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Spring 2020 Summary: Week 6-8

by SuperMario, posted in Weekly Summary

Mario: So a few weeks has passed, and this thin season has gotten thinner and thinner with shows affected by the pandemic and people died left and right, sometimes NOT because of the COVID-19 (like the devastating news that Zac Bertschy over ANN passed away. Rest in peace man). Anyways, all this sad news makes me more appreciative with shows that are still in the running. We’ve been slacking a bit here with a couple shows I have yet to follow up, but rest assured that next week we’ll be back in full steam.

Kakushigoto 4-8

Mario: So about Kakushigoto, I enjoyed the episodes as I was watching, but when it comes to the plot details, unfortunately all these gags muddle and I have a hard time recalling what was happening. I guess the reason for it is because of its gag-based nature. At its best, all the gags set up some unexpected situations. At its worst, it feels random at times. From episode 6 onward however, the show improved remarkably as the episode has connected stories. Episode 6 deals with Gotou both doing the fan meeting and going out with Hime while making sure that Hime doesn’t find out about his job and episode 7 is all about adopting the dog and heritage which I think is a pretty nice theme. The show still holds its cards close in regards to the flash-forward 18 yo Hime (Gotou is still out of the picture in that timeline). There’s also a lot of gags about the manga industry and Gotou random harem but the beating heart is all about Gotou and Hime bond.

Hamefura 6-9

Amun: Man, I know it’s lame to use COVID-19 as an excuse, but it has just sapped all my energy in regards to writing (about anime or otherwise).  Feels like Hamefura is suffering a bit from the midseason doldrums as well.  These episodes were certainly not bad, but they definitely seemed to be putting the brakes on the armada of ships heading for Catarina.  That said, I’m all about Royal Magic Academy Hijinks: Catarina Edition (or, fine, “Princess Lover” if you want to use the canonical title).  These little slices of life are endearing and fun – AND there’s even a little plot progression (meeting her friend from a previous life was really quite sweet).  I’m also dying at how everyone in this show be thirsting, while our girl Catarina is just proper hungry ^_^.   Also, hats off to Mary being the jealous fiance…except she’s jealous that her fiance is spending time with Catarina!  Nice twist there.  Overall, still top tier for this season, but I do feel we’re slowing down just a hair.  Probably getting ready for the epic finale – with candies and comradery (and probably little to no actual romance).

Continue reading “Spring 2020 Summary: Week 6-8” →

State of the Season – Spring 2020

by SuperWooper, posted in State of the Season

Amun: Welcome to this lost spring of anime 2020. I hope everyone is staying safe and watching this B-team of a season. While we didn’t get the heavy hitters of Yahari Season 3 or Re:Zero, there are still some bright spots – Kaguya-sama S2 and the surprise newcomer isekai: Hamefura. Despite my early criticisms, Tower of God has gained some traction – fellow writers seem fairly positive on Yesterday wo Utatte. So this season isn’t a complete wash! We have turtles, villainesses, crows, books, and zodiac animals! Join us humble Star Crossed writers as we take a look at the good, the bad, and the funny of Spring 2020 anime. (But seriously, Hamefura is really good, go watch it).

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

Amun: I’m liking Tower of God quite a bit. Feels like every episode fleshes out the world, develops the characters, and pulls you deeper into the tower. Animation is hit or miss, but the story’s moving along nicely now. Little concerned about character creep, but that’s a minor gripe.

Mario: I’m going with Yesterday wo Utatte. Sure, there are other two shows that are equally impressive (Kaguya-sama 2 and the other one down the list), but Yesterday wo Utatte keeps surprising me every week. 4-way star-crossed romance isn’t normally my thing, but so far the show hasn’t put any wrong step, and the characterization for the main cast is off the chart. There’s a lot of details put into their mannerism, figure of speech and their movements. Hopefully the main relationship doesn’t get too convoluted for the sake of drama.

Lenlo: I’m not actually watching much this season. The only non-cancelled seasonal I still keep up with is Kaguya, and BNA I suppose, but I haven’t been enjoying that. Regardless, it is a decent enough rom-com, and I hope that we will actually get to the point where they make some actual progress in a relationship. Rom-coms are only good if you actually include the romance.

Armitage: I love grounded character dramas more than any other genre in anime. Though, such shows have gotten ever so rare these days. That’s why, to see Yesterday wo Utatte do what it does week-in, week-out gives me hope that more such series can be produced down the line. It’s a mature show which cares for its characters and that, in turn, instills a sense of sincerity to the story it’s telling. More importantly, even if it doesn’t stick the landing by the end of its 18-episode run, it might end up paving the way for the adaptations of the many other stellar seinen manga just begging for an anime.

Wooper: Kakushigoto. The show’s absurd flavor of comedy is nicely balanced by its familial themes, and that combination makes it a pleasant weekly watch. Its sixth episode is what really sold me on the series, though, telling one connected story instead of splitting itself into chapters, and really getting to the heart of Goto’s relationship with his work. I’d say it’s the show that has improved the most since its premiere.

Continue reading “State of the Season – Spring 2020” →

Spring 2020 Summary: Week 5

by SuperMario, posted in Weekly Summary

Mario: I’m here this week feeling a bit more optimistic about anime than last few weeks, after reading a news where they confirmed that a lot of shows, most notably the ones that have been outperformed this season (though, it makes perfect sense) have already finished production: Yesterday wo Utatte, Arte, Hamefura and Bookworm Isekai with Tower of God, BNA and Kaguya-sama are nearly finished. In the midst of such unstable time it’s certainly impressive that these shows manage to be ahead of their game. In movie news, Nakitai Watashi wa Neko o Kaburu (A Whisker Away) will scrap its theatrical release for Netflix-exclusive streaming on June 18) – a move that I think other anime movies will eventually follow.

Kitsutsuki Tanteidokoro – 02/03

Mario: I know the fourth episode just came out this morning but it makes more sense to group episode 2 & 3 together as they are in the same arc. Episode 2’s case was weird… having the main cast as the main culprit in a Rashomon style and whole cast of side characters (based from actual writers of the period) just pop up and have a round table regarding the murder. It’s certainly not something you see very often, and I still enjoy its attractive arts and detailed backgrounds. It’s certainly risky to portray the main characters as unreliable narrators, given they are our eyes and ears to that world. The resolution makes sense in that aspect, as it successfully gives the reasons why there are gaps in our characters’ testimonies. The biggest thing that put me slightly off, however, is how the show treats death/ murder too easy. A girl dies in the scene, but all we got is the bunch of wannabe “detectives” sitting around the table and dissect the event of the murder. You could argue Ishikawa showed some sympathy towards her death, but let me remind you that more than anyone he could’ve saved the girl – even if she was already sick, would you let her die in such a horrid way? And yes, Ishikawa is a jerk.

Ascendance of a Bookworm – 19

Amun: I’ve been surprised at how consistent Ascendance of a Bookworm is.  Most shows go up and down, but wow, has Ascendance remained absolutely constant.  Definitely not the highest highs (although the first season’s magical smackdown of the high priest was pretty good), but with almost no full episode misfires, Ascendance is just solid.  This week sees Main stepping into her role of orphanage director, some political drama, etc.  All that’s well and good, but most interesting to me is that she’s found a fruit that can absorb mana (which coincidentally is really helpful for her paper) – what will happen next?!  I’m not clairvoyant (or have read any source material), but 19 episodes in, I can confidently say Ascendance is a known quantity – and a good one at that.

Continue reading “Spring 2020 Summary: Week 5” →

Spring 2020 Summary: Week 4

by SuperMario, posted in Weekly Summary

Mario: It’s the new week with the same hosts, the slice-of-slice devotee Mario and the isekai junkie Amun report on shows we’re still following, with more shows postponing and next season looks cloudier than ever. This week we see the last showings of Appare-Ranman and Houkago Teibou Nisshi before they hibernate, and some shows show signs of production issues, but it’s also a week where Hamefura proves to be our season’s favorite so far. Who could have predicted this at the start of the season? Well, color me surprise!

Hamefura – 04

Amun: This is possibly my anime of the season (although Kaguya is still this year’s heavyweight so far).  In the tale of the reincarnated benevolent villainess, Hamefura continually S.L.A.Y.S (steals lovers away, yes sir) as one by one, the unsuspecting enemies/interests of our hero/villain are conquered – despite Catarina being completely oblivious.  Any real tension of her actually being killed or banished is by now well dispelled (although I’m sure it’ll come back in the second half to great comedic effect).  Every week, a new excellence – this week was the battle for Maria’s home-cooked muffins.  If there’s one show that I really look forward to every week – it’s Hamefura.

Mario: My thought on Hamefura and our Catarina:

Tamayomi – 04

Mario: It’s hard when you see a TV production falling apart before your eyes. Tamayomi somehow avoids the delayed fate of many other shows, but at this rate it’s just a matter of time before they do. The quality in this episode is amateurish, with many off-model, cutting corners and inconsistencies in animation all over the place. The actual storyboard is fine, it’s just the melted animation that failed to hold things up and thus failed to leave any impact. Hopefully it avoids this pitfall later on, since there will be more baseball matches, and without sufficient production it’s gonna hurt the show a lot.

Continue reading “Spring 2020 Summary: Week 4” →

Spring 2020 Summary: Week 3

by SuperMario, posted in Weekly Summary

Mario: This recent week was rough. We all expected this to happen, but still hearing shows after shows get postponed is disheartening. It’s to the point I’m hesitant to drop shows now because I don’t think I have enough options anymore. It might be a good chance to catch up with the old stuff, I myself have been picking up Bookworm isekai again so expect it to be covered here starting next week. We have nearly a dozen shows to talk about this week (thanks to Amun for contributing half of them), so let’s run them down:

Appare-Ranman! – 02

Mario: Another show that is affected by the COVID-19 and it’s a shame because the first two episodes so far have failed to catch my attention. Heck, we don’t even see much of car racing which is its central premise. My biggest issue with the show so far is the characters, which I find bland, uninteresting and filled with bad dialogues. Even the new girl is there because the show wanted to bring up the “girl can’t race” angle, and in the season where Arte is also airing I find it to be on the face. Appare lacks the emotional investment to any human around him that I find him rather one-noted instead of interesting. In addition, I still believe that the premiere is a waste as they could just start off with this one and we won’t really miss out much.

Hachi Nan – 03 

Amun: Just because this show was derided so hard by my colleagues, I’m going to write about it every week.  Hey, to be fair, this has actually turned into a halfway decent isekai. Now, it’s a little unsporting that two other above average isekais (Bookworm and Hamefura) are also in this season – but Hachi Nan is really a decent, run-of-the-mill, escapist isekai.  I think they’ve handled the plot at a good pace – sure, there are some contrived situations, but this is to be expected in backstories. I thought the situational irony landed well this episode, with misunderstood assumptions getting worked out in the end. This is very similar to Didn’t I Say To Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?!, which aired a few seasons ago – not going to make anyone’s top anime lists, but enjoyable while it lasts.

Continue reading “Spring 2020 Summary: Week 3” →

Spring 2020 Summary: Week 2

by SuperMario, posted in Weekly Summary

Mario: Welcome to the first edition of Spring 2020 Weekly Summary where we throw our opinions on leftover shows that don’t receive a full coverage (the orphans so to speak). There are still more shows that I will check out when their second episode’s out (like Fruit Baskets 2, Appare-Ranman and Kisutsuki and that Cute Girls Fishing show). I also have this self-imposed rule where I’ll drop a bunch of them after 3 episodes. So expect a big clean up after next week (Beware! Listeners and Tower of God and Gleinpir). Thanks Amun for contributing to this column, and readers, if you want us to give more chance to any other show airing this season, shout out in the comment section below.

Hamefura – 02

Mario: The second episode of this Otome Isekai might not be as fresh as the first one, but it’s still adorable as heck. This week our main (villain) girl Catarina conquers two more “underlings”, not necessarily with any ulterior motive. It has considerably less self-awareness than the premiere, although in this case I prefer the meta aspect. It says right there in the title, but for me the show works best when Catarina uses her game knowledge and has her little freakouts when all roads she paves indeed leading to doom. Another winning aspect in which Hamefura succeeds so far is that she gains other characters’ trust through her efforts and goddamnit she’s earned it. HameFura is a total delight so far.

Listeners – 02

Amun: If anyone can understand a single thing that went on in this episode, then hat’s off to them.  There’s a weird trio that’s apparently never been approached by a fan, a spooky bathroom, and Mu who is definitely DTHH (Down to Hand Hold) despite our protag’s best efforts.  Throw in the creepy amusement park and a random crucifixion (I think?) and this episode was Evangelion levels of confusion. That being said, it’s not like I didn’t enjoy it – I’m just a bit confused.  Looked good while doing it though, and say what you want, but this show has some characters (MC notwithstanding).

Continue reading “Spring 2020 Summary: Week 2” →

Some Quick First Impressions: Kaguya-sama S2, Argonavis from BanG Dream!, Kitsutsuki Tantei Dokoro

by SuperWooper, posted in Some Quick First Impressions

Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai 2

Short Synopsis: You already know what this show is about.

Lenlo: What is there to really say here? It’s Kaguya Season 2, if you have seen the first, you know exactly what to expect and what you are getting here. There will be gags, romantic comedy, Chika will be an idiot and along the way we may get to the point where actual romantic developments occur. The only real difference is the production, which was without a doubt stepped up here. I have no idea if they can carry this through the rest of the season, but its animation was definitely a contender for best of these first impressions. As far as criticisms… Only one I really have is that it felt rushed in places, pacing wise, since it covered 4 chapters and that the animation was actually rather distracting in some places. I don’t expect either of those to keep up though, so ultimately, it’s a pretty easy recommendation.

Potential: 80%

Mario: This premiere does a decent job of reminding us why we love Kaguya-sama in the first place. It has this ridiculously high stake mind game between Kaguya and Shirogane (and other cast members, as the show playfully reminds us in the first segment). In fact, each segment establishes many groundworks that played as the series’s strengths, and ones I expect them to follow up for the rest of the season. We have a couple of supporting casts who receive their spotlight (segment 1 & 2), we have fun games when the core cast spend time together where Chika’s unpredictability drives our main duo insane (segment 3), and we have their usual mind game that ends in an unexpected way. The production is a clear step up as well, with great building up and the narration is pretty sharp. My minor complaint (AKA not really complaining but bragging) is that the show tends to go overboard with Chika’s cartoonish expressions. I know it’s purely fan-service but… I need to find these gifs asap.

Potential: 75%

Argonavis from BanG Dream!

Short Synopsis: Aspiring singer joins bishie band in 3DCG hell.

Mario: Haizz Sanzigen. I remember liking their early efforts including BBK/BRK, ID-0 and Arslan Senki (they just partly produced the latter but still…), but recently they followed the golden prospect of idol anime and they went completely off the mark. Argonavis is in the same universe with their BanG Dream (well, you can see it in the title), and the first episode is a fairly standard story of how the members form a band together. It’s filled with cliche plots, underwritten characters and really really bad CG production. I do think that the studio is in a dire situation, given that the production looks cheap. It’s nothing offensive in its story but it’s the kind of story that I’d forget as soon as the ED hits.

Potential: the worst premiere

Wooper: “I aM fOnD oF sAnZiGeN gIvEn HoW tHeIr ChArAcTeR dEsIgNs ArE aTtRaCtIvE aNd ThE cG lOoKs RaThEr DeCeNt”

Potential: lol

Kitsutsuki Tantei Dokoro

Short Synopsis: A genius poet opens a detective agency to help pay the bills.

Wooper: This show isn’t on the same level as Rakugo Shinjuu, but it’s clearly inspired by it. Both are historical pieces that involve a specific artform; both begin in the present before embarking on a serialized flashback; and both focus on the friendship between two men, one of whom has died and left the other alone in the world. Kitsutsuki Tantei Dokoro is less elegant and more matter-of-fact than its predecessor, throwing Ishikawa into his new detective gig by the end of episode 1, but it’s admirably directed. It focuses on small details, like hanging nails or stuffed bookshelves, that gain new meaning once they reappear in a later scene, having changed in some small way. The backgrounds are strikingly geometric, creating an attractive picture of Tokyo City as it existed in the late 19th century. I really like the show’s use of color, too – the palette is muted, with lavenders and olive greens giving it a vaguely romantic air. The contrast between the city’s orderly layout and earthy appearance results in a nice atmosphere, which helps counteract the sting of the series’ lackluster animation. The characters haven’t sold me yet, but they’re based on novelized versions of real life tanka poets, which sounds neat. And they’re going to solve mysteries, too? Count me in for another couple episodes, at least.

Potential: 60%

Mario: Another stylish detective anime of this Spring season, it’s a style-over-substance show where it has “cool” factor written all over it. While Fugou Keiji rocks you hard on characters’ over-the-top traits and its crazy, wild ride, Kitsutsuki is more concerned with refreshing background arts, the blue character outline and how the main character trolls everyone around him. The show’s style is pleasing with attractive character designs and a nice soundtrack. The actual case is passable with some leaps of logic but at least the plot constantly moves forward. It’s the characters that I am most worried about. Main guy is fine and indeed he carries the whole show so far, given that the other characters are pretty unmemorable at the moment, especially Watson-kun. Because of that I don’t find any chemistry whatsoever between these two so the ending doesn’t work for me. In addition, comparing detective work with poetry is interesting, but frankly I don’t see the links between these and this is more about my lack of class when it comes to poetry but the poems the main character often recites fall flat for me. Still, I can see the appeal of watching this and Fugou Keiji back to back every week to see which one tops the other in terms of stylish ridiculousness.

Potential: 30%

The Case Files of Jeweler Richard Anime Review – 71/100

by SuperMario, posted in Anime Reviews, Reviews by SuperMario, The Case Files of Jeweler Richard

It’s nice to see some rare gems like Housekishou Richard-shi surface in anime medium once in a while. It’s about a niche subject matter that is gemstones, and how these jewelries reflect the quality of its owners. The show also builds up a solid relationship between the main duo Richard and Seigi, although it remains ambiguous till the end whether their relationship could qualify as “romance”. The cases vary in its delivery and quality and frankly my biggest issue with the show is that I find a real lack of engagement to the main characters, each has traits that I found unrelatable.

Continue reading “The Case Files of Jeweler Richard Anime Review – 71/100” →

Fate/Grand Order Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia Anime Review – 65/100

by AidanAK47, posted in Anime Reviews, Reviews by AidanAK47

I am certainly a bit late with this review but forgive me as the Fate/Grand Order mobile game decided that now was a fine time to drop the first chapter in the second big story arc of the game and laziness due current circumstances of which you are no doubt aware. Considering the number of Fate adaptations we have been getting in recent times, I wouldn’t be surprised if that new Fate Grand Order Chapter got an anime adaption in the future but well that is something for another day. This anime is yet another spinoff to the Fate series and if you know anything about spinoffs you would know that Fate is a bit rocky when it comes to their quality. From the boring Fate Extra Last encore to the mixed bag of Fate/Apocrypha to the weirdly excellent Today’s menu for the Emiya family to the sadly disappointing Lord El-Melloi case files. Many a Fate adaptation we have gotten and even as a Fate fan I wouldn’t say they were particularly good. Still what we have here is an adaption of a story from the Fate/ Grand Order mobile game, otherwise known as the emptier of Nasufan wallets. Not the first adaption as we did get an anime adaption of the prologue of the game in Fate/Grand Order First Order which yeah, wasn’t really much good. In a strange twist of fate this adaption is not really the continuation of that OVA but the seventh story chapter of the game, basically skipping the previous six(Well there are a series of three movies which will cover the sixth chapter Camelot)

 

To make things clear from the onset, if your question is “Can I start the Fate Series from here?” the answer is a solid no. For anime only fans you will likely have to watch the holy four(Fate/Zero, Fate(No anime adaption at time of writing), Unlimited Bladeworks, Heaven’s feel) and the First Order OVA but even then this likely wouldn’t give you everything you need to enjoy this anime to the fullest. Quite frankly, this anime is a fanservice anime and in that I do not mean the kind with panty shots and breasts that jiggle at the slightest drop in room temperature. (Though there is some fanservice of that degree as well.) I mean that this is an anime made by fans for fans, that namely being fans of the mobile game. Fate GO Babylonia does not hold your hand and instead barrels forward with it’s plot regardless if you are on board or not. There is only the bare minimum to try and allow the viewer to catch up on six chapters of missing content but it more or least assumes that you not only know what has happened but even know the gist of what is going to happen. There are plot points which will fly over your head if you don’t know your lore and even the main villain’s motivation needs some knowledge of mesopotamian creation myth.
Continue reading “Fate/Grand Order Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia Anime Review – 65/100” →

Some Quick First Impressions: Houkago Teibou Nisshi, Fugou Keiji: Balance Unlimited & Appare-Ranman!

by SuperMario, posted in Some Quick First Impressions

Houkago Teibou Nisshi

Short Synopsis: A city girl moves to a seaside town and learns the joys of fishing and the outdoors with her new club.

Lenlo: For those that are new here, CGDCT (Cute girls doing cute things) isn’t really my genre. I don’t have anything against it, I just find them boring more often than not. Houkago doesn’t really break that mold, it’s exactly what you would expect. But it feels like there is a level of care, a solid foundation, behind that at least makes it tolerable. That makes it feel like an actual show with reason to exist beyond selling merchandise or appealing to weebs with cute girls. It feels like there might actually be a story here to tell, even if it’s not necessarily one for me. So if you like CGDCT, I see no reason why I wouldn’t enjoy Houkago. If you don’t like the genre, I doubt this one will change your mind on it.

Potential: 25%

Mario: The cute girls subgenre is more physically active this season (ironically since this is the only time where the world hibernates), with Tamayomi about baseball and this one Houkago is about fishing. Houkago is much more typical CGDCT as this episode does nothing to break its usual formula. We have the main girl being unfamiliar to the subject, getting dragged by her new senpai to join the club, doing the activity in question and realizes how much fun that is. So in other words, all the usual affairs. What makes it slightly better than average is the pleasing backgrounds of blue beach, and even their clubroom brings a cozy, warm feeling. The girls are fine, with Hina barely passing my test of endurance… but why includes an off-putting tentacle attack? I do love the haiku at the end, though, so it evens out, I suppose? I like CGDCT in general so I have a fun time watching it, but it isn’t on the same level with, say Yuru Camp, so for those who don’t care about cute girls being cute then you won’t miss out anything. 

Potential: 30%

Fugou Keiji: Balance Unlimited

Short Synopsis: A multimillionaire solves crimes with the power of money in the most ridiculous ways available.

Lenlo: Holy-comedic-timing Batman. Fugou Keiji was a ride from start to finish, and I don’t want to get off. It’s just so ridiculous, as if Batman had more money, more snark and no cape. I am all in on Fugou Keiji, a show where the lead character’s superpower is money. Need a car to chase a criminal? Buy it. Damages incurred during the case? Pay double market value. Pay for a position on the police force? Get the one on the front lines as much as possible. Partner left hanging from a bridge after the criminal is caught? Not your problem, smirk as he falls into a river. This show is unapologetically balls to the wall stupid, without a serious bone in its body, and I love every second of it. Style oozes from everything from the characters to the animation. Also the ED is straight fire. Anime of the Season, calling it now. Daisuke Kambe, I love you, you ridiculous man.

Potential: 100%

Armitage: Okay. So, Lenlo apparently LOVES this. And that was one of the reasons I went into it with high expectations. But to be honest, I wasn’t that sold. The show’s aesthetic seems to be reminiscent of ACCA, another anime with similar themes which aired a couple of years ago. From the jazz soundtrack to the crime-solving nature of the plot, the two share a lot of similarities. But the main difference is that unlike Jean, our protagonist Kanbe came off as a rich, pompous, cigar-smoking brat with apparently an ‘unlimited’ credit balance and who seems to be anime’s take on Bruce Wayne. He has anime Robin as a partner for now but a future Catwoman appearance was also teased in the OP. Which would explain why the premiere played off as a cheap knockoff of the plotline from Dark Knight Rises, complete with anime Batman going after the truck which is carrying a ticking time bomb and having it blast off in the water. Sure, you may like all these things and the show itself has every chance to improve over the coming weeks, but the premiere by itself, was kind of a let-down. (PS: The ED is indeed incredibly fun and reminiscent of the Kokkoku OP, which was quite a thing a couple of years ago. It is also almost just as catchy.)

Potential: 55%

Appare-Ranman!

Short Synopsis: A genius inventor and a gutless samurai cross the Pacific Ocean and land in Los Angeles.

Armitage: So, who’s pumped for Steel Ball Run’s anime adaptation! I mean it’s the wackiest JoJo part so, I can’t wait to see how all of the crazy goodness gets adapted to screen. Huh? What do you mean it’s not Part 7!? I mean, there’s a race set in the American Wild-West with goofy looking characters and all, of course it’s JoJo’s. You wait till Gyro shows up! Wait, who’s this Samurai guy? Where’s Johnny!? The pink haired girl is a dude? I mean, sure. But why are there SO MANY characters? What is it you say, this is a PA Works original with the setting for SBR just slapped in as a PR strategy? O… kay, I guess. It should still be a fun watch, right? There’s no way that they can screw up such a distinctly unique and interesting premise. *20 mins later* Wow, I can’t believe they screwed up such a distinctly unique and interesting premise. Why, PA Works, why? You had one job! All we wanted was to see some racing action and devilish looking cars blasting each other off to shreds. Who needs backstories when the hook by itself is this gripping? Didn’t you guys see Redline? *Sighs* You really got to know your audience better.

Potential: 30% (75%, if they add stands and poses) 

Wooper: If anyone was hoping for wacky race action beginning with episode 1, Appare-Ranman has some bad news. This premiere was a prologue to the cross country shenanigans to follow, and the involvement of so many characters who are now an ocean away from the plot feels like a waste. Character building is important, so learning that Appare is the black sheep of his family was all good, but the vindictiveness of Kosame’s lord wasn’t necessary. In fact, his character could have been cut out of the story completely – Kosame could have served Appare’s father, and been charged never to leave his side. That would have provided a much sturdier reason for him to get stranded at sea, and saved a bunch of time to boot. The scene where Appare broke himself out of jail with a screwdriver didn’t feel right, either (why was he allowed to keep a tool like that while locked in a cell?). The script doesn’t feel watertight, is the point I’m getting at. It does the job of landing the main characters in America, though, and the rest of the show will assume a different form, so I’ll write off my issues for now.

Potential: waiting for ep. 2