Strictly Anime

We discuss our spoiler-free Spring 2022 anime first impressions. We're a few weeks into the season and it's already pretty clear which anime will be hits and which anime we'll have to force ourselves to finish. There's also a few unexpected anime that are turning out to be more impressive than we initially expected. Tune in to find out everything we're watching and hear all our thoughts on the sta...

JD and Earthworm from Anime Brothers Podcast return to the show for a review of Hunter x Hunter! ⁠We tap into their extensive knowledge of this anime to talk about the various arcs, characters, abilities, and everything else that makes this one of the best shounen anime of all time. After watching Hunter x Hunter a decade after it premiered, we finally understand the hype and how Bungee Gum posses...

We review the second half of Ranking of Kings (Ousama Ranking). Bojji continues to be best boy and inspires others to achieve their dreams through the means that best suits them. We have some hot takes on a few of the characters, including King Bosse and Miranjo, and some issues with the way key information is revealed throughout the story. But overall, we sing our praises for this incredible stor...

We review Attack on Titan: The Dawn of Humanity (E87). This is it. It really is the final episode of the final season...part 2 because we got confirmation that there will be a part 3 of the final season. We talk all about this news, and all about this episode filled with flashbacks that give us more context for some pivotal moments for Eren and the Scouts. But most importantly, there was a clown....

We review My Dress-Up Darling (Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru). There are two things that stand out the most about this anime: the level of detail and appreciation for the art of cosplay, and Marin Kitagawa. We discuss what could easily be one of the best romcoms this year, and share our thoughts on Marin and Gojo, the ongoing theme of accepting everyone's interests and hobbies, the show educatin...

We review 86 EIGHTY-SIX (Part 2). Thanks to its expertise in storytelling, this anime continues to hit as hard as it did in part one. We discuss how part two compares to part one, the incredibly satisfying ending that makes us question whether we want or need a second season, and how they managed to create a great show despite production delays. We also talk about Frederica and how she's really, r...

We review Attack on Titan: Retrospective (E86). There was a certain charm and elegance to the way Wit Studio animated and choreographed fight scenes in seasons 1-3 of Attack on Titan, but MAPPA showed us in this episode that their adaptation also incorporates some incredible battles. The brutality of this ongoing fight reaches its conclusion, and we take a look at how the never-ending war is start...

We review Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Movie. MAPPA is once again flexing their skills with top-tier animation, fight choreography, and story-telling. But there's one aspect of this movie that falls flat, and we discuss how that aspect could have prevented other issues. Plus, we share our appreciation for how this prequel movie enhances everything we learned from season one of Jujutsu Kaisen.⁠ Join our Discor...

We review Attack on Titan: Traitor (E85). The action and nostalgia pick up again as the Scouts enter a new battle with the return of some old friends. But what really makes this episode intense are the emotions Armin and Connie experience as they make a difficult decision in order to keep moving forward. We once again give high praise to Isayama's incredible writing as we look at the many parallel...

We're sharing our cosplay and anime convention stories along with our special guests Geoff, Dan, and Amelia from Otaku Host Club! ⁠It's the good, the bad, and the ugly of our experiences at conventions. We reminisce about memorable cosplays, the coolest people we've met, and how conventions have changed over the years (remember yaoi paddles and glomping?). Whether you're a veteran cosplayer or goi...

We review Attack on Titan: Night of the End (E84). The time has finally come for Marley and the Scouts to talk things out. And they sure did a lot of talking. We discuss all the arguing, Jean's struggle, and Yelena putting everyone on blast. If there's one thing this episode shows us, it's that communication is key.⁠ Every era of anime has only a few shows that are so influential, they’re granted...

We're celebrating 2 years of Strictly Anime by answering your burning questions! We asked you, our listeners, to send in questions related to and unrelated to anime so you could learn more about us. ⁠Thank you to everyone who reached out via our social media and Discord server; we had a lot of fun answering these unique and tough questions! Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/4Rnq4GTePP Support t...

We review Attack on Titan: Pride (E83). Guys, Connie is dumb ok? He's trying his best but like he said to Armin, "A know-it-all wouldn't get how idiots work." He thought that brushing a Titan's teeth was a convincing excuse, and then made that really ugly face. But it's ok because we still love him. And look at him now with all his character development. You got this, Connie.⁠ Every era...

We review My Neighbor Totoro (Tonari no Totoro).⁠ It's a throwback review of one of Studio Ghibli's earliest and most beloved films. We discuss the father-daughter dynamic, Totoro's teeth, a South Park reference, and Mei and Satsuki's impressive amount of energy.⁠ Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/4Rnq4GTePP Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/thestrictlyseries Website: https://www.the...

We review Attack on Titan: Sunset (E82). It's time for status updates on all the major players in this chaos: Mikasa doesn't know what to do, Armin is freaking out, Jean is mentally checked out, Connie is confused (as usual) about what's right and wrong, and Floch is still annoying. Join us as we sort all this out, and as we talk about two important characters returning to the fray.⁠ Every era of...

We review Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Entertainment District Arc (S2) (Kimetsu no Yaiba: Yuukaku-hen). The boys are back with another member of the Hashira, Tengen Uzui, in the most intense, brutal, and flashy season so far. We discuss the extended battle against the demons, Zenitsu's abilities on full display, Inosuke's beauty working in his favor, Tanjiro's disgusting fingers, and Nezuko's Hu...

We review Attack on Titan: Thaw (E81). They're taking us back to our Attack on Titan roots with an episode that feels straight out of season one. We discuss the return of 3D maneuvering with ODM gear, Jean's character development, and a good old fashioned showdown between Scouts vs. Titans. We also share our appreciation for the many tributes to past characters and events, and how things come full...

We discuss Our Favorite Romances in Anime. We're celebrating the day of love by sharing the anime couples that we support, and the anime ships that will live on in our headcanon. We even asked our Discord members to share their favorite couples/ships. Join us for a discussion dedicated to love in anime (just don't @ us for some of our weird ships).⁠ ⁠ Happy Valentine's Day! Join our Discord: https...

We review Attack on Titan: From You, 2,000 Years Ago (E80). An important origin story is revealed that explains how the Titans were created, bringing this story full circle. We discuss the new lore, Zeke's overconfidence, the deafening sound of the Rumbling, and what would happen if you were on the toilet when you got Eren's conference call.⁠ Every era of anime has only a few shows that are so inf...

We review FLCL. We're taking you back to the 2003 era of Adult Swim anime with the show that goes by many names: FLCL, Fooly Cooly, and Furi Kuri. But what exactly is "furi kuri?" What is this show even about? And why does Naota sprout mechs out of his head every time he's turned on? We attempt (and struggle) to answer all these questions and explain one of the most inexplicable anime.⁠...

We review Attack on Titan: Memories of the Future (E79). In what may be the biggest brain review episode we've ever done on Strictly Anime, we explain the events of this episode and the overall theory behind the Attack on Titan lore. If you're confused by what transpired and are completely lost, tune in for our thorough explanation. If you're a genius and immediately understood everything, tune in...

We discuss the 2022 Crunchyroll Anime Awards Nominations and Predictions. Matt and Audrey from Otaku Melancholy Podcast join us once again to talk about the anime awards, but this time we're predicting which nominees will win in each category. We also share our personal picks because let's be honest, not everything that should win does win.⁠ Check out Otaku Melancholy Podcast at their website, www...

We review Attack on Titan: Sneak Attack (E78). There's a lot of brotherly love going on here. There's also a lot of insane animation, cinematography, and storytelling that solidifies this as one of the best episodes of Attack on Titan. Tune in to find out why we had 10 heart attacks while watching this episode.⁠ Every era of anime has only a few shows that are so influential, they’re granted the t...

We discuss our spoiler-free Winter 2022 Anime First Impressions. We have some heavy-hitter anime to start the year off right, including Attack on Titan, Demon Slayer, and My Dress-Up Darling, but we also have a few anime that are less impressive than expected. Will this season be a split between great and mid anime? We discuss everything we're watching, plus we're joined by Tayler, the founder of...

We review Attack on Titan: Sneak Attack (E77). We're joined by Brian of TV Trivia Pod to discuss the insanity of the ongoing battle between Marley and Paradis. We also question Yelena's mental stability, and celebrate an anti-Gabi victory as she finally realizes how many people she has wronged.⁠ Every era of anime has only a few shows that are so influential, they’re granted the title of “anime cl...