bloomed into an anime that continues to stun me. A shared sleep disorder becomes the glue that binds two unlikely young people together resulting in a passionate exploration of nighttime adventures for these two kids. Ganta and Isaki find each other’s company comfortable as they strive to save their holy napping place and end up as new members of a formerly defunct school club.
They end up doing everything from seeing what the city looks like at night to befriending an alumni and being mentored and confusing the hell out of their own friend circles. This anime moves at its own pace and hints at a heartbreaking reveal that I feel is coming but I know that I still won’t be prepared for. Watch this hidden gem of a anime series for a slow budding romance and the exciting times that are to be had via discovery and motivation via being a high school student. Insomniacs After School has some calm and relaxing vibes for sure. HIDIVE has a catalog when it comes to anime, this should be in your must-watch list for the Spring 2023 season!
Urusei Yatsura
Streaming on: HIDIVE
Premise: Chosen as humanity’s representative in a duel against invading aliens, the womanizing Ataru faces off against the alien princess Lum — and the conflict follows him home when Lum invades both planet Earth AND the reluctant Ataru’s love life!
Watch it you love: anything created or connected to the legendary Rumiko Takahashi, the sci-fi and romance comedy genres
Min Preview: As spotlighted here in a piece explaining the series before it premiered, this is a reboot of a popular series from the 80’s that exploded in popularity. This second season airs May 17 on HIDIVE, and I’m adding it here at the tail end of this piece as it feels criminal to exclude it. This second season, part cour looks to have more of Lum’s family running interference, more hi-jinks at school, and more strange creatures, including an octopus being apart of the drama that is Urusei Yatsura. I know that I won’t be disappointed with all the screwball antics and flair that is to come!
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The post Anime to Check Out if You Love Romance (Spring 2023 Season) appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion
Streaming on: (Crunchyroll)
Premise: Living inside a fairy tale may sound like a dream, but for this heroine, it’s more of a nightmare. After her mysterious death, Rinko is reborn as Raeliana—a loved and wealthy character in a novel. But she knows the ending: her murder at the hands of her fiancé. So, she hatches a plan to stay alive, one that involves a devilish duke and a phony engagement. Can she rewrite her story?
Fun fact: This is the adaptation of a Korean web-comic that was adapted from a light novel series, not Japanese manga! The English web-comic version has received over six million views on the app it is hosted on!
Watch it you love: Series that lean towards thrillers, web-comic adaptions, another Isekai draft pick anime
Mini Review (Five episodes in): As spotlighted here in this piece I previously wrote explaining the then-upcoming series, Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion has been an hotly anticipated series! Genre-wise, the Isekai sub-genre of villainess/side female characters that change up the story keeps the genre fresh in my most humble opinion. First off, the animation is gorgeous! I am happy with the visual look of the series, yet if I am allowed a little nitpicking, there are a few small moments that I am sad the animation team missed the mark on. I am so happy to see Noah and Raeliana’s interactions animated. It is a faithful adaptation of the web-comic that I love this so much.
These two are so fun to watch and see try to outdo each other time and time again. I feel if you’re not a faithful fan of the original, you may have a hard time with the pacing of the series in the beginning or may not care for Noah’s personality and behavior towards Raeliana, at first. If that’s you, stay on for episode six or come back and watch this season in chunks of episodes to see the expanding story that Raeliana has created for herself and the cast of characters that end up involved in her life that wasn’t supposed to be!
Skip and Loafer
Streaming on: Crunchyroll
Premise: This country girl is ready for the big city! Well, at least she thought she was. Mitsumi’s dream is to attend a prestigious school and make the world a better place by way of first improving places like her small hometown. But when she finally gets to Tokyo, it turns out she isn’t exactly prepared for city life. Luckily, she runs into Shima, a sweet and handsome classmate who becomes her first friend! Can she make it in Tokyo with Shima by her side?
Fun fact: It is not Shojo, apparently much to the discourse of manga fans online! (Seriously, quite tweeting the Shojo girlies gross comments just because you’ve been gently corrected!) Skip and Loafer is of the Seinen genre variety–published in a Seinen manga magazine.
Watch it you love: Coming-of-age and slice of life series, anime set around school life and lots of humorous and fluffy moments
Mini Review (Five episodes in): I bought the first volume of the Skip and Loafer manga at a Book-Off location here in Southern California a year ago and loved it. I was really blown away by the infectious, fun energy of the manga that so far, translates on screen in its anime adaptation. To call Skip and Loafer simply a romance anime is wrong as it focuses on connections with a special emphasis on friendships new and old. Each episode brings about a beautiful but small lesson that you can miss if you’re watching on auto-pilot, like the fifth episode that I just watched.
Skip and Loafer brings the heat with so many different characters at school that have desires and have hurts that they are still healing from. Whether that be being a popular person but feeling lonely, not having a lot of people you can depend on, to struggling to keep up with beauty standards, and wanting to be loved, there’s someone to feel kin to and watch. With just a handful of episodes in, this entry on this list is super charming and funny with some surprising LGBTIQA+ representation that is a positive plus! If you like your wholesome slice of life anime, you’ll probably love this series of the odd-ball yet lovable Mitsumi, the beat of her own drum that she marches to, and her school life that flowers and blooms with each episode that airs.
My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999
Streaming on: Crunchyroll
Premise: Akane, a female college student, faces the absolute worst situation when she ends up breaking up with her boyfriend after he has an affair with another girl he met playing an online game. While relieving her stress by rampaging through the open hunting grounds of the online game they started playing together, Akane spills everything about her heartbreak to “Yamada.” He’s a player she met by chance who happens to be in the same guild. But when Akane gets a makeover and joins an offline event to get back at her ex-boyfriend, she hears those dreadful words again when she meets Yamada face to face.
Watch it you love: Romantic comedies, the slice of life genre via anime, and series gamer girls will probably approve of
Mini Review (Five episodes in): My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 is hilarious, truly. Over the pandemic, I think those of us who love games (tabletop, video games, mobile games and more) appreciate and cherish the gaming communities we’ve become apart of. Here in this anime, the online game, Forest of Savior better known as FOS is how Akane becomes acquainted in online communities and meets friends of all ages. She initially joined in with her then boyfriend and even after being dumped by him (he left her for another girl he met online playing the same game, brutal) and continues playing and finds a place to belong without him. Yamada is the first player she meets online in real life from the guild she belongs to and others follow. You’ll know if this series is worth watching if you get past the twist at the end of the first episode.
The ridiculousness that flows every episode is paired very well with worthy character development even if some of the tensions of the more serious parts of certain episodes, like the fifth episode, don’t feel resolved or executed well. I do love how this series does include relevant struggles like meeting online friends, cyber-stalking, and having poor communication. It does help that My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 has so many of the comedic bits down, because there are several moments of frustration with the main characters, especially Yamada and Akane. Overall, Akane has a genuine desire for friendship and that carries her far. I will say that this series does a great job in giving us young adult characters having new experiences, meeting new people, and just developing into more self-aware, mature persons enjoying life.
Insomniacs After School
Streaming on: HIDVE
Premise: Ganta Nakami is a high school student who suffers from insomnia. He’s not quite popular with his gloomy disposition with few friends or ambitions. He meets Isaki Magari, a girl with the same condition. She, on the other hand is a bubbly, popular classmate who is his exact opposite. A relationship forms between the two as they share a secret and catch up on their sleep in their school’s abandoned observatory.
Watch it you love: That wonderful school life genre, an interest in astronomy or astrophotography and more Iyashikei flavored anime series
Mini Review (Four episodes in) Oh, no! Insomniacs After School has no business being this good! Its simple premise has really bloomed into an anime that continues to stun me. A shared sleep disorder becomes the glue that binds two unlikely young people together resulting in a passionate exploration of nighttime adventures for these two kids. Ganta and Isaki find each other’s company comfortable as they strive to save their holy napping place and end up as new members of a formerly defunct school club.
They end up doing everything from seeing what the city looks like at night to befriending an alumni and being mentored and confusing the hell out of their own friend circles. This anime moves at its own pace and hints at a heartbreaking reveal that I feel is coming but I know that I still won’t be prepared for. Watch this hidden gem of a anime series for a slow budding romance and the exciting times that are to be had via discovery and motivation via being a high school student. Insomniacs After School has some calm and relaxing vibes for sure. HIDIVE has a catalog when it comes to anime, this should be in your must-watch list for the Spring 2023 season!
Urusei Yatsura
Streaming on: HIDIVE
Premise: Chosen as humanity’s representative in a duel against invading aliens, the womanizing Ataru faces off against the alien princess Lum — and the conflict follows him home when Lum invades both planet Earth AND the reluctant Ataru’s love life!
Watch it you love: anything created or connected to the legendary Rumiko Takahashi, the sci-fi and romance comedy genres
Min Preview: As spotlighted here in a piece explaining the series before it premiered, this is a reboot of a popular series from the 80’s that exploded in popularity. This second season airs May 17 on HIDIVE, and I’m adding it here at the tail end of this piece as it feels criminal to exclude it. This second season, part cour looks to have more of Lum’s family running interference, more hi-jinks at school, and more strange creatures, including an octopus being apart of the drama that is Urusei Yatsura. I know that I won’t be disappointed with all the screwball antics and flair that is to come!
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The post Anime to Check Out if You Love Romance (Spring 2023 Season) appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
With Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3, and the team as we knew them saying farewell, it leaves a spot for some new cosmic heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yes, we know The Marvels is going to be pretty cosmic. But the adventures of Carol, Monica, and Kamala will at least partially take place on Earth. We are talking total outer space adventures here, Star Wars/Star Trek style. And these are our picks for the cosmic Marvel heroes we would like to see fill the Guardians’ slot in the MCU.
The Starjammers Could Be the MCU’s New Cosmic Misfit Heroes
The Guardians of the Galaxy were the MCU’s resident spacefaring band of rogues, scoundrels with hearts of gold. But in the pages of Marvel Comics, there’s another gang of intergalactic misfits who travel the spaceways — the Starjammers. These rebel pirates travel Shi’ar space in their ship, the Starjammer, from which they took their name, helping the helpless and making a little coin where they can.
Yes, there are strong similarities to the Guardians of the Galaxy, with a crew of ragtag aliens led by a human captain from Earth. But these guys, with names like Ch’od and Raza Longknife, are even rougher around the edges. And the Starjammers have strong ties to the X-Men mythology, as their leader Corsair, a.k.a. Christopher Summers, is actually the father of X-Men brothers Cyclops and Havok. We could see the Starjammers being a new MCU cosmic crew of heroes.
The Silver Surfer Could Glide Into Action
There is no bigger cosmic superhero in Marvel Comics than the Silver Surfer. And fans have long been clamoring for the MCU arrival of the former Herald of Galactus, who turned over his existence to the Devourer of Worlds save his home planet. The logical place for this cosmic hero to arrive would be in a Fantastic Four film. After all, that’s where the Surfer first appeared in the comics, and he has ties to that team.
However, Norrin Radd (that’s the Sentinel of the Spaceway’s true name) could appear in a solo project first. Rumors continue to make their way online that he might be the subject of a Marvel Studios Disney+ Special Presentation. Or he could get his own big-screen solo project at last. But he should definitely show up soon. The Silver Surfer remains one of the biggest Marvel Comics characters yet to appear in the MCU. And we’re just throwing this out there, but Keanu Reeves would be perfect in this role.
Nova Could Finally Arrive in the MCU as an Anticipated Cosmic Hero
Marvel Studios keeps teasing plans for Nova, and they still have yet to come to fruition. In the comics, Nova is a human teenager named Richard Rider, who becomes the last member of the intergalactic Nova Corps. A dying member of the planet Xandar’s Nova Corps turned over his uniform to the New York high school student, giving him the powers of a Nova Centurion. Yes, it’s basically DC’s Green Lantern mashed up with Spider-Man, but it works.
There’s actually already a perfect setup for this cosmic character in the MCU because we met the Nova Corps in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film. And we know Thanos destroyed Xandar right before the events of Avengers: Infinity War. The table is perfectly set for Nova to arrive on the scene. In fact, they almost included his origin in Endgame. Of all the cosmic heroes yet to turn up in the MCU, Nova is one of the characters it seems fans want to see the most, behind only the Silver Surfer.
The Imperial Guard Could Appear in Live-Action
One of Marvel Comics’ biggest interstellar empires is the Shi’ar. The avian-humanoid race lords over thousands of worlds across the galaxy and are ruled by the Empress Lilandra… Who occasionally dates X-Men founder Charles Xavier. But the Shi’ar were protected by the Imperial Guard, a mini-army of characters who showcase different powers. And who were based not-so-loosely on DC’s Legion of Super-Heroes. The most famous Imperial Guardsman is Gladiator, a mix of Superman and, well, a Roman gladiator (hence the name). We’re not sure these cosmic heroes are meant to carry their own movie or series, but they should appear somewhere in the MCU.
The Phoenix Force Is a Cosmic Entity Worthy of an MCU Adaptation
You’re probably thinking, “Didn’t we do the Phoenix in not one, but two X-Men movies? That were not all that great?” Well, technically, yes, we did. But the X-Men movies chose to translate Jean Grey’s Phoenix identity as a result of her mutation alone. Dark Phoenix hinted at something more cosmic, but just barely. But in the pages of Marvel Comics, the Phoenix Force is a cosmic entity that can swallow suns and destroy worlds. It would be cool to see that version in the MCU—long before the entity connects with a young mutant girl named Jean Grey.
Quasar Should Fight Marvel Space Baddies
Quasar is one of Marvel’s most prominent cosmic heroes, and he’d fit right into the MCU. Quasar was an Avenger for many years and headlined their own ongoing series for 60 issues in the ‘90s. Wendell Vaughn was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who was studying the Quantum Bands, alien bracelets of incredible power. Think Thanos’ Infinity Gauntlet, only shaped like Wonder Woman’s bracers. When he put them on, he became Quasar, Protector of the Universe.
There were reports that the hero Quasar was going to appear in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and that turned out to be false. Then we heard Quasar would pop up in Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3. Phyla-Vell, who once went by the name Quasar in the comics, did appear. But she wasn’t Quasar yet. So there is still room for the original Protector of the Universe to appear somewhere in the MCU. Perhaps as a future Avenger? But what we really want is to see him out in space fighting alien baddies.
The post Marvel Cosmic Heroes Who Could Fill the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Role in the MCU appeared first on Nerdist.