Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san
Short Synopsis: A boy tries to find ways to prank the girl that’s always making fun of him.
Aidan’s review
100% Certified fluff. Takagi-san is that show that make you believe that the world isn’t completely trash and fills you with that positive optimism that brushes away negativity until you see a news report or internet shitpost. Though it is true that this season is certainly not lacking when it comes to feel good anime, I would say it’s far too abundant, this is definitely one of the higher tier titles on the list. If you liked Tsurezure Children or Tonari no Seki-kun then this is most certainly up your alley. The big problem with this series is that it’s only got one gimmick and that’s all we are going to get for the rest of the series. So if you are fine with the content in this episode and don’t mind if it doesn’t develop beyond this then watch away. But if you are expecting more romantic development then I say you just aren’t going to get it.
Potential: 60%
Mario’s review
There’s one word to describe this show: “charming” and Takagi deserves to be crowned tiara-ed as the princess of moe girls in a season handful of cute girls. Not only is she smart that always one, two steps ahead of poor Nishikata, all her actions highly indicate her interest to the boy as well, making all their schemes funny and warming at the same time. The two mains share the most natural and dynamic chemistry of any pair this season and that chemistry certainly drives the show’s story. In addition, the show sure knows how to frame the girl in a classy and mysterious manner (she’s ALWAYS in the centre of focus, visually speaking). Her trollings never feel any ill will, but more that she teases him because she enjoys his company. I feel the magic in all the three skits from this premiere, although its issue still remains. With such a simple and predictable concept, how will the show stay interesting without repeating and patting its story too thin? I’m not okay with variations of the same concept because it will get dull fast, so I hope the show better have more tricks under its sleeve or more hearts under its trolling shenanigans. As for this episode alone, it totally win me over. ♪ You keep me under your spell (3x) ♪
Potential: 60%
Ryuuou no Oshigoto!
Short Synopsis: A little girl runs away from home to become a teenager Shogi players disciple
Aidan’s review
So, was anyone watching 3-gatsu no Lion and thought “This anime is good but it would be so much better if it had loli’s!” Well? Yes of course you didn’t but here you go anyway. I really hate that light novels have this reputation for being poor wish fulfillment tripe when there are notable examples of great works but it’s much more hateful that there is a large pool of works that justify this assumption. This is no exception. The only thing that really interests me here is the shogi(Where the undersides of Shogi boards actually used to catch blood from punishing misconduct?) and the rest is just really distasteful light novel cliche. Typical power fantasy with the main character being famous and getting girls without trying. Not to mention with loli fanservice and what looks like more lolis incoming. Comedy is just not funny, because I seen these jokes before. The minute the sister showed up at the door while the loli was showering I knew exactly what was going to happen and it happened exactly as I thought it would. Oh hey the loli is a yandere even though she hasn’t hit puberty yet, hahaha. Look, you want a anime about Shogi with drama? Watch 3-gatsu no Lion. You want cute girls playing a board game? Watch Saki. You even want something like Shogi with murder mystery? Watch Shion no Ou. Just don’t watch this.
Potential: 0%
Mario’s review
We have another product from popular Light Novel. As soon as I learn that this show is about a prodigee shogi teenager who eventually becomes a master of even more talented nine-year-old girl who only learned shogi for 3 months, I have a strong feeling that I – a pitiful commoner – would never get its appeal. Indeed. All the characters introduced are over the top right at the bat, which also mean they don’t feel like characters you can relate to. The shogi remains its most interesting part, but when we have a more powerful and thoughtful shogi alternative out there (3-gatsu), this one looks bland in comparison. Characters act absolutely ridiculous and flashy in a bad way as they shout at each other and sprout nonsense. The main protagonist is your typical Light novel main character, already talented and having a flock of chicks who keep making sheep’s eyes at him without having to lift his monkey paw (all those are Zodiac’s animal references, btw). And I haven’t mentioned the cringe-worthy moment involving the nude loli girl because that’s how they sell so well, I suppose? I keep defending for many years now, against all odds, that Light Novels are art/ not trashy but I’m shaking real hard with those poorly written and full of cliche LNs. Please save me from this miserable life God of Eloquent Light Novels.
Potential: 10%
Dame x Prince ANIME CARAVAN
Short Synopsis: A princess attends a treaty-signing ceremony and meets lots of cute princes.
Mario’s review
We have an otome adaptation and this opening episode tries its hardest to cram up as many male characters who act like rock stars as possible, while introducing its thinnn premise so the story could go somewhere. For its credits, it has two beneficial factors that I can give. First, I like the slightly feminist view over its female characters, as the main heroine is aware full well of the absurdity those Princes and other boys behave, and her witty comments clearly show that she wouldn’t care less. The depiction of how her kingdom works: papa is a muscle and mama is a brain, gets a thumbs-up from me. Second, this show breaks down all hot boys’ archetypes, making them utterly ridiculous by tuning up their tropes to 11. Being said all that I can comfortably say that this show just isn’t for me. Reverse-harem story doesn’t appeal to me much and introducing roughly about 7, 8 hot males (and more to come) results in too much of boys doing weird poses and talks lame lines than actual plot development. Still not worth your time is my final verdict.
Potential: 20%
Wooper’s review
Dame x Princess strikes me as the work of a creative team that watched Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun in 2014, and figured that sort of humor can be successfully applied to any production, no matter the level of effort that goes into it. Unfortunately for DamePri, its many faults pollute the stab it takes at comedy, to the point that “Comedy” isn’t even listed as one of its genres on any of the major anime databases. Studio Flad does try their hand at making people laugh with their debut work, though – there’s a prince who’s a total airhead (lol), a prince who loudly and repeatedly assumes that the heroine is in awe of him (heh), a prince who strikes funny poses (haha), and a laughably shallow setup for conflict between three neighboring kingdoms that serves as the series’ plot (hahaha!). That last one probably wasn’t supposed to be funny, but on the off-chance that this entire show is some meta-commentary on otome adaptations, I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt. “Jokes” aside, Dame x Princess’s premiere was boring and bland-looking, though it earns a point for featuring a protagonist who doesn’t act like a lovesick puppy from the word go. Recommended for former fans of the bishounen genre who want to see its tropes mocked, but also still kind of love it enough to overlook drab visuals and a silly plot.
Potential: 1%
