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Iaboo, Youaboo, Weallaboo for Anime!
- Thread starter Johnny Unusual
- Start date
I am still watching Frieren. It's still heckin good. The current magician exam arc being just that - an arc - is kinda not my favorite. Too much time in one place and a little too much conflict. But it's still a great show.
One of the things I think the show gets praised for, but that people in English speaking communities lack the diction to really articulate, is that this show has a crazy strong sense of "Mono no Aware". A classic Japanese literary concept that doesn't really have a lot of easy parallels to describe it by, but is something I think can be universally appreciated. Last time I felt this evoked so strongly in an anime was probably Mushishi.
One of the things I think the show gets praised for, but that people in English speaking communities lack the diction to really articulate, is that this show has a crazy strong sense of "Mono no Aware". A classic Japanese literary concept that doesn't really have a lot of easy parallels to describe it by, but is something I think can be universally appreciated. Last time I felt this evoked so strongly in an anime was probably Mushishi.
I recently finished the entire Marineford arc of One Piece on Netflix, which is as far as the streamer has of the series (Before jumping 600 episodes to the most recent story arc anyway). It's the last arc before the timeskip so it goes right up to that moment. It's the first time I've seen this arc since broadcast, so seeing it dubbed is also new, and I have some thoughts.
First of all streaming rights have messed up all the opening songs up to this point after the ninth one. Openings ten, eleven, and twleve all use the audio from opening nine with their animation (though this is an improvement for opening twelve because the song for that one suuuuuuuuuucks and tonally did not fit the arc it was paired with). But thankfully, opening thirteen got to use it's actual song, which I'm happy about because it's one of my favorite ones. But unfortunately opening fourteen, the last one before the timeskip, stuck to using thirteen's audio. Freakin' weird-ass streaming rights.
But anyway. Marineford.
This was the arc that more or less broke my interest in watching the anime. (I did watch the arc following it before stopping completely but this is where the damage was done) In the manga this arc was a huge deal, it was ambitious in the number of characters it had and it fundamentally changed the status quo of the world and the characters. There were a lot of large spreads and big action, and this was absolutely not an arc to drag out with filler, these were not chapters you could reasonably use to fill an entire episode of animation. But that's what they did. Hell some episodes used less than a chapter of manga material. The result was a mess. Some episodes had some really slick animation and translated some sequences flawlessly, other episodes felt like 60% static reaction shots and Buggy filler. One episode per week of this arc basically sank my interest in the One Piece anime.
But going back to it like ten years later and watching a couple episodes a day of the English dub and my opinion of it improved somewhat. It's still a mess of an adaption of a great manga arc, but it's a much easier watch that way than the once-a-week episode cadence it was originally. And the dub made it more interesting as well, though it was probably the messiest the Funimation dub has been. This is due to the fact that there are So. Many. Characters. This arc has character after ridiculous character that has maybe one or two lines that nevertheless still need to be distinct and while the casting did well with all the characters that matter, the sheer number of them mean there's still more of them that have, let's say, questionable voices.
MVP of the arc is definitely Colleen Clinkenbeard, though. This arc is probably the screamiest Luffy has ever been, and she just goes ham. I was honestly worried for her vocal chords in a number of places.
But the 'War of the Best' (God that's such a stupid name) is only part of the 'Marineford' listing on Netflix, the second half of it is the fallout from it, Luffy's flashback, and catching up with the main crew all right before the timeskip.
And booooooy, I clearly must be more sensitive to trans issues now than I was like ten years ago because everything about Kamabakka kingdom felt utterly gross. During the actual war the character Ivankov was fine, his english actor did a good job honestly, but even though the localization team clearly tried to smooth over the worst bits of Kamabakka as best they can, there's only so much you can polish a turd. Just scene after scene of some of the ugliest transgender tropes in anime played for yucks. Easily one of the worst things about One Piece.
Shame that's where Netflix's current availability ends (again, disregarding the 600 episode jump up to the most recent arc) since it ended with a rather bad taste in my mouth from that.
But anyway. Marineford.
This was the arc that more or less broke my interest in watching the anime. (I did watch the arc following it before stopping completely but this is where the damage was done) In the manga this arc was a huge deal, it was ambitious in the number of characters it had and it fundamentally changed the status quo of the world and the characters. There were a lot of large spreads and big action, and this was absolutely not an arc to drag out with filler, these were not chapters you could reasonably use to fill an entire episode of animation. But that's what they did. Hell some episodes used less than a chapter of manga material. The result was a mess. Some episodes had some really slick animation and translated some sequences flawlessly, other episodes felt like 60% static reaction shots and Buggy filler. One episode per week of this arc basically sank my interest in the One Piece anime.
But going back to it like ten years later and watching a couple episodes a day of the English dub and my opinion of it improved somewhat. It's still a mess of an adaption of a great manga arc, but it's a much easier watch that way than the once-a-week episode cadence it was originally. And the dub made it more interesting as well, though it was probably the messiest the Funimation dub has been. This is due to the fact that there are So. Many. Characters. This arc has character after ridiculous character that has maybe one or two lines that nevertheless still need to be distinct and while the casting did well with all the characters that matter, the sheer number of them mean there's still more of them that have, let's say, questionable voices.
MVP of the arc is definitely Colleen Clinkenbeard, though. This arc is probably the screamiest Luffy has ever been, and she just goes ham. I was honestly worried for her vocal chords in a number of places.
But the 'War of the Best' (God that's such a stupid name) is only part of the 'Marineford' listing on Netflix, the second half of it is the fallout from it, Luffy's flashback, and catching up with the main crew all right before the timeskip.
And booooooy, I clearly must be more sensitive to trans issues now than I was like ten years ago because everything about Kamabakka kingdom felt utterly gross. During the actual war the character Ivankov was fine, his english actor did a good job honestly, but even though the localization team clearly tried to smooth over the worst bits of Kamabakka as best they can, there's only so much you can polish a turd. Just scene after scene of some of the ugliest transgender tropes in anime played for yucks. Easily one of the worst things about One Piece.
Shame that's where Netflix's current availability ends (again, disregarding the 600 episode jump up to the most recent arc) since it ended with a rather bad taste in my mouth from that.
R.R. Bigman
Coolest Guy
It sort of undermines Frieren’s theme of wistful impermanence to have a Hunter/Chunin Exam that does not seem to end. The show is still fun, but’s it’s kinda just a regular anime now, instead of the enigmatic treat it was before.
I actually get the criticism, but I haven't minded the arc. The anime has had larger story events with slice of life between them, and I'm fine with it.
In sad news: Mutsumi Inomata passed away, far too early. She's worn a lot of hats over the decades as an illustrator, character designer, and animator. She was an animation director on shows like City Hunter. She did Key Animation on shows like Maison Ikkoku. And she did character designs on shows like Future GPX, and Brain Powerd (which hits pretty hard as I'm in the middle of a rewatch of that).
But most of you are probably more familiar with her work on the Tales of Series - where she's been the main character designer for that franchise going back to the SNES days. She'll be sorely missed. For those not familiar with her works, I thought this collection of artwork could serve as a decent sample of the kinds of talent she had: https://characterdesignreferences.com/artist-of-the-week-11/mutsumi-inomata
On more positive news, Big West just announced a partnership with Disney+ to exclusively stream the entire Macross franchise on their service:
Harmony Gold USA's vice grip on the OG series/DYRL means those are excluded from this deal in international, but everything else should make it to Disney+ by year's end. The prospect of Yet Another Subscription is never fun, but I'm just glad people have a chance to officially and legally watch/support the franchise now.
But most of you are probably more familiar with her work on the Tales of Series - where she's been the main character designer for that franchise going back to the SNES days. She'll be sorely missed. For those not familiar with her works, I thought this collection of artwork could serve as a decent sample of the kinds of talent she had: https://characterdesignreferences.com/artist-of-the-week-11/mutsumi-inomata
On more positive news, Big West just announced a partnership with Disney+ to exclusively stream the entire Macross franchise on their service:
Harmony Gold USA's vice grip on the OG series/DYRL means those are excluded from this deal in international, but everything else should make it to Disney+ by year's end. The prospect of Yet Another Subscription is never fun, but I'm just glad people have a chance to officially and legally watch/support the franchise now.
!!!!! Holy shit, that's amazing. Understand people not wanting another subscription, but I've already been on D+ for SW/Marvel stuff and a few other things so this works out for me.
(Lol, I was also about to say I don't see Plus characters on that poster until I realized which VF was flying at my face.)
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It’s the Japan poster. They will probably take Minmay out if they make an ENG ver of it like they did with the recent video game. But Flashback 2012 is not held hostage by Harmony Gold, and Big West does have distribution rights. But future Macross content cannot have any Characters or mechs from the original show now as per their settled agreement. So this new poster of old things might count.
Also feels bad for Sara Nome and Myung/Sharon Apple to not get represented at all in this but I that’s been pretty par for the course for franchise branding/advertisements for a while.
One would hope Disney is ironing out a separate agreement with Harmony Gold to get the original series and DYRL for international release too, but only time will tell on that one.
Also hope Disney is getting the remasters to stream as well; I’ve been pretty burned by Crunchyroll lately only putting up the old VHS/DVD masters for older titles for streaming.
Also feels bad for Sara Nome and Myung/Sharon Apple to not get represented at all in this but I that’s been pretty par for the course for franchise branding/advertisements for a while.
One would hope Disney is ironing out a separate agreement with Harmony Gold to get the original series and DYRL for international release too, but only time will tell on that one.
Also hope Disney is getting the remasters to stream as well; I’ve been pretty burned by Crunchyroll lately only putting up the old VHS/DVD masters for older titles for streaming.
I have never seen a single Evangelion thing but the so-called End of Evangelion is the cinematic event of this Wednesday. I don’t think I have time to start and finish the series before tomorrow; does it make any sense to watch it in theaters anyway?
I'm gonna say... no
It doesn’t make sense to watch if you want a coherent story, but like Classic said — it’s not exactly coherent even if you do have context.
I’d say it’s worth it if you can enjoy something beautiful and nonsensical and deeply weird - as an audacious spectacle. But if have genuine interest in watching the show at some point, I would hold off.
I’d say it’s worth it if you can enjoy something beautiful and nonsensical and deeply weird - as an audacious spectacle. But if have genuine interest in watching the show at some point, I would hold off.
It's totally fine to watch End of Eva for the spectacle, as long as you go in aware that it's basically the extended finale to a TV show you haven't watched, which you clearly know.
If you've already absorbed broad information about the characters it will probably even mostly make sense. If you haven't, it works for some as a standalone experimental film. You're presumably not a completionist about this or you wouldn't be asking the question in the first place, so as long as you don't mind watching the ending first, I think you could have a good time. I kind of want you to try it, to see how it goes for you, personally.
Personally, the reason I'm not going is that I've found the audiences at one-off anime screening events to be incredibly unsocialized (very likely to be either very poorly behaved, very smelly, or both). So, that would be the biggest reason not to go, in my opinion, rather than the content of the thing.
If you've already absorbed broad information about the characters it will probably even mostly make sense. If you haven't, it works for some as a standalone experimental film. You're presumably not a completionist about this or you wouldn't be asking the question in the first place, so as long as you don't mind watching the ending first, I think you could have a good time. I kind of want you to try it, to see how it goes for you, personally.
Personally, the reason I'm not going is that I've found the audiences at one-off anime screening events to be incredibly unsocialized (very likely to be either very poorly behaved, very smelly, or both). So, that would be the biggest reason not to go, in my opinion, rather than the content of the thing.
Very much worth seeing in theaters for me! I ended up watching the first two episodes of the show and the recap (?) movie on Netflix. Aside from that, I truly have managed to absorb almost nothing through osmosis about this show. Regardless, it still felt pretty narratively and emotionally legible to me. It was certainly arresting. Crowd was fine. Crowd is always fine; love going to the movies. Of course I missed a lot but this was a really great experience and I’m glad I saw it now instead of waiting. Not close to most interesting imagery in the movie, but the theater bits would certainly not have hit as well if I were seeing them from my futon in a week or so once I finish the series.
More movies should have their full credits halfway through and then cut to black at the end when the last thing happens…
More movies should have their full credits halfway through and then cut to black at the end when the last thing happens…
Frieren ended last weekend. Solid "and their adventures continued!" non-ending with a new season guaranteed on the horizon. I guess that was a good of a place as any to end on, but still feels kinda bad that this chuuni exam sucked up so much time, and now that it's over the show is over too.
Delicious in Dungeon also hit the halfway point. Aside from that one specific episode (I think it was 3?) where the visuals got extra-Trigger-y, those tendencies were mostly subdued through most of the first half of the show. They're doing a pretty decent job with it so far. Mostly I'm just impressed with how good the directing is? The comedic timing for all the gags are impeccable and translates very well to screen. And that kind of thing doesn't happen without directors who don't know what they're doing/don't have a good handle on comedic timing.
Delicious in Dungeon also hit the halfway point. Aside from that one specific episode (I think it was 3?) where the visuals got extra-Trigger-y, those tendencies were mostly subdued through most of the first half of the show. They're doing a pretty decent job with it so far. Mostly I'm just impressed with how good the directing is? The comedic timing for all the gags are impeccable and translates very well to screen. And that kind of thing doesn't happen without directors who don't know what they're doing/don't have a good handle on comedic timing.
Delicious in Dungeon changed openings in the most recent episode and wow what a downgrade. I mean I know it's hard to follow a Bump of Chicken opening song but it feels like this new one didn't even try.
The dub of Delicuous in Dungeon continues to be really damn good. Senshi via Chilchuk's imagination in the most recent episode made me laugh my ass off.
Still don't like the new opening as much as the first one but I can live with it.
Still don't like the new opening as much as the first one but I can live with it.
Johnny Unusual
(He/Him)
Well, I reviewed 17 anime first episodes, so not spoiler popping this would be some sort of crime.
SAND LAND
Premise
In a desolate post-apocalyptic wasteland, small town sheriff Rao feels his town besieged by a drought with all the water in the hands of a callous despot. When he realizes there might be a spring or oasis hidden somewhere in the desert, he decides to go find it to bring water to his people. But he can’t do it alone. Enter Beelzebub, the demon prince, whom he approaches to hunt down the water. Along with his right hand imp Thief, the trio are on their way to the presumed location, facing monsters, bandits and other threats along the way.
It Gud?
It’s so weird that before Akira Toriyama’s passing, it was Sandland that was having a moment. It originally came out when Toriyama was doing a few short form series that were only about 13 chapters long. I’m not sure why this one stuck with people. I like it but to be honest I’d almost prefer a stop motion version of Cowa, his short series about a little monster boy travelling with a tough older man to save his village… I guess Toriyama knew what kind of stories worked…
Anyway, without piles of mythology of series like Dragonball, it did feel like Toriyama was enjoying returning to a much simple form of adventure storytelling. Sandland isn’t a complex series and it really does feel like it is returning to old favourites in a charming old-fashioned way. A very powerful lead in an adventure where he can beat up people with ease. It really feels like he’s incorporating his occasional Ackman comics where demons are brattier than evil (they say they cause human suffering but would never actually kill anyone) but also the adventure of the classic Dragonball.
As an adaptation, we get the rare treat of an entire series by Kamikaze Douga, the animation studio famous for their Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure OPs and the delightfully unhinged Batman Ninja movie. And it looks great. Obviously, the series is almost done just as I’m starting it (with an original arc being part of it) but I’m looking forward to some old fashioned shounen with punches, the actual feeling that the environment is hazardous rather than just other fighters and no real measurement of some sort of spirit energy.
Kaiju No. 8
Premise
In a world where giant monsters exist and regularly attack the city, there are heroes who hunt them down and destroy them to keep the people safe. And there are also people whose job is to clean up the insanely large mess left behind. One such man one wanted to be a monster hunter but has found pride in being an excellent clean up man. But a run in with an aspiring monster hunter has him questioning if he is really at peace on giving up on his dream and the two end up finding a bond… just in time for him to be suddenly turned into a monster.
It Gud?
The interesting thing about this one is it seems to end promising to be an action show (and there is a great action set piece as a finale) but for most of the episode, it really feels like it is about people with a monster clean up job. A lot of this is world building and growing the characters but even as is, a show about the monster clean-up guys feels like it could be really interesting, as is a show about transitioning from one fantastical career to another. The fact that the main character is a monster now doesn’t even happen until the end of the episode.
I suspect I’m still going to enjoy this show but I do feel bad for it edging away from the show it is in the first episode because it is very good. It kind of efficiently speed runs through “the two leads don’t get along and now they do” in a way that I buy until by the end of the episode they have “good bud” vibes. Though in structure, the big set piece at the end follows a familiar rhythm (“Run while I sacrifice to save you” “I’m not running even though it’s dangerous”), the direction and investment in these characters really helps sell it.
I’m really not sure where the mythos of the show is heading from here but I am looking forward to it. A lot of good will has been instilled in me that this can be a fun action show where I can get invested in the characters (the latter part being a pretty big problem I’ve had with a lot of shows lately). Though I’m sure we’ll see monster action, I would not be upset if the show still decided to spend a lot of time cutting up monsters and applying for a job of professional Godzilla hunter.
Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf
Premise
A merchant travels the countryside and stops to see an old friend in a farm town. There he sees old rituals to a wolf deity, though finds the rituals aren’t taken too seriously by the head of the village and his friend. But as he is about to leave, the merchant discovers a young girl in his carriage who turns out to be the wolf god. Deciding her town no longer needs her, she decides to leave town with the merchant to explore the world beyond.
It Gud?
This was one I knew had a series before that people seemed to like so I was looking forward to this one but finally seeing it, I was actually kind of let down. It wasn’t bad, per se, but I wasn’t that interested in seeing more. Most of the characters weren’t that engaging, with the exception of the wolf god. And even there, I wasn’t super excited to spend time to the character because at this point her personality is “somewhat lively” and “naked”. And that makes her more interesting to me than the other lead, whose most prominent feature is “present.”
The part I was most into was the world building, particularly the old rituals going to the wayside and the implication that the wolf’s place in this world is being replaced by a strict church doctrine. That part is more interesting and the title wolf is definitely the person to tie that to, inherently helping make the character interesting to a degree. It’s not a high fantasy world, it’s a world with, so far, one magic aspect and I like that.
I also was hoping for more wheeling-dealing and… well, sales from the merchant. I’m sure we are down for that but for me the interesting part is the idea of a god learning about economics and how the two can use that to get what they need. Perhaps that’s what happens down the line but this episode was all about laying some groundwork. And I can appreciate that but a problem a lot of first episodes have is combining that with some sort of enticement for where the story is going and sadly, that’s been a bit of a problem this season.
Whisper Me a Love Song
Premise
At the start of the school year, a student goes to see a band performance and later in the day tells the singer/guitarist it was “love at first sight”. The guitarist is taken aback but she feels the same way. The problem; one’s feelings are romantic and the other’s are simply as a fan.
It Gud?
I tend to like stories about characters making music and a romance with it seems fun. And I found the whole thing cute and pleasant. The problem is that I didn’t get much more out of it than that. That’s not to say I haven’t stuck with series for that but I feel like this show is missing a certain spark. I don’t dislike these characters but they feel like stock anime character types; the cute friendly clueless girl and the shy girl. And don’t get me wrong, with the right angle can work but this just all felt… pleasantly on autopilot.
Granted initially, my take was slightly harsher. For the first half, the episode feels like it is just sliding by with no conflict. And there are good little-to-no conflict shows out there but that combined with everything else being kind of too light on character and humour kind of made me low-key turn against it so the twist (one is a fan, one is in real love) introduces some emotional conflict to the situation.
But the problem really is that while it goes down pretty smooth, I just feel like I have no reason to continue. I can easily see the formula of “one is in love and the other just isn’t getting it, causing some awkwardness for the former” sustaining the show with no deviation until MAYBE the last episode or two and I feel like watching multiple episodes isn’t that different than watching one. Nothing wrong with it (except the band is called the SS Girls? Um, these high schoolers need to study their history) but I think I’m good.
A Condition Called Love
Premise
A girl who really hasn’t felt romance ends up being approached by the hottest guy in school… who has a bad habit of going all in on love to a self-destructive degree.
It Gud?
This one is an interesting case. I’m giving it a chance but I’m not certain I should. I think it really depends one where it decides to go with its premise and in what way it is taking the male co-leads whole deal. Is this a charming quirk that sometimes goes to far? Is this behaviour stemming from somewhere that really needs help? Does the character just need to learn that love is a give and take rather than just giving and giving? Or that you can’t force it by giving?
I think I don’t entirely trust the show yet to handle it right. It does recognize that he can hurt himself by his actions and that hurts the people who care for him. But going by vibes, I don’t think the show wants to go really deep psychologically on this character in a way that I will find profound. Or if it does, I don’t know if it will be reflective of real human issues and might just be one made up for the show. The character changes his whole thing based on off-handed comments, which is a real red flag but I think from here on in without handling the character right it might just be behaviour that is supposed to be seen as charming but a bit much.
The one thing helping me stay in to see how it handles things going forward is I do like the female lead. She doesn’t suck. She seems genuinely nice and fun and funny and is a character I want to spend time with. With the wrong lead, the male lead bending over backwards in obtuse ways to impress her would be really annoying but I feel like this character could be the key to making it work. I’ll keep going but I feel like I’ll be ready to jump ship if the take on romance feels really wrong-headed.
Go! Go! Loser Ranger
Premise
Every week, a gang of superheroes fights an evil alien empire… except the alien empire was actually defeated a decade ago. The weekly battle is just for show as the remaining henchmen are roped into being beaten up weak after week. But one monster has had enough and has a plan. Infiltrate the “heroes” base and destroy them from the inside.
It Gud?
I’m not sure. Keep in mind, its strong points are front and center; the animation is really slick. The premise is really interesting. There’s some fun humour in there. But for the negatives; this first episode felt a little slow. It wasn’t bad but I kind of wanted it to hurry up. And the meta-jokes sometimes fall flat for me. Not with a cringe but with more of a shrug.
So where am I at? It really depends. If the series is mostly a comedy “Pinky and the Brain” situation with super sentai jokes week after week, I think I would get pretty bored with it. My hope and expectation, though, is it will be a properly serialized series with complications and a strong emotional core. And I definitely think it can get there. But even after an extremely well-made but a bit prolonged first episode, I’m not entirely certain where this is heading.
My gut is telling me this is what I would call a Golden Kamuy situation; the first episode will feel more generic in laying track and then it’s real personality will kick in once the narrative starts gaining momentum. That doesn’t mean I’ll like it as much as Golden Kamuy but I’m hoping that the pace will pick up soon as we really get to know and understand the other characters. As it is, I do like the promise of a story of a faceless henchman who makes good.
Bartender: Glass of God
Premise
Two employees of a hotel are looking for JUST the right bartender to tend their bar and they may have found them with a talented young man who is excellent at intuiting the needs of his customers, working at a bar with odd hours.
It Gud?
I vaguely remember the first Bartender anime when it came out in the mid-2000s. Mostly I remember it being low key pleasant and even though I don’t drink hitting that sweet spot of evoking the feelings of enjoying a drink. It was very low key and not a lot happened but there was a pleasantness to it. And nearly 20 years later, not a lot has changed.
And I could see someone dropping this for similar reasons for me dropping Whisper Me a Love Song or Spice and Wolf; it’s not a character rich series an though it has moments of wit, its low-key nature doesn’t involve a ton of engagement. And the characters are not terribly unique, and arguable are more vehicles into the world of the subject; booze mixing.
But in terms of vibes, I think this show works for me. It’s not super stylish or cool in that respect but I do enjoy the luxuriation in this world and a look into the skills needed to mix drinks. I don’t think this show is going to be for everyone but I find it very pleasant and at times effective (the sounds for the fizzy drink made me truly thirsty). It doesn’t lean into the exaggeration of most food-based anime but it does paint a picture and the loving shots of drinking are effective to me.
Viral Hit
Premise
An introverted young teen is struggling economically with his mother bedridden and him being the sole breadwinner. Even worse, he’s bullied at schooled, all of whom are now into being “NewTubers”. One day, one of his bullies, who is also the producer of the videos, is in the boy’s house to do a livestream and the two end up in a fight which ends up caught on video. The video goes viral in a big way so the boy and his bully come to an agreement; videos of picking fights with bullies.
It Gud?
Sometimes there are series that have previews that make them look awful but I end up liking the show quite a bit. This is one where I tried to take the risk, even though it made me suspect “this will be awful.” I will say… I won’t call it “awful”. I was actually fearing something much worse and miserabilist. It isn’t completely miserabilist… but it is mean-spirited, I think. I feel like it has something of an ugly view of the world and while it tries to handle it with comedy, the world of the show is simply unpleasant.
In many ways, the art style is ugly, too but in a way that feels like it is emulating one of my “problematic favs” GTO (if you haven’t seen GTO, I still like a lot about it but really you can just go to Assassination Classroom instead.) But in that, despite what he does and him being a jerk, I kind of like the lead. Viral Hit isn’t funny or clever enough to sell it. I think it’s an uphill battle but I think you CAN sell the premise in a way to make it palatable but for me it’s an ugh.
One of the weirder aspects is it taking place in a world where school seems to be ridiculously hands off in terms of social media. I literally can’t imagine that level of bullying, in that it is very publicly visible, being unaddressed. Don’t get me wrong, cyber-bullying is a big deal but the bullies seem to be pulling the kind of numbers that make me think this level of attention should at least result in an in-universe explanation of why these kids aren’t touched. It feels weird and I think there could be a withering commentary on why bad people get to do bad things but as it is, it beggars belief.
Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again
Premise
Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again
It Gud?
Boy, this is a series that had one idea… and didn’t expand upon it. There are any number of ways to go with this one; what is it like to be a young person now vs then? What kind of emotional consequences come with being a young person again, especially younger than your children, even? But this show… really has no ideas. It has some really short vignettes and just… plows through them. I think this is easily my least favourite of the shows from this season.
Now I think I should be more bothered by Viral Hit but this… it’s just REALLY REALLY unfunny. Characters just accept the premise quickly and I could deal with it if it were done in a funny way but the show seems really content with the idea “the old people are young but act like old people.” And also “the granddaughter is now thirsty for grandpa. That part was weird.
But mostly, it’s a show bizarrely uncurious about taking its premise in funny or clever directions. Instead, it is blazing through a comic that is clearly 8 pages each at most and it gets exhausting really fast. The characters aren’t fun or funny the scenarios don’t unfold in clever ways and I feel like there’s so little attempt to capitalize on the premise comedically, thematically or… just in any way. It’s a show that really felt like it started and stopped at the title.
The Fable
Premise
A legendary hitman nicknamed The Fable finds he’s been so good that his bosses have decided it’s time to lay low for a while. Specifically, spending a year outside of town and living as a regular dude until the heat dies off. But easier said than done; he might be a professional but he has a hard time turning the hitman part of his brain off, even in very simple situations.
It Gud?
The Fable is a series that feels like it is based on a much more enjoyable manga than what is presented. Keep in mind, I don’t think the Fable is an incompetently made show… just… sedate. Weirdly sedate. In some ways, I should be thankful. I feel like so many of anime have problems going the opposite directions, playing their gags too broad and using music to point to punchlines when sometimes these gags work better underplayed. And it makes sense for this series, where the main character is mostly deadpan except sometimes he has a weird expression (or in one scene laughing uproariously at a variety show). But the problem is it plays it TOO straight and rather than being deadpan, it feels weirdly languid in a way that hurts its punchlines.
And I think when I noticed that, I felt like the gags were well-written (or at least competently written) gags that aren’t delivered well. This isn’t just low-key, it’s downright sleepwalking through the episode despite it starting with an action-packed assassination. I admire what the show is trying but I don’t think it succeeds and that’s frustrating. Is it just a show with a such a unique tone that I’m just not getting it? Perhaps. After all, this is yet another series that is mostly setting up its premise. But I just don’t want to continue to find out more.
The thing is, I also think the show’s failure to deliver comedy hurts potentially interesting characters. Bad comedy can really hurt enjoyment. And this wasn’t cringey but I feel like if the jokes were sold well and I could get on the show’s overall wavelength, it might help me get on the character’s wavelength. The show gets close when the main character is muttering to himself while watching car thieves miss his car, knowing there’s good cash in it but for the majority of the show, whatever it was going for, it lost me.
Oblivion Battery
Premise
In middle school, they were the most unstoppable battery in baseball. But something changed when the catcher suffered a case of amnesia, unable to remember his baseball loving past. Now the two friends are going to a school with a nothing baseball team. Will they return to baseball?
It Gud?
I was kind of curt with the premise but I do think it is a good one. The idea is they were so good, they were almost the villains, easily shutting down everyone. And they relied on each other to make it through the hard training that made them strong. The idea that this bond now has a wall and that what they used to be passionate about, one is indifferent to is interesting. It actually reminds me of the imperfect but still decent (especially the first episode Re:Main, about water polo, which also deals with amnesia).
The problem is the co-lead. The show really wants to paint him as wacky but it is cringefully unfunny. I do not like this character. I am fine with every other character and every other element with the show. It isn’t revolutionary but it would make for a serviceable old-fashioned sports show. But… this fucking guy. This is one of the jokes.
No, you don’t need more context. You have the same amount as I. It’s like being around the kid at school who is trying really hard to be the wacky and funny one but they just… don’t have it and they don’t seem to get that they are annoying everyone. I don’t want to spend time with this guy. The show knows this because the recipient of the joke reacts appropriately.
It is an actively unpleasant experience. Oblivion Battery is a show that is essentially undone by its attempts at humour. Oblivion Battery... Please let me go!
Mysterious Disappearances
Premise
A struggling writer working at a book store finds a book with mysterious powers. She decides to use them to inspire her but soon finds herself being damaged by the power it gives. Luckily her co-worker as experience with the paranormal, the kind of stuff that makes people disappear.
It Gud?
This is a… weird one. Not entirely bad… but enough bad that made me want to drop it. I’ll start with the good; it’s another case where the premise is really good. So far there’s no evil antagonist, it feels more like there are just these weird paranormal things in the world that risk spiriting you away or killing you. In fact, the problem is simply the lead just needs to stop using the book to turn herself old and young, which is damaging her body (because it is all on the outside and the brain and organs on the inside are being squeezed by her frame when she uses it. There’s a hint there are secret stores designed to hold cursed items. I think there are some great ideas here.
Again, it’s another story where the characters are doing a lot of damage. I don’t have the reaction of pain like Oblivion Battery but the male lead, meant to be a mysterious and mischievous fellow, is more a creep than charming. The female lead fairs better and I think the journey of feeling like you’ve failed in your dreams is a good one but by the end, I’m not more enamored with her and overall I’m not realty rooting for these two.
I am also bothered by the male gaze of the show. But it’s a bit of a different one than I’m used to. It’s not uncommon to have a chesty character in anime and the intro does a fair bit of ogling at her in the buff. But also, it’s unusual because I feel like they aren’t drawn like just “perky breasts”. And I like that in theory, the idea that maybe someone can… just have large breasts that actually resemble something in real life. But the leering the camera does at them kind of negates that and makes it a different uncomfortable horny rather than representing a different body type. Also, much of the story IS about her body changing and I think the intro also had some creepy implications that flashed by pretty quick that made me go “hmmm…” in those regards. So, I’ll pass on this one.
Mission: Yozakura Family
Premise
A teen discovers his childhood friend is a family of spies… and that said friend’s older brother wants to kill him for getting too close to her. In order to save himself, they utilize the family’s code of never killing family by marrying into the family.
It Gud?
Nah. I came here for one reason and one reason only. This feller.
And they don’t appear enough. But also, in general, it’s just not that good. The premise revolves around a creepy older brother with a sister complex and frankly, no thanks. I already have enough of that in much better shows Spy x Family and Mashle. Like, specifically, this is our in to this world and I do not care for it.
But in general, it’s a series that feels like it is from 20 years prior and not in a great way. “Teens needing to get married for reasons beyond their control but are in a chaste relationship” is a genre that feels like it’s time has past and though I think it’s certainly possible to do it well, Mission: Yozakura Family really doesn’t have enough personality to pull it off, regardless of how many bucket-headed scientists are involved (the answer is one, in this case).
And that seems to be the theme for me this season. So, few show’s characters click. At worst, they outright suck but even the ones who don’t, I feel that there is a certain lack of depth or charm that I feel is necessary to keep me watching. We are introduced to a whole family of spies but they all seem limited to a gimmick and none of them are particularly great. I was excited to see a bucket man and a guy who lives in a high tech garbage can but in practice, it’s actually quite disappointing.
Train to the End of the World
Premise
When Japan activates its nationwide 7G initiative, the new form of wi-fi throws reality into entropy. 2 years later, in a town were all grown ups become animals, 4 teen girls embark on a mission when they realize one of their old friends is alive and well in the heart of Tokyo. To get there, they utilize an old train to travel across a Japan devastated by reality altering weirdness.
It Gud?
OK, now we are getting somewhere. When I first watched the trailer for this show, I was expecting a sort of melancholy journey through a ruined Japan that was marked by a quiet, empty world as young girls take an emotional journey as well as a literal one. I was not prepared. Not at all. Things open up HARD; a girl is leaving a train when she’s abducted by a stone jar with a propeller, plopped in the middle of a promotional event and pressured into pushing a button that ends the world. And that’s where we START.
From there, we leave those characters and focus on girls who are living in a town were all the grown ups are talking animals and there’s a weird old dude puttering around town saying “choo-choo”. It’s a journey into the weird but it is also anchored by interesting characters and despite the weirdness, the goals are clear, even if the journey itself is murky. I don’t know if it can keep up the pace or if I can keep up with its pace but it really is a unique series and I feel like it’s weirdness isn’t just for show, it’s an essential part of the show.
The characters acting as an anchor works because while it is weird and silly that everyone is animals, and the use of animals is amusing, there’s also a melancholy. If these girls don’t leave town, they’ll eventually become animals. And eventually, some of the animals stop acting like people. So even though the show’s world is shrouded in mystery, it doesn’t feel obtuse like some artier anime can be. It’s possible this show will lose its way or become something unpleasant (my experience with Wonder Egg Priority) but as it is, this is a promising show!
Tonbo!
Premise
A former pro-golfer decides to leave his life behind and start work at a development centre on an isolated island, only to discover that the island is mysteriously covered in golf paraphernalia, has a few holes and also has a fully tended to golf course. Even more shocking is a young girl on the island seems to be a master of the sport.
It Gud?
Tonbo is a sports series but I’m not 100% sure where it is going. It is going to be a slice of life series about an island of golfers? Will it become a competition show with arcs and such? The intro implies the former, showing most of the characters on the island. But I think whatever way it goes, I might be in the mood for this. Like the island, there’s a refreshing humbleness to the show. Despite the fact that it is set on Golf Island, it doesn’t feel like it is hinging on big twists and even though I think there’s going to be an explanation about the island’s golf obsession and holes on people’s lawns, this feels like it will be more about the relationship between the former golf pro and the island girl.
It's not even something to easily recommend. The animation is fine, the characters aren’t flashy and I really think it would be easy for people to miss this show. I don’t even think it will get much word of mouth. I just think it is a fine show. And yet, I’m putting this above a few other shows that are basically in the same tier of quality. So why am I willing to give this more of a try? Well, I do like sports series, so that helps but even then, I’ve been burned by sports shows in recent years (see also Oblivion Battery). And yet, the island vibes are actually going a long way to set up a community it would be fun to be with. This will be a bit of an oversell because this is just an OK show but it gives me those same chill small community vibes of a Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing. I can hang out with this show.
YATAGARASU: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master
Premise
In ancient Japan in a kingdom where ravens are horses (yeah, it’s a whole thing), four potential wives representing different regions are in competition to marry the “foolish” Prince. One of these suitors is a country girl who feels out of place with the rich royalty but has also been gifted a name that implies that she is the front runner (as well as mocking the prince). The prince himself may neither be as foolish as others thing… nor as human.
It Gud?
There’s promise in the set up; court intrigue among four competing women that also promises to split it’s attention between them and the prince himself who has an ally in a half-raven/half-human (weirdly something that doesn’t come up until the end of the episode). I think the reason I fell off with this one is that the show is focused on the four suitors and I’m not interested in their story. The character we are rooting for is hopelessly naïve and that’s not necessarily a bad thing in a story of court intrigue as a starting point that’s all there seems to be to her. We aren’t seeing a lot of inner strength, determination, cleverness, compassion… she’s mostly there to be taunted by other women so we feel bad for her.
To be fair, I think they are setting up only one of the women is an outright villain with the other being sharp-tongued but willing to let the hero in on some stuff and the other being cold but acting in her favour. But in each case, all three of the other women seem to be reacting to the lead and I’d be much more interested in finding out what they really want. It would be great if their behaviour is about what they want but it feels like they are mostly existing in reaction to the lead. To be fair, I imagine each of them will be more drawn out in time but even then, I’m kind of not that interested in the intrigue presented.
JBear pointed out the fact that it has the misfortune of coming on the heels of a much better court intrigue show (which also combined detective shows) The Apothecary Diaries. To be fair, I feel like THIS is looking to be even more of an epic but in terms of what is happening, the thread it decided to start with failed to really entice me due to starting out with more stock types. The Pollyanna, the One Who Seems Mean But Is Nice, The One Who Seems Nice But Is Mean. Maybe it’ll figure into something more exciting down the line but as is, I’m out.
Tonari no Youkai-san
Premise
In an alternate reality where yokai are an everyday fact of life, a family’s beloved cat transformed into a nekomata (split-tailed cat). With newfound human intelligence, the cat is trying to figure out what to do next. Meanwhile a young girl who is a friend to a beefy and kindhearted crow-man contends with her missing father, who seems to have been spirited away by supernatural forces.
It Gud?
Mixed feelings on this one. This is what I would call a “vignette” show. Not in the same way that shows based on four-koma are but this definitely feels like it is based on comics that take 4 minutes to adapt a chapter. And from moment to moment I like it but I don’t like that rhythm so much. This isn’t quite one of those shows I feel like “this should be a short” but… also yes? Like it doesn’t make me want to stop watching like some other shows I’d like more if they are shorter but it is clear it is a bunch of mood pieces strung together, which feels weird to see them all in a row.
I will also say that there is one part of the show I like than the other. I don’t really care for the nekomata section of the show. Nothing “wrong” with it, I just feel less engaged to this character’s journey than to the young girl and the crow man that…. Let’s face it, the internet must be thirsty for this dude.
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Anyway, this story has a sense of mystery and sadness, with the little girl’s father being essentially spirited away, literally, and hints that something may be invading the small little town.
It is a very quiet show and I wouldn’t blame anyone for getting bored with it. But I also think the world building is top notch. It’s a slice of life show but it also recognizes there are actually consequences to a world where all the yokai are real. Yes, most of them are friendly and social but this isn’t “we live in a world with friendly yokai”, it’s “we live in a world that has some fairy tale rules and there are some scary and joyful consequences.” The good is you may get to see someone who has passed again. But you also might lose someone to ethereal forces. Definitely going to stick with this one, though I might also lose patience with the cat section.
Premise
In a desolate post-apocalyptic wasteland, small town sheriff Rao feels his town besieged by a drought with all the water in the hands of a callous despot. When he realizes there might be a spring or oasis hidden somewhere in the desert, he decides to go find it to bring water to his people. But he can’t do it alone. Enter Beelzebub, the demon prince, whom he approaches to hunt down the water. Along with his right hand imp Thief, the trio are on their way to the presumed location, facing monsters, bandits and other threats along the way.
It Gud?
It’s so weird that before Akira Toriyama’s passing, it was Sandland that was having a moment. It originally came out when Toriyama was doing a few short form series that were only about 13 chapters long. I’m not sure why this one stuck with people. I like it but to be honest I’d almost prefer a stop motion version of Cowa, his short series about a little monster boy travelling with a tough older man to save his village… I guess Toriyama knew what kind of stories worked…
Anyway, without piles of mythology of series like Dragonball, it did feel like Toriyama was enjoying returning to a much simple form of adventure storytelling. Sandland isn’t a complex series and it really does feel like it is returning to old favourites in a charming old-fashioned way. A very powerful lead in an adventure where he can beat up people with ease. It really feels like he’s incorporating his occasional Ackman comics where demons are brattier than evil (they say they cause human suffering but would never actually kill anyone) but also the adventure of the classic Dragonball.
As an adaptation, we get the rare treat of an entire series by Kamikaze Douga, the animation studio famous for their Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure OPs and the delightfully unhinged Batman Ninja movie. And it looks great. Obviously, the series is almost done just as I’m starting it (with an original arc being part of it) but I’m looking forward to some old fashioned shounen with punches, the actual feeling that the environment is hazardous rather than just other fighters and no real measurement of some sort of spirit energy.
Kaiju No. 8
Premise
In a world where giant monsters exist and regularly attack the city, there are heroes who hunt them down and destroy them to keep the people safe. And there are also people whose job is to clean up the insanely large mess left behind. One such man one wanted to be a monster hunter but has found pride in being an excellent clean up man. But a run in with an aspiring monster hunter has him questioning if he is really at peace on giving up on his dream and the two end up finding a bond… just in time for him to be suddenly turned into a monster.
It Gud?
The interesting thing about this one is it seems to end promising to be an action show (and there is a great action set piece as a finale) but for most of the episode, it really feels like it is about people with a monster clean up job. A lot of this is world building and growing the characters but even as is, a show about the monster clean-up guys feels like it could be really interesting, as is a show about transitioning from one fantastical career to another. The fact that the main character is a monster now doesn’t even happen until the end of the episode.
I suspect I’m still going to enjoy this show but I do feel bad for it edging away from the show it is in the first episode because it is very good. It kind of efficiently speed runs through “the two leads don’t get along and now they do” in a way that I buy until by the end of the episode they have “good bud” vibes. Though in structure, the big set piece at the end follows a familiar rhythm (“Run while I sacrifice to save you” “I’m not running even though it’s dangerous”), the direction and investment in these characters really helps sell it.
I’m really not sure where the mythos of the show is heading from here but I am looking forward to it. A lot of good will has been instilled in me that this can be a fun action show where I can get invested in the characters (the latter part being a pretty big problem I’ve had with a lot of shows lately). Though I’m sure we’ll see monster action, I would not be upset if the show still decided to spend a lot of time cutting up monsters and applying for a job of professional Godzilla hunter.
Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf
Premise
A merchant travels the countryside and stops to see an old friend in a farm town. There he sees old rituals to a wolf deity, though finds the rituals aren’t taken too seriously by the head of the village and his friend. But as he is about to leave, the merchant discovers a young girl in his carriage who turns out to be the wolf god. Deciding her town no longer needs her, she decides to leave town with the merchant to explore the world beyond.
It Gud?
This was one I knew had a series before that people seemed to like so I was looking forward to this one but finally seeing it, I was actually kind of let down. It wasn’t bad, per se, but I wasn’t that interested in seeing more. Most of the characters weren’t that engaging, with the exception of the wolf god. And even there, I wasn’t super excited to spend time to the character because at this point her personality is “somewhat lively” and “naked”. And that makes her more interesting to me than the other lead, whose most prominent feature is “present.”
The part I was most into was the world building, particularly the old rituals going to the wayside and the implication that the wolf’s place in this world is being replaced by a strict church doctrine. That part is more interesting and the title wolf is definitely the person to tie that to, inherently helping make the character interesting to a degree. It’s not a high fantasy world, it’s a world with, so far, one magic aspect and I like that.
I also was hoping for more wheeling-dealing and… well, sales from the merchant. I’m sure we are down for that but for me the interesting part is the idea of a god learning about economics and how the two can use that to get what they need. Perhaps that’s what happens down the line but this episode was all about laying some groundwork. And I can appreciate that but a problem a lot of first episodes have is combining that with some sort of enticement for where the story is going and sadly, that’s been a bit of a problem this season.
Whisper Me a Love Song
Premise
At the start of the school year, a student goes to see a band performance and later in the day tells the singer/guitarist it was “love at first sight”. The guitarist is taken aback but she feels the same way. The problem; one’s feelings are romantic and the other’s are simply as a fan.
It Gud?
I tend to like stories about characters making music and a romance with it seems fun. And I found the whole thing cute and pleasant. The problem is that I didn’t get much more out of it than that. That’s not to say I haven’t stuck with series for that but I feel like this show is missing a certain spark. I don’t dislike these characters but they feel like stock anime character types; the cute friendly clueless girl and the shy girl. And don’t get me wrong, with the right angle can work but this just all felt… pleasantly on autopilot.
Granted initially, my take was slightly harsher. For the first half, the episode feels like it is just sliding by with no conflict. And there are good little-to-no conflict shows out there but that combined with everything else being kind of too light on character and humour kind of made me low-key turn against it so the twist (one is a fan, one is in real love) introduces some emotional conflict to the situation.
But the problem really is that while it goes down pretty smooth, I just feel like I have no reason to continue. I can easily see the formula of “one is in love and the other just isn’t getting it, causing some awkwardness for the former” sustaining the show with no deviation until MAYBE the last episode or two and I feel like watching multiple episodes isn’t that different than watching one. Nothing wrong with it (except the band is called the SS Girls? Um, these high schoolers need to study their history) but I think I’m good.
A Condition Called Love
Premise
A girl who really hasn’t felt romance ends up being approached by the hottest guy in school… who has a bad habit of going all in on love to a self-destructive degree.
It Gud?
This one is an interesting case. I’m giving it a chance but I’m not certain I should. I think it really depends one where it decides to go with its premise and in what way it is taking the male co-leads whole deal. Is this a charming quirk that sometimes goes to far? Is this behaviour stemming from somewhere that really needs help? Does the character just need to learn that love is a give and take rather than just giving and giving? Or that you can’t force it by giving?
I think I don’t entirely trust the show yet to handle it right. It does recognize that he can hurt himself by his actions and that hurts the people who care for him. But going by vibes, I don’t think the show wants to go really deep psychologically on this character in a way that I will find profound. Or if it does, I don’t know if it will be reflective of real human issues and might just be one made up for the show. The character changes his whole thing based on off-handed comments, which is a real red flag but I think from here on in without handling the character right it might just be behaviour that is supposed to be seen as charming but a bit much.
The one thing helping me stay in to see how it handles things going forward is I do like the female lead. She doesn’t suck. She seems genuinely nice and fun and funny and is a character I want to spend time with. With the wrong lead, the male lead bending over backwards in obtuse ways to impress her would be really annoying but I feel like this character could be the key to making it work. I’ll keep going but I feel like I’ll be ready to jump ship if the take on romance feels really wrong-headed.
Go! Go! Loser Ranger
Premise
Every week, a gang of superheroes fights an evil alien empire… except the alien empire was actually defeated a decade ago. The weekly battle is just for show as the remaining henchmen are roped into being beaten up weak after week. But one monster has had enough and has a plan. Infiltrate the “heroes” base and destroy them from the inside.
It Gud?
I’m not sure. Keep in mind, its strong points are front and center; the animation is really slick. The premise is really interesting. There’s some fun humour in there. But for the negatives; this first episode felt a little slow. It wasn’t bad but I kind of wanted it to hurry up. And the meta-jokes sometimes fall flat for me. Not with a cringe but with more of a shrug.
So where am I at? It really depends. If the series is mostly a comedy “Pinky and the Brain” situation with super sentai jokes week after week, I think I would get pretty bored with it. My hope and expectation, though, is it will be a properly serialized series with complications and a strong emotional core. And I definitely think it can get there. But even after an extremely well-made but a bit prolonged first episode, I’m not entirely certain where this is heading.
My gut is telling me this is what I would call a Golden Kamuy situation; the first episode will feel more generic in laying track and then it’s real personality will kick in once the narrative starts gaining momentum. That doesn’t mean I’ll like it as much as Golden Kamuy but I’m hoping that the pace will pick up soon as we really get to know and understand the other characters. As it is, I do like the promise of a story of a faceless henchman who makes good.
Bartender: Glass of God
Premise
Two employees of a hotel are looking for JUST the right bartender to tend their bar and they may have found them with a talented young man who is excellent at intuiting the needs of his customers, working at a bar with odd hours.
It Gud?
I vaguely remember the first Bartender anime when it came out in the mid-2000s. Mostly I remember it being low key pleasant and even though I don’t drink hitting that sweet spot of evoking the feelings of enjoying a drink. It was very low key and not a lot happened but there was a pleasantness to it. And nearly 20 years later, not a lot has changed.
And I could see someone dropping this for similar reasons for me dropping Whisper Me a Love Song or Spice and Wolf; it’s not a character rich series an though it has moments of wit, its low-key nature doesn’t involve a ton of engagement. And the characters are not terribly unique, and arguable are more vehicles into the world of the subject; booze mixing.
But in terms of vibes, I think this show works for me. It’s not super stylish or cool in that respect but I do enjoy the luxuriation in this world and a look into the skills needed to mix drinks. I don’t think this show is going to be for everyone but I find it very pleasant and at times effective (the sounds for the fizzy drink made me truly thirsty). It doesn’t lean into the exaggeration of most food-based anime but it does paint a picture and the loving shots of drinking are effective to me.
Viral Hit
Premise
An introverted young teen is struggling economically with his mother bedridden and him being the sole breadwinner. Even worse, he’s bullied at schooled, all of whom are now into being “NewTubers”. One day, one of his bullies, who is also the producer of the videos, is in the boy’s house to do a livestream and the two end up in a fight which ends up caught on video. The video goes viral in a big way so the boy and his bully come to an agreement; videos of picking fights with bullies.
It Gud?
Sometimes there are series that have previews that make them look awful but I end up liking the show quite a bit. This is one where I tried to take the risk, even though it made me suspect “this will be awful.” I will say… I won’t call it “awful”. I was actually fearing something much worse and miserabilist. It isn’t completely miserabilist… but it is mean-spirited, I think. I feel like it has something of an ugly view of the world and while it tries to handle it with comedy, the world of the show is simply unpleasant.
In many ways, the art style is ugly, too but in a way that feels like it is emulating one of my “problematic favs” GTO (if you haven’t seen GTO, I still like a lot about it but really you can just go to Assassination Classroom instead.) But in that, despite what he does and him being a jerk, I kind of like the lead. Viral Hit isn’t funny or clever enough to sell it. I think it’s an uphill battle but I think you CAN sell the premise in a way to make it palatable but for me it’s an ugh.
One of the weirder aspects is it taking place in a world where school seems to be ridiculously hands off in terms of social media. I literally can’t imagine that level of bullying, in that it is very publicly visible, being unaddressed. Don’t get me wrong, cyber-bullying is a big deal but the bullies seem to be pulling the kind of numbers that make me think this level of attention should at least result in an in-universe explanation of why these kids aren’t touched. It feels weird and I think there could be a withering commentary on why bad people get to do bad things but as it is, it beggars belief.
Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again
Premise
Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again
It Gud?
Boy, this is a series that had one idea… and didn’t expand upon it. There are any number of ways to go with this one; what is it like to be a young person now vs then? What kind of emotional consequences come with being a young person again, especially younger than your children, even? But this show… really has no ideas. It has some really short vignettes and just… plows through them. I think this is easily my least favourite of the shows from this season.
Now I think I should be more bothered by Viral Hit but this… it’s just REALLY REALLY unfunny. Characters just accept the premise quickly and I could deal with it if it were done in a funny way but the show seems really content with the idea “the old people are young but act like old people.” And also “the granddaughter is now thirsty for grandpa. That part was weird.
But mostly, it’s a show bizarrely uncurious about taking its premise in funny or clever directions. Instead, it is blazing through a comic that is clearly 8 pages each at most and it gets exhausting really fast. The characters aren’t fun or funny the scenarios don’t unfold in clever ways and I feel like there’s so little attempt to capitalize on the premise comedically, thematically or… just in any way. It’s a show that really felt like it started and stopped at the title.
The Fable
Premise
A legendary hitman nicknamed The Fable finds he’s been so good that his bosses have decided it’s time to lay low for a while. Specifically, spending a year outside of town and living as a regular dude until the heat dies off. But easier said than done; he might be a professional but he has a hard time turning the hitman part of his brain off, even in very simple situations.
It Gud?
The Fable is a series that feels like it is based on a much more enjoyable manga than what is presented. Keep in mind, I don’t think the Fable is an incompetently made show… just… sedate. Weirdly sedate. In some ways, I should be thankful. I feel like so many of anime have problems going the opposite directions, playing their gags too broad and using music to point to punchlines when sometimes these gags work better underplayed. And it makes sense for this series, where the main character is mostly deadpan except sometimes he has a weird expression (or in one scene laughing uproariously at a variety show). But the problem is it plays it TOO straight and rather than being deadpan, it feels weirdly languid in a way that hurts its punchlines.
And I think when I noticed that, I felt like the gags were well-written (or at least competently written) gags that aren’t delivered well. This isn’t just low-key, it’s downright sleepwalking through the episode despite it starting with an action-packed assassination. I admire what the show is trying but I don’t think it succeeds and that’s frustrating. Is it just a show with a such a unique tone that I’m just not getting it? Perhaps. After all, this is yet another series that is mostly setting up its premise. But I just don’t want to continue to find out more.
The thing is, I also think the show’s failure to deliver comedy hurts potentially interesting characters. Bad comedy can really hurt enjoyment. And this wasn’t cringey but I feel like if the jokes were sold well and I could get on the show’s overall wavelength, it might help me get on the character’s wavelength. The show gets close when the main character is muttering to himself while watching car thieves miss his car, knowing there’s good cash in it but for the majority of the show, whatever it was going for, it lost me.
Oblivion Battery
Premise
In middle school, they were the most unstoppable battery in baseball. But something changed when the catcher suffered a case of amnesia, unable to remember his baseball loving past. Now the two friends are going to a school with a nothing baseball team. Will they return to baseball?
It Gud?
I was kind of curt with the premise but I do think it is a good one. The idea is they were so good, they were almost the villains, easily shutting down everyone. And they relied on each other to make it through the hard training that made them strong. The idea that this bond now has a wall and that what they used to be passionate about, one is indifferent to is interesting. It actually reminds me of the imperfect but still decent (especially the first episode Re:Main, about water polo, which also deals with amnesia).
The problem is the co-lead. The show really wants to paint him as wacky but it is cringefully unfunny. I do not like this character. I am fine with every other character and every other element with the show. It isn’t revolutionary but it would make for a serviceable old-fashioned sports show. But… this fucking guy. This is one of the jokes.
No, you don’t need more context. You have the same amount as I. It’s like being around the kid at school who is trying really hard to be the wacky and funny one but they just… don’t have it and they don’t seem to get that they are annoying everyone. I don’t want to spend time with this guy. The show knows this because the recipient of the joke reacts appropriately.
It is an actively unpleasant experience. Oblivion Battery is a show that is essentially undone by its attempts at humour. Oblivion Battery... Please let me go!
Mysterious Disappearances
Premise
A struggling writer working at a book store finds a book with mysterious powers. She decides to use them to inspire her but soon finds herself being damaged by the power it gives. Luckily her co-worker as experience with the paranormal, the kind of stuff that makes people disappear.
It Gud?
This is a… weird one. Not entirely bad… but enough bad that made me want to drop it. I’ll start with the good; it’s another case where the premise is really good. So far there’s no evil antagonist, it feels more like there are just these weird paranormal things in the world that risk spiriting you away or killing you. In fact, the problem is simply the lead just needs to stop using the book to turn herself old and young, which is damaging her body (because it is all on the outside and the brain and organs on the inside are being squeezed by her frame when she uses it. There’s a hint there are secret stores designed to hold cursed items. I think there are some great ideas here.
Again, it’s another story where the characters are doing a lot of damage. I don’t have the reaction of pain like Oblivion Battery but the male lead, meant to be a mysterious and mischievous fellow, is more a creep than charming. The female lead fairs better and I think the journey of feeling like you’ve failed in your dreams is a good one but by the end, I’m not more enamored with her and overall I’m not realty rooting for these two.
I am also bothered by the male gaze of the show. But it’s a bit of a different one than I’m used to. It’s not uncommon to have a chesty character in anime and the intro does a fair bit of ogling at her in the buff. But also, it’s unusual because I feel like they aren’t drawn like just “perky breasts”. And I like that in theory, the idea that maybe someone can… just have large breasts that actually resemble something in real life. But the leering the camera does at them kind of negates that and makes it a different uncomfortable horny rather than representing a different body type. Also, much of the story IS about her body changing and I think the intro also had some creepy implications that flashed by pretty quick that made me go “hmmm…” in those regards. So, I’ll pass on this one.
Mission: Yozakura Family
Premise
A teen discovers his childhood friend is a family of spies… and that said friend’s older brother wants to kill him for getting too close to her. In order to save himself, they utilize the family’s code of never killing family by marrying into the family.
It Gud?
Nah. I came here for one reason and one reason only. This feller.
And they don’t appear enough. But also, in general, it’s just not that good. The premise revolves around a creepy older brother with a sister complex and frankly, no thanks. I already have enough of that in much better shows Spy x Family and Mashle. Like, specifically, this is our in to this world and I do not care for it.
But in general, it’s a series that feels like it is from 20 years prior and not in a great way. “Teens needing to get married for reasons beyond their control but are in a chaste relationship” is a genre that feels like it’s time has past and though I think it’s certainly possible to do it well, Mission: Yozakura Family really doesn’t have enough personality to pull it off, regardless of how many bucket-headed scientists are involved (the answer is one, in this case).
And that seems to be the theme for me this season. So, few show’s characters click. At worst, they outright suck but even the ones who don’t, I feel that there is a certain lack of depth or charm that I feel is necessary to keep me watching. We are introduced to a whole family of spies but they all seem limited to a gimmick and none of them are particularly great. I was excited to see a bucket man and a guy who lives in a high tech garbage can but in practice, it’s actually quite disappointing.
Train to the End of the World
Premise
When Japan activates its nationwide 7G initiative, the new form of wi-fi throws reality into entropy. 2 years later, in a town were all grown ups become animals, 4 teen girls embark on a mission when they realize one of their old friends is alive and well in the heart of Tokyo. To get there, they utilize an old train to travel across a Japan devastated by reality altering weirdness.
It Gud?
OK, now we are getting somewhere. When I first watched the trailer for this show, I was expecting a sort of melancholy journey through a ruined Japan that was marked by a quiet, empty world as young girls take an emotional journey as well as a literal one. I was not prepared. Not at all. Things open up HARD; a girl is leaving a train when she’s abducted by a stone jar with a propeller, plopped in the middle of a promotional event and pressured into pushing a button that ends the world. And that’s where we START.
From there, we leave those characters and focus on girls who are living in a town were all the grown ups are talking animals and there’s a weird old dude puttering around town saying “choo-choo”. It’s a journey into the weird but it is also anchored by interesting characters and despite the weirdness, the goals are clear, even if the journey itself is murky. I don’t know if it can keep up the pace or if I can keep up with its pace but it really is a unique series and I feel like it’s weirdness isn’t just for show, it’s an essential part of the show.
The characters acting as an anchor works because while it is weird and silly that everyone is animals, and the use of animals is amusing, there’s also a melancholy. If these girls don’t leave town, they’ll eventually become animals. And eventually, some of the animals stop acting like people. So even though the show’s world is shrouded in mystery, it doesn’t feel obtuse like some artier anime can be. It’s possible this show will lose its way or become something unpleasant (my experience with Wonder Egg Priority) but as it is, this is a promising show!
Tonbo!
Premise
A former pro-golfer decides to leave his life behind and start work at a development centre on an isolated island, only to discover that the island is mysteriously covered in golf paraphernalia, has a few holes and also has a fully tended to golf course. Even more shocking is a young girl on the island seems to be a master of the sport.
It Gud?
Tonbo is a sports series but I’m not 100% sure where it is going. It is going to be a slice of life series about an island of golfers? Will it become a competition show with arcs and such? The intro implies the former, showing most of the characters on the island. But I think whatever way it goes, I might be in the mood for this. Like the island, there’s a refreshing humbleness to the show. Despite the fact that it is set on Golf Island, it doesn’t feel like it is hinging on big twists and even though I think there’s going to be an explanation about the island’s golf obsession and holes on people’s lawns, this feels like it will be more about the relationship between the former golf pro and the island girl.
It's not even something to easily recommend. The animation is fine, the characters aren’t flashy and I really think it would be easy for people to miss this show. I don’t even think it will get much word of mouth. I just think it is a fine show. And yet, I’m putting this above a few other shows that are basically in the same tier of quality. So why am I willing to give this more of a try? Well, I do like sports series, so that helps but even then, I’ve been burned by sports shows in recent years (see also Oblivion Battery). And yet, the island vibes are actually going a long way to set up a community it would be fun to be with. This will be a bit of an oversell because this is just an OK show but it gives me those same chill small community vibes of a Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing. I can hang out with this show.
YATAGARASU: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master
Premise
In ancient Japan in a kingdom where ravens are horses (yeah, it’s a whole thing), four potential wives representing different regions are in competition to marry the “foolish” Prince. One of these suitors is a country girl who feels out of place with the rich royalty but has also been gifted a name that implies that she is the front runner (as well as mocking the prince). The prince himself may neither be as foolish as others thing… nor as human.
It Gud?
There’s promise in the set up; court intrigue among four competing women that also promises to split it’s attention between them and the prince himself who has an ally in a half-raven/half-human (weirdly something that doesn’t come up until the end of the episode). I think the reason I fell off with this one is that the show is focused on the four suitors and I’m not interested in their story. The character we are rooting for is hopelessly naïve and that’s not necessarily a bad thing in a story of court intrigue as a starting point that’s all there seems to be to her. We aren’t seeing a lot of inner strength, determination, cleverness, compassion… she’s mostly there to be taunted by other women so we feel bad for her.
To be fair, I think they are setting up only one of the women is an outright villain with the other being sharp-tongued but willing to let the hero in on some stuff and the other being cold but acting in her favour. But in each case, all three of the other women seem to be reacting to the lead and I’d be much more interested in finding out what they really want. It would be great if their behaviour is about what they want but it feels like they are mostly existing in reaction to the lead. To be fair, I imagine each of them will be more drawn out in time but even then, I’m kind of not that interested in the intrigue presented.
JBear pointed out the fact that it has the misfortune of coming on the heels of a much better court intrigue show (which also combined detective shows) The Apothecary Diaries. To be fair, I feel like THIS is looking to be even more of an epic but in terms of what is happening, the thread it decided to start with failed to really entice me due to starting out with more stock types. The Pollyanna, the One Who Seems Mean But Is Nice, The One Who Seems Nice But Is Mean. Maybe it’ll figure into something more exciting down the line but as is, I’m out.
Tonari no Youkai-san
Premise
In an alternate reality where yokai are an everyday fact of life, a family’s beloved cat transformed into a nekomata (split-tailed cat). With newfound human intelligence, the cat is trying to figure out what to do next. Meanwhile a young girl who is a friend to a beefy and kindhearted crow-man contends with her missing father, who seems to have been spirited away by supernatural forces.
It Gud?
Mixed feelings on this one. This is what I would call a “vignette” show. Not in the same way that shows based on four-koma are but this definitely feels like it is based on comics that take 4 minutes to adapt a chapter. And from moment to moment I like it but I don’t like that rhythm so much. This isn’t quite one of those shows I feel like “this should be a short” but… also yes? Like it doesn’t make me want to stop watching like some other shows I’d like more if they are shorter but it is clear it is a bunch of mood pieces strung together, which feels weird to see them all in a row.
I will also say that there is one part of the show I like than the other. I don’t really care for the nekomata section of the show. Nothing “wrong” with it, I just feel less engaged to this character’s journey than to the young girl and the crow man that…. Let’s face it, the internet must be thirsty for this dude.
Anyway, this story has a sense of mystery and sadness, with the little girl’s father being essentially spirited away, literally, and hints that something may be invading the small little town.
It is a very quiet show and I wouldn’t blame anyone for getting bored with it. But I also think the world building is top notch. It’s a slice of life show but it also recognizes there are actually consequences to a world where all the yokai are real. Yes, most of them are friendly and social but this isn’t “we live in a world with friendly yokai”, it’s “we live in a world that has some fairy tale rules and there are some scary and joyful consequences.” The good is you may get to see someone who has passed again. But you also might lose someone to ethereal forces. Definitely going to stick with this one, though I might also lose patience with the cat section.