Category: Other:

Ousama Ranking

Short Synopsis: Studio Wit’s The Little Prince.

Armitage: Recently, Studio Wit made public the accounts of their financial struggles that came both as a surprise and a terrible premonition of the future of this animation studio as a whole. Which is a damn shame, really. As for my money, Wit have been the most consistent studio in the industry for quite some years. Lately, they have tried to shed their reputation of just being the AoT studio by branching out into more artistically brave properties like The Great Pretender and Vivy. Still, with their backs pushed against the wall, you’d expect them to maybe return to basics and make something “safe”. But what did they choose to do instead? Make a show like Ousama Ranking.

The kind of show that you simply cannot find in today’s anime landscape. A tribute to the classics that came out of the World Masterpiece Theatre from the 70s – a time when creators used to tell stories through anime just for the love of it all – while having the production qualities only possible with the technological advancements of modern animation. A revelrous marriage of whimsical art with honest storytelling – a picture-book brought to life. A kind of work that’s so authentic and uncommercial that it could be described as nothing but a labour of love. This is hands down my favorite premiere of the year and it would be a tragedy to have a show like this go underseen. If you care even a little about the medium of anime, please don’t let that happen.

Potential: 100%

Lenlo: If I’m being totally honest Ousama Ranking has an uphill battle for me. Visually it’s gorgeous, one of the best (if not the best) shows of the season. I give Wit a lot of crap, deservedly so I think. But the storybook presentation of Ousama Ranking along with the bright colors and fluid movement really is a treat. Narratively however I remain unconvinced. The first half of the episode was a lesson in patience because I found the entire segment between Bojji and Kage to be dull and uninteresting. The only thing that kept me going was the aforementioned visuals. Luckily the second half made up for that by putting everything established in the first to good use. Combine that with mentions of this being a Seinen rather than a children’s story and I’m really interested to see where it goes. Just give me more of Bojji interacting with his family/people and less of being pushed around by Kage and we will be good.

Potential: 70%

Gyakuten Sekai no Denchi Shoujo

Short Synopsis: Guy who doesn’t like wearing specs gets into an UwU robot.

Wooper: I thought I detected a whiff of promise from Gyakuten’s PV back in September, but my nasal passages must have been clogged, because this thing stinks. It’s not completely devoid of appeal, since the concept of a parallel Japan conquering the original could have gone in a variety of interesting directions, but the one we got here was a boring mess. Rather than giving us a multifaceted look at how life in this alternate future had changed, the episode hyper-focused on an unlikeable host who stumbled his way into a mech. The second part of that setup is familiar, at least, but it’s usually a kid you can root for doing the stumbling, not a grouchy fraud who has nothing to do with the overarching story. He links up with a partner inside his VR cockpit and, after spending far too long talking about fighting spirit, they team up to…escape from their opponent? I’m all for misdirection, but when you dedicate something like eight minutes to a drain-circling conversation about doing battle, you need to deliver some sort of payoff. The last-second reveal of his VR partner’s real life form was probably the best part of this premiere, if only for her cute character design. The rest of the episode? Not worth the time it took to get there.

Potential: 10%

Armitage: In the same vein of iconic Mecha shows with meaningless two-word titles when taken out of context (see: Gurren Lagann, Code Geass), we have Rumble Garanndoll. But that’s just about where the similarities between these shows end because this one is just an incomprehensible mess of generic plot devices (some all-powerful thing to be found in a particular city), a generic MC and worse than generic character models which the animation team doesn’t even bother to draw faces on, half the time. I don’t know why the twee mascot character is there but honestly, I don’t care. Same goes for this show as a whole.

Potential: 5%

Deep Insanity: The Lost Child

Short Synopsis: New recruit is tricked into fighting underneath Antarctica by his favorite voice actor.

Mario: Despite its bold title, Deep Insanity isn’t that deep or that insane yet. It has a fun concept: a near future where a mysterious disease claims the lives of many, and where a lost underground world surfaces in Antarctica. Where the show suffers is everything else. Just look at the first 90 seconds before the credits roll where it spills things just for the sake of exposition. Its main character is bland, serving more as the viewer’s POV than an actual character. And the show looks a tad bit too grim and dull for my liking. What this first episode focuses on – apart from giving us first-hand experience of the MC’s job – is its attitude towards the fear of death and, in turn, accepting it. Although the show did undercut its message with a simple “dangerous mission”, it also hinted at other characters’ traumatic pasts and why they fight, creating my favorite moment of the episode. Don’t expect a hit out of this, it belongs more towards the middling “sci-fi / mecha” pack this season (Shikizakura, Kyoukai Senki, Rumble Garanndoll, Tesla Note…). Pick one that you fancy, you don’t need the rest.

Potential: 30%

Amun: The only anime based on a mobile game that I’ve enjoyed is Mysteria Friends (although I was confused the entire season) – Deep Insanity doesn’t seem likely to add to the list. There are some interesting points: I liked the current events tie-in with masks and perpetual understaffed complaints. The introduction of our audience-vehicle certainly could have been worse; his “heroic” antics seemed a bit unlikely, but who knows – survival bias I guess (kill enough newbies and maybe one of them is a genius, sure). The premise is at least trying to be interesting, but I’m with Mario – this seems pretty grim. I’ll probably end up dropping it around the middle of the season, like I did with Scarlet Nexus from a few seasons back.

Potential: 30%

Komi-san wa, Komyushou desu

Short Synopsis: Internet’s collective waifu finally gets her anime.

Armitage: I have not read the Komi manga but I am aware of the literal cult-ish popularity it boasts of. So, I was pretty excited to see what all the hype was about. And now that I have seen this premiere, I can say that I get the appeal, even though I find myself reluctant to jump onboard. Komi-san is a series that seems to be formed out of two basic building blocks: the first is the earnestness with which it treats the character of Komi and her inability to form connections with others due to her timid and socially awkward nature. That part seems great. It works really well. But the part that doesn’t is the comedy. Not only is it the same kind of humor we have come to expect from high school rom-coms in anime but the slapstick nature of it all is also turned up to 11 with the frenetic direction by Ayumu Watanabe, who’s more known for his subtle eye, always looking to heighten the intensity of every punchline and three different camera angles leading up to the climax of every joke. It makes the already uninspired comedy just come off as rather grating and I don’t think this is a series that’ll ever be letting go of its comedic side to focus solely on the gentler moments. Unfortunately, if that’s indeed the case, I can see myself not enjoying it all that much.

Potential: 40%

Wooper: I’m typically a subtitle purist, sometimes waiting weeks for decent fansubs to appear for shows I’m interested in, but I made an exception for Komi-san. I’d heard some rumblings that its adaptation was beautiful-looking, and I figured they might be true given the chief director’s involvement with 2018’s After the Rain, so I wanted to confirm the rumors with my own eyes – and confirm them I did. Nearly everything about this episode, from its exceptional animation to its gentle composition (clearly inspired by KyoAni’s filmic style), blew me back on my ass. Shots of Komi nervously fleeing social situations or a jealous classmate using a compass like a ninja tool were so polished that I had to wonder whether the manga justified this sort of adaptation. I haven’t read it, but so far the anime is pulling off its nerd-magnet premise with aplomb. Most of the jokes landed for me, but Tadano and Komi’s shared anxiety wasn’t played only for laughs – the chalkboard scene in the second half, where they wrote messages to each other to circumvent Komi’s fear of speaking, was far sweeter than I’d expected. The symbolism of the chalk dust falling even transitioned from tears (despair) to snowflakes (renewal) as the scene went on, which was a lovely touch. I’d recommend waiting for official subs, which ought to be out in a week – this is a premiere worth anticipating.

Potential: 80%

Lupin III: Part 6

Short Synopsis: The Lupin crew bids farewell to the man who voiced Jigen Daisuke for 50 years.

Wooper: This so-called premiere was labeled “episode 0,” and it surely felt like one. It was disconnected from any larger story, and served mostly as an excuse for staunch traditionalist Jigen Daisuke to have a candid moment with each of the other characters. Why Jigen? Because Kiyoshi Kobayashi, the man who gave him a voice for half a century, has just retired, and this was his last hurrah (Akio Otsuka will step into the role beginning next week). Much of the dialogue here dealt with the idea of a new era that threatened to leave the old gunslinger behind, and the merits of sticking to your roots versus the benefits of learning some new tricks. Police drones, plastic guns – Jigen bristled at these innovations, preferring instead to hide from the evolving world and nurse some finely aged whiskey. It was a nice way to honor a veteran seiyuu like Kobayashi, at least on paper, but both the script and storyboard for this episode were highly unimaginative. The action was some of the worst that the Lupin franchise has delivered in years, and Jigen’s conversations with Zenigata and Fujiko didn’t do justice to anyone involved. If you’re not invested in Kobayashi as an actor, I’d recommend skipping this – next Saturday’s episode ought to be a much better launch pad for the new season.

Potential: Waiting for next week

Mario: It feels odd to bill this as the beginning episode of the new season, because in more ways than one it serves as the end of an era. It maintains the same themes and visual look as Part 5, and it focuses on Jigen with the final voice performance by the great Kiyoshi Kobayashi. Boy, did the final farewell sentiment feel through the entire episode. It’s about a man who feels old and tired of the ridiculous advancement of the new era, about a man who wants to hang up this life and have “one last hangout” with his old friends. This episode is much slower than your average Lupin episode, as it has its eyes set on the quieter, more sober moments of Jigen talking to his companions. As a result it produces one of the most heartfelt moments in the franchise (from the small sample I watched from it anyways). Not only that, when it comes to action scenes this episode doesn’t disappoint. So, as far as potential score as a means to indicate how good the rest of the season will be, this 00 episode is ill-fitting, but as far as quality goes you can’t wish for anything better than this.

Potential: zero, but in terms of enjoyment: 60%

Shikizakura

Short Synopsis: A boy gets attacked by monsters, gets saved by a bunch of weirdos and becomes a weirdo himself.

Lenlo: You know what… this isn’t the worst CGI of the season and I really expected it to be. Oh there are issues, characters move stiffly, the models still look out of place in the 2D scenery and the monsters especially look painfully generic. But someone clearly put a lot of effort into this! The 2nd layer of 2D on top of the models to still achieve the “anime” look, the swooping and dynamic camera, the full range of motion they run these models through. There’s some heart in Shikizakura and it shows! I still don’t think it will be anything special though. It’s a pretty straight forward Super Sentai series that’s also using the “I have a demon inside me” trope from Shounen. But at the very least it’s earned my continued attention for another week or two to see what it does. Maybe it’ll surprise me!

Potential: 30%

Mario: I’m not even kidding when I say that if you cut and paste elements of Tesla Note into Shikizakura I couldn’t tell them apart. They both have terrible 3DCG aesthetics, the characters look similar and talk the same way and they both have supernatural edges to their stories. In the case of Shikizakura, it’s “super sentai” with a Japanese folklore twist. It sounds good on paper but in reality the first episode runs pretty typically with a cast full of tropey characters. Admittedly, Shikizakura is much more consistent, both in terms of writing and production values, than Tesla Note. Still, I am personally more eager to watch more of the latter than this one. An easy pass for me.

Potential: 10%

Saihate no Paladin

Short Synopsis: A reincarnated human is raised by a ghost, a skeleton, and a zombie.

Amun: Saihate no Paladin was an okay premiere. Being raised by three undead heroes is a fairly new gimmick, but the ED hints that this will soon return to the normal isekai tropes of group building, world exploration, and harems. As far as the episode itself, there were the normal introductions of the world and mechanics – honestly, when was the last time an isekai’s first episode blew you away? I think the world is interesting enough (I expect a “Sunday Without God” type setting from here on out), but I can’t reasonably expect anything revolutionary. But sometimes just okay is a win – as long as it’s better than the last two abysmal isekais from last season, that’ll be enough for me.

Potential: 45%

Armitage: Well, there ya have it, guys! Isekai of the season!! Can I get a “Hell, yeah!”? [audible gust of wind] Yes, I know, I know. We’re all tired of the Isekai horse beaten to the point that it’s basically a walking skeleton today. Yet, it refuses to die. And as a result, we keep getting the same show regurgitated 20 times, every year. Paladin too does not escape that fate but it at least tries to do something original. The setting is drab but not exactly copy-pasted, the characters are archetypes but might learn to talk like actual people down the line. Considering how acclaimed the manga seems to be, there is actual potential for a good show here. And that’s why I’ll be even more disappointed when eventually this too joins the Arifuretas of the world.

Potential: 30%

Senpai ga Uzai Kouhai no Hanashi

Short Synopsis: Short kouhai and big boi senpai navigate salaryman life.

Wooper: Doga Kobo has been putting out solidly-animated slice of life series for years now, but somehow I’m always surprised by their attention to detail with each new work. Senpai ga Uzai’s miniature saleswoman Igarashi was brought to life from the opening minutes, as the motions of her morning routine were drawn with expert hands, and the episode’s multiple walk cycles were executed far more cleanly than the average TV anime could manage. I liked the music, too – the soundtrack won’t win any awards, but the acoustic guitar playing was nice, particularly when it needed to evoke sympathy for a character who had just made a critical mistake at work. The show is nicely put together, but man, I just can’t get past the obvious bait of Igarashi’s childishness. It’s not just that she’s short and her senpai Takeda is huge – it’s that she’s a child in everything but name. She adds too much sugar to her coffee, wants a Happy Meal from McDonalds, fears the dark, can’t handle alcohol, and the list goes on. Takeda constantly pats her head or ruffles her hair during this episode, and we’re supposed to find her irritation cute, but I just wanted to tell him to get his hand off that kid’s head. The not-so-subtle kink of this series rubs me the wrong way, so I won’t be watching, but it’s certainly well-made.

Potential: 50%

Amun: I don’t hate it – but then again, we just discovered that I score shows ~25% higher on average than the other authors, so take that as you will ^_^. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve started to appreciate the older characters – high school is getting pretty far away (get off my lawn). These shows live and die on their character dynamics, and – for me at least – this premiere gets passing marks. While a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, Senpai/Kouhai kept it fun while not being overbearing. I can think of about a hundred ways this could have been worse, so I’m cautiously onboard for the time being. Only chance of dropping is if I get too bored – which I’m certainly not ruling out.

Potential: 60%

Taishou Otome Otogibanashi

Short Synopsis: My newly-bought loli wife can’t be this cute!

Armitage: There is a notion that always gets thrown around that a woman must always choose between a career and matrimonial life. And there is also a misconception surrounding the idea that any such woman picking the latter is not a feminist ideal. This is something I highly disagree with as for me, if you love what you do and are content with your place in the grand scheme of things, no one else should ever have the right to tell you you are not enough. If you’re content in living a life secluded from the rest of the world as you watch anime and movies or play video games, that’s perfectly fine. And if you’re content in taking care of your family by tending to their every need just because it makes you happy, that should be fine too.

Taishou Otome is based upon such a sensitive premise that it’s hard to not be at least a little discomforted by it. And the series understands it. It could be argued that the series’ lighthearted treatment of its themes can make it seem like it’s sugarcoating the terrible history of abuse that it’s based upon. But I don’t think it’s trying to do that. Instead, I believe that this story takes a revisionist history approach to its narrative while fully understanding the weight of the subject matter. It’s gentle even in its comedic moments and never comes off as mean-spirited. In our female lead, it gives us a person who’s willing to not let the sheer tragedy of her circumstances weigh her down – a notion whose importance only the truly unfortunate seem to realize. And Taishou Otome is a series that understands the value of looking for silver linings not amongst the clouds but within the people we chance upon. But more than anything else, it’s simply a kind story about two people very much deserving of kindness. And I love it for that.

Potential: 80%

Mario: I suppose that with the current dire situation in the real world, we are in need of these kinds of healing shows – shows about good-hearted, depressed lonely people who meet someone who truly cares for them. This episode itself is highly functional, but for me the timing is just wrong. It comes after last season’s Bocchan no Kuro Maid, and it beats pretty much the same drum as that show. There’s a sad backstory about the main guy, there’s the girl who will be his pillar of support and there’s some hijinks in regards to physical tension… While Otogibanashi’s visuals are indeed more fluffy and attractive than Bocchan’s, the premise unfortunately gives off a few red flags. It’s about a child bride who gets sold to pay off her family’s debt to begin with, but what I find a bit iffy so far is the way the show sort of “objectifies” this kid to be too perfect despite her young age. Don’t get me wrong, Otogibanashi is still sweet and charming, but I really hope it expands their relationship into something more than just sweet and charming.

Potential: 30%

Sakugan

Short Synopsis: Deca-Dence (2021)

Armitage: For a show being marketed with the English title ‘Sacks & Guns’, Sakugan’s premiere actually wasn’t that cringeworthy. Rather, it was pretty good. Sure, it’s heavily inspired by a certain show from last year but I don’t think its narrative will ever pull the rug from under the viewers’ feet quite like that one did. It has the artstyle and general tone reminiscent of a Bones show but lacks that kind of polish. And it has decent CGI Kaijuu designs but nowhere near as impressive as something like Godzilla Singular Point. Basically, what I am trying to say is that if Sakugan tries to lean into any of these elements, it’ll most probably stumble and fall. But where it can rise is through its characters.The lead father and daughter duo of Gugamber and Mumenpu compliment each other well and even though they did come off as obnoxiously loud and (hopefully) intentionally irritating at first, they do grow on the viewer. I believe their whole journey is supposed to mirror a parent’s ever-present plight of letting go of their child while also doing their utmost to shield them from the world’s adversities and if Sakugan is able to carry that motif with sincerity through to the end, it might well have a shot at standing out even in an overcrowded season like this.

Potential: 60%

Mario: One of my most anticipated titles from this new season, Sakugan did a lot of things right in this first outing, but isn’t without its deterrents. For a show with such a clear sense of its own setting, the colony depicted in this episode functions as a character itself. From the very first shot, we can see the layers of the underground colony filled with neon signs and steampunk designs. I reckon my favorite is the layers of bridges that connect buildings like ant colonies. Despite that attention to detail, Sakugan is much less about techno-babble and explaining the world and focuses instead on the main father & daughter duo, who can’t see eye to eye in most matters. Memempu begs her father to set out as Markers and her father refuses it outright in consideration for her safety. Their bickering can be over-the-top at times but we can see clearly the insecurities of Gagumber the father when it comes to parenting and protecting his (genius) daughter. So the show’s heart is in the right place.

However, the issues with this episode so far are 1) the pacing is awfully rushed since 20 minutes wasn’t enough time to let the world and the characters set in and 2) there are some “extras” that to me feel like they borrow from other genres/lore and thus don’t mesh well with this material. The prime examples of that are the monster kaijus at the end (why kaiju???), and Linda’s weird outfit that shows her orange undies (again, why? The outfit makes no freaking sense except for fan-service). As it stands, Sakugan has its fair share of highs and lows, but after this teaser for the rest of the show, I sure as hell want to see more.

Potential: 50%

Platinum End

Short Synopsis: A would-be suicide victim is saved by an unscrupulous angel and given godlike power over other human beings.

Lenlo: Ow, fuck, I cut myself on all the edge. I’m talking like… razor blades in your shoes level of edge. We have murdered parents, suicidal teens, domestic violence, mind-control, forced suicide, everything under the sun. It’s almost grotesque the amount of self-indulgent violence and darkness that Platinum End manages to shove into this episode. Coming from the same author as Death Note I want to believe there’s a purpose to it. That this is all some inverse celebration of life, that by the end the MC will grow into a wholesome and responsible person as his actions push him over the brink. In a way that’s what it seems to be going for with the episode’s second half. But this Kyubei-style angel and the inevitable death battle feel like they are going to distract from that. Long story short I’m willing to give Platinum End a shot. Though I fully expect it to crash and burn roughly halfway through.

Potential: 20%

Wooper: I tried to adopt the mindset of a brand new anime fan while watching Platinum End, since that’s what I was when Death Note came around, and came away somewhat successful. I felt the appeal of a beaten-down protagonist being granted supernatural powers; I took notice of some stirring shots amidst the plain early-2010s production; I appreciated the judicious use of choral vocals to accompany the otherworldly drama. But man, this show is such a blatant mashup of Future Diary and Death Note that it’s hard to care about it in 2021. The main character’s companion is an angel named Nasse, a genderbent Ryuk who is, as in Death Note, visible only to other people with winged companions. There are 13 such people in competition for the role of God (rather than Future Diary’s 12), so you know there’s going to be lots of mindgames and murder in the coming episodes. Honestly, the biggest difference between Platinum End and the hypothetical love child of its main inspirations is that these new god candidates can fly. There wasn’t any flying in Future Diary before I dropped it, at least – maybe that happened later on. If you absolutely loved the series that Platinum End is ripping off (or you’ve somehow never seen them) this might be your thing, but personally, I’m too old for this shit.

Potential: 20%

Visual Prison

Short Synopsis: A teenage boy gets caught up in an intense musical battle between two vampire bands and becomes one himself.

Mario: Well, in the season preview I noted the fact that Visual Prison’s credited staff has 8 “theme song performers”, 2 “insert song performers” and 4 “character designers” without a hint of its writer, and that’s reflected very well in this premiere. The show wasted no time to show us a dozen over-designed characters and squeezed 3 entire songs into the span of 20 minutes (4 if you count the ED). I guess the market for this one is clear: if you like the characters, the songs or you found Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle amusing then you can check it out. This is a tamer Hypnosis Mic but it’s still wild. Not all of its content is about music and characters posing elegantly, mind you. Somewhere in the midst of it all they toss you an MC with heterochromia (it’s a great year for MCs with different color eyes) and the voice of an angel (according to these characters anyway), a pandacat that randomly appears onscreen and a scarlet moon that somehow links to music-crazed vampires. At least Visual Prison has the most inventive human-turns-vampire method ever, I suppose.

Potential: Panda? Cat? Panda? Cat? Loaf of bread. SYSTEM ERROR

Amun: So this is a series of music videos and competing vampire bands? I think there was a plot in there somewhere, but the panda thing must have eaten it. I will never again condone the use of foreign words in songs – it just sounds so ridiculous if you actually speak the language. The CG transition from traditional animation was handled as well as possible, but there’s no denying this is more of a music video medley than an actual anime. I guess if you like the music, this is for you, but whatever genre this is, it’s not my cup of tea.

Potential: 0%

Shin no Nakama ja Nai to Yuusha no Party wo Oidasareta node, Henkyou de Slow Life suru Koto ni Shimashita

Short Synopsis: I Was Kicked out of the Brave Man’s Party Because I Wasn’t a True Companion so I Decided to Have a Slow Life at the Frontier.

Amun: Ho hum, another silly show that’s put the synopsis as the title. And they messed up the translation of “hero” to “brave man”, although it’s clearly a woman? Ha! This is probably going to be terrible. Wait…wait a second. Wait…that wasn’t too bad. Huh…the animation wasn’t terrible. There was a hint of nuance to the characters’ backstories. There are some interesting character dynamics that aren’t completely romantic. It’s not an isekai?! The owl-bear is a fun monster design?!! Hold on lads, this is not a drill – we might have a real show on our hands! Oh, here comes the main girl – never mind, false alarm. In all seriousness, this was not a bad opening episode, considering some of the major duds we’ve had recently (Tatoeba Last Dungeon comes to mind). I’m pretty interested, especially considering the emotional baggage and constraints put on the main character. Most of the red flags I’m seeing come from the OP/ED, and that’s not a surefire judge of how a show will progress (I mean, if you judged Vanitas from the OP, you’d be beyond puzzled at the show itself). I guess the premise sounds so flat on paper, that I’m going to be skeptical the whole season until it proves me wrong. Which it very well could do. I’m saying there is exactly a 50% chance of this being watchable and 50% chance of me dropping it next week.

Potential: 50.000%

Lenlo: A title that’s basically your synopsis? Check. Fantasy world? Check. Opening info dump about a demon lord? Check. Adventuring guild system with maid outfits, massive tits and ranks? Check. Class based power system rather than any kind of meaningful granularity? Check. MC with a “unique” blessing that makes them OP in their own way? Check. That same bog standard “SAO Lite” visual style? Check. A harem? Not confirmed but clearly in the works. Everything about this show just screams unimaginative Light Novel adaptation. Oh sure the basic idea of your overpowered starting companion getting outscaled and kicked out is fine enough. It’s a nice premise for a short story! But between the title and this being a Light Novel I’m not expecting this to grow or do anything interesting whatsoever. It’s a premise created to hook you in early and then go absolutely nowhere. If that’s your thing, if you just want some probably wholesome popcorn entertainment, then have at. But for me this is a pass.

Potential: 20%

Muv-Luv Alternative

Short Synopsis: 36 million Japanese citizens are wiped out in an alien invasion.

Wooper: I’m not a visual novel guy, so I had no idea what Muv-Luv Alternative was about before watching. I still don’t know how the story will progress after having seen it, since the premiere was a giant prologue – one that focused far more on setting and action than on character. But I’m okay with that, because the first episode is all I’m likely to watch, and it surely succeeded on its own terms. Gruesome aliens storm a major human settlement and kill everything in sight while mecha pilots offer feeble resistance – that’s the direction we got here, and though my lack of connection to the cast prevented me from feeling horrified, I did find myself thinking, “They actually went there?” at several points. Hundreds of civilians were slaughtered after their shelter was breached. Diminutive nutsack monsters fired laser beams from their eyes. The boring male lead seemed to drown in monster acid while trapped in a cockpit (though the post-credits teaser indicated that he’s still alive 25 years in the future). The CG was rough, but there’s no way you can animate alien hordes using traditional methods in 2021 when even background actors are commonly rendered in 3D. By the end of the episode, I believed in the bleakness of this alternative history – I just have no interest in seeing what comes next.

Potential: 30%

Lenlo: Ah the second dystopian “mecha” series of the season. Where Eighty Six is gunning for a “nuanced” political drama where the real enemy is your fellow man, Muv-Luv is more your standard “Faceless, nameless, unknowable entity whom you can’t talk to”. It’s all about unbeatable odds, giant monsters and over the top brutal deaths. Oh and skintight, form-fitting outfits. We can’t forget about those. And I have to say… the comparison isn’t favorable for Muv-Luv. Even on a purely visual level Muv-Luv’s rough CGI, boorish backgrounds and early 2000’s designs simply can’t compare to its competitors. Meanwhile on the story side it’s exactly as Wooper said: I don’t know or care about any of these people. Yeah the world sucks… but so does the show so why should I give a damn? Fact is, there are better mecha series within Muv-Luv’s own franchise, not to mention anime as a whole. This one is a pretty easy pass for me.

Potential: 0%

Puraore! Pride of Orange

Short Synopsis: A middle school embroidery club signs up for a day of ice hockey training, thus beginning their journey to represent Japan in the Women’s World Cup.

Lenlo: Pardon my language but… What the fuck. First you try to make a series about hockey but choose the version of the sport where the players aren’t allowed to body check each other into the wall at 20 miles per hour. Then you open on the absolute fantasy of Japan beating CANADA of all countries at the World Cup of Hockey, something I don’t think Japan has ever even been to. Then it turns the whole thing into an idol performance on stage! Just… Just picking a fucking genre! Sports, Idol, CGDCT, I don’t care! Just pick one and focus on it! But no. Puraore tries to go for all of them at once and in doing so fails to achieve any of them. I imagine even CGDCT fans will want to give this show a pass.

Potential: 0%

Wooper: Pride of Orange’s dialogue is some of the worst that I’ve read this year. Here are some snippets: “The bonds of our hearts connect the puck!” “Nothing says ‘springtime of youth’ like sweat and sports!” And, talking about an embroidery club: “We all share a common thread!” These are just the tip of Puraore’s iceberg of cheese, and the rest of the show is no better. I thought we might be in for a decent Cute Girls Playing Cute Sports series after the opening scene, a solidly animated flashforward to the team’s appearance at the World Cup, but then came the subsequent Idols on Ice performance, and it was all downhill from there. Back in the present, the main characters don’t even have broad archetypes to fall back on, as they all fit into the same impossibly optimistic bucket. One is a little shy, though, so whoever drafted her personality must have woken up for a couple minutes during his high school lit teacher’s lesson on characterization (then gone back to sleep for the rest of the year). Anime blogger Scamp tags these sorts of shows “girls being insufferably nice to each other,” and I can’t imagine a better phrase – emphasis on “insufferably” in this show’s case.

Potential: 0%

Takt Op. Destiny

Short Synopsis: Emo Arima Kousei and Loli Zero Two save the world with the power of music.

Armitage: Damn. This came out as such a pleasant surprise. The show had completely flown under my radar and I walked into this premiere expecting some generic music plot. Which admittedly, this still has. But it makes up for that in the sumptuous sakuga cuts it throws at you every once in a while. While this is a collaboration between Madhouse and MAPPA, the art style is very reminiscent of A1 pictures with crisp backgrounds and some tasty lookin’ treats. But, really, you’re here for the fight scenes and they do look especially glorious. Though, it’s not just these that look good, basically every time an object on screen so much as moves, it does so with a lot of flair and style. And in general, Takt Op. Destiny is a show that oozes style from every pore. I only hope it can deliver a semi-interesting plot to accompany all the sakuga. But hey, if nothing else, we will be getting a crap ton of gifs featuring Zero Two Lite eating stuff. I know there’s a real audience for that sort of thing.

Potential: 70%

Mario: I really hope that Takt Op didn’t spend all their effort on this first episode because santa mozzarella, I didn’t expect the production to be this solid. Not only does the animation know how to shine when it counts, but also the great eye for composition makes this show look appealing all the time. The show is confident enough that it uses 3 different art styles in this premiere and somehow they all work in contribution to its themes. The story still feels generic, however. It’s a basic “human vs monsters” battle so far and the moment it starts to explain why the monsters are attracted to music, it falls flat. This is a kind of concept that you just roll with and don’t try to make sense of. It also introduces 3 oddball main characters, and personally I feel that how well you like the dynamic between them will determine how much you get out of this show in the long run. I don’t mind them so far but they are in need of more characterization and depth to make us care more about them. As far as the first episode goes, though, I’m more than pleased with what we have. Takt Op rocks & rolls!

Potential: 60%

Sekai Saikou no Ansatsusha,
Isekai Kizoku ni Tensei suru

Short Synopsis: It’s right there in the title.

Mario: So far, Ansatsusha is a bundle of some amusing ideas wrapped up in isekai’s tired tropes. It’s such a fan-bait move to include these tropes in there, because many of them don’t need to be in this show. They could exclude the Goddess, for example, and nothing of importance would be lost. The concept of the MC carrying his assassin job to the other world is interesting, and they do spend a good deal of time showing his present life and worldview before sending him to this fantasy world. Interestingly, the LN is written by the same dude who wrote “Redo of Healer” (one of the most mean-spirited and worst shows in this genre), and in some ways this one carries the same nihilistic point of view. This is the cold world(s) of betrayal and its main attitude is “don’t believe in anyone.” So far it hasn’t raised any red flags like Redo of Healer did, but I’m nervous considering the author. The production is actually above-average, but the premise invites plenty of mind games, lots of fanservice and other genre trappings. So proceed with caution.

Potential: 20%

Amun: This OP coincides nicely with the release of the latest James Bond! In my book, this was a great first episode – especially when compared against a similar story from last season’s “The Detective is Already Dead”. High production quality, nice introduction teasers to our main cast, great backstory development, simple explanation of world rules – this is the premiere every isekai should want. Sure, there’s some service, but that’s par for the course. I previewed this series, so I have some minor understanding of where the story goes from here, and I don’t fully share Mario’s concerns. I hated Redo of a Healer with a passion (that author needs help), but Ansatsusha didn’t feel quite as mean-spirited or sadistic in the small sampling I saw. I could be wrong, as the anime has already jumped around a little, so maybe some rougher stories will be adapted this season. Until then, this is probably my dark horse of the season, and I’m looking forward to baby assassin! At least he’s just a murderer this time, not a pedo.

Potential: 75%

Shinka no Mi: Shiranai
Uchi ni Kachigumi Jinsei

Short Synopsis: Monke Isekai.

Wooper: Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. A high school class gets transported to a fantasy world with video game mechanics, but the main character gets separated from his peers, uses his Appraisal skill to level up, and… Oh, you have heard this one before? Nevermind then.

Potential: 0%

Armitage: I brought this upon myself by asking to get the new Digimon show swapped for something else more critiqueable and believe it or not, this looked like the ‘best’ choice out of all the options. But yeah, you know how this is gonna go: Generic loser MC gets drooled over by naked women out of his league, is laughably underpowered but levels up to be the baddest, kills monkeys using his body odour. Same old, same old. If this is your jam, have at it. I’d rather have my bread without any spread instead, especially when I am running late to school.

Potential: 0%

Kyuuketsuki Sugu Shinu

Short Synopsis: White guy turns to sand when touched by a bishounen.

Armitage: Madhouse used to be my favorite anime studio just a little more than half a decade ago. The sheer number of classics that this one production house has developed over time still to this day, remains unmatched. Though, in recent years, the quality of their projects has started to dwindle and their output has become something I haven’t been able to enjoy as much as I would like. Sadly, that still holds true for both of their most recent series, last season’s Sonny Boy and the vampire slapstick-comedy that is Kyuuketsuki. The fact that this is directed by Hiroshi Koujina, the director of my favorite anime of all-time: Hunter x Hunter 2011, marking his grand return to the medium after 7 years had me really looking forward to it. But it crushes my heart to say that I just don’t like it. Kyuuketsuki is supposed to be a deconstructive comedy of vampire tropes but it doesn’t work quite as well as Vanitas and sadly, unlike that series the comedy is all this show has going for. All its humor is just loud slapstick hijinks which admittedly did get a few smiles out of me at points but it all started to wear out halfway into the episode. The one positive is definitely the opening song, which is quite catchy albeit trying a little hard to capture the magic of Death Parade’s OP. Anywho, I will still be watching it because it’s Koujina but man, I’m afraid by the end, this would be adding to the long list of amusing-enough-to-justify-their-existence vampire anime rather than joining the handful of elite titles in that subgenre.

Potential: 30%

Amun: I like vampire shows. I like Hiroshi Koujina (HxH 2011 as Armi says). I usually like Madhouse. I even like the opening song. But Kyuuketsuki Sugu Shinu isn’t great. Instead of comparisons to Vanitas, I would say the most analogous show is Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle. Kyuuketsuki falls flat in introducing a truly unloveable duo of hunter and hunted – duos like this should look to Mob Psycho and have at least one character be a “good guy.” Sleepy Princess really was a Princess vs. Environment (and the demons in it), so it wasn’t as much of a bitter personal battle, like we see in Kyuuketsuki. In Sleepy Princess you could cheer for the princess while still feeling sympathy for her poor captors – Kyuuketsuki, I wanted all the characters to turn to dust, not just the vampire. Even the best joke of the episode made me wince a bit (the gold-digger). This is just shout-for-laughs and cringe humour – I’m out.

Potential: 15%

Sankaku Mado no Sotogawa wa Yoru

Short Synopsis: A spiritually sensitive bookseller takes on a part time job alongside a socially inept exorcist.

Wooper: For a show about two hot guys engaging in erotic exorcisms, this show looks ugly as hell. The animation is serviceable and the character designs are pretty, so no issues there – it’s the color adjustment that really put me off. We’re not dealing with GoHands levels of filtering, but a large portion of scenes have slight blue or yellow tints to them, which matches the ghost vision of main character Mikado. Just because a visual decision has a clear purpose doesn’t mean it’s always a good idea, though – this show is proof of that. There’s a severe lack of imagination in the way the series is shot, as well: a lot of closeups of characters in center frame, rooms that seem as though they were generated with interior design software, an abandoned apartment whose dingy look was created simply by adjusting a contrast slider. In a sentence, it’s boring to look at. As far as the characters go, the fetishism of the main duo’s exorcism technique hardly requires commentary – let’s just say that biting and licking are sometimes involved. But it doesn’t reach the level of offensive tropeyness, which means there’s still one reason to watch: Hiyakawa’s dramatic consumption of a spirit’s heart near the end, which raises questions about his true nature. I wouldn’t recommend Sankaku Mado to anyone who’s not already a member of the Supernatural BL Fan Club, but it won’t go down as fall’s worst premiere.

Potential: 15%

Lenlo: Oh yay, bad BL, just what I wanted out of the season. This show was just uncomfortable to watch. Not in the ecchi way where you don’t want to get caught on the train or something, ok well maybe a little. More in the “This isn’t entirely consensual” way. That aside though the rest of the show is just mediocre. Wooper explains the visual issues well enough and I agree with all of them. Top that off with BL tropes, an uninteresting mystery and characters that exist purely to fulfill the Seme/Uke slots in a relationship. Wooper is right that it’s probably not the worst of the season. But I have absolutely 0 desire to watch more of it.

Potential: 0%

Kyoukai Senki

Short Synopsis: A war orphan gets in the robot and pushes back against an occupying army in mid-21st century Japan.

Mario: In the same season that features 86, Kyoukai Senki carries over many of that show’s main spirits: the political undertones, the power of the repressed, the mecha in disguise and the subtlety of a hand grenade. To be frank, while the premiere never raises above average marks, I had fun watching it. I can get behind the main concept of the near future where Japan is split and there’s repression everywhere (although the show didn’t sell me at all on these poor citizen’s condition – as far as I can see the MC has a neat place to live and has food on the table, a far cry from their self-description as poor and hopeless). The lead is likeable enough, and his bond with the talkative AI is the main focus of this episode – a right choice for us to stay invested in them. Moreover, it’s the good old school 2D mecha and the fights that are frankly a breath of fresh air (so strange to use these words) now. Yes, Kyoukai Senki’s individual elements remind you of other (possibly better) shows, but so far it maintains its own beat and for me that is good enough.

Potential: 40%

Wooper: The phrase “I don’t like mecha except for Gurren Lagann” is a quick way to spot an anime casual, but there’s a reason for its proliferation: Gurren Lagann was fearless in breaking from the Gundam mold, which so many other titles stick to like glue. (TTGL took plenty of inspiration from elsewhere, but that’s another topic altogether.) Kyoukai Senki is one of the dozens of giant robot series still stuck in Yoshiyuki Tomino’s shadow, and I’m not so hungry for a new mecha series that I’m willing to overlook its slavish duplication of his work. From the corrupt military officers to the main mech’s operating system to the series’ bizarre naming sense, so much of this episode is pulled straight from the Gundam playbook, and it’s kind of hard to endure. Sunrise’s dedication to the series is clear given its traditionally animated robots, and some of the background art was nice (especially during the narrated prologue at the start). But I can’t overlook all the things Kyoukai Senki lacks – character, originality, a sense of fun – just for one or two hand-drawn mecha fights each week.

Potential: 25%

Eighty-Six S2

Short Synopsis: Five survivors of genocide find themselves in a new country while the woman who once guided them plans to change her own.

Lenlo: First up to all the doubters or critique-ers from my first review: I WAS RIGHT. Those of you who read it know what I’m talking about. Personal victories aside, this premiere was alright. It’s picking up right where we left off with the same team and all the same strengths and weaknesses of the first season. The show is pretty, the shots and direction are good and the narrative is pretty straight forward. I am a bit interested in this new Republic and its President that we’ve met, I think Eighty Six could do some fun stuff juxtaposing that with Lena’s nation, assuming it doesn’t paint it as a black and white, good vs evil sort of thing. I don’t think it will though, as the President seems to have his darker secrets. Whatever the case, the first season of Eighty Six was fun, so I’m expecting the second to be too.

Potential: 60%

Wooper: I caught up with the last few episodes of 86’s first season recently, and my expectations for S2 had actually risen by the end. The deftly-handled time jumps that left the audience to situate themselves in the story, the beautiful opening minutes of episode 10, the effective cliffhanger of the finale… They had me looking forward to this new cour. Did its premiere live up to my expectations? Of course not, but it didn’t fall too far outside of them, either.

86 is back on its “subtlety is death” bullshit, with the ultra-racist military drunks at HQ making a repeat appearance that was almost endearing in its clumsiness. They made sure to comment on Lena’s hair and uniform, too, in case there were any blind viewers in the audience. I did like one scene set in San Magnolia, where General Karlstahl silently noted Lena’s closeness with Annette (who probably won’t escape this season alive based on that tipoff), but the bulk of the cool stuff happened in the Giad Federation, where the Eighty-Sixers found themselves embroiled in a new political bog. President Ernst was about as convincing as a Gucci street vendor in his diplomatic friendliness – the show even put stark two-tone lighting on his face in one scene – but whatever’s happening with the child empress and Giad’s squabbling military chiefs could bear some interesting fruit in the coming months. 86 is talking down to its viewership once again, but judging by its runaway success, it’s also speaking their language, so I can’t fault it.

Potential: 50%

Tsuki to Laika to Nosferatu

Short Synopsis: Alternate USSR doesn’t want a PR nightmare of having a human cosmonaut die going to space, so they do the logical thing…and send a vampire.

Amun: For a show with such a meme premise, Tsuki to Laika to Nosferatu played the first episode straight. The biggest takeaway I got was…this is going to be a pretty standard, one season anime. Wide-eyed human and cold-hearted vampire train, grow closer, some political nonsense, “you’ve gotten too close”, disaster, blah blah, cute science girl, whatever. I wouldn’t say we’ve seen this exact iteration, but we’ve seen all these ideas played out before (plus if you want that secondhand guilt about exploiting minority groups, go watch 86). Nosferatu doesn’t look bad, and it doesn’t seem like it’ll be adapted badly, it’s just…I don’t really see anything special that’ll go the distance. I think the astronaut otakus who are particularly interested in the Soviet Union era space race will be enthralled, but us casuals will probably bail out halfway.

Potential: 45%

Wooper: I’ve liked all of the astronaut-themed anime I’ve seen – Wings of Honneamise, Planetes, and Space Brothers – so Tsuki to Laika had a leg up coming into this season, at least in my view. Unfortunately, the premiere approached its vampiric twist on the genre with a noncommittal blend of solemnity and camp that turned me off. There were some things I liked about the episode, especially Megumi Hayshibara’s halting, skeptical performance as Irina. She sounded decidedly alien, as though she’d studied human language extensively but had rarely spoken it, so hats off to the legendary seiyuu for another bullseye performance. I thought Lev’s character was flat by comparison, like a far less personable Jinto (there’s no doubt in my mind that Tsuki to Laika’s author was inspired by Crest of the Stars). Another thing I liked: the mild food fetishism of the scene where Irina tried salmon roe for the first time. Her strange eating habits emphasized both her nonhuman tendencies and Lev’s attraction to her in spite of them. Another thing I didn’t like: the lighting, which was dreadfully plain, even for a series that spends a lot of time in prison. Ultimately, I think the show’s second episode (when Irina’s astronaut training will begin in earnest) will be a far better barometer for its watchability, so I’ll give it another look next week. I’m not feeling super optimistic after this one, though.

Potential: 30%

Mushoku Tensei S2

Short Synopsis: A pedo is reincarnated and grooms a thirteen year old, as they travel with a mass murderer (who is the least morally repugnant character in this show).

Amun: I believe the rest of the authors are boycotting this series due to its unapologetic degeneracy. And I fully respect that sentiment – I just can’t deny this is a quality production, no matter how despicable the characters are. Because one episode into the new season….these tigers haven’t changed their stripes. We now have the obligatory goth loli making an appearance – is that going to be anime’s “jumping the shark”?. The animation and characters still look amazing – one subtle aspect of the character design is the growing children do look different (as they would in an actual year). It’s a small thing, but it’s well done. This is clearly a passion project – and its high quality reflects that. My complaints: aside from the despicable lead (actually most of the characters are pretty terrible come to think of it), I really don’t like “missed connections” – as the next episode is titled. That feels like a lazy plot device to me. I think this season will focus on transporting and be a primarily urban setting, but I’m hoping for more Roxy and less Eris (although she’s grown – very slightly – on me). And freaking kill anyone named Greyrat.

Potential: 69% (har har – Rudeus made me do it)

Lenlo: Amun would be correct (about the boycott, anyway).

Mieruko-chan

Short Synopsis: High school girl plays “You can’t see me” with spooky ghosts (or, perpetual poker-face screams internally.)

Amun: I don’t normally do horror – I think the only horror/guro shows I’ve seen are High School of the Dead, Shiki, and Another…true fans will probably disagree with my classifications of those. However, the first half of Mieruko-chan’s premiere played as I would expect from good horror setups: subtle tells, spooky foreshadowing, plenty of passed opportunities for jump scares. The big reveal: spot on, great stuff. It’s the falling action where I start to scratch my head a little – what is this show, really? I’m just concerned about the overall point of the story – if it ends up as an oddly specific fetish to seeing scared girls act brave, I’m out. As expected from the genre, there is some service, but it’s quite manageable; not quite what I would call tasteful, but not overboard. General verdict: pretty good start, but the overall direction of the show remains to be seen.

Potential: 55%

Armitage: In contrast to Amun above, I love all kinds of horror media. I know the tropes inside out. I also know that it’s categorically difficult to make anime come off as genuinely scary. I understand that the shlocky nature of this genre leads to crossover with giallo tropes like the fetishization of female characters. But again, in slight disagreement with Amun, I feel that this show overindulges in its perversion – a character’s boobs basically get more screen time than her face, we get a gratuitous shot of the MC taking off her underwear in a restroom and we also get a couple of crotch shots from below and behind. It’s too much, honestly. But I would still be willing to look past all that, if this show actually utilized the other half of its runtime doing what should be its main objective: scaring the viewer. And it does try but really, everything just falls so flat. The monster designs are not scary, the lighting and color palette are too bright, the setups are so generic, it all just feels like a slog that has you wishing for even a jump scare or something. Yeah, that’s how desperate I got. And would not be putting myself through more of this.

Potential: 10%

Muteking the Dancing Hero

Short Synopsis: A new kid in town transforms into a dancing hero to save Neo San Francisco from the evil Taco Tacos corporation.

Mario: Yes, Muteking is as silly as it sounds. It takes advantage of every opportunity to be over the top, be it the quirky designs, scream-until-it’s-funny humor, bizarre sense of logic, and a lead character who literally dances away evil and saves the world. Its nonsensical but bright tones remind me of series like Akiba’s Trip – dumb fun shows that match the energy of a teenage market more than the old me now. The show occasionally rises above the average when it depicts colorful backgrounds – the city Neo San Francisco looks dazzling – but it’s bogged down by the silliness of the plot and characters that are… I’ll be honest, kind of insulting to the audience. Muteking is like the first sip of a soft drink: it overwhelms you at first but only leaves you with an overly-sweet aftertaste. If you don’t mind all that, though, you’ll be fine with it.

Potential: 20%

Lenlo: Muteking is… it’s… I don’t… This is certainly a show. As a reboot of a franchise from the 80’s it makes sense why it has the energy it does. And as what is, effectively, a Tokusatsu show the tropes and structure it has are familiar. But I’m not really a fan of Tokusatsu. So while the 80’s aesthetic is nice and the wackiness is amusing I just can’t get into it. It’s like this season’s Back Arrow, a show trying to revel in absurdity to hide the fact that it doesn’t have anything else going for it. If wacky popcorn fun is your way to relax then I think this will be great for you. But for me it’s just going to be a waste of my time. The OP is pretty fire though, I’ll give it that. Absolute jam.

Potential: 20%

Tesla Note

Short Synopsis: Ninja girl trains for her whole life to become a spy and investigates Nikola Tesla’s crazy inventions.

Amun: I didn’t know anything about this show before watching the first episode, except that I really like Teslas (the cars). However, that positive word association isn’t nearly enough to carry me through this drag of a first episode. Oh look, high school ninja girl whose training to save the world (although, the best part of this episode is when she was worried her grandfather was nuts – I can’t complain just because of that). Aside from Shinigami Bocchan from last season, I don’t normally stomach 3DCGs, and Tesla Note isn’t going to add to those exceptions. What’s weird is there are some conventional background characters, but the mains are crappy 3DCG – I would have preferred it the other way around. The action is as good as it could be (some spotty animation here and there), but the plot and the characters just feel so generic, I struggled through. Pass from me.

Potential: 0%

Mario: Gosh, this thing looks abysmal, and I can totally see where the compirasion to Ex-Arm comes from. Just look at this cut to see how bad the production looks. In its defense, the show is still competent at displaying goofy facial expressions, but its 3DCG looks amateurish in every other department. The writing is not good either. As spies, the main character and her partner have James Bond levels of subtlety and Shinji levels of stubborness. As far as the plot goes, it’s mildly intriguing as they used the real figure Nikola Tesla, but it still feels generic by the end of this episode. I won’t mince words here, Tesla Note is terrible. Its story is nothing to speak of, its characters are loud and the visuals remain the “talk” of the show, albeit for a rather embarrassing reason.

Potential: 0%