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Reading, Wellington, and whatever else – teenblog@wcl.govt.nz

Month: August 2021

Cool New Meme Formats from Recollect

Do you know about Recollect? Recollect is a database of heritage photos, books, maps and other Te Whanganui-ā-tara related ephemera.

If I was a responsible librarian, I would tell you all about how it is an excellent resource for important things like school assignments. I would point out the photos of what Cuba Street looked like in 1894, or this photography exhibit that explored Wellington’s transgender community in the 70’s. I would tell you all about how these resources can provide us with a snapshot of our city’s history, how deep diving into these resources might help us see connections between our past and current city, and how by engaging with our history we can gain insight into how to create a better future.

But I am not a responsible librarian, I am a chaotic good librarian. I would like to suggest instead that you explore Recollect for some meme reasons. Because, truly, there are so many meme structures ripe for the picking. Below, I offer you my incredibly average attempts at content. Please take these/make your own historical Wellington memes, and share them below in the comments if you like!

If you do use images from Recollect, please remember to include a reference link back to the original page. Here is where I found the above images:

Bucket Fountain Shade

Toddler Clearly Up To Something

Why Is This Man Smiling?

Too Many Garfields

Tūhono 2: Electric Boogaloo

A cool breeze blows across our fair city, bringing with it the scent of rain. Branches stir, a cat’s tail twitches — something is in the air. Well folks, it’s Phantom National Poetry Day, and that mysterious something you feel in the air is the library preparing its most joyous poetical news item of the season — sharpen your pencils and dust off those metaphors, for Tūhono is returning in October and November 2021!

Tūhono is Wellington City Libraries’ very own poetry journal for young poets aged 5-18. Unlike some other poetry journals, having your work accepted in Tūhono is not a competition — as long as you follow the rules of submission, every piece of work that gets submitted will be published. Tūhono first came into being last year, and was a roaring success, with nearly 200 of you submitting poetry on the theme of ‘connection’ during the month of November and being published in the inaugural tome (find it on OverDrive here!).

Keep an eye out here and on our social media channels for the official announcement next week of the new theme, submission deadline, and other features that will make Tūhono 2021 unique and unmissable. In the meantime, why not get the creative juices flowing by checking out some of the awesome poetry collections on OverDrive:

Overdrive cover Tūhono 2020, Wellington City Libraries (ebook)

Tūhono : connection. This is the theme that binds together all 197 poems you are about to read, which were contributed by young Wellington writers aged 5-18 and collected by Wellington City Libraries throughout the month of November 2020. The year 2020 was challenging for many people. Some had to spend time apart from their friends and the people they love. Some had to find ways to live with uncertainty and the sense that everything might not be okay in the world. But taken together, these poems represent a constellation of thoughts, ideas, worries, anxieties, hopes, loves, and dreams about how we find ways to connect, even in the face of adversity. (Overdrive description)

Overdrive cover The Realm of Possibility, David Levithan (ebook)

Enter The Realm of Possibility and meet a boy whose girlfriend is in love with Holden Caulfield; a girl who loves the boy who wears all black; a boy with the perfect body; and a girl who writes love songs for a girl she can’t have.
These are just a few of the captivating characters readers will get to know in this intensely heartfelt new novel about those ever-changing moments of love and heartbreak that go hand-in-hand with high school. David Levithan plumbs the depths of teenage emotion to create an amazing array of voices that readers won’t forget. So, enter their lives and prepare to welcome the realm of possibility open to us all. Love, joy, and these stories will linger. (OverDrive description)

Overdrive cover Poems to Save the World With, Chris Riddell (ebook)

In Poems to Save the World With, Chris Riddell has selected and illustrated his very favourite classic and modern poems to galvanize, uplift and inspire you through these interesting times we live in.
This gorgeously illustrated collection, Chris’s follow-up to Poems to Live Your Life By and bestselling anthology Poems to Fall in Love With, will ignite your inner activist. Covering a wealth of subjects these insightful poems are brought to life with Chris’s exquisite, intricate artwork. (Overdrive description)

Overdrive cover Please Excuse This Poem, Brett F Lauer (ebook)

One hundred poems. One hundred voices. One hundred different points of view. Here is a cross-section of American poetry as it is right now—full of grit and love, sparkling with humor, searing the heart, smashing through boundaries on every page. Please Excuse This Poem features one hundred acclaimed younger poets from truly diverse backgrounds and points of view, whose work has appeared everywhere from The New Yorker to Twitter, tackling a startling range of subjects in a startling range of poetic forms. Dealing with the aftermath of war; unpacking the meaning of “the rape joke”; sharing the tender moments at the start of a love affair: these poems tell the world as they see it. (Overdrive description)

Overdrive cover SLAM! You’re Gonna Wanna Hear This, Nikita Gill (ebook)

It’s time to reclaim poetry. Collected by international poetry sensation Nikita Gill, SLAM! You’re Gonna Wanna Hear This is a joyful celebration of the ground-breaking poets making their voices heard in the spoken word scene. Empowering, inspiring and often hilarious, SLAMs are a platform for well-known and emerging talent from all walks of life where every style of poetry has a home. With poets such as Raymond Antrobus and Dean Atta guest starring alongside up-and-coming poets in the SLAM scene, this is the perfect introduction to world of modern poetry. Each poet will introduce their poem, tell you a little bit about themselves and give you a tip for preparing brilliant poetry for SLAMs. (Overdrive description)

Black Cat Appreciation Day (feat. some library cats!)

Something you may not have known is that August 17th is Black Cat Appreciation Day. This is a day for us to let our appreciation be known for these demons in feline form, these bringers of bad luck, these companions of witches and evildoers, lest they bring their displeasure down upon us all!

Or not.

A black cat is lying curled around the right side of a large book. his teeth and front claws are wrapped around the top corner. The title of the book is Devastation: the world's worst natural disastersNow, black cats are definitely not harbingers of absolute devastation. In fact, they’re quite nice. Or at least I think so!

Black Cat Appreciation Day is here because apparently some people still believe these awful things about black cats. Or at least cat societies, shelters, and SPCAs have noticed that it often takes longer for black cats to be adopted than their more colourful counterparts.

A black cat curled in a ball on a white cushion. He is a black blob with a tail. All detail has disappeared into a void of black.Part of this could be that people still feel that there is something unlucky or uncanny about black cats. Or it could be that nowadays so many people fall in love with a picture of a cat they see on an adoption website, and black cats don’t always photograph too well. Look at this snoozy gentleman on the right. You can tell there’s a cat there, but all detail has disappeared into THE VOID of DARKNESS.

There are plenty of black cats who are not beings of evil both in the world and in fiction. Surely you all read Slinky Malinki (let’s not mention Scarface Claw) as children? And then there’s the black cat in Coraline, and the excellent Kaspar: Prince of Cats. You must remember Thackery Binks from Hocus Pocus as a black cat who definitely was NOT helping the witches. Or there’s Salem Saberhagen who hangs out with Sabrina Spellman and depending on your interpretation may be slightly evil but is still more loyal than you’d expect.

Anyway, as part of Black Cat Appreciation Day I’m going to highlight some of the black cats who belong to your librarians. There are a few out there, and they’re all excellent cats!

Two cats sitting on each knee of their owner. The left cat is white with black ears and a black splodge on her back. The right cat is black with a white chest and white whiskers. Both have yellow eyes.These two are Princess Holly (left and not as relevant to today’s theme but still an excellent cat) and Le Beau (right). Le Beau can most often be found making nests in the long grass in the garden. Is Le Beau a bird or a cat?

Well… cat, obviously. 

Shot from below, Oz is looking majestically off to the right. He has a bright blue bow around his neck that contrasts brilliantly with his sleek black fur.This is Oz. Oz is “a big ball of need”. If you are Oz’s owner, Oz will sit on you. If you are nearby, Oz will sit on you. If you have a lap, Oz will sit on you.

And doesn’t he look handsome with that blue bow around his neck? Definitely not a minion of devils and demons.

A black cat sitting on the edge of a table with a copy of Two Raw Sisters standing open in front of him to stop him moving any further forward. He has a small white patch under his chin, and a look of complete and utter betrayal in his golden eyes.This is Poot. Poot is obviously the best of the bunch because he is my cat and since I’m writing this I get to say what I like.

Poot is a distinguished gentleman of fourteen and is still super snuggly and, as demonstrated in this picture, may sometimes need a book barricade to stop him sitting uncomfortably close to you while you eat. It’s very hard not to give in to that look of betrayal though!


A black cat being held towards the camera. Her front paws rest on the wrist of the person holding her. Her yellow eyes are open very wide and her pupils are very round.This is Shavana. She’s not a huge fan of being held and prefers to come hang out with you only when she feels like it. She is a very respectable thirteen years old so I’d say she’s allowed to do what she wants.

Look how huge her eyes are! Maybe she’s watching some eldritch spirits pass by…


A dainty black cat lying on a platform. Her front paws are slightly hanging over the edge towards the camera and her pale yellow eyes are slightly downcast.This is Tove. She is eight and was named, of course, after Moomin creator Tove Jansson. As an extremely dainty and literary creature she could never ever be thought to be a bringer of bad luck. Look at those neat wee paws!

Do you ap-purr-eciate Tove?

A large white and grey spotted dog lies with his head cushioned on a large black cat.This is Wolfram, pictured here with Tama. As you can see, cats and dogs can definitely be friends, and Wolfram is a very patient cat and a very excellent pillow.

Also, can you see those kangaroo ears of his?


The last black cat on this list is in fact a black Kat. She is a very good girl so I don’t see why a difference of one letter should stop her being included here. I’m sure none of you will object!


So those are some of our black cats. They are all very excellent, very loved, and always very appreciated and I am very pleased to have been able to share them all with you.

I will leave you with one last picture of Poot snoozing in the sun with toe beans on display because, as I said, I’m the one writing this so I can do what I want.

Poot lies sleeping curled on his side on top of a newspaper in the sun. His head is resting on his front paws and his back paws with their toe beans are extended towards the camera.

The Book Was Better – You Decide!

I’m sure you have heard these words before, and maybe even said them yourself! I know I have. I have very fond memories of Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series. I read them all, I knew the prophetic poems in them off by heart, and I loved the way more and more complex situations, villains, and magics were introduced as the books went on. And then in 2007 they released a movie based on the books! Exciting, right?

Wrong.

The Seeker: The Dark is Rising was NOT as good as the book. (In my personal opinion, this is not the exclusive opinion of Wellington City Libraries!)

First of all, why make a movie of the second book in a series and completely leave out the first? Then they made Will’s family an American one who has only just moved into the small English village. Ridiculous. And there was all this extra action added, and so much left out, and Merriman acted completely different and everything just seemed oversimplified.

Humph. The book was better.

Anyway. There are many other books that have been made into movies and TV shows. Some are classics that have been out for a while, some are new TV shows that are only just starting, and some became multi-million dollar film franchises that everyone has heard of. And with so many screen adaptations of books that already exist, that are coming out, and that are in the works I just feel the need to help facilitate outraged conversations about these adaptations – the book was better! Or was it?

I won’t be writing about the big ones here. I’m sure that you’ve already discussed the nuances of Divergent, or The Hunger Games, or (dare I say it) Twilight to your heart’s content. And I will only be writing about titles that we actually have available here at Wellington City Libraries. Shadow and Bone came out this year but it ain’t on DVD so we don’t have it. Though we do of course have Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha trilogy! But that will be my only mention of it because I don’t want to tantalise your TV taste-buds with something we can’t actually provide for you to watch.

Here I present to you a carefully selected list of films and TV shows, all adapted from books, and all available to be borrowed (as both book or DVD!) right here in our libraries.

So read on friends! And I hope to inspire ferocious debate amongst you, or maybe even the need to watch a new movie or check out a new book!

Read More

Wellington On a Plate 2021

Calling all foodies, brace yourself for the most epic food event of the year where you can eat, drink and be Welly! Wellington on a Plate (WOAP) has arrived once again full of culinary goodness of all things food and beverage all throughout the month of August!

https://www.facebook.com/WellyOnaPlate/

What is Wellington on a Plate?

Wellington on a Plate is an event in August where you can Eat, Drink and Be Welly with hundreds of Festival Events, Festival Dishes that showcase the best of Wellington region’s ingredients, suppliers and producers, Creative Cocktails and all the Burgers you could munch your way through. 

How can you celebrate?

  • Eat your way around Wellington. Click here for more information about WOAP eateries.
  • Craft your visit by choosing from over 140 events, with everything from hands-on masterclasses to multi-course degustations and everything in between. Click here for more information about the events.

Create your own burgers, drinks and culinary goodness in the comfort of your own home, with the help of the following books:

Cook up a storm the Welly and Kiwi way with:

image courtesy of syndeticsThe great New Zealand cookbook.

“Featuring over 200 recipies, from tried and true classics to contemporary cuisine that reflects New Zealand’s ethnic diversity and fresh local produce, the Great Zealand Cookbook is a unique celebration of kiwi cuisine. Eighty of New Zealand’s finest cooks, chefs and bakers let us into their homes and their hearts as they share their favourite recipes they make for people they love. Each recipe is accompanied by stunning original photographs shot entirely on location that truly capture the essence and nature of this beautiful country of ours. Cover artwork by renowned New Zealand artist Dick Frizzell.” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsCuba Street : a cookbook.

“Cuba Street – a cookbook celebrates the flair and flavours of Cuba Street, the colourful heart of Wellington’s café scene. Take a gastronomic journey up the street and enjoy and eclectic mix of recipes, provided by over twenty of your favourite bars and eateries. They’ve given up their secrets, published here along with interviews, profiles and more. This book is an absolute must for foodies, locals and visitors to Wellington. It offers a unique insight into Wellington’s best-loved district, its heritage, hospitality, and the people who make it so special.” (Catalogue)


image courtesy of syndeticsThe Cuba Street project.

“Cuba Street has many faces. Restaurants, cafés, record shops, fashion outlets — and the bucket fountain. Cuba Street has iconic status in Wellington – its colour and character over the last few decades have made it a favourite spot for locals and visitors alike. From the late lamented Matterhorn and Mighty Mighty, to Midnight Espresso, Logan Brown and Ombra, the street is filled with places and people worth remembering.” (Catalogue)

Get your burger on!

image courtesy of syndeticsBurger Wellington : the best burgers from New Zealand’s culinary capital.

“Burger Wellington has long been an integral part of the WOAP experience. Weve gathered together 47 of the regions best burger recipes from some of its most celebrated eateries. The recipes are edited by Lucy Corry, award-winning Wellington writer and columnist. Lucy regularly writes on food for Fairfax Media, Cuisine (incl restaurant reviews), NZ Life & Leisure, Frankie and Smith magazines and for her own blog The Kitchen Maid. Safe to say, she’s a passionate foodie!” (Catalogue)


image courtesy of sydneticsBurger lab.

“Burger Lab examines the precise elements that make up the ultimate burger: the perfect squishy bun; a pickle that has just the right level of crunch; the exact quantity of mayonnaise and ketchup to deliver maximum flavour; and the ultimate wagyu beef pattie that’s meaty, juicy and umami-intense. Featuring the sought-after recipes from the menu of a cult burger joint, as well as 18 additional mouthwatering constructions that include: soft-shell crab with green mango salad; tonkatsu pork with fennel & apple; Reuben with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese & thousand island dressing, and more, plus recipes for condiments, chips and milkshakes to wash it all down – Burger Lab will change everything you thought you knew about burgers.” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsXXL : epic food, street eats & cult dishes from around the world.

“Through 70 incredible dishes – covering snacks, burgers, mains, desserts and drinks – Billy taps into the contemporary street food scene. This is not food for the faint-hearted or those into ‘clean eating’ or ‘the paleo lifestyle.’ These are honest-to-goodness recipes that are bold on flavour, size and, yup, calories. Dig in if you love great comfort food and street eats from all corners of the globe as well as pimped-up classic dishes.” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsHot dogs, hamburgers, tacos and margaritas.

“With more than 100 recipes, from quick and easy to classic to more gourmet fare, including some more unusual ingredients, this book brings all of your fast-food favourites together in one place (alongside some awesome accompaniments like fries, coleslaw, mash, and milk shakes) — making it the perfect companion for casual weekends and entertaining friends (or just yourself, if you’re feeling greedy).” (Adapted from Catalogue)

For all you veggies and vegans, check out:

image courtesy of syndeticsThe Naked Kitchen veggie burger book : delicious plant-based burgers, fries, sides, and more.

“The Naked Kitchen Veggie Burger Book celebrates the burger in all its versatile glory–served on freshly baked buns, crumbled atop salads, added to pasta sauces, baked into taquitos, and more! Spanning a number of different ethnic influences, from Mexican to Mediterranean to Asian, these burgers are as nutritious as they are fun, flavorful, and redolent of homey goodness. The Naked Kitchen duo also present their favorite burger buns, condiments and toppings, sides and salads, fresh beverages, and “beyond burgers” recipes — for a superlative burger experience.” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsVegan junk food : a down and dirty cookbook.

“Not all vegans do yoga thrice daily or thrive on kale juice. This book is for anyone curious about cooking meat-free, who DGAF about carbs. This is the anti-vegan cookbook for vegans. Almost every vegetarian and vegan cookbook focuses on the whole wheat/kefir/green cleanse/salt lamp/lentil aspect of living a cruelty-free diet. But what about those of us who actually dream of a greasy burger all day and all night, but simply can’t justify eating animal products? Or those of us who just wanted to opt out of the environmentally unsustainable meat industry? Or anyone who is just keen to broaden their culinary horizons and dip a toe in the waters of veganism? If any of these ring bells, then this is the cookbook for you.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsMostly plants : 101 delicious flexitarian recipes from the Pollan family.

“Following the advice of family member Michael Pollan –“Eat food, not too much, mostly plants”–this book offers an approach to eating which doesn’t give up meat entirely but builds a diet that shifts the ratio from animals to plants, creating delicious and nutritious meals sure to appeal to everyone.” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsGreen burgers : creative vegetarian recipes for burgers and sides.

“Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan, or just trying to cut down on meat, veggie burgers make a tempting, filling meal. And as Martin Nordin explains, they’re far from boring – in fact, because there are no rules or blueprint, you’re free to push the burger boundaries. In Green Burgers, Martin shares recipes packed full of flavour and nutrition – from the classic BBQ Portobello Burger to the Courgette Burger with Wild Garlic. Experiment with unexpected flavours such as Courgette Kimchi and Deep-Fried Plantain. The delicious patties are just the beginning – try making your own Charcoal Burger Buns, top your burgers with Purple Cabbage and Apple Sauerkraut, and serve with Roasted Sweet-Potato Chips. With chapters on burgers, buns, sides, pickles and sauces, Green Burgers has all you need to make the perfect plant-based burgers and sides at home.” (Catalogue)

From the Vaults VI: More Manga Gems

We have already posted in this very blog series about the treasure trove of manga titles that are available for you to reserve — over 170 series or stand-alone titles, for a total of over 4,000 unique volumes to peruse. And though we’ve been buying more manga for our branch libraries so it’s easier for you to browse, there’s still a sizeable chunk of the manga collection on the shelves at Te Pātaka, our collection and distribution centre, just waiting for you to reserve it. Read on to discover some of the library’s hidden manga gems.

Bleach. Volume 1, Strawberry and the soul reaper / Kubo, Tite

What better way to start this list than with iconic shōnen series Bleach? All 74 volumes of the legendary adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki can be found on the shelves at Te Pātaka, and you can reserve them to get sent wherever you like. If you’re still into doing things old-school, you can also find the Bleach anime (movies and series) on DVD on our catalogue. If you haven’t yet descended into the world of Soul Reapers and Hollows, spirits and afterlives, well, now is as good a time as any.

The drifting classroom. Volume 1 / Umezu, Kazuo

The Drifting Classroom is truly a hidden gem in our manga collection. First published in Japan in 1972 by horror mangaka Kazuo Umezu, this series won him the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award in 1974. After a supernatural tremor causes young Sho Takamatsu’s classroom to transport to an otherworldly post-apocalyptic wasteland, he and his classmates find themselves beset by nightmares, monsters, and creeping madness as they try to find a way back to their homes. Side note: this chilling and beautifully illustrated manga was adapted into the film Drifting School in 1995 — the film itself was generally poorly-received, but it did serve to kick-start the career of one Drake Bell, in the role of Kenny Smith!

A drifting life / Tatsumi, Yoshihiro

One of the more ‘literary’ sets on this list, Eisner Award-winning manga A Drifting Life is often read as an autobiographical series chronicling the life of the author, Yoshihiro Tatsumi, in the early stages of his career as a mangaka. Metafictional efforts like this can sometimes come across as a little stilted or forced (“Oh wow, another book about how much of a struggle it is to write a book”) — not so with A Drifting Life. The art is by turns sparkling and muted, the text by turns dense and sparse, as the situation demands. This is a work of art about work and art that you really shouldn’t miss. 

Magic knight Rayearth. [Volume 1] / CLAMP (Mangaka group)

A classic of both the magical girl and mecha genres, CLAMP’s Magic Knight Rayearth sits among the greats of 90s shōjo manga — a feat that is even more impressive when you consider this period contains some of the true stalwarts of the genre — we’re talking like Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura levels here. Action-packed, strong characterisations, and an epic video game-esque story treatment characterise this series. It’s little wonder it spawned no fewer than six video game adaptations in its history.

My lesbian experience with loneliness / Nagata, Kabi

Okay, okay, I know we’ve written about this incredible standalone volume before on this very blog. But look, who could blame us for wanting to highlight it again? It’s funny, it’s sad, it’s expressive, it’s relatable — you definitely won’t regret picking it up. My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness made a massive splash when it burst onto the scenes in 2017 — interestingly, for a manga title, it didn’t just have an impact in Japan, but also in Western media, where it won the Crunchyroll ‘Manga of the Year’ award, was listed among the best comics of the 2017 on both Publishers Weekly and Amazon, also picking up a Harvey Award for Best Manga.

NonNonBa / Mizuki, Shigeru

Shigeru Mizuki’s critically-acclaimed NonNonBa is rightly considered one of the finest examples of gekiga (劇画) style comics, defined by its stylised, dramatic and cinematic artistic style and more esoteric subject matter. NonNonBa is at its heart a story about Mizuki’s childhood, and his complex relationship with his grandmother, which is intersected by their explorations of the world of yōkai (妖怪), the supernatural spirits of Japanese folklore. This was the first manga title to win the coveted Angoulême Prize for Best Album, the Fauve d’Or, in 2007.
Orange : the complete collection. 1 / Takano, Ichigo

What’s not to love about Orange? This is a brilliant story that fuses elements of romance and sci-fi tropes such as time travel into a very compelling slice-of-life package that is very hard to put down. The overall mood is quite sombre in places, as the series definitely doesn’t shy away from exploring some pretty dark places thematically, but the promise of hope is never far from sight. 

Otherworld Barbara. Vol. 1 / Hagio, Moto

Okay, so this is definitely a weird one, but hear us out. This science fiction thriller really throws the whole kitchen sink at the reader. Cannibalistic, murderous nine-year-olds? Check. Eccentric clergyman who possibly holds the secret to immortality? Check. An absolutely wild ride that delivers everything it promises and more? Check. We can’t promise you won’t be a little bit disturbed, but sometimes the best art can take you far beyond your comfort zone.

Ouran High School Host Club. Vol. 1 / Hatori, Bisco

Another one we’ve promoted before in this redoubtable publication. We will never not stan for Ouran High School Host Club. We hear the anime is on Netflix now, but trust us, you’ll want to read the manga first. It’s just so great!

Sakura Hime : the legend of Princess Sakura. 1 / Tanemura, Arina

So Sakura Hime isn’t about to win any major awards for originality. It does what it says on the tin. It’s a shōjo manga series featuring all the usual tropes: cutesy characters with a (slightly bloodthirsty) taste for magical combat, man-eating demons to be defeated, a touch of romance, and a band of friends who together can surely take on any challenge. But it does it so well. And we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by some of the depth and nuance afforded to Sakura, our 14-year-old royal protagonist, and her friends. This is a good one — check it out if this is your kind of thing!

Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal Volume 1, The name’s Yuma! / Yoshida, Shin

Yes, there is a Yu-Gi-Oh! manga. Is it good? Well, you be the judge. We will definitely say that the art is amazing. Like weirdly amazing for a spinoff of a spinoff of an anime that’s a spinoff of a trading card game that’s a spinoff of yet another anime that itself is the spinoff of a manga from the mid-90s. Give it a try; you might just like it!