Three Years of Shallow Dives in Anime: Eroge! Sex and Game make Sexy Games

Like last year, I tend to have my week long anniversary celebration end with a hentai review. We go from the Don’t @ Me, to personal thoughts on the blog, then the bit series review, and then finally we enter this den of culture. I was thinking about what I wanted to review, and while I didn’t have a series that spoke to me, I did want talk about this one. After the cut let’s dive into the series with a weird ass fuck title: Eroge! Sex and Game make Sexy Games!

This post contains NSFW imagery. Please read with discretion!

Learning to Code

Three Years of Shallow Dives in Anime: Neon Genesis Evangelion

Each year, we mark the anniversary of Shallow Dives in Anime with a special review. A show that for some reason or another holds a special place in my heart. It may be because it is good, or because it was bad. There may be personal reasons behind it, or it may have been something dogging my footsteps. Either way these reviews are a long time coming and ones I put a lot of thought into.

The first year I took another look at Shinmai Maou no Testament, and made peace with a show that was almost singularly responsible for getting me into blogging.

The second year I caved in and finally watched Chivalry of a Failed Knight, a show I had deeply personal reasons for avoiding.

Both shows I ended up leaving with a newfound respect, and in the case of Knight, an appreciation for. The show we are talking about this year needs no introduction, but it is something that ever since I started this blog, I knew would end up happening. A reckoning that I couldn’t run away from. A show that any anime fan worth his salt has to end up confronting, good or ill, bad or good.

Welcome to Shallow Dives in Anime. This is Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Happy times.

Three Years of Shallow Dives in Anime

This week will mark the 3rd anniversary of Shallow Dives in Anime! I can’t believe that much time has passed, and frankly, I can’t believe that I’ve managed to keep it up.

Three years in, I’ve been shocked at how well the blog has done. It has always been a passion project of mine, something I used to get my thoughts out in the world instead of letting them stew in my mind. I haven’t set out to re-write the book on blogging, or give out some great, grandiose thoughts on this or that anime. I’ve just been a dude attempting to throw out his opinions on shows he likes, and perhaps do so with an honest and open mind.

That honest and open mind has, over the three years solidified into the real purpose of this blog. Hyperbole, cliquishness and arrogance is all over the place, and people would rather twist the words of this or that show to fit their viewpoints, instead of seeing things for what it is. I have tried to do the opposite. I don’t see anime for what it wants to be, I see anime for what it is. To cut through the bullshit and deliver points that are short, sweet and get to the gist of the matter.

Whether it is the brutal truth surrounding Wonder Egg Priority. Going to bat for Gundam SEED, talking about difficult ideas revolving Fate/Illya’s Kuro. Admiring the sheer courage of Redo of Healer. Trying to split the difference over Faye Valentine, or seeing what is good in shows that may not be. I’ve approached every anime that has crossed this blog, good or bad, sweet or sour, with a measure of fairness. There is very little I will not talk about on this blog, and whatever does come up almost always has something special to share.

As always I have many people to thank: Crow, Irina, Lynn, Scott, Yomu, Pete, Jon Spencer,,  iniksbane and infinitezenith for always being there for chat or comment. And most of all to you. If you have taken the time to look at one of my posts, leave a like, or even a comment. Know that you have always brought a smile to my face. and warmth to my heart.

So here is to three years of Shallow Dives in Anime. You can look forward to the Thursday post with the celebration review. One that has been a long, long time coming. I am very interested in seeing what people think, but for now, all I can say is this.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Fate Apocrypha Episodes 1-12: Make the Grail War Great Again

While The Summer of Love has concluded, that doesn’t mean I’m done talking about Fate! Getting ahead of my previous house keeping schedule, I’ve been watching another in the long list of Fate spin-offs. Back when I started the blog I gave a quick overview of these series, but I have been revisiting them now that I’m more comfortable as a blogger. With that said, let’s take a dive into the first half of Fate/Apocrypha after the cut!

It’s gonna be so great. With blackjack, and hookers!

Housekeeping: Fall 2021 plans and beyond!

Hey guys

Summer has come to an end, school is starting up, which means it’s time again to do some housekeeping. Every few months I like to take stock of what’s been done and what you can expect in the future! Let’s get into it after the cut!

The Summer of Love III: Final Thoughts on Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya

The Summer of Love III concludes! We have now reached our final post in the third annual Summer of Love. It’s been a long journey and as always, it’s been ups and downs. Still we are now at the end, and it’s for our final thoughts. Let’s get into those after the cut!

Don’t @ Me: Nine of my Anime Opinions: Faye Valentine Edition

It’s Monday, I took last week off, but it is still time for this! Welcome back to Don’t @ Me! The place where, like my amazement that apparently therapists were cut out of the NERV budget in Evangelion, I sit down and dish out my thoughts and feelings on everything anime, manga and the like. This week we are talking about the ‘news’ regarding the Cowboy Bebop remake. Let’s get into it after the cut!

No headband, really?

On my Radar for Summer 2021: The Eight Episode Check-In!

Summer 2021 is winding down! It’s been a very light season and I couldn’t have been happier. These breathers are important for anime fans, as it lets us digest the excellent helpings of before, and get ready for what comes next. Still there have been some fun and decent shows this time around. We are eight episodes in for most of them, so it’s time to get check in after the cut!

Steins;Gate 0: The Despair Horizon

The question that every sequel to a popular series, both anime and not, is simply “did we need this?” Does the story they are telling in the follow up deserve to be told? Are the characters being put in proper directions? Or does it just feel like this is a cheap cash-in to service fans? Few sequels are able to properly answer those questions properly and sadly, the show we are talking about today doesn’t change that. After the cut let’s take a dive into the sequel series Steins;Gate 0.

Do you like sadness? Well do I got an anime for you.

Tune of the Week(ish): Evangelion’s One Last Kiss

You can expect some thoughts on Neon Genesis Evangelion in the future on this blog, but for now, to celebrate the series apparently being over. Why not listen to this god damn catch song. The tune of the week is the ending theme to to the final film of the rebuild series: One Last Kiss by Hikaru Utada!