Fall 2023 Impressions: S-Rank Musume, Frieren, A Girl & Her Guard Dog

My Daughter Left the Nest and Returned an S-Rank Adventurer

Short Synopsis: An S-Rank adventurer wants nothing more than to visit home and see her father, but work keeps popping up and people keep needing saving. Just how hard is it for a hero to get a break?

This one was actually kinda cute. No world-destroying demons, no overpowered bland-faced protagonists, no isekai bullshit. Just a young girl trying to visit home despite all the work that keeps popping up. Despite its high-fantasy nature, it’s actually pretty relevant to real life. That desire to see and be with family and the inability to do so because of adult responsibilities. Split that core emotion into 2 separate stories, Ange’s young working life and Bel’s country nostalgic musing, and you have a solid little fantasy family show. My only gripe is that the production seems to be rather weak. The action is dull, the movements stiff. It’s really carried by the character’s emotions and desire to see each other again. And even that I doubt S-Rank will be able to keep up for its entire run time. It’s going to have to transition into something else sooner or later. I can only hope it has that same familial core to whatever high fantasy adventure it drags this father/daughter pair into.
Potential: 50%

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

Short Synopsis: The adventure is over, the heroes return home, time passes and friends age. All except for Frieren, the elven mage destined to long outlive her companions, who must now face how little she truly valued the time she spent with them.

So right off the bat Frieren is cheating a bit by releasing effectively 4 episodes at once for its premier. Luckily that doesn’t matter though, because these aren’t 4 “basic” episodes. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if each one of these 4 were, individually, better than any other premier I watch in the coming days. Everything about it is just so… good. The art style and animation is gorgeous, having just the right amount of detail and personality to draw you in without being so complex no one is allowed to move. The pacing is patient and methodical, giving scenes room to breathe, Frieren isn’t in a rush to go anywhere. And the stories? God I cannot believe how well Freiren captured Frieren’s elven indifference, how little time means to her and how easily she can be sidetracked because of it, as well as the consequences such an attitude has on her relationships with others. I love the dichotomy of how short that 10 year adventure was, but how much it meant. How all these random spells she learns end up meaning something special to her, from spawning flowers her leader loves or turning grapes sour since her friend enjoys them to a demon’s magic being outpaced by the passage of time. You can see how much they mean to her, despite her outward indifference, and how important the idea of Time is to the story. Simply put, it’s really really solid, and I wasn’t expecting that. I’m a little concerned about this journey to the north, but the fact that it’s retreading the same adventure she took over 80 years ago means it’ll probably still be very emotional. I hope so at least, because Frieren has set some high expectations with this premier.
Potential: 95%

A Girl & Her Guard Dog

Short Synopsis: A young girl is raised by her Yakuza grandfather and one of his men. Now she’s grown up and attending highschool, only to find that the same Yakuza is attending as well to keep her safe and away from boys!

A friend of mine wrote something about Guard Dog that I can’t help but agree with: “If this was a feel good Slice of Life I would love it, but since I know it’s a romance that just makes it weird”. While Slice of Life isn’t my genre, Guard Dog would definitely be better served as one. Make it a feel good show about a shy girl trying to make normal friends in a normal school while her overprotective Yakuza guardian scares them all away, eventually realizing his little girl is growing up and doesn’t need him anymore. Instead what we get is some weird sort of age-gap grooming romance where the guy is twice her age, has raised her since she was a child, and actively prevents her from mingling with her peers. It’s all just so weird and the knowledge this is a romance tints every interaction they have, every scene they are in. Maybe some will be able to look past the whole “This guy has raised her since grade school” and just see the admittedly cute/moe interactions the two have. Add in a decent art style, I do actually like the line work and designs, and I’d understand why someone would enjoy it. Personally though? I can’t get into a groomer romance.
Potential: 5%

6 thoughts on “Fall 2023 Impressions: S-Rank Musume, Frieren, A Girl & Her Guard Dog

  1. Been following your lead for a few years now on what’s good, and man, I’m loving Frieren. Like soothing herbal tea. Thanks, lenlo! (And thanks for the excuse to go back and re-watch The Big O!)

    1. Excited to hear it, and glad to have such a loyal reader! It’s small comments like these that honestly keep me doing this. I write as a hobby and I could that in a lot of ways, but knowing people actually read these makes this one particularly special.

      Now if you’ll excuse me, I have like 20 shows to prep starting tomorrow haha.

      1. At this point, this site has basically become your personal blog: you’re keeping it going all on your own! It’s a shame that Mario, Wooper, and all the rest have disappeared, but your frequent posts are still very much appreciated: the previews and first impressions in particular continue to be very useful. So keep up the good work. 🙂

        By the way, why are you concerned about Frieren’s journey to the north? I’m a manga reader, so I don’t exactly have a neutral perspective, but in my eyes the journey seems to fit the themes of the story very well (as you acknowledge). For me, the biggest weakness of the premiere was actually the soundtrack: it’s not bad, just very unremarkable, and a more memorable soundtrack could have raised the series another level.

        1. I appreciate it, and yeah it’s basically become mine haha. I ain’t lettin it die though.

          As for my concerns with the journey north, I’m primarily concerned that it will become more of a standard “adventure” narrative, if that makes sense. That on their journey Frieren will move away from this poignant and thought provoking look into the passage of time and just become her… adventuring north again. It’s not a huge concern, like I said in the post its the same road she walked 80 years ago so I’m certain it’ll come back around to her original adventuring party. But the niggling doubt is there and I had to give voice to it.

          1. Oh, I see what you mean! Thanks for explaining. As a manga reader, though, I don’t think you need to worry too much. There certainly is quite a bit of more traditional adventuring content later on – giving Frieren and her party members (like Fern) some time to shine / show what they’re capable of – but the introspective flavor remains present throughout, and there’s plenty of time for quiet moments too. Compared to the opening chapters, it’s true that the story becomes a little less … contemplative later on (or at least, less often), but overall, I think the series has found a pretty good balance between action and reminiscing the past (what it means to Frieren, and how it has made her who she is).

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