Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider – Episode 1
One man’s lifelong dream gets centered in a premiere that could be mean-spirited but instead, lets him start down the path to becoming exactly who he knows he is.
Posts by Cy Catwell
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A Star Brighter Than the Sun – Episode 1
A simple, but well executed, premiere that’ll remind viewers of why they like a good shoujo romance, even if this is only the tender beginnings.
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My Gift Lvl 9999 Unlimited Gacha: Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon, I’m Out for Revenge! – Episode 1
You’ll feel like you rolled a crit fail with this premiere that offers up nothing in exchange for wanting you to invest in a revenge narrative with no legs to stand on.
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Dusk Beyond the End of the World – Episodes 0-1
Viewers will find themselves wishing to be back in the analogue age with a two-part premiere that’s all futuristic chrome but no unique shine when it comes to its overall execution.
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A Gatherer’s Adventure in Isekai – Episode 1
It’s still fairly boilerplate, but there’s enough thought put into the “job” element of Takeru’s new life to give it a decent hook.
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A Wild Last Boss Appears! – Episode 1
It’s probably not going to get too deep about its protagonist’s gender-bending (or much else), but it’s also not dragged down by the genre’s more exploitative tropes.
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Cat’s Eye (2025) – Episode 1
A solid premiere that establishes its girl gang without fumbling the proverbial prize and feeling out of sync with its previous 1980s adaptation.
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Captivated, By You – Series Review
Complete in five episodes, you’ll find yourself captivated by the lives of four boys moving through their academic lives.
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The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity – Episodes 1-2
Find joy in Summer 2025’s latest premiere entry that offers up a sweet start to a high school romance across class lines with lots and lots of cake.
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Complicated Age: Passion, hobbies, and aging through the lens of Complex Age
In their unexpected 33rd year of life, Cy reflects on passion and what it means to like, love, and fully engage with hobbies.
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Fermat Kitchen – Episode 1
They say if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen, but what if there was another way to brave the heat and still make a good meal? That’s the focus of Fermat Kitchen, a premiere that sets the foundation for a story of growth and good food.
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Solo Camping for Two – Episode 1
You’ll wish you’d checked into anywhere but this lackluster premiere that features the two most irritating people AND a sexual assault threat for comedic effect.
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Nyaight of the Living Cat – Episode 1
This premiere injects a healthy does of fun into what easily could have been a too silly premiere, resulting in one of the season’s strongest debuts and also, another fear on my list: kitty-pocalypse!
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Uglymug, Epicfighter – Episode 1
The only ugliness to be found is in Shigeru’s volcel actions and this premiere’s treatment of his body and physicality.
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Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra: World Conquest Starts with the Civilization of Ruin – Episode 1
One young man finds himself in another world in a grounded premiere that doesn’t overpower him, but instead, empowers him to do right by some of the fantasy world’s most downtrodden.
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Hotel Inhumans – Episode 1
Dive into the dark underbelly of a world where living past twenty is a huge achievement in a premiere that’s engaging right from the start.
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Bad Girl – Episode 1
Bad Girl will make a good girl out of any viewer due to being pretty charming yuri fun.
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The Shy Hero and the Assassin Princesses – Episode 1
This premiere is a roll of the dice on whether or not you’ll find yourself enjoying one man’s treasure or if you’ll find that this murder comedy is one person’s trash.
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Watari-kun’s ***** is About to Collapse – Episode 1
Boy remeets Girl, Friend turns to Enemy, and eveything kind of collapses in a romantic comedy that feels more like a horror story than anything else.
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Secrets of the Silent Witch – Episode 1
It’s definitely got some pacing issues, but Monica kind of won me over in the end, and I’d like to see this premiere become something more.
