Of these two protags, which one got the better character development? How much did they change throughout their adventures? More importantly, how different the two seemed by the end of their journey. Be honest.
Small competition, but there are some who fit that category. Anyway, who's the most dislikable character in the series?
We know how terribly handled these two were in the anime. Thankfully, it's a bit better on the game side of things. However, it's not particularly high praise. They're still the rigid Boy/Girl avatar with barely any diverseness to whoever you select. What I think Level 5 should've done was actually build a story arc around them throughout the three main games. Yo-kai Watch 4 could be what it amounted to.
Anyway, Yo-kai Watch 1 could just barely set the story for YW2, where the plot really thickens with the Nathinal/Kenny storyline. Like, really change the story with those two other than being character swaps. Lastly, for YW3, make Katie the main character with Hailey Ann being the one she befriends in Japan. Nate can have his adventures with Buck in BBQ. That way, the series won't feel so lop-sided with Nate being main character in all 3 games. Plus, it would prolly mean Japanese fans won't get as annoyed with Hailey Ann.
It's always been a sore spot for me that the series had these two in so much material. But didn't even try to flesh them out or give them much personality. Anything to make it worth following them for 4 games. Some thoughts?
Granblue Fantasy Relink came & went when it released. But this massive expansion is the shot in the arm it needs! More characters, quest, bosses, & frickin cross-play! Cygames really giving it their all with this one. And with only a week of waiting left, I see a lot of players jumping back on. Hell, I see players jumping back on right now. So, how many of you plan on playing when it releases? Because, trust me, this one has effort put into it.
I know it's a contentious topic, but how would you rank every anime series based on their use of the characters from the games? How well did each do in terms of utilizing the game characters? From their screentime, characterization, story arcs, battles, Pokémon, etc. Things like that. Be reasonable in your ranking.
I know there's more, but these are JRPGs that popped into my head when concerning modern remaster needs. Despite the outcry, these JRPGs still lack one. I mean, they all still preserve an enduring legacy across the JRPG community. Either critically and/or commercially. There's also been a demand to get these remade, but a remaster is more likely. Anyway, name popular JRPGs that still don't have a modern remaster.
I've noticed in the last couple of years that we've gotten an insurgence of longer anime seasons along with more new seasons being confirmed. Not complaining this is great. Always nice when something you enjoy last longer. I mean, aside from the typical popular shonen or seinen, longer seasons among anime series of different genres are rare. Usually being only 12 episodes long & not much after. But in recent years, we've been seeing way more anime having longer run or new seasons being greenlit. Like last year, I've seen some slice-of-life or romcom last like 26 episodes. Or this year when a slew of anime has gotten a new season confirmed right after or shortly after the first. Then there's some seasons lasting 14 episodes! That's like unheard of. I guess anime studios are realizing it's better to just keep adapting IPs while heats still there. Overall, it's glorious seeing so much good anime maintaining traction. Your thoughts on these developments?
I say that because it must be true. I've had this on my mind for a while. We are nearing a half-decade since the release of Tales of Arise. But not so much as a teaser! I know some are a bit hyped for the Eternia Remaster, but what about the next game? I mean, the high-end dev time for a AAA RPG is 5-7 years. So, all this time & still no word must mean this must a really impressive new entry.
Moreover, think about it. Arise development started right after Berseria released but it took only 3 years for some gameplay reveal (June 2019). And another two years after that. With it being very unlikely for the next game releasing this year, means we're likely getting it early next year. 5 years & several months. But this time without any major development problems like COVID.
Furthermore, it's also unlikely Bandai Namco will have made this on a different game engine. The engine for Arise is just fine. Plus, they'll prolly made this for less consoles than Arise. A few tweaks & optimization choices will do.
What I'm saying is; everything should fall into place for this next game. I know people complain about Persona 6 taking too long but Persona always has a seal of high quality with every modern entry. Whereas for Tales, it's 20-20. Tales of Arise took five years to make & had much against it. For whatever this next entry is, things should go a lot smoother. I'm really hoping it's not another Code Vein II situation where the wait was not worth it. Show Studio 3 has used their time wisely.
Seasonal rot is very much real in entertainment, but it's relatively rare among anime. However, Yo-kai Watch of those rare examples, the Keita anime specifically. The anime helped the short-term success of the franchise but in the long run, it actually damaged it more. The anime really suffered by going on too long. I mean, I made a whole post as to why that is.
Conversely, this is not an unpopular opinion. A majority of the fandom says season 3 is where it truly went downhill for the franchise. Level 5's massively overestimated Yo-kai Watch's staying power. The anime going on for as long as it did hurt the franchise's legacy & I won't pretend otherwise. Look up the definition of "seasonal rot" and Yo-kai Watch fits the description. Characters being bland or overexaggerated. Gags becoming tiring. The charm is just drained.
The anime had a solid start, but the concept slowly decayed after a while. Quality control was not high priority with Level 5. Deeply sad how a series that was once called the "Pokémon Killer" is now considered THE modern generational fumble. Your thoughts?
Apart from Marin & Wakana, who do you think is the most likeable character in the series?
Elves are a staple in the Isekai genre (or fantasy in general). I think Raniya & Azir are underappreciated for going past the usual pitfalls. Where most get it wrong is one of the most commonly known things about elves: the age gap.
Not unheard of the Elf & their love interest being decades apart, sometimes the Elf being a few hundred. But this series found an in-universe workaround that. Elves only live slightly longer than humans in this world. It helps that they actually have development. They've known each other since childhood & their families are on good standings. Not the typical "Elf falls in love with them after a week." thing most isekai do.
Anyone who's read the manga knows how far this relationship goes. This ain't no romance the author shoves in a closet. There's dedication in this. Some fans even saying it's their favorite couple. Either way, I don't think this romance gets enough credit for what it does.
With another release of the Final Fantasy X remaster duology, I've been thinking about SE RPGs that have no remasters. I know there's a demand, but I can understand why these games haven't gotten remasters yet. A multitude of reasons really. They played on a specifically designed game engine. Some sold below expectations. Or their reputations don't make them priority. Not saying they'll never get them but they're just not on the way soon. Any Square Enix games you can understand why they don't have remasters yet?
I mean, even back in the 90s, chosen ones & prophecies were overplayed tropes. So, was the Prequel Trilogy including these tropes into lore a good idea? Was Anakin being made an even bigger deal for the Star Wars universe make his fall more apropos. Or do prefer if he was some special Jedi but not too special? For many, "Bringing Balance to the Force" is still super-vague. So having that as part of the Prophecy is also kind of iffy. But what's your take on the whole Chosen One angle the Prequels crowbarred into franchise?
We all know the detractor of the series; oversaturation. But another detractor from it is how much of it doesn't hold up. I mean, it's mainly a 2010s series & a lot of things from that decade haven't aged well. I realized there are a few things from the franchise that aged poorly:
These are what I can name off the top of my head. I know the series has rabid defenders, but there are things about it that modern kids would just scoff at. Can you name anything about the series that doesn't hold up that well?
The mid-2010s were undoubtedly the best era for Transformers games. And yet Activision & Hasbro seem to be intentionally ignoring the current gen. I know Transformers isn't the cash cow like it used to be, but it still makes bank. So why are all of them delisted from current game hardware? I mean, are the games engines they're on that incompatible for what's around. Or is it simply a licensing issue? I'm assuming the latter because - Activision. Either way, these games ruled & still do. So sad how we'll probably won't be getting anything like them soon. Your thoughts?
Not even beat but killed! By Arin. Granted, it doesn't come out of nowhere but still. That small vat of magic was enough to kill Thunderfang completely. Like it was his kryptonite. He's not everyone's favorite villain, but at let it weaken him so he can retreat not just kill him. I mean, he comes back anyway. What I'm saying is; was killed too simply. If this the 11-minute era. I'd question it more. Your thoughts on Thunderfang getting murked this simply?
The liberal term being "Messiah Complex". I was surprised to learn this was a recurring theme in the series because every major faction leader has something akin to it. For those of you who don't this complex is a compulsive urge to help or protect others. It does stem from good intentions but in actuality, it's proven more harmful than not. It often crosses boundaries and the individual in question prioritizes validation or control over being helpful.
Which embodies these three to a tee. All of them sought to make the world a better place, but through their own extremist means. Each are seated in bad past experiences. Coincidentally, all three use great swords. Anyway, who had the bigger Savior Complex of these three?
With the end of this season around the corner, it's pretty much the best time to list my favorite new anime of Spring 2026 & the rating I give them.
Here's the remaining order of my Spring 2026 ranking & their ratings:
This was hard, I mean REALLY hard. I mulled this over for hours. And this was the result. Juggling this much anime in one season along with earlier ones I'm trying to finish. Fun watching them, not so much ranking them. But overall, this was my Spring 2026 review. Any comments?
If y'all know anything about the SPY X FAMILY series, you know these are interesting voice castings.
From what we've seen so far, they're at least attempting to build a story around him. I mean, the first trailers make it clear that there's some narrative involved for Ten. We all argree the first Yo-kai Watch doesn't really have story. It all is merely more of a carrier for the gameplay & world. And the fact that there is only one named protagonist means it's going to be a more rigidly defined story. Which I'm all for.
Level 5 has the capacity to make compelling stories & characters. Look at Ni No Kuni, Dragon Quest VIII, or Megaton Musashi W. It doesn't have a story that's in your face but at least make it that it's a little gripping. It seems like they're building up Ten to be more of a character than Nate or Katie. Which shouldn't be hard. Neither ever felt engaging, just the bare minimum.
I just want Level to make him an actual character with the faintest of development or an arc. Don't have his design being literally the only thing memorable about him. Less style, more substance please. Anyone else.