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Classroom of the Elite ‒ Episode 11
"It was pluses and minuses in this week's Classroom of the Elite, as the island arc moved toward its endgame."
Season Finale: Fastest Finger First ‒ Episode 12
"This anime had my favorite premise of the season and characters I wanted to know more about, but it lacked the execution to do either of those things justice. "
Magical Circle Guru-Guru ‒ Episode 11
"In easily one of the best episodes of the series so far, Magical Circle Guru-Guru sets up a new story arc without overloading the audience with content."
In Another World With My Smartphone ‒ Episode 11
"Once again, Isekai Smartphone's most damning weakness is its startling unwillingness to even try."
Elegant Yokai Apartment Life ‒ Episode 12
"This episode had a clear idea of what it wanted to say and managed to do so without any significant hiccups."
The Reflection ‒ Episode 9
"Despite The Reflection's flagrant disregard for television episode structure, I still find myself enjoying the show."
Season Finale: Tsuredure Children ‒ Episode 12
"Tsuredure Children came to an abrupt end this week, finishing off a charming season with one more dose of warm fuzzies."
Season Finale: Love and Lies ‒ Episode 12
"Unfortunately, for all of its angsty histrionics and wheel-spinning, Love and Lies ends up not having anything to say at all."
Season Finale: Restaurant to Another World ‒ Episode 12
"As these twelve episodes stand, this was a solid dish, but perhaps one that could have used just a little more seasoning."
Season Finale: Clean Freak! Aoyama kun ‒ Episode 12
"It had its funny moments, but in the end, Clean Freak! Aoyama kun never fully figured out what it wanted to be."
Knight's & Magic ‒ Episode 12
"This penultimate outing for the series does a great job of showing how far the series has come, proceeding on the same level as the ever-escalating technology that drives its story."
One Piece ‒ Episode 805
"With Sanji's flashback finished and Luffy's battle with Cracker nearing its end, the Whole Cake Island arc is getting ready to change gears, and what's coming next is a wild ride all its own."
A Centaur's Life ‒ Episode 11
"It's been a weird atonal mess of a show, but the characters grew on me, and its quirky observations on life are often super-accurate."
Princess Principal ‒ Episode 11
"Overall, Case 23 is every bit of what the penultimate episode for a series like this should be."
Dragon Ball Super ‒ Episode 107
"I was already happy with the Master Roshi episode we got a few weeks back, but I think I like this one even more."
Welcome to the Ballroom ‒ Episode 11
"Everyone ought to have learned a little something from this exercise, which we should see going forward into part two of the story."
Katsugeki! Tōken Ranbu ‒ Episode 12
"With everyone from the First and Second lined up to get their moment of glory, I'm concerned the show won't have enough time to give us much insight into its characters' feelings."
Series Finale: Re:CREATORS ‒ Episode 22
"The finale of Re:CREATORS may not be the most exciting of episodes, but it's the absolute perfect ending for this series."
My Hero Academia ‒ Episode 36
"The students' Final Exams continue as we knock out the remaining challenges in the lead-up to Midoriya and Bakugo's match against All Might."
Altair: A Record of Battles ‒ Episode 10
"Things are really heating up for Torqye, and Mahmut's going to have to really step it up if he wants to be successful."
Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul ‒ Episode 22
"This episode continues the final quarter's fairly steep downward trajectory, delivering not much in the way of action to make room for a lot of character reveals that don't make much sense."
Vatican Miracle Examiner ‒ Episode 11
"While this episode is about three times sillier than anything from the Hitler arc, it's only about ten percent as entertaining."
Made in Abyss ‒ Episode 11
"With only an episode's worth of screen-time under their belt, Nanachi has already managed to become a delightful and essential addition to Made in Abyss' universe."
Gamers! ‒ Episode 10
"There are a lot of neat ideas here, so it's a shame that their presentation ends up being so rushed."
91 Days ‒ Episode 13
Last summer's gangster drama series returns for one last OVA. Does it add anything worth watching for 91 Days fans?
Sakura Quest ‒ Episode 24
"For a next-to-last episode that makes a point of downplaying its own stakes, it's still very affecting and enjoyable."
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations ‒ Episode 24
"At the end of the day, this is far from a weak episode, but it's also a far cry from what last week's preview promised."
Season Finale: My First Girlfriend is a Gal ‒ Episode 10
"Overall, this was by no means a memorable romantic comedy, but it was decent enough to have its moments and play out less trashy than expected."
Classroom of the Elite ‒ Episode 10
"Classroom of the Elite continued to revel in seedy dealings this week, as Class D settled in for a long week of competitive camping."
Fastest Finger First ‒ Episode 11
"This episode had good pacing, but it worries me that we haven't seen the final showdown yet."
In Another World With My Smartphone ‒ Episode 10
"This beach fanservice excursion is probably the most decent episode of the series yet."
Magical Circle Guru-Guru ‒ Episode 10
"With a solid balance of comedy, action, and plot progression, this week's episode is one of the series' best offerings yet."
New Game!! ‒ Episode 10
"New Game has proven that it can handle a modest amount of drama, and it's time to put those strengths to work."
Tsuredure Children ‒ Episode 11
"Tsuredure Children is as strong as ever moving into its final episodes, solidifying its position as one of my favorite shows of the year."
Love and Lies ‒ Episode 11
"Not only was this entire episode pointless within the grand scheme of things, but Love and Lies is quickly demonstrating that its entire story has been a complete waste of time."
Elegant Yokai Apartment Life ‒ Episode 11
"Apart from some emotional whiplash along the way, things progress in a pretty formulaic manner this week."
Restaurant to Another World ‒ Episode 11
The series finally delivers an episode for Kuro fans—sort of.
Clean Freak! Aoyama kun ‒ Episode 11
"This episode had some winning gags and moments, but overall it felt like a blatant attempt to run out the clock."
A Centaur's Life ‒ Episode 10
"Following last week's serious foray into world affairs, A Centaur's Life returns to its basic mode: the schoolyard antics of horny monster girls."
Knight's & Magic ‒ Episode 11
"This episode is a lot more balanced than last week's, with more even pacing and generally more engaging material."
Welcome to the Ballroom ‒ Episode 10
"On a character level, Welcome to the Ballroom feels like it's beginning to try harder."
Princess Principal ‒ Episode 10
"Although there is an overt mission at stake here, it once again takes a back seat to secondary objectives and developing interpersonal relationships between the spies."
The Reflection ‒ Episode 8
"The Reflected has managed to overcome its animation and direction struggles to become a surprisingly engaging character drama."
Katsugeki! Tōken Ranbu ‒ Episode 11
"The confrontation between Hijikata's swords is a climactic moment, but it's not quite as emotionally rewarding as it could have been."
Vatican Miracle Examiner ‒ Episode 10
"This series shows just how tedious and interminable a bad mystery can be."
My Hero Academia ‒ Episode 35
"We continue the students' final exams, knocking out another handful of rounds in the beginning of this episode, but the primary focus is on Momo and Todoroki's team-up against Aizawa."
Re:CREATORS ‒ Episode 21
"Re:Creators set itself up for a powerful climax and it fully delivers."
Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul ‒ Episode 21
"The narrative has been wobbling back and forth for a while now, but now it's pretty definitively gone off the rails."
Altair: A Record of Battles ‒ Episode 9
"This episode would have had more impact and intrigue if it had played out over two episodes, and I do feel that the show's rushed pacing has dragged it down in recent weeks."
Made in Abyss ‒ Episode 10
"This is as harrowing a turning point as any Riko and Reg have experienced so far, the first true test of the limits of their physical and psychological endurance."
Gamers! ‒ Episode 9
"Now that Chiaki knows about her longtime gaming connection to Keita, it's no surprise that the cast of Gamers is in for another round of relationship roulette."
My First Girlfriend is a Gal ‒ Episode 9
"It may be anime-original, but this is also easily the best content of the series to date."
Sakura Quest ‒ Episode 23
"This episode marks the beginning of the end of the story, as it forgoes its opening theme in favor of a quiet, atmospheric start: a smart choice to kick off the final act."
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations ‒ Episode 23
"Despite the titular character's absence, Boruto's second big storyline proved to be one of the best animated adaptations of Kishimoto's work in recent memory."
Classroom of the Elite ‒ Episode 9
"Offering a mix of propulsive drama and occasional self-effacing levity, this episode was Classroom of the Elite at its best."
Fastest Finger First ‒ Episode 10
"It's time for round three of the Regular Meet, and with it come the most esoteric quiz rules Fastest Finger First has featured so far."
Magical Circle Guru-Guru ‒ Episode 9
"Nike, Kukuri, and their party members finally make their way into the Endless Tower in another eventful installment of Magical Circle Guru-Guru."
In Another World With My Smartphone ‒ Episode 9
"A whole new setting had the chance for a whole new Smartphone, but so far, they've utterly wasted it."
Vatican Miracle Examiner ‒ Episode 9
"This is the exact variety of earnest, naïve ridiculousness that Vatican Miracle Examiner has been missing ever since it blew up Hitler's psychotic son."
Tsuredure Children ‒ Episode 10
"After a somewhat less satisfying ninth episode, Tsuredure Children rallied back this week with a terrific set of new skits."
New Game!! ‒ Episode 9
"For now, New Game appears to be stuck in a holding pattern until it figures out what to do with Naru and Momo."
Love and Lies ‒ Episode 10
"This episode sees the characters asking the same questions of their society that they've been parroting for weeks now, with little sign of any meaningful growth for anyone."
Elegant Yokai Apartment Life ‒ Episode 10
"Considering that Yushi takes on his first supernatural case, this was a surprisingly boring episode."
Restaurant to Another World ‒ Episode 10
"Recent improvements have brought the restaurant back to a place where it can be used to explore cultures rather than just watching people discover cool new food."
One Piece ‒ Episode 804
"Flashbacks are akin to holy territory in One Piece, and you can always tell that the anime wants to go the extra mile in getting them right."
Clean Freak! Aoyama kun ‒ Episode 10
"The show is Clean Freak! Aoyama kun, but I keep getting Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto instead."
Knight's & Magic ‒ Episode 10
"This arc is still solid overall, it just needs to get a better handle on its pacing moving forward."
A Centaur's Life ‒ Episode 9
"For better or worse, I can never predict what I'll be getting from A Centaur's Life."
Dragon Ball Super ‒ Episode 106
"Dragon Ball Super's been coasting on a handful of really entertaining episodes lately, but that steam's starting to run out."
Princess Principal ‒ Episode 9
"This episode returns the focus to Chise to tell the story primarily from her perspective."
Katsugeki! Tōken Ranbu ‒ Episode 10
"With things finally building momentum in the plot and character departments, it's easy to get over some (temporary, I hope) loss of visual flashiness."
Welcome to the Ballroom ‒ Episode 9
"At this point, I feel like I'm in an unhealthy relationship with Welcome to the Ballroom."
My Hero Academia ‒ Episode 34
"The school year barrels forward as the students of 1-A face their most tremendous foe yet: exams!"
The Reflection ‒ Episode 7
"We're little over halfway through the season now, and the Reflection has really settled into both its strengths and its weaknesses."
Re:CREATORS ‒ Episode 20
"While the last couple of episodes helped restore some enthusiasm for the series, this one doubles down on that strength and sets up some intriguing possibilities for next week's dramatic confrontation."
Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul ‒ Episode 20
"As Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul heads into its final stretch, I think it's fair to say that the plot has gone to hell a bit."
Altair: A Record of Battles ‒ Episode 8
"This episode turns a promising journey into a case of “grab the new party member and run,” which is something of a disappointment."
Made in Abyss ‒ Episode 9
"Though this episode is light on plot, it makes up for it through pure spectacle and a surprisingly affecting emotional core."
Restaurant to Another World ‒ Episode 9
"It's nice to see an increase in the way the customers of Nekoya are interacting with each other."
Gamers! ‒ Episode 8
"This week's episode starts off looking like nothing more than an inconsequential set of side stories, but it eventually works its way up to some major developments."
Sakura Quest ‒ Episode 22
"It's a story the show had to tell being executed beneath Sakura Quest's usual standards."
Classroom of the Elite ‒ Episode 8
"After last week's episode where nothing really happened, this week's episode seemed intent on demonstrating what “nothing happening” is truly like."
My First Girlfriend is a Gal ‒ Episode 8
"This situation is virtually obligatory for a fanservice-fueled romantic comedy, but I really wish the series would come up with some fresher angles."
Fastest Finger First ‒ Episode 9
"A character who initially felt like a tired trope turned out to be deviously clever, throwing a wrench into Koshiyama's quiz bowl experience and making the episode way more interesting."
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations ‒ Episode 22
"Boruto himself is once again absent, but with so much going on, he isn't really missed."
Magical Circle Guru-Guru ‒ Episode 8
"Nike and Kukuri begin to get a handle on their true powers as they make their way to the Endless Tower in another unflinchingly eventful episode."
In Another World With My Smartphone ‒ Episode 8
"Has Isekai Smartphone finally transcended that ethereal barrier between Bad and So Bad It's Good?"
Tsuredure Children ‒ Episode 9
"After many weeks of gradual romantic progression, this episode saw several of the show's couples backsliding, hampered by their own insecurities."
New Game!! ‒ Episode 8
"Aside from the maid café detour, this episode makes some decent progress toward integrating Naru and Momo into the cast."
Elegant Yokai Apartment Life ‒ Episodes 7-9
"Elegant Yokai Apartment Life continues to be an enjoyable watch without ever quite reaching beyond a sometimes too-modest pleasantness."
Clean Freak! Aoyama kun ‒ Episode 9
"This episode tossed any semblance of reality out the window to let its characters run wild—and was better off for it."
Love and Lies ‒ Episode 9
"For the first time in a couple of weeks, I was able to get through an episode without wanting to jump into my computer screen and yell at all the characters."
One Piece ‒ Episode 803
"Since this is the beginning of a flashback, the most gut-wrenching stuff is still to come."
Princess Principal ‒ Episode 8
"Another strong effort that's pretty much everything you could ask for in a Big Reveal episode."
Knight's & Magic ‒ Episode 9
"The story beats feel out of order in regards to good pacing, and remixing these episodes could have led to better dramatic payoff."
A Centaur's Life ‒ Episode 8
"This week delivers perhaps the most inexplicable moment in what's already a very WTF show."
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