One of the facets that mystery anime can do is flaunt the key information in front of you for hours before you realize what you needed was there all along. That, and telling an interesting enough story will go a long way for most viewers. It’s not necessarily about the overarching story itself, but the little parts that end up, more of then than not, being the key to the whole thing. Sometimes, especially when you are watching anime seasonally where episodes come out week by week, you might even get a kick out of rewatching an episode just to see if there is something that you missed. The first anime on our list is one such anime. Wrapped in so much mystery, sometimes even the conclusion can be confusing.

Shiki Magata is a genius programmer who lives away, secluded on an island. You see, she’s there because she committed a crime very long ago. The government recognized her skills and gave her an option, prison, or working, developing technology, in an isolated existence. She took the latter. When Souhei and his student Moe arrive to try to meet with her though, something happens. The power goes out, and one by one, people start to be murdered here on the island including the programmer herself? But how can that be? She couldn’t have possibly done it to herself, so who is the culprit who got into a locked room and killed her?? Nothing is as it seems and nothing can be taken at face value as Shiki’s past comes to light and they try to sort out these meaningless murders. The funny thing about Subete ga F ni Naru is that you constantly are saying to yourself, “Wait what? How did that happen?” a lot. Subete ga F ni Naru does an excellent job of telling a tale that is compelling, thrilling, confusing, and awe inspiring all at the same time. Somehow people are being killed and while some anime will show you the murder, Subete ga F ni Naru hides it away. You have no idea who is doing what at all ever. It never makes sense until the very end in a very long exposition. The great thing that makes this such a great mystery anime, is the thriller aspect that has been successfully added to the story. No one knows what is going on, but they are on lockdown and everyone is connected to these murders that keep happening. Be prepared to lose some sleep if you start this anime later in the evening!

It’s not rocket science to know that mystery anime usually involves some kind of horror or murder or something that will suspend and push the story forward. Who cares about some rando dying? No one terribly, but what if that someone murdered was someone you knew or had recently met with? Suddenly your interest is piqued. That intrigue drives the story forward and makes people interested in the story at hand. Who did it? Was it messy? Did they leave any clues? Why are you still doing those four puzzles from last christmas and trying to connect them.

Keiichi Maebara has just moved into the sleepy village of Hinamizawa with his family. He’s not expecting much from his new countryside life, and thankfully, the new friends he makes at school aren’t either. Rather, they just want to spend their days with him having fun. Keiichi soon makes close friends with Rena, Satoko, Mion, and Rika. Everything seems to be going well for him as they get closer and closer to an annual festival that reveres the god Oyashiro-sama. Then he learns that there was a string of murders that have plagued the village as of recent. When he inquires his friends, they all one by one either skirt by the issue or eerily warn him not to dig any further into it. Suddenly, Keiichi is driven to learn more, but as he does, he learns that he has run afoul of the incident himself and suddenly he is the mark… or is he the killer? He wakes up after a very intense night of crime to a new story starting? What is going on? Higurashi is made for people who not only love to think about puzzles but also love the thrill that comes with them when lives hang in the balance. From the intense chase scenes to the twists and turns that makes your mind hurt as you realize that everything you thought was logical is no longer relevant in this timeline, Higurashi is, dare we say, the perfect mystery anime. It simply resets itself when the puzzle gets completed to a certain extent meaning that you never really can finish the puzzle before a new one is set in you. Not to mention, too, the villain changes a few times throwing you off. One thing to note is that Higurashi will not give you resolution in the first season. That’s right, you have to keep watching into the second season and beyond for even more information and tips that will help bring all facets of the story into the light.

The crucial backbone to a good mystery anime that you can really sink your teeth into, is a good plot. While some anime try to do it in a 12 episode run–Spoiler: most fail to do so–a good two cours run of 22-26 episodes seems to be the sweet spot for a good mystery anime. Subete ga F ni Naru: The Perfect Insider is naturally, the exception to this, but that is because of how well it was done. It can be done, just not necessarily always is done. However yes, a good mystery anime needs time to build plot, create a world that you are somewhat to fully invested in, and of course, a gaggle of characters to make it interesting while moving the story along at the same time.

Ten years ago, something called Heaven’s Gate appeared in South America while something else called Hell’s Gate opened in–you guessed it–Japan. Somehow our laws of physics and existence do not apply within them. At the same time, these beings called “contractors” appear. They have powers that they have received in exchange for their own humanity. In Japan, Misaki Kirihara is having problems with a mysterious contractor named Hei. Hei is known for taking missions that would seemingly jeopardize the existence of contractors, but in reality, he is working hard to reveal a deep plot that threatens them all. Society is at a breaking point, but what will they find? If ogres are like onions, then Darker than Black is also like an onion. If you really want a good mystery coupled with a thriller, then look no further. Plots to do harm are something that make an excellent story and it’s clear that Bones knew what it was doing with DtB. Not only are there these mysterious gates and contractors, but there is a plot that would bring ruin coupled with political jostling and what justice would look like when it’s extremely brittle.

Of all the things that can be said about space anime, it would be that humans tend to not be terribly different from how they are now. Vying for that next adventure into space, humans set out, just it doesn’t take us six months to reach Mars. Spaceships are everywhere, and sometimes there are even aliens that our human main characters come into contact with. If you want what is essentially a western in space–R.I.P. Firefly–we have one classic in mind that is an excellent starting point for any anime fan.

The future is now. At least, it’s about 80 years into the future. Humanity has left Earth behind and moved to the stars. The problem is, along with the normies who have moved on, crime has as well. The police are there, but they cannot always get to every crime every time and are spread thin, so what they do is enlist bounty hunters to get the job done. Sometimes referred to as cowboys, these hunters watch shows that advertise criminals, hunt them down, and try to cash them in for massive rewards. Spike and Jet are two such individuals. After accidentally picking up Faye, another bounty hunter with terrible luck but good looks, Ein, a supercomputer of a Corgi, and Ed, a genius hacker, they set off to not only uncover parts of each other’s pasts, but act almost like a family to bring those criminals in and try to get the rewards that should offset their starving stomachs for a little while longer. To say that Cowboy Bebop is in the top 10 anime that anyone who claims to be an anime fan should watch and be knowledgeable about is an understatement. The series did mildly okay in Japan, but American viewers are what catapulted this series to the fame that it enjoys today. Spaceships, aliens, space truckers, crime, gambling, and exotic foods are just some things that we think about when it comes to Space shows. Cowboy Bebop has all of these and more including action scenes, fantastic characterization, and storytelling. Watching Jet and Spike struggle to eat as they go from job to job trying to land more criminals and thus, bounties makes for a fantastic story. That, and the worlds that they visit are different, though there is a definite western twist to it all, meaning that you more or less are introduced to a new world with each episode.

The ignorance of humans is boundless and another big thing that people always seem to fail to account for is that there might be other intelligent life out there including beings that look and act just like us. They also might not take kindly to us showing up and colonizing worlds that they may be a part of or areas where they hold influence. The other issue that often arises is that some people get too big for their britches and rather than be civil and hold discussions about it, people take to their weapons, robots, and ships to shoot at those in power or flee to another world. It happens time after time in series, and it makes an excellent tool for the story. Not to mention too, we get mech! If you love robots, then try robots in space a la Gundam.

Humanity has escaped from the Zentradi and thus, is no longer facing being destroyed. However, they are alive on a ship somewhere in space known as the Macross Frontier. Life has returned to normal however, there are robots and training and military that is still working to keep them safe. And safe they will have to keep everyone as the Vajra are now here to ruin the day. When Alto comes face to face with them while working on a show for the singer Sheryl, this fate is forever changed. He saves a girl named Ranka, and the military notes this. Soon, he is recruited to fight against a new alien menace that threatens humanity and its existence. Macross Frontier is often argued to be one of the best installments in the Macross franchise–this author remains neutral, however–and it shows just about anything and everything that one would expect in a space anime. Humanity has escaped one threat only to land itself in the crosshairs of another with the Vajra after invading where the Vajra are. Living on a spaceship is something right out of a dream for most people and it really is shown fully in macross Frontier even having realistic sunrises and sunsets within the ship itself. Naturally too, the Vajra are fought using mechs that seem a million light-years away from where our current technology is. It just so happens that two individuals have some sort of magical music power to assist these mechs and their pilots.

Space may be the place where where humanity aimed for, but peace was not present. The Galactic Empire, run by oligarchs, is locked in war with the Free Planets Alliance, a breakaway group that more or less has their own functioning society outside of the rules of the Empire. However, the Empire wants them back and under their rule. Thus they are engaged in a long, semi-never-ending war. Reinhard von Lohengramm hates what he serves but is a capable commander for the Empire, while Wen-li Yang fights to preserve and maintain the freedom that the Free Planets Alliance enjoys. These two will face each other over and over again on the battlefield that is space. Ginga Eiyuu Densetsu: Die Neue These Kaikou is more or less the central concept of a space anime. Now, it is a remake of the series which is 100+ episodes long from the 80s and 90s, but do not be alarmed, fans can wet their feet with this one and then go back to the original if they please. Spaceships, battles, power struggles, a government that has been in power for too long, and an underdog of a government to cheer for are the big space anime themes to be enjoyed here. Sure, it’s not as personal as Cowboy Bebop, but the main characters are prominent enough that they are memorable and enjoyable. Plus, you will want to hold onto that information if you go back to the earlier series.

Something that is also great about space anime, is that they don’t always take themselves so seriously. Sure, there are very tense moments, but there are also comical and lighthearted ones that show humans who might not be complete successes right out of the starting gun.

Dandy is a bounty hunter who hunts down unclassified aliens in order to get them registered with the government and get a reward. Sadly, he always seems to find his prey and somehow then subsequently lose it. He hangs out with QT, a sentient robot vacuum and a cat alien named Meow. Dandy likes to regroup at his favorite place Boobies, a food and fanservice joint, when he is not sure what to do or he is licking his wounds. Just know that wherever Dandy does go, he encounters the most bizarre setups leading him to have brain-melting experiences frequently. Space Dandy is such a lighthearted series as a final entry. Shinichiro Watanabe and Masahiko Minami both return from their Cowboy Bebop days to bring up something a bit more unique and yet, well-liked in the anime series. Each episode features a new style of animation from animators making it a strange yet oddly cohesive anime. Again here, we have spaceships, aliens, humans living on ships in space, other worlds and more. This is all encased in a lighter tone meaning that we are going to get more of what we love with a lighter message.

Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman and Levi are names many of us anime fans know all too well. That’s because these are three of some of the better-known characters from illustrious Shingeki no Kyojin series which returns with a third season in July 2018! Rumor has it that Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3 will take a lot of the issues found in the magna arc it’s adapting and will be changing up some elements to create a better story and narrative. However, what we care most about is the fact that we once more get to see Wit Studios bring to life one of our favorite series and once more deliver tons of Titan killing glory before our eyes. Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3 is easily one of the bigger action anime we’re hyped for here at Honey’s Anime and we don’t think we’re alone. If you haven’t caught up with Shingeki no Kyojin already, you still have several months to do so, folks!

Back in 1985—yes that long ago—Yoshida Akimi created an action drama known as Banana Fish. The strangely named series follows a young man named Ash Lynx who becomes a ruthless killer due to the environment he is raised in. Banana Fish hits all those classic action themes found in stories about sex, drugs and violence to create one heck of a manga series that lasted for 19 volumes. That’s why we are excited to see Banana Fish finally get an anime adaption nearly three decades later. Created by studio MAPPA, Banana Fish looks already incredible from the few trailers we’ve seen making our wait for it to release in the summer 2018 anime season that much harder. We highly recommend marking your calendars for July 2018 everyone!

If you consider yourself a huge Production I.G and Gainax fan then you’ve most likely seen FLCL. You could open up an anime dictionary—if one existed—and look up the word crazy to see yourself then directed to FLCL. Even though FLCL was all over the place with its 6-episode run, we loved it and always wanted a sequel of some sort to have our favorite alien girl armed with a guitar back in our lives. Our prayers have been answered luckily in the form of FLCL Progressive which will be one—of two—anime sequels being released for FLCL! What’s even better is we won’t have to wait 18 years as FLCL Progressive releases this June 2018! Yes, we are very thrilled to see FLCL Progressive come out soon and FLCL fans out there are nodding their heads in unanimous agreement.

Persona 5 is about the story of Ren, a boy who has just transferred into Shujin Academy. There, he meets a standoffish teacher and finds a mysterious app that brings him and his newly acquainted friend Ryuuji into a castle where his teacher and one of their classmates is there? After awakening as a Persona user and escaping, they go back in on a later day to learn more but end up meeting Morgana who explains a lot. They square off and Morgana reveals that the darkness residing in the teacher’s heart has created the castle. They need to steal the treasure of the castle thus hopefully forcing the criminal to confess to their crimes. With the help of classmate Ann Tamaki, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts is born! This one is more or less an easy association. Both Caligula and Persona 5 are produced by Atlus, which means that eventually, there are going to be similar aspects. Both Ritsu and Ren are a bit odd for a main character and this means that they are naturally the first to awaken to the false realities around them. Though, Ritsu is very very late in awakening in the series. Both have some sort of supernatural incident that has forced them to act showing another reality placed over the one they know. Naturally, fight scenes are RPG-esque and involve the characters using attacks with some sort of magical effects and honestly you can almost see the way turns would play out in both series as if they are a game themselves. If you love puzzles, plots that take a moment to build up, and a wide variety of cast members, then Persona 5 is an excellent choice. Plus, the music in both series is top notch!

Yuzuru Otonashi opens his eyes like he would any other day, but today is different. Today, he learns that he is dead from a girl named Yuri who has a rifle in hand? When he tries to recall anything about himself, Yuzuru cannot. Trapped in a school, they are threatened by a rather quiet girl named Tenshi. She’s some sort of evil being trying to attack them. So, naturally, Yuzuru does what is right and teams up with Yuri where he meets a slew of other classmates who are fighting against her. Trying to stay himself as he is while recalling his past, Yuzuru struggles against the tides of change. Looking at both Angel Beats and Caligula, the stories are incredibly similar just that the AB! characters are dead and the Caligula characters aren’t. Both are struggling to understand a system that has been forced on them while it’s also trying to take them out. µ and Tenshi are trying to help others while not realizing the damage and anguish that they are inflicting while doing so. Naturally too, both focus on a group of high school students who aren’t friends, forced to band together to survive.

Shintarou is a shut-in. He has been for two years and nothing will force him to go outside. That is until he destroys his keyboard by accident. He decides to buy a replacement online, but due to it being a holiday, he cannot find a store open online. Dejected, he decides to go outside to buy one. However, that proves to be his undoing as he get mixed up in a hostage situation. Shintarou is saved by some strange characters with some sort of powers where his online friend Ene is there. After everything settles, he gets sucked into their group where while no one seems related, they are all connected by a secret that is revealed like a puzzle; piece by piece. Yet again, here we have a series full of characters that are connected, but how they are connected is a complete mystery that has to be solved as we watch the series. Both Shintarou and Ritsu find themselves facing not only a crisis in their worlds, but another world full of something clearly supernatural is overlapping their own. It’s just a matter of finding out what the source of that overlap is.

Chaos;Head is about Takumi Nishijou, a student at another private academy, who heads about a repeat incident that continues to happen in Shibuya. Called the “new gen” murders, he shrugs it off because what else would a teenager do with no investment in the cases? That is… until he starts receiving strange messages on his computer which end up leading him to meet a pink-haired beauty named Rimi. As he desperately tries to get a grasp on the reality around him, something tells Takumi that it may not be what he is seeing, but rather what he is being shown. Nothing is as it seems. While Caligula does not jump around as much as Chaos;Head does, these two anime have a lot in common starting with their shared theme of psychology. Ritsu has his head in it nonstop while Takumi is trying to figure out what he is being shown. This is further compounded by the new gen murders in one and µ in the other. Both are setting up the protagonists for failure if they cannot get a good head on their shoulders and start to see through the fog of deception. A lot of the time, the main character stops as if to say “I’m not losing my mind, right?” and we have to agree. Where Caligula is deep, Chaos;Head is violent, however either way, both will make you scratch your head as you mash the next button.

Aya Asagiri has it really rough. Her brother abuses her and her classmates are downright human trash. One night while desperate about what is happening around her, a strange little site shows up with a creepy doll-like face. It tells her that she needs help. Thus, Aya is given the power to become a magical girl. She accepts and struggles to learn about her powers. However, it is not easy at all for her as there is someone going around targeting magical girls like her. Can she make allies while also dealing with this murderer? Oddly, at first glance, horror/thriller anime Mahou Shoujo Site does not seem like it would go with psychological/game anime Caligula, however the similarities are there. Both face yet another reality on top of their own. There are real dangers in this other world that they are a part of and one misstep could spell out death. Each character also acquires their own set of powers and weapons, though Caligula takes a lot longer to roll it out. However, both will make you wanting more.

Yuuta Gamon is a weirdo. He hangs out in a cafe all the time with his best friend Ryouka as he runs a blog proclaiming that all supernatural events are hoaxes. However, when something happens and now all of a sudden he is connected to more people that honestly seem to have nothing to do with him, the clock is ticking. You see, there’s murder, kidnappings, and much much more at stake. In fact, their own lives hang in the balance. The worst part though is that it’s a race against the clock to solve the mystery surrounding the nine individuals. Can they make it in time though? Occultic;Nine, other than Persona 5, has to be the anime most like Caligula on this list. The series is not a mess, but it’s very busy and is like a puzzle. In fact, both are multiple puzzles connected to one another and it doesn’t really make sense how they are connected at first, but it becomes evident later throughout the series that these total strangers have to rely on each other to make it out alive. Nothing is sacred and nothing is safe. Thankfully, both sets of characters have their own unique personalities, quirks, and abilities to help them out!

The video game loving Keita Amano has been living an uneventful high school life engrossed in the world of video games. One day, while shopping for new games, Keita bumps into a girl from his school who is known as the school's idol, Karen Tendou. Seeing Keita's love for games, Tendou invites him to join her video game club at school. After seeing a completely different side of gaming than the calm and joyful one he has known, he turns down Tendou's invitation. Despite turning her down, Tendou continues to pursue Keita in hopes of getting him to join the club. Now with the attention of the most popular girl in school, Keita tries to become better at socializing with people, while keeping up with his gaming schedule. Both Gamers! and 3D Kanojo: Real Girl features a stereotypical video game loving protagonist that changes for the better throughout the series by having their characters build up both their social skills and having them experience love for the first time. Keita and Tsutsui both start out as being outcasts who are looked down upon for playing games, but after meeting their love interests, they begin to open up and start to make more friends. The characters also get to go through darker moments where they become jealous and being to doubt themselves. Both series also have their share of dramatic and comedic moments that keep each episode fresh and exciting. With endless comedy and a lot of romantic hijinks, Gamers! is perfect for anybody looking for an anime that matches the tone and style of many of 3D Kanojo: Real Girl's upbeat moments.

26-year-old Narumi Momose has just started a job at a new company and hopes to be seen by her co-workers as a perfectly normal woman. In her personal life, Narumi is an otaku that tries to hide the fact that she is a fujoshi and enjoys manga and cosplay. On her first day at work, Narumi sees Hirotaka Nifuji, an old acquaintance she hasn't seen since middle school that knows all about her fujoshi lifestyle. Hirotaka is a gamer otaku and was one of the reasons Narumi became an otaku. Narumi and Hirotaka decide to go out for drinks and Hirotaka promises not to reveal Narumi's secret because he knows how hard love is for an otaku. After another drinking session, Hirotaka asks Narumi out and she happily agrees to go out with him. Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii follows the awkward romance between the two otaku as they experience the highs and lows of being in a relationship. Unlike many of the anime on this list, Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii takes place outside of a high school and features characters that are in their 20's. Despite these differences, Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii still has many of the same great elements that are seen in 3D Kanojo: Real Girl. Both shows handle a range of emotions from the comedic social interactions involving otaku nature of the main characters, to more serious situations involving the characters love lives. The otaku nature of the main characters serves as the driving force in the show, as the otaku tendencies of both characters end up being the reason for the connections between the characters and being heavily involved in most of the scenes whether it's affecting the characters positively or negatively. Although both Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii and 3D Kanojo: Real Girl rely heavily on this character trait, the way they use it never makes the story feel repetitive or boring.

After 11 years at her job, Moriko Morioka has quit her job. Now unemployed, Moriko spends her days in the world of the MMO Fruits de Mer, where she plays as the male character Hayashi. As the outgoing and friendly Hayashi, Moriko lives a life completely different from her real life. Shortly after joining Fruits de Mer, Moriko meets a kind young girl clad in pink named Lily and quickly befriends her. With Lily at her side, she dives deep into the world of Fruits de Mer ignoring her real-world responsibilities and only leaving home when it is absolutely necessary. One day, Moriko meets a good looking man named Yuuta Sakurai while at the convenience store. This chance meeting would end up being more important than either of them could have imagined. Net-juu no Susume features the same style of awkward social interactions with its main character that is seen in 3D Kanojo: Real Girl. Both Moriko and Tsutsui are bad at interacting with others but are able to to find solace in the worlds of video games and anime. After meeting more outgoing individuals, Moriko and Tsutsui grow as characters and how they are not as bad at interacting with others as they originally seemed. Net-juu no Susume features a romance that is vastly different from the romance seen in 3D Kanojo: Real Girl in both style and execution, but both romances are still heart-warming and feature likable characters you want to root for.

After growing fond of a girl in an online game, Hideki Nishimura decides he is going to profess his love and propose to her. Hideki is surprised when the girl not only rejects him but also reveals that in real life, she is actually a middle-aged man. After this incident, Hideki decides that he will never trust another girl while playing an online game again. Three years later, Hideki is proposed to by a girl from his four-person guild. At first, Hideki is reluctant due to his previous experience, but he eventually decides that as long as the in-game character was cute, it didn't matter who they were in real life. After accepting the marriage proposal and talking to his guildmates, Hideki discovers that not only are his guildmates all female, but they all attend his school as well. Both anime feature heavy amounts of comedy that are centered around the interactions between the main male character and their female love interests. Although both anime have heavy otaku influences, it is never used as a consistent inspiration for the comedy in the anime. Hideki and Tsutsui both have grown up as otaku and have lost their trust in girls and people in general. Throughout Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? and 3D Kanojo: Real Girl, Hideki and Tsutsui learn to trust and interact with other people. Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? captures the better comedic and otaku themes seen in 3D Kanojo: Real Girl and combines it with a comedic plot that plays with the stereotypes of otaku culture.

Tomoya Aki is an otaku that has spent his life collecting various anime memorabilia and now wishes to spread his love of anime to everyone by making a game they can enjoy. Knowing he can't accomplish the task by himself, Tomoya sets out to form a team to help him build the game. He gets his childhood friend and illustrator, Eriri Spencer Sawamura, acclaimed author Utaha Kasumigaoka, and the beautiful Megumi Katou who serves as the inspiration for the games main character. Despite building up his doujin circle consisting of talented individuals, making a game that can touch the hearts of the masses isn't as easy as Tomoya had thought it would be. Tomoya must figure out how a person who has never experienced love truly express the same emotions in their game. Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata is a romantic comedy with an otaku lead similar to 3D Kanojo: Real Girl. Although the romance in Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata takes the shape of a harem with a dense main character, the comedy in both series is very similar. Both anime feature a good balance between the comedy and the other story elements that give off a few good laughs per episode but don't take away from the more serious moments. The main characters from both series are all deeper than they originally appear as well. The main girls in both series seem to be almost perfect on the outside, but as the series delves deeper into their characters, we learn that they all have flaws that make them unique and relatable.

Kaoru Tsunashi is an ordinary 25-year-old working in an office. Her husband, Hajime Tsunashi, is a hardcore otaku that stays inside all day making a living off of his blog. The seemingly impossible happened when love blossomed between these two people who seemed to be total opposites. Kaoru and Hajime show that love is deeper and more complex than most people think. Surrounded by friends that have their own personal quirks, Kaoru and Hajime live a crazy life filled with romance and crazy situations. While most of the anime on this list are told from the perspective of the otaku main character, Danna ga Nani wo Itteiru ka Wakaranai Ken flips the roles around and follows Kaoru and how she deals with her husband's otaku nature. Kaoru and Iroha are able to see the good sides of Hajime and Tsutsui and don't judge them like everybody else did. The relationships between both couples are enjoyable to watch and makes you want to see them succeed in their romantic endeavors. Both anime also feature a heavy dose of comedy that often involves the otaku characters awkwardness. Due to its shorter run time, Danna ga Nani wo Itteiru ka Wakaranai doesn't have the time to develop its characters like 3D Kanojo: Real Girl does, but the anime still manages to show off a similar comedic and heartwarming romance to 3D Kanojo: Real Girl.

Hinamatsuri is the best comedy show on air currently and honestly has been for a few seasons. Don’t @ me. The weird this is though is that this show ends up being randomly very wholesome while still managing to be interesting. We start with Anzu who is learning the value of hard work, but she has no concept of anything and money is beyond what she knows, so her reactions are cute. A good chuckle is in order every time we see her new guardians crying over her innocence. We move on to Hina who wants to be student council president because she grossly understands what holding power means. The Yakuza get an attorney involved to write a fantastic speech for her just for Hina to blunder her way through it hilariously. Unimpressed that she is chosen to be the secretary, she just doesn’t go. Poor Hitomi gets roped in, but is so efficient that she is asked to become the secretary! She just wants to leave to go to her job that she was blackmailed into working at. Hinamatsuri is a hilarious story jumping from storyline to storyline and serving laugh after laugh. Still though, it was nice to have Hina come back and play somewhat of a role after an absence. Thankfully though, it seems like Anzu is here to give us a good dose of wholesomeness. We can’t wait for more!

My hot moment of the week comes from Devils Line, which I was admittedly behind on apparently. Oops. This anime has been rather interesting since it transitioned from this horrific bloody anime to more of a dark, demon romance. How very misleading! Anyway, the moment I am talking about comes from Anzai Yuuki when he declares that he is scared of the devil inside of him. There are a handful of devils that we know of in Devils Line that aren’t bloody rapists like Yuuki, but we haven’t really gotten to know much about them personally. Tsukasa’s friend apparently had been in love with her and wanted to be with her, but that meant venting his own urges with other women. No, Yuuki has proven himself to be constantly forcing himself to suppress his vampiric urges, even when it appears to be painful. Then he outright says that he is scared of the devil that is inside of him. This is something Yuuki has lived with for decades and yet, it still tortures him so and he has not actually accepted his other half, something that many of us have to deal with as we grow up, but manage by the time we are “adults.” Yuuki has never been able to accept both parts of his identity for fear it would lead to greater harm than good, but it only does him a disservice as it hurts him more and more each day. I wonder if this is supposed to parallel our real world, as I had seen it, or if there is no greater meaning to it than what I have seen. Yuuki has been presented with the option to consume blood from willing donors, might this mean change is on the horizon for him?

Press events are always stressful, but it should be worst if you are the one dealing with dozens of fans trying their best to get your attention. For our duo of magical men, this was one of the first times in this position, and the outcome is certainly hilarious. From a crazy and obsessed man to a little girl giving you a poop present, and let’s not forget the prideful but embarrassing mom! Yeah, Saki has been through all of that… while trying to look calm and cool in front of her crush. Have you ever thought about the downside of being famous? But if you already saw this episode then you know that’s the funny part, but not the best part. We get to see Saki’s mother in her magical man form! It’s cute when a mother does what needs to be done so her daughter and her crush stay safe, don’t you think? On the other side, it only demonstrates that Saki’s mother can’t let go her place as the heroine, but she’s still happy to give Saki the magical rod. The end of the episode also comes with a tragic note and a revelation. That’s why you have to run and watch it!

On her way back to Tokyo from visiting her parents, Karen receives the announcement email for SJ2 where it states the rules have been fine tuned, and the winners from SJ1 will be seeded and don’t need to go through the qualifier. Of course, Saki emails her immediately telling her she really hopes to see Llenn again and shoot her. But, Karen still doesn’t think she’ll want to join. Finally back at her apartment complex, Karen is followed into the lobby by a handsome stranger who asks if she’s Karen Kohiruimaki. (Not creepy at all…). She says yes and asks how he knows and he immediately comes close which understandably frightens the poor girl. But not to worry, it’s none other than M, who she just teamed up with for SJ! While it is someone she knows, how did he know her and where she LIVES!? He says he has something important to talk to her about and they move to a better place to chat and “M” says he has no proof that he is M, but she’s just gonna have to trust him. (-_-*) He answers none of Karen’s questions, but at least he tells her his real name (or is it?), Goushi Asougi. Goushi insists that he needs her help because two people will die at SJ2. Long story short, Pitohui is kida crazy and has threatened to kill Goushi and herself if they lose. All of this brought on by the fact that she’s always been obsessed with death and was a huge SAO fan, but she happened to miss out on the first life-or-death experience of SAO and it drove her crazy(er) because she missed out on dying in her favorite game. To make things worse, she found out about the player killers from the second series and lost her marbles again and wished she could’ve become one of them to deliver swift justice. Karen wonders why Goushi doesn’t go to the police or a shrink to help Pito, but he doesn’t want to do anything Pito doesn’t want. Because he “respects her decisions no matter how crazy”. Confused as to what to do and wondering why she’s now involved with these two crazy people, Karen gets up to toss a can in the recycling bin, and as she turns around to walk back to Goushi, the handsome man corners her and put his hand on the vending machine behind her in a classic kabedon move. The scene is already memorable, as Karen is a very tall woman and is noticeably taller than Goushi, making the kabedon scene pretty cute. Now very close to the stranger and surprised at experiencing her first kabedon, Karen wonders what is happening. And then Goushi asks “Have you ever seriously been in love with someone? Enough to sacrifice your life for them?” Karen answers “no”, she’s never felt that way, and Goushi continues; “Then you’ll never know what I feel right now!” Oh boy! Are we already experiencing a budding romance? Is this Kirito and Asuna all over again!? Well… no. Karen is pretty clever and she knows he’s not talking about her, but about Pito… Goushi confirms his love for Pitohui while still in kabedon mode… Even Karen can’t ignore the hilarious irony of her receiving her first kabedon to hear the guy confess his love for someone else… Of all the memorable moments in anime this week (and there were a LOT!) this was the one that made me chuckle the most. But it makes us wonder if that’s really the full story. And how did this guy find Karen?