All About Anime and Manga

I started my Monday seasonal anime catch-up on Tuesday. I decided that I am happy to be a day behind. From a day behind the rest, I can sit and reflect upon the episode and not have to wait for the next anime of the day to air. I can watch them all in succession and not focus on the different time zones and release times. So here I am, sitting comfortably at my desk while storm clouds roll in with the heavy winds blowing my blinds in. My dog is curled up next to me, snoring, and I have my snacks ready with my work day done. I have nine episodes ahead of me from eight different anime. I do not know what to expect from most of them. This is my happy place.

The eight Monday Seasonal anime are:

Here are the eight seasonal anime currently airing on Mondays that I’m watching and reviewing. Each title below is linked to its respective section, so feel free to jump straight to the one you’re following or most curious about:

1. Compass2.0: Animation Project (2.5/5)
2. Aharen Is Indecipherable (4/5)
3. Makina-san’s a Love Bot! (3/5)
4. My Hero Academia Vigilantes (4.5/5)
5. Summer Pockets (4/5)
6. Sword of the Demon Hunter: Kijin Gentōshō (5/5)
7. The Mononoke Lecture Logs of Chuzenji-sensei (4/5)
8. ZatsuTabi -That’s Journey- (4.5/5)

This lineup may shift as the season progresses. Some shows might drop off, and others could be added. Each week is a little different, and that’s part of the fun!

The scores you see above reflect my overall impressions of the latest episode I watched for each anime. In the sections that follow, I’ll break down what stood out (for better or worse), from story progression and animation quality to character development and emotional impact.

Let’s dive into the episode impressions!

# COMPASS2.0 ANIMATION PROJECT

• Episode 1: This is #COMPASS2.0
• Release date: 7 April 2025
• Crunchyroll
• Episode Score: ⭐⭐½☆☆ (2.5/5)
  • Cool aesthetics, unclear storytelling. Has potential, but the premiere was a bit of a mess.

I am lost. So, if I understand this correctly, heroes partner up with humans and host battles, and it does not matter if they win or lose. I do like Reiya’s character design as well as 13’s. I can tell that they are in a digital space. Okay, so the stakes don’t come from the battles against each other but from an outside enemy who is trying to steal their energy cores. I am starting to follow along. I wonder if I missed a bit of the intro. Probably. I kind of do not like the Voidoll. It gives me sketchy vibes. However, the whole system setup does as well. Also, why would you destroy something you could raid again? It seems rather shortsighted. Yeah, I do not like the VoidDoll. So, what happened in this episode? Deception and fights, oh, and an idol concert.

Verdict: Confusing but intriguing. The visuals and character designs are appealing, but the worldbuilding feels rushed or hidden behind layers of in-universe logic. I’m not quite sold on the Voidoll and find the system shady.

Aharen Is Indecipherable Season 2

• Episode 1: A Transfer Student, Huh?
• Release date: 7 April 2025
• Crunchyroll
• Episode Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
  • Solid return! Funny, chaotic, and sweet with a clean continuation of the tone.

I was not anticipating a second season, but I am glad to see their return. I hope this season is as chaotic as the first. Reina Aharen and Matsuboshi Raidou are now in their second year and in a new class, but at least they are still together. The teacher’s commentary and memories are a clever way to quickly recap season one, and I appreciate the recap. It has been a few years. Diving straight back into the antics, yay. The amount of delusion in this series is glorious. This first episode back into the anime has a good balance of bringing in a fresh face and keeping the delusions going from season one. A fun Monday watch, for sure.

Verdict: Delightfully nonsensical. The energy from season one carries over well, and it manages to reintroduce the cast with charm and ease. Great for fans, light and enjoyable.

Makina-san’s a Love Bot?!

• Episode 1: Thus, Makina’s Secret is Revealed
• Release date: 7 April 2025
• OceanVeil
• Episode Score: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5)
  • Not revolutionary, but it delivers on its ecchi comedy promise. Mileage may vary.

Starting off with an age restriction and then a bath scene, with extra focus on the boobs, okay. No hiding what the focus of this is probably going to be, cool, cool. I am making peace with the fact that I will be unable to share most of the screenshots from this series. My husband looked at my screen while the opening scene was playing and asked me what I was watching before quickly following up with, “No, don’t tell me; I don’t wanna know.” So, of course, I told him exactly what I was watching. A highly advanced human-like AI android goes to a normal school and one day has her house blow up as she gets home. She goes to her classmate’s house, who she knows is good with robotics and cares for robots, and asks him to repair her. He is shocked to discover that she is a robot, and when looking deeper at her development specs, he finds out she was developed specifically for ‘adult entertainment’. When she wakes from her repairs, she informs him that they are now living together. Considering the opening shower and bath sequence, I figured this would be a lot more ecchi-reliant. I can tell this is going to go for ‘cheap shots’ with the humour and camera angles; I don’t mind since from this episode, I can tell it is playing heavily into the genre and not trying to hide it.

Verdict: Trashy but self-aware. It knows exactly what it is and leans into it. I’m not offended by the heavy fanservice but I am also aware this is not for everyone.

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes

• Episode 1: I’m Here
• Release date: 7 April 2025
• Crunchyroll
• Episode Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)
  • Surprisingly strong opener. Stylish, confident, and full of promise.

I am not up to date with the main My Hero Academia series, but I am watching this anyway. If anything gets spoiled for me, oops. Yet they do make it clear it is set before the main series starts, with Midoriya attending AU. I feel sorry for the first parents to give birth to a baby with a quirk. You just know there was a lot of panic and confusion due to the bioluminescent baby. It felt good to see All Might and a costume similar to Deku’s original design. However, instead of being based around kids, this is focused on adults, which is nice. I enjoyed the comic effects with the SFX and some sound effects. It changes the feel of the series, even if it is set in the MHA world. This first episode did enough to set itself up as independent from the main series and introducing the main characters. As well as exploring how they come to work together and why. I adored seeing Aizawa make an appearance in this episode.

Verdict: A fresh take on the MHA world. I liked the adult-focused tone, prequel setting, and familiar faces like Aizawa and All Might. It differentiates itself without relying too heavily on the original series.

Summer Pockets

• Episode 1: Welcome to Torishirojima Island
• Release date: 7 April 2025
• Crunchyroll
• Episode Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
  • Beautiful and mysterious. Not much happens, but that’s the point.

There’s something so distinctly nostalgic about this one. It feels like the kind of anime you’d stumble upon on a quiet summer afternoon and end up binge-watching without meaning to. The bright, summery colour palette pulled me in immediately; vibrant blues, lush greens, the warm filter of sunshine over a sleepy seaside town. I’m a sucker for scenic anime. We meet our main character as he arrives on Torishirojima Island, supposedly to clean out his grandmother’s house after her passing, but really, this episode felt more like a casual island scavenger hunt of odd encounters with a multitude of girls and whimsical introductions. He’s living with his aunt now, and there’s a girl who may or may not be his cousin who seems mostly there for comic relief and chaos. There’s so much going on, but at the same time, it feels like nothing happened in this episode. For now, I’m intrigued.

Verdict: Ethereal and slow-paced. The episode feels like a soft breeze on a hot day, pleasant, scenic, and emotionally loaded with potential. I am intrigued, but pacing might be an issue.

Sword of the Demon Hunter: Kijin Gentōshō

• Episode 1: Demons and Humans
• Release date: 31 March 2025
• BiliBili
• Episode Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
  • A solid introduction to the series

From the way this episode started, I got the feeling that they were setting us up for a tragic twist. The scenery and backdrops are gorgeous. The hopping between the past and present confused me for a moment, but it was easy enough to figure out. About halfway through, I started to feel like this episode is a long 20-odd minutes, and then I saw it is basically an hour-long episode. When a series starts with an extra-long episode, I know I am usually in for a really good and captivating series. I am glad the series took the time to let us know that Suzune was abused and neglected by her father and that Jinta decided to run away from home with her. It was cleverly paced and discussed when showing how the village works and how Jinta’s relationship formed with Shirayuki. The clever manipulation of twisting truth to suit their needs was a brilliant manoeuvre from the demon’s side. Suzune having a breakdown due to her feeling of betrayal somewhat fits. I doubt she ever had a healthy relationship with her brother (from her side – overdependence and adoration). However, I am getting tired of the sibling love narrative when it gets twisted to be a more romantic love. I am hoping that the narrative has been eradicated with the confrontation between the two siblings. I am glad that the village chief was honest and accepted the responsibility of his decisions. It was not his fault, but he did play his part.

Verdict: An emotionally heavy and beautifully executed opening that wastes no time establishing a layered world and complex character dynamics. The hour-long episode is used well, especially in exploring abuse, loyalty, and how distorted truths can fuel devastation. The sibling undertone veers into uncomfortable territory but is hopefully wrapped up. Visually stunning with strong storytelling.

• Episode 2: The Demon’s Daughter
• Release date: 7 April 2025
• Episode Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)
  • A nice conclusion to the mini-arc with the protagonist’s father.

Jinya (previously Jinta) returning to his father’s home and helping his father and step-sister find the resolution to face each other and communicate without revealing who he is was a tad cathartic to watch. I also enjoyed that they slightly reframed what his father did but did not clear him of his past actions. This episode went so quickly for me, especially because it followed episode one straight away.

Verdict: A calmer, more introspective follow-up that highlights healing and confronting the past. Watching Jinya help resolve his father’s guilt and bridge the distance with his half-sister without revealing himself, was moving and meaningful. It’s a thoughtful continuation that respects emotional nuance without excusing wrongdoing.

The Mononoke Lecture Logs of Chuzenji-sensei: He Just Solves All the Mysteries

• Episode 1: The New Teacher with a Stern Face
• Release date: 7 April 2025
• BiliBili
• Episode Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
  • Fun and brainy. Slightly muted visuals, but otherwise delightful.

Instantly, I knew I would like to watch this in an English Dub. I am settling myself in for a light detective series, but who knows at this point? Having Mononoke in the title does tell me we are probably in for a supernatural twist. Watching the ‘Who does this purse belong to?’ mystery get solved relatively quickly was satisfying. Seeing Akihiko Chuuzenji teach literary competency while encouraging comprehension and literary thinking was impressive. I enjoyed it immensely due to my tutoring background. A teacher blackmailing a student in most cases is wrong, but I found its use here diabolical, and I enjoyed it. Akihiko’s facial expressions make him look like a villain, and this is just another aspect that I enjoyed. Kanna Kusakabe, being curious about the man who solved the purse mystery and then being made the person to discover her teacher’s ‘secret’ space and then being on the receiving end of his petty blackmail, is endearing to watch. I look forward to her being frustrated with her teacher in upcoming episodes. I wish we had a slightly more vibrant colour pallet, but the muted tones suit the episode.

Verdict: Clever, quirky, and slightly off-beat. My tutoring background connected deeply with the classroom setup, and the supernatural tease worked well. Not a visual standout, but narratively engaging.

ZatsuTabi -That’s Journey-

• Episode 1: The First 1225 Steps
• Release date: 7 April 2025
• Crunchyroll
• Episode Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)
  • Grounded and beautiful. Great emotional hook with high relatability.

I am a sucker for pretty scenery, and ZatsuTabi is giving. Chika Suzugamori getting rejected and then having a car splashes her with water, followed by her self-commentary, is so extremely relatable. Especially because those feelings are valid and reflective of a person with self-confidence issues and who feels like life isn’t how it should be. She quickly became a relatable character, and I am looking forward to her journey. This was calming and soothing in a way that I did not expect. I now want to do something similar, but alas, responsibilities and finances are what they are. Finding out that Chika is eighteen was a shock. I knew she was young, but not that young. I agree, she got into an expensive hobby, but it’s a worthwhile one.

Verdict: Emotionally relatable and visually soothing, Chika’s vulnerability and realism moved me. It feels like a slow-burn slice-of-life that could deeply resonate week by week.

Final Thoughts on this week’s Monday releases

This Monday’s lineup had a surprisingly strong showing. While Compass2.0 left me scratching my head and Makina-san’s a Love Bot?! dove headfirst into the deep end of ecchi chaos, there were more hits than misses overall.

Aharen Is Indecipherable gave us a charming return to its quirky comedy, and Summer Pockets delivered a quiet, scenic premiere that lingered in my thoughts long after it ended. My Hero Academia: Vigilantes was a standout for me. It gave me the MHA world through a refreshing new lens, with a grittier, more grounded tone and adult characters who already have more emotional depth than I expected.

But the clear MVP of the week was Sword of the Demon Hunter: Kijin Gentōshō. Not only did it drop an emotionally intense, nearly hour-long first episode, but it followed it up with an equally impactful second episode that continued its thoughtful exploration of trauma, truth, and redemption. I love that it’s not afraid to be heavy while still keeping a clear emotional core. It’s the kind of series that feels like it’s building toward something grand, and I’m here for every second of it.

Anime I Am Most Looking Forward to Next Week Monday:

Out of everything lined up for next Monday, The Mononoke Lecture Logs of Chuzenji-sensei has me the most intrigued. While its first episode didn’t make the biggest splash in terms of bombast, it laid down the groundwork for what I suspect is going to be a clever, quiet, and deeply eerie slow-burn. The mix of folkloric horror and academic mystery is exactly the kind of atmosphere I adore. Think Mushishi meets Mononoke with a touch of Ghost Hunt, but slower, and there’s always a possibility for it to be stranger.

I’m curious to see how Chuzenji-sensei evolves as a character, especially as the stories dig deeper into the cultural and psychological weight of the cases. If it can maintain a strong narrative throughline while exploring the darker parts of human nature through its supernatural lens, it could become a true sleeper hit of the season.

Any I’m considering binging instead of watching weekly or dropping outright?

Not yet. It’s still too early to make that call. While some shows are pacing themselves with deliberate storytelling, none have felt sluggish enough to be put on hold. For now, I’m happy to continue week-to-week and see how the momentum builds. Plus, I need to follow my ‘first-5’ rule.

What have been your thoughts on Monday’s releases? Are you following along with the season?