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Iaboo, Youaboo, Weallaboo for Anime!

conchobhar

What's Shenmue?
I…don’t understand the levels of forgiveness anime has for it’s villains. Is it some kind of cultural or religious difference? A fair number of bad guys in western stories have tragic pasts, or even fairly justifiable reasons for at least some of their actions, but they never get absolved of their crimes so absolutely upon defeat.
It's not a Japanese thing. Redemption stories are popular the world over, and even the "now that I've defeated you let's be friends" verson can be found in Arthurian legend. If they're particularly prevalent in comics and cartoons, that's probably because either 1) these stories are made for a relatively young and impressionable audience, and concepts like forgiveness, or at least recognizing that other people have their own hardships, are important and worthwhile things to impart; 2) villains often become wildly popular with the audience, so there's a big incentive to keep them around; or 3) a combination of both.
 
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R.R. Bigman

Coolest Guy
I don’t think Miranjo deserved to have her soul gnawed on for eternity while Bosse got to fly off to the regular land of death, but she should at least be in jail for killing Bojji’s mom and attempting to kill Hilene and Bojji. RoK has some odd morality, with everybody getting a second chance, unless you‘re from that one country where everybody is pure evil for…some reason.
 

Hilene

Loves "Friendly Girls"
(She/Her)
In brighter news, Kallen, Suzaku and Lelouch continue to be absolute beasts in SRW30, so maybe I'd better stop watching here before I develop an antipathy towards them.
If you like them in 30, you should consider watching Lelouch of the Resurrection, which might be TOTAL NONSENSE if you didn't see R2, but also maybe that's the actual best way to experience that movie.

30 does a good enough job of hitting the highlights, though.
 
The season-ending cliffhanger is predicated on a situation where Lelouch and Suzaku are pointing guns at each other, then the screen cuts to black and we hear a gunshot, leaving us to wonder what happened. But surely by the show's own rules, Suzaku couldn't have fired. Lelouch's Geass command to him was simply to live, and in this final standoff Lelouch claims to have a device that will detonate and kill them all if his heart stops, so Suzaku can't shoot him and thereby knowingly endanger his own life. I guess maybe he just didn't believe Lelouch? Whatever.
The writers wrote themselves into a corner with Season 1, so the beginning of Season 2 makes a lot of decisions and frankly ass-pulls to justify a second season. I get your disappointment regarding wanting a bunch of intricate schemes and machinations, but both the show's writers and its characters aren't clever enough to do that. If you aren't gonna watch the rest of the show but are curious how it plays out:

There's a soft reboot at the beginning of Season 2 where Lelouch is back at school like nothing happened and going through the motions of being a student again. But the events of the first season happened, so a big part of the mystery initially is just figuring out wtf even happened in between seasons. Especially when Lelouch's precious little sister is missing and has been replaced by a little brother. Turns out, the Emperor intervened and had Lelouch brought to him where he used his Geass on Lelouch (and his friends) to wipe their memories. There's a lot of nonsense that happens but everything eventually culminates in Lelouch taking over Brittania and becoming the oppressive evil emperor that's so hated, that everyone welcomes when Zero (Suzaku) shows up and assassinates him and a moderate reform government with Lelouch's little sister at the helm brings about world peace. Which was Lelouch's secret plan all along, but only Suzaku was really privy to knowledge of what was going to happen. It's actually a pretty good ending all things considered. Lelouch spends so much time being a sociopathic asshole thinking he's hot shit and a genious. But as you've seen from season 1, he's not actually that smart and keeps fucking shit up royally as a result. So when he starts recognizing all of the unintended consequences of what he's done and how he's hurt all of the people in his life he cares for, he finally makes atonement with his life.[/ispoiler] The sequel movie is fun, but it's also kind of a shame because it actively retcons the ending of the TV show. Which isn't the biggest of shames obviously, because it's just Code Geass. But yeah.

I don’t think Miranjo deserved to have her soul gnawed on for eternity while Bosse got to fly off to the regular land of death, but she should at least be in jail for killing Bojji’s mom and attempting to kill Hilene and Bojji. RoK has some odd morality, with everybody getting a second chance, unless you‘re from that one country where everybody is pure evil for…some reason.
Everyone deserves a second chance. Bojji and Daida are good boys who will give people those second chances. Their dad is a dumbass tho, so he let his rage get the best of him as he massacred those traitor-ppl. Bojji would have given those people a second chance. Miranjo deserved punishment, but her life has been punishment enough tbh. (She had her family murdered in front of her eyes and her face peeled off lol.) Daida asking Miranjo to marry her was I think half what you said about being a kid with mommy issues, but half of it imo was political. Daida knew that she'd be a target for reprisal, but if he marries her she's protected by her new status as queen. Still weird.
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
Effortpost/walltext ahead. Apologies.

So I just finished watching all of Kaiji. And I want to talk about it.
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In 2007 or so, I vaguely remember watching the entirety of Akagi, a mah jong anime set in the 50s and featuring a daring protagonist who ends up in a high stakes game where eventually he begins literally betting his own blood to defeat a wicked mah jong player. It's pretty silly and not knowing the game, there really is a lot that went over my head but I really liked the art style, very weird and angular and blocky with lots of interesting expressions. I would later learn that the game I watched had a made up ending as it was still going on in the manga... and continued for 20 real life years.

Some time later, I tried Kaiji, based on the manga from the same creator. I enjoyed it enough but understandably, JBear got a bit bored with it's pacing (I recall that being the reason, anyway), which I will DEFINITELY get into and while I wanted to see more, after the first story arc, I didn't feel a pressing need.

The series follows the titular Itou Kaiji, a dirtbag loser living during a recession who wastes his money on gambling. Well, Kaiji soon learns that you NEVER CO-SIGN A LOAN because some loan sharks want to take a lot of money out of his hide for his friend's terrible decision making. But he is offered an out; if he goes on a cruise ship to play a card game, he can not only overcome his debt, he might make a little money. He's tricked into joining only to learn that the losers of the game will be sold into indentured servitude. The game is revealed to be rock-paper-scissors by way of cards and slowly (quite slowly) figures out some game theory to help him survive, but not before overcoming some trials, backstabbing and while he survives, he's ends the first arc with an even bigger debt. Soon, Kaiji is invited to even worse and crueler games that threaten not only his freedom but life and limb, which he accepts in a mix of foolhardiness, hope he can get out of debt and not be sold into slavery, increasing confidence in his abilities and looking for justice for other people. All of these games turn out to be in some way connected to the Teiai Group, run by the perverse and sadistic Hyodo.

Kaiji is definitely a series where there is a lot to pick at but I like a LOT about this weird, wild series that has been going on consistently since 1996 in manga form. And it's also interesting that it apparently was a big inspiration for Squid Game, one of the most popular tv series of last year. Like Squid Game it's about games of death (or at least mutilation) and it also seems pretty damning of capitalism, though with Kaiji it's sometimes an afterthought or more focused on the downtrodden's state of disenfranchisement rather than a specific commentary. It's in there, but it feels like if you are watching it for that, most of the time you'll find it on the backburner. I also think the author is more focused on human weakness.

And in that, I think it is interesting that Kaiji is kind of a weak character, in a good way. Or more accurately, he's vulnerable and prone to weakness. And also kinda stupid. I feel a lot of manga/anime protagonists are almost unflappably talented (which would be used to describe Akagi, the other series mentioned) or seem like goofs but are really kick ass (OK, there's also the young naive "Ima be the best at ____" boys too). Kaiji's is often pathetic in a way that hides nothing. He eventually comes around to save the day but it also seems like he's constantly falling back into bad habits and mindsets. Heck, season two, "Against All Rules" is also referred to as the "Backslide Arc". Kaiji is a protagonist who can be lead by the nose some times or fails to see what to the audience is pretty obvious. But at the same time, when he has a plan in the show, it often gets to be genuinely clever, though also often tends to have a lot of hitches. And Kaiji, in defeat, is not always dignified. He wants to be the teeth gritting tough guy but sometimes pushed into the corner, he's a blubbering mess, pathetically pleading for mercy.

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Oh, there are a lot of tears in this series. MANLY TEARS but not cool tears. Men crying about their own patheticness and failing and blood, sweat and tears going to waste. Oh, there's happy tears too but there's a streak to the series of destined failure that our hero mostly overcomes. Mostly. But even at the end of the TV show, there's a patheticness to Kaiji, as after his biggest victory, he wastes a lot of money in a regular non-cheating pachinko machine and is embarrassed to see them. The show actually has quite a few moments that get me emotionally and while I wish there was more, the ones that are work. My favourite being Kaiji pleading with a loan shark for more money who is in as big as trouble. If the shark doesn't, he'll still spend the rest of his life on the run. If he does, he'll be in a forced labour camp. But Kaiji says they'll be in the camp together and every weak he'll buy him two beers. "Make it three." And this works because yeah, that guy is fucked worse in the labour camp... but he'll have somebody. And that is a lot.

Kaiji is a show that seems cynical about human nature but also hopeful about it. There's no guarantee a "nice person" will make a moral choice because they might just fail out of fear or weakness. We know Kaiji will probably make the right call being the main character but you feel that while he will and other characters call him a "saint", he can be just as weak and could easily make the wrong choice on a bad day or a wrong moment.

Though the show is about games of death, it is often (though not always) a battle of cheaters, which is fun. Who can cheat better or unravel or reveal a cheat. It makes for some fun viewing. The last arc is even set up like a heist movie where the characters need to unrig a rigged pachinko machine without touching it. One of the biggest reveals is so delightfully audacious, I just loved the choice to death.

The show is also ridiculously over the top for better or for worse. I can't think of a more involved narrator, who is constantly repeating things three times. Three times! THREEEEE TIIIIIIIIMES! This dude is here for it, working his ass off to sell us on whatever nonsense is happening next. Like so.

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It's pretty wild but the icing is definitely the pachinko arc, because while the initial heist reveals are fun, the twists slow down to one and a half plot beats per episode with balls slowly working their way around. This goes on for like seven fucking episodes and it feels like an eternity. I get for what it is going for; maximum tension in the most maximalist way possible but it's basically the last fight of the Frieza saga from Dragonball if he was a pachinko machine. It just keeps going. That said, while it doesn't justify the lack of tightness, the pay off, no pun intended, is really good and the falling action of the last episode is really strong and rather sweet.

I feel like I might have more to say that I'm just plum forgetting. I should have taken notes. The show has it's flaws and perhaps is too a little into game theory at time in a way that slows it WAY down but it's also full of really fun turns and twists and it is a completely unique show. Am I saying to check it out? Kinda, though do check out when you get frustrated. But there's some surprising emotional strength in its complete earnestness and lack of subtlety at times and as ridiculously long as the last arc is, I was definitely hooked. It's a show I feel doesn't get talked about a lot and while I know it's not "obscure" exactly, it may have fallen through the cracks a bit. It's interesting. And that's why I wanted to write about it.
 

Kirin

Summon for hire
(he/him)
I remember watching a bunch of this back in university anime club - pretty sure we got past the cruise ship jankenpon arc but not all the way to the end (I don’t remember any pachinko). Is there a segment about, like, walking on balance beams between office buildings? Definitely a wild if often excruciatingly paced little show.
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
Is there a segment about, like, walking on balance beams between office buildings? Definitely a wild if often excruciatingly paced little show.
It's the arc immediately following the Espoir (janken) arc. And boy, if you think the ship arc's pacing is something, again, a VERY long game of pachinko.
 

q 3

here to eat fish and erase the universe
(they/them)
Ya Boy Kongming! is your occasional reminder that anime can be Good, sometimes. It's about an ancient Chinese general reincarnated in modern Japan where he somehow becomes the producer to an aspiring singer. It's not just funnier and cleverer than the premise suggests, it's got a ton of heart (and is quite well animated to boot).
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
Whew, it's been a while but I finally had a chance to finish up some of the series I've been watching.

Surprising no one, Platinum End's ending is dumb. I appreciate going scorched Earth with the ending of the series but overall it's a series that began the series with a Light-lite villain and ending with a reddit thread. There's a lot to complain about but it ended going from very problematic to a dull first year philosophy lecture that constantly falls apart under the lightest of scrutiny. The show, however, had three really good characters, only one of whom is close to being considered central to the story, so... I wish it used them better. The last episode wants to be some sort of profound rug pull in the vein of Devilman and I appreciate it swinging for the fences following an extremely talky last arc. I'll also say it ironically makes an uninteresting villain charming by stripping away his villainy. But all the same, it's not really successful. Platinum End is a show I didn't so much "hate watch" but continued out of curiosity of watching this bizarre trainwreck play out, occasionally even showing some promise. But in the end, it's the worst parts of Death Note with the clever stuff surgically extracted.

It's only up from here so after that is Sabikui Bisco. It also has flaws but is far better. The fourth episode from the finale also promises an interesting shift narratively but frustratingly doesn't have the conviction to keep with it, which bums me out a little. Still, despite this, Bisco is a solid little adventure series with some great world building. I also note the manga is still going so since the anime feels rather final, this seems like a made for the anime ending and one that, even though are protagonists are still running around, thematically feels pretty final. So sorry to people who were hoping for more, I don't think we are going to get it.

My Dress-Up Darling is a show I was a little trepidatious about due to having a pretty thirsty gaze and I can understand it being a turn off but not only are the show's characters winning, I think some of the thirstiness works well for the chemistry and romantic comedy of the series. And it kind of did all the things I saw in it's potential; giving us two loveable dummies who love each other but rarely are on the same wavelength of reading the romantic room, a genuine interest in what goes into building an outfit (I love a process) and characters sharing their loves and passions. It does skirt a line where Marin knowingly teases Gojo with his discomfort with sex but also she is respectful when he admits one of the costumes is too revealing for him to be around and decides to get her photos done elsewhere with the promise they'll have another project soon. Darling became probably my second favourite show of the season in a way that snuck up on me.

Also, there was a really fiercely animated homage to Texas Chainsaw Massacre and someone on the animation team was clearly a fan and goes for the gusto on reimagining the last scene.

Ranking of Kings really gets to show it's flaws in the end but also shows that despite them, it's a wonder of character and animation that deserves its accolades. I know the manga is still ongoing so I wonder if the anime had to make its own completion to the arc because even though it leaves things open to a sequel, it also feels like a definitive ending. It certainly cinches up all the major character arcs, if not the world building. If anything, a lot of it is a little too neat and easy, even one character is stuck in a fish and another is implied to be damned by a decision to save someone he loves. All the same, it's a decent ending and we end with the most important relationship, a little kind and his friendly shadow butt.

Slow Loop... Well, it was still girls who fish.
 
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Ranking of Kings... I know the manga is still ongoing so I wonder if the anime had to make its own completion to the arc because even though it leaves things open to a sequel, it also feels like a definitive ending.
It definitely has "Anime-original ending" vibes but I think it's not? I read a few chapters of the manga after the show's events and it feels like a pretty natural continuation of where the show leaves off.
 

Adrenaline

Post Reader
(He/Him)
I don't like shows dividing a "final" season into two parts and spreading it over two years - it drags things out and it's a cheap way to increase interest. It happens often enough that I've come to accept it.

Attack on Titan - you cannot have a "final" season that airs in three parts over three years. It is not allowed.
 
I wanted to wait until one show ended before I gave my thoughts on the 3 that kept my interest. Now with a totally random rating system!

In the Land of Leadale is one that while I liked, I was also frustrated with. I liked that it was a non-horny harem isekai that just followed lead Cayna around as she did overpowered stuff. Most of what she did was kind of funny, like summoning a giant boar to ride around on. Oh and she's dead when the power at the hospital she was forced to live at after a horrible accident left her dependent on machines to live went out. Which they never get around to answering why she's now living in Leadale. At one point she just hand waves it away, even after she finds other humans stuck in the game world. The season ends with Cayna settling down near the village she woke up in with her newly adopted daughter. Thats it, no big questions answered or even approached. 2.75 out of 5 Gokus for not answering my damn questions.

Next up is The Strongest Sage With the Weakest Crest, one that I actually grew to respect for it's logical story choices. Mathias is the reincarnation of Gaius, who 5000 years ago defeated almost all of the demons before realizing that he couldn't kill them all without the fourth crest of close combat, which in the current world is considered the weakest. So one forced reincarnation later and he's ready to pickup where he's left off. Where other animes would make Mathias either a jerkass or a quiet sensitive, Strongest Sage makes him a decent guy who tries to bring others up by teaching them his techniques. Sure, he even gets a small harem, but only one has a crush on him, which is mutual, and the other two are just friends. Well, a friend and an ancient black dragon. The one person who tries to stand in Matthias' way is quickly exposed to the king and removed from his position, with the king even being a reasonable authority. I also give it extra marks for not making it an isekai and I would like to see more of this. 4 out of 5 Gokus powering up for being a logical anime.

The only other show that I watched regularly is Miss Kuroitsu of the Monster Development Department. Want to know where all the monsters come from that Kamen Rider fights? This one answers that question. It was nice to see a workplace comedy where the employees are actually treated with respect. It's a fun and breezy show that does tackle a few deeper issues a couple of times, such as a combat only monster that can't speak wanting to be an idol. Sure it's a bit fanservice-y, what with how well endowed many of the female characters are, but it's also never too skeevy. I definitely hope there's a second season just for how much I enjoyed it. 5 out of 5 Gokus using Spirit Bomb.

Arifureta
. I made it about 4 or 5 episodes in and just gave up. I tried to hate watch it but when yet another woman the MC meet decides she's coming with for his magic dick because he's her daughter's "papa" and his adult teacher who fucking knows better is also craving some underage ding dong because of how cool he is, I just stopped caring.
 

q 3

here to eat fish and erase the universe
(they/them)
Birdie Wing is pretty incredible so far. I don't know who had the idea for a mashup of women's golf and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure but they are a genius. "I'm no pro. Not even a golfer. All I do is hit a ball with a stick to make money."
 
I'm rewatching Ranma for the first time in a while with a friend who has never seen it before. Forgot how delightful this show is. Unfortunately, Happosai is due to show up in two more episodes. :(
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
Tomodachi Game
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Man, the main character loves his friends. It's like, he and his friends are... BEST FRIENDS FOREVER... Or are they? On the same day the school trip money is stolen, a kid and his friends are kidnapped and forced into a game where they are already in deep debt but they can win big money. To win, they'll need the power of friendship. But considering one of them was actually responsible for the situation, friendship might not be what EVERYONE in the group values. Now they are playing games designed to rip their friendship apart and testing their resolve. But the main character might already be on the verge of cracking... and getting fed up with what seems to be closet fair-weather friends.

It Gud?

Tomodachi Game isn't a death game show... yet, it seems. It's not as edge-lordy as you might expect. But it is edgelord adjacent because it thinks it is blowing our fucking minds with the idea that maybe cynicism is a thing? JBear pointed out similarities to Kaiji. Kaiji did have a couple of death games but most of the games is about putting people in a debt so deep it destroys their will to live. It's also a show that has a character who wants to value friendship but also sees often that words are cheap and the actual work of trust is hard and painful and even after that doesn't always pan out.

Tomodachi Game wants to be that show. I doesn't present it's entire formula in the first episode but I get the idea that as the games designed to strain trust and take advantage of human weaknesses, the main character is going to put on a distorted face of insane rage, then expose the hypocracy of his friends and maybe shame them into being honest and making a mutually beneficial decision.
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Considering his opening gambit involves the colour of a girls underwear, seems like the brutally honest version of the main characters sucks. He probably says shit like "I'm just asking questions."

Anyway, it isn't very good. It's limply animated, every scene transition is the show title smashed across the screen, and it's characters are very superficial archetypes with no real sense of fun. I can already tell it wants us to believe there are more than meets the eye but I feel like it will only be in the dumbest way. It's possible that the solution to the first game is clever but frankly, I don't care to find out. It's not as ugly as death game shows can get, but there's not nearly as much "there" there as the show seems to want us to think.
Estab-Life: Great Escape
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Premise
In an alternate reality/future, people in Japan are trapped in their own districts and life-roles forever. But a group of people have dedicated themselves from freeing people from their depressing lives and give them hope again. They are called... I don't remember. Extractors I think?
It Gud?

The first thing noticable about Estab-Life is that it has some bad CG animation. It isn't as astonishingly bad as Tesla Note but it's mostly pretty lifeless and the lead character's lack of depth is completely represented in her face. It's not good. I will give the show SOME props. I appreciate it throws us into it's world and not explaining why there's a wolfman, robots and a girl who is "half slime". This is by no means Dorohedoro but I love the instinct is to just have shit like that "there" and let the audience deal with it. Not everything has to be explained. The other thing I like is that there is a sexy ass wolf man who only speaks in "woof" and occasionally Tim Allen-like grunts.

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Between this and Platinum End, I think if we collected all the good characters on bad shows, you'd have a fantastic if completely unhinged series.
Unfortunately about this show, most of the other stuff. Now, this isn't an excremental show, it's merely quite forgettable and not that interesting. The potential is there but the characters are underdeveloped and dull I have no investment in them. The lead is the worst, because at least her friends, a Tsundere and a cute slime girl, fall into easily recognizable archetypes that you can easily work with but the lead tries to fit in the "wacky friendly-type" but between her dead face and being a dull leader, she's a complete cipher for me.

The show also shows what kind of show it THINKS it is when we have a teacher reading Neitzche to his high school (or middle school, maybe) students. The teacher is whom the heroes must save from being a teacher forever and this causes him to... dance on the toilet? That out heroes have video footage of? Is this a weird influencer thing? I'm never quite sure. I know the show wants to be about escaping from pre-prescribed life but the problem with not explaining a lot in your show is that maybe people will be intrigued... or maybe they'll just shrug and find themselves with NOTHING to actually invest in, which is my case with this complete nothing of a show that wants to be something.

Love All Play

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Premise

A middle school kid who likes badminton is schocked when he's offered a place in a high school renowned for it's badminton club. He's hesitant for personal reasons and specifically in consideration for people he loves but eventually accepts... albeit his own way, a much hard academics path.

It Gud?

Pretty good. It looks like there's a lot of sports stuff this season and despite my love of the genre to the point where I feel like I'm an easy sell, I feel like I've hit a streak of bad ones and boring ones lately. Love All Play is a lower key series to be sure and that low key promise bit me on the ass in the forgettable 2.43. But in that I was also expecting something more of a narrative turn. Here I'm expecting a bit of sports comfort food. It could loose my interest if the new cast is poorly developed (wacky twins is usual a bad sign for whatever reason, as they often fall into similar, not-fun archetypes), and it already looks like there's a Rukawa in the cast.

What's a Rukawa? Oh, well, if you haven't watched Slam Dunk, that's one of the best sports shows of the 90s. It's the third most loved shonen manga of all time in Japan, too, according to some poll. And it's extremely influential on the sports genre. Sports manga and anime ALWAYS had a rival of the protagonist but I feel like the character of Rukawa became a very specific one I see a LOT; a serious and not happy looking dude with short black hair who is ultra competant and super talented and perhaps, if not arrogant, doesn't suffer fools. But said character also reveals themselves to BE a fool, usually on par with our foolish main character with the key difference is they are far more talented than the main character and tends to be more popular with the ladies, largely because they don't talk too much to reveal how kind of dumb they are. It's a good archetype but, again, isekai-level specific. And there's one motherfucker in this line up that I'm 90% positive is a Rukawa.

Of course, that usually works when the lead needs to be humbled a bit before he can turn the tables with hard consistent work. The main character is rather modest and is unaware as to why he's even garnered such attention. This could lead to some mystery but in the first episode it's taking a backseat to a smaller stakes tale. It's not the best, but I'm enjoying this and I'm looking forward to a nice little sports show and hope it stays interesting.

Fanfare of Adolescence

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Premise

An idol leaves the business to follow a new dream; becoming a jockey. So he joins a jockey school where he meets a mysterious country boy with an incredible gift for connecting with horses... despite never riding a horse before.
It Gud?

Of the three sports shows I've seen this season, this one is probably the weakest but it's still good. It does have some telltale signs that it won't rise above a mid-level show. Weirdly, it's the hair colors. I wouldn't call this a "collect the boys" but there's something about the hair designs that trigger something in my that says "this might not be bad, but it can only be so good." And I don't think any indvidual character's hair would do that, just when the cast is assembled.

But on viewing on it's own not-weirdly-arbitrary-hair-based merits, it's a cute little show. A young man wants to get into horse racing and our cast has different reasons. The story is pretty standard but there's something about the tone that makes me think I'll enjoy myself well enough, another comfort food show with low stakes. It also ends on a note where it looks like the two male leads are headed for romance without it feeling like an expressly BL-focused show. That said, I thought we were heading that way with 2.43 (I was sooo sure) and that didn't pan out. But considering it ends with him landing in another boys arms and the world explodes into pink petals, yeah, I'm right this time.

Birdie Wing: Girls' Golf Story
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Premise

A golf mercenary of unparalleled skill supports orphans with her deadly trade, only feeling alive when she can make outrageous bets. But her hunger for cash to support her loved ones might take a backseat when she meets a pro with her own unusual skills.

It Gud?

Well, I wasn't expecting a show like this. When I hear a title like "girls' golf story" I expect something like Slow Loop, which is cute girls enjoying a hobby or perhaps even something closer to a conventional sports show like Hanebado. I had NO fucking clue what I was in for. Seriously, go into this one cold if you can.

For those who can't wait, it's a show where our protagonist takes off a mask Mission Impossible style to reveal is replacing a pro. Then she has a golf battle with a clown where she shoots a shot between the cars of a moving train. It's a wild, over the top show and I am here for it.
That said, I feel if the show ever loses it's audacity, it will become a bore. It's the show's storngest attribute any if it doesn't have at least one "Oh, wait?" moment every five minutes, it will become a disappointment, meaning that it might have an uphill battle after a ridiculously giddy first episode. But if it keeps it up, I anticipate this one being a delight.

Aharen-san wa Hakarenai
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Premise

A stone-faced introvert who has a hard time reaching out due to his unfriendly face decides to try to change in high school, only to find his deskmate even more anti-social... or so he thinks. It turns out she's also hard to read and in addition is a very quiet talker. She also has a problem gauging personal space, often scaring off friends by getting too close physically and emotionally than people are often comfortable with. The two end up getting along and becoming friends as they learn to understand each other despite both already having problems navigating social norms.

It Gud?

When I started, I was afraid we were heading into a poor man's Komi Can't Communicate. There are definitely similarities; a cute girl of sublte expressions and the one man who comes closer than anyone to understanding her. But there are differences, the title Arahen is actually has the bravery to be a social butterfly but her quiet talking, pecularities and her problems with clinginess are her downfall. She's not socially anxious, she's just hesitant about making the same mistakes and meets someone willing to help her out as she figures it out.

It's also much more clearly a four-koma or four-panel comic, as it definitely moves in the mode of little sketches with pretty simple set up-punchline designs. And thankfully, they are often pretty funny, thanks in large part to the fact that the characters are subtle in their emotions, meaning straight faces as they do wacky things. Arahen headbutting her co-lead is a highlight, as is he receiving class notes at inappropriate times all the time forever from Arahen.

I think it will be compared to Komi, which is returning this month, and I hope it doesn't mean it gets overlooked because of that because based on the first episode, it's quite funny. I like these characters and though expressionless person acts silly feels very anime old-hat, there's still clearly a lot of life in it left.
 
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Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
I don't talk about awesome editing in anime enough but Kaguya-Sama started this season off very strong in every respect and the arm-wrestling segment was a highlight. I loved them putting in a pastiche to Queen's "We Will Rock You" as well as a callback to the previous opening to explain a character's arm-strength. Leading up to a stylized scene that looks like it came from a VHS with a background referencing the openings to Kinnikuman.

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And of course, beyond "oh, clever reference", it's just very very funny. This show has not missed a step and I'm so glad to spend time with these characters again.
 

q 3

here to eat fish and erase the universe
(they/them)
As an anime hipster I'm forced to concede that Kaguya does in fact deserve its popularity. Spy X Family looks to follow a similar path. There's too much good anime right now, someone please give the animators a nice paid vacation please
 

Johnny Unusual

(He/Him)
Aoashi
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Premise
A middle school soccer player who seems to be a ballhog glory hound finds himself scouted by a coach for a series youth football club when he comes to realize he's more strategically minded and team-minded than even he realizes. Can he find a way to utlize his unique playstyle in a team when he asks so much to play in his own unique style?
It Gud?
Yet ANOTHER sports anime. Seems to be the season for it. This is definitely the most traditional of them in many ways, coming in with big shounen energy. Oh, it's not over the top or anything, it's just not a game changer either. Not that this is a problem, this one seems like it could be pretty fun. The idea that the character seems like a glory hound but is more of someone who has a specific playstyle is low key interesting and I'm curious if the idea that he has a hard time with traditional team work will be dropped in favour of straightforward teamwork but it would be fun to see something different happen with that dynamic.

It is weird that the show wants to forgive the main character for red carding the team to a loss when even when we learned WHY he hit another player, it's just as unjustified as when we learned about what he did, even if the other play comes in later extremely contrite for his shit talking. Dudes, even if some jerk talks about your mom, ya don't headbutt another player. Other than that, there's not too much to say. I suspect this might be a bit similar to Ace of Diamond, an addictive sports show that never quite rises above to really differentiate itself but nonetheless results in a quality product.

Dance Dance Danseur
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Premise
Jumpei is a young man who does manly stuff like Jeet Kune Do. But in his heart of hearts, he can't deny himself, he wants to do ballet. When a young girl recognizes a "kick" he did in class as a ballet maneuver, she pleads with him to join her in ballet. Tempted both by the thought this girl might have a crush on him and a chance to do ballet once again, Jumpei complains but finds himself returning to his love of ballet... but is it too late?
It Gud?
Dance technically is an "art" rather than a sport but Dance Dance Danseur is following that style in the best possible way. I love stories about growing abilities and craft that also connect in a personally emotional way and this series hits the ground running as he confronts masculinity and having the courage simply not to define his with simplicity. I like the way that it drives home in his backstory in a way that really drives home why he is concerned with it because beyond simply being embarrassed by doing a "girl" thing, a personal tragedy and help from well-meaning relatives want him to be self-reliant, which they define as being "a man".

His family is great and supportive but it is not clear to Jumpei that the "manliness" his loved ones want to instill isn't a series of prescribed norms but something that makes him personally stronger. And unbeknownst to them, he's finding his courage in ballet and being able to admit to himself how fulfilling and empowering it is to him. It reminds me a lot of Blue Period, another series about growing technique to work in a creative field and it being about also growing your worldview.

The animation of the dancing is beautiful, which is key, and it's just a great directed show. I can't wait to see more of it because it's not long before I'm invested in these characters and look forward to seeing how things shake out. And also knowing how rough ballet can be on the body, if they will get into some of the more horrifying details (I suspect in a low key way, probably, for injuries).

The Executioner and Her Way of Life
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Premise
A boy is summoned from another world to a magical land... and is promptly given the boot. He runs into a priestess who claims she takes in wayward strangers from another world, which seems to be a recurring problem that the upper class of the religion of Faust are taking issue with. After teaching the boy how to use his power, she suddenly kills him. It turns out that people summoned from another world have a very bad habit of having their problems go dangerously out of control and in addition to being a priest is an assassin. Learning the boy wasn't the only one summoned, he tracks down a young woman summoned at the same time in order to kill her.
It Gud?
I'm certainly not in the market for more isekai and one that, upon hearing the premise, sounds potentially edgelordy even less so. The Executioner and Her Way of Life isn't edgelordy, really, and is much more of a standard "assassin who believes they are sinning for a greater good finds their humanity again". It's actually pretty easy to predict the show's trajectory; she's going to meet this woman and instead of killing her will be driven to save her, turning her former allies into enemies. What's more, while the characters are in no way "bad", they also fail to leave a particularly strong impression and feel a little more like types I've seen before, even in this season, too. The overly affectionate little sister-type, the troubled assassin, the clueless friend who changes our antiheroine through pure avuncularness (granted, this is in the second episode, which I've already watched so spoilers for if I'm still watching this one).

So as basic as it is, if it wasn't for the previous bracket statement, you might think I'm dropping it. But I want to give it a try because even though I suspect they won't dive too deep, I do believe the world building is doing something different and low key critical of the modern and now very specific isekai genre. The hero finds, instead of being one super-special people, is essentially a reluctant immigrant, one of many special people chucked into the lower rung of society the second he isn't useful. He probably doesn't even have a lot to share with his new society because everyone else beat him to the punch and most of the cool stuff that would come with being this kind of protagonist is taken away. And when the hero learns he, in fact, might have a cool gift, he's killed for it. Because OP people are dangerous and people are scared because they often become monsters, literally, despite good intentions. I feel like this is interesting and parts of it even address things I wish the shows would address that get handwaved away for narrative purposes. Maybe people who are abducted miss home and this hurts them. Maybe people don't want someone from another world around.

It doesn't stray deeply far off the path and doesn't completely turn the genre (or any genre) on it's head to a significant degree, but it actually has a few stakes and a potentially emotional, if well-trodden, story of betrayal and love. Oh, it's not without problems, it gets a little gratuitously booby-focused a couple times and I'm not expecting big surprises, but it's interesting enough that I'll stick with it unless it completely losses my interest.

RPG Real Estate
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Premise
A woman joins a real estate company in a fantasy world helping people find places to live in a magical metropolis and beyond.
It Gud?
This is the kind of story that's not for me. I like slice of life comedy and I don't necessarily mind "cute girls doing things" series is who they are and what they are doing is interesting, but I'm growing tired of the conventional Western-style video game fantasy setting, particularly when so many pop up each season and seem satisfied with "yeah, you like this trope or reference." This isn't even the first fantasy real estate show within a year's time. I bounced off this one pretty quickly.

I don't think I would have stuck with it regardless but the show puts a lot of stock in me enjoying the series resident gremlin (in the non-monster sense of the word... although, also she's a monster). She's a loud 5-13 year old (anime makes it hard to gauge) who screams a lot and doesn't want to wear clothes and knowing anime is probably like a billion years old or something. l do not care for her.

Other than that, I found all it's narrative turns, slight as they are, REALLY easy to predict and even without the gremlin, am not having a tremendous amout of fun with these folks. Though the premise has been done with Dragon Goes House Hunting, I do think you can do a lot with this premise and have fun with the idea of the challenges of living and paying rent in a fantasy world. The joke I did legit like was the idea of owning an apartment where adventurers can legally rummage through your shit, Final Fantasy/Zelda story. But there were far more lows than highs and I have no interest in giving it the opportunity to turn it around as it feels happy with where it is.

Also, I'm pretty sure the owner of RPG Real Estate delivers saucy singing telegrams...
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The Dawn of the Witch
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Premise
A young man with no memories goes to a magic school that will erase his remaining memories if he can't pass, which I have a hard time believing the PTA came to an agreement on. To this end, the school teams him with a pantsless little girl who is 300 years old because this very young looking girl has no pants and anime is gross. They end up teaming with one of the top students on a special mission and I feel like maybe something else happened but I don't remember.
It Gud?
I mean, does it sound like it? I mean, this is how the mentor figure looks.
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As JBear pointed out, it doesn't look like she chose pantlessness but she simply forgot them. Similarly, the main character has a notable look. Specifically one.
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Never has a protagonist looked so disinterested in being in a series and this is ANIME where that is pretty common. The dude has the one face and some series would use that to comedic effect but considering this show doesn't do well in the humour department, this isn't probably gonna work.

And mostly, it's a pretty dull fantasy show (and memory loss? Is this backdooring an isekai element again) and if there's some sort of reveal, the show thought we'd be interested enough that they could wait for that drop. This is certainly not the case for me and while the series tried to get me into the worldbuilding where witches are a new class in society or something, I couldn't give a hoot. That's right, I cussed a swear! The Dawn of the Witch is yet another series I think I must have chosen because of a good animal and the dragonman isn't bad, he's far from enough to keep me going.

In the Heart of Kunoichi Tsubaki
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Premise
Tsubaki is a kunoichi (lady-type ninja) who lives in a girls-only ninja camp where she and her friends are warned off men. But Tsubaki, though she doesn't want to admit it even to herself, really wants to see a man and struggles with these feelings, particularly since all her friends are more interested in dunking on men or straight up wanting to beat them up as a show of strength.

It Gud?
Tsubaki isn't bad but some shows seem to exist with one central joke and the promise comes with the question "can they keep the joke fresh". Kaguya-Sama did by making it's characters (mostly) loveable and building on who they are beyond the "romance Death Note" interplay without never completely abandoning it. Tsubaki doesn't really get beyond that to me and that's unfortunate.

I didn't dislike it as much as JBear, who seemed more bored by it and was likely disappointed since he was a fan of the mangaka's other series Teasing Master Takagi-San. For me, I found it watchable but repetitive, down to the girls constantly saying the same slams on men, complete with "just kick em in the junk". It feels like in the next chapter you can do that but the same time in a half hour is less so. So I don't have super-negative things to say but I have no desire to see any more.

Heroines Run the Show
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Premise

A teen moves to the big city to join track and runs afoul the two most popular boys in school, who have it in for her since she may have overheard something scandalous about them. But while they are in lockstep against her, they otherwise can't seem to stand each other. When her parents run into financial dire straights, she decides to support herself with a job... which turns out to be an assistant manager to the boys... who are also one of the most popular idol units in all of Japan.

It Gud?

A show about idols is usually going to be an uphill battle for me, not because I hold animosity against idols but many of the shows fall into a similar mold that don't interest me. But this really isn't an "idol show" with 3D simulacrum of the characters dancing around. Its more of a traditional shoujo show where our everywoman finds herself tormented by some jerky dudes who are likely going to fall for her, Boys Over Flowers-style.

But at the same time, it doesn't make a living Hell for our heroine the way some of these shows do for all the tension. If anything, I feel like for now, it is most focused on her and the ending makes me think we are not just going to get romance but also friendship as her gal pals work together and help each other out. It's not forging a new path but I am having a good time so far and I'm hopeful that it's not just these characters mooning over each other but her finding her worth in a new field beyond convenience.

Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost
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Premise
Miss Shachiku is an office worker doing late nightsto finish work haunted by a baby ghost DESPERATELY trying to get her to return home. Neither of them really get what they want.

It Gud?

There are a certain subset of shows that I feel confident I actually would have totally kept with if they were half the length. How Heavy Are Your Dumbbells, for example. Some shows feel like they work better in a bite-sized form. More isn't better and this show falls into that. The second half is the story from the ghosts point of view but it doesn't actually give us much insight and feels like a drag even compared to the leisurely-paced act one.

It's also not particularly funny. It's cute but cute only takes me so far (specifically 12 minutes). But I won't lie, this baby ghost is fucking adorable.
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So if that's all you need, this show definitely has what you need. You get a cute baby ghost.

You might think the message of the show is "life doesn't begin or end at the office" but it really doesn't do that. Actually, if anything it's more wish fulfillment that something adorable would tell me not to work (even if it doesn't work in the show). But mostly, it's someone wanting to have cute ghosts as a personal assistant.

Kotaro Lives Alone
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Premise
A four year old boy lives alone in an apartment with some other lonely people.

It Gud?

Kotaro Lives alone is a show that advertised itself as funny but also rather sad and it delievered. Oh, no, I wasn't going to town on the waterworks (and I am easy to make cry) but the show both embraces the absurdism and the deep sadness in a story about a little boy who lives alone. It's not realistic, as there's not much explanation on how this character is in this unlikely situation and it doesn't need to but it comes from an emotionally potent place about this apartment building full of lonely people who come together due to this little boy who enters their lives. I'm not as over the moon as I was hoping but even though it isn't quite as potent as I hoped, it really does do what I want, quirky little slice of life stories with a tinge of melancholy.

Thermae Romae Novae
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Premise
In ancient Rome, the son of bathhouse architects decides to follow in their footsteps.

It Gud?

I was a big fan of Olympia Kyklos, the weird edu-comedy set in Ancient Greece and was excited to see the same creator's premiere series. I was given to understand it was less comedic but I was disappointed with how bored I was with this one. It didn't help that the time travel aspect happened only very briefly in episode one and is more of a character piece, one that didn't capture my mind. If it was going to be less wacky, I would much rather learn about the nature of the bath, which we only get a bit of (mostly that you go between very hot and very cold water.)
The animation is more servicable than impressive and after the bizarre fever dream of Olympia Kyklos, this can only be a letdown in every respect. I do appreciate that every episode gives a mini-docu series about Japanese bath houses hosted by the creator but that's more "hmm, neat" rather than "Aw, yeah!"

It's a shame between this and Way of the Househusband, they take manga with perfect comedic voices and dilute it a bit with dull direction. Househusband gets off better thanks to very great voice acting and some good timing, even if it hurts the very good art of the source material. It could also be that this started off on the wrong foot; it feels more like a prequel chapter than a first chapter. But it pains me to say I'm just not interested in going further.

Deaimon
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Premise
A musician returns home in hopes of taking over his father's sweet baked-goods business in the hopes of taking over the family business. But considering he actually knows little about making sweets, his dad would much rather give his business to a promising apprentice... a 10 year old girl.
It Gud?
A pleasant and often funny little slice of life show, Deaimon is a simple series about a seemingly irresponsible musician and a girl taking on responsibilities beyond her years. The first episode ends with the dude helping the girl out of a jam with a jam... of the musical variety, and it's all heart-warming in the right ways.

I don't think when we hit the next season this one is going to stick with me strongly but I feel like it's in the same field as Aquatope from a while back about characters supporting each other and maybe learning a few things about stuff. Which I'm down with. The one thing that rubs me the wrong way is the white shading, which I've seen on a few shows.
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But that's really more of a personal preference.

Love After World Domination
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Premise
A Power Rangers-esque super team of tokusatsu heroes battles world conquerors. But the team leader ends up falling in love with one of the most powerful generals of the evil empire. The two decide to start a relationship but decide to keep their forbidden love secret from their co-workers.
It Gud?
I wasn't sure I was going to be into this since I've never been a tokusatsu fan and the thirsty design of the female co-lead. But I was really won over by this one. I can see getting tired of it if I don't like the ways the characters and comedy develops but it's a pretty fun first episode and I like the idea of two people who really don't know how to romance fumbling through romance while keeping a secret.

It's interesting to see that there are actually a surprsing number of series that is less interested in "will they won't they" and show that just being in a relationship also has fun tension. It's not nearly as comedically adept as my personal season favourite Kaguya but I like watching these dummies try to figure their shit out. I also say I like some of these designs.
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Shikimori is Not Just a Cutie
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Premise
The world's unluckiest guy has a badass girlfriend... but sometimes, she's rather be a cute girlfriend.
It Gud?
The description sounds slight but I quite liked this one. JBear bounced off and I'm not certain I like it enough to watch it for myself on my loaded plate but I might. Regardless, there's a weirdness to the premise I can't quite articulate. The premise sounds clear and when put into words it is. But I feel like the logline actually is only one thrust instead of the main one. In Kaguya, the main thrust was clear and then felt free to branch off and not be constantly married to it. But this one feels like only one moment, a bowling scene, is about the push and pull.

I won't call it a problem, per say, because I think it actually makes Shikimori a little more actualized. She doesn't dislike or even resist looking cool but wants to be seen in another light. The yearning isn't deep, at least in the first episode and I think it makes the character maybe more at peace with herself, it means it lacks a little push and pull of the comedy. So ironically, I think by having this character being pretty comfortable with herself means the push and pull isn't very clear for me.

But I still like the show, OK. It's very beautifully animated, to be sure. I will say I like the characters but I'm not as drawn into their relationship as much as some of the other ones we are seeing this season. I'm curious if in the next episode, it has a more clear "game" to how the stories and humour shake out.

Spy X Family
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Premise
Twilight, the world's greatest spy, has been given his hardest assignment... start a family. In order to get close to an important individual, he needs to get a child and have them enroll in the school. In order to not raise suspicions, he adopts from the shadiest orphanage around and finds a little girl who miraculously meets all his criteria. What he doesn't realize is the girl, Anya, has a secret; she can read minds and immediately knows Twilight is a spy on a mission and she wants in. Soon, the two find themselves hip deep in danger while also learning to create a genuine bond with each other.
It Gud?
Spy X Family is easily the most anticipated new series thanks in no small part in the manga's popularity. With Studio Wit at the helm, it's no surprise this was an instant hit with me, being very funny and clever. But beyond that, I was expecting a simple gag series but so far it actually seems to have a serialized arc and I'm curious how that will play out going forward.

I also appreciate how it uses stakes. The baddie is convinced he can overthrow a government official with evidence that he's wearing a hairpiece and I love that it punctuates this goofy plot point with a murder presented like a more series genre piece.
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I also think that it's a series with a good theme to it, about characters who have been bottling up their humanity for what they've been told is a good reason and find themselves opening up. I know that an assassin is joining the cast as the "mom", so I'm excited to see that play out but more than that, I always like the theme of having a good cause and simply being a good person and remembering the values that characters put aside for a "greater good".

I already see so much promise and one episode in I'm having a great time. Kaguya is my big show for the season but boy is this a close runner up.

EDIT:
Ya Boy Kongming
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Premise
Kongming, great leader and strategic mind of the three kingdoms era China, finds himself transported to modern day Japan where he decides to utilize his for his true calling; EDM Manager!
It Gud?
I feel bad for almost forgetting this one. Yes, it is good, a lot of fun. The premise is knowingly ridiculous but also it isn't just wall to wall wacky, we get to feel the weight of the goofy premise and actually stew in it for a while as Kongming adjusts to live in the modern day. Also, he tries to learn about blockchain. Thankfully, someone draws the line there.

It is a very funny show, to be sure, but I like how character based it is and isn't simply leaning on it's high concept but using it to give us some fun times with these characters. I know I'm in good hands when Kongming gives someone a fuzzy navel before they can finish saying it. Dude knows what he's doing.
 
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After last season's mostly meh shows, I'm ready to watch some good stuff! Johnny Unusual has already hit on some that I've watched and liked, so I'll just hit the ones I'm either really enjoying or have issues with. Because I like to complain.

So let's get the ones that I know I'm going to be watching and enjoying out of the way: Kaguya S3, Spy x Family, and Aharen-San Wa Hakarenai. Aharen-San is adorable and Raidou's attempts to communicate with her are equally adorable. Spy x Family I've read the manga of, on Viz for 2-3 bucks a month through Shonen Jump, and I knew going in I would love it. Kaguya is Kaguya, just so long as they don't do something really stupid.

Now for the ones that need to shape up or I'm out. Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs seems like a good premise. Protag was forced to play an unbalanced dating sim for his sister and get all the endings, after which he gets up from a 3-4 day binge, falls down the stairs and dies only to be reborn as a background character in the dating sim he was playing. On the surface it sounds like yet another isekai, except the show can't decide on anything. See, this is a world where women have power and male harems. Except they don't have any real power, but yes they do. And Protag McAsshole wants to get married after cheating the world and getting the best loot right from the start and earning himself a barony. Except he doesn't want to get married? Oh and the heroine and villainess are both being shoved out by a third girl, who looks so familiar, so they are both going to wind up with him. Calling it now that the third girl is protag's little sister. This may be my hate watch of the season, but Dawn of the Witch may usurp it.

Next up is one I've only seen one episode of, breaking my normal 2 episode rule, but I want to talk about it. See, I want to like Skeleton Knight in Another World because the premise sounds good! Arc wakes up in the OP avatar from the MMO he was playing, which includes the skeleton avatar he was wearing. All he wants to do is have a low key life, but of course he's going to get mixed up in saving the world or some such nonsense. It doesn't take itself too seriously and I appreciates that. Hell, the opening is a power metal song from Norwegian cover artist PellaK showng Arc being a badass drinking and smoking a cigar! All of this would normally make me happy, but the first thing we see is an attempted rape. Now it's no where near as pornographic as Goblin Slayer and Arc quickly kills the bandits, but when something like this comes up in the first episode I'm very wary of how the show will continue. The second episode is out, so I'll be watching it cautiously.

Don't Hurt Me, My Healer is a wacky show about a healer and the fighter she has accidentally cursed because he yelled at her when she was going to heal him. Now he has to stay within 300 meters of her or he will die. Oh, and the horned bear can't get its verbal tic straight. I like wacky, so this is staying on my list, gao.
 

YangusKhan

does the Underpants Dance
(He/Him/His)
If anyone was ever curious about this, I watched Blade Runner: Black Lotus a little bit ago, because it showed up on HBO Max. It only had the English dub option, but honestly the voice work was pretty good and they even got some Actors to do it. As for the show, well, it was Fine. Really only worth watching if you're a big fan of the franchise. It had good fight choreography, the plot was a pretty standard revenge story, it barely serves as backdrop for Blade Runner 2049, and the 3D CG style actually did a great job of making it "feel" like this was a Blade Runner story happening in that universe. That last point is easily the strongest reason to recommend this show for fans of the movies, because it really nails the atmosphere and music. Also: does a show pass the Bechdel Test if there are 2+ women characters but almost all of their interactions are either sword fights or chase sequences?
 
Spy x Family - as good as advertised. Couldn't help but be amused by it obviously being a product of a different culture. The notion of a politician in America resigning in shame for doing *anything*, let alone because they got outted for wearing a toupee is laughable.

Kaguya-sama S3 - I assume will be good, but I'm waiting for a friend to catch up on S2 before I start watching S3 with him.

Ya Boi Kongming - Delightful show. Leaning very heavily into the Three Kingdoms mythos, but not in a way that's indecipherable. It's a shame this show is stuck on HiDive, but what can you do. Johnny, you said, "...we get to feel the weight of the goofy premise and actually stew in it for a while as Kongming adjusts to live in the modern day." And I'm just like, "Oh shit, that's P.A. Works' music!"

Sheild-Hero S2 - A friend is making me watch this again. Episode 1 of the new seasons starts out with the 'hero' getting yet another slave to join his thrall. I hate this show.

Tiger & Bunny 2 - Sure is more Tiger & Bunny, for better and worse. The new characters are cool so far. And I like the whole dynamic of all the heroes pairing up in duos as a result of Barnaby & Tiger's success in doing so.

Lupin III: Part VI - Just started this show. Sherlock Holmes being a Lupin III adversary is something that's been way overdue. Setting up beef between him and Lupin, heavily implying that Lupin is in some way responsible for getting Watson killed, and orphaning/traumatizing his daughter is spicy, but also pretty predictable where this is going, since we can't have the Miyazaki-Lupin actually be a bad guy. This would honestly be a way more interesting scenario if this was a Holmes-focused show with Lupin as a genuine villain more in line with his original comic-version.

The Case Study of Vanitas pt 2 - Love this show. It's pretty fun. My only complaint is that as gay as it feels like it wants to be, both of the main characters - who definitely want to bone each other something fierce - have beards for plausible deniability. It's still really fun though. If you liked Bungo Stray Dogs, this has the same vibe. Just sexy vampires in Victorian France instead of X-Men mutants in modern Tokyo.
 

Kirin

Summon for hire
(he/him)
Oh dang, I didn’t realize this season had both the new Lupin and new T&B. Gonna have to figure out the best way to get ahold of those.
 
Oh dang, I didn’t realize this season had both the new Lupin and new T&B. Gonna have to figure out the best way to get ahold of those.
New Lupin was actually a few seasons ago, I'm just catching up. It's all over and out already. It was a HiDive exclusive otherwise I probably would have watched as it aired, and am only watching now b/c I took a while to get off my lazybutt and sail the seven seas for it. I have the vague impression that I can't substantiate that it'll show on toonami eventually but don't take my word for it.

Tiger & Bunny 2 is a Netflix exclusive, and the first cour of that went up all at once a few weeks ago. The 2nd cour of it I believe will come out later.
 

q 3

here to eat fish and erase the universe
(they/them)
Healer Girl is so good. It's basically Aria or Flying Witch except as a musical. Genius.
 
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