March Comes In Like a Lion

Remedy for the overstimulated. Explores emotions really well with unique art style and thoughtfully curated music.

I really recommend this series as it’s definitely worth checking out. The story is great, and the visuals are just as impressive. Sure, the art style might feel a bit “old-school” since it’s been around for a while, but it still holds up surprisingly well. The direction and overall presentation really carry it, and there are plenty of moments that still look genuinely stunning. As for the story, just be ready for something a bit heavy. It deals a lot with self-doubt, fear, past trauma, and the pressure of dealing with adult life—things that hit pretty close to home for a lot of people. That said, it’s not all serious all the time. It also does a nice job highlighting friendship, relationships, a bit of healthy rivalry, and even some subtle hints of romance, which helps balance things out nicely. I rate this a 9/10. A really great SoL.

the writing remains exceptionally strong. conceptualizing shogi as a desperate ticket for human interaction reframes his childhood isolation brilliantly. merging the afterburner and shogi clubs provides a highly logical narrative solution for his socialization.

expanding on shimada's hometown provides excellent context for his communal motivations and kindness. transitioning from that into the domestic warmth of the kawamoto household, specifically highlighting the ideation of traditional sweets, is wonderfully done.

i just want to jump through the screen and give young rei the biggest hug, no child deserves to feel that alone. his metaphor about shogi being a ticket to tomorrow was so incredibly beautiful but heartbreaking.

hinata has my whole heart, her pov this ep was perfect fr. and hearing them talk about their late mother was so touching, and watching the whole japanese sweet making process from the start was peak

mr. hayashida.....the teacher ever... im so glad i only watched this now so i can jump straight into the second season immediately

shimadad is really an amazingly written character, tbf everyone in this anime is very well written but he hold a special place for me

this kyoto arc is so well written! i love how even though rei isn't the one competing right now, we are still seeing him learn and grow by watching shimada's struggles. it is such a beautiful way to handle his development.

focusing on shimada's story this time was beautiful. the wording and monologues are so poetic, i can only imagine how gorgeous the original japanese dialogue must be. the storytelling is pure gold.

the teacher validating all his daily efforts was so sweet it made me want to cry. knowing he has this amazing support system around him keeping him on his feet is just so heartwarming.

the relationships between everyone here are just so beautifully complex. kyouko is such a deeply layered character. the emotional messiness of it all just adds so much depth to the story

he reminds me so much of a stray black cat that hangs around but refuses to get close to anyone. seeing him willingly join the workshop and actually interact with people makes me so incredibly happy for his progress

i am getting so curious about his adoptive sister and what her actual lore is with that married man. the visuals and graphics somehow just keep getting better and better with every single eps

hearing him say he is even terrible at depression while looking for jobs in magazines was so incredibly sad. he was just a baby :( like he was introduced as a prodigy but it is so obvious he is just a child lacking experience.

they never half-ass any of the character writing here. im really liking this ep, love how they used his simple morning routine and breakfast to give us a peek into his personality.

this show explores feelings that hit so close to home for me. it is definitely heavy and can be painful to watch sometimes, but there is also a very comforting, nostalgic melancholy to it.

the relationship between him and the kawamoto girls is just the cutest thing ever. seeing the little details like the stickers inside the cupboard gave me such a huge wave of nostalgia.

seeing him finally crash out and let all those suppressed emotions go hit me really hard. i am just so glad he finally let it all out. you just want to give the poor kid a massive hug

this was such a hilarious but deeply heartwarming episode! getting so deep into matsunaga's character on his very first appearance was wonderful. the dialogue between them was just so meaningful.