Some Quick First Impressions: Re:Creators, KABUKIBU! and Eromanga Sensei

Re:Creators

Short Synopsis: Anime characters from various shows are brought into the real world.

Now this is a concept I can get behind. I am reminded of Last Action Hero which did a similar thing of taking a cliche action hero and transporting him to the real world. Where in he comes to terms with his own existence as well as developing past his generic traits now that he was in a world that doesn’t embrace cliche. I am hoping for something similar here as while the action certainly pays off, the characters are still in their generic trope state. The after credits sequence does give me hope as seeing these characters work in a real setting is really fun. This is undeniably a very strong first episode but I still hold reservations until the main plot is made clear. Is is not exactly certain if we are getting a anime genre battle royale or something completely different. I think the premise is golden but let’s see if they can take full advantage of it.

Potential: 80%

Mario: Re:Creators is something that we see too often but still manages to give a different spin on its inspiration. It’s a reverse-isekai harem fantasy show that instead of the characters were sucked into another world, it those weird characters from another world that are sucked into this world. There’s a whole fight in the middle of nowhere but it somehow doesn’t distract much. I like the way the main girl is really quick to adapt with the new situations; and although the show does aware too much of its trope and its anime’s origin for my taste (the main girls are from popular anime and LN in the show), everything feels fresh at the moment. I’m glad that the show doesn’t go heavily on meta-commentary of the genres, and while it could go wrong at any moments, this first episode surprisingly hold everything together nicely. It’s still a big question though as in the next 24 episodes the show could go horribly wrong direction, because which the subject as tricky and broad such as this, they tend to go off track very easily. This might be appeal most for otaku-fan (and I never consider myself as one) but still, I pretty much applause for its ambitions, and if this first episode is any indication, we might have a hit series right in front of us here.

Potential: 80%

 

KABUKIBU!

Short Synopsis: A boy wants to set up a Kabuki club in his school.

Unlike Rakugo, Kabuki was something I seen a number of times while watching anime however I never truly got the appeal of it. It always felt like some really weird level of performance art and I always found it off putting with the strange pronunciation actors put on while saying lines. Learning about it in this show is somewhat interesting but other than the subject matter of the club this show follows pretty much the same formula as all other anime about start up clubs. One enthusiastic member scouts out others, each with their own obstacles which prevent them joining the club. All culminating in when they finally join the club, train up and put on a show. While Rakugo took the effort to display Rakugo in its natural setting, Kabukibu shoves its subject into a tried and true formula in order to make it more marketable. The big problem in this regard is that it’s highly unlikely that there would be a group of youths in close proximity that would have any interest in Kabuki. It’s like trying to set up a classic Shakespeare play group in high school. Overall this show is fine if a bit too safe. Though after seeing the lengths Rakugo went to portray the art, Kabukibu doesn’t feel like it’s trying.

Potential: 20%

Mario: This one actually caught me off-guard on how enjoyable it is. For the niche Japanese art such as Kabuki, the show really goes all out on the blind love of the main and what make the art unique and how others hesitant to join it. Unlike Rakugo anime where the story decided to go much more mature direction, Kabukibu plays it safe and with more mainstream appeal. Right at this first episode, the show already brings up the main casts and each of them have their own strengths and their own issues of not joining the club. It’d be fun to see how each of them decide to join the club and what come next might be predictable, but I have fun watching it so far. It helps that the main guy isn’t overly annoying, and the kabuki so far is what draws me the most. An enjoyable watch but aside from Kabuki, the show doesn’t differentiate itself to most of “Club activities” anime out there. Watch it if you don’t mind its genre’s trapping or if Kabuki appeals to you.

Potential: 30%

 

Eromanga Sensei

Short Synopsis: A light novel author teenager finds out his sister is his novels illustrator.

It’s Oreimo again. That pretty much sums up this story right there. Though it looks like the authors being more upfront about going for the incest route by making the siblings not blood related. Parents are dead too so that’s all the barriers out of the way isn’t it author? Don’t expect any insight into the creation of light novels because there simply isn’t any. I am frankly disgusted with the idea that this guy can just pump out novels in a week like it’s nothing. So his bratty little sister shuts herself in her room while forcing her brother to cook her meals every day. Then she’s revealed to have a job as an illustrator and wait… this girl was locked up in her room for a year while her brother worked his ass off to pay for living expenses. And yet she has a job and looks like she hasn’t put money to carry her weight at all. Judging by the game consoles and massive amount of gadgets and dvds I am guessing she’s got a hefty amount of bank. Brother…you went about this the wrong way. First thing you should have did about finding out about your sister’s job is demand a year’s worth of living expenses. Listen you little brat, it’s bad enough that you are forcefully being a burden to your brother. It’s bad enough that you are getting all pissed at him and unreasonable because he can’t read your mind and realize that you want to jump into bed to reenact Aki Sora. But the fact you have a job and money, yet continue to smooch off your brother is not goddamn on. You even got onto your brother for not making you meals during the summer when he was working his ass off to write a novel so you wouldn’t be thrown out of the goddamn house. Where do you get the balls? You are just like that Umaru chick and…oh goddamn it, she’s getting a second season isn’t she? I bratty redeemable little sisters the new thing now?

Potential: 0%

Mario: Gosh, I have a feeling that the author of this LN material is in the same age of the main protagonist (who also is a LN author), because the level of maturity in this show is like those of 15-year-old mindset. Everything has to revolve around the guy: him being the LN author at young age, who release works as fast as eating noodle, the manager really looks up to him, the up-and-coming illustrator happened to be his younger sister and for the next episode the girl next door is his main competitor. And what sort of logic is that his little sister never allows him to enter her room, but upon hearing him a writer, she asks him to come in? This is a very unrealistic depiction of sibling relationship, it’s a cheap product and the plot also functions like a wish-fulfillment wet dream from the author, which make me question why we need to give a damn about someone else’s wet dream? Next.

Potential: 0%