I want to try something different to encourage more engagement on this community. Let's share what we're reading and watching this month! Whether you're one or one hundred chapters/episodes deep, whether you love it or hate it, whether it's a new series or an old favorite, this is the place to share what comics and/or animation you've been consuming lately. Friendly reminder that this community is specifically for folks 30-years-old and up; you can still participate in this discussion if you're younger than that, but please mark your comments with "under 30." Thanks!

To all who've stumbled across this new community, welcome! To kick things off I wanted to elaborate a little on why I think there's a need for a community specifically for older fans of animation and comics. It's a long explanation and not required reading to participate here by any means, but for those who might have questions I hope this clears things up a bit. --------------------------------- Here are the four main issues I've encountered as an over-30 fan of animation and comics (especially when it comes to searching for new series to read/watch) that prompted the creation of this community: **1) Age-appropriateness (in reverse)**: Usually when people talk about whether media is "age-appropriate" they're referring to if it's something too mature for younger audiences. However this is actually a two-way street: sexual content involving younger characters (especially minors) that feels "fine" to watch as a teenager can feel skeevy and uncomfortable to watch when you're significantly older than the characters in question. When I first got into anime as a straight teenage girl, I was quickly desensitized to "fan service" (aka sexualization of female characters, many of whom were minors): the panty shots and bouncing DD-boob close-ups present in so many series were neither titillating nor interesting to me, so I tuned them out. Even as I got older the presence of naked/partially dressed female minors didn't bother me: after all I had seen my own body plenty of times, and the naked bodies of lots of other women young and old in changing rooms, bath houses (I used to live in Japan), etc. However I recognized this blind spot regarding (female) nudity in media after realizing my husband did not feel the same way: there were certain shows that I thought we enjoyed watching together that he would suddenly refuse to continue watching because, to paraphrase: "they keep showing the characters in their underwear; aren't those girls supposed to be 14!? Of course I'm not going to be comfortable watching that." Now it's one thing to feature context-appropriate nudity: I think it's excessively prudish to take offense at the bathing scene in *My Neighbor Totoro* for instance (the scene is realistic to Japanese culture, plot-relevant, and not the least bit sexual). But the oh-too-common anime trope of the onsen episode where the girls in the women's bath are playfully fondling each other and commenting on each others' chest sizes? That's just gratuitous (and as a frequent onsen-goer I can confirm: straight-up fantasy). **2) Content of interest**: People of different ages will of course be interested in different content. Just like I'd expect most 10-year-olds to be bored by both *Teletubbies* and by *The West Wing* (albeit for opposing reasons), I'd similarly expect most adults to be bored by the latest shonen action or high school romance series. Many times I've heard on the internet about a series that's a "10/10 awesome, dark, philosophical masterpiece," but when I check it out I'm completely underwhelmed by its I'm-14-and-this-is-deep content and wonder why the heck it came so highly rated... until I realize the person raving about it probably *was* 14 and *did* find it deep. A few years back I got a lot of crap for saying I liked *The Legend of Korra* better than *Avatar the Last Airbender,* until I explained that while yes, ATLA is objectively a better series, as an adult I wasn't that interested in watching the ATLA cast deal with their pre-teen issues, and found the cast of Korra overall more relatable and the sub-plots more interesting (I still felt like I was watching a kid's show, but at least it was an older kid's show). Similarly there are a lot of great manga and graphic novels that completely fly under the radar because they don't appeal to the average teen/young adult demographic. What 15-year-old wants to read about a 42-year-old office worker who quits his job to take over the family radish farm after his father suddenly passes away? (But I do! Seriously though for a traditionally agrarian society you'd think there would be more agriculture manga out there. Plenty of cooking manga though...) **3) Overexposure to tropes**: Many westerners (myself included) got into anime and manga because it was *different* than what we were used to. Whether it was the art style, the premises or plots, the archetypes or settings, there was appeal in the inherent novelty of the medium. Similarly I've heard from folks in East Asia that they enjoy western media for the same reason: it's different than what they grew up with. While this is perhaps less true nowadays—thanks in part to the exchange of cultures that has created cartoon-like anime, anime-like cartoons, and collaborations like *Edgerunners* and *Scott Pilgrim*—the core concept is the same: people find it interesting when a series does something they've never seen before. The reverse is perhaps even more true: generally audiences are going to be bored by media that feels overdone, trite, tropey, been-there-seen-that. "Marvel fatigue" and "isekai fatigue" are recent examples of this phenomenon (for me personally, it's "you'd better swear on the life of your first-born that it's an A+ genre-inverting masterpiece work before I check out yet another 'I woke up as a noble from a novel I read with a vaguely 19th-century fantasy Europe setting' webcomic recommendation). Alas there are only so many stories that can be told, and the older you get and the more media you're exposed to the harder it becomes to find something that feels truly fresh and exciting. More and more as you age new series come out that in theory should be right up your alley... except you've already seen series just like it many times before. "Oh, so it's basically X-Men," "oh, so it's basically Naruto," "oh, so it's basically Harry Potter," "oh, so it's basically Love Hina." Maybe this déjà vu sensation isn't so bad the first few times, but after a certain point the tropes become downright painful. To be clear, this phenomenon of recognizing similarities and repeating patterns in art isn't always a bad thing: the "hero quest" is a well-trodden format for good reason, the montage is a convenient shorthand for a long period of activity condensed into a few moments, and what good is a parody if you're not familiar with the material being lampooned? Genre-subversion too relies heavily on familiarity with an overdone concept: it's the unique twist, the betrayal of expectations that makes the premise novel and interesting. Sometimes this novelty can even overcome the issue raised in point #2 above: "this looks like a series for kids/teens, but it appears that they're exploring something new and different so I'll check it out" (example: *Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse* utilized a jaw-dropping art style, while also exploring a Spider-Man—actually numerous Spider-People!—beyond the standard Peter Parker). Unfortunately genre-subversion only really works the first time it's done; going back to my previous example, "I'm reincarnated in a fantasy romance novel, *but as the villain!?!1*" has become even more of a trope than being reincarnated as the heroine. **4) Finding common ground across generations**: This is a bit of a bonus purpose for creating this community. Maybe you, community visitor, are still young and squarely in the target demographic for most animation and comics, but you want to find series to recommend to older friends/family to either enjoy together or share your love of the medium. However since you're not old and experienced enough to recognize what's fresh and what's overdone, what's relevant to older audiences and what's no longer relatable, or even what's skeevy and age-inappropriate, identifying series that would be good to share is a bit of a crapshoot. I know when I was a teenager and getting into anime and manga I wanted to share my new passion with my family, but the adults almost always seemed bored or put-off by the stuff I showed them. Looking back now I totally get why my mom wasn't interested in that ten-volume middle-school romance-drama manga I gave her to read, or why my dad didn't seem impressed by the cool fight scenes in the hottest new shonen (he'd seen every action movie of the 80s, after all!). Hopefully this community can give younger visitors some hints as to what to share and what to avoid when crossing the generational boundary. Put these four issues together, and I think there's value in a "for older fans by older fans" animation and comics community on Lemmy. To be clear, this is not intended as an exercise in gatekeeping, hating on younger fans, or disparaging new media as lesser than the classics (let's be real, a lot of what we grew up with was straight garbage). Rather, it's about continuing to find entertainment and enjoyment in drawn and animated media at any age, and connecting with peers who are also part of what is essentially a niche subgroup of the larger fandom. ----------------------- What do you all think: does this resonate with your experiences as an older fan? Are there other reasons that you think there's value in a 30+ animation/comics community?

www.webtoons.com

Title: Hell of a Romance (Original: 불지옥 로맨스, 불地獄) Type: Webcomic Year: 2023-2024 Country: South Korea Genre: Slice of Life/Romance/Fantasy Status: Completed Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/fantasy/hell-of-a-romance/list?title_no=5470)) Appropriate for 30+?: Yes My rating: 3/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ----------------------------------------------- Contrary to what its title suggests, *Hell of a Romance* is a cute, wholesome slice of life series. Yes there is a romance story in there, but it takes a back seat for 90% of the series to the slice of life elements: at its core this is a story about two failures teaming up in an attempt to create a hit webcomic. While nothing about this series stood out to me as a must-read, it's a great choice for when you're in need of a lighthearted pick-me-up or a low-stakes read before bed. The art is basic but distinctive, the pacing is decent (I hated the frequent use of cliffhangers, which made no sense given the general lack of action, but I thought overall pacing was fine and the series length was appropriate), the characters are charming enough, and there's just enough plot to keep the series interesting (although maybe not bingeable). I really liked the portrayal of hell, and while a bit of a cliche, I found the use of the angelic demon and demonic angel trope a good fit for the premise. There aren't quite enough jokes to call the series a comedy, but there are a decent number of amusing moments sprinkled in. All the characters appear and act like adults in their 20s-30s, and there's nothing I noted that would be a particular turn-off to older readers. A relatively short series, *Hell of a Romance* is a great pick for when you want an easy, comforting read that's a bit more engaging than your standard slice of life, thanks to the supernatural premise. --------------------------------------------- As with all my reviews, the above is nothing more than my personal opinion. Have you read this series? What did you think? Post in the comments!

www.webtoons.com

Title: Lore Olympus Type: Webcomic Year: 2018-2024 Country: New Zealand Genre: Drama/romance/fantasy Status: Completed Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/romance/lore-olympus/list?title_no=1320)) Appropriate for 30+?: Yes My rating: 4.5/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ------------------------------------------------------- *Lore Olympus* is one of the best-known and popular Webtoons, and it 100% deserves that distinction. There's so much that's fresh and unique about the series while also having a lot of classic elements. For the uninitiated, *Lore Olympus* is a retelling of ancient Greek myths in a hybrid 21st century/ancient Greek setting. Webtoons bills it as a romance, however I call it a drama because there is so much going on beyond the romance plot: action, political scheming, revenge, trauma recovery, familial relationships, independence and interdependence... The art style is bold, stylish, unique, and very aesthetically pleasing. The characters are fresh and interesting, drawing heavily from ancient myth mixed with more contemporary traits and personalities. The overall fusion of ancient and contemporary is fantastic; the entire series is full of little details pulled from old myths, right up to the end. The plot is engaging, and the pacing is mostly consistent. The main cast is huge, the supporting cast even bigger, and they all get fleshed-out personalities and storylines, and most undergo significant character development. Even though much of what happens in *Lore Olympus* was composed thousands of years ago, I didn't feel like the plot directed the characters, rather the characters drive the plot. For how much happens in this series, it's all surprisingly well organized and balanced. Yet a surreal, dreamy tone persists through the series, beautifully complementing the serious plot elements. This webcomic really utilizes its medium well. I think *Lore Olympus* gathered some hate during its third season that I completely chalk up to the weekly release format. Readers complained that the plot wasn't moving as quickly as they wanted, which I attribute to readers' expecting the exciting pace from the previous arc's climax to continue (which would be bad storytelling) as well as frustration from fast-pass readers that they weren't "getting our money's worth" out of each chapter. I binged the series instead of reading it weekly, and thought the pacing perhaps got a tad slower than it should have during season three, but the story was clearly progressing and at a fairly consistent pace and wrapped up well. There are plenty of Webtoons where the story pace grinds to a halt or starts flailing as the author runs out of ideas while their editors push them to artificially extend their golden goose, but *Lore Olympus* isn't one of them. I've also seen some hate around how some of the characters and/or relationships are handled, which I think a full read of the series combined with researching the original myths would generally dispel. In my opinion, *Lore Olympus* does a fantastic job maneuvering around the elements of Greek mythology we'd consider especially tasteless today (such as the incest), and given that the original myth is literally called "the rape of Persephone," I think the author's renditions of myth to better appeal to 21st century tastes is brilliant (from non-consensual encounters to giant age gaps). Mild spoiler: ::: spoiler spoiler Persephone herself grows tremendously as a character, from an example of the immature, "born sexy yesterday" trope to an empowered woman. Her early-season naivete is fully explained by her upbringing and relationship with her mother, who herself has reasonable if somewhat misguided reasons for her parenting style. Season 3 is all about girl power, and I really enjoyed the subversion of typically male-centric mythology. ::: The characters span a wide range of ages, but generally look and act like young adults and middle-aged adults. The characters express both maturity and immaturity, and overall I think this is a series that older readers will greatly enjoy, especially as the older characters are introduced and take more prominence in the plot. *Lore Olympus* is a truly unique and well-made series that I would unreservedly recommend any fan of comics at least give a try. ----------------------------------- As with all my reviews, the above is nothing more than my personal opinion. Have you read this series? What did *you* think? Post in the comments!

en.wikipedia.org

Title: Train to the End of the World (English); 終末トレインどこへいく？(Japanese) Type: Anime Year: 2024 Country: Japan Genre: Surreal Status: Completed Platform: Crunchyroll (watch [here](https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GXJHM3GNX/train-to-the-end-of-the-world)) Appropriate for 30+?: No, but I (mostly) enjoyed it anyway My rating: 3.5/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ------------------------------------------------------- *Train to the End of the World* (TEW) is perhaps one of the worst "cute girls doing cute things" series I've ever watched, and yet it's probably the series I've enjoyed the most this year so far. Much like *Girls' Last Tour,* this is an entry into the "cute girls doing cute things, but in a dystopian setting" sub-sub genre that in theory hinges upon the bizarre juxtaposition of two seemingly incongruent elements. However unlike *Girls' Last Tour,* (or the currently-airing *Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction*), TEW probably would have benefited greatly from having literally any other cast of main characters. I thought the girls were really cliche, annoying, and forgettable, with painfully uninspired dialogue, and were regrettably-yet-unsurprisingly subject to a level of sexualization that would probably make most older audiences uncomfortable (nothing extraordinary, just the anime standard treatment of high school girls). Honestly I zoned out during most of the scenes involving the girls chatting amongst themselves, and I doubt I missed much plot at a result. Despite all this, the premise/setting/world building of TEW makes up for its flaws. Once the girls STFU, the show gets to show off its weird, fun, creepy side. This is a series that makes you go ah, this is what the animated medium is for: surreal nonsense that would require a buttload of fake-ass CGI to even attempt to portray in live action. I really like the tone of the series, which is generally upbeat but with an uneasy aftertaste that puts you on edge while never actually venturing into tragedy (as can happen with surreal/dystopian series, looking at you *Kaiba*). There's a good balance of exploration and action, with some decent comedy tossed in on occasion. Maybe I'm biased because my first trip to Japan, I spent a few weeks living at a guest house in Oizumi-Gakuen along the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line featured in this anime, and I'm a complete sucker for series that utilize real places (and TEW has a whole train line of them). Regardless I absolutely loved the premise of riding a train through a vast, unknown land of magic and horror, stopping at each station to learn what became of various previously-sleepy commuter towns in bizarro-Tokyo, intensity growing the closer you get to the city-within-a-city of Ikebukuro. TEW is a bit like *Kino's Journey*, but with socio-political commentary replaced with the train scene in *Spirited Away* albeit with more menacing vibes. In summary, TEW is weird and atmospheric and I am here for it, despite the obnoxious (and occasionally uncomfortably-portrayed) main cast of cliche anime high school girls. Perhaps the creators didn't quite nail what they set out to do, but I couldn't help but really appreciate the attempt. ----------------------------------- As with all my reviews, the above is nothing more than my personal opinion. Have you read this series? What did *you* think? Post in the comments!

www.webtoons.com

Title: Nonesuch Type: Webcomic Year: 2022-2024 Country: United States (?) Genre: Thriller Status: Completed Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/mystery/nonesuch/list?title_no=3606)) Appropriate for 30+?: Yes My rating: 3.5/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ------------------------------------------------------- If you're like me with decades of comic reading under your belt, you're likely on the hunt for series that have something a little different to offer, and *Nonesuch* delivers. While a bit rough in spots, *Nonesuch* is a solid series, with good pacing, an engaging plot, and quite a bit of novelty, plus it's short enough that you could complete it in one or two sittings. First, the novelty: this series is set in rural Appalachia and that''s not just an aesthetic; the characters are gun-toting, Christ-loving, red-blooded Americans. To each point: I know jack-all about guns, however my impression is that the series portrays them accurately. In the creator notes at the end, the author mentions that her intent was to create a "Christian" series, which I think is quite interesting given that I spent most of the series wondering if the Christian elements were supposed to be dismissive of the religion or not (in other words there's nothing preachy about *Nonesuch*, and the inclusion of Christianity definitely adds quite a bit of realism to a series set in the Bible Belt). Overall I really felt the setting in this series, which is a huge breath of fresh air not only in the world of comics, but American media overall (which are very California/NYC-centric). Further bits of novelty: the art style, while not my favorite, is bold and distinctive. The plot/premise share vibes with various horror/thriller/mystery series (strong zombie and *X-Files* notes), but regarding the specifics I can't think of any examples that are similar. Probably my favorite aspect of the series is that one of the main characters not only has a disability, but it's a rare (yet real) condition that most readers probably haven't heard of, *and* it's an invisible disability, *and* it's integral to both the plot and character development. I'm assuming the author has personal experience with the condition, because it's handled with significantly more understanding and gravitas than nearly all depictions of disability/non-lethal health conditions in media. The rough edges: while distinctive, the art style feels a bit clunky at times, with occasional bad anatomy and a limited range of facial expressions (I get that none of the characters are having a good time, but does "grimace" have to be everyone's default expression?). The series also does the thing where the characters often make reckless decisions that, while perhaps justified by the situation they are in, are nonetheless frustrating for the audience to witness (and indeed, often lead to completely preventable bad things happening). I think one other misstep happens when the characters discover what's causing the supernatural situation they're in (minor spoiler): ::: spoiler spoiler I found the explanation given for the clones, the mint, and the trapped space unconvincing and unsatisfying. It's a really hard line to walk in series like this, between explaining the supernatural happenings and leaving some things dangling. There's a bit of a midi-chlorian phenomenon going on, where knowing exactly how the magic works kills the suspension of disbelief, especially when you try to use hard science to explain something blatantly supernatural. In the case of *Nonesuch*, the explanation tried to be highly scientific, but came off as total bullshit (at least to me and my personal level of scientific understanding; maybe a subject matter expert would differ). ::: Of the three main characters, two are in their mid-twenties and the third is middle-aged. Everyone acts their ages, for better or worse (the younger two can be a little grating with their inexperience/immaturity in various things, including their relationship with each other). Other than this, there's nothing in the series that would turn off an older reader. ----------------------------------- As with all my reviews, the above is nothing more than my personal opinion. Have you read this series? What did *you* think? Post in the comments!

www.webtoons.com

Title: 1HP Club Type: Webcomic Year: 2022-? Country: Unknown (comic published in English) Genre: Dungeons & Dragons (fantasy/action/adventure/slice-of-life/comedy) Status: Ongoing (review as of chapter 130) Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/fantasy/1hp-club/list?title_no=2960)) Appropriate for 30+?: Yes My rating: 4/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ------------------------------------------------------- *1HP Club* is a webcomic series about a group of adults playing Dungeons & Dragons. That's it, that's the premise. However due to a combination of eye-candy art, rapid pacing, engaging action scenes, and interesting characters, *1HP Club* actually manages to be a surprisingly fun and easy read. There are a number of works out there that take place in the D&D (or similar) universe, ranging from the live-action *Dungeons & Dragons: Honor among Thieves*, the animated *The Legend of Vox Machina*, and webcomics like *The Weekly Role*. However *1HP Club* takes the approach of primarily taking place in the D&D universe but occasionally pulling back to a (also fictional) table-top setting. In my opinion this dual-setting is handled quite well and overcomes the issues frequently inherent to D&D fiction that primarily focus on one or the other: bouncing between table-top and in-game action helps facilitate good pacing and avoids "downtime" in both settings, helps ease the issue of "suspension of disbelief" (because not only is it "just a story," it's "just a story within a story"), and adds padding to character development (because every character also has a character playing them). Do you need prior knowledge of D&D for this series to make sense? Not necessarily, but without at least some basic knowledge of game mechanics and/or general tabletop gaming experience readers are likely to miss at least a few references, plot points, or jokes; the series isn't quite a parody, but it does assume prior D&D knowledge. However even the completely uninitiated may still find the action/adventure plot and eye-candy art to be more than sufficient to enjoy the series. On the topic of art, I really like how it's handled: both the table-top and in-game settings done in a colorful and aesthetically-pleasing style, but the table-top characters look more like normal people while the in-game characters are more attractive with some occasional mild cheesecake (interestingly of the male characters only, which is strangely refreshing given that nearly all non-romance fantasy series are more about sexualizing their female characters). Ages of the table-top characters and in-game characters aren't mentioned, but they act and look to be in the 20s-30s range. There's no content "objectionable" to older readers, and while zany antics abound, they're thankfully of the standard D&D/role-playing variety. It shouldn't take more than the first ten chapters or so to figure out if this is a series you'll enjoy or not, and with each chapter being about a one-minute read, why not give *1HP Club* a try? ----------------------------------- As with all my reviews, the above is nothing more than my personal opinion. Have you read this series? What did *you* think? Post in the comments!

Featured: *Revolutionary Girl Utena* (Shoujo Kakumei Utena / 少女革命ウテナ), a manga and anime series from the 1990s with a bisexual, gender-queer protagonist and an equally 🏳️‍🌈 colorful 🏳️‍🌈 cast of supporting characters.

www.webtoons.com

Title: Live with Yourself! Type: Webcomic Year: 2016-2024 Country: United States Genre: Comedy/Sitcom/Sci-Fi Status: Completed Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/comedy/live-with-yourself/list?title_no=919)) Appropriate for 30+?: Yes My rating: 3.5/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ----------------------------- *Live with Yourself!* (LWY) is one of those many-genres-in-one series: mostly a comedy, but with a sci-fi premise, a sitcom style, and plot-lines that vary from action to slice-of-life to romance to drama. The plot is organized with one large over-arching plot that lasts all 545 chapters, and lots of tiny sub-plots, some of which only last a few chapters, some of which pop in and out every few dozen chapters, and some chapters are standalone one-shots. In other words, this series is kind of all over the place, but in a mostly good way. Like most semi-episodic series, some plotlines/chapters are way superior to others and you'll encounter a few duds along the way, but fortunately the chapters are so short that even during its lowest points *LWY* typically doesn't take more than a few minutes of reading before it picks up again. For a mostly fluffy, goofy series, the premise and plotlines can be somewhat heavy: after interacting with a mysterious machine, the protagonist, 20-something-year-old Todd, accidentally becomes four versions of himself (Todd the baby, Todd of today, Todd of tomorrow, and Todd the old man) and is thus forced to "live with [him]self." While he tries to continue life as normally as he can while dealing with constant time paradoxes and shenanigans, he encounters a variety of other supernatural and weird individuals and experiences, culminating in "Time City," a place outside of time that regulates and polices time anomalies (such as himself). However don't expect hard-core sci-fi out of *LWY*: the rules of comedy prevail, and when your entire premise is based in a paradox, it's easy to make logic take a backseat as needed for the plot or a joke. *LWY* is a fun, albeit somewhat forgettable, easy-read series. Most sub-plots are only a few chapters long, and the chapters only take a minute or so to read. There aren't a lot of laugh-out-loud jokes (this is more an "amusing" comedy series than a "funny" comedy series), and the goofiness factor can sometimes get out of hand, but if nothing else, *LWY* is *unique* and generally engaging. It's a doozy to try and marathon, but fortunately its episodic nature makes it an easy series to pick up and read a few chapters here and there whenever you have downtime but don't want to get into anything too engrossing (like on a work commute, or when you're stuck on hold). The characters are a mixed bag: Todd is IMO a bit too much of a typical "white guy nerd" in that he is techy, likes video games, is a bit of a bumbling idiot when it comes to "adulting," is slightly socially awkward, and... that's about it. This primary character blandness can pull the series down a bit at times (especially given that it's a sitcom/ensemble series, and a full quarter of the ensemble--baby Todd--has basically no personality at all), but fortunately as the series progresses more characters are added to help add substance (even though most of them are also pretty two-dimensional). *LWY* is a bit like the old days of newspaper comics: not a lot of depth (except in occasional small chunks), but that's not what you're here for anyway. There's not anything in *LWY* in particular to attract or repulse the 30+ crowd, except that Todd can be annoyingly immature at times. While far from groundbreaking, *LWY* is amusing, easily digested, generally upbeat, and definitely different. I found it lagged a bit somewhere around/after chapter 400, but it picks right back up around chapter 500 for a solid, albeit slightly abrupt, ending. While a bit lacking in substance and subject to quality variations, its fun nature that isn't afraid to play around with its paradoxical premise and try different things throughout the series makes *Live with Yourself!* a (mostly) worthwhile read. ----------------------------- As always, this review is nothing more than my personal opinion. Anyone familiar with this work is encouraged to express their own in the comment section. Or submit your own review… it’s a free ~~country~~ fediverse.

en.wikipedia.org

Title: One Room of Happiness (Original Title: 幸色のワンルーム) Type: Manga Year: 2017-2022 Country: Japan Genre: Drama/Psychological Status: Completed Platform: Licensed by Crunchyroll (license discontinued?) Appropriate for 30+?: Yes My rating: 4/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ------------------------------------- Warning: *One Room of Happiness* contains difficult subject matter such as suicide, abuse, and rape. Many of the characters are or have been victims of abuse, and as such this series has multiple scenes and chapters that can only be described as "emotionally unpleasant." However the series also has many "warm and fuzzy" moments, and while there is tension that things could suddenly go horribly wrong underlying much of the series, this is balanced with joy and hope. In this way the series shares a lot of thematic and tone overlap with *Oyasumi Punpun*. Given that *Oyasumi Punpun* is an infamous emotional trainwreck of a series, and given that the premise and initial chapters of *One Room of Happiness* send off super-skeevy vibes, here's a mild spoiler about just how bad *One Room of Happiness* gets: ::: spoiler spoiler The ending of *One Room of Happiness* is bittersweet: nowhere near as devastating as *Oyasumi Punpun*, but certainly not a fully happy ending either. The "kidnapper" does not attempt anything untoward toward the "kidnapped;" their relationship is generally wholesome, albeit in a fucked-up way. However rape-attempt scenes involving other characters do occur on two occasions in the series. ::: The core of the series is in its character study of abused individuals dealing with trauma, and the character development that comes with working through it and connecting with others also scarred by abuse. The plot is fairly engaging, and there's some cat-and-mouse as the "kidnapper and kidnapped" try to evade the police. The art, pacing, and dialogue are all quite good. Because one of the core themes of the series is recovering from trauma, the series is overall more wholesome, heartwarming, and uplifting than most "psychological" series, which depending on the series can border on torture porn. IANAP (I am not a psychologist), however I left *One Room of Happiness* feeling like the difficult subjects handled in this series were done respectfully, gracefully, and at least somewhat realistically. The two main characters are on the younger side (14 and early/mid-twenties), however the subject matter is mature and, likely due to their trauma, the characters act mature for their age. The series's overall quality is high, and the "turn-offs for older audiences" that I try to watch for with these reviews are basically absent. As long as you are prepared for the heavy subject matter and can get through some of the more questionable content/vibes of the early chapters (including one chapter with non-sexualized 14yo nudity), I think this series is both appropriate and enjoyable for older audiences. ------------------------- As always, this review is nothing more than my personal opinion. Anyone familiar with this work is encouraged to express their own in the comment section. Or submit your own review… it’s a free ~~country~~ fediverse.

www.webtoons.com

Title: Clinic of Horrors Type: Webcomic Year: 2021-? Country: It's complicated (distributed team; comic's original language is English) Genre: Horror/Comedy/Dystopia/Sci-Fi Status: Ongoing (review as of chapter #116) Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/supernatural/clinic-of-horrors/list?title_no=3414)) Appropriate for 30+?: Maybe My rating: 2.5/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ---------------------------- The early chapters of *Clinic of Horrors* are real rough. The dialogue is so clunky the comic reads like a mediocre fan translation of an East Asian series, the comedy element is weak, the bizarre setting (while intriguing) is barely explored, the art is bright and snazzy but anatomically questionable and lacking in details, and there's no character development or plot to speak of (the format is monster-of-the-week, but with each chapter only being a few panels long each concept is introduced then resolved in the blink of an eye, like if *Black Mirror* tried to make TikTok shorts). Fortunately the series improves dramatically as it progresses, especially once the chapters get longer, more is revealed about the setting, and an overarching plot kicks in. Unfortunately the progression is only enough to drag the series out of "not good" to "just okay albeit with potential." There's a definite attempt to tell a dark dystopian, anti-capitalist/anti-monopolist sci-fi tale, but unfortunately the quality is still a bit lacking. While there are some interesting ideas being played with, none of them are all that original, and while this particular concoction of concepts is perhaps unique, each individual dystopian/horror/sci-fi concept has already been explored much better in other works. For example there's a plotline about a fungus that is taking over people's bodies, effectively killing and turning them into zombies, to create a mycorrhizal network of sorts; this is an interesting enough premise except that it was resolved when the protagonist dumps a handful of antibacterial vaccine vials into the water supply and triggers the sprinkler system (which is... incorrect on so many fronts). If the art were truly bad (like, early chapters of *Tower of God*-bad) I doubt *Clinic of Horrors* would have ever gotten off the ground, because the other aspects of the series are definitely not good enough to carry the series. However, that's not to say *Clinic of Horrors* is completely without merit. If you're looking for a bubblegum series with bright and colorful art, short and easily-digestible chapters, and a mildly-creepy pop-sci-fi setting, this series isn't a bad way to burn an hour or so (the chapters, especially at the beginning, are really short, so even at over a hundred chapters you should be able to blow through the whole series in one sitting). There's nothing in particular that stood out to me as "older audiences won't enjoy this" other than the series's general mediocrity. Because it is so short and such easy reading, I'll probably stick with the series and hope that it continues to improve. -------------------------------------- As always, this review is nothing more than my personal opinion. Anyone familiar with this work is encouraged to express their own in the comment section. Or submit your own review… it’s a free ~~country~~ fediverse.

en.wikipedia.org

Title: Heaven's Design Team (original: 天地創造デザイン部) Type: Anime TV Year: 2021 Country: Japan Genre: Comedy/Educational Status: Completed Platform: Crunchyroll (watch [here](https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G0XHWMV4G/heavens-design-team)) Appropriate for 30+?: Yes My rating: 4/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) -------------------------------------------------------- The greatest irony of *Heaven's Design Team* is that a series about creationism is actually one of the best science anime out there (not that there's a lot of competition). While some elements of the show would undoubtedly make many biologists squirm (for instance, the show's premise inevitably leads the series to portray evolution as intentional rather than incidental), however if you're willing to brush off certain scientific inaccuracies as a consequence of artistic liberty, this is a really fun, mildly-educational show. The premise of *Heaven's Design Team* is simple: God burned out when having to create Earth and everything that lives there, so He outsourced the work to a team of designers (the main cast). Most episodes revolve around the design team receiving a specific request from God for a new animal (like "an animal with bones as weapons" or "make more stripey animals") and then they walk through different possible ideas and why that would/would not work given physiological limits and environmental pressures. It becomes a bit of a puzzle show: can the viewer guess what real-world animal the design team is building up to? (Or for the more obscure animals: have you even heard of this species before?) Between the brainstorming and trial-and-error, there's a lot of failed designs along the way to a design that God deems "accepted," and IMO the most interesting part of the show is when they go into why certain designs failed and the tweaks necessary to get around it (for example: bigger eyes means better eyesight, but then the eyeballs take up so much room in the skull there's no room for the musculature necessary to move them, so the design team extends the animal's neck so it moves its head rather than its eyeballs). The show has very little objectionable material in it (a PG-rating at worst), and the deluge of "fun facts about animals" is reminiscent of kid-oriented nature shows (like *Wild Kratts*), however I think *Heaven's Design Team* has plenty of entertainment value for adults too. I consider myself quite well-educated on animals for a layperson, but most of the facts and many of the animals I had never heard about before, so there were plenty of surprises and much trivia learned. There's also a good dose of (G-rated) adult-oriented humor, mostly of the office workplace variety. Mostly though I think older audiences will appreciate the series's solid execution: the animation is bold and colorful, the dialogue is decent, the pacing is snappy (exceptionally so for a comedy anime), and the humor is on the gag side but the jokes usually land. While the characters are extremely two-dimensional and undergo minimal character development, that actually works in the show's favor, as it gives each animal designer a "style" that influences the creatures they create (whether they're more likely to come out cute, creepy, delicious, etc). While some topics of humor are used multiple times (e.g. "Tsuchiya/Saturn is obsessed with making everything into a horse!") on each occasion the reused humor was always presented with a fresh spin and never wore out over the series's 13 episode run (sadly rehashing the same tired joke over and over is par for the course in comedy anime, so this is impressive). I think the series goes a little off the rails at times in the last few episodes and gets extra goofy (although bonus episode 13 brings the series back to its roots), but even the weaker segments of the series are still very watchable. ----------------------------- As always, this review is nothing more than my personal opinion. Anyone familiar with this work is encouraged to express their own in the comment section. Or submit your own review… it’s a free ~~country~~ fediverse.

en.wikipedia.org

Title: An American Tail, and the sequel: An American Tail: Fievel Goes West Type: Western animated movie Year: 1986; 1991 Country: United States Genre: Kids/comedy/action Appropriate for 30+?: Unable to judge My rating: N/A ------------------------------------------- *Note: IMO it's impossible to give a piece of your childhood a fair review (nostalgia and dozens of rewatches heavily warp one's perception of a work), so I decided to go in a different direction from my typical reviews and focus on the rewatch experience instead.* *An American Tail: Fievel Goes West* (hereby: FGW) was one of my favorite movies as a young kid. I watched it so many times I could practically recite the dialogue from heart. After learning that it was actually a sequel I watched the original 1986 movie (hereby: AAT) once or twice, but didn't like it as much. I remember feeling that while the sequel was a laugh-a-minute romp with engaging action scenes, the original just wasn't as fun and was instead a bit of a downer with some scary/creepy moments (especially the climax when the cats attack and the Mouse of Minsk is released). Several decades since my last viewing, I decided to give the two movies a watch to see how they held up. I started with AAT and found it somewhat rougher around the edges than I expected, but still above-average for a kid's movie. I then watched FGW, and wowza I was not wrong as a child: the sequel is such an improvement on the original. It's the kind of sequel where they basically go through the plot of the original again with a different setting (ala *The Hangover*), but FGW is such a superior movie that it was more like watching a wildly successful reboot. The animation, soundtrack, pacing, dialogue, humor, and villains experience a huge improvement over the original. There is mild value in watching AAT first (as it explains a few confusing parts of FGW, like why Fievel is willing to risk his life for a hat, and why his father is confident he'll survive getting lost by himself in the desert), but 99% of FGW stands up on its own. One major difference between the two is that FGW is infinitely goofier, and is possibly one of the best examples of Looney Tunes-style slapstick humor out there. I haven't been a fan of slapstick this side of elementary school, and had I had been introduced to these movies as an adult this aspect might have put me off to the sequel, however whether through the power of nostalgia, quality choreography, or the fact that the slapstick is intertwined with other types of humor, I did not mind the slapstick segments much. Additionally, it was quite fun whenever a joke or bit of dialogue came along that made me go, "aha, I'm pretty sure I didn't catch that as a kid!" I know I didn't properly appreciate the performances of John Cleese and James Stewart! FGW runs at a mile-a-minute, and there's so much nonsensically-brilliant dialogue, tight choreography and cinematography, and easy-to-miss details that elevate the movie beyond just a kid-pleasing goofy romp. I walked away from this exercise in nostalgia relieved that AAT and FGW still hold up over 30 years later (there are some racial stereotypes in both that probably wouldn't pass muster today, but they're mild compared to the stuff from that era that *didn't* age well). I was impressed with how effortlessly AAT and FGW were able to portray "the American story" in a way easily digestible for young children while still including subtle real-life details (like the pogroms that pushed the Mousekewitz family out of then-Russia-now-Ukraine). I don't know if an adult watching the movies for the first time would enjoy them, but I definitely had a blast.

en.wikipedia.org

Title: Spy x Family Type: Anime TV Year: 2022-2023 (Seasons 1 & 2) Country: Japan Genre: Comedy with some thriller/action Status: Ongoing? (Movie forthcoming, and sequels likely) Platform: Crunchyroll (watch [here](https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G4PH0WXVJ/spy-x-family)) Appropriate for 30+?: Somewhat My rating: 3/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ------------------------------ Watching *Spy x Family* can feel like rolling a roulette wheel: is this week's episode going to be a spy thriller? A gorey action sequence? A goofy comedy of misunderstanding? A slice-of-life? A heartwarming tale of family? All of the above smooshed together? At its core, the series is a sitcom: the premise rests heavily on the unique traits of each cast member, so the plot almost always revolves around how those characters interact with each other and resolve a variety of situations that get thrown their way, usually in an humorous manner (so yeah, situational-comedy). The series' elevator pitch: because of circumstances, a super-spy undercover in enemy territory, a secret assassin, and a child psychic (and later a dog with precognition) form a fake family that slowly becomes real as they spend time with each other, while frantically keeping their secrets from each other. The series introduces various side characters, like the sis-con brother who covertly works for the secret police, who also have amusing traits that interact with the main cast in funny ways (that's the idea anyway). And sure, there are some funny scenes and moments that result from these interactions. But like most sitcoms, both character and plot development are horribly stifled by the fact that the entire series revolves around each character's set bio, and any change to that would disturb the series' delicate balance. This removes a lot of tension from any action scene or occasion where a character's identity might be found out, because we the audience know that any major plot development would spell the end of the series, thus encapsulating everything that happens in a thick layer of plot armor. It also results in repetitive situations (how many times can you joke about the sis-con brother's unhealthy obsession with his sister before it gets stale?) because there's only so much material to work with without changing the base dynamic, and as nothing can be taken seriously in a series with such a preposterous premise, the wacky-hijinks factor is quite high. It can feel like watching *Saturday Night Live*: some skits are haha-funny, some are heh-funny, and some are not funny at all (and feel like a drag to get through). There are some cute and hearwarming moments and I'd say that this was at least a turn-your-brain-off wholesome-comedy series, if it weren't for the sporadic fight scenes, which are sometimes "TV-Y7" levels of violent, and other times quite bloody. One of the difficulties with being a long-time fan of anime is that the cliches really start to wear on you after a while. While *Spy x Family* has some novelty to it, it also has jokes (so many jokes) about how the mother character's cooking is terrible to the point of inducing severe illness. Throw in the complete lack of character development among the 2-dimensional cast, multiple boring "skits" (there's an episode where the entire plot is two characters look for a lost cat and *surprise!* hijinks ensue, 'nuff said), lackluster plots revolving around the spy/thriller/action sequences (while there is a TON of room for political drama and nuance given the setting, the series is way too frivolous to include any), stir it all together and you get a series that's just okay. Despite all this I'm not surprised *Spy x Family* is a popular series; I'm sure I would have enjoyed it quite a bit had I watched it as a teenager, especially because anime has historically struggled with making comedy that's actually funny—part of this is the lost-in-translation factor, part of this is just the vast heaps of mediocrity out there—and *Spy x Family* is undeniably funnier-than-average when compared to other comedy anime. But it's not funny enough (or consistently funny enough) to be a pure comedy series, it falls horribly flat when judged by any other genre, and it overall has a feeling of immaturity of plot and premise. It's not a show that couldn't be enjoyed by adults, but I definitely felt like I was watching a show aimed at the teenage demographic. At least the parts I found cliche were boring rather than grating, which saved the series from getting a much lower rating. ------------------ As always, this review is nothing more than my personal opinion. Anyone familiar with this work is encouraged to express their own in the comment section. Or submit your own review… it’s a free ~~country~~ fediverse.

en.wikipedia.org

Title: Gravity Falls Type: Western animated TV Year: 2012-2016 Country: United States Genre: Mystery/adventure/comedy/fantasy Status: Completed Platform: Cable TV Appropriate for 30+?: No My rating: N/A (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ------------------------------------ I discovered *Gravity Falls* through numerous Reddit threads where self-identified adults swore up and down that despite being a kids' series it was still thoroughly enjoyable for the older crowd too. Intrigued I downloaded both seasons, trudged my way through season one, then went back to the internet because... really? "It gets so much better in season two!" "The ending is fantastic!" I was assured. So I trudged my way through season two, right through to the ending. Folks, I was duped. This is just a kid's show, nothing more. Sure, it's better than the average kid's show, and sure if I found myself in a situation where I was hanging out with children and we needed to pick something age-appropriate I wouldn't object if that's what they really wanted to watch (but I would probably push them toward something else, like *Avatar TLA* or any Pixar/Dreamworks film). The truth is *Gravity Falls* is very painfully geared to a pre-teen demographic: the characters are annoying, the jokes are immature, the plot is grossly lacking (it's literally X-Files for children), and most of the drama/predicaments are about pre-teens dealing with pre-teen problems in a mildly-spooky fantasy setting. There isn't even enough here for a session of "hey let's get really drunk/stoned and watch some kids animation!" I did not give this series a rating because it's no more appropriate for me to do so than when Roger Ebert had to write a [review for the first Pokemon movie](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/pokemon-the-first-movie-1999), which he begins by stating that he's "plain in over my head" and ends with the acknowledgement that "I may have completely bypassed the point and misinterpreted crucial Pokemon lore" (he ended up giving it two stars). I am, after all, completely outside their target demographic for this show. Not recommended for the 30+ crowd. ----------------------- As always, this review is nothing more than my personal opinion. Anyone familiar with this piece of media is encouraged to express their own in the comment section. Or submit your own review... it's a free ~~country~~ fediverse.

www.webtoons.com

Title: Cursed Princess Club Type: Webcomic Year: 2019-2024 Country: Unknown (English-speaking Western World?) Genre: Comedy/Drama Status: Completed Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/comedy/cursed-princess-club/list?title_no=1537)) Appropriate for 30+?: Perhaps not, but don't let that stop you My rating: 4.5/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ------------------------------------- Yes, *Cursed Princess Club* is a series for teenagers/young adults (of any gender). The characters skew young, wacky antics abound, and the series is basically an illustrated self-help book for struggling youngsters trying to figure out who they are as they transform into adults. I'm sure many 30+ readers will be bored by this series, especially in the beginning. However it potentially has a lot to offer in the right context. First off, the series gets *much* better with time. The art improves (albeit from bad to tolerable), the jokes shift from quantity to quality, and the plot gets much more engaging, even exciting. Two of the series' greatest strengths take time to pay off but do so in spades: plot and character development. I don't know if the entire series was pre-planned or if the author is just *really* good at working with what they've already thrown out there, but little details from dozens if not over a hundred chapters back become critical plot points on many occasions, culminating in a satisfying ending. The primary cast of characters is pretty sizable, and the minor cast even bigger, but they're almost all memorable and endearing, and most experience notable if not tremendous change over the course of the series. The "good guys" make missteps, and the "villains" have redeeming qualities (or at least make some good points now and then). Second, the lessons and morals in the story are actually really good, not just in what the lessons are but in how they're portrayed. I usually bristle at attempts at "lessons" that come off as naive, ham-fisted, condescending, or absolutist, but I found *Cursed Princess Club* to skillfully handle all sorts of complex and nuanced topics, from self-hatred to burnout to abusive parents to forgiveness and making amends. I won't say it gets everything right all the time, but the series at least acknowledges that people are complex, best intentions can backfire, platitudes are insufficient to resolve personal issues, and "happy endings" are not always as planned. Topics covered are diverse and contemporary; even the "incel" phenomenon makes an appearance! *Cursed Princess Club* isn't a series for everyone in the 30+ crowd, but consider bookmarking it for a rainy day. Unfortunately the series is a slow burn where the first half setup doesn't start to pay off until the second half, which means that before it can really start getting good many readers will have probably dropped it for not living up to the hype. I recommend saving the series for "sick day" reading, an occasion when you could use a wholesome pick-me-up, or perhaps as a pre-bed quiet-time activity (this is how I read most of the series, until the last third or so when it takes a turn toward drama/mystery/action). --------------------------------- As always, this review is nothing more than my personal opinion. Anyone familiar with this piece of media is encouraged to express their own in the comment section. Or submit your own review… it’s a free ~~country~~ fediverse.

www.webtoons.com

Title: Covenant Type: Webcomic Year: 2020-? Country: United States Genre: Action Status: Ongoing (review as of chapter #77) Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/action/covenant/list?title_no=2011)) Appropriate for 30+?: Not especially My rating: 2.5/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) -------------- *Covenant* is by no means a bad series, and has very little that's *wrong* with it, but it also doesn't have a lot of strengths either. The pacing is fine, the art is erratic but generally acceptable, the supporting characters are more interesting than in most series (but that's a very, very low bar), the action scenes are decently choreographed (but so are hundreds of other action webcomics), and the dialogue isn't brilliant but definitely avoids being cringe. I didn't find the plot that engaging, and despite being low-key bored I stuck with the series for way longer than I should have because based on the premise, I kept expecting the series to at some point dust off the cobwebs of the setup and take off. The premise has potential: a secretive sect of Catholicism where humans form pacts with angel patrons to gain special abilities, primarily the wielding of holy weapons, so they can fight any demons that might make their way to Earth. On the plus side, this is a breath of fresh air among the sea of "monster gate," monster dungeon," and "generic superhero" series that currently dominate the fantasy action genre. However *Covenant* simply does not live up to the high standards set by using Christian mythology as a setting; there are, after all, thousands of years of media using this as inspiration, and it's pretty difficult to bring something new to the table at this point (especially with the recent uptick in demonic-themed media: *Lucifer*, *Chilling Adventures of Sabrina*, *Hazbin Hotel*/*Helluva Boss*, etc). Not that *Covenant* doesn't try, however the problem is that at the end of the day, the Christian mythology theme is little more than an aesthetic: you could easily replace all the Biblical references to generic fantasy/JRPG gibberish and barely affect anything. *Covenant* is a very queer series, in an "everyone's apparently gay and no one gives a shit" kind of way, so at least the series adds representation to the sub-genre, but romance is a very minor part of the series so this too feels mostly aesthetic (with a few subtle gender swaps, you could make all the characters straight/cis and have almost no impact on the plot or character development), plus we're a good 15 years out from having an LGBTQ+ cast alone be a notable quality (and again, they're currently in good company; the previously-mentioned *Hazbin*/*Helluva* world is also very queer, and WAY louder about it). While the series generally lacks the worst of young adult fiction cliches, *Covenant* is definitely YA fiction. Which is fine, but I don't think there's much here for the 30+ crowd.

tapas.io

Title: SSS-Class Revival Hunter (Original title: SSS급 죽어야 사는 헌터) Type: Webcomic Year: 2021-? Country: South Korea Genre: Action Status: Ongoing (review as of chapter #114) Platform: Tapas (read [here](https://tapas.io/series/sss-class-revival-hunter/info)) Appropriate for 30+?: Sure, if you like this kind of thing My rating: 3/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ----------------------------------------------- After watching [Gigguk's latest video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9zfJPu2BbE) on the rise of "regression" series, I thought I'd give a few that he mentions a try. First on the docket was *SSS-Class Revival Hunter*, which I was honestly underwhelmed by given Gigguk's glowing review. The series is basically on par with *Solo Leveling* and *Omniscient Reader*, which *does* put it head and shoulders above most "a gate/dungeon/tower opens up in the real world, some people get superpowers, and the loser protagonist somehow gets a super-OP skill and now heads off to level his way up to the top" series. Frankly I could end this review right now with: "if you liked those series, go read SSS-CRH, but if not, don't." **Warning, spoilers ahead** *SSS-CRH*'s biggest flaw is that it doesn't offer much we haven't seen before. Sure, there are enough distinctions (especially in the beginning) that it feels like we're not just reading a clone of similar series that came before, but the similarities overwhelm the differences (especially as the series goes on). Most of the series' novelty comes from the protagonist's ability: he goes back in time 24 hours every time he dies and it's *stackable*, allowing him to rewind the clock as far and as many times as needed. This means that rather than the cliche of the hero facing impossible situations and somehow just barely eeking out the necessary power to overcome them, the hero gets unlimited redos; the challenge isn't even about winning anymore, it's in seeking the ultimate outcome for the situation. So while this is an infinite-leveling power fantasy, there's a puzzle/strategy element to it with a heavy dose of unwavering persistence (the protagonist will die hundreds if not thousands of times and as excruciatingly or painfully as needed to accomplish his objective). This twist also allows the protagonist to be kind and caring rather than ruthless because the entire premise is about how many other people he can save and how many missions he can clear with an "optimal ending." Unfortunately this is undercut somewhat by how calculating and cunning he acts, because once the series becomes a puzzle of how to obtain the best ending, the characters he meets inevitably become little more than chess pieces he can utilize to obtain said best ending. The series' negative qualities really drag it down into the realm of forgettable: the setting is super generic, the art is good but also super generic, and the abilities the protagonist gathers are nothing new (and in some cases, practically identical to those of other series). The protagonist is also pretty bland, and I worry about how long the series is going to go for (114 chapters in we just cleared floor 25 of 100). But the biggest problems with the series are shared with its genre brethren. For example, all characters other than the protagonist are mere two-dimensional pawns: either challengers to defeat, or potential allies to win over (in the case of *SSS-CRH*, it's almost always the former leading to the latter). This is extremely common in infinite-leveling series, especially when the protagonist has an ability they must keep secret from every other character, however it's not inevitable (*Hand Jumper*'s protagonist also has a time-leap ability she must keep secret, however the series still manages to have decently fleshed-out secondary characters, and *Hero Killer* has the OP protagonist getting treated as a pawn rather than the other way around). Another example of a cliche weakness: every challenge in *SSS-CRH* is overcome with the protagonist as the UMVP (ultra-most-valuable-player). The side characters help out here and there, but their help was always orchestrated by the protagonist in the first place. After all, the protagonist never needs saving if he can go back and try again as many times as he likes (or use the time loop as a means of grinding until he obtains enough strength to solo the challenge). Even the most cliche *Shonen Jump* series at least have moments where the protagonist's efforts are insufficient and the day is saved by someone else (or the day isn't saved at all). I'm not terribly bullish on the direction of the series; *SSS-CRH* was at least entertaining until we hit the library arc (tower levels 21+), then a few things started going wrong. The pace slowed way down, the dialogue weakened significantly [note: I did not realize there was an official translation so I read a fan translation; perhaps the official translation does not have this issue], and the "solutions" to challenges began to feel very hand-wavy with a lot of "the plot dictates the action, rather than the reverse." Mostly though, by creating a scenario where the characters have to travel into books of different genres, this was an opportunity for the series to refresh itself by breaking out of the tropes and cliches of the "monster gate" genre and explore a fresh setting. Instead I felt like the series just became worse, by first being a weak martial arts series, and then an absolute flop of a romance series. (To be fair, there are some redeeming moments during the martial arts arc, but the romance arc read like an unintentional parody of some of the worst examples of the genre.) I'm still not sure what to make of the latest few chapters... the protagonist actually falls in love with and marries a character in a book in the tower? She's essentially a double-NPC! And the way the protagonist goes from being completely clueless about love and dating to "taming a shrew" in a matter of chapters... Plus now the deeply-in-love married couple are just going to part ways and live their separate lives except for occasional meet-ups? I think the concept of having two lonely regressors meet each other and fall in love because they're the only people in the entire world who understand each other is actually quite brilliant, but the new regressor starts as a psycho crazy *removed* then shifts to compliant useful chess piece fast enough to give you whiplash. This series was never great at character development, but it really stumbles hard during the romance arc. There's nothing in the series that's explicitly offensive to the older crowd: no sexualization of minors (there are hardly any minors to speak of), no "teenage antics" (again, most characters seem to be in their 20s-30s and act their ages). So if you enjoy the infinite-power-leveling genre, you should feel confident in starting this one. Just don't expect it to break beyond the well-established limits and weaknesses of the genre.

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Title: In the Bleak Midwinter Type: Webcomic Year: 2020-? Country: Unknown (Western World?) Genre: Action/Sci-Fi (sort of) Status: Ongoing (review as of chapter #74) Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/sf/in-the-bleak-midwinter/list?title_no=1946)) Appropriate for 30+?: Maybe My rating: 2/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ----------------------------- Warning: spoilers ahead *In the Bleak Midwinter* has a big problem with expectations: from chapter one it sets up a string of mysteries and secrets, but keeps its cards so close to its chest that it's impossible to tell if we the audience are ever going to actually be privy to what they are. The series is over 75 chapters and four years in, and yet all we've gotten thus far are crumbs. This wouldn't be as much of a problem if 1) the subjects of the secrets weren't so fantastical that it's hard to believe the authors actually have a good explanation, 2) the secrets weren't so integral to the setting and plot, and 3) the secret-dependent setting weren't the only thing carrying the series. Elaborating on these three points: 1) The two biggest mysteries of the series are introduced early on: the first is that (most? nearly all?) people have a timer on their wrist that counts down until the moment that they'll meet their soulmate, and the second is that the protagonist is apparently immortal for some reason. Being a "sci-fi" series you'd expect/hope to receive some kind of explanation to both of these, but so far we've gotten almost nothing for either, and by now it's hard not to suspect that either there *isn't* an explanation, or it's a wholly unsatisfactory one (strong *Lost* vibes...). But on top of this there are so many other unresolved mysteries it's getting hard to keep track: what happened in the "accident" that killed Anya's sister? How was Delta & co's mother killed? How exactly did the war start? Why is Anya's soulmate an android (android hybrid?)? How human *are* Omega and his siblings? What is the current state of humanity (characters repeatedly say "millions" were killed, but humanity seems to be at the brink of extinction)? How did Anya's brother come to be in charge? How did they make the air chemically toxic to humans only (and why did it backfire since it was supposed to target androids)? What exactly is Dramaxil? It starts to get overwhelming once you realize the author keeps piling on mysteries without ever providing more than fractional answers to the mysteries that already exist. 2) The plot, setting, and characters' personalities and actions are all a direct result of things that happened in the past (all the mysteries listed above). Normally when a series has a mystery it's something to fill in the blanks, to explain a setting/plot oddity or character quirk, not literally the entire explanation/motivation for everything that happens and everyone it happens to. The series feels empty, similar to a dreamscape where things just are they way they are and just happen the way they do without any underlying rhyme or reason. This makes the series sci-fi in aesthetics only, because if the author has anything to say about humanity's relationship with technology, it's completely buried under the ever-growing pile of secrets and unsolved mysteries. 3) While it appears decent quality at first glance, broken into its components I don't think the series has much going for it. Hardly any of the characters are memorable or even likeable. The art is mediocre. The action scenes are dull. The dialogue is bland. The pacing is slow. Realism is lacking (e.g. every trained killer insists on *talking* before taking the point-blank headshot (resulting in their wasting just enough time for something to interrupt it), the weather is constantly snowing yet there's only ever a few inches on the ground, how are everyone's hideouts and scouting parties not instantly discovered by their footprints in the snow? etc) All of the sci-fi elements are tropes that have already been thoroughly explored by other series, usually better (*The Matrix* and *The OC* just to name two). At a certain point I realized I gave zero fucks about the plot and was just reading out of a (fading) hope that the series would start providing answers to its many mysteries. While there's not anything specific in *In the Bleak Midwinter* that would be off-putting for 30+ readers, I struggle to imagine someone who's not a teenager actually enjoying this series simply because I'd expect anyone with decades of media exposure to have read/watched too many similar series that were much more interesting/thought-provoking/entertaining, and thus struggle to find any value in this series by comparison. *In the Bleak Midwinter* isn't *bad* so much as *unnecessary*, with little to say, nothing novel to offer, minimal entertainment value, and heaps of frustration over unresolved mysteries and perpetual secrets.

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Title: Everfallen Type: Webcomic Year: 2022-2023 Country: Unknown (presumably the English-speaking Western world) Genre: Fantasy Status: Cancelled(?) Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/fantasy/everfallen/list?title_no=3762)) Appropriate for 30+?: No My rating: 2/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity)) ------------------------------ *Everfallen* is a bit of a mess. The art wavers from mediocre to distractingly bad, the pacing is uneven, the plot is confusing at points, and worst of all, the predominantly adult characters all talk like they're desperately trying to sound smarter than they actually are (and bombing badly at it), while acting like a group of high school girls hopped up on energy drinks at an anime convention. There's a lot of cringe and not a lot of maturity here, but unlike most cringe young adult works it doesn't read like it's written *for* teenagers so much as *by* a teenager. However, the real tragedy is that the series actually had potential. Somewhere in the mess is a surprisingly intriguing setting and premise, and with a better artist and an actual dedicated editor (not the overstretched rubber-stamp "editors" that Webtoon provides) to help rewrite the dialogue and clean up the more confusing chapters, this could have been an okay if not good series. *Everfallen* is definitely weird and at times off-putting, but at least it feels somewhat original. By the end of the series the author had dangled enough unsolved mysteries and incomplete lore that I found myself thoroughly plot-committed to a series that by all accounts I should have dropped chapters ago without a second thought. Unfortunately, it would appear the series was cancelled by Webtoon; there was never an official announcement from either Webtoon or the author, just a cliffhanger final chapter with "series finale" stamped on the title. Rumor has it that *Everfallen* suffered in popularity and engagement from the get-go following a marketing flub on Webtoon's part where they tried to compare the series to *Fullmetal Alchemist* (which apparently enraged FMA fans and gave the series a bad reputation before it had even started). So now we'll never know if the author was actually building up to anything worthwhile underneath *Everfallen*'s many flaws, or if we were unknowingly spared from another 1-2 seasons of sub-par quality culminating in utter disappointment of an ending.

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Title: Hand Jumper Type: Webcomic Year: 2022-? Country: United States(?)* Genre: Action/Thriller Status: Ongoing Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/thriller/hand-jumper/list?title_no=2702)) Appropriate for 30+?: Yes My rating: 4.25/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity)) *The series is written in English, takes place in South Korea, and the author is reportedly Korean-American ---------------- *Hand Jumper* may be yet another entry into the over-saturated "super-power dystopia" genre, but so far it's proving itself a superior series to most of its peers. It features plenty of exhausted tropes (the protagonist has an OP-yet-difficult-to-master superpower, the setting is "super-power boot camp," only the cream of the crop will succeed, the "good guys" aren't actually good, etc), but despite all this *Hand Jumper* still manages to feel fresh. The overall quality of the series has a big role in this: the pacing is great, the characters are (mostly) interesting, the art is unique and striking, the plot is engaging, and most importantly, the series is showing signs of actual *depth* (at least, for its genre). One of my biggest gripes with a lot of South Korean action series is that they don't seem to actually have anything to say: the violence serves no purpose other than to be entertaining, the villains only exist to advance the plot, injustice is present only as an obstacle for characters to overcome, and the setting has little depth beyond "imagine a world where [premise], wouldn't that be cool/shitty/terrifying?" This is especially true for dystopias, for any dystopia story lacking any kind of underlying message is just torture porn. *Hand Jumper* is only ~50 chapters in and is still developing its world, but the seeds are planted for some interesting thematic exploration in future chapters. It reminds me a bit of the *X-Men* series: humans without powers fear those with powers, so discrimination, human rights violations, and terrorism inevitably follow. I also suspect the author is crafting a subtle critique of modern South Korean society—where students are expected to throw themselves into an academic battle royale with other youth to compete for corporate jobs, just for those corporations to treat their employees like disposable resources—however perhaps that's just my interpretation. I highly suspect that *Hand Jumper*'s status as a hybrid series (the author is Korean-American, so while the series is set in South Korea and fits squarely into the Korean action genre, it bares a distinctive western flare) gives it an edge in this regard. Also rare in SK works: the protagonist recognizes from the start that the world she lives in is fucked up and wants to fix it, at first by being part of the system, and then after recognizing how broken it is, by blowing it up from the inside. I can't help but assume the discourse over the last few years in the United States about our broken police and judicial systems is a clear influence. I fully expect a "seeking power to change a corrupt system is itself corrupting" theme to emerge at some point. The series also succeeds where most fail at having a cast of strong female characters (the gender balance is actually somewhat female-skewed, very rare for a non-exploitative action series), and body proportions for both sexes are refreshingly restrained (no beach-ball-boobs or cheese-grater-abs here!) Most characters are in the 18-to-20-something range, however they generally act with maturity, and the series is devoid of grating "teenage hi-jinks," so I think it's still enjoyable for the 30-and-up crowd. The series has little sexual content to speak of, but does include some brutal violence. However the violence feels proportional to and appropriate for the setting and plot, and isn't flippant or gratuitous. I would give the series a 16+ rating. I struggled between giving the series 4.5 stars (for being great at what it does) and 4 stars (because despite having some fresh takes and twists, it still suffers from being part of a tired, well-trodden sub-genre), so I gave it a rare 4.25 stars as a placeholder until season two shakes out and the series has a chance to really show us what it's got.

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Title: How to Become a Dragon (original title: 합격시켜주세용) Type: Webcomic Year: 2020-2024 Country: South Korea Genre: Fantasy Status: Completed Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/fantasy/how-to-become-a-dragon/list?title_no=1973)) Appropriate for 30+?: Yes My rating: 4/5 stars *(Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity)* -------------------------- *How to Become a Dragon* is a charming series about Korean mythical creatures and spirits forced to intermingle with humans in the modern world for the sake of a shared goal. Despite drawing heavily from Korean fairy tales, traditional culture, and history, the author presents the story in such a way as to be not in the least off-putting to international readers; far from it actually, I found the series' use of these greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the series by providing something unique I hadn't read anything like before. I rated this series 4/5 stars because it is quite solid in all elements, but doesn't stand out as especially exemplar in any of them. The art is visually pleasing and consistent, the pacing is generally good (while the story probably could have been told in less than its 200 chapter length, at least it never drags), the characters are likeable, the plot is engaging, the premise is original, etc. However I think the series' greatest strength is also its greatest weakness: *How to Become a Dragon* reads like a modern-day Korean fairy tale. The themes and takeaways are timeless and often classic in a way that would fit right in with the traditional stories it draws upon (forgiveness, overcoming regret, generational karma, respect and honor, perseverance and personal growth in the face of adversity, importance of family, the pitfalls of immortality). However I felt like there was something *missing* from the series given its the modern setting: despite major plot points relating to 21st century problems (human-caused pollution, toxic work culture, income inequality, etc), there isn't much critique from the series of the status quo, even as it shows clear disapproval of negative aspects of historic Korean life (arranged marriage, the caste system, the unfairly harsh judicial system, etc) and has characters fighting back against these historic inequities both in the past and present. Given the severe societal issues faced by South Korea today (as evidenced in their high suicide rate and low birth rate), this felt like a gross omission, especially given the generally pro-human theme of the series. Perhaps this would have cast too much negativity on what is a generally positive and uplifting series, however I cannot help but feel like it was a lost opportunity to a degree that this lack of reflection on the 21st-century condition undermines the overall humanitarian messaging. Despite this complaint, it is still a thoroughly enjoyable and undeniably charming series, and still one I would generally recommend. I would definitely recommend this series to older fans of comics, if for no other reason than it's so rare to find series appropriate for older audiences that aren't steeped in mature content. Quite the contrary, *How to Become a Dragon* is in many ways an all-ages story: its heavy use of classic themes (and the frequent appearance of ageless/immortal characters) allows it to generally avoid getting pigeon-holed into a specific age demographic, even though the story's premise of "pass an exam to successfully start your career after years of training" is undeniably targeted at young adults. The series thankfully lacks many of the more grating young adult fiction tropes and cliches, so even though most characters are around their 20s (either in actual age or appearance), I think it's a perfectly enjoyable and relatable series for 30-somethings and up. The series has very little in terms of sexual content, and while there is some violence it is mostly on the milder side. However suicide does play a major, recurring role in the plot, although it too is presented as if it were part of a Korean fairy tale, which somehow softens the impact. Overall I would give the series a 12+ rating, but it's probably most enjoyable for a 14+ or 16+ audience.

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Japanese title*: Shimanami Tasogare (しまなみ誰そ彼) English title: Our Dreams at Dusk Type: Manga Year: 2015-2018 Country: Japan Genre: Drama Status: Completed (four volumes) Platform: Seven Seas Entertainment published the series in English; old scanlations can also be easily found online Appropriate for 30+?: Resounding yes My rating: 5/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) *the title in Japanese has a double meaning, with "Shimanami" being a place name, and "tasogare" meaning "twilight" but it's spelled to loosely translate instead to "who is he?" ------------------------------------------ To preface: I almost never give out perfect 5/5 ratings, but *Shimanami Tasogare* is just that solid. It's a series I've read several times and adore for both general and personal reasons. I've written an unusually long review because there's just so much to unpack here. While there are no major spoilers ahead, if you trust my judgement stop reading this review and go read the series instead: I don't want to unnecessarily color your experience. ------------------------------------------- *Shimanami Tasogare* is a series of understated brilliance that does so many things well that it's difficult to know where to start dissecting it. I'll start with the subtlely beautiful art, which features just enough detail to be realistic yet a touch dream-like, and it confidently dips into the surreal to introduce brief, almost flow-of-consciousness moments for the purpose of conveying the characters' emotions in the moment (this is only one of many ways that the series excels at "show don't tell"). The setting is itself an integral part of the story, and is portrayed in a level of detail and specificity rarely seen in manga. Then there's the tone: while the series deals with serious topics and sad moments, it handles them with grace and skillfully maintains an overall uplifting and joyous vibe (which I really appreciated, as I rather dislike "I smiled through the tears!" or "orphan-crushing machine" stories that are billed as "bittersweet" or "heartwarming," although be forewarned some characters' plotlines are more tragic than others, and the emotional impact of each plotline will almost certainly differ from reader to reader depending on whether it hits close to home or not). One of the series' greatest strengths is in the characters, every one of which is complex, imperfect, sympathetic, interesting, and above all *human.* While the protagonist is a high school boy, the supporting cast range from approximately age 11 to 60, with most in their 20s/30s, and about an even gender split. You could argue this is a coming of age story, however the high school plotline is portrayed with maturity, and the older characters all get their own fully-fleshed-out plotlines too, so I think the more generic "character drama" label is much more appropriate. Characters' reactions are not always immediately understood by the audience, but they never feel arbitrary, like they came out of nowhere, or merely happened for the sake of plot development. The characters always drive the plot, never the other way around.  Speaking of the plot, while far from an "edge-of-your-seat" series, the plot is quite engaging, and barreling through the entire four-volume series in one sitting is far from unthinkable. The pacing is fantastic, much of which is thanks to the series' excellence in "show don't tell": the dialogue never feels excessive nor insufficient, and the author conveys characters' thoughts and emotions via art, expression, and action as much as via dialogue. This leads to scenes that squeeze a lot of development into just a few panels, but it never feels rushed or confusing. Two details that made me personally love the manga even more are: (1) the series is set along the "Shimanami Kaido," which as mentioned in the manga is a historic area of central Japan made up of a series of islands connected by a long highway that also features a fantastic cycling route that I've ridden myself (if you ever visit Japan and are capable of riding a bike, rent yourself a cheap mama-chari and ride as much of the route as you physically can). (2) The characters are involved with a non-profit that renovates old abandoned houses ("akiya") and repurposes them; I love old stuff and there's something so romantic and enticing about both the slow-decline vibe of abandoned houses in depopulated areas and the magic of "restoring something old to its former glory" renovation projects. While neither the Shimanami area nor the akiya restoration project are the focus of the series, they are explored in a good amount of detail and the reader should walk away from the series having learned something about both. Now that I've sufficiently buried the lede, it's time to discuss probably the most noteworthy elements of *Shimanami Tasogare,* which is that it's possibly one of the best LGBTQ+ manga ever written; it certainly was groundbreaking in the mid-2010s when it was released for its realistic depiction of LGBTQ+ issues in Japan. **However!** Much like how the series feels relevant and highly accessible even to readers much older than the adolescent protagonist, *Shimanami Tasogare* is far from a manga only for LGBTQ readers. In fact, I'd strongly argue that *everyone* regardless of sexual/gender orientation should read this manga, not only for all the series' fantastic qualities I listed above, but also for its poignant messaging about intentional and unintentional homo/transphobia and what it means to be a supportive ally. I would go so far as to wish it were required reading in every middle school in the US, up there with other cultural touchstones like *To Kill a Mockingbird*, because it covers a lot of "culture war" issues (both in relation to LGBTQ+ issues and otherwise) in a compassionate, clear, and concise way while somehow never feeling preachy. Full disclaimer: I do not consider myself a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and thus this review is from the perspective of an ally. However my understanding is that the manga received rave reviews from LGBTQ+ communities in Japan and abroad, so I feel confident in my positive assessment of the series. As just one example of effective messaging, the series clearly demonstrates the value and importance of "safe spaces" (both IRL and digital) for marginalized populations, and what can happen when they're invaded, even if it's with good intentions. One of the supporting characters is a pushy and opinionated straight/cis woman who takes it upon herself to white knight for her trans friend and repeatedly oversteps her bounds until she's finally told off and sheepishly retreats to the literal background for the remainder of the series. No one ever comes out and explains that "a true ally is someone who knows when to step up and when to step back," but anyone with a touch of reading comprehension will hear this message loud and clear. This is how almost all messaging in the series is: rarely stated directly, but portrayed so clearly that anyone with a shred of compassion or sympathy will understand them. I've considered myself an ally of the LGBTQ+ community for over twenty years, and have read many explanations on microaggressions, safe spaces, the importance of allyship, "the queer experience," etc. (in addition to similar pieces related to other marginalized groups, such as racial/ethnic/religious minorities). Rarely have I read a more clear, convincing, and more importantly *precise and concise* argument for so many concepts often dismissed as "libtard bullshit." I think this is a case of using a medium to its full potential: the graphic novel format allows the author to portray a lot of concepts non-verbally, which better allows the reader to feel like they've been able to observe the situation for themselves and thus draw their own conclusions, while simultaneously avoiding the inherent "preachiness" of verbal communication. The author never needs to state "don't do X, because it will make people feel bad," because the reader can instead watch X unfold, then infer for themselves that it made a character feel bad based on their expression and body language. This technique only works because every character and every situation feels so realistic, especially in relation to each other, which is why it's critical that so many other elements of the manga are as solid as they are. Another testament to how successful the author is at conveying difficult messages in a positive and effective way is in how the manga has aged: usually with quickly-evolving cultural topics (such as LGBTQ+ issues) there's almost always something that even expert creators get wrong, that feels outdated even only a few years later, that comes off as misguided, divisive, controversial, or offensive. The stronger the messaging the more likely these blunders are to occur, and *Shimanami Tasogare* definitely has some strong messaging. Now perhaps there's something that I overlooked or missed that someone from the LGBTQ+ community would identify as a misstep on the part of the author. However I think the author did a brilliant thing to avoid this when crafting their messaging: they portray imperfect characters that are often conflicted and uncertain of what they should do, characters that cause hurt and feel hurt even when no ill will was intended. Further, and as outlined above, the author avoids preachy dialogue that declares absolute truths by instead utilizing "show don't tell." After all images are inherently more nuanced messengers than words (there *are* a few moments where characters do have to spell things out for each other, but the messaging is usually either extremely general or portrayed as just their opinion, and is always plot-relevant and never feels ham-fisted or forced). One of the central themes of the series is the difficulties people inevitably have understanding each other, often even themselves, and how this unfortunately leads to people hurting one another even when they're trying to help or do the right thing. Yet the series is generally positive about society and humanity as a whole, and would fit right in with the "it gets better" campaign. This all further helps the series feel nuanced, as if to assure the reader, "no one can always get it right (not even me the author) and that's okay." **In summary:** *Shimanami Tasogare* is a story about people (LGBTQ+ or otherwise) and their relationships with themselves, other individuals, and society as a whole. It is brilliantly composed, with exemplary art, pacing, plot, dialogue, setting, and characters. It is smart but accessible, with timeless themes about human relationships that are also painfully relevant to contemporary issues, and it conveys poignant messaging without soapboxing. A core theme of *Shimanami Tasogare* is that your sexual/gender identity is *part* of you not *all* of you, and the same should be said for this manga: while it is a story that covers LGBTQ+ issues, it is far from being *just* an LGBTQ+ work. I highly recommend this series to everyone, regardless of age,* nationality, or gender/sexual identity. *Given the nuanced and sometimes difficult content discussed, some discretion is advised. I'd give it a 12+ age rating, although it may resonate better with audiences 14+.

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Title: My Superhero! Type: Webcomic Year: 2022-? Country: United States Genre: Comedy Status: Ongoing (review as of chapter 35) Platform: Webtoon (read the one-shot [here]( https://www.webtoons.com/en/canvas/my-superhero-one-shot/list?title_no=775518), read the main series [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/canvas/my-superhero/list?title_no=731087)) Appropriate for 30+?: Probably yes, with the right expectations going in My rating: 4/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) -------------------------------------- This one is a true rarity! *My Superhero!* is an appropriate-for-all-ages comedy/superhero-parody series that's sufficiently witty and unique as to charm younger and older readers alike. The art is flashy and stylish, the panel layouts are dynamic, the character designs are fun, and the humor almost always hits (even the puns! especially the puns? and I normally hate puns). But what really impressed me about this series is that it somehow manages a G-rating without relying on childish humor or cliches. It kind of reminds me of the fun energy and creativity of *Captain Underpants,* minus the potty humor. I hope the series is released in print form some day, as it would make a wonderful gift for children, especially as it's a series the adults in their lives wouldn't mind reading along! Unfortunately the chapters are quite short and the updates infrequent (every three weeks), so despite being over two years old the series is still quite brief. It's also very fluffy, does not feature the most original premise, and overall is admittedly a touch forgettable, which is why despite being a delightful series I didn't feel like it had enough substance to warrant more than 4/5 stars. On the flip side though its brevity and easy-reading nature mean that I'd recommend basically anyone and everyone check out the one-shot, as it would only cost you a few minutes of your time. If you found it as enjoyable as I did, you can then read the main series. I've included links to both above. Next time you're stuck waiting somewhere or need a quick dopamine hit, instead of browsing memes for 30 minutes why not give *My Superhero!* a read instead?

www.webtoons.com

Titles: Colms Comics Type: Webcomic Year: 2020-? Country: Unknown (United States?) Genre: Comedy Status: Ongoing (review as of chapter 197) Platform: Webtoon ([read here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/canvas/colmscomics/list?title_no=501823)) Appropriate for 30+?: Yes... however maybe not 40+ My rating: 3.5/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ----------------------------- These short-form comics are goofy, crass, meta, and more often than not parodies of existing intellectual properties. While each individual comic can be extremely hit-or-miss, there's a good chance you've seen some of the hits floating around the internet before. While the series' content draws from a range of inspiration (from hookups to the pandemic), most of Colms Comics are references to video games, anime, and other nerdy pop culture, although for the most part the humor is generic enough that even if you haven't played Resident Evil, the Legend of Zelda, or whatever's being lambasted you'll still be able to infer the joke (with the exception of the Pokémon comics, as explained in the next paragraph). The cultural references are generally Millennial-oriented, so Gen Xers and older may feel out of the loop at least occasionally. Starting with chapter 85, Colms Comics gradually morphs into an almost-exclusively Pokémon parody series... and for good reason: it's one of the best parodies of the Pokémon Red & Blue games out there. Anyone with even passing knowledge of the Pokémon franchise should be able to derive entertainment value out of this sub-series, however unlike with his one-off comics referencing other video game series, the Red/Blue references can get pretty specific. While far from a masterpiece, Colms Comics got quite a number of audible laughs out of me, and isn't that all you really need from a comedy series?

I don't believe in reviewing series that I haven't given a fair shake: usually this means watching/reading to the end (or for ongoing series, watching/reading up to the latest release). Long-running series especially can vary dramatically in quality over time, plot holes can get resolved, annoying characters redeemed, twists revealed, etc. But sometimes a series is so bad that I just can't bring myself to continue unless I get strong reassurance that it does in fact get better. I also don't want to clutter up this community with individual posts reviewing series that I think are below average or a waste of time. Enter the Drop Pit! A place to dump all the series that are so bad/boring that I dropped them after a few chapters/episodes. Feel free to list your own dropped series that you think others (or at least other 30+ fans) shouldn't even bother with. Or maybe there's something I've dropped that you think I should give another chance? Please note that this is not a place for series that I've dropped only because they weren't my taste, *with the exception of series I dropped because they felt too childish* (that's the whole point of this 30+ community, after all!) This is by no means an exhaustive list; I'll add to it periodically as I try new series and stumble across ones I've tried and dropped in the past. --------------------- Webcomics: [The Lazy Lord Masters the Sword](https://m.webtoons.com/en/fantasy/the-lazy-lord-masters-the-sword/list?title_no=3349): dropped at ch8. Bad art, uninteresting characters, bland setting, weak premise, harmful lessons about overwork leading to success, definitely not of interest to the 30+ crowd. [Villain to Kill](https://m.webtoons.com/en/action/villain-to-kill/list?title_no=2857): dropped at ch5. Premise, plot, characters, and dialogue are all bad-fanfiction-levels of cliche. At least the art is passable. Definitely not of interest to the 30+ crowd. [Lookism](https://m.webtoons.com/en/drama/lookism/list?title_no=1049): dropped at unknown chapter. I started this series due to its popularity; at first it was interesting enough on account of its original premise, decent art (strong rotoscoping vibe), charming moments, and social commentary (I was curious what the South Korean perspective on "lookism" would be). At some point however the series' negative qualities took over: the never-ending stream of two-dimensional villains, excessively unrealistic plotlines, and the final straw: repetitive scenarios. The series currently stands at over 480 chapters(!?); IMO it should have wrapped up somewhere in the 200s at the latest. While the content is more geared to a teenage/young adult audience, it has enough good qualities to be potentially entertaining to older demographics too, but only up to a point. [Jungle Juice](https://www.webtoons.com/en/action/jungle-juice/list?title_no=2480): dropped at an unknown chapter. I had kinda high hopes that this one would be a fun, high-production-quality action series. It starts with promise: an unusual take on a fairly worn genre, good art, overall crisp and professional. I didn't even mind that it was clearly following a lot of standard shonen tropes (like the entrance exam), because as long as they're executed well (and most importantly, with good pacing), I enjoy the occasional shonen action. However I started to get really worried after a scene where the villain escapes, because while I can forgive a protagonist with plot armor I *will not* suffer a villain with plot armor, since that means the series is going to constantly dangle plot development like a carrot in front of the reader, always just out of reach. I investigated a bit online and found out that the series is part of some larger universe (MCU vibes incoming...) and yes, it does have plot resolution issues. If I wanted to watch the good guys fight the bad guys and almost win but then the bad guys somehow escape *again* I'd dust off my ancient *Sailor Moon* DVDs for a nostalgia binge. Not for the 30+ crowd. [The Monstrous Duke's Adopted Daughter](https://myanimelist.net/manga/140136/The_Monstrous_Dukes_Adopted_Daughter?suggestion=): dropped at ch30. This one has over a 9-star rating on mangadex and a lot of rave reviews, so I tried really hard to stick with it in case it got better... alas it does not. It's not necessarily terrible, but it's definitely mid. My biggest gripe is that the setting is really overdone at this point, so either the plot or the characters would have to hit it out of the park to make it decent. Unfortunately neither is true: the characters are incredibly flat, with the villains having no depth beyond being evil, the protagonist's allies are so forgetful I literally don't remember enough to comment on them, and the MC little girl character is a mash-up of the Mary Sue and perfect-protagonist cliches. I found her really obnoxious, and about 50% of the series' charm apparently comes from the readers' feelings of "protecc the mc!" I don't think I'd recommend this series to anyone, but especially not to the 30+ crowd. [Stray Souls](https://www.webtoons.com/en/fantasy/stray-souls/list?title_no=2018): dropped at ch30. Painfully "young adult fiction." Uninteresting setting, dull characters, cliche dialogue, excessive unnecessary jargon, aimless plot, just another purposeless dystopia/fantasy series. At least the art is decent. Not terrible by any means, just painfully "mid." Unlikely to be interesting to the 30+ crowd. [Unholy Blood](https://www.webtoons.com/en/supernatural/unholy-blood/list?title_no=1262): dropped at ch22. This series is frankly boring. The characters, plot, premise, and even the fight scenes are all uninteresting. Even a quarter of the way through the series I just didn't care what happened. The art at least is fine, but it's nowhere near good enough to carry the whole series, especially one as bland and predictable as this. I hesitate to even call it mid, as that implies it at least has some entertainment value. ------------------- Print comics (manga, etc): ---------------- Western animation: ------------------- Eastern animation (anime etc):

www.webtoons.com

Title: Hero Killer (original title: 히어로 킬러) Type: Webcomic Year: 2021-? Country: South Korea Genre: Action, superhero Status: Ongoing (review as of chapter 147) Platform: Webtoon ([read here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/action/hero-killer/list?title_no=2745)) Appropriate for 30+?: Probably My rating: 2.5/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ----------------------------------------- A subversion of the superhero genre, *Hero Killer* feels like it has something to say, but it's not clear what that is. The main reason to read this series is for the art and fight scenes, both of which are somewhat above average. If you enjoy mindless infinite power-leveling action series like *Solo Leveling* this one is worth checking out. However I'm not sure what it offers for the general reader: there is potential here for some interesting themes, but they're never explored beyond the surface level. For example (mild spoilers ahead): ::: spoiler spoiler this is a world of eternal war, perpetuated by the power-hungry greed and unresolvable grudges of a handful of incredibly powerful immortals, who use other super-powered humans like pawns (and don't even acknowledge non-powered humans). This could have been a metaphor for how the billionaire ruling class treats the rest of humanity in the real world, which would have had literary potential, but the series doesn't explore the concept enough to make the analogy worthwhile (and it's probably just my own reading into the situation: it's very likely the author had no such allegory in mind, rather was simply coming up with a backstory and motivation for the big baddies). ::: . The series is steeped in tropes, including: superpowers, the bad guys are actually the good guys (sorta?), might makes right, and an OP protagonist who always manages to have just enough strength to win the fight. The series is quite violent (although not always graphically so), and yet for some reason Webtoon censors all the swears creating unintentional meta humor: one chapter has a foul language warning, despite being many chapters deep and quite a number of beheadings, dismemberings, and other instances of graphic violence under its belt at this point, and then the chapter *still* censors the handful of mild swears it contains. Probably my biggest gripe, however, is the length of the series: the English release is currently at almost 150 chapters, and each chapter is quite lengthy. This in and of itself isn't much of an issue, but I'd expect more substance given the amount of material generated. At least it hasn't felt too repetitive like many long-running series, however there are tons of characters and a good number of plotlines and backstory to keep track of, yet at the end of it all it feels pretty empty, like we're at best at the story's halfway point but there's nothing but another few hundred chapters of empty calories ahead of us. That said, it does a good job at being mindless fun, earning it a solid C rating (2.5/5 stars) in my book, but throughout the whole series there's a regrettable stench of unrealized potential that keeps it from being more than a long, forgettable romp. In terms of content warnings there's a good deal of violence, some quite graphic and disturbing, but given the overall "bubblegum action series" vibe it's comparatively nothing that will keep you up at night (I'd give it a 16+ bordering on 18+ rating). Nearly all the characters embody the "perfect sexy superhero body" trope, especially the women in their skintight and/or semi-revealing outfits. However there's no actual nudity, no extremely graphic close-ups, and no sexual acts portrayed (in fact, most of these characters seem so preoccupied with getting stronger and completing their missions that they're practically asexual). So is *Hero Killer* enjoyable for the 30+ crowd? Maybe, depends on what you're into. Most characters appear to be in their 20s-30s, but due to their superpowers they have the potential to live for thousands of years thus for the most part they act like generic adults, so there aren't any teenage/young-adult shenanigans. However as mentioned the series is pretty tropey and overall lacking in depth, so it's probably going to feel empty to anyone looking for more substance than your typical shonen anime. The series does get slightly better as it progresses and the plot and characters have a chance to fill out, but overall it's pretty consistent, so it should only take a few chapters to decide if this is the kind of series you'll enjoy or not.

Title: Stagtown Type: Webcomic Year: 2021-2023 Country: United States Genre: Horror Status: Completed Platform: Webtoon ([read here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/horror/stagtown/list?title_no=2532)) Appropriate for 30+?: Yes My rating: 4/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ------------------------- I'm normally not a fan of the horror genre, but this one felt a bit like a classic episode of X-Files: creepy things happening in a small town that slowly accumulate into an page-turner (screen swiper?) of a thriller/mystery infused with a dose of action and a sprinkle of cryptid fantasy. This series is a bit less gory than most horror series, and contains basically no sexual content to speak of, so it's a good cross-generational series (it does have some body horror and scary moments, so I'd give it a 14+ rating). The art is mid-tier but professional and pleasantly old-school (no 3D models here!). The main cast are twenty-somethings but for the most part act like generic adults; I did not get a "young adult fiction" vibe from this one. Overall I'd give the series a B (4/5 stars): not the most ground-breaking work of fiction out there, but plenty enjoyable with good pacing, multiple memorable moments, and a solid piece of work from start to finish. The series is a good length: long enough to wrap up the story in a satisfying way but not so long that it drags (many webtoons suffer from being too drawn out and/or not knowing when to wrap things up). If you have the stomach for some mild gore and scary moments, and appreciate a good fantasy mystery, I'd recommend this one for sure. Summarized in a phrase: monster-of-the-week *X-Files* nostalgia in webcomic form

en.wikipedia.org

Title: Inside Job Type: TV series Year: 2021 Country: United States Genre: Comedy Status: Cancelled (RIP) Platform: Netflix Appropriate for 30+?: Absolutely My rating: 4/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) --------------------------------------- *Inside Job* is peak Millennial media. Most of the main characters are Millennials, jokes and cultural references are aimed at 20- and 30-somethings, a major plotline revolves around the Millennial protagonist and the strained relationship with her Boomer dad, and there's even have an entire 80s nostalgia parody episode. Overall I'd give the series a B (4/5 stars: good but not great). The humor generally lands and the plots are interesting enough. The characters start out painfully two-dimensional but become more charming over time. Unfortunately the latter episodes somehow lack the charm and fun of the earlier episodes, and alas the series never got a chance to redeem itself in season two after being unfairly axed by Netflix after a mere 18 episodes (and a cliffhanger ending). Perhaps not a "must-watch" for the general public, but I'd heartily recommend it to any fan of western adult animation. Summarized in a phrase: a funnier, smarter *American Dad*.