Strictly Anime

We share our picks for Anime ‘Hear Me Out.’ Anime is the “perfect” environment for this viral social media trend, where we list out characters for whom we have an unnatural affinity. Some (or maybe all) of our picks may be egregious enough to make you cringe, but just hear us out - we’ve got our reasons. While you’re listening to this episode, why not pair it up with a delicious snack from a #Toky...

We discuss our spoiler-free Spring 2025 anime first impressions. Our watch lists have a good variety this season, including ecchi, sci-fi, fantasy, and drama. We share our thoughts on which anime could be this season’s dumpster fire, which could be our guilty pleasure, and which could be the most pleasantly surprising. While you’re listening to this episode, why not pair it up with a delicious sna...

We’re strictly chatting. We discuss our plans for Anime Central, share a weird experience with our garbage cans, and dive into the announcement for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 7: Steel Ball Run. Plus, Courtney updates us on her Naruto journey and her conflicting feelings about Tsunade. While you’re listening to this episode, why not pair it up with a delicious snack from a #TokyoTreat box? Use c...

We review Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadow (S2). Jinwoo continues to grow stronger, and hotter, all while meeting several story milestones we weren’t expecting. We discuss the surprising but welcomed pacing, Jinwoo’s resemblance to Zoolander and Eren Jaeger, and the mysteries we hope to learn more about in the next season. Japanese title: Ore dake Level Up na Ken Season 2: Arise from the Shado...

We review the first half of the first season of Sakamoto Days. Half action, half slice of life, and all comedy, this anime is proving to be a lot of fun. We discuss how the show takes familiar tropes and adds a new spin, as well as how relatable we find Sakamoto’s relationship-weight-gain. While you’re listening to this episode, why not pair it up with a delicious snack from a #TokyoTreat box? Use...

We review Orb: On the Movements of the Earth. Our heads and minds are spinning about this period-piece drama, where holding the belief that the Earth revolves around the Sun could get you burned at the stake. We give this sleeper hit the recognition that it deserves - from its incredible story rendered in a way that only anime could fully accomplish, to its philosophical themes surrounding the ide...

We try to answer the question: How important is animation quality in anime? Whether or not we want to admit it, animation quality is becoming more of a selling point for popular anime, and more of a factor in a show’s success. We discuss how important animation quality is when looking at what makes an anime “great,” and how much influence it has over the viewing experience. While you’re listening...

We're celebrating 5 years of Strictly Anime by answering your burning questions! To help us reflect on this incredible milestone, we reached out to our Patreon and Discord community to send us their questions about the podcast, about anime, and about everything in between. Thank you to everyone who submitted their questions - and thank you to all our listeners, old and new, for supporting our podc...

We share our favorite spicy moments in anime. Sure, a vanilla romance anime is great. But have you ever squealed with excitement while watching two characters turn up the heat? Whether they’re explicitly spicy, or have great underlying tension, we’re sharing our favorite moments that we can’t get out of our heads. While you’re listening to this episode, why not pair it up with a delicious snack fr...

We review the first season of Link Click. Our first foray into Chinese donghua takes the term “photographic memory” to a whole new level, with a time-travel thriller that’s equal parts exhilarating and heartfelt. We explore the show’s organic world-building, nuanced storytelling, and top-notch cliffhangers - even as its subtitles sometimes get lost in translation. Chinese title: Shiguang Dailiren...

We’re strictly chatting. We chat about upcoming game releases, anime merch we have our eye on, and what we plan to do with our collectibles when it’s time to pass them on to our children. Plus, Courtney shares another Naruto update, including the origin of the Sasuke choke meme. While you’re listening to this episode, why not pair it up with a delicious snack from a #TokyoTreat box? Use code STRIC...

We discuss why we prefer subbed anime over dubbed anime. One of the most highly debated topics in the anime community is sub vs. dub. Weebs have long fought the battle of which one is superior, but we’re not here to fight. We’re here to explain why we prefer subbed anime, discuss some of the great aspects of dubbed anime, and break out in a sweat in an attempt to not get chewed out by our fellow w...

We discuss our spoiler-free Winter 2025 anime first impressions. It’s the season of romance anime with several on our list, alongside highly anticipated shows like Solo Leveling and Sakamoto Days. Join us as we discuss these anime, as well as a sleeper hit about planetary movement, an isekai Karl is actually watching, and the return of everyone’s favorite apothecary. While you’re listening to this...

We share our anime celebrity meal ideas. If BTS, Megan Thee Stallion, and Kai Cenat can get fast food meals named after them, who says that someone like Sukuna can't get the same royal culinary treatment? We fight through our insatiable hunger to come up with anime celebrity meals that pay homage to notable anime characters, with the fervent hope that a restaurant chain will pick one up and give u...

We review the first season of Dandadan. What do bananas, golden balls, lewd grannies, and Ken Takakura have in common? This weird anime. We discuss the ballsy premise, the way the show unexpectedly makes you want to cry, and the questionable end to the first season. Use code STRICTLYANIME for $5 off your first #TokyoTreat box: https://team.tokyotreat.com/strictlyanime Join our Discord: https://dis...

We close out the year with the best and worst of 2024 anime! This past year was a wild ride, both for anime fans and for us in our personal lives, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We reflect on what anime had to offer us in 2024 by sharing our picks for categories like waifu and husbando, animation, story, and many more! Use code STRICTLYANIME for $5 off your first #TokyoTreat box: https://t...

We share our favorite anime openings and endings from 2024. One of our favorite episodes returns for another year of absolute bangers. Join us as we share our OP and ED picks, as well as the ones chosen by our patrons and listeners! Use code STRICTLYANIME for $5 off your first #TokyoTreat box: https://team.tokyotreat.com/strictlyanime Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/4Rnq4GTePP Support the pod...

We review Look Back. From the mind of the creator of Chainsaw Man comes a surprisingly heartfelt film about adolescents and their artistic aspirations, and in this case the hype was well deserved. We take a look back (pun intended) at how the film underscores the highs and lows of making manga/art alongside appreciating the highs and lows of life - all within the impressive runtime of less than an...

We’re strictly chatting. We share our thoughts on Uzumaki, react to the Vatican’s attempt at connecting with weebs, and contemplate why anime merch at certain retailers isn’t selling well anymore. Plus, Courtney talks about her Naruto journey and finally getting introduced to Itachi. Use code STRICTLYANIME for $5 off your first #TokyoTreat box: https://team.tokyotreat.com/strictlyanime Join our Di...

We review My Hero Academia: You're Next. The fourth surprise entry in the My Hero film series sees Midoriya and Class 1-A face off against a villain of mighty proportions. But just how compelling is this story compared to what we've seen before, and what we'll see ahead as the series approaches its final season? We take our turns discussing the film's execution, from the pacing to the familiar ele...

We review the second half of My Hero Academia season 7. The action never stops throughout this season, but should they have given us a break to avoid the fatigue? We discuss several plot lines coming to a close, which of Courtney’s boys they did dirty, and what we hope to see in the final season. Japanese title: Boku no Hero Academia Use code STRICTLYANIME for $5 off your first #TokyoTreat box: ht...

We discuss our spoiler-free Fall 2024 anime first impressions. We’re finishing the year off strong-ish with a season that is good for 2024 but not as hype as past years. We discuss a spicy romance, a highly anticipated show where a boy’s banana is stolen, and somehow have more to look forward to with Attack on Titan. Plus, we have another life update with some special news to share! Use code STRIC...

We review the second season of Oshi no Ko. The anime is back with more commentary about the entertainment industry, this time with a focus on stage performances, manga, and live action adaptations. But we’ll be honest, we’re here for the mystery. We discuss which half of the season we preferred, the romance drama and weird choices, the major reveals around the murder mystery, and whether the show...

We discuss our anime what-if ideas. What if things happened differently than how we saw them in an anime? How would a single choice, a single action, or a single rewrite of a pivotal moment completely alter the course of a story? We take on this question by discussing hypothetical scenarios we most want to see in anime. Use code STRICTLYANIME for $5 off your first #TokyoTreat box: https://team.tok...

We share our top 10 favorite anime characters. It’s never easy picking favorites, but at the same time it’s very easy when a character means so much to you. Join us as we share which characters we love, why we love them, and where they land on our top 10 list. Use code STRICTLYANIME for $5 off your first #TokyoTreat box: https://team.tokyotreat.com/strictlyanime Join our Discord: https://discord.g...