Anime Sunday: BOFURI Episode 01 Impressions

This week for Anime Sunday I’m covering a Winter 2020 Series. It’s my BOFURI Episode 01 Impressions!

Plot: The plot is very relaxed and not all that drama filled. It follows the adventures of a girl named Kaede who really isn’t a gamer, but ends up becoming one as the player Maple and does so in incredibly odd ways. That’s really the best summary of the first episode I could give without being spoilerific and taking all the fun out of watching this. I enjoy the plot of BOFURI quite a bit, it’s something I’ve been watching the past week while I eat lunch alone at home. The time it takes to eat a meal is generally how long it takes for me to watch the episodes and it works out really well, although I’ve had a few close calls with laughing and spewing my lunch everywhere.

Characters: Maple is a delight to watch, and in this first episode we really get to know her. She’s an oddball and a klutz, but is endearing in ways that are just hilarious. The rest of the cast introduced thus far is very small, but quite good.

Art: Silver Link is the animation studio and they did a great job of it. That’s all that need be said, it’s not ufotable quality, but with a series like this it isn’t necessary.

Music: The music fits the series wonderfully, it’s light hearted and upbeat, which is one way to describe the series as a whole.

Overall: This is an adaptation of a delightful Light Novel series that is high on the fluff and low on the drama. If you need a pick me up, and who doesn’t after the year we’ve all been through thus far, BOFURI is easily one of my top recommendations to watch to lift your spirits.

For those who like: Gaming Stories, Comedy, Action, Little Drama, Fluff, Excellent Plot, Great Cast of characters, Awesome Artwork.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above, but how can you hate all that?

Bookish Wednesday: Dragon Seed by James Osiris Baldwin

This week for Bookish Wednesday I’m back with another LitRPG. It’s Dragon Seed, Archemi Online Book 01, by James Osiris Baldwin!

Plot: The plot is really dark, and frankly way too grim for my tastes. It’s not a bad plot, but it’s just really dark for the sake of being dark. A phrase I’m saying a lot lately it seems like, but that just be my imagination.

Characters: Hector is our main character and he’s a bit of a dumbass. The fact that his Dyslexia transfers to the new world he’s found himself in is kind of silly but also makes sense. That being said the fact that he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed is a real let down. The rest of the cast is just as dark as the rest of the story, and frankly I didn’t like pretty much everyone except for one person whom I will not name.

Overall: This is an okay LitRPG, but definitely not for those who dislike the darker fantasies.

For those who like: LitRPGs, Fantasy, Drama, Action, Adventure.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.

Bookish Wednesday: Forming the Company by Daniel Schinhofen

This week for Bookish Wednesday I’m back with the sequel to Gamer for Life. It’s Forming the Company, Alpha World Book 02, by Daniel Schinhofen!

Plot Synopsis: Having been given the option to live the rest of his life in the Virtual Reality game Alpha World in place of his prison sentence, Seamus is now known as the Summoner Alburet. He’s made friends and become close with multiple people, a thing he never thought to have again. However upon summoning his third demon it turns out to be Stacia…..

Plot: This entry in the series is quite good, but it also brought up a ton of questions about Alburet’s past and what really happened to get him into prison. The plot does keep plodding along and honestly was quite a fun entry.

Characters: We get to meet a few more people, including a certain expy of a favorite Archaeologist of mine and most likely many, many others. However my favorite has to be Alburet’s party. They are all great characters, and honestly I like the entire bunch of them.

Overall: A solid sequel and second entry in a series that’s shaping up to be one of the all time LitRPG greats.

Bookish Wednesday: Ritualist by Dakota Krout

This week for Bookish Wednesday I’m back with another LitRGP. It’s Ritualist, Book 01 of the Completionist Chronicles, by Dakota Krout!

Plot Synopsis: The decision to start a new life is never an easy one, but for Joe the transition was far from figurative. Becoming a permanent addition to a game world, it doesn’t take long to learn that people with his abilities are actively hunted. In fact, if the wrong people gained knowledge of what he was capable of, assassins would appear in droves….

Plot: The plot is pretty good, but it’s not absolutely amazing and I could see some of the plot twists coming from miles away. However there have been worse books I’ve read and for a LitRPG in a genre that is quickly becoming stuffed with plenty of poor attempts at writing, Ritualist is actually pretty decent.

Characters: Joe is a pretty decent main character, he’s neither stupid nor arrogant which is a nice reprieve from some of the stuff I’ve been reading recently. I might have done some things very differently though if I were in his place. Some of the things that occur would make any gamer worth their salt know how to react instantly. The fact that some of the cast are supposedly said gamers is just a bit annoying.

Overall: A decent read, and a fairly good LitRPG. It’s not the best, but it’s better than a lot of the crap that is online now.

For those who like: LitRPGs, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Magic, Decent Plot, Good Cast of Characters.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.

Anime Sunday: GGO Episode 01 Impressions

This week for Anime Sunday I’m covering a spin off of a rather popular series. It’s my Sword Art Online Alternative: GGO Episode 01 Impressions!

Plot Synopsis: In the online virtual reality game, Gun Gale Online, a girl with the username Llenn participates in a team-based Battle Royale event called Squad Jam alongside her teammate M…

Plot: The plot of this first episode is pretty great, with plenty of action. It also doesn’t include Kirito at all, which is a blessing in my eyes since he’s either a dense as a rock, or really cruel, harem protagonist.

Characters: Llenn is a tiny girl who is pretty timid, but shows some real backbone when the going gets tough. Though her character design is rather ridiculous, being one of the shortest main characters I’ve ever seen. The rest of the cast, who is rather limited in this first episode is pretty interesting.

Art: The art of this first episode is pretty great, but given that this project probably got a huge budget that is hardly surprising. So while good, it’s not spectacular and definitely not close to reaching ufotable’s standard.

Music: The music is pretty great, and while reminiscent of the main series it’s got it’s own feel.

Overall: If you love the premise of the Sword Art Online series, but hate Kirito, you’ll probably love this spin off.

For those who like: VRMMOs, Gaming, FPS Games, Battle Royales, Fantastic Female Lead, Decent Plot, Good Artwork.

Not for those who don’t like: Any of the above.