Category: Some Quick First Impressions

Nekopara

Short Synopsis: A litter of catgirls work at a patisserie.

Wooper’s review:

This show is wall to wall catgirls. They meow, bat at things with their hands, and wear maid uniforms at their waitressing job. In the episode’s best sequence, one of them leaps across rooftops and walks atop thin stone walls, the way actual cats are often seen traveling in anime. That scene is the only inspired moment in the whole premiere, though – most of it is an appeal to fetishism. More attention is given to the girls’ tits than their ears or tails, which seems like a missed opportunity. Nekopara delivers yuri bait, mild cameltoe, a character who nearly pees herself waiting for the bathroom, and a master-servant relationship between the patisserie owner and his cats. The squeaky voice work provided by most of the cast seems tailor-made for otaku who like their 2D girls young and dumb. I felt dirty just typing that sentence, but that’s what Nekopara is: a quick and dirty adaptation of a visual novel for catgirl enthusiasts. If that’s you, congratulations and bon appetit.

Potential: Pawsitively terrible

Mario’s review:

Nekopara is so niche that right at the first ten seconds I know for sure that it’s just not for me. The concept is entirely “cute girls as cat maids” and in case you were wondering what the plot is like with that concept, yeah there’s no trace of plot whatsoever. We see a bunch of neko girls who are as smart as 6 yo kids, and do you find that “Master” a bit creepy, knowing that he has/owns half a dozen cute girls under his magic charm? I suppose if you find any of the cat girls remotely attractive then this show is working, as I don’t see any other reason for its existence.

Potential: grrrrrrrrrrr

 

The Case Files of Jeweler Richard

Short Synopsis: A far too appropriately named college student sets out to return stolen property, and acquires a part-time job.

Amun’s review:

One of the interesting evolutions that watching a decade of anime has revealed is the emerging trend to turn expected situations on their heads.  We’ve seen so many scenarios played out, season after season, that eventually the “meta” of anime should evolve and give us something new.  Case Files of Jeweler Richard does just that, subtly subverting expectations in a charming, fresh way.  While this very well may just be another “specialized” anime (we’ve now seen everything from pro wrestling to jetskis), there should be enough staff firepower to make this special – the first episode showcased that.  I think this will be a quiet, episodic show, that the viewer can enjoy alongside the main duo’s working relationship and gem of the week. If that sounds good to you or you’re looking for the season’s chillout filler (like Flying Witch was a while back) – this is the show for you.  Also gems! Learn about gems!

Potential: 75%

Mario’s review:

This was actually a pretty decent premiere. Unlike what I initially expected, the case of this first week is not as much of a mystery, or about the technical side of the jewelry itself, but more about people drama and how the fates of many people intewine through that jewelry and if you ask me, I find that to be a damn good approach. In this case, it’s about two women who share the same hardships and that they have to fight to survive on their own. Each of the women’s story then ties up very well with the meaning behind that sapphire: justice for the weak. Add to that, this first episode more than does it job in fleshing out our main duo, making each of them distinct, while at the same time develop their chemistry naturally. Not all elements work out well, though. The bit about the old creeper crossing the street is a tad bit lousy, which stand out badly since the show is quite adept in nailing little moments (my favorites involve Seigi talks to his Mom). All in all, Jeweler Richard is a real sleeper hit for me. 

Potential: 65%

 

Hatena Illusion

Short Synopsis: A live-in apprentice magician breaks a priceless artifact, and must become his host family’s butler.

Mario’s review:

With all due respect to the late Tomohiro Matsu, Hatena Illusion’s first strike is pretty shitty. Right off the bat, the titular character is a dealbreaker for me. I mean, how dumb are you that you can’t tell a boy from a girl at your age? And why do you freak out because of that? We have a typical bathroom scene, where she shouts “baka…hentai” and acts all shy… She’s a terrible character in all accounts. The rest of them fare a tad bit better, as no-face kun acts like thousands other anime male protags, and the servants in that house literally turn a guest into their underlings. I sense a low-key child abuse here but hey, at least it’s not that grating. The true plot brings no investment to me whatsoever, and with this kind of terrible writing, I don’t hold much hope for it.

Potential: I don’t care

Wooper’s review:

Hatena Illusion is a story about a guy who wants to become a magician, but becomes a butler instead, and he has a tsundere friend who thought he was a girl when they were children, etc. The story was lousy. What I actually want to talk about is anime’s recent failure in the anti-aliasing department, which isn’t exclusive to throwaway shows like this one. Even blockbuster series like last year’s Vinland Saga have had issues with saw-tooth linework. I don’t know what the issue is here – are the animators’ drawings being scanned at the wrong resolutions relative to the finished product? Here’s an example of what I’m talking about – this image comes from Hatena Illusion. The animator might as well have used MS Paint’s oval tool to draw those plates. Look more carefully at the image, and you’ll see that the same aliasing problem extends to the maid’s hands and outfit, as well. And in case you think it’s simply a result of the 720 to 1080p upscaling process, here’s the same shot in 720p. This issue cropped up all throughout the episode, including full-body shots of key characters, not just when dinnerware was on screen. Are there any experts reading this who can explain why some anime suffer from this problem more than others? I’m afraid that my future viewings of modern anime will turn into 20-minute “spot the jaggies” sessions at this rate.

Potential: Whatever

BOFURI: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense

Short Synopsis: Rookie girl starts playing a MMO game and maxes out her defense, the rest is history.

Lenlo’s review:

You know, I was with Bofuri up until the end. It was another stupid, hyper specialized Isekai like MILF and her two hit attack last year, except less cringy. The MC was new, she made a hyper focused build and there was some comedy to it all. Like just falling over on to things to hurt them, or being slow as shit because of low agility, that sort of stuff. It wasn’t anything groundbreaking, but it was alright, I enjoyed it. Then she got a super secret skill that gives her complete and utter immunity to poison just by getting hit by it alot and suddenly its “Oh… this is one of those”. No doubt she will become ludicrously overpowered by the end, with the comedy being the only thing that really keeps the show going. A shame. Still, for what is there, it’s not terrible. Just more run of the mill isekai stuff.

Potential: 15%

Mario’s review:

Does she really take a nap during her game?

It’s a two-punch hit for me this morning that I watched two shows with the same premise: rookie starts out in an MMO game, both with devastating results. This show plays out a bit like a cross between Shield Hero and an average isekai from last season, and only has one joke for it, which is spelled out right in the title. The one aspect that somewhat works is that the heroine is a total newbie, making her see the game much differently than other gamers. But even in this episode the game rules are broken to her advantage (she is allowed to BITE the enemy. Wot??) and it’s still a wish-fulfillment fantasy at best as she already acquired many advanced skills at the end of this episode. No, no, no.

Potential: 10%

 

number24

Short Synopsis: A former college rugby star becomes his team’s manager after a motorcycle accident.

Wooper’s review:

This anime is about boys! Tall boys and short boys, thin boys and thick boys, nice boys and rude boys, smart boys and dumb boys, macho boys and twink boys, nipponjin boys and gaijin boys, strong boys and weak boys, blond boys and brunette boys, athlete boys and manager boys, honest boys and deceitful boys, happy boys and sad boys, cheerful boys and depressed boys, healthy boys and sick boys, angry boys and calm boys, senpai boys and kouhai boys, sweaty boys and dry boys, hungry boys and full boys, funny boys and serious boys, boys with short hair and man bun boys, muscly boys and stick figure boys, motorcycle boys and walking boys, apartment boys and dormitory boys. All of these and any other boys you could ever want are waiting for you here, in number24.

Potential: 0% (of this episode is spent playing rugby)

Lenlo’s review:

I am a simple man. I like sports. I like anime. I like sports anime. What do I do not like are shows solely about sexy characters being sexy, and you know what? That’s what number24 is selling itself as. A majority of the episode was just introducing a massive cast of characters, showing them off, and then absolutely 0 rugby was played. As a sports anime fan, I feel let down and betrayed. I wanted a rugby show about boys running into each other, tackling each other, and in general beating the crap out of each other within the very fine confines that are the rules of Rugby. Instead I got a male idol show, except replace idol with rugby. Assuming number24 actually involves the sport at some point in a meaningful way, it might make something of itself. From what I have seen though, I doubt that’s ever going to be a big focus.

Potential: 5%

 

Infinite Dendrogram

Short Synopsis: Vanilla anime protag plays VRMMO with bear-suited brother.

Mario’s review:

Here’s the second MMO-based fantasy and boy does it look familiar. We have virtually the same setting, the same premise of a rookie guy making it big and scoring some girls and a freaking Deus ex machina when it feels like doing so. The show sells hard on “in this world, the possibilities are endless” but what it actually does differently is that the NPCs are gone for good when they’re killed, which is nice in concept but stupid in execution. You see, when our main character can’t die (only log out of the game for a day, which again, is another stupid strategy from game producers’ standpoint) and has an opportunity to replay, I don’t feel any suspense at all. The bear brother adds nothing to the table, and what’s up with “you get severely injured when an NPC hits you” gag? Get me out of here.

Potential: 0%

Wooper’s review:

Welcome to Infinite Dendrogram: the Review! Before we get started, you’ll need to create an account and customize your appearance, so your disbelieving expressions can be rendered in real time as you watch yet another MMO light novel adaptation. All done designing your avatar? Hmm, if I could offer some advice, your character’s design is a bit too lifelike. You’ll want to make it look as inoffensive and void of personality as possible – this is an Infinite Dendrogram review, after all. Now let’s go over some advanced concepts that you may never have encountered before: NPCs, quests, equippable items, etc. Got all that? Perfect, we’ve just covered 80% of the episode. Now it’s time to join your brother’s party (he wears a bear suit. A BEAR SUIT) and take part in your first battle. Use your Embryo to win and complete your first quest. What’s an Embryo? Oh, it’s like a super-powerful thingy that lives in your hand. It can be a cute anime girl or a sword or whatever else you may need. It’s a get out of jail free card, basically, so the author can write whatever scenario he wants. And that’s pretty much it. You’re now ready to watch the rest of Infinite Dendrogram. Happy viewing!

Potential: 0%

Pet

Short Synopsis: A crime boss uses perception-altering psychic henchmen to erase evidence of his wrongdoing.

Amun’s review:

First of all, I think my colleague below may have missed that the punk in the car from the second half is the boy staring at the television (at least, I think – they both had head scars. Also the smoking guy was at the hospital, and I’m assuming the long haired fellow is the boss). Otherwise, I pretty much agree – this was a bit fast and loose for a first episode. So far, I’m reminded of a terrible show I dropped called Banana Fish, so I’m not feeling very confident in the long run. Who knows, maybe it’s just enough of a mess that it all works out in the end. Probably not.

Potential: 10%

Wooper’s review:

I imagine that a lot of initial reactions to Pet will take issue with its narrative presentation, since it opens with a five-minute sequence that’s not clearly related to what follows. Even the main story takes its sweet time getting to the point, centering on the victim of the main characters’ mental manipulations, rather than the manipulators themselves. Those were both problems for me as well, but my biggest gripe with this show is that it’s boring to look at. Skip to any frame in this episode and watch five sequential cuts, and you’re likely to see five sterile-looking backgrounds, with people and objects arranged unimaginatively on top. The only shot I liked was the airborne cigarette scene, not just because it was the best bit of animation on display, but because there’s purpose to its composition. The water reflects sunlight, encroaching on the left side of the frame; the guard rail in the background is curved, suggesting a diversion from the norm; birds in the background move in slow motion, highlighting Katsuragi’s control of his target’s senses. Nearly every other scene in the episode paled in comparison to this one. The whole show suffers for its poor layout design, leaving me with no faith that it will make good visual use of its unique concept.

Potential: 25%

 

Murenase! Seton Gakuen

Short Synopsis: An animal-hating high school boy enrolls at a high school full of animals.

Wooper’s review:

Murenase Seton Gakuen is a silly, otaku-baiting comedy with its heart in the right place. Most of the male characters have purely animal appearances, while most of the girls are humanoid with furry ears and tails – the demographic for these designs couldn’t be clearer. There’s a scene where a zebra girl has her panties exposed (and they’re not black and white striped for some reason). When anime is so deliberately slanted towards a subset of its viewership, it often feels stupid, or worse, insulting, but this one largely avoids that problem. There’s some good humor here (the donkeys being MTG-playing nerds was my favorite gag), but the show’s saving grace is its emotional core. Yes, really. Wolf girl Ranka’s search for acceptance in someone’s “pack” will be instantly recognizable to anyone who has ever felt isolated or ostracized. The male lead Jin thinks mostly of his own convenience, but ultimately decides to join her pack as thanks for her courage in standing up to a group of bears. Even the moment where she licks his face in happiness is rooted in their character dynamic, despite being so strange on the surface. I doubt Murenase will be one of the season’s best shows, but it’s certainly better than any key visual or PV would suggest.

Potential: 40%

Lenlo’s review:

Christ on a cracker, THIS was not my show. You’d think after Beastars or Africa no Salaryman last season I would be more open to this kind of stuff, but nope. Murenase is just Kemono Friends as an ecchi comedy series. Yes, there is some comedy that I found amusing when it really incorporated animal facts and such. It was unexpectedly smart about that. But the rest of it was your classic slapstick/ecchi stuff, which I tend to ignore because I don’t like it. But then Murenase tries to have some sort of character drama, and it just clashes for me. Like some kind of whiplash, I just didn’t like it. It felt out of place to me, compared to the two shows I mentioned earlier, both of which did either drama or comedy with animals far better. So, the long and short of it is, if you have seen and enjoyed ecchi comedies before, you will probably like Murenase. If you are like me and can’t be bothered to waste your time on 99% of them, then Murenase won’t be changing that now.

Potential: 5%

Amun’s review:
I will show up and write a blurb that I didn’t sign up for just to disagree with Lenlo on this one! Yes, this was a high school setting, yes we just saw a much MUCH better version of this conflict in Beastars. But come on now, if this didn’t tug on your heartstrings a little, go watch Usagi Drop or something for therapy (if you haven’t seen it, by the way, seriously, go watch it). I’m watching and rooting for this show because of HEART. This show may not have the most talent (obviously) – my brain says no, but my heart, my heart says yes. I’m hoping for something like Kaguya-sama: Love is War – on paper quite flat, but where all the elements pull together and become greater than the sum of their parts. Like a pack, one could say!

Potential: 75%

 

Majutsushi Orphen Hagure Tabi

Short Synopsis: An outcast sorcerer bums about town before encountering a dragon from his past.

Mario’s review:

Orphen fails at the most important element: creating engaging characters. There is not a single memorable character, and the main character’s main mode is shouting like there’s no tomorrow. It speaks to the age of the source material, as well. The shouting match fits to early 00s anime like a glove, and the plot so far is too busy establishing the world that it forgets to tell it cohesively. For this first episode for example, the pacing is all over the place. There are many “random” moments, and we can’t feel the impact the girl turning into a dragon has on our main character since we don’t know anything about her, nor their relationship at all. The production is average, points given for the hand-drawn dragon, but apart from that it doesn’t have much to write home about. With the current trend of rebooting the old classic material, Orphen is sadly one of the least memorable ones.

Potential: 10%

Wooper’s review:

When it comes to rebooting classic anime properties, there are two schools of thought. One opts for modernization, changing the character designs, art style, setting, and even tweaking the story for the sake of current audiences (e.g. Parasyte, which was adapted from a manga but fits my criteria). The other recreates the original as best it can, gambling that there’s enough fondness out there for the first version to keep things the same. Orphen definitely falls into the second category, and is probably better for it. The 90s aesthetic gives the characters a cartoony expressiveness while allowing them to exist in a high fantasy series. The backgrounds are more detailed than your average TV show, though their painterly appearance is likely a digital trick. The soundtrack, especially, feels as though it was taken straight from the 1998 version. I’ve never seen it, but I doubt the disco-adjacent track that played in the pub would be composed from scratch for a 2020 anime series. There’s not much to say about the story at this point – here there be mages, dragons, swords, street urchins, etc. It feels familiar, even without having watched the original. As a matter of fact, I’d recommend watching the 90s version instead of this one – at least you’ll get some cel animation out of the experience that way.

Potential: 40%

Magia Record: Madoka Magica Gaiden

Short Synopsis: Two magical girls travel to a city that appears in their dreams, promising that they can be saved.

Wooper’s review:

I’m a fan of the original Madoka series, but without Shinbo, Urobuchi, or Kajiura aboard the creative team here, I was ready for disappointment. Thankfully, though, this was a pretty good episode! It certainly doesn’t ease you into things the way 2011 Madoka did – the plot is more upfront with its intentions thanks to the whole “In Kamihama City, magical girls can be saved” tag line. That’s not a dealbreaker for me, as Magia Record’s beautiful backdrops and eerie atmosphere combine to offset its accelerated start. That things are not quite right is obvious, since all traces of magical girl Iroha’s sister have been wiped from existence, and there’s a second Kyubey at work that only she can sense. The show does more than obsess over those facts, however – it plasters the facades of buildings with the wishes of magical girls, and bathes key scenes in a haunting twilight gold to great effect. Gekidan Inu Curry (the art duo who created the labyrinths from the original series) definitely brought their A-game as full series directors here. They’re also listed as the project’s head writers, so their compositional chops will be tested in the coming months. After this premiere, though, I’m throwing caution to the wind and approaching Magia Record with full-blown optimism.

Potential: 80%

Lenlo’s review:

Similarly to Wooper, I am also a fan of the original Madoka Magica series, and was worried about Urobuchi and co’s absence. And while my fears have not completely disappeared, I did enjoy the opening episode of Magia Record. I think the directors did a great job of keeping the atmosphere and general feel of the original series. The mixed-media segments as well were splendidly done, really brought me back and are still like nothing else you really see in anime. Really, Wooper pretty much hit the nail on the head above. Personally, my only concern is whether or not Magia Record can manage to not become what Madoka Magica originally satirized. Whether or not it can manage to avoid becoming a basic monster of the week story of magical girl show, with a slightly darker tint. So long as it avoids that pitfall, I have no reason to think this won’t be a good series.

Potential: 80%

 

Eizouken ni wa Te wo Dasu na!

Short Synopsis: Three high school girls living in a densely organized seaside town decide to make an anime together.

Wooper’s review:

I think it’s safe to say that Eizouken’s release marks the most spartan phase of Yuasa’s anime career. Here there is no trace of Mind Game’s messiness, Tatami Galaxy’s multimedia experimentation, or Devilman Crybaby’s elastic psychosis. There are chase scenes and wonderfully lived-in backgrounds – both staples of his previous work – but the simplicity of the character designs isn’t pushed to its limits. That doesn’t mean they’re boring; on the contrary, their Dragon Pilot-inspired features and varying heights make Eizouken’s unlikely leading trio fun to root for. The stakes are very low, however, as the story hasn’t presented us with much more than their desire to make anime. There’s a direct Future Boy Conan reference, a handful of big animator namedrops, and some very nerdy dialogue about how anime uses plausible movement as a basis for impossible movement – but not much in the way of story. We’ll get there in time, I suppose, and until then we can busy ourselves by studying the Where’s Waldo-esque backgrounds and loosely colored fantasy sequences where the characters’ concept designs come to life. I’ll be watching this one going forward, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed by its ordinary nature.

Potential: 70%

Mario’s review:

Anyone who loves and is inspired by Future Boy Conan gets a thumb of approval from me.

Watching this first episode I can totally see why Yuusa would want to adapt it. The looseness of the characters’ designs fits his fluid animation well, and when it comes to the anime-filled imagination he can stretch the muscle to go wild. What I found the most noticeable is his restraint. Not experimental in any nature, no wild visuals or colorful palette; he instead tones down to fit the material, and for me this is a big plus. The show so far has two main parts: the real world where three girls with different personalities and skills join up to make their own anime (I found the whole rich girl runaway from her bodyguards a bit over the top but… well), and their anime “production” that makes full use of the main girl’s concept art – something I really want to see more of. Not a totally knockout premiere, but it has many bright parts that I am happy to follow it along the way.

Potential: 75%

 

ID: Invaded

Short Synopsis: A self-proclaimed Master Detective goes into the subconscious of a serial killer in order to solve the case.

Mario’s review:

ID:Invaded is a hot mess. Well, parts of it are by design, but when you have an episode (I only watched the first one) of a dreamstate of floating objects, a real life crime procedural and all the too-important-and-not-funny-at-all talks between a dozen characters, it’s a bit too much. The very concept is intriguing – a mixture of 18if and Psycho-Pass – that can push the story into interesting territories. While it does what it could to visualize the fragmented dream world, there are some drawbacks to that. First, on the technical level the CG can be bland and noticeable at times. The CG of the loose body parts are fine, but the character models suffer badly. Second, for the amount of time that we are inside the killer’s mind, we sadly don’t know much about him, or any character at all. The narrative functions as establishing the rules and its worldbuilding more than it cares enough to build any believable or relatable character. Still, it’s interesting enough for me to give this show another try.

Potential: 40%

Amun’s review:

I came into this show (a double feature at that) with the lowest expectations. I hated the character designs in the preview and we just came off some terribly disappointing detective shows in Sherlock and Psycho Pass (not Season 1). But ID: Invaded caught me by surprise: this wasn’t the cleanest pair of episodes by any means, but I’m hooked for at least a few more. The CG doesn’t annoy me as much as I thought, and the character designs are dulled after a while like olfactory fatigue. What shines here is the general world concept (more Minority Report than Psycho Pass in my opinion), and I surprisingly liked the characters, despite their looks and the overall brief interactions. Even the villain had more depth than expected for a guy who drilled a hole in his own head – maybe it’s just a talented VA? Anyways, I’m around for a few more – just don’t hoodwink me like Sherlock did.

Potential: 65%

Somali to Mori no Kamisama

Short Synopsis: A self-described emotionless golem cares for a human child after discovering him alone in a forest.

Amun’s review:

Somali to Mori no Kamisama started off…interestingly. In a world where humans have been vanquished, a forest golem is wandering about with a child hellbent on getting eaten or generally dying. Actually, if you’ve ever had a child of your own, that seems about right. Also, this show has a jackalope – for that reason alone I might watch it. In all seriousness, this looks a bit more like Ancient Magus Bride meets Kino’s Journey than my initial thought of Natsume’s Book of Friends. I like the golem (no emotions but definitely street smart) and hate the kid. I think this show lives or dies on the dynamic between the two (moreso even than Kino and Hermes), but looks okay so far – and I love the supporting characters and world/scenery. I’m a little worried the ceiling is low and we might fizz out like Ancient Magus Bride did in the second half. Still seems worth at least a few episodes though.

Potential: 75%

Wooper’s review:

Why, Kenji Yasuda? Why would you pollute your show’s beautiful backgrounds with those ugly sunbeams? The world of Somali to Mori no Kamisama looks as though it was plucked straight from a book of fairy tales, and it boasts lots of creative creature designs to match. But I can’t get over those gaudy light rays – they’re present in every single exterior shot, so it’s not as though they’re easy to overlook. Oh well, there’s more to anime than composition and photography. Characters, for example, are quite important, and Somali’s are decent. The kid’s nonstop enthusiasm is cloying, but I’m a softie when it comes to that sort of thing, and so is the golem (despite his protests to the contrary). The golem’s design is awesome, from his laced mask to the all-seeing eye that rests beneath it. The orchestral score is also quite nice, bearing some eastern influence that makes Somali’s fantasy world feel distinct. This episode wasn’t a slam dunk by any means, but it was good enough that I’m likely to try another one.

Potential: 60%

 

Koisuru Asteroid

Short Synopsis: When a high school’s geology and astronomy clubs are combined, their members must learn to work together.

Mario’s review:

Koisuru Asteroid is your average CGDCT anime, nothing more, nothing less. Like a typical offering of the genre, we have a club with a varied set of characters, although the main focus is on the two new members who met before in their childhood. Those two share a solid chemistry, and the fact that this club is a joint club between astronomy and geology is interesting. At least so far the cast doesn’t overplay the cuteness (and silliness), and in addition the show handles the girls’ expression/reaction quite well (the hamburger remark, for example). While there isn’t much else from the show that could raise the bar into the exceptional level, if you’re into CGDCT anime then Koisuru Asteroid will do the job. Don’t expect it to cross over, though.

Potential: 20%

Wooper’s review:

Koisuru Asteroid borrows from a lot of other anime and surpasses none of them. The characters and their designs remind me of previous Doga Kobo series (especially New Game), so that’s nothing new. There are depth of field shots that go for the filmic look of Naoko Yamada’s work, but they don’t appear frequently enough to give the show that sort of visual identity. The music is reminiscent of Hourou Musuko’s piano-based soundtrack, which isn’t a bad thing by any means, but neither does it help the show stand out. The one thing I can wholeheartedly praise are the handful of scenes where the characters look up at the stars. The night skies in this show are very pretty, and the way the girls glow in the dark creates an appealing (if not necessarily realistic) contrast. As for their personalities and relationships, though, they could hardly keep my attention throughout the episode. I’m not opposed to cute girl shows on principle, but they have to exceed expectations for me to continue with them, and Koisuru Asteroid didn’t manage that.

Potential: 30%

 

Darwin’s Game

Short Synopsis: Cell phone game leads to death duels and…encounters of fate?

Lenlo’s review:

My first thought when watching Darwin’s Game was that it was a mediocre Mirai Nikki. Which considering my opinion of Mirai is a bit of an accomplishment. Really, I don’t know why this needed to be a double feature. It’s just two episodes smashed together, with clear endings and plots for each. Darwin’s Game doesn’t do anything interesting, or slow build the tension with the extra time at all. Like it could have spent the whole feature building up the tension with Banda. As far as production it was… alright, if you consider that it was basically made by 6 animators. Take that away and it’s pretty poor, but credit where it’s due for those poor folks who were understaffed for this. Meanwhile all the character designs all look very… squishy to me, very soft. As far as the show itself goes, eh. It seems like a pretty run of the mill death game. If you liked Mirai Nikki you might like this, if you didn’t like Mirai Nikki like myself, then this isn’t going to be for you.

Potential: 5%

Amun’s review:

Hey this wasn’t that bad! For the rumored lack of animators (apparently only 6), the double length feature, and a Gacha game, Darwin’s Game didn’t look promising. And okay, it wasn’t the most spectacular first episode – but for that few animators, it was great. You could tell there were some clever shortcuts (killing the lights to remove the need for backgrounds and a lot of closeups), but those were minor complaints. I will say, Blonde Yuno-lite had a few odd motions, and I think as the show goes on, those CG assists will show through more. Sadly, the plot looks pretty bland. Instead of capturing the magic of Mirai Nikki, this looks a bit more like One True Tatsuya plays a cellphone game. Here’s the plot: innately talented rookie assembles super team to defeat low rent baddies who cut off people’s fingers – all while discovering glimpses of the world’s secrets. I’m afraid there’s nothing here we haven’t seen before, but if you’re looking for low-brow, low-budget action, I guess this is for you?

Potential: 10%

Shin Chuuka Ichiban!

Short Synopsis: A young master chef helps a struggling chicken breeder by winning a cooking contest using her birds.

Wooper’s review:

I’ve seen precisely one episode of the original Chuuka Ichiban, which was overly theatrical and not particularly well-produced if memory serves. This one fares much better, as it’s got Production IG money behind it and a veteran director (Itsurou Kawasaki) at the helm. I’m usually a sucker for the sort of white-trimmed characters that Shin Chuuka uses, but in this case I don’t feel like that extra design element contributes much to the series’ aesthetic. What does help its case is the above-average animation and the judges’ ridiculous responses to everything they eat. You get a sense from this episode that cooking means everything in 19th century China (ironically, this is conveyed via the 21st century technique of constantly overreacting to stuff). The art and the series’ sense of fun are great, but where the show stumbles is in its painfully simple story. Mao and friends happen upon a new village, meet a misfortunate character, and help put her life back on track with the power of food preparation. I’m sure the series has a larger plot in mind, but I can’t wholeheartedly endorse this sequel when its first script is such a boilerplate effort.

Potential: 50%

Mario’s review:

You can sense that the source material of this show comes from the 90s based on the character designs and the episodic content alone, and that for me works for its benefits. It certainly revokes many of the charms from that era: from the sidekicks’ dynamic to the feel-good nature it has. Add to that this show is about cooking and there’s clearly a love put on making the food. Maybe it’s just me who watched the episode with an empty stomach but the food displayed in the episode look so delicious. The art and animation remind us to its era, but overall it’s still lacking. The story seems to jump in the middle of an ongoing story, but points to the show of making this episode accessible to new viewers without the usual pitfall of overexplaning its world and characters other anime usually fall into. Admittedly the resolve is stupid (“this is steam rice but it tastes like chicken oh boy give me a goddamn break”) and its over-the-top reactions from the judges can be grating at times, but overall it delivers the charms and appeals successfully in this first try.

Potential: 30%

 

My Hero Academia Season 4

Short Synopsis: In a world of superpowers, one normal boy is given a chance to be the hero he always dreamed of.

Amun’s review:

Why are people calling this a recap episode?  I would say this was a filler episode at worst – I actually love when shows flesh out their world by looking at situations from different perspectives.  “Recap” implies no new ground was covered – while MHA usually covers more ground per episode, there was definitely progress here (see – All Might’s Former Agency Partner, Mr. Combover).  So what if they reused a few scenes? Half of each Bleach episode was footage from the previous 2 episodes, and they didn’t call those recaps. There was more than enough original footage to stand on its own.  This episode was like a small acoustic ballad from a heavy metal band – it may have been different from normal, but it was pure class all the same. I think it’s also critical to build up the impact of All Might’s retirement – this is a global event that shouldn’t be glossed over just to get to the next villain; personalizing it helps the viewers really appreciate how the world’s changed.  I applaud MHA for taking their time and doing this right. And I’ll take slice of Hero life to get me nice and hyped up for the new season any day. Plus ULTRA!!

Potential: 100000000000% 

Lenlo’s review:

Well, it’s really hard to rate a first episode, when the first episode is a recap episode. That said, as far as recaps go, it wasn’t bad. MHA tried to do something new by framing the whole thing from a reporter’s perspective. Even attempting to paint him in a more sinister light at the start. It was a… more organic way to do a recap than I was expecting. And even gave us a peek into the world outside of UA and how they view All Might. Helping to flesh out the world. It’s what anime only filler/recap content should be. All that said though, a recap is a recap, and I can’t really judge the season off old footage and a bunch of stills. So if you really want to know how MHA will do, wait until next week. As this one isn’t for old fans who already know what they are getting into.

Potential: ???

 

Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld

Short Synopsis: After ending the tyranny of the Administrator, Kirito must overcome his trauma to save the world. Both virtual and real.

Lenlo’s review:

So let me be very clear as I start this, I hated the first season of Alice. Probably my least favorite season of SAO yet, with how it handles its entire second half. So I went into this with the lowest expectations imaginable. When I say I couldn’t care less about this episode, please take that as nothing less than a compliment for the series. As it didn’t outright offend me. Just like last season, the opening arc actually appears like it won’t be that bad, maybe even good.  As with Kirito being a vegetable, the focus won’t be on him ruining the plot every 5 minutes. It’s probably the best decision it could have made. And Alice’s focus isn’t that bad either. Bringing the fight to her and all that. I find the weakening of her character strength wise to be a bit pointless though, as we all know it doesn’t actually mean anything. I would rather they just establish the bad guys as being that much stronger. Still, the episode wasn’t bad. But I just have this niggling doubt inside me. A doubt that says somehow, some way, SAO Alice will screw this up. 

Potential: 45%

 

Rifle is Beautiful

Short Synopsis: A girl gathers up other girls to save the rifle club from being disbanded.

Lenlo’s review:

Holy crap did Rifle burn through content. When I saw the club wasn’t formed, I thought for sure the season would be about them gathering members and coming together but screw that, lets find them all in 3 minutes flat. Almost gave me whiplash. As for the actual show itself, eh. Like Mario says its a CGDCT show, though while he probably likes it the most out of us, I probably like the genre the least. As a Texan, I was really hoping we would get some actual focus on the guns and the sports aspect of the club but that seems to be in vein. Some of it is there, but this is a CGDCT show first and foremost, and thats sad for me. I also don’t see how Mario failed to notice the CGI, because I saw it the moment it happened, when everyone turned stiff as a board. Now, I could rag on it all day, but I suppose it boils down to this: If you like CGDCT, you will probably find something of value here. The girls are the focus, its not a sports show, yadda yadda. If you want something meaningful out of a piece though? Something more than feel good times with highschoolers? I say its not worth your time. 

Potential: 10% 

Mario’s review:

The moral of this story: for cute girls even guns and rifles are indeed beautiful. Well, this is your typical CGDCT show (a rarity that it’s the only Cute girl show this season). I’m confident to say that I am the most into Cute girls show out of all writers, so trust me when I say that I can see it winning some hardcore fans of the genre. First, the character designs are cute and these girls have some significant traits (like… red hair for half-Russian because Russians have the most beautiful red hair ahh you know I’m just kidding). And literally they all have moments to shine in this episode. Second, it’s not much about the sports but more about them hanging out together so the chemistry between them is important, and as far as it goes the show already establishes some nice chemistry between them in which they bounce off each other quite well. Lastly, the production design is on a better side. There’s some CG mixes in couple scenes but I myself didn’t notice until someone pointed out to me. Overall, this show won’t win any awards but it serves as a good breather in between bigger hits this season.

Potential: 30%

Beastars

Short Synopsis: A wolf and a rabbit, both loners at a boarding school for animals, must navigate the social tensions between predators and prey.

Lenlo’s review:

So I gotta say, this was a much better opening episode than I was expecting. As a manga Beastars was very slow to start. So this upped pacing, 4 chapters in a single episode, was really unexpected. Part of me feels they did it just to get to that memorable first episode ending. But I think it helped get me more engaged quicker. Still, you know my thoughts on the story and where it goes. What I really wanna talk about is how Orange nailed the visuals. Seriously, Beastars is the best animated/styled series I have seen so far. The CGI models look great, blended with just enough traditional animation techniques that they fit in with the 2D also on screen. I also love the presentation style, such as the projector at the start (anime only) or the blue lines in darkness so we can still see, without crappy dark lighting. It’s just fabulous to look at. Also the music, my god the music. Violins, Jazz, whatever that OP that plays at the end of the episode is. Mmm, Beastars has style and I think I am going to enjoy watching it. Because if nothing else, I think Orange can take a story I wasn’t big on and make it interesting.

Potential: 90%

Mario’s review:

I have high expectations for Beastars, considered how Houseki no Kuni wowed me in every possible way. So far, this premiere manages to meet that. The worldbuilding is a highlight for me. While many has issues with its self-contained world, personally I dig this settings where anthropomorphic characters must control their own animal instinct. The concept itself is an interesting one and has plenty of room for develop into something unique. It helps that the main characters have strong personalities, especially the Rabbit girl. I credit her success on the voice performance that hints on both the anger and the tiredness of everyone else perceive her. Our main boy is more simple, but the last bit certainly raises a lot of ambiguity in his character. Orange really raises the bar here in terms of production as this first episode is brimming with many stunning shots, great background arts and and grandeur score. So far, I enjoy almost everything about Beastars: a unique self-contained world, interesting characters and visual audio that I can never get tired of. It has my highest approval.

Potential: 80%

 

Hoshiai no Sora

Short Synopsis: Two troubled teens look to their school’s soft tennis club to address the problems in their lives.

Mario’s review:

At long last, Kazuki Akane is back with an original project. Though at first it appears like you standard sports anime with all the club disband stuff, it quickly rises above the normal traps of the genre through the main characters and the chemistry between the cast. First, we have 2 main boys worth spending time for, each of them have their clear goals, their well-established personality, and most importantly there’s hints of dark familial tension between them and their families. I thought the moment the mother of one boy talk about how she’s scared of eating dinner together with him a bit excessive. Heck, the entire epilogue is excessive as well but they’re thematically consistent and further reveals more and more about our characters. Moreover, the cast so far has a relaxed chemistry with natural dialogues that really feel like they spend a great deal of time together. Then the chemistry between our two mains, and what the money can buy, is an interesting angle to develop. It also helps that the production is great so far with expressive animation and the soft art styles that reminds me a bit of Wandering Son. The last minutes of this episode suggests that this is more a character drama than a sport show and for me it’s all for the better. 

Potential: 60%

Wooper’s review:

Hoshiai no Sora doesn’t have the immediate brilliance that I was hoping for, but it’s promising enough to keep my excitement afloat. Not only are the characters intriguing, but I got big Tsuritama vibes from their designs, and sure enough, it’s Yuuichi Takahashi behind the look of both shows. Add to this some strong animation during both athletic and dialogue scenes, and you have a winning recipe. My biggest gripe with this episode was the script, which committed two faults. The first was the overwritten nature of the first ten minutes, which took pains to introduce every tennis club member and feed us a unique fact about each one. The natural cadence of their speech wasn’t enough to distract from its mechanical authorship. My second problem was the brief exchange between Toma’s brother and mother near the end, which planted an enormous seed of doubt regarding Toma’s character. This scene was unnecessary – there are enough glimpses of his obsessive personality without it. By the time I’d watched the surprising final moments of the episode, though, I was hungry for the next one. Director Kazuki Akane sometimes misses the follow-through on his promising projects, but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic for now.

Potential: 70%

 

Kabukichou Sherlock

Short Synopsis: A trio of detectives compete to identify a Shinjuku-based serial killer known as Jack the Ripper.

Wooper’s review:

Kabukichou Sherlock’s premiere is a colorful procession of eyebrow-raising scenes that holds together only by the grace of anime god. I was expecting a swing and a miss, based on the six month delay this series suffered back in spring, but this project proved me wrong. I think the secret sauce here is the show’s commitment pushing its illustrated medium as far as it can go. There are musical cutaways, exaggerated character reactions, amateur rakugo performances that seem to take place on another plane, and some of the most elegant use of on-screen text I’ve seen in anime. The jazzy soundtrack is mostly a success (there’s just one Hammond organ track near the start that didn’t work for me), and the character art is sharp and varied. There’s a new guy or girl on screen at least once every three minutes, and they’re all nuts. Remember how Baccano made its name by crossing the paths of a bunch of murderous gangsters? This incarnation of Sherlock does something similar, only its personalities are less violent and even more eccentric. The title character smells a cabaret hostess’ armpit to deduce how she’s paying off her nose job – that’s the level of strangeness the show operates on. If I have one criticism, it’s that the background art is occasionally flat, which is a problem that extends to both indoor and outdoor scenes. Apart from that, Kabukichou Sherlock is a rip-roaring good time.

Potential: 80%

Amun’s review:

I’m…not 100% sure what I just watched.  One thing I do know – and like – is that we have a distinctly Japanese Sherlock.  Most other adaptations of the famous detective duo have been the Western version culturally translated halfway – Kabukichou Sherlock takes it all the way (as to be expected from the name).  The bearded lady shtick feels a bit anachronistic in 2019, but we’ll let that slide. Very bright colours, nice soundtrack, and a good supporting cast all bode well. Straight man Watson also looks on point (I’m curious how they’ll do his military connection).  Kabukichou Sherlock might not fit the mould of shows I usually watch – but I’m along for the ride any way!

Potential: 90%

Mario’s review:

Just chime in to say that don’t listen to these toucans above because this show is a hot mess. Random rakugo and drag dance performances, half-baked case and plain Sherlock & Watson. Go watch isekai shows instead. 

Potential: NOOO

Mugen no Juunin: Immortal

Short Synopsis: A young woman seeking revenge for the murder of her family hires an immortal swordsman as a bodyguard.

Lenlo’s review:

Blade of the Immortal is an odd one. From the beginning, you can see how limited the budget/time for the series is. As it has to be one of those two, since Immortal won’t be winning any animation awards any time soon. What it lacks in animation though, the series has in style/direction. As the series is very interesting to look at most of the time with how it composes its shots. Even throwing in some mixed media charcoal animation in there to help recreate the rough look of the manga. Still, while I find it visually interesting… the pacing concerns me. Its advertised as a “complete” adaptation, and I always thought that was ridiculous. But it’s burning through content to get there. Skipping over a lot of dialogue to get to more important story beats. It leaves me very concerned for how the story will end up pacing wise, and with the limited animation and 2 cour aspect of the series… I give it a 50/50 shot of not screwing this up terribly.

Potential: 50%

Wooper’s review:

We’ve finally arrived at the stage of the season where the more anticipated productions start rolling out. Blade of the Immortal has a strong reputation in manga circles, so there are a lot of folks looking forward to the anime on that basis. On the other hand, my interest is due to Hiroshi Hamasaki’s occupation of the director’s chair. This new adaptation is reminiscent of his work on Shigurui, owing to its graphic violence and oppressive atmosphere. The brutality of this episode didn’t always grab me like it did in that series, however; several computer-assisted shots of faces being sliced apart were distracting, and the quick subliminal cuts during the episode-opening massacre were too stylized for my liking. Thankfully, the episode takes a more natural approach when introducing its cast. Hamasaki uses pillow shots of flora and fauna as a contrast to the characters’ pallid designs and agonized facial expressions, creating a heavy mood that’s broken up in just the right places. When the episode descends into bloodshed once more near the end, the impact is much greater thanks to that middle section. The series boasts an intriguing setup, cool sound design, and some nice landscapes, but the action scenes themselves leave much to be desired – they’ll be one of my major measuring sticks for this show going forward.

Potential: 65%

 

Assassin’s Pride

Short Synopsis: An assassin, posing as a teacher, decides to teach his mark to fight instead of killing her.

Amun’s review:

A few things stand out from this highly anticipated show. First, I feel anime as a whole is in a transitional period where traditional animation and CGI are becoming unified. Assassin’s Pride does about as good a job as I’ve seen blending the two, but it’s not 100% seamless. Secondly, the setting is wonderful – I love the unique world, the candlestick, the train…pretty much all the things that CGI helps you do better. Great job. Now the downsides. If you watched the recent show Angel of Death, this premiere has too many similarities – and that should be cause for concern. While I think the exposition as to why our “pro” assassin just betrayed everyone and everything he stood for is close to believable, I think they could have stretched it out just a tad more for me to buy it fully. Finally, the direction is a little odd – we saw far too many shots with the characters 75% out of it (and at weird angles too). Overall, I’m interested to see where it goes (for the CGI if nothing else), but there are some real causes for concern. (Also our MC is literally from the guild called “White Night” and does the Naruto run…meme anime of the season?).

Potential: 40%

Lenlo’s review:

Why does everything have to be so mixed this season? Because somehow, Pride manages to have some good animation mixed into a scene where they can’t match up bullet trails to the guns shooting them. As far as legitimate criticisms of the series itself, my only complaint is our lead Kufa, who might as well just be Kirito. Just as strong, just as emotionless, and just as bland as any other series MC. Winning maidens hearts by saving them in battle, etc etc. You know the drill, though it does end with a bit of a mystery (though his last name more than likely gives it away). So maybe something good will come from him. Outside of him though, I actually saw a lot of things I liked. Such as the almost Kingdom Hearts sort of setting. What with the different districts and “lantern”. Unlike other series this season, Pride also actually built that into its presentation of its world. Giving an artificial sky box for day in a world of eternal night, an extensive lantern system and a lot of darker lit scenes to fit the setting of the series. Meanwhile our female lead, Melida, seems to actually have a personality and motivations. So there is at least one character worth liking. I think if Pride can use its setting, the strongest aspect of it so far, well then it could rise above most of the rest of the season. Not terribly high mind you, I think things like Soul Eater do this sort of setting better, but hey. Getting mentioned in the same sentence as something like Soul Eater is a step above most everything else this season. So it’s not that bad.

Potential: 65%

 

No Guns Life

Short Synopsis: SF hard-boiled the gun smoke drifts muzzle talks.

Wooper’s review:

After reading the first few chapters of the manga for the season preview, my expectations for No Guns Life were low, but they needn’t have been – I was impressed by what I saw here. The premiere’s noir atmosphere is supported by moody lighting and a subdued color palette, but neither of these elements threaten to dominate the episode. Though lots of characters are partially shadowed, the action scenes are set in sufficiently bright parts of the city, and the use of pinks and purples alongside the usual browns and blacks gives NGL a retro-futuristic look. Almost all the backgrounds are 3DCG, which is also used to animate tough subjects like trains or bodies of water. For the most part, this decision works to create a sleek vibe that nevertheless feels slightly off (which matches the political corruption of the city). As for characters and story, gun-headed Juuzo is a strong lead, with quips for days masking a sheepish streak. He’s gotten himself involved in a plot that gets a bit dull whenever the show stops to dish out details, but the concept of a lone private eye pitting himself against a dystopian government is a winner at its core. I’ll be following this one for a full season unless it goes off the rails midway through.

Potential: 70%

Amun’s review:

Oh man, this is great! Throw away those fears of No Guns Life being just a gun otaku show – we have ourselves a mix of Black Lagoon/Trigun/Gangsta/Weird Gun Helmet (…the last one is not a real show). I love the city, love the setting, love the main character. The designs are pretty odd, but they strangely work given the context. I’ve yet to see a PI/wiseguy actually embodied as a gun (well, two guns apparently? Little bit of Vash going on there), but I’m excited. Dystopia, gritty city with PI vs Big Corp? Madhouse production? As my colleague above said, that’s a winner to me. Only thing I’ll disagree with Wooper on is the potential rating…I’m following this all the way, even if it goes Gangsta on me.

Potential: 100%

Watashi, Nouryoku wa Heikinchi de tte Itta yo ne!

Short Synopsis: A newly-reincarnated mage frets about her godlike powers while rescuing a group of kidnapped children.

Wooper’s review:

Here’s a “reincarnated in another world” series that’s preoccupied not with explaining game mechanics or assembling harems, but with creating a main character worth following. All Mile wants is a normal life, but she was granted incredible powers upon her rebirth, much to her chagrin. Even though her prodigious skill is a burden to her, she’s the sort of girl who will sign up to rescue an inn-keeper friend just days after having met her (even if she has to reveal her shameful invincibility in the process). Mile is rather excitable, so we get both cheery and reserved attitudes from her in this premiere, both of which are believable. She and the show provide plenty of commentary on anime tropes, as well. Early scenes are constructed as though she’s talking to herself in clumsily-written fashion, but five minutes later we learn that she was speaking to an invisible friend the whole time. The circumstances of her arrival in the new world are cliched, so the show winkingly pushes through them in just a couple of minutes. The boarding school setup is unlikely to push any narrative boundaries, but it will allow the show to continue elbowing its fellow fantasy series in the ribs every now and then. With both self-awareness and decent characterization in its arsenal, NouryoKinchi is a fun isekai adventure for people who are burned out on the genre.

Potential: 60%

Lenlo’s review:

You know, as someone who has a relatively across the board distaste for Isekai… this one wasn’t actually that bad. I dare say I actually enjoyed parts of it, which was unexpected. The cast isn’t particularly crazy, seemingly existing for more than just fanservice at this point. Which is always a plus. Meanwhile the MC is rather self aware and generally just tired of all of this kerfuffle. Of course she’s still OP as all hell, and that’s annoying, but welcome to Isekai I suppose. It reminds me of Cautious Hero, in that it’s attempting to subvert the genre, yet I feel it does so… better. None of them have the character of Rista, but that’s fine. It’s not terribly well animated, but it gets by. Really all I can say is that the show is solid, and if I actually liked the genre, I could see myself liking this.

Potential: 35%

 

Kandagawa Jet Girls

Short Synopsis: Two girls team up to challenge the elite school of ski jet sports.

Mario’s review:

What with all these random fanservices? I know that anime medium is the land of pandering but in this show these shots come from nowhere which makes me think that 1 guy in the production committees push hard for these shots regardless of the content. It’s such a shame because otherwise the visual presentation is rather decent. The story takes a familiar route for this genre by introducing the two main characters who are fated to be partners. What it does raise the bar is how these two both have some sort of backstory/ special relationship to this self-invented sports, and the sport itself does intrigue me (do they shoot each other until one’s down or do they shoot some obstacles to gain points?). Then again, these out of nowhere butt and boob shots do deflate my interest somewhat.

Potential: 20%

Lenlo’s review:

Look, you know me. You see my name at the top of this blurb, and you already know what I am gonna say. That its a fanservice, water sports show with a cast of girls who exist purely to get wet, and get naked. The only upside this series has, is that it has a “mature” tag or whatever, so they moved up to the mystical realm of sideboob. To be frank, I don’t see anything interesting here. Keijo from awhile ago had better animation, better art and solid asses. Meanwhile Darling in the Franxx at least use the partner system as a metaphor for sex and all that, even if it kinda fell apart and got weird by the end. Kandagawa though? It’s just pandering, and I have 0 expectations of it.

Potential: 0%

 

Stand My Heroes: Piece of Truth

Short Synopsis: A girl is appointed head scout in the quest to recruit hot boys for an investigative unit.

Mario’s review:

It’s clear from watching this episode that Stand My Heroes is based on an otome game (which normally I’m not fond of), and in the game we play this main girl whose main purpose is to recruit attractive boys to this STAND unit – an investigation unit that work independently with police force. Right in this first episode we have her meeting a football-size boys with proper full names and some sort of catchphrase lines to inform us their personalities. So formulaic aside, two questions come up. How does the main heroine fare compared to the genre and what makes this show different than other otome adaptation? For the first point, personality-wise our girl is still a plain character given how her enthusiasm for “justice” feels one-note at best. For the second point, this show has a crime procedure twist to it, which is clumsy in execution. No, otome adaptation isn’t a high bar and even then this one comes out as a run-of-a-mill addition to the list.

Potential: 10%

Babylon

Short Synopsis: In the middle of investigating pharmaceutical law violations, the cops stumble upon evidence of a much bigger case that involves a current mayoral election.

Amun’s review:

(Like Mario, I’m only going to discuss the first episode, even if 3 have been released).  Coming into the season, Babylon stood out as something different from the 100 billion isekai offerings this season.  No one could watch the trailer and not feel a twinge of hope that this might be the next Monster. With those expectations the first episode…was pretty bland honestly.  It was well polished, well directed, and had passable 3D animation – it just felt like I’ve seen this setup so many times before. Even the big reveal could be seen a mile off (by apparently everyone but the supposedly smartest guy in the room).  I’m hoping the upcoming episodes start to flesh out the story a bit more, but for a show that’s supposed to be all about twists, I think this might turn out quite predictable.  

Potential: 35%

Mario’s review:

Note that the following review is for the first episode only, as 3 episodes have been released all at once. And as far as this premiere goes, I had a good time watching it. The mystery at heart keeps escalating at the right pace, and at least so far the setup hasn’t fallen into stupid territory or gone thorugh any major leap of logic yet. Penned by the guy who wrote Kado the Right Answer, I was looking for an ambiguous, mature project and everything happening so far ticks the boxes. The Law & Order vibe, and the dark shade of the city fit right to the tone of the show, but at the same time I find those qualities to be competent but a bit on a conservative side. See, looking at this opening chapter in a procedural crime drama’s point of view, it goes pretty much by-the-book. Main character has some solid traits but as a whole this feels more like an action-driven show rather than character piece or thinkpiece. Depending on how the story escalates in later episodes, we’ll see what heights this show aims for. At least this first episode proves that it can serve as a neat crime investigation show (with no superpowers!!!) for anime fans.

Potential: 50%

 

Fairy Gone 2

Short Synopsis: A cursed child and a war survivor join a military organization to manage powerful “fairies” and protect order in an unstable political landscape while seeking personal redemption.

Amun’s review:

On paper I really shouldn’t like Fairy Gone.  A political fantasy thriller is not usually my cup of tea – throw in shoddy CGI and no backing source material and it should be an easy pass.  But this show punches well above its weight and our first episode back reminds us of it. I think, despite the absolutely awful CGI we saw, the revisit of the Suna village helped flesh out some questions I had from last season.  I think the director and composer of this show really do an excellent job with their extremely limited animation resources – even in a recap episode, we saw some lingering issues nicely shored up. Their scene transitions are on point and honestly the VAs were great (and I usually don’t comment on VA or music).  I keep looking for an excuse to drop this show and it just keeps bringing me back – this season will probably be no different.

Potential: 55%

 

Africa no Salaryman

Short Synopsis: Anthropomorphic savannah creatures try to scrape some enjoyment out of their corporate wage slave lifestyles.

Wooper’s review:

This show reminds me of nothing so much as last year’s Pop Team Epic. They share a raucous sort of humor, though PTE was a stealthy satire whereas Salaryman’s laughs are more sophomoric. Both series used a variety of art styles in each episode, as well; Salaryman shifts between 2D animation reminiscent of Haoliners’ better stuff (To Be Hero comes to mind), stiff but occasionally charming 3DCG, super deformed reaction shots, a crayon-styled kiddie look, etc. This mixed visual approach was the most noteworthy aspect of the show for me, as the humor wasn’t my cup of bush tea. There are segments about girls making false molestation claims, pursuing girls at mixers because their parents are loaded, jokingly trading a donut shop point card for a quickie in the bathroom, etc. These bits aren’t exactly offensive, but they wore on me because they all stem from the buffoonery of one very loud character: the toucan. Here’s a fun fact: toucans don’t live in Africa! Dial down his appearance rate and make the office setting more central to the show, and I might come back for another episode.

Potential: 25%

Mario’s review:

Imagine Aggressive Retsuko, but with an African setting and more crude and mean-spirited humor, and you pretty much have Africa no Salaryman. As is the case with comedy shows, humor can be a hit or miss depending on each person. For me, the humor of the show hits when it defies our expectations on certain characters’ archetypes – given they are anthropomorphic cast. It suffers when it tends to be snotty to gets its jokes across. The highschool girls portrayed as “false victims” certainly raise an eyebrow. While at first it appears that Lion is the main character of the trio, the spotlight for this episode instead is given to Toucan, which makes sense since Toucan has the boldest personality. In that light Lion, and Lizard in an extend, still don’t have much room to grow. Visually speaking, while I approve the art styles, it’s the CG animation that makes the show looks cheap and stands out in a bad way. I’ll give this show another episode to see whether to stick with it.

Potential: 40%