Spring 2020 Summary: Week 3

Mario: This recent week was rough. We all expected this to happen, but still hearing shows after shows get postponed is disheartening. It’s to the point I’m hesitant to drop shows now because I don’t think I have enough options anymore. It might be a good chance to catch up with the old stuff, I myself have been picking up Bookworm isekai again so expect it to be covered here starting next week. We have nearly a dozen shows to talk about this week (thanks to Amun for contributing half of them), so let’s run them down:

Appare-Ranman! – 02

Mario: Another show that is affected by the COVID-19 and it’s a shame because the first two episodes so far have failed to catch my attention. Heck, we don’t even see much of car racing which is its central premise. My biggest issue with the show so far is the characters, which I find bland, uninteresting and filled with bad dialogues. Even the new girl is there because the show wanted to bring up the “girl can’t race” angle, and in the season where Arte is also airing I find it to be on the face. Appare lacks the emotional investment to any human around him that I find him rather one-noted instead of interesting. In addition, I still believe that the premiere is a waste as they could just start off with this one and we won’t really miss out much.

Hachi Nan – 03 

Amun: Just because this show was derided so hard by my colleagues, I’m going to write about it every week.  Hey, to be fair, this has actually turned into a halfway decent isekai. Now, it’s a little unsporting that two other above average isekais (Bookworm and Hamefura) are also in this season – but Hachi Nan is really a decent, run-of-the-mill, escapist isekai.  I think they’ve handled the plot at a good pace – sure, there are some contrived situations, but this is to be expected in backstories. I thought the situational irony landed well this episode, with misunderstood assumptions getting worked out in the end. This is very similar to Didn’t I Say To Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?!, which aired a few seasons ago – not going to make anyone’s top anime lists, but enjoyable while it lasts.

Nami yo Kiitekure – 03

Mario: Three episodes in and I’m still pretty on the fence with Kiitekure. Minare is still an interesting character to follow, and there are bits in this episode that explain my complaint back in episode 1 (that it was her neighbor who sorted her shoes neatly). But what’s the deal with this weird neighbor? I enjoy the slow-but-steady pacing now that Minare is “officially” out of restaurant job and decides to give this radio thing a try, but at the same time I still find it hard to fully engage in the story. I suppose my main issue for now lies in the oddball cast. Now I know that’s a weird complaint considering I like eccentric characters, but in this case I still feel like I don’t understand them well enough, except for Minare. I still plan to keep tabs on the show, but if I still find it unrelatable in upcoming weeks then it must mean I’m not the show’s target audience.

Listeners – 03

Amun: Listeners is laboring under the delusion that random English Rock and Roll phrases from 40 years ago are cool.  Please stop. Visually, this show is okay, but the story is all over the place. Is this a tournament anime?  Is it a monster fighting anime? Self-discovery journey? What is going on here? Why was there a spooky bathroom that’s just getting completely accepted as normal?!  This is a pretty quirky show, so if we can get some semblance of a trajectory, I’m with it till the end – I’m even happy if they introduce one friend/enemy per week. Otherwise this silly, rockin’ rocket is going to crash real soon for me.

Fruits Basket S2 – 02-03

Mario: Fruits Basket 2 & 3 are step up above the first episode, and if the rest of the season is like this the series is in a damn good place. The biggest plus right now is how the first three episodes squarely focus on the main trio and explore their fundamental issues, and how much both Kyo and Yuki have grown since before Tohru came. Not only both Cat and Mouse have their moments, but also the supporting cast Kazuma and Ayame carry the emotional weight in their respective episodes. These characters are complex for sure, and it’s great to see how the Souma members have grown closer to each other.

Hamefura – 03

Amun: Given the circumstances of COVID-19, this is an objectively weak season – Winter season had 10 shows above 75% approval rating, this season has 4.  However, Hamefura is a hidden gem. A fresh take on the oft overdone isekai genre, Hamefura is breathing new life into a doomed scenario, one harem member at a time.  Okay, that sounds dumb, but it’s actually pretty great. We have Rosie the Gardener trying to avoid becoming a villainess and/or dying/getting exiled, all while inadvertently conquering everyone’s (and I mean everyone’s) hearts.  My favorite comment on this show so far is that she has the density of a neutron star – good amount of gravity, but oh so dumb. The production quality looks better than Bookworm, so I’d say if you must choose just one isekai this season – pick Hamefura.

Tamayomi – 02

Mario: I have a pretty good time watching the girls form a proper baseball team after its 3 episodes. I like how each member is interesting in their own way, and this week they introduced a total newbie, which for me adds something new to the team as so far we see that almost every member is already an established player. The chemistry between the two new girls is a delight too, as unlike previous weeks they don’t know each other, but afterward the more experienced girl is jealous about the newbie’s talent. I believe Tamayomi got this one right: they make every member interesting and they could very well serve as a main character in their own shows. Not only that, at the end of the episode they focus back on their main duo and give a space for them to grow closer to each other. Tamayomi might not break any ground rules but there’s clearly a love and care to its characters and so far that is enough for me to keep on watching it.

Shachou – 03

Amun: Another derided premiere from the other authors…and this one pretty deserving.  This show comes down to its singular gimmick: making fun of salaryman lingo and culture.  Since I’ve managed to avoid working as a corporate drone thus far, I can still laugh from the outside – but I understand if the humour misses the mark for some.  There are hints that our clueless MC is actually useful, but that’s an extremely recent development. This is a cut below Hachi Nan though, so I think in a stronger season, this show wouldn’t get a second look.

Houkago Teibou Nisshi – 02

Mario: It’s certainly sad to know that this show gets postponed right before we have a chance to know the characters better. But to be completely fair, if it were to continue airing, I’m not sure if I will follow it past episode 3. So far Houkago delivers exactly what it promises, a mild CGDCT SoL show about fishing. It takes good care of the laid back atmosphere, the cast’s interaction and the fishing activities, and not much else. The cast as a whole is about average, with Club President being the most memorable character, but only slightly so.

Gleipnir – 03

Mario: Gleipnir the horny show falters hard this week. When the shock values fade away after two key elements (Clair “enters” his mascot body and “she kills others in cold blood”) in episode 2, this episode is pale in comparison as it doesn’t offer much. Clair’s sister is introduced and we all see that she has massive power, but I can’t say her character is that interesting. In fact I don’t really care for any character in this show and with the central intrigue starting to lose its effect, it’s the perfect finish line for me to call off Gleipnir.