FruitsPunchSamurai2323 Reviews

Attack on Titan: Midnight Sun (2019) Season 3, Episode 18

Haunting and Devastating

[10/10 · 4 December 2021]

Attack on Titan has had so many emotional moments throughout, but I don't think the show has ever been this incredibly harrowing and hard to watch in its entire run. The previous episodes have been heart-wrenching to watch, but the most devastating part of said events for me was the aftermath, where we see each character at their lowest point due to their unfortunate circumstances. The visuals are as beautiful as always, the tension and lack of music make it almost unbearable; some of the most raw vocal preformances in the show. All of these aspects make for one of the more slow paced episodes of this action-packed arc into one of the most soul crushing pieces of television I've seen, and it's one I won't forget for a very long time.

Perfect 10/10.

Attack on Titan: Hero (2019) Season 3, Episode 17

Legendary Episode Deserving of its Reputation

[10/10 · 4 December 2021]

Hero is one of those episodes that's loved by pretty much everybody, and is held up as one of the greatest pieces of television ever, up there with tv classics such as Ozymandias from Breaking Bad or Proxy Authentication Required from Mr Robot. And although it's not my personal favorite AOT episode, I don't think I could argue that's it's anything less than one of the most perfect pieces of television I've seen. I've probably seen it 10 times now and I'm constantly impressed by the level of quality here. The stunning animation and soundtrack; emotional and believable voice acting; perfect pacing, the satisfying and heartbreaking culmination of multiple ongoing storylines and character arcs. There's nothing that I can't say about it that hasn't been said, it's just that good.

Perfect 10/10.

Attack on Titan: Warrior (2017) Season 2, Episode 6

One Of The Best Executed Plot Twists Ever

[10/10 · 29 November 2021]

I can think of many shows which manage to have very surprising twists, but always end up being less impactful upon rewatch when the element of shock value isn't there any more, but this is a rare case where a twist is just as thrilling every single time I rewatch it. Even if the element of surprise isn't there; the phenomenal animation, music, and voice acting elevate what would be a somewhat anticlimatic twist on paper into one of the most exhilerating scenes in the entire show. I cannot think of many plot twists that can sustain this level of impact, and that is something truly special.

Perfect 10/10.

Person of Interest: If-Then-Else (2015) Season 4, Episode 11

One Of The Most Flawless, Innovative, and Thrilling Pieces of Television Ever Made

[10/10 · 27 July 2021]

If-Then-Else is an episode that blew my mind the first time I watched it, and was easily the best episode so far. And even having caught up to the show it has never left my top 5 episodes. The amazing direction, mesmerizing show-motion cinematography; flawless editing, perfect usage of licensed music (Fortune Days by the Glitch Mob), incredible acting across the board, impressive attention to detail; every aspect of this episode is top notch. But I feel what really elevated this episode above and beyond was the storytelling. Not only does it feel like every decision has weight, but the unorthodox way it characterizes all the main characters along with The Machine itself was stunning; and couldn't have been done any other way. This along with one of the most emotional ending scenes I've seen cemented this episode as a classic, and deserves every bit of hype it gets.

Obviously this episode isn't literally flawless (As shown in the Goofs section), but I can think of few episodes that come as close to perfection as If-Then-Else. It's tense, intelligent, funny, heart-breaking; there's truly nothing else like it and everyone owes it to themselves to check it out.

Perfect 10/10.

Gintama: Pinky Swear (2013) Season 3, Episode 8

Best Fight Yet

[10/10 · 23 June 2021]

This arc delivers yet again another masterpiece of an episode. The entire episode is great having plenty of great comedy, character moments, and action. But what solidified this episode as a masterpiece is the final 5-ish minutes which were nothing short of flawless. Having the best fight in the series so far, balancing beautifully animated action sequences with plenty of genuinely emotional moments. I still think "Five Pinkies" is my favorite episode of this arc, but this episode was still absolutely amazing.

Perfect 10/10.

Gintama: Five Pinkies (2013) Season 3, Episode 7

Flawless Episode

[10/10 · 23 June 2021]

The couple of episodes of this arc have been amazing, but neither of them have been as good as "Five Pinkies", which is not only the best episode of the arc so far, but one of my favorite television episodes period. Everything about this episode is executed masterfully. The beautifully animated and coreographed fight scenes, great music, shocking revelations about Gintoki's character for the first time, great character interactions, emotional moments, a much darker tone than previous episodes, and somehow managing to include bits of comedy throughout. Gintama has been amazing for the first 258 episodes, but never have I seen something from the show quite like this. Absolutly incredible.

Perfect 10/10.

Gintama: Inside the Palace!! (2013) Season 3, Episode 6

Tension Rises

[10/10 · 23 June 2021]

Although the previous episode was good, this one does a much better job at setting up the arc to comes. Having plenty of great twists, a significantly darker tone, plenty of great character moments, and introducing one of the most hatable fictional characters I've seen. Not only this but they balance all of this out with great comedy without ever feeling forced. Overall, a great episode which I enjoyed from start to finish.

9.7/10.

Gintama: Courtesan Turns the Tables (2013) Season 3, Episode 5

Great Start

[10/10 · 22 June 2021]

This episode marks the beginning of one of my favorite arcs in Gintama (Courtesan of a Nation), and from the start I'm already loving it. It's a lot less emotional than the next few episodes, as it's mostly a setup for the arc, but it's a very good setup at that. It does a great job as introducing most of the signficant characters, creating plenty of intrigue, and balancing this all with genuinely hilarious moments. Defintely not nearly as good as the rest of this arc, but still very good.

9.5/10.

Re: Zero, Starting Life in Another World: The Value of Life (2020) Season 2, Episode 8

Best Episode Yet

[10/10 · 21 June 2021]

Without spoiling anything, "The Value of Life" is best episode of Re:Zero so far, and one of my favorite television episodes period, having a great blend of everything that makes this show great. It has an incredible disturbing and morbid tone akin to "The Outside of Madness", but also managing to balance it out with a handful of revelations, along with one of the most satisfying and emotional moments in the series that has been built up to since the beginning. All of these things along with the beautiful animation, amazing voice acting (Especially Yûsuke Kobayashi's stunning performance), and great music make for what's probably the best episode of the year, and one of my favorite pieces of television ever.

Perfect 10/10.

Re: Zero, Starting Life in Another World: Kyouki no Sotogawa (2016) Season 1, Episode 15

A Disturbing Work of Art

[10/10 · 8 June 2021]

Re:ZERO up to this point has been a good show which I've been enjoying, but I wouldn't give it more than that, but what we got in this episode was not merely the best Re:ZERO episode so far but one of the greatest and most disturbing pieces of television I've ever seen. A big reason for why this episode is so great is its incredibly morbid tone which was executed perfectly, where you see the already stressed Subaru endure some of the most traumatic experiences anybody could go through; this along with the stunning voice acting (Especially from Subaru's VA), amazing animation and cinematography; and beautiful soundtrack make the disturbing nature of this episode even more believable, making for an emotional rollercoaster unlike anything else I've seen. Not only this but it has one of the best endings of any tv episode I've ever seen, leaving be staring at the credits in shock of what just occured before me, the OST "Reqiuem of Silence" complimenting the scene perfectly.

Overall, a flawless episode which leaves me very excited to see what else this show has to offer.

Perfect 10/10.

The Legend of Korra: Venom of the Red Lotus (2014) Season 3, Episode 13

The Pinnacle of Western Animation

[10/10 · 6 June 2021]

I'll admit that when Korra started I wasn't the biggest fan/ Season 1 was just alright and Season 2 was lowkey bad; but Season 3 has done an amazing job at redeeming the series. Especially with this very episode which I argue might be the single greatest episode out of either Avatar and Korra; and perhaps in all of Western animation. The animation was beautiful, the music was also amazing and amplified the impact of every scene, the voice acting was on point, the action scenes were stunning and amazingly written. The suprisingly dark tone which pushed the boundries of what can be done in a kids show, but did so tactfully in a way which made all the emotions the characters feel even more believable, to the point this show nearly had me tearing up. The amazing character development, where you see every bit of development these characters went through culminate brilliantly in this very episode. But one of my favorite parts without giving anything was how nuanced the ending was. It shows the regardless of which way this conflict goes, all the events we have witnessed have changed the characters and world indefintely with no going back; yet another example of this show skillfully using dark themes in a way that benefits the story.

Overall, a flawless episode of television which was unlike anything I've seen from this show, and I'm so excited to see how things turn out in the final season.

Perfect 10/10.

Person of Interest: The Day the World Went Away (2016) Season 5, Episode 10

Possibly The Best Episode

[10/10 · 4 June 2021]

Choosing my favorite Person of Interest episode is hard as there's just too many to choose from, all of which have great qualities of their own. The bittersweet sadness of The Devil's Share, the technical and conceptual brilliance of If-Then-Else, the disturbing and mind-bending nature of 6,741; the emotional conclusiveness of Return 0. Each of these episodes is a masterclass of television and deserve every bit of praise they get. And this might change upon rewatch, but I think The Day The World Went Away is my current favorite episode of POI and is my third favorite episode in all of television. Like the best POI episodes this one is from a technical level virtually flawless. The stunning direction and cinematography, great attention to detail, the incredible music including one of the best uses of a liscenced song I've seen (The Day The World Went Away by Nine Inch Nails), the incredible acting across the board which perfectly convey every emotion. It also has plenty of great action sequences, having plenty of tense gunfights and one of the best car chases I've seen (and in a network tv show no less.). But the aspect that elevated this episode for me was the emotional aspect which was unlike anything I've seen from this show. It wasn't enough to make me cry per say (not many shows are to be far) but nonetheless left me with a deep feeling of saddness watching all these characters who I've grown to care unlike nearly any show I've seen. I've grown so close to these characters, and seeing the cruel world they live in take its toll on them was absolutely heartbreaking. Not only this but they take Finch's character is a very different direction which I wasn't expecting, all of which is sold by Emerson's phenomenal preformance which was award-worthy in every sense of the word.

This incredible episode is a testamant to how much this show has grown, starting from a relatively simple case of the week story, but evolving into one of the darkest, most thought-provoking, creative, and powerful shows to ever grace the medium of television, and I'm beyond grateful I got to experience it.

Perfect 10/10.

Gintama: Ninja Village (2015) Season 4, Episode 36

Peak Gintama

[10/10 · 22 May 2021]

After one of the strongest starts to an anime Arc I've seen, this series manages to top itself yet again with a perfect blend of everything I love about the series. The beautiful visuals, constantly rising tension, bits of character development and progression; perfect balance of seriousness and comedy; and amazing action sequences including one of my favorite fights in the entire series (Sougo vs Kamui) which manages to be so epic despite how brief the encounter is.

Overall an amazing episode which is a great encapsulation of Gintama at its best.

9.9/10.

Gintama: Shoguns of Light and Shadow (2015) Season 4, Episode 35

Amazing Start

[10/10 · 20 May 2021]

This episode marks the beginning of perhaps the greatest arc in all of Gintama, and it couldn't have started in a better way. The amazing pacing, perfect balance of comedy and seriousness, the gradual buildup of tension, all of which culminates in an explosive cliffhanger which completely subverted what I thought this arc was going to be in the best way possible.

Overall a brilliant episode which does an amazing job of setting up the arc to come.

9.8/10.

Person of Interest: The Devil's Share (2013) Season 3, Episode 10

As Close To Perfection As You Can Get

[10/10 · 3 May 2021]

Person of Interest is easily my favorite television series I've seen so far. It's a series that just keeps getting better and better, producing some of the greatest pieces of television I've ever seen (Deus Ex Machina, If-Then-Else, YHWH), all of which raise the stakes and introduce massive changes to the overall series. And despite "The Devil's Share" being less significant in comparison, it still stands out as one of the greatest television episodes of all time, cementing this already great series as a masterpiece. I cannot for the life of me think of a single issue I have with this episode. The amazing direction and cinematography; perfect pacing, incredible music, consistently incredible acting across the board. From a technical level this episode is perfect. Not only this but it provides amazing character development, amazing action sequences, and some of the most emotional moments in the entire series, but what really made this episode for me was the opening scene, which perfectly tackles heavy themes of grief and how it affects people. Seeing how the tragic events of the previous episode take their toll on every character was perfectly executed, the direction and acting alone perfectly selling every emotion without a word uttered. This along with the song "Hurt" playing in the background makes this scene even more perfect, culminating in my favorite opening scene in all of television.

Person of Interest is a series that starts out slow, but it's phenomenal works of art like this one which make the journey all the more worth it.

Perfect 10/10.

Gintama: The Day the Demon Cried (2016) Season 4, Episode 43

The Bleakest Episode in All of Gintama

[10/10 · 29 April 2021]

Gintama has consistently done a great job of evoking powerful emotions despite being mostly comedic, but this episode has done this in a way I haven't seen from this show before. The reason for this is due to its consistently bleak tone. Seeing how the death of the Shogun and Kondo's arrest has taken its toll on all the characters was nothing short of heartbreaking. This along with the suprising absense of humor found in even the most emotional of episodes makes for a very depressing episode with the bleakest outlook possible. Despite its depressing nature I absolutely loved this episode and how unique it is when comparing it to the rest of Gintama; and it couldn't have started this masterpiece of an arc in a better way.

10/10.

Black Clover: Captain Yami Sukehiro (2021) Season 4, Episode 12

Had To Write A Review

[10/10 · 23 April 2021]

Black Clover Season 4 has been great up to this point, but I was actually blown away by how amazing this episode was. Other that brief bits of jank animation, pretty much everything was amazing. The animation, character development, music, voice acting, emotions. It was such an intense and powerful episode unlike anything I've seen from this show before, and I am so excited to see the last few episodes.

Gintama: Nobume (2016) Season 4, Episode 50

My Favorite Episode Behind "Sworn Enemy"

[10/10 · 10 April 2021]

Although Sworn Enemy is by far my favorite episode, this episode is a close second, being one of the emotional pieces of television I have ever witnessed. It has some of the best action scenes in the series and a touching moment between Gin and the Shinsengumi, but the characters that really made this episode for me were Isaburo and Nobume. In previous episodes. We learn bits about their bond and how they've met. But this is the episode where we truly learn how much they mean to each other, all of which culminates in the perfect conclusion to Isaburo's character arc which is so phenomenally executed and never fails to make me cry. Gintama has many emotionally powerful moments, but I can't think of any that hit me as hard as this one did, and is what cements this episode as a true masterpiece.

Infinity/10.

Attack on Titan: Soldier (2017) Season 2, Episode 4

Still One Of My Favorites

[10/10 · 7 April 2021]

Although my list of favorite AOT episodes mostly consists of episodes later on the series (Savagery, Assault, etc.), "Heishi" still stands out as one of my favorites, being a great encapsulation of everything I love about this series. Amazing action scenes, a level of tension maintained throughout, great character development, plenty of shocking revelations, and perhaps the largest amount of forshadowing in a single episode before Season 3 Part 2, which becomes so much more meaningful upon rewatch. Definitely one of the strongest episodes of early Attack on Titan.

9.8/10.

Gintama: 'Tis an Honor! (2011) Season 2, Episode 13

When Gintama Became A Masterpiece

[10/10 · 13 March 2021]

Although Gintama has always been an amazing show with some amazing episodes (Ghosts Aren't The Only Ones Who Go Crazy in Graveyards, Chains of Chivalry, etc), this was the episodes which solidified this series as a masterpiece. Incredible action, bits of insight on Gintoki's character, the perfect conclusion to Jirocho's character arc, all of which culminates in an incredibly emotional reunion which brought me to tears. It's near perfection in every way I can think of, and the fact the show gets even better from here just shows how incredible Gintama is.

10/10

Cowboy Bebop: Ballad of Fallen Angels (1998) Season 1, Episode 5

A Near Perfect Half-Hour of Television

[10/10 · 25 February 2021]

Although I'm not the biggest fan of Cowboy Bebop as a whole, I have to say when it's good, it's REALLY good. This episode does just about everything perfectly. The animation, music, voice acting, and sound design are all amazing, and the Church Shootout Scene is one of the best scenes in all of anime. But what really made me love this episode is the little things. The symbolism, subtle details and forshadowing; plenty of conversations which flesh out the characters and hint at greater things to come. And once you've seen the series in its entirity, all these little moments become so much meaningful. It's intense, funny, emotional, and truly is one of the greatest pieces of television ever.

Black Clover: Julius Novachrono (2019) Season 2, Episode 42

My Favorite Fight in Black Clover

[10/10 · 17 February 2021]

Although I have enjoyed watching the anime for Black Clover, this is the first episode which I feel lives up to its level of greatness in the manga, and manages to exceed it. The stunning animation which makes this already great fight better, great character development for Julius Novachrono which made him my favorite character, and a heart-breaking ending which gets me every time. It's not only the best Black Clover episode yet, but one of the best anime episodes period. Absolutely incredible.

10/10

Gintama: Sworn Enemy (2016) Season 4, Episode 40

One Of The Greatest Episodes in All of Television

[10/10 · 7 February 2021]

Out of all the great television episodes I've seen (AOT's "Savagery", Hunter x Hunter "Anger x and x Light", Lost's "The Constant"), this episode somehow managed to go above and beyond nearly every episode of every show I've ever seen and soldify itself as my favorite. After hundreds of episodes we finally get massive revelations about Takasugi's character and why he hates Gintoki so much. And learning what Gintoki did absolutely shocking and heartbreaking; but at the same time is consistent to his character. And seeing how it affected Takasugi's hatred and therefore his relations with Gintoki was very well done. This along with the brutal fight between them is what makes this episode my personal favorite. Gintama has always been an amazing show, but seeing the character writing and storytelling reach these insane heights was nothing short of incredible, and it makes me so excited to see this masterpiece to the end.

Attack on Titan: Assault (2021) Season 4, Episode 7

Might Be My Favorite Episode of Any Show Ever

[10/10 · 25 January 2021]

I normally don't write reviews, but after seeing this masterpiece of an episode, I couldn't just not talk about it. This episode has pretty much everything I could want: a great story, incredible music and sound design; stellar voice acting, and some incredible action sequences which make me really love this episode. What what truly made it my favorite is the Marleyans. For the entirity of Attack on Titan, we wanted to see the Corps get revenge on the Marleyans who've inflicted so much suffering onto them. But due to how great the show did at developing the Marleyans in a few episodes made this event which we thought would've been satifying into one of the most brutal and heartbreaking episodes in all of Attack on Titan, so much so it actually made me cry a bit (and trust me when I say that's a very rare occurance).

As for the animation, I have no idea what the hate it all about. The backgrounds, character designs, and lighting looked amazing; even the CGI for the most part looks pretty good. There was a brief somewhat janky CGI scene in the first few minutes of this episode; but something as minor as that isn't nearly enough to ruin an episode of this immense quality.

I honestly wasn't quite sure if AOT would ever live up to "Hero", but this episode honestly beats "Hero" for me and that's about the highest praise I could give any episode. And the fact that the episodes to come only get better from here make me infinitely excited to see what else this show has to offer.

Infinity/10