Shoukoku no Altair
Short Synopsis: A newly appointed general attempts to foil a plot that could start a war.
I am still a bit skeptical of this as I fear it may run into the same problem Arslan Senki ran into. Basically an interesting setting and premise but no interesting characters to carry it. Our main protagonist here is certainly a step up but I do feel he isn’t really all that interesting besides his fascination of using eagles to attack. Only other character that really stood out was the main heroine and she at least has a bold personality to contrast the main’s general stoic nature. The turkish setting is certainly a breath of fresh air and high historical fantasy is a very rare thing in anime as of late. So far it’s proving promising but we are going to need more distint characters to keep things interesting.
Potential: 75%
Mario: Altair is overall impressive. (Faux) historical fantasy war has been on the rise lately (see Tanya), and they managed to do everything right here. The main character was developed just about enough to make him stand out, and I’m interested to see how he deals with the great war when the plot thickens (even with sacrifice of him sleeping on the roof when some girl obviously tries to hit on him. oops). The Turkish empire settings were handled thoughtfully, and this first season provides enough base characters that will sure make a big impact to the story later on. I admit that having the assassins saying the name of the mastermind was really a convenient plot progress, and they include his flashback during the scene feel a bit abrupted, but everything else was right on mark. This show holds lots of potential here and I’m eager to check out how the story progresses from this.
Potential: 80%
18if
Short Synopsis: A boy wakes up in a dream world and faces a giant witch.
I do really like the opening and the setting is great as I love it going crazy with the dream aspect. However it’s clear that the idea is a bit too ambitious for the animation studio as there animation and visuals are not the best. The protagonist’s general level headed nature due to it all being a dream is a neat aspect but it does remove any sense of danger when he barely reacts to getting his arm chopped off. The end of the episode has me worried that this could get too preachy as we have our protagonist essentially lecturing the enemy to death. Still it’s an imaginative concept and I wonder just how crazy they will get with it. If I was to make a bet then I would put it on this ending up rather disappointing as the developments of this episode’s plot were on the weak side. What makes this show stand out is it’s visual design and so far it’s storytelling is just passable. I say the first episode is worth a try and it’s up to you if it’s something you want to continue.
Potential: 55%
Mario: And here, we encounter the strange duck of the season. If you don’t know what to make upon watching its promotion video, chances that this premiere won’t change your mind. The story, as it happens in a dream world, makes so little sense. Honestly I’m fine with overloaded symbolism and non-plot plot as long as it sticks to the narrative, and here is where the show comes off a bit short-handed. The actual story behind the witch, isn’t good enough as a thoughtful case for us to invest to. By that I mean that story itself isn’t half bad, but the way they tell it is. I could’ve invested with the Witch tragic story more if I have more time to know her as a person, and here is where this show misses its mark. In fact, that’s my main complaint with 18if right now: visually inventive but if it doesn’t back up by meaningful story or strong emotional impact, it will end up being a gimmick. The art designs, on the other spectrum, is great. That, and the off-kilter characters where they speak like they’re in a bad dream (they are), further detail the foundation of dream logic. In short, I’m digging the premise about exploration of dreams in 18if, but the actual presentation still leaves a lot to be desired.
Potential: 70%
Action Heroine Cheer Fruits
Short Synopsis: Small town girls set up a tonkasatsu show to appease a girl’s little sister.
This certainly feels like it’s chasing the shadow of Love Live but I found this episode rather enjoyable. Two montages were a bit much and I find the character designs and personalities a bit bland for my taste but the story of this episode was rather heartwarming. I personally never really liked tonkasatsu shows as I just find them a bit too cheesy for my liking. I found myself inwardly cringing during the performances in this episode. So far I say it’s a decent watch though I would be wary of this some becoming too slice of life for it’s own good. Visuals and animation are decent so I say this is a good inbetween show for those looking for something light.
Potential:35%
Mario: To my own surprise, Action Heroine isn’t half bad, it’s a bit harmless but thoroughly enjoyable one. They take a much more mundane approach here. There is indeed an actual Action Heroine that drink fruit-juice to boost energy, but this story is squarely about those inspired by her popular to create their own play,to entertain those kids no less. It’s the low-key, the amateurish approach, and the main’s determination to provide her little sister a good time that made this show sincerely. The main problem, then, is that all that I’ve said above wasn’t even this show’s main plot; so this sincere vibe could just be an one off case. The main plot, then, will be how those girls work together to promote their little hometown by becoming their own action heroines. Sound similar huh? Expect the cuter, lesser, and more high-school-oriented version of Sakura Quest then. The animation is nothing stand out and the art style is simple, but they tell their story with charms and care and that is good enough for me
Potential: 30%
