This post reviews: Joker Game, Sousei no Onmyouji, Bungou Stray Dogs, Anne Happy, Koutetsujou no Kabaneri, Sakamoto desu ga?, and Shounen Maid.

I am not sure when Part 4 of the Spring 2016 First Impressions series will be published since a number of shows still haven’t aired.  I am debating whether I to post it without covering a couple of shows or whether I should wait and post it when the final show is out.  And given that I am planning on changing my writing format for this season, I’m not sure if or when I’ll ever get around to writing my thoughts on some of these late, late shows.

Watching:

Joker Game

My first admiration with Joker Game begins with its ability to fine-tune its tension and to manipulate its suspense.  Scenes that seem certain are revealed to be deceptions, relationships that seem genuine are dishonest, and the promise of drama, espionage and mystery are already paying off in just one episode.  To build off that first point, my second admiration with Joker Game is its setting and aesthetics.  As Joker Game is an espionage anime, and one set in urban Japan in 1937, there needs to be an astute level of detail in the setting to really capture the moment and atmosphere of the period.  But beyond the clothes, architecture, and technology, Joker Game captures the political and social feel of Japan just after the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War.  Not only that, but I adore the use of lighting and shadows in Joker Game.  Given the setting, it is understandable that Joker Game is dark, but it’s the use of light and shadows that has me enchanted.  It aids in the visuals and style of the series and helps complement the earthy, wooden tones that the anime utilizes well.  And though I could continue with my respect for this series, I do, actually, have some reservations.  For one, I do worry about the spies as characters.  I am fully aware they won’t have any backstories for which to base their roles on, as they are spies, but I am curious how or if they will develop and potentially turn against each other.  Joker Game may not necessarily be character-driven, but espionage stories depend heavily on the spies themselves as characters.  That isn’t to say that there is anything wrong with what happened in the first episode, but it is uncertain at this point.  Still, Joker Game has been one of the most delightful and impressive new anime this season, and one that I am eager to continue for the rest of this spring.

Anne Happy (Unhappy Go Lucky!)

And now for an endearing, colorful, and heartwarming anime about cute girls with terrible, dreadful, abysmal luck.  Anne Happy is a charming comedy/slice-of-life anime that matches my individuality well.  When evaluating a slice-of-life anime, I look for enjoyable, engaging characters that work well together.  Anne Happy certainly demonstrated that with its first episode, presenting the five main girls with deeper dives into An and Ruri.  And when judging a comedy, I don’t necessarily need to smile or laugh right away, as it is the potential and scenario of the anime that often result in the best humor.  I will admit I was a bit disappointed with the humor in this episode – mild at best – but it was the visuals of Anne Happy that wins out for me.  It may have been a while, but I will remind you again that Shin Oonuma is my favorite anime director.  Not only does he have an amazing talent to improve upon the source material for an anime adaptation, but his use of light, color, and chibi character really compliments the characters and comedy of Anne Happy.  I particularly enjoy the uplifting pastel palette of the anime, one that gives the impression of fortune and good luck which contrasts well with the girls’ misfortune and bad luck.  Simply, Anne Happy had an enjoyable first episode, and it has brilliant visuals.  I’m not expecting this to be near the top for Spring 2016, but I am expecting to be somewhat lucky by picking up Anne Happy this season.  Then again, it might also be bad luck considering that they introduced a mascot character at the end of episode 1…

Koutestsujou no Kabaneri (Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress)

Given that Shingeki no Kyojin and Koutetsujou no Kabaneri share the same director, studio, and primary staff, it shouldn’t be surprising that Iron Fortress will be viewed as the little brother to the titanic blockbuster that was Attack on Titan.  In fact, Iron Fortress has earned itself the nickname ‘Attack on Trains’ given the unprecedented number of similarities between the two.  And while this may seem like a negative to many, viewing the anime as derivative or a copycat, I am actually thrilled and excited to see it parallel Titan in so many ways.  The main reason why I am delighted is that Koutetsujou no Kabaneri is an original anime, not an adaptation, and will allow Tetsurou Araki and his staff to experiment on a series with creativity, origination, and imagination that was otherwise limited with Shingeki no Kyojin.  Iron Fortress is the payoff for such a masterful and magnificent job with Attack on Titan, and I am eager to see what they will attempt to do with their own story in their own hands.

Of course, many of the elements of Kabaneri are the same as Titan, but that is more a positive than a negative to me.  With that in mind, we already understand and appreciate a number of aspects of the anime, such as the astonishing fight sequences, the dystopian and dehumanized setting, and the bold and thorough art and animation.  Really, what’s not to like with a series such as this, especially if you were a fan of Shingeki no Kyojin or anything with steampunk technology or gigantic trains that run over hordes and hordes of zombies every day?  Koutetsujou no Kabaneri should be one of the most impressive anime of the season and one of the most spellbinding, too.

Sakamoto desu ga?

The PV for Sakamoto desu ga? was promising, an encouraging video with snazzy, jazz tunes playing over a flamboyant highschooler posing and flying around and doing all sorts of ‘cool’ things.  But, as is often the case with anime, you have to wait until the first episode or two to really know what you’re getting yourself into.  And, with Sakamoto desu ga?, you’re getting easily one of the best comedies of the year.  It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the humor of this series (hint: it was the bird skit) and I am sincerely interested to see where this bizarre comedy will go next.  The other elements of the anime, such as the characters, art, story, sound, blah blah blah, don’t really matter when the comedy and humor is this good.  And fortunately for us, the characters, art, story, sound, and even the blah blah blah are all great, too.  Sakamoto desu ga? is already a strong choice for Spring 2016, and I am expecting the series to continue on this positive trajectory.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, allow yourself to be charmed and swayed by Sakamoto.

Undecided:

Bungou Stray Dogs

Ok, before I begin, why did they call it a ‘man-eating tiger’ when the tiger never killed or ate any people?  Am I the only one that caught that inconsistency?

Anyway, Bungou Stray Dogs is a problematic anime for me because while it technically passes the basics for keeping an anime, I never really found myself enjoying it at any point in the first episode.  Stray Dogs certainly has the visuals to be a watchable anime, given its design, direction, color and lighting, not to mention great animation that complements the humor and the action.  Too bad the humor is banal and bland.  The animation tries so damn hard to make the scenes funny but you can’t make the audience laugh when the jokes are just… awful.  And considering that fact, I don’t think I’ll want to keep it given that I don’t see the comedy ever improving in this anime.  However, given that Bungou Stray Dogs is here, I am willing to give it another episode since the ending introduced three new main characters and there is a faint hope that they can replace the three that ate up most of the screentime in this episode.  I am leaning on dropping it, but I’m feeling benevolent and am curious where the series will go with its superpowers and detective story elements.

Dropped:

Sousei no Onmyouji (Twin Star Exorcists)

Sousei no Onmyouji is a decent anime, but it doesn’t have the intangibles to keep it, especially in light of all the other anime airing in Spring 2016.  Whereas Twin Star Exorcists bedazzles with its gorgeous art and exquisite fighting, perhaps one of the better examples this season, the core of the anime feels incredibly weak and generic.  The most incompatible aspect of Sousei no Onmyouji is its characters, where Rokuro and Benio mix like oil and water.  Separate those two parts and you’re left with pretty decent characters, but not together like this.  It just doesn’t work for me and the story and scenario don’t help either.  And according to my notes following the episode, there was only 1 good joke, but I can’t even remember it now which shows how much of an impression it left on me.  Overall, the first episode was underwhelming, uninspired, and clichéd.  And with so many other shows outperforming this in week 1, this is an easy choice to drop it now.

Shounen Maid

I, uh… I wasn’t expecting this to be 24 minutes.  I also wasn’t expecting a story and characters with backstories or anything.  I probably should’ve done more research on this anime and prepared myself accordingly, but I was expecting a simple, short comedy instead of a full-length TV anime.  I found myself bored and tedious about halfway through and didn’t even finish the first episode.  If this were 3 or 5 or even 10 minutes per episode, I’d be willing to give this a try, but there is no way I could sit through a full season of 24-minute episodes of this, especially when I couldn’t even complete one 24-minute episode.

This post reviews: Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge, Kiznaiver, Hai-Furi, Flying Witch, Sansha Sanyou, Tonkatsu DJ Agetarou, Kuromukuro, and Big Order.

It has taken me much longer than I expected, but I finally have the time to write down my thoughts on the first (and sometimes second) episodes for the remaining eight anime that premiered last week. At last, it’s time to close out this introduction to the Spring 2016 anime season and begin work on a more manageable list of shows to stay current with. Below are the last few shows to make or miss the cut and a couple that I am still undecided on.

Watching:

Kiznaiver

Kiznaiver is an easy choice for me given the vibrant and eccentric personality of its primary cast. I’ve enjoyed stories like these where a band of misfits is formed for some arbitrary reason and they get to know each other, work together, and accomplish whatever asinine goals depend on them and only them. With Kiznaiver, the characters are all very extreme and romanticized stereotypes that are masking deeper issues, and I’m interested in seeing these characters change and grow as the series progresses. And, in the meanwhile, it’ll be fun to see these conflicting and opposing personalities work together. In fact, it reminds me of a sillier, more comical (and thus, more enjoyable) version of Kokoro Connect. The decision to keep this is further supported by the aesthetics of the series, especially with the vivid colors and enthusiastic animation. If there is a disappointing with this, it’s that I can’t speak too highly of the setting, which doesn’t seem to have the same care and development as the characters or the story, but perhaps that will change once more is revealed. Nonetheless, Kiznaiver really impressed me with its first (and second) episodes, and it will be one to follow closely this season.

Flying Witch

The more I watch of anime in general, the more I realize that I truly appreciate simple and relaxing slice-of-life shows. Flying Witch is exactly that, a very pleasant and tranquil slice-of-life/comedy about a young witch adjusting to a new life in a new location. The setting of Flying Witch strongly reinforces the intended atmosphere and theme, given that Makoto moves from metropolis Yokohoma, near Tokyo, to rural Aomori in northern Honshu. There doesn’t seem to be much depth in the characters right now, though we’re getting to see how Makoto is different than her cousins, but it does seem the humor and story will focus on more than just the witch given the attention to Chinatsu and Nao in the first episode. The scenic landscapes and backgrounds are astounding and easily a personal favorite this season. The characters do seem rather plain, but the expressions and reactions are conveyed clearly and it fits with that simple, easy mood. Overall, Flying Witch seems to fill that void of an easygoing, peaceful, and amusing slice-of-life anime this season, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting this satisfying anime each week this spring.

Undecided:

Hai-Furi (High School Fleet)

Hai-Furi follows in the wake behind other popular moe-military combinations – “moelitary” or some other awful portmanteau – but seems to be lagging behind in some of the areas that made those other franchises successful. Girls und Panzer and Kantai Collection both saw success with cute, moe anime girls in dangerous military situations for a number of reasons. For me, it was the whole absurdity of the situation, the personalities of the characters, and the humor present in the series. High School Fleet really only has… well, none of those things. The situation seems fairly commonplace in this setting, the characters are very flat, tame, and not necessarily creative, and the humor was drowned out by the melodrama of their teacher trying to kill them for whatever reason. However, the first episode did capture my interest, and I am somewhat invested to see where this goes. I think another episode should be enough to decide whether I want to keep this or not, so hopefully it goes in an exciting direction after what transpired in the first episode.

Sansha Sanyou

After one episode of Sansha Sanyou, I am faced with both positives and negatives. The good news for Sansha Sanyou is that the characters are cute, the animation is flashy, and the scenario seems decent for a comedy. The bad news for Sansha Sanyou is that I never really enjoyed any of the jokes or humor in the first episode and am wondering if this is worth keeping with so many other comedies this spring. I feel another episode is necessary before deciding whether to drop this or not given that 4-koma style comedies are often hit-or-miss depending on the content of the episode and often, the introductory episodes where everything is established is the worst in terms of content for comedy. Given that observation, plus the fact that all the positives are long-term qualities, I think I’ll need one more episode to see if it can prove itself to be funny or not. If not, I might consider keeping this around as an option to 4x this season.

Dropped:

Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge (Tanaka-kun is Always Listless)

Speaking about 4x-ing an anime, I will be 4x-ing Tanaka-kun (and that is essentially dropping an anime to me). The first episode of Tanaka-kun not only left me feeling listless (a joke probably used a thousand times by now, sorry that you have to put up with it more than once), but I don’t see it ever really improving given that the whole anime is about Tanaka-kun being bored and tired. I mean, the anime seems to be about one joke, and if I know the joke isn’t funny, why would I bother continuing with it? At least Tanaka-kun has a saving grace, which is that I find the female characters to be cute and amusing when they’re involved. Also, there are two girls with short, blue hair (but are so unpopular, they don’t seem to have names credited to them and only really appear in the OP and ED), so I think I’ll just skim through the episodes for just those two reasons. Yes, it is incredibly shallow, but I don’t really see any other value in keeping a series I don’t expect to enjoy otherwise.

Tonkatsu DJ Agetarou

Tonkatsu DJ Agetarou is another comedy that failed to produce any laughs or smiles and is one that I don’t see much change in the long-term. The anime does poke humor at the similarities between cooking tonkatsu and being a DJ, but… that seems to be it. The anime kinda boxes itself in with this title and this premise. Sure, it might go places with these themes, but it really failed to impress me with this first episode. I don’t mind the atypical or strange art style… in fact, it was because of the art style that I gave this first episode a try. However, it’s the content and comedy that ultimately flop with this anime.

Kuromukuro

Had I only finished one episode, Kuromukuro would have placed in the “Undecided” category, but after two episodes, I feel as though Kuromukuro should be dropped… and, well, is being dropped. Kuromukuro certainly has a breathtaking amount of animation in the first episode, especially in the minor details like how the characters walked and moved. It certainly impressed me, especially with the variety of angles and with the mecha fight animation. Where Kuromukuro loses me is with its characters and the story. I felt disconnected from everyone and no amount of walking animation was going to make up for that. The characters felt more and more stiff and shallow as the episode went on, going from the main character (Yukina), to the UN director (Hiromi), to the scientists, and finally to the samurai dude (Ouma) who, unfortunately, is the secondary lead in this. The story didn’t do much to inspire confidence either, with these various alien mecha being the oni that Yukina’s father alluded to a decade prior. Yes, I realize the anime will be much, much more than what was shown in these introductory episodes given the extensive cast of characters, but I struggled through two episodes and know I can’t make it through twelve or whatever. And it’s a shame, because I really, really, really liked watching those characters walk around.

Big Order

If I could ignore some of the faults and displeasures with this first episode, I’d be keeping Big Order. Fortunately, the uncomfortably heavy emphasis on the almost-but-not-quite incestuous relationship between the main character and his little sister and the tentacle bondage and moaning during the credits were enough of a warning to realize that this isn’t the anime for me. It’s a shame, really, since Big Order was decent all-around, given its scenario, its setting, the characters themselves, and their superpowers. In fact, if you just cut out the scenes with the sister and the very ending, I’d strongly consider keeping it… but given that these are two elements that are likely to last throughout the series, I can’t really see myself putting up with an anime knowing that I’ll irritated or annoyed with a scene or two every episode. So, with that, it’s probably best to drop it now rather than try to balance enjoying the elements I enjoy with the bits and pieces I don’t.

This post reviews: Berserk (2016), Rewrite, Orange, Tales of Zestiria the X, Amaama to Inazuma, Taboo Tattoo, New Game!, Amanchu!, 91 Days, Hitori no Shita: The Outcast, Time Travel Shoujo, Handa-kun, Qualidea Code, Ange Vierge, Kono Bijutsubu ni wa Mondai ga Aru!, Planetarian: Chiisana Hoshi no Yume, Danganronpa 3 Mirai-hen, Danganronpa 3 Zetsubou-hen, Mob Psycho 100, and Battery.

So, yeah… I’m just a tad bit late with this post.  I also figured I’d combine everything into one colossal post since I am just a little late and that there’d be no point in clicking through 4 posts to see one opinion on one episode that aired almost two months ago.  Nevertheless, this First Impressions post will give you an insight into what I tried, what issues I’ve had with those shows, and some thoughts on what I am watching and enjoying, too.  So with that, here are my summaries from the first few weeks of the Summer 2016 anime season!

Watching:

Berserk (2016)

I’m new to the Berserk franchise, so I can’t really say how it compares to the original TV series or the movies.  That actually may work in my advantage since a number of people who have seen the originals have voiced disappointment whereas I am content and satisfied.  Yes, there are some issues with Berserk, but even with those flaws, it’s still one of the most enjoyable anime this season.  The atmosphere and aesthetics are so different from everything else that I can’t help but be intrigued by this fantasy adventure story.  And while I often fault 3D animation for its appearance, there has been some nice choreography and cinematography in the first few episodes to mitigate my fears.  Overall, Berserk 2016 is an engaging and enchanting anime to watch this summer.

Amaama to Inazuma (Sweetness and Lightning)

Oh, well isn’t that sweet?  Amaama to Inazuma certainly has the charm and appeal to be the surprise of the season.  Its scenario – connecting a single father to his young daughter through cooking lessons – is an endearing and winning formula.  The characters feel genuine and the development has felt natural, allowing the chemistry and dialogue to flourish.  And who doesn’t look watching people cook delicious food?  Amaama to Inazuma has won me over and is certain to be one of my favorite anime this season.

New Game!

New Game! has all the elements of a successful moe, slife comedy: a simple, plausible setting that’s just slightly unique (video game company versus school club), an amusing collection of characters (who all just happen to be cute girls), and decent enough 4koma gag jokes that make me smile more often than not.  New Game! does well where I want it to do well and it makes for an magnetic 24 minutes each episode.  It might not be for everyone, but I find it fun and delightful and it’s a keeper for this summer.

Amanchu!

Yes. Yes.  A thousand times yes (and that still wouldn’t be enough!).  Amanchu! is the premier anime of 2016.  Amanchu! is gorgeous, magnanimous, heartwarming, spellbinding, and unparalleled.  Everything about it is an A++, from its aesthetic to its characters to its setting to its story and especially its music.  I mean, how often do I talk about music in an anime?  I knew that I would love Amanchu!, but I didn’t expect to love it this much.  This will easily be one of the top anime that I have watched since I started blogging and certainly one that I would recommend to anyone and everyone.

91 Days

There are quite a few anime that try to capture and recreate this 1920s, Prohibition-era United States setting, but most seem to miss the mark with its personality and mood.  Not 91 Days… though it might as the series carries on.  91 Days convinced me to keep it with its anxious ambiance, its shadowy setting, and its love for alcohol and revenge.  I don’t feel as strongly about 91 Days as I do with some of the other anime on this list, mainly because I wonder how well it will maintain this focus and style.  If it can continue, then great, but otherwise, I have a sinking feeling considering the other similar anime before this.

Time Travel Shoujo (Time Travel Girl)

It certainly doesn’t have the flash, style, or pizazz that other anime have this season, but Time Travel Shoujo is a solid anime that is simple, cute, and educational.  It requires little to no effort and is more fun than not.  It certainly won’t be in the top half of the anime I watch this season, but it provides enough enjoyment and entertainment that I figure it should be worthwhile this season.

Planetarian: Chiisana Hoshi no Yume (Planetarian: The Reverie of a Little Planet)

I finished playing (reading?) Planetarian before the first episode aired, and I absolutely loved the visual novel.  Not only that, but I absolutely love the anime, too.  While there are some differences in how the anime was adapted, I feel that this TV anime supplements the visual novel by providing motion, emotion, pacing, and a better geospatial understanding of space and positioning.  Whereas I feel that the visual novel performs better with its storytelling and comedy, I find that the anime makes up for this with movement, facial expressions, consistent pacing, and knowing where the hell the guy is sitting in that planetarium.  In fact, this is what anime is all about: animation.  I strongly recommend reading (playing?) the visual novel, though it seems like this anime is a faithful adaptation minus a few missing internal monologs.  Oh, and the movie that’s coming out, is certainly on my “To Watch” list for this year.

Danganronpa 3 Mirai-hen (Danganronpa 3 Future) and Danganronpa 3 Zetsubou-hen (Danganronpa 3 Despair)

The two Danganronpa 3 anime this season are essentially one long, parallel series given the phenomenal transition between the end of Future and the beginning of Despair.  Yeah, that handoff between the two was sensational, and I’m looking forward to seeing how these two series and their characters intertwine.  The first Danganronpa was actually pretty good by my standards, but I think this sequel will blow that one away given its improved budget, directing, and vision.  I’d really love to see more anime created in relation like this, with the only notable example coming to mind being xxxHOLiC and Tsubasa Chronicle.

Mob Psycho 100

Although Mob Psycho 100 is destined to live in the shadow of One Punch Man, there are certainly some elements to distinguish it from its big brother that actually lead me to believe I might like MP1 more than OPM.  Still, there is plenty of material left in this series, but I have enjoyed the first few episodes in terms of its humor, personality, and animation.  Nonetheless, I do wonder where this series will go with its story and characters, but in the meanwhile, it has been a pleasant comedy with intense, energetic, and hilarious characters.

4x’ing:

Taboo Tattoo

Taboo Tattoo survives, albeit barely, thanks in part to the fighting and comedy in its first episode.  Really, I don’t expect much substance or creativity from the show, but I do want to experience the fight scenes and the better comedy scenes since they did stimulate my brain just enough to consider keeping it.  In an anime where the valleys far outnumber the peaks, I feel that 4x’ing Taboo Tattoo will let me visit the peaks more than the valleys and that doing so will be worthwhile this summer.

Dropped:

Rewrite

I disliked the protagonist after the first episode and hated him after two.  The visual quality was shockingly abysmal, too, which was unexpected considering the success of the visual novel.  Those two things, plus the uncertain length of the series, was more than enough reason for me to drop it after two episodes.

Orange

I’ve always complained about generic, self-insert male protagonists in anime, so I might as well do the same when it’s a generic, self-insert female protagonist.  Not only was Naho painfully devoid of personality, but the sappy melodrama and the uninspiring romance where huge turn-offs.  I quit when Naho hit the home run in the first episode.

Tales of Zestiria the X

Although the first three episodes of Tales of Zestiria the X were decent, I elected to drop the series now and turn to the game.  As a stand-alone anime, Zestiria the X would have been a keeper, but I feel the major issues that this anime faced, in terms of storytelling and pacing, would be solved by playing the game.  I guess it’s somewhat of a win for the anime to convince me to play the game, but it still counts as a dropped anime at the end of the day.

Hitori no Shita: The Outcast

Hitori no Shita failed to hook me with its characters, story, or setting.  Maybe it could’ve captured me with a different production team and more money, but it really never felt satisfying or enjoyable when watching the first episode.

Handa-kun

Why did they make this and not more Barakamon? No, of course I didn’t take screenshots of this disaster.

Qualidea Code

The only reason why I wanted to give this a chance is because the girls are cute.  And yes, they’re cute.  But they’re not cute enough to make me watch this anime.

Ange Vierge

I actually thought about keeping Ange Vierge around since the entire cast was naked for about 15 minutes, and I didn’t pay attention to the story or setting or characters or anything.  Then episode 2 aired and they were naked for only 5 minutes, so I had to pay attention to the other elements and, boy, what a letdown everything else was.

Kono Bijutsubu ni wa Mondai ga Aru! (There’s a Problem with this Art Club!)

Kono Bijutsubu ni wa Mondai ga Aru! had some brilliant animation and aesthetics, making the first episode a pleasure to watch.  The first episode also had jokes – not necessarily good or bad – and a decent cast of characters.  The main reason for dropping this is that it didn’t have anything special or unique to it, that it felt derivative and undistinguished.  If it was more than a school club comedy, then maybe… but I felt like I’ve watched this show a dozen times before.

Battery

Battery has a decent skeleton, in terms of how it structures its story, characters, and their budding relationship.  The primary complaint with Battery is that it was just too slow and monotonous.  For an anime about an ace pitcher, it moved at a snail’s pace.  And beyond my issues with the storytelling, I often am picky with how sports anime are portrayed, and I didn’t feel as though Battery would leave me satisfied with that aspect.

Today is a time to rejoice as we celebrate six years of Avvesione’s Anime Blog.  And while I typically use this post as an excuse to post screenshots of Setsuna from Needless to write about my lessons in anime or blogging from the previous year, I find myself lacking in subjects or ideas that weren’t communicated in years passed.  But I suppose I should consider myself fortunate for reserving the time to pen a post; this is just my fourth post in the last seven months.  Or perhaps more sobering truth of my current situation: in my first 3 years I published exactly 500 posts, whereas in the last 3 years I have only completed 139.

Really, I’d love nothing more than to continue to write about anime and to discuss anime with others, but it’s nearly impossible to find the time these days.  Instead of doing the usual for my anniversary posts, I’ll do what I’ve longed to do these last few months and write about the Autumn 2016 anime season!

This post attempts to summarize my thoughts and opinions on everything I’ve watched to date, including all the shows I’ve dropped or decided to 4x.  This post will review: Shuumatsu no Izetta, WWW.Working!!, Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku, ViVid Strike!, Tiger Mask W, Trickster, Shakunetsu no Takkyuu Musume, Nobunaga no Shinobi, Mobile Suit Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans S2, Hibike! Euphonium S2, Brave Witches, Yuri!!! on Ice, Flip Flappers, Keijo!!!!!!!!, Drifters, Long Riders!, Girlish Number, Occultic;Nine, 3-gatsu no Lion, Udon no Kuni no Kiniro Kemari, and Stella no Mahou.

Watching:

Shuumatsu no Izetta

The first of many yuri/shoujo ai anime this season, Shuumatsu no Izetta is a decent, albeit shallow, anime about a witch and a princess who fight off a Nazi Germany Germania invasion during the Second World War… or at least that’s what I think it wanted to be.  In reality, Shuumatsu no Izetta is an anime about how a war negatively affects the relationship between a witch and a princess.  It’s a real shame because Shuumatsu no Izetta shines brightest when the story and characterization is about Izetta and Finé, developing these characters and their story about saving their nation.  The anime could do well without all the cookie-cutter WWII fights and Izetta’s trials of using magic to blow up tanks and warships and whatnot.  Too often the series is distracted by these disconnected war scenes that do little to facilitate either character or their story together.  It’s disappointing because without these scenes, and with the focus being placed on Izetta and Finé, the series would’ve been more alluring and interesting.  Nonetheless, the anime is a net positive with remarkable visuals in its backgrounds and an outstanding soundtrack.  However, there were issues with the production quality (especially after the first few episodes) and the fanservice felt out of place most of the time.  Shuumatsu no Izetta was never able to capitalize on its potential but was still a delightful anime for Autumn 2016.

WWW.Working!!

My favorite part about Working!! is that, even though it’s called Working!!, all the skits are about the characters not working.  That and all the relationships in Working!! are not working, either.  Maybe the title is supposed to be interpreted as sarcasm?  Well, whatever it is, WWW.Working!! is a workable comedy that has grown as the season has progressed.  The characters do feel more stiff and one-dimensional compared to the cast of the original Working!!, but Miyakoshi is a phenomenal star, and certainly one of the most unforgettable characters of the year.  Miyakoshi and Higashida do their best to carry this show along and help to keep it as one of the more enjoyable anime this season.

Nobunaga no Shinobi

Cute, chibi and humorous; Nobunaga no Shinobi is a delightful 4-koma short about a ninja girl killing a lot of people… and yeah, that’s about it.  That and you have your typical cast of Sengoku period characters who all have their various jokes and whatnot, but their role is muted compared to the protagonist, Chidori.  It’s a short with appropriate comedy, so it functions well as a relaxing break between regular TV anime.

Hibike! Euphonium S2

Hibike! Euphonium is simply amazing, brilliant, and outstanding.  Its masterful use of dialogue and storytelling allow this anime to weave a complex manifestation of passion, relationships, and their fateful drama to create a compelling and emotional anime that is a pure delight to watch.  Hibike! Euphonium hasn’t missed a beat with this second season and I am thrilled with how this sequel has progressed.  Easily one of my favorite anime of the year, Hibike! Euphonium is deserving of another encore.

Keijo!!!!!!!!

Perhaps the most surprising anime of the season is Keijo!!!!!!!!. There’s no denying that Keijo!!!!!!!! is an ecchi fanservice anime about girls in swimsuits battling with their boobs and butts, but it’s this unequivocally ridiculous premise with its extravagant battles and outlandish attacks that make it genuinely entertaining.  Keijo!!!!!!!! knows how preposterous it is and it’s using this awareness to its advantage.  It understands its style, its humor, and how to maximize entertainment and amusement.  It’s not about a story or characters or a theme or an idea… it just wants to be fun for people to watch and enjoy.  And yes, I am watching and enjoying Keijo!!!!!!!!.  It’s nowhere near the top anime of the season, but Keijo!!!!!!!! is a satisfying anime if you’re looking for over-the-top comedy and an endless display of fanservice.

Brave Witches

Another ecchi anime, Brave Witches is a parallel series to Strike Witches which shares a familiar premise, but features an entirely new cast of characters and an upgrade in the setting, too.  Brave Witches takes place over the frigid, wintery skies of Orussia, and follows the efforts of the slightly more clothed 502nd Joint Fighter Wing as they fend off the Neuroi alien invasion.  The scenario and storytelling and episodic content could be mistaken for Strike Witches as both anime share the same issue of “character of the week” episodic content while forgetting a central storyline beyond fighting “aliens of the week (who just so happen to be weak to whomever the character of the week is)”.  That said, I think I’m enjoying Brave Witches more than Strike Witches because the snowy, Russian landscape kicks ass and I don’t hate as many characters in Brave Witches as I did with Strike Witches.  The fanservice also seems reduced compared to Strike Witches, but it’s hard to quantify when half the characters are in their panties and you still get a dozen pantyshots and whatnot each episode.  Brave Witches is far from great, but I am enjoying this anime for its successful chemistry, adequate fight scenes, gorgeous scenery, and enchanting soundtrack.

Flip Flappers

Flip Flappers has an impressive combination of talent and energy behind it, creating one of the most dazzling, vibrant, and creative anime of the season.  At times, Flip Flappers seems like a pure illusion, what with its distinctive style, vibrant colors, engulfing emotions, and elegant animation.  Where Flip Flappers comes up short, though, is its storytelling and characterization.  Though Papika is a leading character, her development is stagnant or nonexistant and Cocona, the other main character, seems to go through cycles of growth and reset, growth and reset, growth and reset.  And while the story and central theme of the anime is to remain mysterious throughout, I feel that the series stretches itself too long and too thin, almost as if this were originally created to be a movie but then adapted as a TV anime.  To me, Flip Flappers would fit ideally in the runtime and flow of a movie, as it feels too prolonged or extended with not enough to fill the voids when fitted across 13 episodes.  Still, Flip Flappers is one of the most marvelous and fascinating anime of the season, thanks to its visual fiesta and effervescent themes.

3-gatsu no Lion

I feel like I’m missing a significant chunk of 3-gatsu no Lion given that I don’t fully understand shogi.  And if that’s the case, I can’t help but wonder how magnificent this anime truly is.  Even with my understanding that shogi is a lot like chess, 3-gatsu no Lion is a phenomenal anime that centers itself on conflicts on and off the shogi board.  Indeed, this anime emphases themes of uncertainty and family, of depression and friendship, of being alone and not being alone.  And thanks to production by Shaft, 3-gatsu no Lion is a visual treasure in terms of its style, directing, and quality.  3-gatsu no Lion is a powerful anime, both in terms of its aesthetics and themes, and is certainly one of the top anime of the season for me.

Girlish Number

I didn’t anticipate keeping Girlish Number this season given that it’s yet another seiyuu anime, but Girlish Number continued to grow on me with each passing episode.  At first, I thought about 4x’ing it simply as an excuse to save screenshots of Chitose’s amazing facial expressions, but I never found the opportunity to speed through an episode as I was drawn to the stories and personalities and humor.  Eventually, I found myself content to watch Girlish Number for reasons beyond Chitose and, while she’s still the best aspect about this anime, I find myself pleased with watching Girlish Number this season.  Girlish Number is an anime built on excellent chemistry, charming characters, and an easygoing style that makes it a joy to watch.  Another plus is that the anime focuses on the characters and their struggles and conflicts rather than serving as an educational series on the seiyuu industry or anime production or the entertainment industry.  I appreciate what Girlish Number has been able to accomplish and would easily recommend this to anyone looking for some lighthearted drama and carefree comedy.

Mobile Suit Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans S2

Although I am still technically watching Iron Blooded Orphans, my focus and interest in this series have long since faded.  The anime was never able to recover from the middle of the first season when it skipped around with tiring content in space and failed to rekindle my interest with this second season.

4x’ing:

Trickster

Makoto, the only female member of the Detective Boys Club, is the only reason why I’m 4x’ing the series.  Her scenes, though infrequent, are cute and funny and worth the few minutes or so blazing through each episode.  I have a fair understanding of the story and, if given the opportunity, would steer people toward Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace if they were interested in any Ranpo anime.

Dropped:

Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku

Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku had a decent start and interesting premise, but it felt a bit too manufactured and artificial to be enjoyable.  That and probably laughing at the end of the second episode was probably the wrong reaction from me if I planned on continuing it.

ViVid Strike!

I just couldn’t take any of the fights seriously in this anime, not with this style or these characters.

Tiger Mask W

I stopped watching Tiger Mask W after Naoto suplexed the bear while hanging upside down.  There’s no way the anime could improve after that.  I had to end it at its peak.

Shakunetsu no Takkyuu Musume

With some better comedy and animation quality, I probably would’ve kept Shakunetsu no Takkyuu.  It had some decent elements, but not enough to keep it this season.

Yuri!!! on Ice

I’d still be watching this show if its title was “Yuri O Nice!!!” instead of “Yuri!!! on Ice”.

Drifters

Nothing really worked for me with this, especially the agonizing comedy.

Long Riders!

Nothing went right with Wrong Riders!.

Occultic;Nine

When watching the first episode of Occultic;Nine, I couldn’t focus on anything besides those two huge, gigantic, and obvious issues.  One is that Yuuta was beyond irritating and two was that Ryouka was even worse.  Oh, yes, and the boobs.  How could I forget about the boobs?  Yeah, that’s also a no, but not as egregious as the personalities and dialogue from the two main characters.

Udon no Kuni no Kiniro Kemari

All I can recall from the first episode was being bored.

Stella no Mahou

Stella no Mahou was cute and fun, but lacked the substance and drive to warrant keeping it.  It had a number of positive elements but just couldn’t put it together to make me want to keep it.

Next up, I hope to reserve more time to pen an abbreviate 12 Days of Anime post and complete a final review for 2016, allowing me the opportunity to touch on all the anime I missed writing about this year.  Then again, I had plans that this would be a first impressions post out the first week or so of October and we can see how well that turned out.