Some Quick First Impressions: Nekopara, The Case Files of Jeweler Richard and Hatena Illusion

Nekopara

Short Synopsis: A litter of catgirls work at a patisserie.

Wooper’s review:

This show is wall to wall catgirls. They meow, bat at things with their hands, and wear maid uniforms at their waitressing job. In the episode’s best sequence, one of them leaps across rooftops and walks atop thin stone walls, the way actual cats are often seen traveling in anime. That scene is the only inspired moment in the whole premiere, though – most of it is an appeal to fetishism. More attention is given to the girls’ tits than their ears or tails, which seems like a missed opportunity. Nekopara delivers yuri bait, mild cameltoe, a character who nearly pees herself waiting for the bathroom, and a master-servant relationship between the patisserie owner and his cats. The squeaky voice work provided by most of the cast seems tailor-made for otaku who like their 2D girls young and dumb. I felt dirty just typing that sentence, but that’s what Nekopara is: a quick and dirty adaptation of a visual novel for catgirl enthusiasts. If that’s you, congratulations and bon appetit.

Potential: Pawsitively terrible

Mario’s review:

Nekopara is so niche that right at the first ten seconds I know for sure that it’s just not for me. The concept is entirely “cute girls as cat maids” and in case you were wondering what the plot is like with that concept, yeah there’s no trace of plot whatsoever. We see a bunch of neko girls who are as smart as 6 yo kids, and do you find that “Master” a bit creepy, knowing that he has/owns half a dozen cute girls under his magic charm? I suppose if you find any of the cat girls remotely attractive then this show is working, as I don’t see any other reason for its existence.

Potential: grrrrrrrrrrr

 

The Case Files of Jeweler Richard

Short Synopsis: A far too appropriately named college student sets out to return stolen property, and acquires a part-time job.

Amun’s review:

One of the interesting evolutions that watching a decade of anime has revealed is the emerging trend to turn expected situations on their heads.  We’ve seen so many scenarios played out, season after season, that eventually the “meta” of anime should evolve and give us something new.  Case Files of Jeweler Richard does just that, subtly subverting expectations in a charming, fresh way.  While this very well may just be another “specialized” anime (we’ve now seen everything from pro wrestling to jetskis), there should be enough staff firepower to make this special – the first episode showcased that.  I think this will be a quiet, episodic show, that the viewer can enjoy alongside the main duo’s working relationship and gem of the week. If that sounds good to you or you’re looking for the season’s chillout filler (like Flying Witch was a while back) – this is the show for you.  Also gems! Learn about gems!

Potential: 75%

Mario’s review:

This was actually a pretty decent premiere. Unlike what I initially expected, the case of this first week is not as much of a mystery, or about the technical side of the jewelry itself, but more about people drama and how the fates of many people intewine through that jewelry and if you ask me, I find that to be a damn good approach. In this case, it’s about two women who share the same hardships and that they have to fight to survive on their own. Each of the women’s story then ties up very well with the meaning behind that sapphire: justice for the weak. Add to that, this first episode more than does it job in fleshing out our main duo, making each of them distinct, while at the same time develop their chemistry naturally. Not all elements work out well, though. The bit about the old creeper crossing the street is a tad bit lousy, which stand out badly since the show is quite adept in nailing little moments (my favorites involve Seigi talks to his Mom). All in all, Jeweler Richard is a real sleeper hit for me. 

Potential: 65%

 

Hatena Illusion

Short Synopsis: A live-in apprentice magician breaks a priceless artifact, and must become his host family’s butler.

Mario’s review:

With all due respect to the late Tomohiro Matsu, Hatena Illusion’s first strike is pretty shitty. Right off the bat, the titular character is a dealbreaker for me. I mean, how dumb are you that you can’t tell a boy from a girl at your age? And why do you freak out because of that? We have a typical bathroom scene, where she shouts “baka…hentai” and acts all shy… She’s a terrible character in all accounts. The rest of them fare a tad bit better, as no-face kun acts like thousands other anime male protags, and the servants in that house literally turn a guest into their underlings. I sense a low-key child abuse here but hey, at least it’s not that grating. The true plot brings no investment to me whatsoever, and with this kind of terrible writing, I don’t hold much hope for it.

Potential: I don’t care

Wooper’s review:

Hatena Illusion is a story about a guy who wants to become a magician, but becomes a butler instead, and he has a tsundere friend who thought he was a girl when they were children, etc. The story was lousy. What I actually want to talk about is anime’s recent failure in the anti-aliasing department, which isn’t exclusive to throwaway shows like this one. Even blockbuster series like last year’s Vinland Saga have had issues with saw-tooth linework. I don’t know what the issue is here – are the animators’ drawings being scanned at the wrong resolutions relative to the finished product? Here’s an example of what I’m talking about – this image comes from Hatena Illusion. The animator might as well have used MS Paint’s oval tool to draw those plates. Look more carefully at the image, and you’ll see that the same aliasing problem extends to the maid’s hands and outfit, as well. And in case you think it’s simply a result of the 720 to 1080p upscaling process, here’s the same shot in 720p. This issue cropped up all throughout the episode, including full-body shots of key characters, not just when dinnerware was on screen. Are there any experts reading this who can explain why some anime suffer from this problem more than others? I’m afraid that my future viewings of modern anime will turn into 20-minute “spot the jaggies” sessions at this rate.

Potential: Whatever