Spring 2025 Check-In – Weeks 10-11

by SuperWooper, posted in Weekly Summary

Wooper: For anyone wondering when the summer season preview will go live, you can expect it in two or three days. For the rest of us, spring hasn’t yet sprung its last, so I’ve got more thoughts on the usual suspects, with the exception of Kowloon Generic Romance, whose four remaining episodes I’ll round up at the start of next month. Taking its place this week is a niche web series by one of my favorite modern anime directors – no prizes for guessing its title before clicking through, but I’ll be highly impressed if you do.

Apocalypse Hotel – 10-11

Just two weeks after Apocalypse Hotel aired its ninth and arguably strongest episode, it may have topped itself with number 11 – a mostly wordless trip through what remains of the Ginza district 600 years after humanity’s abandonment of Earth. Ponko’s increasing managerial duties created an opportunity for Yachiyo to take a day off, and she spent it in atmospheric style, initially strolling between familiar locations such as the robot scrapyard and the hotel distillery’s wheat field. Eventually she began traveling to new places: a still-functioning pachinko parlor, the Ryuko Fudo-son shrine, and the National Diet Building in the neighboring Nagatacho district. Along the way, she communed with both animal life and nature as a whole, leading to her discovery of a fallen service robot with which she shared a model. The respect with which Yachiyo took a crucial chip from that robot’s body gave me the impression that she viewed it as a part of the Earth, just like the creatures she encountered on her journey, though the script’s silence wisely left the moment up to interpretation. The whole story served as an excellent showcase for the series’ background art, too – an area where episode 10 lacked, given its mostly interior settings. Still, there were some highlights to its Detective Conan-esque proceedings, particularly the reveal that Ponko had given birth to a healthy daughter, Tamako. The comedy of the episode’s two identical-looking hotel guests (one a serial bomber and the other a “cosmic detective”) gave rise to some fun scenes, but there wasn’t much acknowledgment of the story’s underlying morbidity, which I thought was disappointing. Still, I consider Apocalypse Hotel to be one of this spring’s best shows, and I’m praying that it finishes strong next week.

Continue reading “Spring 2025 Check-In – Weeks 10-11” →

Spring 2025 Check-In – Weeks 8-9

by SuperWooper, posted in Weekly Summary

Wooper: Now that the calendar has rolled around to June, I’m starting to think about our next season preview, but with a different perspective than usual. I often view new batches of anime as welcome distractions from the disappointments of the previous crop – but even though some of these spring shows aren’t meeting my lofty expectations, I still regard the season as a good one. Even as I look into what will air this summer, I find myself pinning fewer hopes on future shows and more on the current ones to come to satisfactory conclusions. That said, I wasn’t totally enthused with everything I watched over the last two weeks, as you’ll discover should you read on!

Kowloon Generic Romance – 8-9

In each of these two episodes, there was a “what we know so far” segment worked into the script, designed to help audiences keep straight all the workings of the illusory Kowloon Walled City. Episode 8’s segment took the form of a chat room conversation between Yaomay and Yulong, while episode 9’s was presented as an intelligence report from Yulong’s assistant to Miyuki’s father. The only new piece of information in either scene was Yaomay’s realization that it’s been midsummer for the entire six months she’s been living in Kowloon – other than that, these were just recaps. In my view, some (if not all) of this time should have been spent on Reiko and Kudo’s relationship, as they felt more detached from the story than ever despite their relationship taking its biggest step forward. The reveal at the end of episode 8 that they’d slept together landed with a thud rather than a bang, and was immediately overshadowed by a freeze frame of Reiko’s phone, which displayed a date from two months in the past. I’m not saying the show should have gone in a more sexually charged direction, but the gap between their previous conversation and the shot of them in bed the next morning left something to be desired. This week’s episode gave their pairing a bit more support, contrasting Kudo’s memory of Kujirai B’s trademark French toast with Reiko’s ignorance of the recipe, which resulted in a rift growing between them. I’m tempted to describe that plotline as too little too late, though, given the pace at which the show’s humanity is being overtaken by its Zirconian mystery.

Continue reading “Spring 2025 Check-In – Weeks 8-9” →

Guest Post: Unearthed Baubles with Firechick: Lunar Silver Star Story (75/100)

by Lenlo, posted in Anime Reviews, Special Articles

It’s funny how things we now see as cliche, generic, or overdone were once novel and completely new. Such was the case for a little game called Lunar: Silver Star Story. Previously released on the Sega CD as Lunar: The Silver Star, the game was famous for its litany of 2D anime cutscenes, amazingly adapted songs, generally bright and colorful anime artstyle, which back then was unheard of for games that came out in America at that time, and for its script having a lot of 90s pop cultural references and slang thrown in. It got a Playstation 1 remake a few years later, which is the version many fans grew up on. I’ve mentioned before that I never grew up with home consoles such as the Playstation or Nintendo 64, so I never even heard of Lunar back then. I did dabble in it a bit via watching some videos of HCBailly’s Let’s Play of it and playing a bit of the PSP remake, Lunar: Silver Star Harmony, but I didn’t get very far with either. I should really get back to playing Harmony on my PS Vita. But in September of 2024, GungHo Online Entertainment announced that a remaster of both this game and its sequel were due to come out in April 2025 on modern consoles. I managed to snatch the Switch version as soon as it was available. As someone who didn’t grow up with Lunar but did grow up on a lot of anime during the 2000s, I certainly do enjoy it, even if nowadays it’s nothing really special. I can definitely see its charms and why people like it so much.

Continue reading “Guest Post: Unearthed Baubles with Firechick: Lunar Silver Star Story (75/100)” →

Spring 2025 Check-In – Weeks 6-7

by SuperWooper, posted in Weekly Summary

Wooper: Now that we’re more than a month removed from our first impressions period, the shine is starting to come off some of this season’s offerings. Don’t get me wrong – I still think there are lots of worthwhile shows airing right now, but the longer an anime goes on, the more opportunities it has to disappoint you. Two of my most anticipated series coming into April were Kowloon Generic Romance and Gundam GQX, and as of right now, I wouldn’t put either of them near the top of the spring anime pyramid. That being said, let’s jump into this post with a few grievances, shall we?

Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX – 6-7

It’s become apparent that series composer Youji Enokido is less interested in GQX’s “main characters” than he is in adding to its jumble of parts from past Gundam series. These episodes borrowed from Zeta Gundam (the 1985 follow-up to the original TV anime), dropping characters like Bask Om and concepts like Cyber Newtypes into an assassination plot that blew up in spectacular fashion. Meanwhile, the trio of youngsters who were once introduced as the show’s protagonists took a backseat, ultimately getting separated after their dull-ass love triangle crumpled like wet newspaper. Flashbacks to an argument between Machu and Nyaan (underpinned by their rivaling affections for Shuuji) played throughout episode 6, which was named “The Plot to Assassinate Kycilia.” Given that title, most of the episode was spent laying the groundwork for the attempted murder of a character who was created nearly 50 years ago, so I’m not sure how to express just how inconsequential Machu and Nyaan’s quarrel felt in the midst of all that. Then, while the assassination plot was unfolding this week, Machu was busy trying to steal enough money to travel to Earth with her boy toy, who ended up getting sucked into another dimension anyway. I’m being more than a little reductive here, but it does feel as though GQX is keeping its fresh-faced trio around solely because Gundam isn’t Gundam without teenage pilots. At least Nyaan joined the Zeon cast (who are essentially the new main characters) at the end of this week’s episode, I guess?

Continue reading “Spring 2025 Check-In – Weeks 6-7” →

Spring 2025 Check-In – Weeks 4-5

by SuperWooper, posted in Weekly Summary

Wooper: We’ve cycled through all sorts of names for these check-in columns over the years, but the most appropriate one for this week’s post might be “catch-up,” as I watched three episodes of some of these shows in an effort to get current with the spring season. That’s a lot for an old man who rarely watches weekly anymore, but I’m enjoying my (temporary) return to the habit. I think I’ve settled on these five shows as the ones I’ll cover every two weeks, but there may be extras that pop in from time to time, including this one:

Lycoris Recoil: Friends Are
Thieves of Time – 1-4

I’m not a LycoReco fan, but I do have an affinity for short anime, so I decided to dip my toes back into the franchise for Friends Are Thieves of Time, whose episodes thus far range from two to four minutes. Not all of them have been released yet, but of the ones that have, episode 3 was my favorite, riffing on the series’ iconic poop parfait with a new potty-themed dessert. The moment of that new menu item’s reveal is bound to be one of the best parts of this mini series, so I won’t spoil it before the jump – unfortunately, it has to compete for presentational space with squealish voice acting and aggressive use of the show’s ending theme. Those two issues are constants in FAToT, but for those of you with an established love for this cast, the moments when the characters’ voices continue through the credits will probably tickle your brain. All four of these episodes take place entirely at the LycoReco cafe, so there’s been minimal action so far, but the character animation has been quite good. The horror-themed fourth installment takes a big swing (as big as can be taken in four minutes, anyway), while the first two episodes are more chill, Chisato/Takina centered affairs. One of them even features a conversation about what they’ll do on their upcoming Hawaii trip, indicating that Thieves of Time takes place before the end of the first season – that’s a nice piece of continuity for existing fans.

Continue reading “Spring 2025 Check-In – Weeks 4-5” →

Guest Post: Unearthed Baubles with Firechick: Bananya (69/100)

by Lenlo, posted in Anime Reviews, Special Articles

(This review covers both the first season and the second one, Bananya and the Curious Bunch)

Now here’s an anime that I’m sure not a whole lot of people know about. Bananya is a short TV series that’s literally about the adventures of cute pocket-sized kittens that live in banana peels. That’s it. It’s a very simple premise, and the first season mainly shows them going through mundane situations, like going inside the refrigerator, or trying to greet a stray cat outside the kitchen window. Every episode is 2-3 minutes long and there’s no real dialogue except for a narrator who tells us what’s going on. Now, if you’re looking to watch this, I should warn you, the story is pretty episodic, and the characters don’t really develop beyond their one singular personality trait. In this case, it can be forgiven, as they’re cats that can’t talk, and the first season has a rather small set of characters that are easy to follow, even if four of them look exactly the same.

Continue reading “Guest Post: Unearthed Baubles with Firechick: Bananya (69/100)” →

Spring 2025 Check-In – Weeks 2-3

by SuperWooper, posted in Weekly Summary

Wooper: I’m long past my aniblogging prime, but I had to come out of retirement for a spring season like this one. While others may lament its lack of big name sequels or ready-made reincarnation fantasies, yours truly is having a blast keeping up with its wide variety of shows. I’ve got my criticisms where some of the following nine series are concerned, but I plan to move forward with most of them, and there are a handful more that might appear in future check-in posts, even though I didn’t write them up this time. If you were planning to sit this season out, you’d better reconsider – when it comes to anime, you’ve got to watch while the watching’s good!

Lazarus – 2-3

I’m a little perplexed as to why the tone of this show is still so chill. If humanity is set to perish in a month’s time, then why does episode 2’s shootout between various government agencies and organized crime groups have such a comedic anticlimax? Why would the cops ever let Chris and Leland into the home of the doctor responsible for humanity’s impending extinction? Why spend valuable runtime on Axel using his martial arts skills to win a one-on-one basketball game at a homeless encampment? Actually, that last scene was pretty cool – and it’s that sense of coolness that will keep me tuning in to Lazarus every week, even if its plot doesn’t make a lot of sense on a macro level. The combat animation continues to excel, and episode 3’s trip to Istanbul (reached via above-ground hyperloop) featured dozens of beautiful backgrounds. I’m not attached to any of the characters at this point, however. The show enjoys pairing off its secret agents and sending them to different locations, but I wish it would focus on one mission per episode and let the whole team collaborate. Maybe it’ll get there as they close in on Dr. Skinner’s location – assuming that ever happens.

Continue reading “Spring 2025 Check-In – Weeks 2-3” →

Spring 2025 First Episode Awards

by SuperWooper, posted in Uncategorized

Now that virtually every new spring series has debuted, it’s time to see which shows managed to distinguish themselves amidst the anime landslide. Not every one of our top picks for this season’s premieres panned out, but there’s a bit more depth on offer here than there was last winter, so that’s something to be optimistic about. In fact, we’re happy enough with this new crop of shows that our Weekly Summary column will be making a return, only it’ll be more of a Biweekly Summary this time. The first post will go live in just under seven days, so you can look forward to periodic thoughts on half a dozen shows or so – including some of our First Episode Award winners, which can be viewed after the jump. See you next week!

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Spring 2025 Impressions: Teogonia, Hibi wa Sugiredo Meshi Umashi, Ranger Reject S2

by SuperWooper, posted in Some Quick First Impressions

Teogonia

Short Synopsis: A young boy sets off on a journey through a fantasy world after memories of his past life awaken within him.

Lenlo: It’s a bit sad, but the biggest thing holding Teogonia back has to be its production. The designs and what not are fine, but the whole thing moves like a half-assed powerpoint presentation. For a series built around combat, around the defense of a village against the endless hordes of monsters, that’s a real problem. And I don’t think the narrative is enough to overcome that, despite the early hints that the monsters aren’t what they seem and that those in charge may not be as benevolent as they would have you believe. There are some bits here and there I’m curious about, the “flashbacks” to our world, the use of magic, these little seeds filled with energy they eat to get stronger. There’s bits and pieces here, hints, as to something interesting. But the way it’s presented could make anything dull.
Potential: 20%

Hibi wa Sugiredo Meshi Umashi

Short Synopsis: A shy college student who loves to eat joins a fraudulent Food Culture Research Club on campus.

Wooper: HibiMeshi (or “Food for the Soul,” if you prefer the localized title) doesn’t offer a whole lot to get excited about in its first episode. It’s set at college rather than middle or high school, but the trademark P.A. Works character designs make the girls feel no different than any old extracurricular club-bound quartet. Several of them do have part-time jobs, which I’d say is the show’s best chance at building something concrete for itself, since their restaurant work ties into their food-focused circle. Jobs aside, all we’ve got is yet another socially anxious protagonist who joins a club to push herself outside her comfort zone, along with sadly mediocre meal prep animation. That last item might be the real killer here, as food porn in anime has taken some huge strides over the years, and this show doesn’t seem to have kept up. And it’s explicitly about food, too – or it seems to be at first glance. The twist at the end of this premiere informs us that the Food Culture Research Club was created under false pretenses, as its founder simply wanted a dedicated space to goof off, but it seems obvious that the series will be a culinary one in some capacity. I mean, the opening scene sees the main character watching a video about a Hokkaido chicken ranch. As of right now, I’m not sure what the point of that twist was, or why I ought to watch another episode of HibiMeshi other than its general pleasantness.
Potential: 20%

Ranger Reject S2

Short Synopsis: Season 2 of Ranger Reject.

Lenlo: It’s back and I’m loving it. Ranger Reject ended the previous season on an awkward note, with a dead Keeper, an escaped Boss, and a mediocre exam arc, so I was a bit concerned about how this new season would go. Aside from the weird sister-complex though, as well as the annoying boob jokes, I was pleasantly surprised. I love getting to see the slowly collapsing/fracturing Rangers, how the Keepers are falling apart due to interpersonal conflicts, and the confirmation that there are multiple Boss monsters still at large in the city. It feels like Ranger Reject is starting to expand its plot, like it’s getting into the secrets of the setting now that D is finally in with the Rangers. Even the production has appeared to improve, with some good looking scenes both in and out of combat. All things considered, I’m happy with Season 2, and I hope it’s able to take this strong start and continue it for the rest of the season.
Potential: 60%

Spring 2025 Impressions: Moonrise, Ninja to Koroshiya no Futarigurashi, Mono

by SuperWooper, posted in Some Quick First Impressions

Moonrise

Short Synopsis: The wealthy heir to a global tech company travels to the moon to avenge his parents’ deaths.

Wooper: Ever heard the phrase “too many cooks spoil the broth?” I’m thinking that’s probably what happened with Moonrise, whose nearly 30 minute premiere was so packed with familiar ideas that it feels like the show was written by committee. Rich playboy protagonist, unified world order governed by artificial intelligence, tensions between the Earth and moon, a battle set on a moving train with one faction doing acrobatics while wearing capes (we Attack on Titan now), an antagonist’s massive holographic likeness delivering a rousing speech, etc. Despite the flashy opening fight scene, the main character’s glamorous lifestyle, and the carnage of the anti-Earth terror attack toward the end, this first episode left no impact on me – except for a few moments of unintentional humor. The protagonist’s father springing, “Are you upset about being adopted?” on his adult son made me burst out laughing, and some of the character names are hard not to giggle at (Jack Shadow, Bob Skylum). There’s also a moment where the hacking of a train’s computer system is represented by glowing red lines snaking along its ceiling, which gave off extreme ‘early 2000s police procedural’ energy. Moonrise has a lot of big staff names attached to its production, so some people might not find it funny that its first outing was such a bust. Fortunately, all 18 episodes are already streaming online, so they can discover for themselves whether there’s something worthwhile beyond the first one.
Potential: 15%

Ninja to Koroshiya no Futarigurashi

Short Synopsis: A naive, helpless ninja meets a high school girl assassin and they start living under the same roof.

Mario: I signed up to review this episode totally blind, so imagine my pleasant surprise when I learned not only that my fave studio Shaft handles this project, but also how hilarious it is and how quickly these 20 minutes go by. The jokes start early, as we begin the show with an 80s-retro aesthetic look about how this ninja girl unintentionally defeats everyone before it reverts back to the present day with a modern look and moe character designs. These designs work well in this context, as it probably catches viewers by surprise when such cutesy girls actually murder someone and expose the bodies. Well, it’s played for laughs so it’s pitch black humor we are talking about here. The jokes so far are snappy and don’t overstay their welcome, although I would say that the main ingredients (those being the ninja girl’s clumsiness and the assassin girl’s stoicism) are a bit thin at the moment. That doesn’t matter too much, as long as the first episode gets my attention, and this one did.
Potential: 45%

Mono

Short Synopsis: A pair of high school photography club members meet a manga artist who uses them as inspiration for her new series.

Wooper: If you’re a CGDCT fan, this show has all the necessary ingredients to become your new drug of choice. It boasts cartoony character animation, fun seiyuu performances, a gentle soundtrack (with a bit of slide guitar mixed in to create that Yuru Camp connection), and a genuine interest in its subject, photography. There’s not an information overload where that last topic is concerned, thankfully, as Mono keeps its attention on the characters. It goes so far as to include a prologue about one of the current club member’s attachment to her now-graduated senpai, just so we understand why she’s down in the dumps at the start of the new school year. The dour mood doesn’t hang around for long, though, as the girls’ excitement over their new cameras and their discovery of an old school candy store (complete with a cute cat who wanders in and out) is quite infectious. I think the reason the whole thing works so well is that the two primary characters are committed to their hobby mostly as a way of connecting with other people – Satsuki to honor her departed senpai, and An to stay close to Satsuki. Even when the climax of the episode faltered a bit due to an unremarkable bit of nighttime scenery, I was already so attached to the main cast that I wasn’t bothered in the least. The show may not be as pretty as Yuru Camp (I keep bringing it up because they share an author), but it looks to have just as much heart.
Potential: 75%