Category: Some Quick First Impressions

Hell’s Paradise

Short Synopsis: Death row convict ninja is offered a chance at a full pardon if he finds the elixir of life with his hot would-be executioner.

Lenlo: For most of this first episode, Hell’s Paradise kind of disappointed me. Not narratively, that fits with what I expected. I liked how it spent an entire episode setting up Gabimaru’s personality, history, stakes in this conflict, as well as his relationship with Sagiri. All of that was fine, good time. No, what disappointed me was the production. For most of the episode it felt… lacking. There wasn’t that spark to it, something to set it apart, it felt passionless in a lot of ways and this was reflected in the rather drab color palette. But in the last maybe…1/3rd of the episode, Hell’s Paradise managed to bring it back. Its depiction of the island, of Gabimaru’s flames once he had his will to live back, of the flowers on the boat, all looked gorgeous. Maybe, just maybe, Hell’s Paradise is saving its production chops for the island, so that it truly feels set apart and otherworldly from the “real” mainland. At least that’s the hope I have as we head further into the season. If it can bring that production up a few steps, then I imagine I’ll have a good time with this.
Potential: 60%

Amun: Ah, this is actually really bad. I think with MAPPA’s recent success, we gloss over the less than stellar outings. Specifically, Hell’s Paradise feels a TON like the opening of Dororo, which…looked pretty good, but was a mess. I feel like the hype surrounding this show is an echo from Chainsaw Man’s success; I just have a bad feeling this show is the old MAPPA, not the new. Like Lenlo, I am very whelmed by the premiere – I think the characters are surprisingly uninteresting. Who knew, professional killers are kind of boring people – maybe it isn’t Gabimaru who is hollow, it’s Hell’s Paradise as a whole. Judging from previews and posters, this is an ensemble outing, so maybe some side characters help things along, but I don’t think I’ll last a season with these leads. It’s weird too, since I’m very partial to white haired heroes (Gabimaru is like an evil Bell), and Asaemon, on paper, is right in my strike zone. I guess maybe I’m not excited about the period piece that so far it looks to be – hopefully the island itself gets the series into the groove. As of right now, I’m very worried (plus there’s the infamous MAPPA back-half animation-quality crater).
Potential: Scared because I want this to be good (50%)

MIX SEASON 2

Short Synopsis: The key members of Meisei High consider new applicants and graduating middle school talents for a place on the school’s baseball team.

Wooper: Before booting up this premiere, I wondered whether Mix’s second season would feel significantly different from its 2019 incarnation, especially given the director change to first-timer Tomohiro Kamitani. Having seen the episode, the answer I’ve settled on is “only slightly,” which is a good thing, since I was fond of the series when it first aired. The presentation is largely the same, introducing characters with freeze frames and narration by Noriko Hidaka, who voiced Minami in Touch (Mix’s 40 year old prequel series). Poor background art and middling character animation are still the show’s greatest weaknesses, but it’s got the same strengths, as well: leisurely pacing that prioritizes fun dialogue between a wide range of established characters. The only new face in this whole episode was that of baseball team hopeful Nishiki, whose zombie-like appearance may be the result of mangaka Mitsuru Adachi trying to draw a new face for once in his career. Despite all the talk surrounding Nishiki’s violent past and shady friend group, I’m not too interested in him, or in any single character. Rather, it’s Mix’s overall blend of high school and graduating middle school students that appeals to me, laying the foundation for what ought to be a serious Koshien run in a couple years.
Potential: 60%

Mario: This first episode does a great job to remind us where the first season stopped (it has been a few years), and reintroduce the main cast with proper introduction cards to boost. But as usual with any of Adachi’s works, it’s less about baseball and more about the characters’ interaction, and so far its gentle atmosphere is a total delight. It looks like we will have a new addition to the team: the violent Nishiki. However, if you are familiar with Adachi’s brand, the “delinquent hit his senpais and got suspended” is a familiar trope, one I really hope Adachi doesn’t tread that same path this time. It’s great to have you back, Mix.
Potential: 40%

Tengoku Daimakyou

Short Synopsis: Fifteen years after an apocalyptic event, a pair of travelers search for an orphanage they know only by the name “Heaven.”

Lenlo: Tengoku is in a really weird place for me. The world is interesting, this Promised Neverland style setup where we get to see both sides of the wall/conflict is kinda cool, and the lead girl is pretty damn hot with those scars. But something about the pacing is just… I felt like this 20 minute episode took a god damn hour. I was constantly checking the time because it felt like it should be over. I don’t know why that is. By the end I was intrigued, there’s lots of cool stuff going on. It’s just that the presentation of it all feels… dull? I’m really not sure how to word it, but something about the show is failing to engage me. I’ve been told it is a blazing fast adaptation, that it isn’t a pacing issue. But I just can’t shake the feeling of something being off. Maybe it will change as I watch more, which I definitely want to do.
Potential: 50%

Wooper: Tengoku Daimakyou, or “Heavenly Delusion,” has met the majority of my high expectations after one episode. The art direction is uncommonly good, with climbing vines, rusted fences, and crumbling walls among the piles of evidence that Japan has been through a massive calamity in recent times. The script supports this idea by treating batteries as currency and focusing on resource conservation, along with supplying a loose timeframe of “the Collapse,” which seemingly predates the birth of the series’ two protagonists. Their exploration of this desolate Japan features a lot of proficient animation, as well – from major showcases like Maru’s martial arts expertise to small stuff like Kiru craning her neck to call for her partner, the level of motion on display in Tengoku Daimakyou is a cut above what you’d expect from an average TV anime. But all of these examples come from the show’s primary plot, which is set in the ruinous outside world; everything that happens within its idyllic orphanage (where Kiru and Maru are headed) has neither the intrigue nor visual appeal of what lies beyond its walls. Perhaps its role in the story will heat up if and when the kids start looking for an escape route, rather than just harboring suspicions or hearing directly from adults about the hellish conditions outside the orphanage. Until then, there are enough mysteries surrounding Tengoku’s primary duo to keep me coming back for more.
Potential: 70%

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel – Northern War

Short Synopsis: To protect her hometown from the Erebonian Empire and to distinguish herself from her grandfather’s disloyalty, Lavie enlists in the Northern Jaegers where she’ll do whatever it takes to carry out the mission. Now this rule breaker must form a platoon to embark on a dangerous recon mission into enemy lines—will her mission be a success?

Lenlo: I was really hoping for a bit more… pizzaz from Trails of Cold Steel. After hearing about the videogame from some friends who wouldn’t shut up about it for years, I thought that it would surely be something decent. Right? But like Mario says, it’s about as generic as you would think. Info Dumps and mediocre monsters, lackluster production, there’s just nothing here to really love. So excuse me here at the end of this preview spree if I don’t write anything more then “Don’t”.
Potential: Don’t

Mario: We are at the tail end of this Seasonal Preview. Legend of Heroes is just as generic as its title. It spends all the focus on the settings, but forgets to add characters worth remembering or tell a story worth following at all. The cast includes a female soldier, and two lackeys who spill the information of the world blatantly – even at one point they remark “a kid should know this story”, and then proceeds to infodump us. There’s a hint of an upcoming uprising, but I don’t hold my breath here. The show offers me nothing to care about.
Potential: 0%

Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero-King to Extraordinary Squire

Short Synopsis: Old hero gets reincarnated as a girl, then promptly defeats a giant monster while still in nappies.

Lenlo: Old man reincarnated as a hot girl with all the powers you can ask for. Sure. Maybe if it was playing the whole thing off as a joke rather then having a shot in the OP that explicitly focuses on the female casts tits, telling us exactly what this show is about, it could be fun. But really it’s just the lowest common denominator shlock. Seriously, don’t introduce them as babies and then sexualize them in the OP right away. It feels way to much like grooming.
Potential: 0%

Amun: “I may be a baby, but the power isn’t so bad.” That is no bamboozle, the actual line from the show. There’s an overpowered infant who becomes an overpowered (and slightly bratty) girl. Throw in a duel and a fight with a large monster thing and some cousin love…all while an old man masquerades as his “ideal cute granddaughter” (their words, not mine). I’ll give a few merits for having a slightly unique arrangement of the common isekai components – but that’s really not enough to make a show worth watching. (I must say, “I may be a baby…” was a pretty funny line though, I appreciate that).
Potential: 0%

Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible

Short Synopsis: This schoolboy is so invisible that it’s a sport to spot him (brings you good luck). Fortunately, the girl who sits next to him can find him every time.

Amun: Socially adept girl teases awkward guy – I’ve definitely seen this before…this season even (Nagatoro 2). That’s what I thought going in, but I was pleasantly surprised by Kubo. For starters, it’s not mean. I think the teasing shows can really toe the line between cute and bullying – Kubo is just wholesome. Now, you might get cavities but at least you’re not cringing – I’ll take that trade. Character designs are a little meh, and the animation is passable at best. Personality, not looks for this one. Will it get boring halfway? Probably, but I’m willing to give it a few more. It’s just so heartwarming ^_^

Potential: 61%

Lenlo: What we have here is a “Reverse Komi-san”. Instead of a socially inept girl with an outgoing male love interest, its a socially inept boy with an outgoing female love interest. While this one has a much more active female lead, I can’t help but see it as wish fulfillment for the anime watching quiet weeb crowd and their desire for a cute girl to take an interest in them despite a complete lack of effort in any way on their part. Now Amun is right in that, unlike Nagataro, it’s nor mean about it. There’s no bullying or anything, which is a plus. It’s definitely a much more wholesome choice. But I still can’t say I’m all that interested in another wish-fulfillment romance. Watching this episode felt like it took an hour. After just 5 minutes I was checking my clock wondering how long I had been here. Suffice to say, it’s really not my speed. I can see the quality to it, it seems like a well made wholesome romance. But like Komi-San, it doesn’t feel like a show where anything actually… happens?
Potential: 10%

 

Continue reading “Winter 2023 Impressions: Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible, UniteUp!, Saving 80,000 Gold, Campfire Cooking in Another World” →

The Fire Hunter

Short Synopsis: In a dystopia where people can burn at the slightest touch of fire, a young girl sets out to the capital to return a Fire Hunter’s dog and weapon.

Mario: I sort of see the criticism for The Fire Hunter’s filter that makes it deliberately looks hand-painted and old-schooled than it actually is, but the strength of the rest of the episode is just a step above other Winter season shows. The Fire Hunter places strong emphasis on worldbuilding – to the point sometimes it does overwhelm the characters, but because of that the setting and its customs are well-realized and believable. The central set-up: about the “mythic” fire and how it affects humanity in a profound way can open up to many interesting developments in the future. And for me the production is top-notch. Certainly the cream of the crop here.
Potential: 75%

Lenlo: And so Fire Hunter rises to be my 2nd favorite premier of the season. There’s something beautiful about this world and its characters, their soft spokenness and how light is made to stand out with how dangerous it is. Not much really happened in this first episode, as we spend it largely learning about the world and its inhabitants, but it was presented so effectively that I can’t help but be drawn into it. These expectations could be betrayed, sure. But for now at least, Fire Hunter has excited me.
Potential: 80%

Vinland Saga Season 2

Short Synopsis: Season 2 of Vinland Saga

Lenlo: FARMLAND HYYYYYPE. I’m ready. I’ll admit, it starts very slowly. In fact the majority of the season is going to be slow. If you’re here for viking action, you aren’t going to get a lot of it. If you hadn’t already guessed, this entire season is focused on picking up the pieces after a conflict, and the obvious “War is bad”. What with the whole thing set on a farm, that means there won’t be much action and more of a lot of inner reflection. There’s some! It’s near the end, but it exists. But it won’t be the focus. That said if you’re looking for a deeply emotional character piece about broken people, Vinland Saga S2 is probably going to be the best thing this season. Plus, it actually looks pretty good too. I was concerned a bit after the studio switch, but so far it looks great. Very picturesque.
Potential: 90%

Mario: Well, the change in the studio doesn’t seem to affect the production one bit. It is brave to feature a narrative away from Thorfinn, but having Thorfinn emerging at the end is nothing short of rewarding. In Einar’s story, the show still touches on its usual theme of slavery, revenge, brutality and man’s path choice that even though it has a brand new narrative, the feel is pretty much Vinland Saga-esque. A man who tripped off of his own homeland, of the family he loves, of his own status… there’s certainly a parallel between him and Thorfinn. And the fact that it was the Viking (Thorfinn’s gang) that killed his family will open up more juicy conflicts. I’m certainly keen on its central moral ambiguity: is thriving to survive at all cost, even at the pain of losing everything, worth it?
Potential: 70%

Kaina of the Great Snow Sea

Short Synopsis: A young boy and a princess explore a strange world where a translucent canopy hangs between the branches of grand trees and a sea of snow between their roots.

Lenlo: Kaina has the unlucky predicament of competing with 2 major shows in my mind. The first is Trigun Stampede, the premier CGI show of the season. When put side by side, it’s pretty clear that Kaina simply isn’t as polished. While its backgrounds are stunning and beautiful, the CGI characters are stiff and lack detail, suffering from the kind of stilted animation and acting most CGI anime do. Simply put, I don’t expect Kaina to “wow”, or to even be “good”, in the animation department. For the second, that’s Made in Abyss, where it has to compete in regards to its setting and world design. Here, I actually think Kaina has a shot. The Yggdrasil-like trees with their translucent webbings, people living inside its branches eating large bugs as the world dies around them, the great Snow Sea slowly building higher and higher as none of the snow melts off. It’s beautiful, in a dangerous, fantastical sort of way. As for the story? I’m… curious. More entranced by the world then the “Save my country” plot, but that’s at least enough to get me to watch a few more. Hopefully Kaina is able to come up with a story as engaging as it’s world, because I want to bask in these backgrounds for as long as possible.
Potential: 60%

Mario: I’m always curious about Polygon Pictures studio. It’s a second-tier CG anime studio that was behind Ajin (which I dropped due to the visual) and Kuutei Dragon (which I love). At this point, I consider them having their own brand. It doesn’t look well-polished but you can tell from miles from looking at the arts that this is their stuff. And it brings me to Kaina. The show’s visuals actually look great for their standard, with many striking images: like the one where the titular character walks on the ice/ snow surface. You can credit it for the well-realized background arts and the world-buildings, which for me remains the best asset of the show so far. Moreover, the duo narrative works out in this episode as we see a large contrast in the two worlds, both in how they look and the politics behind it. The premise is strong so far, now we have Kaina the character explores the world underneath and helps the Princess in the process. It might not be the hit shows but if you look for more under-the-radar stuff, Kaina is a great alternative.
Potential: 50%

Chillin’ in My 30s after Getting Fired from the Demon King’s Army

Short Synopsis: Guy gets fired from being a demon, finds out he’s interested in human personality.

Lenlo: Look I have a lot of impressions to do and only so much time, so I’m going to cut this short: Demon King 30, or whatever abbreviation we wanna use, is dull. It’s not trash, because trash necessitates that I have an opinion on it and care enough to hate it. It’s not good, because being good requires it to actually do something and be watchable. It doesn’t and it’s not. All it is is a dull waste of time where nothing interesting happens and none of the characters are engaging at all. I was hoping that by having an actual adult character we could maybe get some adult problems. But sadly that’s not the case. As such, I have no more interest in this.
Potential: 1%

Amun: Honestly, in any other season, this is a watchable (albeit forgettable) title. There’s just so many shows of equal ilk this season, that it’ll probably be lost in the shuffle. On paper, it’s not a terrible premise: confused human thinks he’s a demon and ends up accidentally being strong as a result. There’s some intrigue and skullduggery going on behind the scenes too…unfortunately, it’s mostly lost due to our damsel in distress’ personalitittys (oops, is that a typo?). Oddly enough, I think the visuals past mustard, but it’s pretty much everything else that lacks (well, except cup size, I guess). I’ll quit making snide remarks and say it straight: if you can’t find anything else to watch in the FIFTY other shows that are airing, I guess you could do worse than Chillin in My 30s. But seriously, you can find something else.
Potential: 20%

The tale of outcasts

Short Synopsis: A girl who is abused by a Priest makes friends with a Devil.

Mario: Well, I certainly don’t mind its main concept. The show is about the pact between two mismatched individuals: a girl who lives in a world that is cruel to her, and the powerful demon who has lost his purpose in life. It creates an interesting dynamic for sure, but sadly the rest of the show is either bland or outright bad. You can easily tell apart bad guys at first glance. They go all the way with their evilness and punishments just for the sake of highlighting the girl’s bleak situation. That is oh no… not good writing at all. There’s even a leap in logic here and there. Suppose that the silver-haired guy is the main girl’s estranged brother, does he not recognize the Priest who sold him off, and vice versa? Moreover, the execution is sometimes clunky at best and laughable at worst. I have an example but I don’t have a heart to point it out so I spare you on that. It isn’t worth recommending.
Potential: 10%

Lenlo: The only good thing I can say is that at least it’s not an Isekai. Instead it’s an alternative history star crossed love story with a loli and a furry. It just feels so… bland. Like a made for committee sort of thing. Yes this is short, no I won’t elaborate, I have too many premiers to watch to waste time explaining to you why you don’t want to watch this.
Potential: 0%

The Reincarnation of the Strongest Exorcist in Another World

Short Synopsis: Super strong exorcist is politically outmaneuvered so he has to reincarnate himself and pretend to be weak (for like half an episode)

Lenlo:This is literally just Iceblade Sorcerer but with Exorcist in the title instead. It has a magic academy, an OP adult being reincarnated into a kid, generic designs and generally boring… everything. It can’t even keep its MC motivation straight as it starts with them not wanting to be strong on principle, only to end up pursuing it and becoming OP anyways. At least stick to the one marginally interesting decision you have.
Potential: 0%

Amun: I’m pretty sure I already watched this? I’m getting confused. Is this the demon king, the ice fellow, one of the 15 onmoyojis, or the farmers (there’s like 2 of those even)? Oh yeah, the handyman too (he’s good) – and the convenience store guy? At least it’s not the dog. I miss the season where everything was about slimes (although the movie’s coming out, which I’m hyped for). This is quite bland and I’ve now forgotten what it was about.
Potential: 0%

Kyokou Suiri 2

Short Synopsis: Two youkai specialists talk and exorcize an evil spirit.

Mario: It’s fun to check back on Kotoko and Kuro and just listen to whatever nonsense Kotoko spouts. This first episode of the second season (or episode 13 of the whole franchise) is a self-contained story that perfectly captures all the good and bad qualities of Kyokou Suiri. The good: Kotoko still demands your attention. The bad: The show seemingly drags out with too much talking. Most of the time, Kotoko’s charms and the story’s twists make the whole journey worth it, but I always have this feeling that a good chunk of dialogues can be easily cut out without any significant loss. As a whole, the episode works out well. It does a great job of reintroducing our main characters and their powers. The enemy is well thought out and the way they execute it is up to my valley. But at the same time, Kuro is still not that interesting and the episode feels like 20 minutes longer than it actually is.There is a nice surprise though: I wouldn’t expect Wooper to make a literal appearance in anime (bravo!). It only proves that, with enough will, you can find your own place in the anime world!
Potential: 40%

Amun: I forgot how much talking there is in this show. My goodness gracious, did no one tell them this was ANIMATED? Show, NOT tell! The fanciful stories and duplicitous explanations are a blessing and a curse, as Mario says. It’s the heart of Kyokou Suiri, but you would think for an invincible guy who can change the future, there would be more action. However, it is a yokai tale, and a pretty good one at that, so I’m still here for it. With DanMachi also airing this season, I don’t think I’ll be covering it (there are many other better candidates this season anyways), but I’ll probably watch it for a bit. Just a little more effort into the visuals please.
Potential: 50%

HIGH CARD

Short Synopsis: Super powered playing cards give people incredible abilities and they must battle to collect them all

Lenlo: High Card is… not what I was expecting, nor hoping it would be. With a name like this I was looking for some kind of high stakes gambling show, something around luck and a lead with a heart of gold. Instead what I got is a gambling themed super power combat show. That isn’t too bad, the powers seem flashy so far and since it’s based on a full deck that means there are 52 of them out there. High Card also has a bit of style to it, though I think it’s a bit too ambitious for its own good. Even in this first episode a lot of its higher concept scenes felt rough, and that tends to only get worse as a season progresses. Still, it did enough to get me to watch another episode or two. See how it pans out and evolves the concept, or if it stays as a pretty standard weekly power show.
Potential: 40%

Mario: For me, the most fun aspect High Card offers me so far is how it goes full wild mode with the supernatural cards. And for now, it’s too random the power the cards generate that it’s actually quite fun to see. Is 2 of Spades more powerful than… say 10 of Hearts? I don’t know. I don’t care. The way the show sets up thus far is far less original. Our main lead has a clear motivation for gambling and stealing money, but other than that there’s nothing much going for him. The same can be said for the rest of the cast. I suppose you will get the most out of High Card if you don’t think about it too deeply and just enjoy whatever insane superpower they cook up. Personally I think they missed their chance of making the original cards (why stick with this French-suited cards?) but that’s just me.
Potential: 40%

Ippon! again

Short Synopsis: Cute Girls do Judo

Lenlo: Ippon was a lot better than I expected. I was prepared for this to be another surface level Cute Girls Doing Cute Things sports show where they really don’t care about the sport on any meaningful level. But it turns out that Ippon is really more of a traditional sports show with a primarily female cast than it is a CGDCT show. And while I’m not huge on the character designs, the show has got some really respectable animation behind it. Some great Judo techniques, camera movements, etc etc. All in all, I expected absolutely nothing here and what I got was another show I’m actually going to watch. Good deal if you ask me.
Potential: 70%

Mario: It’s funny. At first glance Ippon Again doesn’t have much appeal to me personally, I know very little about judo, and the character designs don’t really interest me, but it’s such a joy to watch. Like Lenlo mentions above, the show is much more about traditional sports than a CGDCT fare. While they do follow some formula’s staples (a club needs 3 members blah blah), it’s about the judo, the girls and the joy of doing judo. First, Ippon Again’s Judo matches are clear standouts in terms of animation and framing. It looks like the staff pour their souls to animate these sequences. Second, the girls act so naturally with each other and the dialogues are actually believable. And finally, yes the joy of doing the sports, of what motivated you to play those sports for the first time. It certainly reminds me of why I love my sport (tennis) in the first place.
Potential: 50%

Malevolent Spirits: Mononogatari

Short Synopsis: an exorcist with a deep hatred for tsukumogami goes to a family of human-spirit hybrid and observes the dynamic.

Amun: I’m very mixed on Monogatari (Malevolent Spirits, not the other one). I’ve liked most anime I’ve seen which involve tsukumogami (inanimate objects being possessed) – Tsugumomo and Tsukumogami Kashimasu come to mind. The action looks decent – nothing to write home about, but it didn’t noticeably hurt. The problem is the cast: so far there’s nothing that interesting here. We have revenge, orphan boy and yokai Mary Sue with a dysfunctional spirit family all in suits. Yawn. I think the “opposites attract” dynamic might be interesting, but the characters have to get better – which they very well might. I think the world is decently interesting, and the obvious big bosses are clearly spelled out. There are definitely some positives, but I’m going to need more for this show to stand out in the crowded field.
Potential: 49%

Mario: Mononogatari sets off on the wrong foot for me, but thankfully the second half makes me want to watch more of it. I wasn’t impressed by the negative color palette during the opening flashback, I was bored with the characters (especially grandpa who keeps touching his beard), and the way Hyoma forcefully exorcizes the tsukumogami is… hamfisted, to say the very least. But then, the episode introduces its premise, and it gets better all because of it. Hyoma’s strong hatred to the tsukumogami is nicely contrasted with the new family. We don’t get to see the main girl that much in the episode, but she does have a presence that can be felt by the way other tsukumogami treat her. The fight between him and one of the household members is delightful. And the premise of him observing this makeshift family and maybe learning a thing or two about trusting the spirits and overcoming his past trauma brings a great deal of potential here. Yes, I am down for more
Potential: 50%

Ayakashi Triangle

Short Synopsis: The ninja cat is a trap to get you to watch. And that’s not the only trap, amirite.

Lenlo: I give you this season’s premier ninja magical girl ecchi show. Is it good? No. Does it have anything going for it at all? No. Are the girls even cute enough to warrant ecchi scenes? No. Is this first impression really short? Yes. There’s just that little to talk about. Don’t watch this show.
Potential: No

Amun: Oh, I thought the cat design looked cool. And I thought the cat turned into the girl. But I was wrong. It’s the guy who turns into the girl. But is still a guy. If you really think about it, it’s kind of a mean premise to keep having people switch genders unintentionally. Japanese herbivores, I guess. What was I talking about? Oh yeah, this isn’t hot garbage – just garbage. I’d take the dog one over this…that’s actually not true. I’d take neither.
Potential: 0V

NieR:Automata Ver. 1.1a

Short Synopsis: Two androids (who have their eyes covered because… fashionable?) encounter a string of mysterious phenomena during their mission.

Mario: I was legitimately looking forward to Nier:Automata adaptation. Its game reputation is up the roof, and the trailer looks decent… too bad that this premiere is such a misfire. Part of the issues I blame is due to the fact that it adapts from a game. It feels at times that we watch some game clips rather than a series. The fight sequences are bombastic but feel far removed from the narrative. And what little narrative is just enough to make me understand that this is the story from the point of views of 2B and 9S. I don’t have much affection for both of them to care about anything happening on-screen, and even then the animation is messy and confusing. It’s definitely my most disappointing episode of the season so far.
Potential: 20%

Lenlo: So I’m going to be painfully honest here, Nier doesn’t look great. Coming off of Trigun, the CGI looks amateurish at best. Meanwhile the 2D 2B (heh) we do get is mostly relegated to pretty explosions and otherwise relatively standard character animation. Suffice to say, it’s definitely not going to be one of the visual power houses of the season like I know some people were hoping. As for the actual story, it’s just the original video games as far as I can tell. It shares those moments of dystopian beauty, of looking at what it means to be human from the external lens of an android, but aside from that there isn’t really a solid central narrative in place. In fact, the only thing I can unequivocally call “great” here is the OST, which considering its lifted directly from the game isn’t even something unique to the anime. All in all, I’m not convinced this is a decent alternative to just playing the Nier Automata video game.
Potential: 20%

Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte

Short Synopsis: Two Otaku become able to communicate with the characters inside a dating sim game and proceed to try to save them from their fate.

Lenlo: You know what… At least this is creative. IF nothing else, Endo and Kobayashi is a cute idea. Rather than being a standard isekai where someone is teleported into their favorite dating sim video game, it’s some Otaku gushing about said game with the characters inside hearing everything they say. Like Amun says, it’s like a dual/reverse Isekai premise where they can interact/pass knowledge back and forth. In a way, it’s like watching 2 separate romance shows at the same time, one inside the dating sim and the other with our two real world Otaku. All the while trying to save a video game character from their prescribed fate. Suffice to say, as someone going into this expecting the bare minimum sort of video game isekai trash, this was a very pleasant surprise.
Potential: A cute idea

Amun: NOW WAIT JUST A MINUTE. This premiere was actually NICE. Sure there wasn’t any eye-watering animation, sure the character designs are fairly standard, sure it’s a pretty set-piece formula, but look here – Endo and Kobayashi Live has me hooked. I came in expecting a watered-down variant of Life as a Villainess, which I enjoyed enough. Instead, Endo and Kobayashi evolves the concept and has something of a dual isekai (kind of a Neverending Story dynamic going on). What’s the secret sauce? The small twists and small sub-stories are what’s going to make or break this show – and I feel very good about what I’ve seen so far. Otome games are NOT my genre of choice, and the pairing with isekai has been hit and miss (For every Life as a Villainess there were several forgettables). The dynamic of the announcers, the game characters themselves, and the as of yet unknown real world character (villain). This is my dark horse in a season of 50 (yes, 50) seasonals. Am I going to be disappointed? Probably, but for now I’m riding high on hopium!
Potential: Dark Hopium Horse of the Season

Handyman Saitou in Another World

Short Synopsis: A handyman is reincarnated in another world and is extremely handy (Like in a normal way, not a pervy way – this season necessitates clarification there)

Lenlo: As you may have guessed by now, I have a soft spot in my heart for Isekai with interesting ideas that actually stick to those ideas. Whether it be the farming life or Handyman Saitou, something where the lead isn’t the overpowered combat lead of the party is appealing to me. They often feel like passion projects where the writer has a specific topic, like farming or home repair, that they care about and since the MC isn’t the combat lead, they generally avoid the wish fulfillment bullshit. They might not be the most exciting thing in the world, but they fill a niche I can appreciate and at least feel different from the standard Isekai fair. That said, Handyman Saitou doesn’t avoid all the pitfalls. It still has levels, set classes, bad sexual jokes, all the usual trappings. In that, it’s a disappointment, even if the other party members are amusing, like a small fairy carrying around a bag of gold. Still, I can’t say I didn’t find it cute nor that I didn’t actually watch it all the way through. That alone is a feat not all of these premiers can boast of. So in that at least, Handyman Saitou gets my tentative seal of approval.
Potential: 35%

Amun: This is really a bunch of short episodes standing on top of each other, wearing a trenchcoat to look like a full seasonal anime. Which is okay, because Handyman doesn’t waste any time jumping right in and letting you fill in the rest. I appreciate that, since this premise isn’t really breaking any new ground: isekai of a professional using modern skills in a medieval (but magical) era). What is different is the execution – Handyman gets a lot done in the short space it has. And does a good job! Some of the shorts don’t make sense right now, but I suspect all the threads will come together. What we can see of the main story’s shape is a light hearted adventure comedy in a party with plenty of strengths, but plenty of weaknesses too. I’d call this “adventure slice of life shorts.” You know what, I’m actually down for a show like that. More, please.
Potential: 60%

The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten

Short Synopsis: Teenage boy befriends school diva by giving her an umbrella on a rainy day, cue romance

Lenlo: Angel Next Door feels like your pretty standard “Hot school idol falls for wish fulfillment loser loner”. They live next door, she’s cold to everyone at school except the compassionate to the MC because they showed her the barest minimum of being a decent human being, they eventually get into a romance while living alone without any parents checking in on their kids at all. It’s about as standard as you can get. That said, it feels pretty competent at it. Not my cup of tea, I don’t have the time to watch something I could get from the last 20 years of piled up anime. If this is your genre though, the kind of thing you love and binge, then I think Angel Next Door will be right up your alley. I know of at least one friend who loves it because this sort of romance is the exact thing they love to watch after a day of work.
Potential: 30%

Amun: Angel Next Door was a weird premiere for me. It felt almost like a timepiece, back from the early 2000s when Key was king and anime eyes stayed a little too far apart. Maybe it’s just all the use of the word “Tenshi”, which has kind of fallen out of fashion. I don’t know – I looked it up and the light novel isn’t that old, so maybe it’s just a bit of nostalgia. Anyways, this show certainly didn’t start off with a bang – and honestly, the premise is pretty believable. Anyone who has had an apartment friend who kindly helps them navigate living on their own can understand this dynamic (thinking back to college – much obliged, apartment friends!). Japan is pretty crazy in that high school kids live on their own (and are such herbivores that the population is somehow still shrinking), so the setting works. The characters themselves are a little wooden, but I think that’s the point. I would lump this in with Higehiro or Shachiku-san (the little ghost one) as a “slice of home life” – which is kind of a refreshing rest from this hectic season. I’ll watch some more of this.
Potential: 60%

GIANT BEASTS OF ARS

Short Synopsis: A girl who just escapes prison teams up with a knight who lost his will of living to fight giant monsters.

Mario: “It’s great to see a hard fantasy once in a while in this medium” was what I thought when watching Ars, until we saw a girl who says nothing but “nyan” (she sings an entire song with “nya”, that’s hardcore) and my hope was crushed. Putting that aside, this first episode has no shortage of ambition, but at the end of the day the sum is somehow less than its parts. We tick a lot of checkpoints in terms explaining its world-buildings, its main characters and the mysterious monsters. Both Twenty-Two and Jiro have their own motivations and the fact that they team up at the end marks a new beginning of their relationship, although they are not that interesting individually. Even if the story stumbles in places, I don’t mind spending more time in this world and see how these characters develop their own payhs from here.
Potential: 40%

Lenlo: I really wasn’t enthused with Ars. The giant beast concept, the opening scene, that stuff was fine. A bit too anime for me with the glowing hair, ending sentences in “nya” and shit, I’d really rather fantasy series try to break from that mold a bit, but it’s not a huge deal. No, what pushed me away was the shift in focus from giant monsters and their slayers to a loli saving the world from a conquering empire plot. It’s fine if that’s what you’re looking for I suppose. The monsters seem well realized, and I like how serious the power difference between them and the monsters is. Makes them feel like actual threats. I just don’t see the show itself going anywhere particularly interesting. It’s a shame, because I’m down for Jiro and Twenty Two. I’m curious about where their relationship will go, and I’m probably going to keep watching it for a bit before I drop it. I’m just not… hooked as of yet.
Potential: 35%

Farming Life in Another World

Short Synopsis: A boy reincarnated to another world devotes his life to farming.

Lenlo: Farming Life was… surprisingly chill. As of this first episode there’s no demon king, no great mission, not even some OP power that could be easily twisted into combat. I mean sure, the lead is OP in that they can farm and build shit really well. But Farming Life spent so much time on the actual building methods, like finding a well, making a toilet, building a fence, slotting wood together, etc etc, that I feel like it might actually commit to its premise. It’s still not my speed, not really my show. But I can respect it’s commitment to actually teaching people about farming techniques and just using the trappings of the Isekai genre to fast forward that Civilization style, ala Dr. Stone. It’s done enough that I’ll watch a few more episodes to see if it really does stick to this Civilization style, or if it becomes like all other Isekai and pulls out a demon king at some point.
Potential: 45%

Mario: While I appreciate the fact the “Farming Life” focuses on… you know, a farming life in this first episode, it’s a show where I can safely say that it isn’t for me. The episode portrays the section that I enjoy the most out of the isekai genre – the beginning stage where our Potato-kun starts with almost nothing and climbs his way up from there. Well, with almost nothing. Because it brings up my main aversion to the isekai-genre: he’s already OP as heck. He acquires an ultimate farming tool which he can use anytime without losing stamina, and can transform into any other farming tools he likes. It’s still very much a wish-fulfillment where someone can start afresh in a new life with an advantage. Add to that, we have a teaser in the beginning where he’s surrounded by cute girls (with different races, of course), a maid, loyal dogs and a Master title. Sigh. I’m outta here.
Potential: 10%

TRIGUN STAMPEDE

Short Synopsis: A journalist duo captures and investigates a wanted dude that looks like a member of K-Pop band.

Lenlo: I was really worried about this new Trigun. The new designs seemed wildly out of character and the CGI didn’t seem all that great when the first PVs came out. But I can now happily report that Trigun is freaking great. Don’t get me wrong, I still absolutely hate Vash’s new design, he looks like a member of a K-Pop band. But Orange nailed his personality, really dialing in on the contradiction of his skill vs his pacifism. On top of that, this is easily one of the most expressive shows of the season. Tsurune may have polished beauty locked down, leading to a show where any screencap could be a background, but Trigun easily beats it, and everything else that’s aired so far, in its movement. A lot of shows’ characters tend to stand around while one is talking/moving in a scene, focusing only on the most important one. But here it feels like they never stop moving. Every scene, every emotion, shows on their face and in their body language. I love it. Trigun, as of the first episode at least, is my Anime of the Season.
Potential: 80%

Mario: I’m a new Trigun watcher here, and it’s the main reason I signed up on reviewing its premiere since I can judge it without the bias of the original classic. With that in mind, I did have a bias when it comes to Orange studio, arguably the best CG Anime studio around. On the production front, it looks fantastic. The backgrounds are filled with colorful yet detailed designs, the characters are expressive in their motions and facial expressions and the action scenes are spectacular. The story, however, can feel a bit too much at times. In a span of 20 minutes we do learn a great deal about Vash: his flashback, his contradiction in his infamous reputation and his appearance, his skills… but sadly we learn very little about his companions: Meryl (Streeps) and Roberto (De Niro). The climax also trades realistic betrayal to cartoonish expressions, which I’m 50-50 at the moment. The cartoonish hijink fits the “go bigger and louder” approach we see at the end, but I myself ain’t keen on the bombastic approach. It’s certainly one of the highlights of the season so far, all things considered.
Potential: 60%

Buddy Daddies

Short Synopsis: Two hiremen kills people for money and adopts / raise a girl on the side.

Mario: It’s hard not to compare this to Spy x Family, a show that just ended a mere weeks ago and was one of the most popular shows of 2022. It runs on basically the same premise, but for its own sake I’ll try not to compare them in this review. What do I feel after the credit rolls? It’s a bit too much melted cheese on top. I was pretty much in board with it, up until the little girl shows up. Before that, we can see the rough edges of both our main duo, Kazuki and Rei (especially on the former). They have opposing personalities but do feel like they improve each other, and on top of that, moments like Kazuki abandoning the cat and then later on visiting it to give food say a lot about his character. It’s nothing deep but it’s a nice little character moment that held shedding a light to the inner psyche of the characters. Visually, it looks neat as well with some nice set-pieces. But the moment the girl enters the screen, Buddy Daddies encounters some issues. First, the overall sweetness of her underwhelms (rather than strengthen) the roughness the two mains established before. We do learn that she tries to find her dad, whom she has never met before. There’s a hint of sadness there but the episode goes instead on the hijinks and makes her more of a cinnamon roll that our mains have to protect. It doesn’t help that the second half has many glaring plot holes as well. Most notable of all: why doesn’t the girl recognize her own Mother (the wife of the target? We have a picture of them together). I don’t deny that I had fun watching it, but I will see in later episodes whether it can overcome its issues.
Potential: 50%

Lenlo: Having just finished my SpyXFamily review, I feel like I should go back and give it a higher score, because Buddy Daddies is making me appreciate just how tight that show actually was. It’s not that Buddy Daddies is bad, it actually has a few things going for it I quite like. It seems to take the leads jobs much more seriously, with them actually out killing people, stealing stuff, and generally leading actual double lives. On top of that, the leads seem to have a lot more chemistry going on. Like they are together because they actually need/like each other, not because of some hackneyed plot device. Should they actually get together as a couple while raising this kid, I’d be really interested in the kind of stuff they can pull off. Am I sold on the show? Not at all. But I’m definitely intrigued about this alternative take on “Deadly parents adopt a child”.
Potential: 50%

My Life as Inukai-san’s Dog

Short Synopsis: A young man is reincarnated as a dog and adopted by his childhood crush, who proceeds to sexually molest said dog.

Lenlo: Inukai-san is only slightly more tasteful than Onimai, the other premier ecchi of the season. Don’t take that as a compliment, it isn’t, it’s closer to a lighter insult. And the only reason I think that is because Inukai, deep down past the ecchi and bestiality, might have something to say about loneliness and dependence. Not much. This is still a show where a girl gets excited from a dogs tail brushing her vagina. But it’s sort of there. Maybe. If you squint. Don’t squint too hard though, then they will think you are looking.
Potential: 2 dogfuckers out of 10

Mario: Ahh I found a show that is even more garbage than Onimai, which is astonishing in its own way. If you are keen to witness the downfall of the anime industry, with only 10 minutes to spare, then Inukai will give you pleasure.
Potential: “My sex life as a dog (and it’s not that bad)” ver 6.9

The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World

Short Synopsis: A legendary sorcerer falls in battle only to be reborn as a young man and sent to a magical highschool he is far too overpowered for.

Lenlo: Generic school based magical fantasy series with an incel overpowered protagonist, class system culture putting them at the bottom of the social hierarchy for no good reason, and arbitrary ranks to set up power scaling say what? Look if you want a braindead magic show with generic as hell designs and plot, this is for you. Personally though, I wouldn’t waste your time. There are just better fantasy fantasy series. Better isekai series. Better magic series. Don’t watch this. It’s mediocre.
Potential: 0%

Amun: First thing I noticed is the subpar character designs. I think it’s the skin texture – it’s so bland. Then the rest of the episode happened. And it was awful. Although I’m the resident isekai/fantasy enjoyer….skip this. Like seriously, if someone told me this was the first AI generated anime, I’d believe it. Humanity is still superior! The machines won’t win this round! If this was made by humans…my apologies, but the machines might have you beat here. What was I talking about? Oh yeah, don’t watch this.
Potential: 0%