Winter 2023 Impressions: Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible, UniteUp!, Saving 80,000 Gold, Campfire Cooking in Another World

Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible

Short Synopsis: This schoolboy is so invisible that it’s a sport to spot him (brings you good luck). Fortunately, the girl who sits next to him can find him every time.

Amun: Socially adept girl teases awkward guy – I’ve definitely seen this before…this season even (Nagatoro 2). That’s what I thought going in, but I was pleasantly surprised by Kubo. For starters, it’s not mean. I think the teasing shows can really toe the line between cute and bullying – Kubo is just wholesome. Now, you might get cavities but at least you’re not cringing – I’ll take that trade. Character designs are a little meh, and the animation is passable at best. Personality, not looks for this one. Will it get boring halfway? Probably, but I’m willing to give it a few more. It’s just so heartwarming ^_^

Potential: 61%

Lenlo: What we have here is a “Reverse Komi-san”. Instead of a socially inept girl with an outgoing male love interest, its a socially inept boy with an outgoing female love interest. While this one has a much more active female lead, I can’t help but see it as wish fulfillment for the anime watching quiet weeb crowd and their desire for a cute girl to take an interest in them despite a complete lack of effort in any way on their part. Now Amun is right in that, unlike Nagataro, it’s nor mean about it. There’s no bullying or anything, which is a plus. It’s definitely a much more wholesome choice. But I still can’t say I’m all that interested in another wish-fulfillment romance. Watching this episode felt like it took an hour. After just 5 minutes I was checking my clock wondering how long I had been here. Suffice to say, it’s really not my speed. I can see the quality to it, it seems like a well made wholesome romance. But like Komi-San, it doesn’t feel like a show where anything actually… happens?
Potential: 10%

 

UniteUp!

Short Synopsis: A boy gets scouted by an idol company and hesitates on becoming a real idol.

Lenlo: It’s an Idol show about Idols doing Idol things. What do you want from me? To talk about how the song and dance number was actually solid? That all of the show’s effort is probably going into the dance sequence? About the only thing interesting to me was the relationship between the two leads, I actually quite like the fat one. It’s just that I have absolutely 0 interest in the idol genre. Especially the boy band subgenre. Hopefully someone else on staff here will take a look, because personally I couldn’t be more put off by what seems like an otherwise decent-ish male idol show.
Potential: 5%

Mario: Well, even though UniteUp! is strictly not for my personal taste, I give the first episode more credit than say… Technoroid Overmind. We will get more typical idol training and meeting the new band mates in later episodes, but within this premiere, it’s all about this kid, Akira, making a life decision on whether or not he becomes an idol. I like the intention, although the execution is a bit of a mixed bag. For him who is at a crossroads of not knowing which path to take, the episode unfortunately glosses over his decision, and worst before that his recordings are put online without his knowledge. There are some nice little moments of him and his best friend, especially when they confront each other on the train back. All in all, UniteUp! Is strictly for fans of the male idol shows.
Potential: 20%

Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement

Short Synopsis: A young girl is able to Isekai herself back and forth between our world and a fantasy world and uses it to save up a fortune for retirement

Lenlo: So this show is interesting in that its a dual world isekai, the kind where they can hop back and forth. That always provides at least some interest, as it means there are consequences in reality, something that Isekai tend to try and avoid. It also had the interesting quirk of not immediately understanding the language of the Isekai world… until it completely skipped that issue by the end, which was a big disappointment. And that kind of sums up my issue with the show in a nutshell. It has a lot of potential with this dual world retirement plot, but it completely avoids them in its quest to be as milquetoast and isekai as possible.
Potential: 5%

Amun: ….So. Many. Isekai. I like isekai. Well, liked. Please. I’m sorry. I take it back. Bring. Back. The. Slimes. Wait. There’s an isekai one this season?! I knew it! I didn’t mean it. Hey, there’s a jackalope! Those are hilarious. This show has somehow combined bro-con and avarice with the iskeai. I just don’t have enough anime capacity left for such a show – I’m out.
Potential: 0%

Campfire Cooking in Another World with my Absurd Skill

Short Synopsis: Accidentally isekaid salaryman is given the power to bring over convenience store items…for a price (okay, the price is just money, that sounded way more ominous than it actually is).

Mario: thumbs up for this show to make full use of its title premise within its first episode. I actually give credits for “Campfire Cooking isekai” for wearing its influence on its sleeve. We have more than a dozen isekai shows that bring modern technology to its settings (cough smart phone cough); we have seen a protagonist accidently gets transported before (SHIELD HERO is the most prominent name); heck, we even witnessed a tsundere overpowered Beast God in other isekais before (Slime anime). Campfire Cooking anime feels like a mash-up between the genre, taking bits of ingredients from here and there, but within the first 20 minutes I would say it is working, especially towards the end where the jokes land for me. I’m not going to watch more of it (as it isn’t my genre), but fans of isekai can safely approach it.
Potential: 30%

Amun: As our second occupational isekai of the season (I guess maybe you could count the dog?), Campfire already has some stiff competition. How does it fare? Pretty well, surprisingly. Not that Handyman is bad or anything (in fact, it’s probably the better of the two), but Campfire is a different take – not a skill brought over, but literal packaged modern conveniences. It’s gimmicky, but I’ve experienced the joys of Japan’s convenience stores firsthand – that’s a power I’d take. Towards the end of the episode, a recurring character joins who seems like he’ll bring some variance to the story – honestly, this episode really wasn’t bad. I don’t hate slotting this into my “relaxing comedy isekai” spot for the season – assuming Handyman doesn’t steal it away.
Potential: 60%