It’s hard to be objective about a series like Ikoku Meiro no Croisée. So I’ll be subjective – I completely, utterly and unreservedly love this series. It’s a double-edged sword, but this is a show that can definitely work on different levels. It’s incredibly easy to enjoy as a straightforward […] Read more
In truth, this was the season finale I was looking forward to the least. I knew it was going to hit me like a ton of bricks, and indeed it did. Ikoku Meiro was a beautiful series that deserved a beautiful conclusion, and it has one. With adaptations of ongoing […] Read more
I can already tell that next week’s finale of Ikoku Meiro is going to leave me an emotional wreck. I’ve rarely encountered a series that can evoke such a powerful reaction with so little effort – every gesture and phrase is meaningful. In the context of what’s looking like it […] Read more
Of all the currently airing series, Ikoku Meiro is the one I’m going to miss when it ends. I won’t say it’s the best – others can make their own judgments. But it is the one that transports me with every episode and makes me feel the most deeply, offtimes […] Read more
As Ikoku Meiro is proving with its latest arc of episodes, this series is brilliant at exploring cultural divides beyond that of Western and Eastern. With its indelible characters, brilliant soundtrack, gorgeous animation and subtle and powerful writing, this is a show that’s stamping itself as one of the best […] Read more
It’s becoming increasingly clear to me after watching this special episode of Ikoku Meiro – this series just doesn’t miss. Sometimes it’s sublime and sometimes merely excellent, but it’s always emotionally spot-on and quite profound. In no way is this any less than a “normal” episode of the series, except […] Read more
A funny thing happened when Alice was introduced to this series. She came in with much fanfare, brashly and forcefully tried to take over every scene she was in, and generally made a spectacle of herself. But Alice was just the cover – her real impact was that Camille snuck […] Read more
Ikoku Meiro is back at the head of the class after too very good episodes that were nevertheless not quite as superb as the first month’s worth. Episode 7 is possibly the best anime episode of the season, and not even Natsume Yuujinchou and Usagi Drop – both of which […] Read more
Honesty compels me to say that I like this series less every time Alice Blanche is in it. She’s the most conventional part of the story by far, and despite the best efforts of one of the very best seiyuu in the business, Aoi Yuuki, something of the simple charm […] Read more