Some Quick First Impressions: Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san S2 and BEM

Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2

Short Synopsis: A grade schooler tries to embarrass the girl sitting next to him in class.

Amun’s review:

First of all, this show is more difficult than the others to watch this season – so take that as you will. The first episode picks right back up where the previous season left off – that wonderful age where girls always just seem to be one step ahead of their male companions. The gimmicks and the characters are still great, with always the hint of romance, but I remember one of the issues I had in the previous season – the format is just too long. This should be aired as separate shorts, instead of putting several of them into one 20 minute odd episode. It’s hard to maintain interest through all 3 stories per episode, at least for me. Still, I’ll probably watch this and skip through segments I feel are going nowhere.

Potential: 40%

Mario’s review:

There is a certain charm Takagi-san the series that I always come back for more. “Charming” is indeed the magic word here, as under the cute bickering between our duo (in which they have an incredible chemistry together), we can see what their feelings lie beneath. It might be a roundabout way to express their feelings to each other, but like the old saying it’s the journey that worth it. The repetitive nature is not much of an issue for me, since we follow these short stories through Nishikata’s headspace, and he’s always interesting to follow. It falters a but when it focuses on the other three girls, which for me lacks the charms and the humor from the main duo. Overall, you know exactly what to expect here so if you enjoy the first season well enough then by all means, this season will be a treat to watch.

Potential: 50%

BEM

Short Synopsis: Demoted, idealistic cop encounters monsters while adjusting to a new city.

Armitage’s review:

So, to keep up with the trend, we have our yearly 50th anniversary project (Megalo Box and Gegege no Kitaro the year before). Though, in retrospect, BEM has more in common with the latter. We have our lead characters, fighting off yokai who dwell among us mere mortals for the good of all humanity, much like Kitaro, although this show doesn’t even come close to the same level of polish as that ratings juggernaut. Everything’s grim-dark (more literally than figuratively). The animation’s fairly passable but character designs for the yokai looks very jagged. Those of the main characters look pretty stylish, though. Maybe the source material’s strengths can be banked upon to deliver a solid narrative over the coming weeks but as of now, this looks like your everyday monster-of-the-week anime with some gritty dark overtones thrown in for good measure. Don’t expect anything more and you should have a decent time with it. If you like the concept, and wish to be absolutely blown away by its execution, go watch Kitaro.

Potential: 30%

Amun’s review:

Apparently this is the latest of many adaptations of BEM, the story of 3 vigilante demi-humans. The first episode had…a very large bridge, lots of shadows, quite a bit of jazz, a naive cop, gratuitous violence, and anime New York City. And monsters – pretty powerful, but not overly imaginative (they seem to have elemental affinities). With obvious overtones of injustice and class divides, BEM could conceivably turn into an action show plus social commentary…not a great combination. I feel this is going to be a supernatural take on Gangsta – which might not be a terrible thing. However, if you’re expecting something more upbeat like Battlefront Blockade, this is probably not the show for you. If you’re into urban, gory shows (and jazz…so much jazz) that make you feel good when the opulent overlords inevitably get what their nefarious schemes deserve at the cost of some minor character’s life or a major character’s appendage – watch this one.

Potential: 33%