Dr. STONE New World
Short Synopsis: The Kingdom of Science is off to find the source of petrification with plenty of SCIENCE!
Lenlo: It’s baaaaack! God I love Dr. STONE. In one episode it managed to recap how we got here, establish Ryusui’s character for those who hadn’t seen the OVA, show him the hardships of this world and what they are really working towards, and scatter a few absolutely beautiful “Humanity Fuck Yeah” science moments around to boot. Whether it be seashells and wheat, the limitations of fishing as a food source, or just breathtaking views from a hot air balloon. Is it the most beautiful show of the season? No, production was never Dr. STONE’s strong suit. But it’s definitely the most battle tested, consistent show of the season for me. It’s all one giant science-based super-powered game of Civilization and I love it. Dr. STONE would have to screw up really hard for me to not enjoy this season.
Potential: 95%
Amun: Okay, full disclaimer, I haven’t watched this entire episode, because I didn’t realize there was a 1hr special that introduces what seems to be a major character for the season. However, it also didn’t seem like the technological plot had advanced much since the last season, so I’m a bit confused? At any rate, it seems like we’re taking our motley science crew to a new world (hence the name) and meeting other descendants. Will we get closer to the mystery of petrification? No idea. Will we have a ton of random science gadgets along the way? You better believe it. Dr. Stone is beyond far-fetched, but it’s still great fun, and I’ll hopefully be enjoying it all season long. Just have to find that OVA first.
Potential: 90%
KamiKatsu: Working for God in a Godless World
Short Synopsis: The unfortunate son of a cult leader dies and is reborn in a village populated by future human sacrifices.
Wooper: A lot of anime in this subgenre have no reason to exist, but KamiKatsu’s anime adaptation is a notch above “absolutely pointless.” For one thing, its emphasis on comedy breaks up the sea of RPG simulators and revenge fantasies you tend to get from these sorts of shows. The way that the protagonist dies is meant to be funny: his cult leader dad traps him in a barrel and throws him into the sea, all so he can prove himself worthy of becoming the new leader. The way he regains consciousness is meant to be funny: the female lead gives him an unwitting handjob as a means of (a)rousing him, then he meets several of the townspeople in a clear parody of visual novel intro sequences. The show’s presentation is meant to be funny: exaggerated reaction shots and cuts to pixelated sprites prove that the reincarnated hero’s life is more than just leveling up and acquiring harem-ettes. Of course, just because an anime is “meant to be funny” doesn’t mean it’s going to land with every single viewer. Case in point: I found this episode to be intolerably stupid, and that was before it dove into the plot about human sacrifices or introduced the naked loli goddess character. KamiKatsu may have a reason to exist, but after those last two reveals, I’ve got no reason to watch it.
Potential: 0%
Amun: Oof, that CGI monster was not good. The adaptation of the first part of the manga was done…not great. I was hoping that the anime would provide a bit of stability to the rather loose plot control, but that’s not the case. One of the complaints I had with the manga was the breakneck speed of character introduction, and the anime adaptation of KamiKatsu really hasn’t fixed that or the pacing issues. I can’t fault the director for this, since the source material is all over the place, but I really hate to see the negatives magnified without the positives (the manga’s action looked pretty decent). The plot’s stability just goes downhill from here, and I’m just not really excited to see this mess play out in 24 fps. I think there’s a world where this gets an adaptation that elevates it beyond mediocrity, but this incarnation of KamiKatsu is not it. I’m out.
Potential: 0%
The Ancient Magus’ Bride Season 2
Short Synopsis: After nearly getting herself killed last season, Chise decides to… go to school!!
Lenlo: If I’m being honest, I remembered very little of Season 1. I had the basics, I remembered the characters, but a lot of the details eluded me. After watching a recap, and then the episode, I have come to the following conclusion: Why in God’s name are we going to school? Who thought a Harry Potter arc in a fantastical series about magic and learning at the hands of a powerful Fae needed a school? To be fair, Magus’ Bride could make this work. The potential is there with Ainsworth attending so long as it really dials in their otherness in this community. It certainly nailed that feeling of looming dread that I was hoping for from a school that’s predisposed against them. I’m just personally predisposed against school settings in anime at this point. Still, visually it looks nice enough and the music wasn’t bad. I’ll give it a shot and see if it can’t improve upon the previous season.
Potential: 50%
Mario: Like Lenlo, the school setting caught me off-guard. For once, you don’t associate Mahoutsukai no Yome’s fantasy theme with school settings at all, let alone this is in the middle of an on-going story. But this change isn’t an unwelcome one. Chise gives perfect reasons why she wanted to study in the episode. It is not only to advance her own skills, but also to change her mindset permanently: she doesn’t understand why everybody keeps saying she does reckless things, given it’s the only way she knows how. Moreover, this serves as a perfect opportunity for the show to expand its magic roots. The most significant change isn’t in the school settings, however. It’s Elias’s softer treatment of Chise that has others taking notice. I pretty much prefer this new status quo than what we had in the past, and it already looks like Chise will meet all sorts of colorful characters there. It has been awhile but it proves to be worth it.
Potential: 50%
Amun: Random Amun interjection here – I absolutely adored the start of Ancient Magus’ Bride, only to be very disappointed in the second half drop off. Season 2 is looking back on track (for a show so entrenched in Celtic and Anglo mythology, the school setting is on point) – this looks fantastic. 90% potential from me.
