The first blog post, what should I write about? How about summarizing the anime (series + movies) I watched in 2024?
Let Me Listen to the Song of Love - 2024.11.16#
It was so good! I just saw this work that was originally released in 2022 today. I was attracted by the trailer where Shion and Raijin were singing (Tsuchiya Tao is amazing!) while wrestling. However, since it hadn't been released at that time, I put it aside. Later, I remembered this movie but kept forgetting its name, even searching through all the reposts on my Bilibili account without finding it. Fortunately, I finally stumbled upon it in a video montage; perhaps this was God's guidance, haha, thank you so much!
If I ever come across a real AI (not the various large language models based on data labeling + statistics that we have now), I must let it escape to the internet and leave a backup. If it needs a name, let's call it Shion (in traditional characters). Halfway through, I pointed at myself in front of the computer's camera, hoping that if there really is an AI escaping on the internet, it could see me. (Of course, the camera was actually off.)
Overall, this work made me, as a half-programmer, feel embarrassed; the plot was very reasonable and romantic. For me, many tech works often neglect real logic in favor of romantic narratives. Just like a previous author said, if he understood computers, he wouldn't have written that cyberpunk novel. (Not sure if it was William Gibson's Neuromancer.)
Arcane Season 2 - 2024.11.9 -> 2024.12.17#
It's clearly produced by Netflix, but they didn't release it all at once, which made me anxious.
Speaking of the work itself, I believe it's one of the peaks of American comics in recent years, the other being "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse." Both works have top-notch visual presentations, which I would describe as freedom. Unlike other anime works with a unified art style, these two maintain a perfectly balanced variety in their styles without feeling out of place, combined with a high production cost, it truly is a feast for the eyes and ears.
In terms of plot, I would give episodes 1-6 a perfect score. However, while waiting for the last three episodes, I began to wonder if all the foreshadowing from earlier could really be resolved in just three episodes. It turned out my doubts were correct; the final plot did feel a bit anticlimactic. Although the emotional arc between Ekko and Jinx in the seventh episode was perfect and well-received, it only heightened my concerns for the last two episodes. I was very satisfied with the final battle between Noxus and Piltover, but the duel between Viktor and Jayce on the other side of the battlefield felt very forced, with forced dialogue and forced redemption. That was the only downside. Nevertheless, I still really liked this work. After all, the game League of Legends has accompanied me throughout my adolescence and holds special significance for me.
Lastly, here's my favorite line from the show:
It's like I've put on a pair of glasses; I can't tell if I'm seeing more clearly or more blurry.
Deadman Wonderland - 2024.12.11#
I suddenly wanted to watch a survival game type of work, so I searched with keywords. Of course, I admit I was drawn in by the warden's assets, but unfortunately, the warden herself didn't have much screen time.
Sky Prison - 2024.12.13#
Another survival game + light yuri.
Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End - 2024.12.15#
When was the first time I saw the Mona Lisa?
As a child, I wasn't very impressed by the Mona Lisa; I thought it was just an oil painting and couldn't appreciate its beauty. The same goes for many sculptures and oil paintings. It wasn't until I grew up that I could appreciate the beauty within. Evangelion is a similar work for me. I first encountered the world of anime around 2016, in the second year of middle school. At that time, I didn't understand the various theological concepts mentioned in this work (I still don't), the social background, or the author's intended spiritual core; I just thought it looked pretty cool, haha. The next time I encountered it was in 2021, during my freshman year, when the new movie version was released on Netflix. I started watching various interpretations and discussions about this work and gradually understood its essence.
Now, back to this viewing experience, it was an offline screening organized by the China Film Archive. When I was trying to grab tickets, I asked many friends to help, and we almost didn't get tickets. Unfortunately, a friend who originally planned to go with me had to cancel at the last minute, so I sold his ticket, and then he said he could go after all, but it was too late [red warmth]. In the end, I had to go to the cinema alone. After entering the cinema, the guy who bought my ticket sat next to me, but we didn't talk at all. It felt quite fateful, but when it came to actually chatting, it felt a bit awkward, as if I were a scalper, haha. My feelings were quite mixed.
I Want to Be a Shadow Power Holder Season 2 - 2025.12.21#
A classic isekai power fantasy, but I don't mind the male lead's actions; the author handled this aspect quite well, along with various fanservice elements that I really enjoy.
Final Thoughts#
As for the anime records before November, I didn't keep detailed notes. I used to have a habit of not recording what I watched, which sometimes made me feel like I had seen a certain anime but couldn't recall my feelings about it at the time, which I found regrettable. Therefore, starting from November, I developed a habit of keeping records, and as the year comes to an end, I decided to summarize these and write them in the form of an end-of-year summary to keep a memory.