Strictly Anime

We discuss the anime that we dropped. To celebrate this milestone episode, we're revealing the anime that we couldn't bring ourselves to finish and explaining why we dropped them. But whether they were good shows that just didn't appeal to our interests, or terrible shows that we regretted watching, we're leaving it to our listeners to decide which anime we have to give another chance. Join our Di...

We discuss our spoiler-free Summer 2023 anime first impressions. In a season best spent on having some time for R&R, our watch list is admittedly a bit shorter than usual. But that does not mean this year’s slate of summer anime should be underestimated! Come take a dip with us as we talk magical vending machines, sexy sorcerers, and paint-splotched zombies. Join our Discord: https://discord.g...

We review the first season of Hell’s Paradise (Jigokuraku). This show is full of criminals, weird creatures, and naked people. But even more interesting are the mysteries surrounding the island of Shinsenkyo. We speculate what the truths are behind those mysteries, try to unpack all the info dumps, and share our excitement for the next season.⁠ Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/4Rnq4GTePP Suppo...

We review Oshi no Ko season one. With one of the hardest-hitting first episodes of this year, this anime has definitely left a strong impression on the anime community. No part of the entertainment industry is safe from the scrutiny, and we discuss how the show is brutally honest about what it’s like to be an entertainer. We also share what we’re most excited for as the story progresses. Join our...

We review Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc (S3) (Kimetsu no Yaiba: Katanakaji no Sato-hen). We’ve swapped Zenitsu and Inosuke for the Mist and Love Hashira. Oh yeah, and Genya is there too for some reason. We discuss how this season feels lighter than the rest, all the hints they gave us about the lore, all the questions they left us with, and how Mitsuri deserved more. Join o...

We review the second half of Vinland Saga season two. "Farmland saga" has solidified itself as one of the best anime seasons of 2023. But what makes it so impressive, and how does Vinland Saga keep the magic going through the latter half of season two? We discuss these questions, share one of our only disappointments from this season, and speculate where the story might go from here. Joi...

We discuss our favorite anime soundtracks and theme songs. If animation and storytelling are the bread and butter of an anime, then music is the seasoning that gives it a burst of flavor. We discuss the songs and scores that tugged at our heartstrings or filled us with a sense of wonder, from epic orchestral symphonies to enchanting opera solos to unexpected workout songs. You can’t touch music… b...

We review the first half of Your Lie in April (Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso). After many recommendations over the years, we finally started this anime. But we’re suspicious because every recommendation came with the sense that something very emotional is going to happen. So in addition to talking about all the great writing and appreciation for the musical journey, we also pick apart the foreshadowing...

We discuss good starter anime for beginner weebs. There's a lot of excitement when a normie tells you they want to try watching anime, and when they ask for recommendations you can't help but want to throw them straight into the deep end. But in order to not scare them away for good, we've put together a practical and reasonable list of some of the anime we'd recommend to any beginner weeb.⁠ Join...

We discuss the worst things about the anime fandom. As much as we love to be absolute weebs, we can’t deny that there are certain aspects of the anime community that can ruin it for the rest of us. We go through a list and question why we are the way that we are, while still finding the positives of a fandom we hold near and dear to our hearts. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/4Rnq4GTePP Suppo...

We play Poorly Explained Anime. The game is simple: Accurately describe an anime's plot in the most confusing way possible and see if the other person can guess the correct title. We created our own poorly explained anime prompts and compete against each other. Can you guess who created the most difficult prompts, and who scored the most points? Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/4Rnq4GTePP Supp...

We review Suzume (Suzume no Tojimari). The film that’s got everyone obsessed with a chair is finally here, and it has worms, cats, and lots of door-locking. We share our thoughts on Makoto Shinkai’s latest movie: what we loved, what left us frustrated, and what we wished it included. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/4Rnq4GTePP Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/thestrictlyseries Webs...

We review Tokyo Revengers: Christmas Showdown (S2) (Tokyo Revengers: Seiya Kessen-hen). We hadn't heard much about this season and didn't know what to expect, but were pleasantly surprised by the next arc of Takemichi's story. While it still had some issues, the second season gave us long-awaited character development and another cliffhanger that makes us excited to see what happens next. Tune in...

We discuss our spoiler-free Spring 2023 anime first impressions. We're back behind the mic after a short hiatus, and there's a lot to catch up on. The Spring season has an impressive variety that can appeal to most anime fans, and we're diving into the interesting shows and stories in the lineup. Join us as we share our initial thoughts on the shows we added to our watch list, ⁠and play a Strictly...

We review Princess Mononoke (Mononoke Hime). Our third Studio Ghibli film review is an unexpectedly mature tale of a battle between man and nature, with a young tribal prince caught in the crossfire. We discuss the relationship between Ashitaka and San, the struggles and parallels between the humans and nature, and the surprising violence as heads literally roll in this movie.⁠ Join our Discord: h...

We discuss the anime we want more of. One of the most painful experiences of an anime fan is becoming connected with a show, its story, and its characters only to find out it's incomplete. Sure, we can "go read the manga," but we will always long for the anime to be finished. We share the anime we wish we could have more of, whether it's a continuation of the series or other content like...

We discuss our favorite children in anime. This episode is extra special because it releases the day our baby is due, and to commemorate it we played a baby name game with our listeners. Join us as we share the anime kids we adore, and share the anime characters our listeners think we should name our baby after.⁠ Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/4Rnq4GTePP Support the podcast: https://www.patr...

We review the first half of Vinland Saga season two. Manga readers are known to hype up specific arcs of a story, but when we kept hearing about "farmland saga" we didn't know if they were being serious. Well, turns out they were because farming is now one of the most hype things in 2023 anime. We analyze the spectacular writing in this half of season two that makes farming and character...

We review the second half of My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia) season six. It's sad boy hour in the second cour because Midoriya is drowning in an indescribable emptiness. We revisit the question from our part one review of whether My Hero is getting good again, and discuss Midoriya spiraling, Endeavor crying, All Might struggling, and Bakugo apologizing.⁠ Join our Discord: https://discord....

We discuss our anime guilty pleasures. Sometimes you have to be honest with yourself and admit that you like something that most people don't. We put ourselves in the hot seat and share the things we love in anime that are probably weird, cheesy, or embarrassing. Don't judge us too hard. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/4Rnq4GTePP Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/thestrictlyseries...

We review To Your Eternity (Fumetsu no Anata e) season two. After an impressive and emotional first season, we had high hopes for the continuation of Fushi’s story. Unfortunately, it falls short in several places. We discuss how season one and season two compare, and theorize where the story could go in season three. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/4Rnq4GTePP Support the podcast: https://www....

We review Attack on Titan: The Final Chapters (Part 1). While there may have been some doubt as to the format and release of this 1-hour special, MAPPA has once again delivered another incredible part of AoT. From the heart-wrenching moments of sadness, to the scenes of pure destruction, to the glimmers of hope and kindness, we discuss every facet of this special and theorize what lies ahead in th...

We discuss the 2023 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. It was a big year for anime and now it's time to recognize the best of the best. But did we agree with every nominee and winner? Who did we vote for and which of our picks came out on top? And what were our thoughts on the awards ceremony in Tokyo? Tune in to find out!⁠ Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/4Rnq4GTePP Support the podcast: https://www.pa...

We cast anime characters in The Office. We're changing things up by meshing anime with non-anime, and it's a lot harder than we thought it would be (that's what she said). Whether you're a big fan of The Office like us, or just curious to know who we chose, join us as we share our cast list and why we think they're a perfect fit. Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/4Rnq4GTePP Support the podcast:...

We discuss the anime worlds we want to live in. Every weeb has wondered what it would be like to live in some of the worlds we see in anime, and we're taking that a step further by analyzing which would be the most practical and interesting. Whether we're born into these worlds or get isekai'd to them, we share our top picks as well as some worlds we would never want to live in.⁠ Join our Discord:...