October 2025 Wrap Up - What I watched
(spoiler-free)
"Moriarty the Patriot" [TV Show - Anime]
The anime adaptation of the "Moriarty the Patriot" manga, which I talked about here. It adapts the story up to and including volume 14/chapter 56.
I actually started watching the anime first and only jumped into the manga a couple episodes into season 2, because I heard that the anime skips a bunch of arcs and I wanted to get a fuller picture of the story. It's true, the anime skips pretty much all the arcs that focus on side characters, making them appear much more one-note than they are in the source material. Also, when elements of those arcs do appear in the anime, it's kind of jarring. For example, a certain character is introduced early in season 2 that completely blindsided me because I didn't expect that kind of crossover, while in the manga the seeds are laid from early on and you're ready for it by the time he appears. Once I'd read the manga, I didn't feel any need to continue with the anime, but I did make myself finish it for completion's sake.
I don't think this story gains too much from being animated, so I would recommend just reading the manga. I will say though, the music in the anime is pretty good.
"Leverage: Redemption" (season 1) [TV Show - Live Action]
"Leverage" is a mostly episodic show about a crew of ex-criminals who are now using their skills to get justice for people who have been wronged by the rich and powerful. It's very much a feelgood power fantasy that's especially comforting in this political climate. The reboot series "Redemption" continues in the same vein, with a new mastermind (Sophie Deveroux my most beloved) and a couple new crew members. I actually never finished the original "Leverage" run, I only watched 3 seasons, but I found that "Redemption" was perfectly watchable even without knowing what happens in those last two seasons, although I'm sure I missed some things.
This show is an absolute delight and I didn't expect anything less of "Leverage". They have changed with the times, of course, but the heart of the show is still the same as the original. It's funny at times, serious at others, but always sincere. The characters are amazing, both old and new, and they have a well-developed found family dynamic. Also, there are lesbians! I was happy enough with the lesbians that appeared for one episode, but there is a sapphic on the main crew as well! Truly a gift that keeps on giving.
"Lazarus" [TV Show - Anime]
This show caught my attention because the premise sounded cool and it's directed by Shinichirō Watanabe of "Cowboy Bebop" fame, and I love "Cowboy Bebop" (Ignore the fact that I've been putting off watching the last 2 episodes for literal years. Next month, I promise). But I was surprised to see not all that many people talking about it, which is odd when such a famous director is attached to it. Then I watched it, and I figured out why…
It sucks. The first couple episodes are fine but then it devolves into a whole load of nothing. The premise of the show is that this group is looking for a doctor who infected the majority of the population of the world with a drug that will kill them by the end of the month. With that, you'd think there would be a sense of urgency for the characters, right? Well, wrong. I would've straight up forgotten there's time limit if it wasn't mentioned at the end of every episode. The characters are cardboard, the political commentary ham-fisted, the plot meandering, and the dialogue… I watched the dub and the voice performances sucked, so I thought maybe the script had suffered too but when I checked the sub there weren't all that many differences, so yeah, the dialogue wasn't great to say the least. One small thing I did like was the way the backstory of one of the antagonists was presented. I love an artstyle change, and this one was very effective. Some of the fight and parkour scenes were pretty well animated too, I guess.
I wish I didn't waste my time with this and just watched "Cowboy Bebop"...
"Atlantis: The Lost Empire" [Movie - Animated]
Friends Movie Night pick! An animation cult classic about an expedition to find Atlantis. I'd never watched this movie before, I'd only seen the sexy GIFs of Helga, and I ended up thinking it was pretty good. What left the biggest impression on me was the animation. The characters are constantly moving around in a way that I don't think we see all that often nowadays.
Also, Kida is waaay hotter than Helga.
