Last season's top 3

[neflight86]

Fall 2023

While a pretty stacked season, I didn’t watch quite as much as usual, gaming and other interests taking front and center these last couple months…


3. SPY x FAMILY Season 2: Aside from a minor tonal bump part way through in the Cruise Ship arc, SxF continues to deliver creative misunderstandings based fun and humor that hits the mark much more often than not.


2. Kamonohashi Ron no Kindan Suiri: I like a good mystery… and this was that. Without trying to get too clever about the various cases, logically working through the tricks was fun and never boring. I’m also a fan of the psycho-pass character designs and eventual corny reveal of the evil organization through which all crime is run through to raise the stakes and set up for future season(s) (lol so anime). The only thing missing was Isshiki getting any significant growth as a detective as the season went on; it really was just Ron solving them all the time.


1. Bullbuster: A surprise for sure, workplace dramas don’t usually have legs after the introductory arc, but Bullbuster wisely established a strong core narrative for the characters and dramatic reveals to bounce off of that carried the series. This feels like a P.A works show that doesn’t star a young disillusioned girl finding a new dream, but rather a starry eyed engineer trying his best to contribute (his mech designs) to a workplace while constantly rubbing against the friction of reality; operations cost money and budgets really limit the scope of activities. While that is roughly covered in the intro, what kept me coming back was the unraveling of the mystery, the clashing character motivations, and the underlying hopeful tone of Bullbuster. A good watch for me.


_______________________

Hey, buddy, I got some… special awards… at a great price…


Boushoku no Berserk gets a bronze participation trophy for being not so bad: For an edgy series about a ‘low-key OP’ protagonist in a fantasy world, Berserk forgot most of the the embarrassing edge and instead focused on the stories of the decent people around the protagonist and didn’t wallow in the ‘darkness’ of his circumstances. That kept the power fantasy from becoming boring. I also liked the cocky attitude of the sword. Not great, but I liked it just fine.


Boukensha ni Naritai to Miyako ni Deteitta Musume ga S-Rank ni Natteta gets a ‘punkin’ for being daddy’s little girl: A meager production for sure, the warm core of S-Rank Musume still won me over. Belgrieve and his daughter are fun to watch, and how they care for others around themselves is really… wholesome. As in, no one is this consistently nice but I don’t care wholesome… Especially since they do so partially for each other’s sake. The comfy vibe established early on is maybe a little too cozy as the show struggles to present any meaningful tension when the need arises during some of the fights, but what story we get through is obviously part of a bigger whole we may never get to see. Still, fun and recommended.


JUJUTSU KAISEN Season 2 gets some remedial classes: It’s hard to view this divorced from this arc’s massive hype, but I would give this a ‘solid’ season for what JJK has come to mean for me: mean-spirited (see what I did there?) one sided fights between disposable characters with one defining quirk in their personality to set them apart, maybe. Take it or leave it, the power system is unsatisfying in how it interacts, and the fights lack much tension, and most of the emotional moments fell flat due to how transparent the author’s torture tactics are at this point. On the other hand, the animation is still a cut above and the pacing is pretty snappy. Tojo deserves a better show.


Dekoboko Majo no Oyako Jijou gets the wet charcoal- a total non starter: One episode in, I felt like I saw all of the jokes this one could muster (she’s the young one?) along with the nearly fetishistic back and forth dialogue about how these two didn’t need any others (especially any men) in their lives… Yawn; not for me.


Keikenzumi na Kimi to, Keiken Zero na Ore ga, Otsukiai suru Hanashi gets the ‘salesman of the quarter paid half day off’ by making me actually want to read the manga it’s based on. As I’ve harped on to the point of comic effect, it is the supporting cast and side stories that ultimately separate the mediocre rom comics from the slightly less mediocre rom coms. This is that. Nothing new within the borderline ecchi shenanigans, and the drama was artificially conjured, but the side character stories were much more fun (unpredictable, really) to ride along with and many plot threads are begging for some closure. Good job.


SHY gets the cracked pathfinder award for trying something new:... and failing. Who’d have thought a superhero show could focus too much on feelings and social anxiety? Everyone? Oh, well that explains why this was so boring… moving on.


Kage no Jitsuryokusha ni Naritakute! 2nd Season gets the resurrection necromancer staff: Jolly fun, and off a binge of the second half of the first season, it surprisingly didn’t get stale. Cid’s chunniness and everyone else’s misconceptions of his intellect still carried the show to as good a conclusion as that messy arc could have hoped for.


The ‘most disappointing villain fight’ whoopie cushion goes to Blue Eye Samurai (s1): Netflix anime, so the violence and genital count was a good order higher than your typical seasonal fare, but the core story was very entertaining and events led into each other naturally. The real star of the show to me was the great season villain Fowler; he had a presence worthy of a 'final boss' and lit up each scene he was in.. except the final confrontation where some hyping up beforehand backfired into a slog of a fight that wasn’t interesting beyond its plot implications. Deduct a few more points for some awkward shoehorned feminism, truly stylistically ugly CG animation, and you still have a still above average show worth a watch. Just make sure you handwave the ‘Mulan’ twist or the show doesn’t work.


Under Ninja gets the deodorant stick: Weird is good. Weird is fun. But sometimes, weird is… funky and gross. Under Ninja is one of those shows that reflects its author’s specific fetishes maybe a little too well… Quirky modern day ninjas who are slovenly and mundane just like us, right? That’s all fine and well, but it forgot to be interesting as well.


Hikikomari Kyuuketsuki no Monmon gets an ankle brace for breaking on the pivot: Weakling vampire must conceal their weakness and appear strong to keep her troops in line. In a world where death is automatically reversed anyway, so the wars are more like reality television; for the drama? After the first episode, I didn't see where the story could go or escalate to satisfyingly, and apparently neither could the author. One mega boring bully battle arc was obstacle enough to kill my interest.


The public service recognition award goes to Megumi no Daigo: Kyuukoku no Orange: The show I wanted to like the most this season, Daigo goes hard narratively during its intro bootcamp arc and the foreshadowing is solid, but it cuts both ways, teasing that the firefighters efforts will ‘save all of Japan from a terrorist attack’... Huh? I feared finding out just how badly that would be handled enough to scare me off from continuing. It may be good, but I'm afraid to find out.


Kimi no Koto ga Daidaidaidaidaisuki na 100-nin no Kanojo witnesses me adjust my thick glasses as I insufferably posit in my most nasally voice ‘the manga was superior’: But it was. I reeeealy like "100 girlfriends" the manga, and the anime adaptation isn’t much less, but some of the pacing and jokes suffer slightly by the pacing and sound design, but that falls easily within nitpick range. Keep an eye on it and check it out if you at all enjoy rom-coms that don’t take themselves too seriously.


Pluto gets the Keith Davis bust: Major disappointment to me as a good adaptation of an ultimately bland story that relied too much on audience buy in and limp shock twists without consistent compelling storytelling to get us invested, but hearing the dub of Dr. Tenma was a hoot, as was hearing the Nolan North voice a german KKK member named Adolf. The stuff of Ambien dreams.

Sadly, a few sequels fell on the floor that I would have watched if I could find the time (Dr. Stone, Kanojo, Alchemist) more at all, but there’s always more to consume. To next season!

[neflight86]

Winter 2024

3. Apothecary Diaries: A wonderful little dark horse. Who knew medical mysteries within the framework of an imperial court could be so interesting? Maomao was cute and deadpan, but not without any charm and humanity, and Jenshi made a good counter to her character. The only downside is that the show is somehow a bit too mundane sometimes such that the events can come off as inconsequential, and glossing over important plot elements can lead to confusion episodes later. The animation also began to strain in the 2nd cour, but that’s nitpicky. A very good watch and highly recommended.


2. Classroom of the Elite S3: Carried solely by the sociopath main lead, this remained more interesting than it had any right to be given how low stakes and how pedestrian the games were this season. That said, things did change (Class D expulsion) and waves are being made along with some good character development (also mostly class D), but most of it felt like setup for another season we may or may not get anytime soon.


1. Tomozaki S2: With how they handled the Fuuka arc, this has now cemented itself among my top ‘cynical romance’ anime that tend to focus more on the tangible foibles of romance, rather than the emotional side, along with SNAFU and Rascal does not blah blah. The reflection of Tomozaki’s own character, how it fits into the world around himself, and at what capacity he can realistically pursue a relationship is pure ASMR for me. Great arc, and really touching development… not even counting the first half of the season and its bullying/Tama remake arc. Great stuff all around, and I looked forward to this the most each week.


__________________________________

Apparently, the IRS is offering a little tax break for some special awards this year. Don’t remember where I heard it, but that’s what we’re going with.


Undead Unluck wins the gently used towel for sweating so hard: On the one hand, it would be easy to write Undead off for simply trying too hard to be confusing and revelatory; it’s clumsy and brash and kind of trite some times. On the other hand, I respect it for sparing no effort in its “attrition by a thousand hooks.” Surely something will catch your interest, and it did mine, at least a few times. The concept is passable, and the characters are fun enough, but the powers are too vague and conceptual and the fights lack interesting choreography from a tactical standpoint… Not to say the climax moments aren’t hype or the world building isn’t potentially fascinating, so I’m torn, but I’m not tired yet and I would gladly give another season a shot.


Sasaki to Pii-chan gets the invisible mop to go along with the surprisingly clean floor: They threw so much at that poor wall, but almost all of it stuck. Isekai x psychics x magic girls x demons x whateverelsecomesnextseason. Conceptual crossover is some pretty fertile soil to be tilling, and I’m in for it. Sasaki and his Piercarlos’ adventures look like they are going places, and mixing these different story archetypes together has an almost grail war mystique to it in that we have no way to gauge just how they will mix and interact until it hits the fan, which has me invested big time.


Mato Seihei no Slave: My most anticipated show this season, and while it didn’t make the top billing I’d hoped for, the adaptation itself is more than adequate, and more importantly, sustainable! I’m super hyped seeing the second season greenlit, as the coming arcs will be great fun and I expect the fandom to grow steadily as the harem expands.


I’m giving a raised eyebrow to Sokushi Cheat ga Saikyou Sugite, Isekai no Yatsura ga Marude Aite ni Naranaindesu ga: This is not what I expected; like at all. From the premise, this comes off as a standard power fantasy isekai- maybe two meta layers deep in subversion, but what I got was an eerie adventure centering around a killer sociopath. I expected to have to do all of the heavy lifting, creatively, in being repulsed by the ease with which the protagonist takes life, but the show comes through and plays it both for shock and laughs. A semi-god with such powers, the inhabitants of both worlds want nothing to do with him due to his dangerous nature and flaunt that to their peril. Add to that the concurrent events and conflicts happening and a world that is rotten in its own ways, and feels more alive with other actors having motivations and even utilizing instant kill countermeasures, for all the good they did. As much as I wanted to hate this for the lazy premise alone, it never ceased to be interesting.


Hime-sama “Goumon” no Jikan desu is on the back of the cereal box representing this complete breakfast: What a comfy, wholesome show. Half comedy and half fluffy slice of life, the constant joke of the princess caving to the most mundane of tortures slowly peels away to reveal more fun characters and… the power of friendship?! Seriously, this was cute in ways I forgot anime could be. A lot of good subtle humor here with background and visual gags like the princess whipping out her cell phone in the prison cell only to get contact info, the princess taking off and putting on the ball and chain as needed, going on torture field trips in plainclothes, and the demon realm altogether resembling modern Japan enough to be absurdly funny. The demon lord lives in a mid-sized apartment with his family and ‘prefers to watch his anime live, as it airs’... Also props to the old knight in the flashbacks who got more character development teasing/raising the princess than most entire casts of modern trash fantasy get. Recommended if you like the heart warmed and the funny bone stroked.


The dank, dimly lit underbelly of the bridge is offered to the troll subs of Pon no Michi: No, the show didn’t win squat- it was not funny or informative enough to elicit more than a few minutes of interest from me, and I don't care about Mahjong, but like flies to fertilizer, the troll community did us a real solid (fiber joke) with some truly heinous subs aping the general motions of a generic ‘learning about a thing in anime’ with some extra spice. If you’re not the type to offend easily and enjoy juvenile humor, check ‘em out.


Kekkon Yubiwa Monogatari gets the buttless chaps for exposing the general shape, but none of the allure of the female form: Contrived. Little better describes every idea and scenario in Kekkon that just made me weep that my rock bottom expectations were further disappointed by this gnarly production. Of the three boobie shows this season, this is easily the most tame, boring, and crudely animated glorious Nippon could muster. Have some self respect.


Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu 2nd Season is awarded the emo haircut with depth perception issues: I’ve heard some praise this for being some revolutionary new standard in ‘serious’ romance anime, but my praise is for the workmanlike diligence to the production. It never looks ugly, even when it looks cheap, and the ecchi elements took a step back as their relationship took many steps forward to a satisfying season end, if not series end. Solid recommendation and an easy watch.


The ‘peaked in highschool’ football trophy is hereby presented to Chiyu Mahou no Machigatta Tsukaikata: Senjou wo Kakeru Kaifuku Youin: Getting off on the right foot means a lot. This did that, everything wes pretty strong for the premiere, and then… it partied and dropped out of college with 60+k debt, two different baby mommas and a mound of food stamps. One limp ‘battle’ arc later, and prospects are looking shaky as Usato and Rose are constantly in a will they/won’t they with the rest of the pseudo harem. Wasted potential, but not unwatchable; just un-recommendable.


Shin no Nakama ja Nai to Yuusha no Party wo Oidasareta node, Henkyou de Slow Life suru Koto ni Shimashita 2nd and Ishura all receive participation trophies: If this season were a good deal worse, I might have been able to hang on to some of these, but as is, these are the slow runners who simply fell off… but at least their parents got some good pictures.


Nozomanu Fushi no Boukensha gets its own pokedex entry: For how bog standard it is, at least MC evolved to vampire in the single season we got. The story appears effectively over unless there are higher forms of vampire yet unrevealed. As for the journey itself, the most interesting portion of these zero to hero stories is the vulnerable beginning portion and that kept true here… for about an episode. Aside from that is just the typical pseudo harem and leveling up at the guild- nothing new here, but a decent watch.


Akuyaku Reijou Level 99: Watashi wa Ura-Boss desu ga Maou dewa Arimasen is awarded the ‘autistic otome game’ side story dlc: A novel premise with a isekaied girl grinding to be OP (as if otome visual novels have RPG mechanics) and entering hero academy as the side villain character with no desire to be a villain, but everyone keeps putting it on her. The cutest part was main girl slowly realizing she was in love with the one boy who wasn’t afraid of her. With a generic fantasy plot about defeating the demon king and a foil cast dumb enough to come straight out of Shield Hero, Level 99 is as cookie cutter as it gets in girls' power fantasy.


Yuuki Bakuhatsu Bang Bravern and BUCCHIGIRI?! get the (american football) slap on the butt for being the gayest not-gay shows I’ve seen in a long while. Robots, school delinquents, fighting… and bromance? Neither overtly queer or exploring roMANce with any depth, but heavily coded in humor stylings with masculine innuendoes, big heart eyes from getting punched, and silly hijinks. Neither held my interest, though.


Mahou Shoujo ni Akogarete goes into the paper bag: Strange, strange how this show got so popular- it’s just fetish bait and sexual posturing of magical girls via the lens of BDSM. I’m certain there are actual adult titles that serve the same purpose and themes without the limitations of broadcasting standards, so why this? It didn’t resonate with me, but I did want to see if they made something worthwhile of the crumbs of story it had… they did not. Best not discussed in public.


A pretty strong season by my count, lets see if this next one (12+ sequels!) can top it!

[Ryllharu]

Winter 2024

Kusuriya no Hitorigoto - A perfect mystery historical romance comedy-drama series. It's funny, it's cute, it's intriguing, and there is a LOT more to go.

Mahou Shoujo ni Akogarete - Yeah...this series is the one that makes you really feel like you shouldn't be watching it. But I enjoyed it probably the most each week because I had read the manga of the other two series. The cast were all great, but the animation was all over the place, but did I say that the primarily rookie VA cast were phenomenal? I did. The jokes were funny, and as deeply degenerate as it was, the overall message of the series was a wholesome one. The protagonist doesn't want to win, she actively choses to lose, and the only thing she won't accept is the heroines giving up.

Sousou no Frieren - Vibe series. I hate the ill-fitting, loosely written, and uncharacteristic final arc of the series (which was the entire 2nd half), but on the whole, the series is very good. Highly recommended, but at the same time, it is not the greatest series of all time, the decade, the year, or even the season, so don't get over-hyped.

Honorable Mention: Hime-sama “Goumon” no Jikan desu. This series is singularly sold by the efforts of a single VA: Shiraishi Haruka as the lead. Without her, I think the series wouldn't have been nearly as engaging.

[Y]

I watched three shows in total recently.

They are Mashle, Frieren and Dungeon Meshi.

Three good shows, wow. No shit.

[neflight86]

While not a bad season, per say, I watched and finished a mere fraction of my typical unhealthy consumption of anime (and remember even less), so this is gonna be sparse (by my standards):


3. Dungeon Meshi: I really wish I enjoyed this more, but somewhere after the peak of fighting the dragon halfway in, Dungeon Meshi returned to incidental scavenging with low tension, and if I had to hear Senshi say “coat it in batter and fry it” one more time… That is to say, the creative juices weren’t flowing as strongly (see what I did there?). Yes, the scenarios were varied, but all of the activities (and cooking) paled in comparison to the greater mysteries at play. The characters did continue to carry my interest, but only barely. There was genuinely no hook so finishing out the season took more effort than it should have.


2. Tensei shitara Dainana Ouji Datta node, Kimama ni Majutsu wo Kiwamemasu- What does it say if my second favorite show from last season is on my ‘will finish it later’ list? Tropes and fanservice galore, but they both stay out of the way of the fun power fantasy, and the animation was truly great.


1. Kaijuu 8-gou: Some of my least favorite character designs (everyone’s facial features are so rounded and interchangeable), but the shounen spark is strong. Funnily enough, the first arc resembles My Hero Academia enough to be comical, but after that quickly morphs into its own thing. Good fight animation, some catchy tunes (english OP and ED?) and plenty of story progression, even if the timing is sorta convenient. I looked forward to nothing more each week.

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Due to recent budget cuts, this season’s special awards have been downsized accordingly:


Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 3 gets the ‘robbed’ police sketch: If the core narrative were more compelling, this could have easily been number 2, as the laughs were pretty good. The degenerate characters bouncing off each other is as fun as ever, and little goes according to plan. Old jokes are remembered and what passes for a plot did actually advance by some measure. Great stuff, but better binged.


Astro Note gets retro tankobon: All the feel-good qualities of a yesteryear ‘cute girl is actually an alien’ show from the 80-90s. Simp-kun volunteers to cook for an apartment complex while the owner is an alien on a vague mission that will be completed exactly when the story needs to enter the final stages for some tension. Not gripping, but a good time if you’re feeling a bit nostalgic.


KENKA DOKUGAKU gets the ‘youtube subscriber plaque’: This is "Hajime no Ippo" for Zoomers, and I just can’t get into the cynicism after so many episodes. Obviously a Korean manhua adaptation (from the socks with sandals to the ‘localized’ names that don’t match the phonetics you can plainly hear, to the shoestring animation… yep… not exactly the red carpet treatment…) That aside, if you like a good underdog fighting/martial arts series; you could do worse. Bullied kid tries starting a ‘newtube’ channel to get views and money for his mom’s hospitalization and hits every obstacle along the way. Some good fights but all the rest is just money worship.


Go ahead and pack some store brand ranch for Henjin no Salad Bowl: The first episode was pretty fun as a reverse isekai fish out of water story, reminding my of Hinamatsuri, but the luster quickly faded as the show quickly ran out of introduction and the actual hijinks didn’t hold up, even if Livia is the best girl of the season (give just her the ranch, actually).


I award Shuumatsu Train Doko e Iku? with the punched train ticket: If you’d asked me what show is most destined for greatness after one episode this season… this right here. The bizarre world building and cute characters (that had some good dialog) felt like a sure hit, but something about the episodic narrative drained my enthusiasm as it chugged along (train humor), leading to a quiet drop into the ‘maybe later’ pile.


Tensei Kizoku, Kantei Skill de Nariagaru was a casualty of circumstance, so it should really try filing a claim for this: This was off to a petty good start for a nonconventional isekai power fantasy. Boy must surround himself with people of great ability to stave off impending disaster instead of beating all the bad guys by himself. The best compliment I can give is I forgot why I didn’t get around to finishing it.


Yozakura-san Chi no Daisakusen: I’m seeing a pattern here… another strong start with a wacky family unit entangling an outsider into their tightly wrapped (light) drama and hangups, this time in the paint of a spy thriller… My major hangup is/was that spycraft usually doesn’t translate well to a simple good guys versus bad guys shounen template when deception and gray morality are staples of the genre. Also, killing is largely downplayed and that feels out of place when there are serial bombers and mid-day car chase shootouts. Not bad, overall, but know what you’re getting into.


WIND BREAKER gets a school jacket themed around something cool: Another casualty of running out of steam, Wind Breaker is the correct answer to the question a disgruntled viewer of Tokyo Revengers might ask: “Where are the good school gang anime at?” School boys bravado and talking things out with their fists- just the kind of escapist entertainment I can only find in anime. While my interest waned after the first major arc, it was a good time while I watched. Recommended.


Unnamed Memory gets the amnesia award because I can’t hardly remember a single thing about it!


Sentai Daishikkaku gets the bronze brush award: What a disappointment. A deconstruction of villain mooks being enslaved for entertainment by the virtuous sentai team is ripe for exploitation (slave humor?)… yet we get an annoying, weak, hot headed imbecile with almost no redeeming qualities in his quest to finish taking over the earth because… reasons. Aided by disgruntled sentai support staff and other delusional members of the broken machine, this feels like a story that would happen even if Sentouin D weren’t involved, which didn’t do much to hold my interest. It feels like a story happening around the protagonist (who I didn’t like at all) instead of one being shaped and influenced by him- and that’s why this is one stain worth the scrub off the bowl.


And for Kimetsu no Yaiba: Hashira Geiko-hen, we bestow some convenience store sushi; banzai!: How commodified has Demon Slayer become? I see figures at my local grocery store, and that commercial success means it is no major consequence if the quality of storytelling never again reaches the drastic highs of the best arcs of DS. While not as outright eye-rolling as the swordsmith village arc, the Hashira training arc was the prettiest padding I’ve ever seen. For sure, though, I’ll be watching the final movies!


Catch ya next season!

[Buffalobiian]

Dungeon Meshi
Likable characters (by the end - elf was annoying for the first 2 episodes), food (always good), adventure and interesting lore.

Hibike Euphonium S3
Finale to the story. Tense drama with characterisations that aren't just usual tropes. Kyoani draws really pretty characters.

Konosuba 3
A few of those episodes had me cackling. They could do with a little more adventure and demon lord stuff, but this was a more "political" adventure than a real one.

Jiisan Baasan Wakagaeru was also quite nice feel-good anime for me this season. It'll be rather forgettable in the next few years so I didn't add it as a top 3.

[KrayZ33]

Mushoku
Kaijuu
Konosuba

but didn't watch the Spice&Wolf remake yet, nor did I watch Dungeon Meshi.

edit: just realized, haven't watched a lot of shows that I did at least want to give a try.
Guess next few seasons leave time enough to change that.

[MFauli]

Mushoku
Karasu wa Aruji wo Erabanai
Kaiji 8 gou

[shinta|hikari]

Karasu isn't over yet. Newest episode just came out.

[MFauli]

Karasu isn't over yet. Newest episode just came out.

Still my top3 favorite of the past season.

Btw next episode in 26 days. wtf

[neflight86]

Summer 2024


3. Megami no Cafe Terrace 2nd Season: Something to be said for the comfort of the familiar. Megami continues to give exactly what it says on the tin- harem hijinks with college age kids (I’m now old enough to call college students ‘kids’). Each returning girl gets an arc, or at least an episode, with some actually shaking up the meta quite thoroughly. The new cafe’s selection of ladies isn’t half bad, either, though I’d say with them cranks up the raunchiness to levels yet unexplored in the show. Anyway, worth a watch if you’re in the mood for a non-committal rom-com.


2. Shoushimin Series: What a treat! Another mystery series by the Hyoka author, and a slightly darker one at that. The clever brain teasers effortlessly captivated me every episode and somehow, the production was gorgeous enough to not lose out to the KyoAni classic. The twist at the end (that the female lead is more Moriarity villain than Watson-esque sidekick) was great and has me clamoring for more. Don’t sleep on this if you like understated mystery!


1. Too many losing Heroines: Sometimes, an earnest display of effort is enough to win me over, and Heroines quickly turned the quirky premise into a full course of taking the hard way out. Most of the scenarios and interactions were difficult, awkward, and heartfelt, but stopped short of wallowing or being melodramatic. Most importantly, I cared for and rooted for the well developed characters navigating first romance, highs and lows, together. Animation was exceedingly good for what was required and fed into something truly special. I looked forward to nothing more each week.


The real challenge here is even coming up with something (hopefully) interesting to award the others anymore. I’m running out of pithy titles! Special awards:

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Hazurewaku no “Joutai Ijou Skill” de Saikyou ni Natta Ore ga Subete wo Juurin suru made gets the recycle bin - Bad, bad, bad! I say recycle instead of trash bin because the existing parts of this were tossed from more competent projects. Edgy isekai where the authority figures are all bad/corrupt and the lone protagonist, devoid of any character other than ‘muh revenge’ for a dozen episodes of power tripping by having the cosmic ‘no, you’ card played on his awful abilities. Clearly an advertisement, the draw of the series is seeing bad guys get their dues karmically, but there is no way the most heinous of them all, the goddess, would be dealt with in a mere 12 episodes… so pony up or be even more disappointed than you should be for having watched this.


Tokidoki Bosotto Russia-go de Dereru Tonari no Alya-san gets the Rosetta stone: I gotta say, Alya’s Russian is quite kawaii. A strong start, and after some flirting and slightly misplaced fanservice, this (presumably first) season swung into a full blown ‘passive aggressive family conflict leaks into the stuco election because affluent Japanese families cannot compartmentalize’ arc. When it is on screen, the drama is fine and works well enough, but big-picture: what are ya’ll doing with yourselves? First world problems like this require more and more suspension of disbelief as the years go by and my sympathy for honors students rebelling against the wishes of their pushy extended family continues to wane. If not for that and the little sister being embarrassingly ‘I’m a character in an anime’ (chunni larp?), this could have been a contender for top three.


I hereby give the “skip ads” button to MAYONAKA PUNCH: I want to like PA works shows, I promise! They consistently try to do stories that typical anime won’t touch, and maybe that is why they don’t resonate with me lately. Maybe, in this case, I am especially disillusioned with young people obsessing over becoming youtubers, influencers, or ‘content creators’. I should try to have more sympathy for artistic endeavors, but the premise of the entire show reads like ‘..and she didn’t want to get a job + vampires’. Tortured creatives again. Not much is done with the supernatural premise, and I steadily lost interest. If nothing else, I can count on PA to keep trying, I guess.


Giji Harem gets a cute little woven basket: Probably the most chintzy show I really enjoyed this season. I never read the manga, but I expect the entire thing (at least the main story) was adapted here seeing as we get two years of high school, post graduation dating ending in marriage. It was a sweet, cute full budding romance story that knew when to apply forward momentum. The animation was modest, to put it kindly, but seldom outright ugly, and the ending very satisfying by default for being an actual ‘happily ever after’ ending. Simple and pleasant.


2.5-jigen no Ririsa is welcome to remove itself from my lawn!: Funny enough, reading a manga ahead of time usually doesn’t make me sour about an anime like this one did. I think that between the time I read it and when this began airing I became thoroughly over the whole ‘otaku sympathy’ phase of my fandom. Yes, the characters are nice and supportive and the hobby looks like it could be fun for the right people… buuuut the main duo’s highly autistic obsession with the Lilliel character starts as grating and only gets worse from there. The series is at its best when focusing on the human elements of cosplay and fandom; unfortunately, much of the runtime is Okamura and his new pixie girl simping after a defunct in-universe anime character. Credit where due, Okamura has some potential justification in the story, but his new kohai and other harem members simply make the off putting obsession with Lilliel seem even more disconnected from reality and the story itself simply feeling like a self indulgent projection from the author. Some good character stuff in here, just take a pulse of your tolerance for unbridled otaku passion before jumping in.

Kono Sekai wa Fukanzen Sugiru has received copious venture capital for its novel concept: Beta testing while trapped in an MMO is a decent idea, and they play with it pretty well. Something about the art or maybe the pacing didn’t keep my interest, but this was a quality show for what I was expecting.


Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi gets a piece of abstract art and a certificate of art-inticity: The best produced show I’m still iffy about. I have no idea what the show is trying to say or where it is going to go. At times silly and crass, shifting to horrific violence at the drop of a hat (or head), at others earnestly exploring the values of leadership, loyalty, and responsibility and villains serving as both comic relief at times as well as serious threats; I am intrigued. However, after 12 episodes, aside from the show regularly giving time updates, I am seeing no clear path to the eventual goal of winning back the country via war and a game of tag, and that worries me. Because of the scattered characters, factions and unfamiliar topology and history (remember when there was a Sengoku war anime every other season?), the core narrative is as elusive as the protagonist. Here’s hoping another season sets us on a straighter trail.


Karasu wa Aruji o Erabanai gets a bridle: A surprise favorite. Imperial court intrigue hasn’t gotten old for me yet, so I was quite entertained even after the somewhat jarring shift in focus to mystery and worldbuilding in the second half. More of a workhorse than a raven.


Shinmai Ossan Boukensha gets the expiration date sale sticker: Mid. Center. Basic. Average. Assemble the bare minimum elements for a power fantasy, some skimpy armors, hints of harem, and a lead that ‘doesn’t know his own strength’ in the microwave, heat for 2-3 minutes and call it a meal that will never satisfy.


I didn’t think this season was any weaker than others, particularly, but the numbers don’t lie. Like last season, I watched far less anime than I typically would and finished even fewer. I’m sure Oshi No Ko S2 (haven’t watched yet) and Frieren (wrong season) would have made the list if they were qualified. Here’s to better luck next season!

[Ryllharu]

Summer 2024

Only one series I bothered to finish.

1. Make Heroine ga Oosugiru (Too many Losing Heroines): While some of the arcs dragged on a little too long, the ensemble cast as a whole makes the whole series shine. There's cute moments of oversexed teens having the time of their life, and leery teachers making very forward suggestions to their pupils about romance, but the heart of the series is in its particularly dangerous cast of women/girls being low-key psychopaths around a boring and grounded male lead who legitimately wants to help the main trio of friends he acquires just by listening to their romantic tragedies. The manic-depressive lead, the sporty stupid sensitive athlete, and the introverted over worker all manage to be at the very least, interesting. The side characters even show some self-awareness and get some character development of their own (aside from the oversexed pair). The professional stalker is endearing, the future-Yandere little sister never gets annoying, the nurse, etc. The main trio of girls could have used a bit more equal development, but I assumed the series was following the novels and focused on one girl for half the series to the detriment of the other two. I enjoyed it.

[neflight86]

So another year comes to a close…


3. Tensei Kizoku, Kantei Skill de Nariagaru 2nd Season- By whatever whim possessed me, I gave this another chance from the 3rd episode, and found an easy binge that carried me through to the end of this season. Taking its time to build up the world and political relations paid off in keeping the story both succinct and impactful when times came for delicate handling of both political and militaristic affairs. The core cast is, aside from being talented, amusing and utilized well (even the one I despise personality wise) in navigating these challenges that truly felt more like adventures by the time they were done. What’s more, I appreciate that the loss of life and livelihood isn’t swept under the rug in these power struggles that involve more than their direct benefactors, and even most enemies had their own redeeming side stories… an optimism I never tired of. Production was iffy at times, and one or two dud episodes couldn’t dampen my enthusiasm for the next maneuver the show would throw at me.


2. Dandadan- An easy recommendation, but failed to live up to the hype it was perhaps unfairly burdened with. I expected something more akin to Chainsawman’s tortured, oblivious pathos, and that’s on my expectations. What I got was a silly action show that never got outright boring, but was clearly not written with a firm grasp on what makes the cream of the crop shounen fights. The in-between bits, rom com, and potty humor otherwise remained entertaining, and the tonal whiplash of a certain episode further agitated my expectations of what this show would or could be, and that left me ultimately unsatisfied, though still optimistic on what is to come next cour.


1. Blue Lock S2- Apparently the animation of the first portion of this season was awful, if the internet is anything to go by. I noticed the CG, but it was at least zoomed out, and apparently the crux of the complaint was the overuse of still images during the play sequences. I was so absorbed I didn’t notice one way or the other. Hype is one heck of a drug, kids. I watched each episode, waiting for this hackneyed writing to finally paint itself into the corner it had been carelessly setting up to for 24+ episodes where the bombast and testosterone could no longer be maintained, no more theoretical limits of athleticism could be ‘unlocked’ on the field and the story could finally collapse on itself into a parody of shounen sports where this belongs and… and… it never got there! My train wreck was denied, and instead my morbid desire to heckle the mixture of completely brash, arrogant, simplistic character writing and with school yard insults passing for a narrative was washed away, replaced by that moment in time where something cool happened and the ball went in the goal. Over and over. I was defeated by the dumbest sports story, conceptually, maybe ever. And I loved every second of it.

Okay… maybe Birdie Wing was dumber.

__________________________

And what’s that? A short list of special awards? You shouldn’t have!


Kekkon suru tte, Hontou desu ka gets complimentary tissue papers - If I were in just a bit more of a Rom-Com mood, I would have finished this one, I’m pretty sure. Work couple is created from necessity to prevent being shipped to Antarctica. Looks like a typical ‘get hitched and then love will follow after’ story with the usual trimmings. Not bad at all, if that’s your thing.


Low hanging strings for Thunderbolt Fantasy S4- My favorite puppet show went into a bit of a slump as of this latest season. While the puppetry and set design are of the expected quality, the writing has fallen into the trap of juggling too many characters in a soap-opera like cadence that does not adequately (for me) propel the central narrative about the forbidden sword index and its safekeeping. The other side stories, which do tie into it, are simply not nearly as interesting and struggle to keep my attention. I also detect a slight dip in fight choreography, and a major dip in the fight quantity, as the puppeteering and wire-fu are my favorite parts of Thunderbolt; the solid story is all the better. Apparently, a movie is coming to conclude the story, and that sounds appropriate, before it is crushed under its own weight.


Hitoribocchi no Isekai Kouryaku gets the brainrot award: Like fast food, I try to limit how many isekai’s I sample each season. This drew the short straw (or was it I that drew a short straw?) for this time and was exactly as mediocre as you’d expect from a story that has about as much thought put into it as this write up. Isekaied into another world, and the nerds are who can save the day… unless they get bullied here, too!


I hereby give the open source software license to Kabushikigaisha Magi-Lumière- I like the idea of this series, I really do- but having dropped it twice now, once as manga, and another around episode 5, I can somewhat confidently say that author-kun’s storytelling does not resonate with me when it needs to. Magical girls as a service being treated as pest control and bouncing off other typically stuffy Japanese companies is a gold mine for friction, tension, and exploring relevant social constructs through the lens of the supernatural, but instead we get ‘gushing over magical girls’ without the fetish play. Dedicating such a disproportionate amount of screentime to Kana talking about how great these paid women are at being magical girls is belaboring the point and wasting time each arc. Speaking of… the adaptation was too cut-and-dry moving manga to elevate the source material. Not all is bad though, as Hitomi remains my waifu of the year and low-key all around best character. Seriously, she is perfect in all the right ways from character to voice to design.


Nageki no Bourei wa Intai shitai isn’t really worth an award, if we’re being honest: I’m a little disappointed no one caught my little jab in the genres section of the tread I made for this, but I stand by my initial assessment of a bog standard low budget fantasy comedy where people humorously interpret things to the main character’s benefit.


Mecha-Ude hands me some complimentary tissue papers to wipe away my tears for making me remember peak Trigger for just a moment- A pretty clumsy ‘boy meets talking power’ sci fi story that goes through the motions and tropes yet never fully hooking me before I lost interest. That said, I do feel the bubbling hype moments during some of the encounters can rile up that old GAR feeling just a bit when the music and animation hit just right.


Trillion Game petitions for some venture capital to get better animation- I enjoy the story, I really do, but the striking art style of the manga just can't be satisfactorily recreated on such a meager animation budget. It’s a shame because the storytelling itself does make some super fun moments and clever reveals that don’t feel contrived or hammy. Brace yourself for some painful frames, and you have a serviceable adult anime about faking it till you make it.


Amagami-san Chi no Enmusubi gets a shrine charm - This here is a great example of an entertaining modern harem that doesn’t subvert tropes everywhere it can; no excessive fan service, fleshed out romance partners and most importantly, a flawed main character who can grow himself instead of having to endure endless unjustified fawning. A hint of the supernatural, and just a bit better than you might think.


Kamonohashi Ron no Kindan Suiri 2nd Season gets the bubble pipe (with no solution; that would be too easy, get it?)- I’m surprised this got a second season, considering how middling the first was for me. Don’t get me wrong, I like mystery series, but Kindan Suiri errs a bit too much on the theatrical side to enter my pantheon of greats, though maybe that’s what makes it popular as an anime? I just figured it was a one and done, even though the main story isn’t completed yet. Thankfully we did get some momentum on that end before the season wrapped, but it came at the end of a four part mystery that wasn’t worth more than two with outside information aplenty and more House of M shenanigans trying to artificially heighten the stakes. Awkward and almost aimless, I only persevered due to the novelty of the mysteries that are becoming less interesting as the formula becomes slightly stale. I hope they can inject some interest back into the third season, whenever that comes.


It says a bit that my top three are also the only three I completed this season. Sadly, there were a fair few more shows I wanted to try, but didn’t have the time to this season. Oh well, the backlog is theoretically infinite capacity, anyway!

[neflight86]

Another one down, boys… Winter 2025


3. Trillion Game: While I can’t quite call it a hero’s journey, It certainly felt like one and was an entertaining glimpse into many different industries and the actors who shape them. Two guys ‘decide’ to make all the money- that’s it; zero to loaded on bluffs and manipulation. Strangely enough, a quiet optimism radiated from the whole thing and helped me overlook the moving manga animation, or lack thereof, while mostly preserving the unique art style and character designs. My main complaint was that while the story is effectively over, it ended in an uncertain way, as if the author couldn’t decide what the end goal of ‘being the richest men in the world’ actually looked like. I’m always happy to see a completed story in anime, so bonus points. Recommended as a light drama with no fantasy elements (unless you consider lucky coincidence a form of magic).


2. Ao no Hako: Typically my favorite shows are ones that get me to feel things. Ao no Hako did that as a mixture of bittersweet romance and light sports drama as a side. While not every episode ended on a cliffhanger or revelation, they all built up to some pretty powerful scenes that didn’t always hit, but when they did… it was all worth the wait, and being genuinely annoyed is a feeling, too. Great execution of a classical grounded romance with no gimmicks to distract from the straightforward storytelling (even if the characters can be infuriatingly evasive). Definitely give it a chance if you are down for some romance.


1. Medalist: What can I say, I’m an absolute sucker for shounen(ish) sports dramas and Medalist delivered the goods. Turns out competitive ice skating has the same career trajectory of a Nike shoe factory worker; after age 10 your prospects start to go waaaay down. But that doesn’t stop our spunky duo of a has-been coach and a never-was shoujou pulling out all the stops and my heart strings to marry sports dedication and growth with some genuine moe without ever feeling exploitative. The stage is quickly set with rivals introduced and professional goalpathing, adhering to a rough template I’ve still not grown tired of and topped off with some pretty good looking CG skate routines (though some shots still look slightly ‘off’). This is the complete package (aside from the story being literally incomplete) and I can’t recommend it enough if you’d like to see the opposite extreme to Blue Lock’s endless testosterone.

_____________________________

Special Awards time!

The ‘bait and switch’ tackle box goes to Zenshu. Ya got me, show. That first episode really had me thinking this might be something special; a true and fresh subversion of the isekai. Not quite. I kept up for about 8 episodes, but this anime original just didn’t have the story chops to keep me interested. Episodic romps and dead-end character development only gets ya so far when the real questions I’m wanting answers for are nary even in the periphery of for most of the run time.


S-Rank Monster no “Behemoth” dakedo, Neko to Machigawarete Elf Musume no Pet toshite Kurashitemasu gets the suspiciously moist lump of cat litter: I’m surprised I made it partway into 3 episodes of what must be the most expressly perverted offering this season. Say what you will about Inukai’s dog (and there is much to say about how bad that show was), but it knew how to inject some creativity into its fanservice and perversions while juggling some semblance of a plot. Behemoth thought some occasional boobies and a few thinly veiled animal abuse allegations per episode were enough to hold the general (pervert) audience’s attention, but not so; even perverts have standards. Poor animation, AI written tripe and a general ambivalence for the audience make this truly worth a good scoop or two.


Ameku Takao no Suiri Karte gets an ironic Lupis diagnosis: What a dream- a mixture of medical mystery and a good ol’ dose of anime moe! Well you know what they say… any running dream is but a few small tweaks away from becoming a nightmare. This is not how to do a mystery series. The premiere ‘case’ went well enough, both episodes mercifully dropped on the same day, and the following single episode case was solid as well, but then the cracks in both production and writing started showing. First in the storytelling where mysteries lynch pinned more on obscure (to non practitioners) medical ailment knowledge than environmental clues or forshadowed elements. Then, with no substantial mystery pieces to mentally play with, we are left with the prickly doctor and assistant bander and the very plain patients/case actors to bounce off of, none approaching charisma except lil doctor who could get grating at times, until she announced with recycled animation-no-jutsu and a finger wave in the most anime way possible she was ready to exposition us the details of the case. It got rather rote by the end, but the story sealed nicely enough though I’d hesitate to recommend it.


A-Rank Party wo Ridatsu shita Ore wa, Moto Oshiego-tachi to Meikyuu Shinbu wo Mezasu gets the ‘misguided anger’ award in juvenile literature, for being almost as dumb as Shield Hero. I’m slightly annoyed by the premise of this story, which isn’t at all different from another dozen or so ‘I got kicked out of the super party, but they’ll regret it for sure!’ shows. Were these authors always picked last for sports during recess? Probably because they were too busy drawing their mediocre character designs instead of developing workable social skills… I digress. Not a great show, obviously, but the one point I want to needlessly harp on the most is the liability of the main character for the uselessness of the rest of his party he left to go live his best life. Apparently, none of them know proper adventuring etiquette like bringing potions or how to support each other in these life or death battles, as he did it all for them for years. How is that different from a parent raising a child with no concepts of discipline and then getting mad and kicking them into the world when they are decided to be maladjusted, or releasing a pet into the wild that doesn’t know how to fend for itself? He said they had been friends and presumably partied together since childhood, so why did it never cross his mind to educate his fellow group members or even stand up for himself before ‘cutting them off’ arbitrarily for a fresh young set of waifus? You’re half to blame for enabling their degeneration, main character-kun! Can I interest you in a side of ownership with your power fantasy? I’ll hop off the soapbox, but the juvenile writing like this really perplexes me in anime sometimes, but I’m probably thinking about the mechanics of the story more than the author did in the first place. Embarrassing.


Momentary Lily gets the ‘bit upper lip’ award for trying so hard and being so bad: Only one episode watched, but it is kinda unforgettable. No desire to watch more, but GoHands still puts colors on the screen like no one else.

Okinawa de Suki ni Natta Ko ga Hougen Sugite Tsura Sugiru has misplaced passion around here somewhere…: Probably the most to-my-tastes comedy this season, this thinly veiled advertisement for Okinawan quirkiness turned out really good. The only issue is the mismatched couple- the taller sister is a much more compelling love interest than the chibi, but that doesn’t detract from the show. Above average animation, direction, at least one great gag each episode I watched plants this firmly in the ‘recommend’ category.


The ‘circle back around to it’ boomerang goes to Kono Kaisha ni Suki na Hito ga Imasu: I literally forgot I was watching this office place romance, but I think I enjoyed it, so maybe I’ll hit it up again sometime.


Grisaia :Phantom Trigger gets some ruined paint from so much edge scraping against itself: On the one hand, I got exactly what I was hoping for in this show. On the other, what I wanted was pretty stupid and vapid. The most 2010’s thing I think I’ve experienced since that actual decade, my excitement for Grisaia Phantom Trigger is empirical proof I was dumber and had worse taste ten years ago. All style, no substance… and the style is pretty bad, too. Another modern day ‘assassin orphans’ story adapted from a visual novel series; possibly the only medium with stiffer animation than this show. Grisaia captures the nonchalant ‘killing trained soldiers in our school uniforms while cracking one liners about humans (war, I guess?) being ugly and bad’ vibe that would fit right in at “r/iam14andthisisdeep”. I haven’t seen a show this pretentious since the studio Shaft heydays (which were squarely in the 2010’s, and that was a deliberate style). Seriously, I didn’t know teenage nihilism could get so thick it comes full circle and gets funny again, but if every character with more than two speaking lines is gonna get in a jab about how screwed the world is if these are the battles being fought by teenagers, darn it if I’m not gonna crack a smile at the watch-like regularity of clumsy, wannabe Marvel movie quips peppering Grasia. That’s not even accounting for the travesty these action scenes are; suffice to say John Wick’s Hatsune Miku body pillows could pull off superior choreography; but what seals these fights in the immortal pantheon of cringe is Grasia’s strange ethos of gun combat being both deadly and gritty, yet not to specific school girls. It’s like having your cake and taking a dump in it, too. The story flounders in the second half and the main baddie even dies from a random gut shot from off screen, possibly as some sort of edgy subversion, but by the end, I was filled with appreciation… for good anime on a whole new level. Don’t waste your time.


Kuroiwa Medaka ni Watashi no Kawaii ga Tsuujinai gets a Lipton baggie: I’d say this was an even trade. While the anime makes more than a few compromises in artwork, the voice acting lends a decent punch and emotional resonance (cuteness, I daresay) that make the few episodes I watched not feel like wasted time. It captured the (paper thin) moe essence of the manga pretty well, all told. Sappy and sweet, like a good addition to a glass of tea.


Hana wa Saku, Shura no Gotoku was caught rummaging through Zenchu’s tacklebox for even more Yuri bait: A strong front runner this season with some great linework and a pithy dive into reading as a competitive activity, sadly my interest waned as we were given episodes of small main story progression that seemed to entirely more on the supporting cast seemingly in proportion to how viable they could be shipped with the main girl was, not on their contribution to the story or her growth. There’s probably a good show here, in spite of my apathy.


The bald skin cap is presented to Akuyaku Reijou Tensei Ojisan for being better than it had any obligation to be: A fun diversion for the few episodes I gave it, Tensei is a well made product that knows what it wants to be and executes basically flawlessly. Just like a certain bureaucrat.


Sakamoto Days gets a hard time by all the neckbeards but a passing nod from me: I like the series pretty swell on paper form, but the adaptation faces a similar tone issue that Hitman Reborn did back in the day. What started as a gag manga gradually morphed into a serious battle manga and made the second half almost chasmically divorced from the front half, but Sakamoto handles this much better (and earlier). Sadly, the “a” plot is just starting as this presumably first season ends, so I don’t expect it to make many waves as of yet, but don’t write off Sakamoto. Once it has another ~15 or so episodes under its belt, it could easily trade blows with some of the shounen greats, even if the animation lacks flair.


Shangri-la Frontier gets the runway strut. I respect the swagger to just up and end a season smack dab in the middle of an arc. It shows confidence that isn’t misplaced, since this has already garnered 2 2-cour seasons. The story continues to ebb and flow between faffing about, some hype-ish battles, and arbitrary lore. The arc it just entered though is much more interesting than the last couple, has me wanting more, while the actual shangri la questing is as glacial as ever. That said, I’m in no hurry to dive back in.


Dr. Stone s3(pt1), 100 Girlfriends season 2, and Amagami-san Chi no Enmusubi were fine shows, I’m sure, but the manga’s were good enough for me and I didn’t feel compelled to experience the stories again. Worth mentioning, because I did watch the animes for Kuroiwa Medaka and Sakamoto Days despite reading them already- and they have arguably weaker stories. That leads me to believe the adaptation itself plays a big part in my desire to watch already treaded upon ground.


Less got watched this season, and there was even less to discuss, but I’m always hoping to catch the next great show, so the grind goes on!

[Death BOO Z]

Another one down, boys… Winter 2025

1. Medalist: What can I say, I’m an absolute sucker for shounen(ish) sports dramas and Medalist delivered the goods. Turns out competitive ice skating has the same career trajectory of a Nike shoe factory worker; after age 10 your prospects start to go waaaay down. But that doesn’t stop our spunky duo of a has-been coach and a never-was shoujou pulling out all the stops and my heart strings to marry sports dedication and growth with some genuine moe without ever feeling exploitative. The stage is quickly set with rivals introduced and professional goalpathing, adhering to a rough template I’ve still not grown tired of and topped off with some pretty good looking CG skate routines (though some shots still look slightly ‘off’). This is the complete package (aside from the story being literally incomplete) and I can’t recommend it enough if you’d like to see the opposite extreme to Blue Lock’s endless testosterone.

I've read the manga following your recommendation, and damn, it's good.