Doctorkev
@doctorkev.bsky.social
Writes about anime/manga/visual novels at AniTAY.org, freelance writer for animenewsnetwork.com. Physician. Husband. Father. Christian. A bit odd.
There are so many anime sequels airing this season - well over 20! Here are my thoughts on a bunch of them.
Doctorkev’s Thoughts on the Summer 2026 Anime Season — Sequels and Ongoing Shows
After taking a look at this season’s absolutely stacked selection of new shows earlier in the week, it’s now time to check out an almost…
medium.com
August 21, 2026 at 1:01 PM
There are so many anime sequels airing this season - well over 20! Here are my thoughts on a bunch of them.
It was fun to have a chance to interview the author of Hi Score Girl. I really adored its anime adaptation. His other work is very varied. I definitely recommend bonkers horror manga Sayuri.
Kevin Cormack goes over Oshikiri's decades-long career, from horror and action manga titles to video game nostalgia.
An Interview With Rensuke Oshikiri, Creator of Geniearth, Sayuri, and Hi Score Girl
www.animenewsnetwork.com
August 19, 2026 at 5:54 PM
It was fun to have a chance to interview the author of Hi Score Girl. I really adored its anime adaptation. His other work is very varied. I definitely recommend bonkers horror manga Sayuri.
Reposted by Doctorkev
[Review] As Motoko Kusanagi desperately dives into her damaged, deteriorating mind, she experiences something that can only be described as transcendental.
Ghost in the Shell ‒ Episode 7
www.animenewsnetwork.com
August 19, 2026 at 3:30 PM
[Review] As Motoko Kusanagi desperately dives into her damaged, deteriorating mind, she experiences something that can only be described as transcendental.
After a bit of a summer break from writing (mostly), I've returned with some thoughts on a packed Summer anime season. I like Jaadugar, Goodbye Lara and The Ghost in the Shell the best.
Doctorkev’s Thoughts on the Summer 2026 Anime Season — New Shows
Here we are, just over halfway through the Summer 2026 anime season, and there are a fantastic selection of new shows to talk about. I…
medium.com
August 19, 2026 at 5:52 PM
After a bit of a summer break from writing (mostly), I've returned with some thoughts on a packed Summer anime season. I like Jaadugar, Goodbye Lara and The Ghost in the Shell the best.
I'm excited to be reviewing Science SARU's anime adaptation of Masamune Shirow's The Ghost in the Shell for Anime News Network this season. Things are off to a very promising start with these first three episodes.
[Review] Science SARU’s approach is altogether much looser, their style like the free-form jazz of anime: experimental, wild, and unpredictable.
The Ghost in the Shell ‒ SERIES PREMIERE
www.animenewsnetwork.com
July 22, 2026 at 8:34 PM
I'm excited to be reviewing Science SARU's anime adaptation of Masamune Shirow's The Ghost in the Shell for Anime News Network this season. Things are off to a very promising start with these first three episodes.
Here’s my review of @bomhat.bsky.social‘s great manga A Kingdom of Quartz for Anime News Network!
[Review] BOMHAT’s world is well thought out and existentially horrifying if one considers its details too closely.
Kingdom of Quartz Volumes 2-5 Manga Review
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July 16, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Here’s my review of @bomhat.bsky.social‘s great manga A Kingdom of Quartz for Anime News Network!
This is my latest feature article for ANN. There are some really interesting tech developments happening in the real world right now. Not that I expect we’ll have real cyber-brains by the time 2029 rolls around (the year in which Ghost in the Shell is set)
When does science fiction start becoming reality? Kevin Cormack takes a trip through Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell to ascertain how much of its tech is on its way to the real world.
The Prescience of Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell
www.animenewsnetwork.com
July 16, 2026 at 7:57 AM
This is my latest feature article for ANN. There are some really interesting tech developments happening in the real world right now. Not that I expect we’ll have real cyber-brains by the time 2029 rolls around (the year in which Ghost in the Shell is set)
That's it, Sony, I'm done with consoles now, and it's your fault. You can read my reasons here: Sticking the Boot Into Sony: Why I Cancelled Playstation Plus Today medium.com/anitay-offic...
Sticking the Boot Into Sony: Why I Cancelled Playstation Plus Today
Wow, I never imagined I’d be saying it quite so soon, but I think I’m done with games consoles, and it’s mostly Sony’s fault. Before I…
medium.com
July 8, 2026 at 10:23 PM
That's it, Sony, I'm done with consoles now, and it's your fault. You can read my reasons here: Sticking the Boot Into Sony: Why I Cancelled Playstation Plus Today medium.com/anitay-offic...
Choosing what anime to prioritise this season was a challenge. There are so many shows on streaming... Yet still no Rumiko Takahashi's MAO for the UK? What's going on?? Check out the link for opinions on all the new shows I could at least legally watch in the UK...
Doctorkev’s Thoughts on the Spring 2026 Anime Season — New Shows
Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun? At least it does when you’re like me, and spent the first few weeks of the Spring 2026 anime…
medium.com
May 12, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Choosing what anime to prioritise this season was a challenge. There are so many shows on streaming... Yet still no Rumiko Takahashi's MAO for the UK? What's going on?? Check out the link for opinions on all the new shows I could at least legally watch in the UK...
This was a really difficult review to write, because the show triggered such conflicting reactions in me. It looks beautiful, and the music is great, yet the protagonist is so irritating. I can't decide if he's written that way deliberately, or if the writing is just terrible.
[Review] As an author, it's only worthwhile inverting reader expectations of your protagonist if you intend to do something truly special with them eventually.
Chitose is in the Ramune Bottle Anime Series Review
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April 27, 2026 at 4:24 PM
This was a really difficult review to write, because the show triggered such conflicting reactions in me. It looks beautiful, and the music is great, yet the protagonist is so irritating. I can't decide if he's written that way deliberately, or if the writing is just terrible.
I really love this quirky and cute romcom. Here's my review of the most recent four manga volumes for ANN! (No idea how on Earth this was flagged as Adult Content by bsky though...)
[Review] Sakurai’s characters are so well-crafted, empathetic, and amusing, that I’d happily read a manga where they do nothing but watch paint dry.
Dangers in My Heart Volumes 9-12 Manga Review
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April 23, 2026 at 5:07 PM
I really love this quirky and cute romcom. Here's my review of the most recent four manga volumes for ANN! (No idea how on Earth this was flagged as Adult Content by bsky though...)
It’s such a privilege to be able to review the latest edition of one of my favourite manga of all time. Gunsmith Cats is just as good now as when I first read it in the 90s. Here’s my review for ANN!
[Review] This third volume of Dark Horse Comics' latest Gunsmith Cats re-release is arguably its most essential to long-term fans.
Gunsmith Cats Omnibus Volume 3 Manga Review
www.animenewsnetwork.com
April 17, 2026 at 4:43 PM
It’s such a privilege to be able to review the latest edition of one of my favourite manga of all time. Gunsmith Cats is just as good now as when I first read it in the 90s. Here’s my review for ANN!
Versus is such a fun manga! Here's my review of volumes 2-4 for ANN. I just got volume 5 recently, and can't wait to read it!
[Review] ONE took all of his favorite game, movie, and book antagonists, altered them slightly to avoid copyright violations, and mashed them all together in one almighty smorgasbord of madness.
Versus Volumes 2-4 Manga Review
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April 15, 2026 at 4:52 PM
Versus is such a fun manga! Here's my review of volumes 2-4 for ANN. I just got volume 5 recently, and can't wait to read it!
I love Tsutomu Nihei's work anyway, but his latest manga, Tower Dungeon, may be his best yet. Here's my recent review of volumes 2-4 for ANN.
[Review] What really sets Tower Dungeon apart is the ever-present sense of progression, of uncovering the unknown, of overcoming trials to progress further.
Tower Dungeon Volumes 2-4 Manga Review
www.animenewsnetwork.com
April 15, 2026 at 4:50 PM
I love Tsutomu Nihei's work anyway, but his latest manga, Tower Dungeon, may be his best yet. Here's my recent review of volumes 2-4 for ANN.
It's actually a review of volumes 9-12, not just 9-10 (it has since been corrected on the site). This is another recent manga review I did for ANN!
[Review] It’s painful to read this flawed yet sympathetic character slide further towards self-destruction, but that’s all part of the dark appeal of Oshi no Ko.
Oshi no Ko Volumes 9-10 Manga Review
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April 15, 2026 at 4:48 PM
It's actually a review of volumes 9-12, not just 9-10 (it has since been corrected on the site). This is another recent manga review I did for ANN!
We never got a TV broadcast of the original Space Battleship Yamato (Star Blazers) in the UK, though its first season did eventually get a belated R2 DVD release. That hasn't stopped me adoring the glossy modern remake. Read my review of the most recent Yamato release on ANN!
[Review] Perhaps I’m at my happiest with “spaceship go shooty blam bang oooh pretty colors."
Be Forever Yamato: Star Blazers: Rebel 3199 Episodes 15-18 Anime Review
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March 30, 2026 at 5:48 PM
We never got a TV broadcast of the original Space Battleship Yamato (Star Blazers) in the UK, though its first season did eventually get a belated R2 DVD release. That hasn't stopped me adoring the glossy modern remake. Read my review of the most recent Yamato release on ANN!
One of the best things about writing for ANN is that I get to review new volumes of my currently number one favourite manga - Kowloon Generic Romance. Here's my review of volumes 9 and 10. The wait for volume 11 in May is excruciating!
[Review] While everyone else around her remains prisoners of their own regret, pulled into Kowloon like insects by a pitcher plant, Kujirai deserves to fly free, away from this place.
Kowloon Generic Romance Volumes 9-10 Manga Review
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March 28, 2026 at 7:50 PM
One of the best things about writing for ANN is that I get to review new volumes of my currently number one favourite manga - Kowloon Generic Romance. Here's my review of volumes 9 and 10. The wait for volume 11 in May is excruciating!
Here's my review for ANN of the substantially chonky Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku manga box set. Thanks to @viz.com for mailing me a copy across the Atlantic!
[Review] At times, Gabimaru’s surprisingly vulnerable, and even a little adorable – like a white-haired, fluffy murder-puppy.
Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku Box Set Manga Review
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March 23, 2026 at 4:25 PM
Here's my review for ANN of the substantially chonky Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku manga box set. Thanks to @viz.com for mailing me a copy across the Atlantic!
My latest review for ANN is of several volumes of Oshi no Ko, a manga I really love. I cover the material adapted for the first two anime seasons here.
[Review] This is a dark, haunting revenge tale with a side order of unsettling insights into the murkier side of the Japanese entertainment industry.
Oshi no Ko Volumes 3-8 Manga Review
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March 17, 2026 at 6:08 PM
My latest review for ANN is of several volumes of Oshi no Ko, a manga I really love. I cover the material adapted for the first two anime seasons here.
Here's my latest manga review for ANN - The Dangers in My Heart, from which was adapted one of my favourite ever anime. Kyotaro's personality may seem off-putting at the beginning, but his story is well worth persevering with!
[Review] Where Kyotaro is prone to over-thinking and wrongly attributing negative motivations to others, Anna is almost pathologically open, and endearingly quirky.
Dangers in My Heart Volumes 1-8 Manga Review
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March 10, 2026 at 5:57 PM
Here's my latest manga review for ANN - The Dangers in My Heart, from which was adapted one of my favourite ever anime. Kyotaro's personality may seem off-putting at the beginning, but his story is well worth persevering with!
I've been on a mad Trigun binge lately, triggered by my weekly reviews of Trigun Stargaze. Here's my review of the entirety of Trigun Maximum for ANN. If you want to understand the differences between the 1998 Trigun anime and the modern reboot, read Trigun Maximum!
[Review] The world Vash lives in is so well fleshed-out in its manga incarnation, and the stakes for survival of its populace much higher.
Trigun Maximum Manga Review
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February 22, 2026 at 7:49 PM
I've been on a mad Trigun binge lately, triggered by my weekly reviews of Trigun Stargaze. Here's my review of the entirety of Trigun Maximum for ANN. If you want to understand the differences between the 1998 Trigun anime and the modern reboot, read Trigun Maximum!
Here's my latest review for ANN, this time looking at the chunk of Fire Force manga that was adapted as anime season 2. It's a lot of fun. Hopefully I'll get around to reviewing the rest of the manga soon!
[Review] There’s a certain point one comes to when reading Fire Force where it’s best to set aside one’s critical faculties and be swept along by the pyroclastic silliness.
Fire Force Volumes 11-20 Manga Review
www.animenewsnetwork.com
February 1, 2026 at 7:58 PM
Here's my latest review for ANN, this time looking at the chunk of Fire Force manga that was adapted as anime season 2. It's a lot of fun. Hopefully I'll get around to reviewing the rest of the manga soon!
This is my latest review for Anime News Network. While it's a fairly cute show, there are far better slice of life vampire anime out there...
[Review] There’s a slow-paced, low-stakes, soporific vibe to proceedings that means Li’l Miss Vampire Can’t Suck Right is best imbibed in small portions to avoid losing consciousness.
Li'l Miss Vampire Can't Suck Right Anime Series Review
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January 28, 2026 at 5:17 PM
This is my latest review for Anime News Network. While it's a fairly cute show, there are far better slice of life vampire anime out there...
Here's my latest review for Anime News Network. I really like Fire Force, but there's one particular aspect that keeps dragging it down for me...
[Review] Fire Force has so many other positive aspects that it seems absurd that the author should want to torpedo his chances of a wider audience by so prominently featuring such prurient, out-of-place fan-service.
Fire Force Volumes 1-10 Manga Review
www.animenewsnetwork.com
January 10, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Here's my latest review for Anime News Network. I really like Fire Force, but there's one particular aspect that keeps dragging it down for me...
Choosing my top anime for the year is always like choosing which child is my favourite. It seems wrong, somehow! I've done my best, though. Please check out my 2025 anime postmortem, and Happy New Year to all my readers for 2026! medium.com/anitay-offic...
Doctorkev’s 2025 Anime Postmortem — A Year Disapparated
Once again we find ourselves at the start of a brand new year, either full of hope for what the future might bring, or full of dread at…
medium.com
January 2, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Choosing my top anime for the year is always like choosing which child is my favourite. It seems wrong, somehow! I've done my best, though. Please check out my 2025 anime postmortem, and Happy New Year to all my readers for 2026! medium.com/anitay-offic...