Dance Dance Danseur
Short Synopsis: A teenage boy reluctantly reenters the world of ballet after years of neglecting his passion.
Lenlo: This actually really surprised me and, aside from the weird line through the eyes that throws off the whole face, I quite like the show. I love seeing alternative interpretations of masculinity/gender. Whether it be women in combat sports or men dancing/making dolls, any series that explores that will immediately be of interest to me. Hopefully Dance Dance Danseur ends up following through on that after Bisque Doll disappointed me last season by all but throwing it away. If so, it could easily become my favorite of the season. On top of that, the show just looks good. The backgrounds, the characters, etc. The opening ballet recital was great and the dancer looked like an absolute CHAD. I’m not gay but god damn can I see it. I could do without so many “She likes me”/panty jokes but hey, if that’s the sacrifice I have to make I will do so gladly.
Potential: 85%
Wooper: As far as manga adaptations go, Dance Dance Danseur plays it very safe. That’s not a knock on its animation (which is probably the best of the season, at least in this first episode) or its story (which coasts on simple themes even in the source material) – more a comment on some of the choices it makes in moving to TV. The music that plays during main character Junpei’s dance scenes, for example, is lightweight piano pop, risking nothing and impressing no one. The little bits of humor, most of which have to do with Junpei mistaking a girl’s interest in his ballet skills for attraction, simply feed us close-ups of his flustered face as he raises his voice by an octave. The flashback to Junpei’s primary school years dumped his father’s death on us without a speck of grace, knowing that audiences are primed to expect that sort of thing. I got the sensation that I’d seen this show before, and I’m not talking about Welcome to the Ballroom – DDD just feels too time-tested in its directorial approach. That doesn’t take away from the general appeal of watching someone rediscover a dormant passion, though, which is what this show is about. Athletic difficulties, gifted rivals, hardass instructors… This isn’t exactly a sports show, but it sure appeals to me like one. I’ll give Danseur a long leash this season and see where it takes me.
Potential: 60%
Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie
Short Synopsis: A second year highschooler maxed out charisma points to acquire a super girlfriend, but forgot to put any points into dodge. Fortunately, she’s OP.
Amun: Forget the loli man-hating ninjas, Shikimori’s the only ninja this season needs. There isn’t a lot of substance here, but there are a few points I’m genuinely curious on. Why does Shikimori have such crazy reflexes? Why is our main character so unlucky? Can you even kick a falling sign out of the air? How many perfect bowling games have there ever been? (Apparently quite a few) This show is going to be delayed by the way, since there was a COVID outbreak at the studio. Oh what about the episode, you say? It was fine, I guess. Looked pretty good, but I sincerely doubt that continues (see: COVID). Shikimori may not be a cutie, but she (and crew) are forgettably watchable!
Potential: 40%
Mario: This is one of the most popular new shows this season, but I’m saddened to say that Shikimori-san just bores me to tears. For one, the premise is simple: a cinnamon roll gets protected by his superhuman girlfriend, repeatedly. So simple, in fact, that it gets stale 5 minutes in and it just gets worse from there. Secondly, I don’t really care about either of the lead characters at the moment. The guy is so boring that you could replace him with a cardboard standee and nothing of worth would be lost. The girl is OP on a godlike level and the punchline is that she’s supposed to be “cool” protecting her guy but I just find that notion wrong on many levels. Their other friends just take up space, as well. This is a romance/slice-of-life type of show and I am not intrigued by either aspect, thus I don’t really have any reason to recommend it except for its above-average production. Too bad!
Potential: 10%
In The Heart of Kunoichi Tsubaki
Short Synopsis: Cute ninjas don’t know what boys are.
Wooper: Here’s a brief list of reasons not to watch Kunoichi Tsubaki.
– It has an all-female cast but spends 80% of its time talking about men.
– The character designs skew so young that the show’s ninja village seems to have an age limit of 10. Nevertheless, there is an obligatory big booby ninja living there.
– It cuts to long, dumb shots of flowers (symbolizing chastity) whenever main character Tsubaki reminds herself of her clan’s vow not to approach the opposite sex.
– In one instance, it cuts to a long, dumb shot of an eggplant bush as Tsubaki attempts to keep her mind off men (any psychoanalysts in the audience?).
– The yuri teasing is a transparent play for audience retention, since all the girls are obsessed with boys and the rumors surrounding their crotches.
– Tsubaki is rarely allowed to show strength or competence without the show handicapping her. Just one example: shortly after she demonstrates proficiency with kunai, she starts thinking about men and flubs her shuriken throws. There are others, but they’re far more insulting on a subtextual level.
– Most importantly, you don’t have time for this shit.
Potential: 0%
Lenlo: Ah yes, the loli-ninja-girl show. Just what I wanted. It’s fine, I guess? It’s one of the more unique Cute Girls Doing Cute Things shows I have seen, but it still has about as much substance as anything else in that genre. It’s also very much attached to the image of ninjas that Naruto created, so if you were looking for something “historically accurate” then you’re out of luck. Were this a genre I enjoyed more I could see Kunoichi as a fun time. There’s a decent level of production here, a lot of loli ninjas to fawn over and a more engaging premise than like… fishing. So if you want a relaxing, fluff-filled show this season, this seems like a safe bet.
Potential: 10%
