Red River
Short Synopsis: A teenage girl gets transported back to ancient Anatolia (now Turkiye), where she is saved by a prince.
Mario: I have so many mixed feelings watching Red River. On the one hand, its storytelling and visual style make it a throwback to a bygone era. I’ve also read a good portion of the “Crest of the Royal Family” manga, where Red River clearly draws its influence. On the other hand, the opening scene… nearly throws me off with what I wanted to forget about that begone era’s storytelling. Starting off with a kiss between two characters we hardly know?! No para mi. The episode goes faster than I expected, but so far all Yuri (the main character) has done is run around cluelessly, scream and get saved by a man who claims her to be his. Not a good start at all. As for the slideshow presentation, I understand the complaints, but personally I don’t mind it. The freeze frames still work for heightened dramatic effect, which actually suits a show as ridiculous (with a straight face) as Red River. I’m not holding out hope for this show, but I might still watch it for my nostalgia kick.
Potential: 30%
Love Unseen Beneath
the Clear Night Sky
Short Synopsis: A withdrawn college student angsts over how helpful he should be to a blind girl in his year.
Wooper: Love Unseen Beneath the Clear Night Sky (Toumei na Yoru ni Kakeru Kimi) is completely unremarkable. Its character designs in particular would make it tough to pick out of a lineup of one, but the show plays it safe in every other aspect too, from animation to dialogue to music. In establishing shots where protagonist Kakeru walks around campus, there are almost no other human beings to be found, and even a crowded orientation party toward the start of the episode doesn’t feel very lively, mostly due to the predictable conversation between him and the more well-adjusted friend who dragged him there. Despite all that, however, I didn’t hate this episode. Kakeru may be stuck in his own head, and we may be stuck there with him (he’s the POV character, rather than his blind classmate Koharu), but his curiosity about her condition and fear of saying or doing the wrong thing around her gives him a lot of room to grow. Eventually he’ll learn not to be surprised at what she’s capable of, and begin to offer help without second guessing whether it’s the right thing to do. The show’s safeness, while somewhat disappointing, also means its main character is normal enough to carry a disability-themed story without any anime bullshit rearing its head. Maybe I’ve got the bar set too low for this one, but I’m actually kind of interested in giving its second episode a go.
Potential: 35%
Tenkosaki
Short Synopsis: A new transfer student reunites with his male childhood friend, only it turns out his friend is actually a girl.
Mario: This show (“Oh Boy, Was I Wrong About Her” in English) runs on a very simple premise, and so far it’s the only thing it has going. To be fair, the main duo has solid chemistry. You can really see they enjoy their time together and that even after seven years apart, they get along very naturally. Saying that though, I wonder if their genuine chemistry alone can save the show from running out of steam. The animation is also flat, with some questionable choices here and there (like the sparkly sequence where they run alongside each other, it’s out of place there). If you are a fan of romance or slice of life shows, then by all means continue with it. In a season where we have You and I are Polar Opposites though, I do feel that show is a much better option.
Potential: 10%
