Summer 2022 Impressions: Isekai Yakkyoku, Shine Post, The Devil is a Part-Timer S2

Isekai Yakkyoku

Short Synopsis: A medical researcher dies and is reincarnated in the body of a young mage.

Wooper: Seeing as I’m forbidden from complaining about this sort of anime for another 18 months, I’ve got to muster what few compliments I can about Isekai Yakkyoku. Let’s see… I guess I “liked” the POV flashback to the main character’s sister in the hospital, asking whether she’ll get better if she takes some medicine and goes to sleep, which was immediately followed by a scene of her funeral. I appreciate when an anime tells me how to feel, and this is one series that will never stop helping in that regard. The newly reincarnated protagonist’s quest to discover his magical powers was another bit I “liked,” especially nifty tricks like cutting to a silver platter (both literal and metaphorical) bearing an assortment of chemical compounds that he’s just generated off screen. What a hard worker our young hero is! The dinner scene where his new father quizzes him on the ingredients of an obscure ointment while his mother and sister sit around and look cute was also “good” characterization – you love to see it. “Best” of all, though, was the revelation that he has unlimited magical power, courtesy of a magical power-ometer that his sexy tutor happened to have on hand during their training session. Could anything be more promising? (Apart from a believable premise or a distinctive visual style, I mean.)
Potential: 0%

Amun: Okay, a former medical researcher is reincarnated with the name “Farma”…that’s a little on the nose, don’t you think? This lad also unironically firehosed out a window all over his maid. Lots of, erm, “symbolism” going on in this episode – Freud would have a field day. While I’m not in love with the character designs, the story itself is pleasant enough. Just don’t look for too much substance or you might hurt yourself. I wonder when a garbageman is going to get reincarnated and somehow use garbage collection to save the word. Still, it’s a passable enough isekai if you’re into that sort of thing – I certainly am. Also, I too recommend not grasping a veiny, throbbing “Divinometer” in front of anyone else…
Potential: 40%

Shine Post

Short Synopsis: A new manager with truth-o-vision partners with an unsuccessful idol trio.

Wooper: Idol shows have been a fixture of seasonal anime schedules for about a decade now, so at this point, unless they have “Love Live” or “Idolmaster” somewhere in their title, they typically need a noteworthy gimmick in order to stand out. We saw Kami Kuzu Idol go the ‘idol doesn’t want to be an idol’ route about a week ago, and now Shine Post is sort of taking the same approach, only instead of illustrating that concept with spirit possession, it’s going with lie-detecting eyesight. I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather watch a show about a ghost possessing a guy during his dance sequences than one about a stodgy-looking manager who can see when people aren’t telling the truth. The hook is that one of the three girls in his new group isn’t lying when she says she wants to become a successful entertainer…and that’s it. She actually wants to be an idol, shock of all shocks. What does it say about Shine Post that the unfeigned enthusiasm of its would-be star is the basis of the show’s appeal? For me, it says that I’m entirely comfortable skipping its remaining episodes.
Potential: 0%

The Devil is a Part-Timer S2

Short Synopsis: Mortal enemies Hero and Demon King receive an unexpected Apple Baby to raise.

Amun: It’s been a decade of waiting. The OG reverse-isekai. And after all that time, the premiere…was alright? It was kind of weird, honestly – I watched this a decade ago, and while I’m quite different, their world is exactly the same. Well, not quite exactly – it’s pretty obvious that the visuals are being handled very differently. I’d say the character designs fall into the uncanny valley of similarity – close enough to tell who is who, but just slightly off enough to be jarring. I also was reminded of what I didn’t like in the original: Chi-can. Every second she’s on-screen, the show wanders away from the more interesting dynamic of Hero vs. Demon king. The new season’s premise is interesting enough – joint custody of mysterious portal baby. I’m just surprisingly worried about production and if there’s enough content here to carry an additional season. All in all, I guess I’m underwhelmed, but still happy Devil is back!
Potential: 60%

Mario: Can’t believe that it had to wait this long for a sequel, considering how popular the first season was. For me, I consider the series has one big joke, and the rest kinda repeats the same joke over and over. That is why the appearance of this new kid in a block (literally) is a much welcome change of pace. Not only it steers the show into a direction it has never ventured before (the Devil Lord and the Hero raising a child), the reaction of Yuusha and Maou will have new sparks as well. Visually it looks just standard, but the facial expressions are done fairly well. I’m looking forward for more to come.
Potential: 30%