Trillion Game
Short Synopsis: A charismatic corporate applicant befriends an anxious computer nerd with plans to become a trillionaire.
Wooper: At the time of this writing, there have been four fall shows to premiere their first two episodes simultaneously. Trillion Game happens to be one of them, but I didn’t watch its second episode to see how both of them sat together; I found the first one to be sufficiently fun on its own. There’s little doubt in my mind that this show is going to be very silly, especially having seen its main character scrawl his plan to make a trillion bucks on the outside of a skyscraper with window-cleaning foam. Honestly, though, I was charmed by the show’s simplicity, both in its rudimentary character backstories and its back-to-basics direction. In our season preview, I pegged Trillion Game as a likely runt of the litter, visually speaking, but I didn’t have many issues with what it offered here. It’s not likely to turn any heads, but it does its job by keeping the strikingly designed characters front and center. Our partially dynamic duo dominates the episode in straightforward fashion, combining to provide a magnetic personality, computer wizardry, and multilingual ability in one package, and their first target has been established, too: the beautiful, independently-minded daughter of a major corporation’s president (who may have yakuza ties). Even if it means allowing a lot of bogus economics and business-related dialogue to hit my eardrums, I’m interested in giving Trillion Game another couple tries.
Potential: 50%
Lenlo: I don’t know what it is, but there’s something… off putting about Trillion Game’s character designs. I think it’s because of how round and pudgy they look? I’m not sure, all I really know is that the businessman lead has an incredibly punchable face. Though… maybe that’s the point? He initially comes across as a complete sleaze ball, but the more time we spend with him the more charismatic and likeable he becomes. And that charisma helps draw the quieter, technically inclined MC into the spotlight where he would otherwise just fade into the background. I’m not as sold on the actual story that’s being setup, as straightforward as it is – I’m not convinced Trillion Game can make economics interesting, especially because it was barely touched on at all. But I’m willing to give it a shot on what Wooper sees and the relationship between our two leads. Because that’s where I think Trillion Game will really live or die, Haru and Gaku’s relationship, their chemistry, and their rock solid friendship through it all.
Potential: 40%
Goodbye, Dragon Life
Short Synopsis: After being reincarnated as a human, a former dragon befriends a part-human, part-snake creature called a lamia.
Mario: Although we enter another generic fantasy world, there are some elements that actually raise this show above the water in my view. First, in a reverse-style, instead of humans incarnated as weird monsters, the MC was a dragon who is incarnated as a human. As a result, it makes total sense that he would be overpowered at this point. His dying words as a dragon also brings some rare wisdoms that we don’t find much in the light fantasy genre. Well, I admit that it’s not a high bar to clear, but so far Dragon Life hasn’t made any false steps yet. I also appreciate the fact that it incorporates another demihuman (like Lamia) but so far doesn’t make her fall heads over heels with our character. The main distraction for now is Dolan himself, except for the fact that he has dragon knowledge, he’s as blank as my homework notebook so he needs to do better in future episodes. I don’t necessarily think this show would break any new ground, but I can say that I’m willing to give it more tries.
Potential: 30%
Lenlo: To be frank, I really don’t understand what Mario is seeing in this. Sure, it’s not offensively bad or anything, there are far worse fantasy shows in this season alone, not to mention anime at large. The production is fine enough, the MC is a blank piece of cardboard but he’s also not a piece of shit. But there isn’t anything good about it either. Nothing to pull me in the same way I Parry Everything did, nothing to either set it apart or make note of. I suppose if you’re desperate for a fantasy show with an MC that thinks slightly differently, this may work for you. But personally, I think you’ll have better luck looking elsewhere this season, or maybe in previous seasons for things you missed.
Potential: 15%
Mecha-ude
Short Synopsis: A middle school boy rescues a sentient cube from pursuers, which then transforms into an inconvenient mechanical arm.
Wooper: Mecha-ude first aired as a one-shot ONA in 2018, depicting events that were a little further along in its story than what we got here. It’s hard for me to say which introduction to the series I prefer, since I didn’t like either of them all that much. The ONA started after Mecha-ude users Hikaru and Aki had already teamed up, but this time we get a proper origin story where Aki starts as an antagonist, since both she and the actual villain group are trying to steal what Hikaru has accidentally acquired. This results in a lot of running: running from drones, running from Aki, running from the teal-haired enemy who gets upset at being ignored…all without a destination other than “away from here.” Amid this chaos, the show must carry itself with its sense of style, which I’m sure some people will like more than I did. The thin linework and pose-heavy, seemingly Trigger-inspired action scenes certainly give the show a valid identity. It’s not one that I really appreciate, however – it looks more like an anime-inspired comic book than anything else. Hiroyuki Sawano’s bombastic contributions to the soundtrack are really out of place, too, not matching Hikaru’s disorganized scramble to survive in the slightest. Honestly, Mecha-ude is a bit of a mess, but it is an anime original with a bit of flash to its name, so hopefully it’ll turn things around soon.
Potential: 20%
