Shallower Dives: Ten Series in Three Sentences or Less!

It’s new topic time!

Shallow Dives in Anime has always, always, been about giving you the viewer concise and to the point views on everything related to this industry. No long ass essays, no rambling about how this or that affects me. No trying to stretch a series around some idea or ideology just to make me look smart. No, we are straight, to the point and get it done.

Now while I do like to ramble a bit (who doesn’t?) I think I’ve done a good job at this with most of my posts. But yesterday I was thinking, I wonder if I could do it even short.

Welcome to Shallower Dives, were I will give you my review of an anime, manga, light novel, visual novel, whatever in nothing less than three sentences. Let’s get to it.

The only diving anime picture I could find.

Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-

ReZero lures you in with the same old isekai set up, but reaches greatness with a clever premise that is only improved when the series becomes a brutal tear-down and rebuild of the well worn hero trope.

High School DxD

You come to High School DxD for the boobs, but you stay for the developed characters, including the best male harem lead ever made, a well told story, and genuine heart that oozes out of every corner.

DARLING in the FRANXX

Darling in the Franxx was created by the generation that grew up with Neon Genesis Evangelion, and it’s impact is felt in every corner. It’s a shame that the show decides to chicken out of its compelling premise and theme, for a rushed ending with characters that ran out of steam halfway through.

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Every great thing you’ve heard about Evangelion is true. Everything bad thing you’ve heard about Evangelion is also true.

Shinmai Maou no Testament

Shinmai has some of the best fanservice to ever grace a non-hentai series. It also depends on that fanservice to carry a boring ass story, boring ass characters, and a premise that is never fully seized upon.

Bakuman

Bakuman is a great story that gives readers a glimpse into how shonen manga is made. The overall plot line of the main character wishing to marry his sweetheart however completely falls on it’s face as characters age into adults.

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai

Bunny Girl Senpai talks about real high school problems with a cool scientific twist that has hits and misses. The characters are endearing, with two excellent leads in Sakuta and Mai, but it is also a show that you probably forgot about after it was done.

Cardcaptor Sakura

Cardcaptor Sakura is still a masterpiece almost two decades later, a pure as snow magical girl adventure that remembers to tell a coherent story through an episodic style.

The Vision of Escaflowne

Escaflowne’s legendary soundtrack almost completely carries a story that feels like it should have been at least twelve episodes longer.

Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma

Food Wars is one of the worst shonen series ever produced. A series with a great idea that was absolutely MARRIED to its status quo, with one of the most Gary-Stu heroes that barely goes through any hardship. Every single time it attempts to step away from the food fanservice to try and tell a story, it fails in ways that still amaze me.