What Would Mogami Asahi Do?

From season to season we’re showered with idol shows: students in idol clubs, aspiring idols, idols who do sports, and idols trying to balance work and school. This time around in Phantom of the Idol, it’s an idol who doesn’t want to be an idol and is haunted by another idol. It sounds kind of silly, I know, but it somehow works well in this case in large part because of the contrasting personalities involved. Niyodo Yuuya is the perfect representation of the reluctant participant with his tired approach to life, while his co-idol Kazuki Yoshino is the picture of positive, if a bit oblivious, energy. The ghost who enters into Yuuya’s life is Mogami Asahi, a beloved singer who passed away at the height of her fame. Together, they navigate ZINGS’ rise in popularity and their own questions about what it means to be an idol while staying true to themselves.

Kaiseki Anime Podcast Episode 105 – SHADOWS House and Summer Time Rendering

• 00:00 Intro
• 02:14 SHADOWS HOUSE
• 14:31 Summer Time Rendering
• 28:36 Outro

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You can find Kaiseki Anime Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Play. Subscribe to us now! Please also take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts—these reviews increase our visibility to new viewers, as well as gives us the feedback we need to improve.

If you have any questions or comments, let us know by commenting below, through Twitter with #KaisekiAnimePodcast, or on our personal Twitter accounts.

Music Credits:

• “Clover 3” by Vibe Mountain
• Summer Time Rendering OP 2: “Natsuyume Noisy” by Asaka
• “Seasons” by roljui

Boruto: Episodes 70-92, Ohnoki Arc Retrospective

I’ve been catching up on Boruto: Naruto Next Generations lately, most recently with the Ohnoki arc from 2018. Sounds like forever ago, doesn’t it? I’m pretty shocked myself to have fallen so far behind a show that is already well within range of 300 episodes, particularly during such a fantastic part of the anime from all that I’ve seen so far. This particular section resonates even more so because of my recent reading of Kazuo Ishiguro’s short novel, Klara and the Sun. Both feature artificial life modeled after the human species, and in both they question the definition of a human soul in manners that would argue for them already possessing souls of their own. Mitsuki, along with members of Hidden Stone Village, stands at the center of this arc’s storyline. His quest to find himself is also our quest to discover our very own heart stone.

Parallel World Pharmacy and Conscious Beauty

“…going forward, I want to make medicine available to those who need it.”

Falma de Médicis. “Master and Apprentice.” Parallel World Pharmacy.

With the past couple years of COVID lockdown, makeup has been one of the furthest things from my mind. When all you do is stay at home or go in public wearing a mask, what then is the point of putting on a pretty face? Some might do it for self-satisfaction or work-from-home video conferences, but I personally only bother these days out of a sense of obligation towards a presentable front…and Insta pics, of course. Now that many of us are venturing back out into public spaces, I realize that much of my makeup has expired and will need replacing.

Seeing the most recent episode of isekai series Parallel World Pharmacy reminded me that my priorities have changed since pre-pandemic–I no longer care as much about long-lasting, photo-ready finishes, but more about sun protection, moisture, and evenness of tone. Protagonist Falma de Médicis’ wariness of popular makeup, most especially whitening foundations, isn’t particularly new to anime–take for instance another recent show, 2021’s The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World, where they highlight a related issue. However, Falma’s profession as a pharmacologist rather than an undercover assassin allows for a more expansive view on the world of cosmetics and how it relates to one’s health.

Marina Eats: Kura Revolving Sushi Bar

This past July gave me the chance to eat not just once, but twice at Kura Sushi, a popular conveyor belt sushi franchise from Japan that opened a Bellevue, WA location almost exactly a year prior in 2021. I had actually sworn off of conveyor belt sushi a handful of years before this point thanks to a horrifying experience at another chain, but the convincing of a mother-in-law can be very, very strong. Given she was our guest for the week and that I had seen plenty of praise for the restaurant from others in Japan, I figured now was as good a time as any to suspend my wariness and try Kura Sushi.

Kaiseki Anime Podcast Episode 104 – Summer 2022 Season Preview

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:12 League of Nations Air Force Aviation Magic Band Luminous Witches
• 02:15 Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer
• 04:35 The Maid I Hired Recently is Mysterious
• 05:27 My Isekai Life: I Gained a Second Character Class and Became the Strongest Sage in the World!
• 07:32 Prima Doll
• 08:35 Shoot! Goal to the Future
• 09:12 Smile of the Arsnotoria the Animation
• 11:33 TOKYO MEW MEW NEW
• 12:16 Black Summoner
• 14:15 Classroom of the Elite Season 2
• 15:45 Engage Kiss
• 16:55 Extreme Hearts
• 18:12 Harem in the Labyrinth of Another World
• 19:26 Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? IV
• 20:20 My Stepmom’s Daughter is My Ex
• 21:30 Parallel World Pharmacy
• 23:26 Phantom of the Idol
• 25:30 Rent-a-Girlfriend Season 2
• 27:35 RWBY: Ice Queendom
• 30:26 Shine on! Bakumatsu Bad Boys
• 32:22 SHINEPOST
• 33:30 The Devil is a Part-Timer! Season 2
• 35:10 TEPPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Laughing ’til You Cry
• 36:54 The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting
• 38:40 Overlord IV
• 40:08 Uncle From Another World
• 42:35 Utawarerumono Mask of Truth
• 44:06 Vermeil in Gold
• 45:02 When Will Ayumu Make His Move?
• 46:30 Call of the Night
• 47:36 Lycoris Recoil
• 49:24 Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun
• 51:45 SHADOWS HOUSE 2nd Season
• 52:47 YUREI DECO
• 54:31 Ongoing shows
• 56:49 Outro

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You can find Kaiseki Anime Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Play. Subscribe to us now! Please also take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts—these reviews increase our visibility to new viewers, as well as gives us the feedback we need to improve.

If you have any questions or comments, let us know by commenting below, through Twitter with #KaisekiAnimePodcast, or on our personal Twitter accounts.

Music Credits:

• “Clover 3” by Vibe Mountain
• Call of the Night OP: “Datenshi” (堕天, “Fallen Angel”) by Creepy Nuts
• “Seasons” by roljui

Marina Eats: Gapao Rice

“You can taste the realness! Wow, it’s love-y!”

Berry. “The Yurei Detective Club.” YUREI DECO.

It’s been quite a long time since my last anime meal inspiration, but I just couldn’t help myself this time around with YUREI DECO. Watching Berry and the others chow down on some gapao rice on her first day outside of Tom Sawyer felt more real than anything else we had experienced in the show so far. The deco system, while fantastic in its Love-funded colors, adaptability, and quality of life, never truly felt tangible in that authentic, permanent way. I imagine living and growing up in this kind of environment can numb you to the oddness of it all. You might forget what your surroundings actually look like without deco plastered all over them.

Summer 2022 Bite-Size Menu

Sitting inside in the protection of the AC in avoidance of a record heatwave, it feels like summer is definitely here attempting to cook me alive. There are far too many new series this season to try, as well as a handful of sequels both expected and unexpected. I’ll be outlining in full my thoughts on all the shows in our upcoming preview podcast; what’s included here in this particular blog post are the newly debuting shows that excite me this summer.

Sequels: Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun; SHADOWS HOUSE 2nd Season; The Devil is a Part-Timer! Season 2.

[Review] Love After World Domination

I’ve gotta give credit where it’s due–I would have missed Love After World Domination if not for a friend’s recommendation. The super sentai setup and bright colors gave me expectations of unfunny gag humor and cheesy references. Both gags and references are assuredly present, but the cheese is delightfully delicious and the humor usually spot on.

Kaiseki Anime Podcast Episode 103 – Spring 2022 Season Review

• 00:00 Intro
• 01:20 The Dawn of the Witch
• 04:30 Fanfare of Adolescence
• 05:55 Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie
• 07:03 Skeleton Knight in Another World
• 08:11 Thermae Romae Novae
• 11:00 Vampire in the Garden
• 12:15 Aharen-san wa Hakarenai
• 14:05 Ascendance of a Bookworm Season 3
• 17:25 Dance Dance Danceur
• 20:00 Date A Live IV
• 21:07 Deaimon: Recipe for Happiness
• 25:49 The Executioner and Her Way of Life
• 27:20 The Greatest Demon Lord is Reborn as a Typical Nobody
• 28:00 Healer Girl
• 31:33 Heroines Run the Show
• 34:30 I’m Quitting Heroing
• 35:56 Love After World Domination
• 38:16 TIGER & BUNNY 2
• 40:28 Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games Is Tough for Mobs
• 43:16 BIRDIE WING -Golf Girls’ Story-
• 46:06 The Demon Girl Next Door S2
• 46:53 Kaguya-sama: Love is War -Ultra Romantic-
• 48:53 Komi Can’t Communicate Part 2
• 51:37 SPY x FAMILY
• 53:34 Ya Boy Kongming!
• 56:00 Aoashi
• 56:30 Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
• 56:55 A Couple of Cuckoos
• 57:12 Love All Play
• 57:27 Summer Time Rendering
• 57:57 Outro

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You can find Kaiseki Anime Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Play. Subscribe to us now! Please also take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts—these reviews increase our visibility to new viewers, as well as gives us the feedback we need to improve.

If you have any questions or comments, let us know by commenting below, through Twitter with #KaisekiAnimePodcast, or on our personal Twitter accounts.

Music Credits:

• “Clover 3” by Vibe Mountain
• Summer Time Rendering OP 1: “Hoshi ga Oyogu” (星が泳ぐ, “The Stars Swim”) by Macaroni Enpitsu
• “Seasons” by roljui