Lenlo: It’s that time of the season again everyone! The time when we get all the writers together to fight about the best show of the season and complain about the worst. From Ousama Ranking and Heike to Taisho Otome Fairy Tail and Komi-san, we have quite the list of topics ahead of us. So without further ado, read on! And I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving and Christmas season.
P.S. I will be out this weekend attending ANYC so Eighty Six and Kimetsu no Yaiba will no doubt be late.
What show are you enjoying that you’re not reviewing?
Mario: Ousama Ranking and Komi-san. As we talk about the little prince and his shadow down below, I’ll say more about the latter. Komi-san’s adept direction elevates this gag-based material greatly. It knows when to amp up with the jokes but still allows the emotions to slip in. The comic timing and the text bubbles that explain the situation are spot on. It makes fun of the characters but never makes light of them.
Lenlo: Apart from older shows outside the season? Probably Sakugan and Doukichan. One of those because I like underground mystery adventures as much as the next guy. The other because office ladies.
Armitage: Ousama Ranking is the obvious answer here. I am ready to wax poetic about this show at any moment you let me but I am given an official opportunity to do so down under and so, guess you scroll over to the end to read that. Apart from our smol king, I would say Senpai ga Uzai has been especially charming week in, week out.
Amun: Annoying Senpai has been pretty good so far; World’s Best Assassin Isekai went all-in, which makes it better than expected; Kicked Out of the Brave Man’s party I praise below. And I love World Trigger irrationally.
Wooper: Ousama Ranking! It’s got a fantastical setting, an adventurous plot, lovable characters and powerful fight scenes – what’s not to love?
Unpopular Opinion (a.k.a. Flame starter from the other writers)
Armitage: Komi-san‘s brand of comedy makes me cringe so hard and so often that my cheekbones have chiselled up.
Wooper: I’m only watching four series at the moment, and I haven’t got anything contentious to say about any of them.
Lenlo: Taisho Otome Fairy Tail is not only mediocre, it’s concerning in its handling and portrayal of child brides and young women in general. There, I said it. This is creepy wish fulfillment.
Mario: I second what Lenlo said.
Amun: Anything I say about Ousama Ranking ^_^
Midseason Masterpiece, or at least “More than Mediocre?”
Amun: Alright, so hear me out – “I was Kicked Out of the Brave Man’s Party” isn’t as awful as you would think. First of all, it’s I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-isekai. Secondly, while there are some tired tropes (and the main girl’s character design is as shounen typical as they come), there is a nice, dark parallel story of the hero’s party. It’s an ode to “soft skills”, which is a bit unique in anime. While it’s not going to win any awards, “Kicked Out of the Brave Man’s Party” is certainly watchable.
Mario: Heike Monogatari and Ousama Ranking are still the cream of the crop for me. Heike Monogatari’s jumps through time and expository characters might be hard to follow sometimes, but the series is still gorgeous and ambitious both in its visual style and storytelling.
Lenlo: Nothing is really wowing me this season. Heike shot itself in the foot with this really weird pacing and for some reason Ousama just hasn’t clicked with me. Both are pretty but I don’t really care for them beyond that. Meanwhile Eighty Six is embracing the loli, Komi is suffering from being a 24 minute adaptation of a weekly 4 page manga and Blue Period still hasn’t proven to me it needed to be animated to begin with.
Wooper: Heike Monogatari hasn’t been the instant classic I was hoping for, but its noteworthy art direction and overall ambition have elevated it to must-watch status in my eyes. It’s at a far different place in its run than Ousama Ranking, so it’s impossible to say which is the real “winner” between the two, but it’s certainly among the best series of the season (and the year, I’d argue).
Armitage: I don’t want to start up the same manga vs anime discussion Blue Period has found itself surrounded by right from the time it premiered. Though, if you have been keeping up with it, I think even the harshest critics might be able to appreciate how much it has come into its own in recent episodes. The recent 7th episode and its haunting final scene managed to elevate the source in ways only great anime can do.
What show did you drop?
Lenlo: Shikizakura and Muteking, though I’m also… 3 episodes behind on Takt now? Just a lot of stuff that ended up being mediocre this season.
Amun: Heike. This show is very pretty, I’ve got an Associate’s in history, there’s some spooky ghosts – this should be right up my alley. I just couldn’t get engaged with the characters despite the show’s best efforts. I won’t deny its quality, but it’s not the show I’m looking for right now.
Mario: I just finished episode 6 of Sakugan and sadly I reckon my journey with it ends here. The variation of settings is something worth praising for sure, but I couldn’t care less about the father-daughter duo’s journey. Their antics are tiresome, the pacing is uneven, the journey is not gripping or fun to follow. I’m done.
Armitage: Mieruko-chan, which easily takes the cake for the most brain-dead fanservice in any anime this year. I am a purist when it comes to Vampire media so a parody was always going to have an uphill task in trying to impress me. That being said, Kyuuketsuki is not a particularly funny one. There are plenty of other shows I have put on hold. Your Heike and Sakugan and the like. I’ll go back to some but I’m not sure which ones.
Wooper: Nothing yet, but the odds that I’ll finish Kyuuketsuki Sugu Shinu are pretty low. Its first three episodes were neither strong enough to hook me nor poor enough to make me curious about a potential recovery.
Best Girl/Best Guy/Best Anything Else
Lenlo: Kuwana from Blue Period. Am I totally happy with her portrayal or with the show in general? No, not at all, it’s a piss-poor adaptation. But I do still love this girl. Even with her mud-hair.
Amun: Yuzu all the way.
Armitage: It’s a nice change to have a likeable, good-natured female protagonist who’s just… wholesome, without any red flags to go along.
Mario: He’s a champ. Prince Charming coming your way!
Wooper: I was just about to name Bojji as my pick, but since Mario and I are on the same page yet again, I’ll go hard in the opposite direction – it’s Lupin season, after all.
Guilty Pleasure of the Season
Wooper: I don’t feel guilty about enjoying Komi-san, but it can be quite frivolous at times, so it’s probably the best pick for this category.
Amun: World Trigger. This show is not complicated, not challenging, very straightforward, requires no thought – but it’s loads of fun.
Armitage: There are far too many good shows to keep up with this season, so I am refraining from picking up ones that give me heartburn after every episode.
Mario: Nah, nothing. Unless you count my affection for pointy noses.
Lenlo: Doukichan. Look, something about pencil skirts and anime women above highschool age makes it a pleasant weekly guilty pleasure. Sue me.
What was something you watched that wasn’t airing?
Mario: I’m exploring classic anime from the year 2000. Hidakari no Ki and Kazemakase Tsukikage Ran are both absolute blasts (and hidden gems to boot). Give them a try if you fancy.
Armitage: I did decide to check out Mix after having made my way through all other major Adachi Mitsuru series, i.e. Cross Game, Touch and the H2 manga. He is probably the one mangaka who grows on you the most, the more you read/watch his works. And I expect Mix to be another home run.
Lenlo: I always have the easy out here with Throwback Thursday and this season that’s Escaflowne. Beyond that I’m also watching Gamba’s Adventure and catching up on Fena: Pirate Princess.
Wooper: Popee the Performer, a series of deranged 3DCG shorts from the turn of the century, has been serving as a palate cleanser between my viewings of more sanitized modern stuff. The whole series is available on YouTube, so have a look if you’re in the market for a truly bizarre experience.
Amun: I was super hyped about Fena when it dropped – then for some reason I haven’t watched it in a few weeks and need to catch up. In western television, I’m rewatching “Leverage”.
Song of the Season
Armitage: While the Blue Period ED ‘Replica’ is my favorite song of the season, it barely misses out as my pick for not having an animated accompaniment. That’s also why the Ousama Ranking ED wins by being gorgeous on both fronts.
Amun: World’s Best Assassin’s OP “Dark Seeks Light” kills with both a banger of a song and great visuals (although the 007 franchise might have some comments…). I was pretty surprised to see a seasonal get that kind of quality for just an OP. Special shoutout to the “Vampire Dies in No Time” for having a very fun opening song as well.
Mario: Kyuuketsuki Sugu Shinu might be a mediocre show but its OP sure isn’t. The funky tune reminds me a great deal of the Death Parade OP, and it’s catchy and a feast for the eyes.
Wooper: There are a fair number of good opening and ending tunes this season, but “Unified Perspective,” Heike Monogatari’s electronic rap closer, is my pick. This song perplexed a lot of people on first release due to the beat switch midway through, but I find that its dualistic nature compliments the visuals; at first the screen is segmented into darkness and light, then it changes along with the music to fill the entire frame. The shadowy instrumental syncs with the monochrome color palette and creates a nice pocket for MC Ani’s laid-back flow – it’s some of the smoothest hip-hop I’ve heard in anime this side of Samurai Champloo.
Lenlo: How has no one brought up the MUTEKING OP yet? This thing is straight fire. I don’t even like the show, it sucks, but I still listen to this thing at least once a week just bopping along in my chair.
Let’s Talk About Ousama Ranking.
Amun: [Note: this was written before episode 5, which was excellent]. Alright, since the other authors will spend their paragraphs circle jerking this show, let me tell you the problems with Ousama Ranking. For every one thing Ousama Ranking does well, it does one poorly. Bojji’s infallible optimism and kind spirit are offset by the bland villainy of his brother Daida. The beautiful, fluid animation is ruined by atrocious character designs – seriously, all the characters look like pointy nosed puppets. A rich, exciting world is squandered by breakneck scene changes that confuse more than inspire. The Queen’s emotional backstory is countered with Domas’ rushed, clumsy betrayal. Hilarious scenes of the hunting dance and Bojji’s explanation for falling into the trap are followed by the head scratching strangeness of Pandora’s box and creepy old man threats. Shadow, a wonderful foil for our smol king, is built up then sent away on a “journey” (okay, the jury’s still out on that one). All this to say – yes, Ousama Ranking has some great things going for it. But drowned out by the applause for the unique premise and inclusive hero are undertones of flawed narration, limited characters, a bloated cast, and confused direction. This may well be a masterpiece by season end – if so, it will be a flawed one.
Mario: Unlike Amun’s issues with Ousama Ranking, I’m a fan of the show’s character designs. It has a fairytale look and it reminds me of a card game I used to play, Sleeping Queens, to great effect. The story might appear simple at first, but as you get into its atmosphere the show reveals its complexity at heart. Characters act way differently than their first appearances would suggest, and the lore of its world is slowly revealed with much darker (and downright creepy) tones at times. Everything that you first take for granted slowly gets pulled out from under your feet. It’s such an imaginative setting, but beyond that, what sold me the most is its beating heart. The show is sweet, bitter and heartfelt with each passing episode, and that alone earns it a recommendation from me.
Wooper: After five episodes, Ousama Ranking has become much more intriguing than I’d expected it would be this early in the game. It’s a meticulously animated show with an underdog protagonist and a “Gotta be the strongest!” objective, so I figured it would coast on those elements for a much longer portion of its 23 episodes. But no, it’s already served up a royal coup, several assassination attempts, two monarchs from outside its primary kingdom, and a hint that our tiny hero Bojji is actually a giant who had his power stolen at birth. That’s not even counting the really weird stuff, such as the lengthy ritual by which King Bosse’s frozen corpse was turned into a strength potion, or whatever the hell [ this thing] was supposed to be. The hidden agendas of its characters, most notably Queen Hiling and the swordsman Domas, have kept me on my toes as well (though not every surprise has been all that surprising). The show’s method of cutting between characters may be my biggest issue with it thus far – episode 5’s unresolved shots of Apeas approaching the potion chamber are the most recent example. Perhaps these occasional disconnects are the result of adapting a web manga with shorter chapters? Regardless of their origin, they’re not enough to stop Ousama Ranking from ranking among my favorite fall anime.
Lenlo: I suppose this is where I have to come in and calm the flames, both of passion and hatred, before Armi waxes poetic about the show huh? For me Ousama Ranking just… exists. It’s fine. It’s certainly surprised me as I thought the series would be more at the level of Dora the Explorer. But it hasn’t hooked me. The story book art style is cute but I don’t really like the designs, Kage’s especially. The story has surprised me with its maturity, its depiction of deafness and sign language especially catching my attention, but I don’t find myself caring all that much for Bojji, Daida or Kage etc. There’s just nothing about Ousama Ranking that I find myself loving and I always end every episode thinking “I guess I’ll give it another”. Hopefully at some point in its 23 episode run I will get that magic moment. For now though… Well I have better things to watch this season.
Armitage: Honestly, 2021 has been a pretty sub-standard year for anime. There have been a whole lot of shows that have been ‘good’ and ‘enjoyable’ and ‘fun’ with Odd Taxi even sneaking into the ‘pretty great’ category but we really haven’t had that one show we can all rally around, declaring it a masterpiece that we know would be talked about for years to come. A true classic. So many shows this year have started out strong only to fall apart by the end. That’s why a lot of people had given up hope for there being any true standout series for the year until about six weeks ago when Ousama Ranking premiered. Billed as the swan song for a studio that’s always tried to push the boundaries of what mainstream anime should be, watching every single episode of Ousama Ranking elicits a bittersweet emotion within any viewer who cares for Wit studio or for what they represent. But on the other hand, it’s an absolutely wondrous tale told with a lush storybook aesthetic, a sprawling cast of multifaceted characters and a narrative which twists and swivels in so many ways and incorporates such dark, heavy themes that it’s starting to draw justifiable comparisons with the writing of George R. R. Martin.
It’s an exaggeration. We like putting things on a pedestal. Calling every great new anime that comes along as the best anime of its kind that there ever has been. We shower the things we like with so much love that for someone on the outside looking into our community, it all just feels saccharine. And yet, when I watch Ousama Ranking, it makes me feel exactly this. It makes me feel like I have just discovered these new kinds of cartoons – ones which are made in Japan – and it makes me feel like I am a kid again. For 24 minutes every week, it makes me forget about the overly cynical adult I have become. A grand total of two other anime that I have watched in more than a decade of being a fan of this medium of ours have been able to do that. And yes, I know. I know full well that there is a chance this early run of Ousama Ranking is but a mere fluke and something or the other will go wrong over the course of the remaining episodes and I will be disappointed again. I know maybe if I choose to fall head over heels for this series, it will turn out just like the rest of the anime that have come out in 2021. But that doesn’t make me want to love it less.
The reason anime fans all over are connecting so deeply with this series is not because they think it’s perfect. It’s because they know it isn’t. But more so than anything, they know exactly what it could end up being. The reason we love it so unconditionally is because at this point, as we near the end of 2021, all of us have been so downtrodden and so let down and have so much love left over that all we want is just someplace to put it in…
