Japan according to Julian

  Yowamushi Pedal            Yowamushi Pedal is a Sports Anime about cycling. The show follows the unlikely hero and Otaku, Onoda Sakamichi who is recruited onto the cycling team because of his ability to climb the school's rear gate slope on his "mommy bike". Onoda embodies the joy of cycling and even though he is racing in the national cycling championship his main concern is just keeping up so he can ride with his teammates who have inevitably become his best friends. I love this show and this is the second time I have watched it. I almost exclusively watch it while I ride the stationary bike for my practice. It has gotten me through some very tough times when I have been injured, by reminding me of the joy of sports and competition. There is nothing exceptionally special about this show besides how well it portrays different athletic archetypes and experiences but that alone makes it worth watching. 8/10 

 CYBER PUNK: EDGERUNNERS      So far this anime is awesome. Ever since Akira and Cowboy Bebop, I have had a cyberpunk-sized hole in my heart and I can only rewatch Blade Runner so many times. This anime is filling that hole perfectly. So far the world-building is great, the plot is interesting and not too straightforward, and the art is fantastic. The creators are not afraid to be violent, gory, and colorful. The show also seems to take stylistic influences from non-animes that I like, most notably, at times it feels a little bit Tarantino-esk with its action sequences.       I can't give this show a fair rating because I have not finished it yet

 Rent-a-Girlfriend      The show Rent-a-Girlfriend has a very suspicious title and isn't all that great, but it's fun to watch. I don't think it's worth explaining the plot much because it's not that unique. It's a romance show where the protagonist is denser than a brick and the love interest refuses to admit to herself that she even likes him. Also, there are three other girls that also like him but the author of the manga would never be so generous as to let him end up with one of them.  From top to bottom the girls are named  Ruka  Mami Mizuhara Sumi Sumi is by far the cutest and that is all I have to say about that.  Rent-a-Girlfriend 7/10  

  REDLINE      I have seen this movie before but had to watch it again so I could show it to some of the guys in my dorm. If watching this movie is anything, it's a wild ride. The whole movie centers around a no holds barred, high speed race, across a militarized planet for all the glory in the galaxy.            The art in this movie is beyond beautiful while also being gritty as hell. If any anime movie's art conveys the euphoria and danger of pure speed, it's this one. On top of that, the writing manages to find a great balance between humor and coolness factor, both of which are uncommon in most anime movies. I love this movie and have it as a 9/10 on My Anime List