Some Quick First Impressions: Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu, Hundred and Seisen Cerberus

Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu

Short Synopsis: A boy is summoned to another world where he finds himself reliving the same day over and over again.

Wow. ANN is not pleased with this one. I normally don’t check out their first episode preview because well I have to watch all these shows anyway regardless of how bad they are. But I heard they blasted this one pretty hard. It’s on these kinds of shows that make me glad that I go out of my way to check the source material because I could very well be doing the same thing if I didn’t. Not to say this double length feature episode was bad but despite subverting cliches it also adhears to cliches as well. Our protagonist is well aware of the other world genre and is thinking that now he is in one that he will be getting some sort of special superpower. Technically he did but it’s far from desirable. It is true that addressing a cliche is not subverting a cliche if you still use said cliche. In this case the main thought he would encounter a cute girl. He did but said cute girl ignores him and runs off to leave him to get beaten up. But then another girl shows up and helps him. As I said, in some ways it subverts and in others it sticks to the standard. Can’t say I am fond of our heroine as she does seem a stereotype and remains so for as far as I have read into this story. However I do think this story is still worthwhile because you can claim it’s following the standard but if the standard involved seeing the protagonist dying horribly over and over again then I would think much better of the genre. Our self proclaimed hikikomori Subaru may be a guy with decent strength but he isn’t going to be gaining godly power like much of our usual other world protagonists. I like the guy as well because at least he’s a step above the standard. Sure his comments about this being an other world story at the beginning are annoying and quite frankly he should have noticed that his was in a time loop by the second run but the man has the drive to learn. I wasn’t too fond of the first episode and in that I think it was a wise decision for white fox to make this a double feature. So far they are doing a great job with adapting the source, in particular I like how they handled the beginning with intercutting scenes of his first death with his time before entering the world. I am not going to make any promises of this being great(For one I believe caricature characterisation is a big weakness in the source) but I think some critics will start changing their tune as the series continues. Besides, I hear the author is a Sadist and if that’s the case…(smirk)

Potential: 90%

Hundred

Short Synopsis: A clearly mentally unstable girl challenges a boy to a fight…just..screw it. I don’t care anymore

Can I please have the brain cells that died while watching this episode back? I mean good god just how utterly insipid is this. I am insulted, purely insulted at the outright lack of effort. Truly just how stupid do you think I am, show? Do you honestly believe that I think that girl crossdressing as a boy is a genuine boy? A boy who wears ribbons, has a ponytail and enacts a level of physical contact that would have any normal guy reeling back and asking just what the hell is wrong with you? Oh sure us guys give each other lap pillows all the time. And oh no it just gets worse. A student council president that can expel students? Just…what?! Why? How? Isn’t that just asking to be abused? Not a clingy incest imouto! For the love of god leave some cliches to go die! Also every big boobed girls first appearance is first her chest and then it pans up to show their face. Sort of like the show is saying “Hey look at these breasts! Aren’t they massive!…Oh yeah she has a face too.” So I could go into detail about what this show isn’t worth your time…but really why should I bother. Look if this show isn’t going to put a modicum of effort into presenting a story then truly why should I even try to critic it. Instead I think I will just ask questions. What’s up with main protagonists and fire flashbacks? Is there some kind of pyromaniac who transcends dimensions just to set fire to any place in a flashback? Why was there a minutes worth of some pretty impressive animation for what amounts to our protagonist talking with two other students? Do people not confuse the Monster Savage with the actual term for a Savage? Isn’t there better alternatives to fighting them than using crystals? Biological warfare for example? Isn’t it really inconvenient to have a school on a boat? I mean yeah, Savages are about but I think that Kids that get sea sickness would be screwed at this school. Why is that council president idiot trying to expel two students for being late to a opening ceremony while giving some silly tripe about teamwork when later a clip of her fighting shows she doesn’t work in a team at all?! Just…just…GAH! Hell with it! What’s the point of complaining? It’s crap, it’s lazy, stupid and probably going to get a second season. This just goes to show that for every good Light Novel, there will be a hundred “Hundred”’s.

Potential: 0%

Seisen Cerberus

Short Synopsis: A boy seeks out artifacts that were used to seal a dangerous dragon in ancient past.  

After Hundred, I was far removed of patience so perhaps this might not be a fair assessment. But regardless of how I feel currently I think my opinion on this would be the same. I feel pretty indifferent to it. The writing certainly isn’t notable. “He’s holding that sword with one hand. He must be a real master of the blade” Or maybe he’s just strong? Doesn’t really speak for his skills as a swordsman. The artstyle is not all that appealing and I can’t say the music made an impact. What I am seeing here is checking the boxes for a typical show of this mediocre caliber. However what really kills it is the feeling of the dialogue. Every word that comes out of a person’s mouth feels staged, like they pulled it out a recommended selection of lines that would be appropriate for the scene. It’s all just so artificial and this show should be convincing me to feel something for it’s story. It could be fun for some but I think the majority will find no reason to continue.

Potential: 20%