May Roundup / June Checklist

 Internet went out yesterday, so I'm just going to put these two things together. 'Cause why not?

May Roundup:

• I did finish Dragon Quest VIII! Yay! Unfortunately, I didn't finish the after story. So I'll definitely concentrate on doing that this month.
• I read five books! Just two, if you consider it being new books, but like? Target achieved! Awesome.
• I continued Knights of Sidionia, finished it. My overall opinion is, it's fine when it doesn't try to go in the harem route, with typical female nudity/embarrassment, which I hate watching, even if the overall story is pretty good? I'm dreading the final season, though, I skimmed the manga ending on TVTropes, and like, if the endgame ship is the same, I'm going to really dislike it? The anime keeps trying to work in Nagate/Izana, which I will take over Nagate/Tsumigi, thank you very much. Also, the blend between 2D and 3D anime really don't mesh well, but I wonder how long it will take before it actually starts to look nice. (Motorcity sort of did something like that, I don't think it was necessarily 3D, but it was really cool use of animation, regardless.)
• I am super close to finishing MAR. Honestly, I'm kind of loving it a lot.
• I finished Steven Universe, watched the movie, and Steven Universe Future. I don't think I liked it that much, TBH. I guess I liked the build up of Steven's stress and PTSD and finally going to therapy, but part of me really thought he should have gone much sooner than the final episode. Also, the Diamonds were much more anticlimatic than I thought they would be. While I do think the sentiment of 'talking things out and realizing they were in the wrong, fixing their mistakes' is, admirable, I... still kind of wanted them dead. They 100% reminded me of Stepford Wives, now that they've turned their life around. Also, I kind of wish Spinel had been mentioned in the series, prior to the movie.
• I didn't get to watch either melodrama, not Dark Shadows, not Yo Soy Betty La Fea, but hey, hopefully this month, I'll watch a couple of episodes? 

Other things:

• I finished Gotham! I meant to finish s5 a lot earlier, but I got distracted by other things. All in all, I do think it's a fun reimagining, and while it's not perfect, I do like how everyone maddens into the villains they become. I wish that Bane hadn't been so clearly inspired by the Nolan movie, but I can live in hope that one day, I'll get Bane, who wears his luchador mask. 
• I watched s14 of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia. There were a couple of missteps, but I do think they were pretty fun episodes. They're such terrible people, but I somehow have a deep affection for them nevertheless.
• I watched Blown Away. I feel like they chose the wrong victor, because I liked Janusz over Deborah. But on the otherhand, Janusz should have been chosen to leave in the... partner episode, considering the judges were a bit like '... this is the weaker work, but we like Janusz, he can't go!', which felt... extremely strange, considering someone should have left that episode, and no one did? I did feel very tense watching this show, as great as some of the exhibits were with their glass blowing techniques, seeing the glass break and shatter time and time again, really... stresses me out as a viewer. I really want things to work out for them! And sometimes, things just... break.
• I finished iZombie. I generally liked it a lot, but I felt the epilogue itself was... kind of strange? It's an ending that works, if a tad too cheesy, but I think at the same time, I got kind of disinterested, so it's fine. Ah, well. I enjoyed Blaine for being a terrible person. Ravi being part-zombie, which I forgot about, was really cool acting. I'm glad Clive Babineaux got a HEA, although... making the woman he slept with, get pregnant, of which he was possibly the father, then just... die, so he could completely get his HEA with Bozzio was a little disappointing. I wish Liv and Major weren't together, because Liv kind of had better love interests in earlier seasons, but I do like Major, so I guess it's fine.
• I watched Glitch Techs, which is gorgeous and cute and hilarious. I love it, so I'm really hoping for a s2. Miko and High Five are adorbs, so I ship them a lot, but I want to know what the conspiracy plan that's happening is about. Also, Luke Youngblood as Mitch is my fave. HE'S SUCH A TERRIBLE PERSON, but my god, Luke Youngblood is the best. I like that he's getting voice acting jobs! He's good a good voice! He's fun, and I love him dearly.
• I finished up The One, a manga which I knew had finished and I'd read most of it, so I was only left with ten chapters left. I think I should probably give it a reread one of these days, but for most part, I think I really liked this manga, and I'm curious to know how well it's aged. (Spoiler, not all of it has, but I wonder if it's because I just read ten chapters instead of a hundred and ten chapters.)
• I finished Sugar Rush on Netflix. While I'm not necessarily a fan of the format, especially since the bakers are standing up for six hours, and they can actually get eliminated mid-bake, whereas in s1, they got some respite inbetween Round 2 and 3 (though I do get why s2 thought, hey, we'll do it in one go, I don't like it.). Some of the bakes were fab though. And it's great to see Colin Hanks as a guest judge!

June Checklist

1. Finish Dragon Quest VIII after story. I'm so close too! I just need to be patient.
2. Anime, after Mar, I should watch either Final Approach or A Certain Magic Index 2. I know I'm going to hate the fanservice parts of these animes, but at the same time, I do kind of just... want to finish them.
3. Cartoon, torn between Miraculous Ladybug s3 or Star Wars TCW's final season. Is it over? I think it's finally over?
4. I gotta watch an episode of Betty or Dark Shadows this month. I know I can do it!
5. Manga, I started reading Special A. I gotta get through my recommendations, and I am enjoying what I've read so far.
6. Standard read one book once again.

I feel like giving myself a checklist has helped, so I do think this will be a monthly thing. It gives me some control, after all! xD. I kind of want to make it a weekly thing, but we'll see how I feel in the future?