State of the Season – Summer 2020

Armitage: With the entire world slowly returning to order after being kicked in the shin and knocked around in 19 ways, it’s only fitting that we check-in to see that everyone is getting back to their normal lives. Now, since this is an anime blog, our normal is basically watching a crap-ton of anime every season! And even though this summer we got far fewer shows than ever, the dark horses delivered, the sleepers packed a punch and the heavy hitter(s) really knocked the living hell out of a recently married high-school girl wielding a wooden sword. cough cough

But of course, since we’re all different people, we’re bound to have different tastes! Did we too like that one show you feel guilty about watching every week or are most of us not fans of your favorite anime this season?

Read on to find out!

What show are you enjoying that you’re not reviewing?

Wooper: Though I give Houkago Teibou Nisshi shoutouts in our weekly summary posts, it isn’t getting the full blogging treatment, so it gets my vote. If you like cute girls, fishing, relaxing ambiance, or reaction faces, this show may be for you. If you like at least three of those four, this show is definitely for you. It’s one of the better high school club shows I’ve seen recently, and though it won’t go down as many viewers’ favorite anime of the year, it’ll make your Tuesdays a bit happier each week.

Amun: I’d normally say Re:Zero, but since it’s a given that most anime fans are watching that this season – Misfit of Demon King School. It’s so bad. It’s so bad that I’m not even sure I have the name right. But if you enjoyed the sage of technological One True Tatsuya a few seasons back – this kind of (over) power fantasy is right up your alley.

Lenlo: Fujiko Mine, Deca-Dence and Great Pretender.

Armitage: Re:Zero is back and great as ever! So, obviously I have to watch it because you can never have too much death and suffering in life. I am also watching God of Highschool week in, week out. It’s amazing how relaxing this show is for me. I just have to turn off my brain and just like that, half an hour has passed. Take that, lockdowns.

Mario: Deca-Dence and Great Pretender. Since we’re going to talk in detail about the former at the end of this post, I want to give a special mention to Great Pretender. It’s a show that if you think too deeply about some plot twist or plot development then all the pieces can fall apart (like the explosion that kills no one in the first case, yeah!), but its main appeal lies in how entertaining it is. From the fun and smart stories to the bouncing off between the cast to the drop dead gorgeous visual designs, it knows and embodies the “cool” factor. It also gives our cast some outstanding character development; Cynthia’s fierce bids in that auction wouldn’t be that rewarding without knowing her backstory and how she became who she is now. In other words, Great Pretender is cool as fuck.

Unpopular Opinion

Lenlo: Not much, most of my opinions this season are pretty normal. Uh… God of Highschool sucks? Its OP is trash? Fire Force S2 is so far an improvement on S1? Oh oh, SAO is still trash! Yeah that’s really all I got.

Armitage: I don’t even know if there are enough shows to have an opinion on this season, let alone unpopular ones. But yes, I checked out that Demon King show and it’s… fun? Maybe I’ve just turned into Isekai trash without even realizing it.

Mario: I’m just half way done with Japan Sinks (as appropriate with this Mid-season post) and I still find it engaging and still has its merits. Maybe I was expecting a dumpster fire and it was better than expected? Talking about going in with a certain mindset. OR I am current with Re:Zero 2 and I still ain’t feeling it.

Amun: For me, I’d say that Deca-Dence is overrated. The plot is certainly “dense” to put it politely – the visuals are okay, but disjointed in my opinion. Fights look great…only to come back to a weird cartoon machine corporation. I see a show well animated but too over-ambitious for its own good. (And heck yeah, Armi – join the trash army! We have OP hikikomori!)

Wooper: I found a lot of entertainment value in Japan Sinks. The show’s muddled themes and visual sloppiness were certainly bad, but viewed as a comedy, it’s a highly watchable series. “Wheelchair 360 noscope grandpa” and “ceiling falls on formerly mute boy” are funnier than anything Kaguya-sama or Hamefura put on screen this year. Even the characters’ nonsensical decisions and inconsistent emotional arcs had me laughing after a certain point. Just gotta go in with the proper mindset.

Midseason Masterpiece

Mario: OreGairu 3, of course. It builds its arc up from 2 seasons so it’s kinda unfair to compare it to other “new” shows, but when it’s on a roll it still brings out emotions like none other. I keep hearing about its bad “ending” but I trust the anime to make it satisfying for me.

Lenlo: Deca-Dence. At this point I am all in on whatever Westworld style hijinks we are about to get. It could easily crash and burn in the 2nd half just like Franxx did, but for now I am loving it.

Amun: Re:Zero S2 to me is the clear winner of the season. Yes it was incredibly hyped. Yes it has sky high expectations. But – wow – it’s delivering in spades. Bringing out probably the best episode of an already storied franchise, Re:Zero Season 2 is looking to be my anime of the year if this keeps up.

Armitage: While I am tempted to pick Re:Zero, I do believe that this first half of S2 is mainly setup for the second cour when all hell is expected to break loose. So, for now it takes my #2 spot for AOTS. As for the first choice, it can be none other than Deca-Dence. I know the characters aren’t the strongest aspect of this show but it more than makes up for that in world-building and sheer ambition. And all of it is topped off with insane production values which has made its weekly entries an absolute joy to watch and write about.

Wooper: Great Pretender. The vibrant visual design, jazzy soundtrack, and fun banter feel effortless at this point. The way it designs its sting operations isn’t exactly airtight, so fridge logic can poke holes in the story, but that just means its report card is all ‘A’s and one ‘C.’ Can’t wait for the last two arcs to drop!

Best Girl/Guy/Anything Else

Wooper: I’m a huge fan of Sadamoto’s character designs for Great Pretender, so I’ll go with Cynthia. Her path from struggling actress to world-class con artist makes her a bit of a puzzle box, so the private moments when she stops pretending are worth anticipating. (I was going to cheat and include a screencap of both Cynthia and Abby, but picking the two best girls of the season would have been unfair to the other writers.)

Lenlo: Look I have a lot of problems with Oregairu S3, but Iroha is not one of them. She always was and always will be Best Girl and no small part of that is her VA Ayane Sakura whispering sensually in my ear to “take responsibility”. I guess Cynthia from Great Pretender can take 2nd place while Echidona from Re:Zero gets 3rd.

Amun: While I respect Lenlo’s pick of Iroha (and she is, without doubt, the best underclassman ever), I have to give the nod to Echidona. Just that smirk, that power, that confidence, those eyebrows….I mean, even the school outfit was praised by Subaru (who is a man of good taste). #TeamREALWitchesArentBitches

Armitage: I have a thing for badass monster-fighting girls, alright?

Mario: My love for all OreGairu girls is equal (or maybe not – I have a soft spot for manipulated underclassman), but since Iroha was already picked, I will give the spotlight to the best imouto character in the history of (LN adaptation) anime.

What show did you drop?

Armitage: Rental Kanojo. Because to hell with that MC!!

Amun: Peter Grill is dumped trash. As is Dokyuu Hentai. As is Rental Girlfriend. I guess maybe I’m having a highbrow season? (Misfit of Demon King Academy is keeping me honest though). Oh yeah, Gibiate, forgot about that one.

Wooper: I’m only watching four shows weekly, and so far I’m keeping up with all of them. Deca-Dence’s thin characterization is testing my patience, but I’m staying current with it because this summer has so little to offer elsewhere.

Mario: Gibiate. It’s become a lesser version of Drifters now. Also, OP characters chopping up dozens of monsters in one strike is no fun.

Lenlo: None yet, though Episode 4 of God of Highschool got me close.

Guilty Pleasure of the Season

Amun: I mentioned Misfit of Demon Academy earlier, but I’ll also include Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai! (Maybe someone who knows more Japanese than I can correct me here, but I feel like the title implies pain along with the playing. If so, that’s right clever) I know, I know, if the genders were reversed this would be a single episode, ending in a courtroom/jail. But it’s not, and it’s entertaining – mainly for the side characters. Uzaki’s high energy translates well with the comedy and if you can overlook her lack of empathy for our poortaganist, this show is palatable.

Mario: Peter Grill!! I watched it until the third episode and while I know it’s bottom of the barrel in terms of edutainment offerings (hehe), why did I keep downloading it?

Lenlo: Oregairu S3. I know what it’s going to do, I know how this series ends. But I also know it’s only going to be the last 3 or so episodes that fall apart and suck. So in the meantime I am just gonna enjoy Ayane Sakura whispering sensually in my ear about “responsibility”. Oh and Fire Force S2 has been a marked improvement over S1, as much as it pains me to say it.

Armitage: I’m not following a lot of shows this season but do feel like God of Highschool is something that’s little more than junk food. And no matter how tasty it might be, something like that always makes you feel guilty.

Wooper: My shameful shounen indulgence of 2020 remains Fire Force, mostly for its occasional moments of visual splendor. The stark black and white Adolla scenes (and the metaphysical properties thereof) provide some intrigue on top of that, but it’s been a little snoozy this season without a truckload of new characters to throw at the audience.

Song of the Season

Lenlo: There are two main options for me right now. As much as I hate the show, the Japan Sinks OP “a life” is just a joy to listen to. It’s hauntingly beautiful and encompasses all the best parts of the show that the show never actually gave us. Paired with the animation it’s one of my favorites. On the other end we have the Fugou Keiji ED (linked below) which is just a bop and easily one of my favorite EDs of the year. I could, and have, listened to this thing on repeat.

Mario: Nothing can beat the double-offerings of Great Pretender.

Wooper: Impeccable taste, Mario. Since you included the OP, I’ll cover the ED (with bonus alternate footage!).

Amun: The OP of God of High School is the winner for me. EDM has infected mainstream music in the US, Europe, and Asia – now seeping into anime! I just love that drop – so often J-Pop does nice build ups but then flubs it. “Contradiction” is a proper banger (linked below).

Armitage: Is feeling a little down on the day
“I’LL BE YOUR CONTRADICTION!!”
Bass kicks in
Woo-hoo! Let’s goooo!

What was something you watched that wasn’t airing?

Armitage: Oh, this is going to be a long one. As in not a long list, but that I am watching a reaaally long show, namely Gintama. I’m around 40 eps in and it’s starting to get good (I know! What’s the rush, right?). Apart from that, I also watch an episode of Touch a day, while having dinner. It’s comfort food and very heartwarming. There’s honestly no mangaka quite like Adachi Mitsuru.

Lenlo: A fair few actually. Outside the obvious in Throwback Thursday’s Gunslinger Girl and my new pet project The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, I have also been watching Hibike Euphonium and Ashita no Joe S2. I’m taking this slow season to catch up on some older shows that either friends have wanted me to watch, or I have wanted to see.

Wooper: I’ve been watching a lot of sequels to 2000s anime I’ve previously completed: Kaiji S2, Aria the Natural, and Zoku Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei are at the top of the list right now. Also been going through Master Keaton, which is only available online as a blurry VHS rip that’s been copied one too many times. The standalone stories are great, though – I much prefer Naoki Urasawa when he’s not convoluting his own work with endless side plots.

Mario: A bunch. Just finished Servant x Service and enjoyed it a lot. Unlike what the title suggests, this little gem is from the same mangaka of Working!! and I have always enjoyed her brand of humor with an endearing and eccentric set of characters. Also finishing up Non Non Biyori S2 and on my way to rewatching Azumanga Daioh. And if you can’t tell by looking at these titles, yes I have a thing for Cute girls shows.

Amun: (Hey I really like Servant x Service – pretty much most of the shows that are in the same vein as Working!!). All that I’ve watched are the Re:Zero OVAs (which are stellar – they’re on Crunchyroll if you haven’t seen them). Also, I guess there’s a new Strike the Blood OVA (which I thought would be a season? Maybe it got delayed).

 

Let’s talk about Deca-Dence!

Mario: I gotta say, back in the First Impressions post I wasn’t really sold on Deca-Dence. It’s filled with obvious exposition and I always had a feeling that I saw shades of other more famous shows there (Gurren Lagann, Dragon Dentist, Darling in the Franxx just to name a few). And then episode 2 happened, pulling the rug from under our feet while at the same time moving us in a totally new and complex direction. Bravo. From then on, even with its occasional hiccups, Deca-Dence has been a delight. It’s unpredictable for one, and I really find the main chemistry between Kaburagi and Natsume genuinely moving. And that’s important because week after week I have something substantial to root for.

Wooper: The emotional core that Mario found in this show is exactly what’s missing for me. Kaburagi’s multiple declarations that Natsume “saved him” are, in my view, an overreach. He was largely annoyed by her in the first episode, but by the end of the second, he was all aboard the Natsume train. This was based not on her plucky personality or her promise as a fighter, but because her heart stopped as a kid and disabled her tracking chip, thus making her a “bug” in “the system.” I can understand Kaburagi’s distaste for his government’s authoritarian practices – I can even get behind training Natsume because she falls outside of their control. But calling her his savior? The show hasn’t earned that, yet it falls back on their supposed bond at least once per episode. The dual worlds concept keeps things varied, but the characters who populate those worlds are 2D at best.

Lenlo: Yet here I sit as the middle ground between these two. I agree with Wooper that the characters are the weakest part of the series, though I don’t think that bar is particularly low. For me they get the job done and are understandable enough to work with the narrative. They don’t carry it by any means, but neither do they drag it down. Meanwhile the overarching narrative, the West World style antics, are the most interesting thing I am watching this season. I love the mystery that we the audience are in on but the characters are not. Every episode I wonder when or how Natsume is going to figure it out, since we all know she is, and what’s going to happen when she does. It doesn’t hurt that it’s one of the better animated things this season as well. The CGI monsters can be obvious at times I will grant you, but around those monsters is some glorious Attack on Titan style animating and storyboarding.

Amun: For once, I’m the downer here. Deca-Dence is certainly dense…but does that make it good? I think we have probably 2-3 good shows packed into one. We’ve jumped between settings too fast to grow attached – humantown, underground cave, Mt. Everest, even the outside of the Deca Dence was pretty neat. The cast is decent, but honestly, this story is one we’ve seen a thousand times – just repackaged with vibrant colours (old retired warrior trains new disadvantaged protege and fights the system with forbidden technique that risks it all). Maybe something original will come out in the end, but for now – I feel like I’ve seen this script before. Also, I just don’t like the Spacebob Squarepants world. I think the “game” environments and characters are gorgeous – they could have been their own, excellent AoT clone. As is, Deca-Dence will rush through the allotted 12 episodes, half baked. Which is a shame, because this show really does look great about half the time (and the colours are great 100% of the time). Some shows, such as the other season’s In/Spectre, languish from having too little content – Deca Dence has way too much. Still watching it all the way, though.

Armitage: Right. So, guess that leaves me. But to know my views on this glorious mish-mash of a show, you gotta tune in to my weekly episodic posts! Ok. Bye.
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What do you say? At least a TL;DR would be nice? Well now how can I miss a chance to portray my online persona as being nice!? So here ya go: Watching an episode of Deca-Dence is the anime equivalent of playing a game of Russian Roulette, with the added touch that you can’t even see any of the numbers you might land on! It’s clearly a divisive show (as is evident by the blog’s writers’ varied opinions) but there are a few things that all its fans and detractors can agree on. First, the characters are not the show’s strongest part. Second, it’s incredibly well-animated! Third, and most importantly, there is NOTHING as ambitious as this airing in the current season. So, if epic world-building and grand-scale storytelling are something you enjoy in your media, how are you not watching this??