Friday 20 October 2017

Anime Spotlight : Fall 2017. The Much Awaited Improvement over Summer 2017!

It brings me great joy to present you with my thoughts on the Fall 2017 Anime season. Which after the Worst Anime Season This Decade came as a breath of fresh air! Not only are we treated to returns of old favorites in the form of sequels and remakes. But we also have a whole bunch of new anime to look forward to! In my case the sequels and remakes I'm enjoying most this season so far are 3-gatsu no Lion Season 2, Kekkai Sensen & Beyond, Garo - Vanishing Line, Kino no Tabi 2017, Himouto! Umaru-chan R, Wake Up, Girls! Shin Shou, Shokugeki no Soma S3.

You are probably wondering why Love Live! Sunshine!! S2 and Yuki Yuna wa Yusha de Aru - Washio Sumi no Shou aren't in the list of sequels I'm enjoying..well let's be honest here for me Yuki Yuna is an average mahou shoujo anime. It's not bad, but not good either. and the Season season of Sunshine sees the return of the worst group of LL girls so far...but I'm probably going to get lynched for saying that ;)

Now for what you really came here for. The NEW Anime. As usual I'm going to list my 5 big hopeful anime of the season and then talk about the rest of the airing anime I've tried out. In no particular order~

Inuyashiki


Synopsis : Inuyashiki Ichirou is down on his luck. While only 58 years old, his geriatric looks often have him written off as a pathetic old man by the world around him and he's constantly ignored and disrespected by his family despite all that he's done to support them. On top of everything else, his doctor has revealed that he has cancer and it appears that he has little time left in this world. But just when it seems things couldn't get any worse, a blinding light in the night sky strikes the earth where Ichirou stands. He later wakes up to find himself unscathed, but he soon starts to notice that there's something... different about himself. However, it turns out that these strange, new changes are just what Ichirou needs to take a new lease on life and now it seems like there's nothing to stop him from being a hero worthy of the respect that he never had before... unless, that is, there was someone else out there with these same changes...
Thoughts : As a Gantz fan I was looking forward to Inuyashiki, one of the things I do like the most is the protagonist is, unlike most anime, a 58 year old man! Just a bit of warning Inuyashiki has some disturbing scenes...

Netojuu no Susume


Synopsis : After quitting her job, Morioka Moriko became a NEET and got addicted to an online game. In that game, even a wilting woman in her thirties like her can become a young, handsome guy and Moriko's new adventure as Hayashi began.
Thoughts : Another new anime where the main character isn't a high school kid, I'll admit as a someone employed fulltime, the prospect of quiting and become and "elite neet" is alluring. Until reality sets in. Netojuu no Susume so far is a joy to watch, and even though it has a few depressing scenes. Like the Christmas meal one. It's generally very light hearted so far. I wholly recommend it.

Blend S

Synopsis : Maika gets a job at a cafe where all the waitresses are given certain attributes - such as tsundere or little sister - to embody while serving customers. The manager asks Maika to be the Do S (extreme sadist) waitress, so she will have to adopt a dominant and aggressive persona.
Thoughts : Blend S is an adorable comedy that doesn't fail to bring a smile and a few laughs. If you want something to unwind with. Blend S would be it

Kujira no Kora wa Sajou ni Utau

Synopsis : Chakuro is the 14-year-old archivist of the Mud Whale, a nigh-utopian island that floats across the surface of an endless sea of sand. Nine in ten of the inhabitants of the Mud Whale have been blessed and cursed with the ability to use saimia, special powers that doom them to an early death. Chakuro and his friends have stumbled across other islands, but they have never met, seen, or even heard of a human who wasn't from their own. One day, Chakuro visits an island as large as the Mud Whale and meets a girl who will change his destiny.
Thoughts : Children of the Whales has my full interest. The show has that whole Shinsekai Yori feel to it, with the fantastic setting, the interesting characters and all the mysteries it holds. Keep an eye on this one folks.

Mahou Tsukai no Yome

Synopsis : With her mother dead and father long gone, Hatori Chise has spent her childhood being passed unwanted from relative to relative, until she finally makes her unfortunate way to a strange and improbable auction block. Offered as a sleigh beggy to the highest bidder, Chise is purchased by the (literally) boneheaded Elias Ainsworth, who promises to take her on as his apprentice. Elias is a mage, and his world is one of dragons and faeries - but before Chise can begin to get accustomed to all that nonsense, Elias drops another bombshell. Apparently Chise isn't just intended to be his apprentice - she will also be his bride.
Thoughts : Before you start your journey into a magical world that puts Harry Potter to shame. I highly recommend watching the OVAs first as it would provide much needed background information.

With that in order, now to take a look at the rest of the new anime Fall 2017 has to offer for us.

Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou : If you are looking for action, this slow paced post apocalyptic advenure anime isn't for you, that being said it offers some fantastic scenery and is quite calming to watch.

Just Because! : Honestly, this anime hasn't grabbed me yet. I'm giving it change until the 5th episode has aired so here's hoping.

Two Car : As a big motorsport fan I had high hopes for Two Car, but so far it's not really living up to expectations...might even drop it in the near future..

Animegataris : This looks to be a fun show in general, has a similar vibe to Gamers! had from last season, just without the added romance...

Imouto sae Ireba Ii : I can't help but feel this anime would be SOOO much better if the main character wasn't so infatuated with "little sisters" it features some interesting characters for the most part.

Houseki no Kuni : I'll be honest, the world and premise of this anime has me more curious than anything else. Though if it's good is up to debate
Juuni Taisen : The biggest flaw Juuni Taisen has so far, is that it's pretty obvious who is going to die in each episode. Oh look they are showing this character's backstory. he/she is next...

Konohana Kitan : Moe anime of the season! Cute fox girls doing work related things cutely...also light yuri

Osake wa Fuufu ni Natte Kara : It's short, cute and has recipes for cocktails. That's pretty much it really.
Boku no Kanojo ga Majimesugiru Sho-bitch na Ken : This has so far proven to be a fairly fun romcom, I am thoroughly enjoying it so far.

And that completes the list of anime I'm following this season, below is a list of anime I dropped that's also airing.

Black Clover.
Ousama Game
Code Realize
URAHARA
Sengoku Night Blood
Ame-con!!
Omiai Aite wa Oshiego, Tsuyoki na, Mondaiji
Dies Irae




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Tuesday 3 October 2017

The Least Worst Of Summer 2017 Anime Season

Fucking Finally the Worst Anime season of the Decade has ended. I've never seen so little great anime in quite a long time. That being said NOT all is lost...there are a few gems and lucky for you. I'm here to share them with you. So you better listen up ;). also short impressions on the rest of the anime will be at the bottom as usual.

As per the norm all the anime in this post are ones that Ended with the Summer 2017 Season. So some are leftovers from the season before, while the ones still airing like the fantastic Ballroom e Youkosu will sadly not be on here...but watch it anyway!

Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e

Synopsis : Koudo Ikusei Senior High School is a leading prestigious school with state-of-the-art facilities where nearly 100% of students go on to university or find employment. The students there have the freedom to wear any hairstyle and bring any personal effects they desire. Koudo Ikusei is a paradise-like school, but the truth is that only the most superior of students receive favorable treatment.

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is a student of D-class, which is where the school dumps its "inferior" students in order to ridicule them. For a certain reason, Kiyotaka was careless on his entrance examination, and was put in D-class. After meeting Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyou, two other students in his class, Kiyotaka's situation begins to change.
Thoughts : Youjitsu is one of the very few new anime this season that has made me curious as to how it's going to progress. Especially as more is shown of the main character that does seem a bit...lackluster at first. And against all odds Classroom of the Elite turned out to be one of the very few anime this past season that wasn't an absolute pile of shit. Ayanokouji is a fucking beast. Also Sakura is best girl.

Re-Creators

Synopsis : People have created many stories. Joy, sadness, anger, deep emotion. Stories stir up emotion and captivate. However, those emotions are nothing more than the feelings of a spectator. What if the characters in the stories had their own will. In their eyes, are we, the creators of the stories, like gods? Revolution for our world. Punishment for the land of the gods. Re:CREATORS. Everyone becomes a Creator.
Thoughts : Re-Creators puts a spin on the whole Average guy gets transported to magical world and becomes a hero trope by making an average guy's life get invaded by Heroes! Or rather fictional characters. Re-Creators turned out to be an action packed emotional field trip worth almost every second. A few scenes were fucking stupid to be honest but all in all an anime to remember.

Sagrada Reset

Synopsis : The story is set in a town called Sakurada, where almost half the population possess some form of special powers. The story centers on two high school students. Asai Kei has the ability to perfectly remember anything he sees and hears, while Haruki Misora can turn back or reset time for a maximum of three days.

Both students are members of their school's Service Club, which their town's administration bureau uses to observe people with powers and protect the peace. By using their powers together (Kei can remember things even when time has been reset), they solve cases for the club. Kei learns of the MacGuffin stone, which looks like a worthless black stone, but in reality will turn out to be the stone upon which the existence of Sakurada will hinge on.
Thoughts : Sagrada Reset had a bit of a slow start for sure, but what initially was only a curiosity turned into an emotional roller coaster that surprised me even till the end. Asai Kei was a really good protagonist. I highly suggest this anime for everyone. Ignore the ratings out there.

Made in Abyss

Synopsis : The enormous cave system, known as the Abyss, is the last unexplored place in the world. Nobody knows how deep down goes this titanic pit, inhabited by strange and wondrous creatures and full of mysterious ancient relics which purpose in unknown to modern man. Generations of bold adventurers have been drawn by the cryptic depths of the Abyss. In course of time those brave enough to explore the dangerous pit came to be known as Cave Raiders.

In Oosu, the town at the edge of the Abyss, there lives a little orphan named Rico, who dreams of becoming as great a cave raider as her mother was and solving the great mystery of the pit. One day exploring the murky depths she stumbles upon a little boy, who turns out to be a robot...
Thoughts : First off, if you didn't watch Made in Abyss, go drop everything you are doing and watch it and you'll see why it's one of the very few great anime this season. If you need more convincing well. Made in the Abyss has an amazing soundtrack, art style is a bit weird for sure, but the writing of the characters and the story is so good you'll forget about it after a very short while. And soon you will feel a connection with the characters. I'm not going to spoil anything but be sure to have some tissues ready when watching this Anime.

Boku no Hero Academia (2017)

Synopsis : In a world where eighty percent of the population has some kind of super-powered quirk, Izuku was unlucky enough to be born completely normal. But that won't stop him from enrolling in a prestigious hero academy. Now, the promising freshman class is making its debut at the world-renowned U.A. Sports Festival! It's Quirk versus Quirk as our young heroes face off in the ultimate showdown.
Thoughts : Clearly there is no fucking surprise why this is here right? The second season of Boku no Hero Academia was a HUGE improvement over the first, mostly due to Deku not being such a fucking crybaby all the time. The second season also expanded on the universe quite a bit which was cool. Third season has been announced so there is that to look forward to.

And that is the 5 LEAST WORST anime that ended with Summer 2017. Onwards to the leftovers!

Hajimete no Gal : I'd like to say it was a nice romcom, but the side characters ruined most of the story.

Keppeki Danshi! Aoyama-kun : I honestly hoped it would be as funny as Sakamoto Desu Ga? but sadly it fell flat.

Hina Logi : From Luck and Logic : One of the few times a spinoff series was actually better than the original...it's pretty alright. Short cute anime about cute girls and magic. Not much else though
Isekai Shoukudou : Other than having the BEST OP of the season(May'n fan here) and some tasty looking meals. Isekai Shoukudou didn't really offer much else.

Nana Maru San Batsu : This anime about quiz games and the people take part in it was entertaining but it has many failings. But you won't waste your time watching it.

Koi to Uso : Other than the end, I actually quite enjoyed Koi to Uso, even though it was near IMPOSSIBLE to choose between the two girls...still worth
Sakura Quest : One of the leftovers from last season. Which gave me joy every week. Not the greatest of anime, but PA WORKS doing what they do best.

Aho Girl : Short, funny and has one of the best dogs in Anime.

Battle Girl High School : Cute girls battling evil, not much else to it to be honest.
Katsugeki Toukan Ranbu : Awesome visuals and animation, Shit tier story and characters, why this already has a second season announced I have no idea...

Knight's & Magic : Was a surprisingly fun "otherworld mecha" anime. I did have my worries about the main characters being shotacon bait...if only the pacing wasn't so overly fast...

Centaur no Nayami : A fairly cute slice of life anime, with the only twist being. That "humans" are all demi's. Has it's cute moments here and there. But mostly forgettable 
Kakegarui : A Lewd anime about a girl addicted to gambling, I'll admit I did enjoy it. Even though I was hoping for something on the level of Akagi...

Tenshi no 3P! : Do you want to see a fairly cute show about a hikkimori and 3 lolis forming a music band? Look no further, Sadly it seems like the relationship with the only highschool girl didn't really get anywhere...

Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni : I'll be honest, this anime had a few good moments. But most of the time it's just a shallow overpowered MC and girls that are mostly the same.
New Game!! : Ahh yiss the second season of all female super cute game devs with yuri added....If you watched the first season you know what to expect :D

Netsuzou Trap - NTR : NTR is one my most feared things in story telling. It honestly breaks my heart. That being said this anime took me by surprise. But wasn't the kind of yuri I wanted.

Princess Principal : This was one of the few anime that actually improved as it went on. I was quite happy with the end and generally think you should watch this. Especially if you are a fan of steampunk
Gamers! : Gamers was actually quite funny, and I was happy to see a new episode every week. Still no clue as to what Tendou Karin saw in the Main character but that's life...

18if : This anime was hard to place. some episodes were golden, others were....very WTF. I'll admit the Witch of First Love arc made me cry...

Jigouko Shoujo Yoi no Togi : Hell Girl will be Hell Girl, the same episodic format as the previous season, with a few extremely messed up cases this time around...
Shingeki no Bahamut - Virgin Soul : The return of a firm favorite of mine. Even though Nina will never be as good a main girl as Amina was...it was still well worth the watch 

Jikan no Shihaisha : Chronos Ruler anime was....partly good at times, and terrible at others. Still having mixed feelings about it even after it finished. Especially since nothing really got resolved AT ALL.

Action Heroine Cheer Fruits : I get the feeling that this anime was trying to be as good as Locodol...but failing. It's not terrible but don't go out of your way to watch it.
Nora to Oujo no Noaneko Heart : A super short low budget anime that honestly isn't worth anyone's time. Even though it's only 3 minute episodes..

Senki Zesshou Symphogear AXZ : As much fun as it is seeing Hibiki and girls again. I was kinda hoping to see an end but it seems they just keep introducing more and more "enemies"

And that concludes my feelings on the Summer 2017 Anime season. Here and there was some anime worth watching. Also go out and watch Ballroom e Youkosou. Was there anything this past season you enjoyed? Tastes differ and I would love to know what you enjoyed and didn't.
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Sunday 23 July 2017

Summer 2017! Which Anime to watch and which to avoid!

We are a few weeks into the new Anime season, Summer 2017! And not to sound like a negative nancy...it's not a good one. Yes there are quite a few new shows season. Quite a few with interesting premises but so far execution has been lacklustre, luckily there are a few good sequels as well. So to get the ball running, I'm going to first off state the 5 most worth following anime this season. And then follow up with the rest of the anime and lastly I'll list the anime you should avoid.

Kakegurui

Synopsis : Hyakkaou Private Academy. An institution for the privileged with a very peculiar curriculum. You see, when you're the sons and daughters of the wealthiest of the wealthy, it's not athletic prowess or book smarts that keep you ahead. It's reading your opponent, the art of the deal. What better way to hone those skills than with a rigorous curriculum of gambling?

At Hyakkaou Private Academy, the winners live like kings, and the losers are put through the wringer. But when Jabami Yumeko enrolls, she's gonna teach these kids what a high roller really looks like!
Thoughts : I'm a big fan of high stakes gambling anime like Akagi and Kaiji so obviously I was interested in Kakegurui from the get go. But the insanity of the setting and the varied characters has me hooked for now. It does feature a fair bit of fanservice so be warned if that's not your thing.

Ballroom e Youkoso

Synopsis : Feckless high school student Fujita Tatara wants to be good at something - anything. Unfortunately, he's about as average as a slouchy teen can be. The local bullies know this and make it a habit to hit him up for cash, but all that changes when the debonair Sengoku Kaname sends them packing. Sengoku's not the neighborhood watch, though. He's a professional ballroom dancer. And once Fujita Tatara gets pulled into the world of the ballroom, his life will never be the same.
Thoughts : A big thing I've always loved about Anime as a whole, is how sometimes people can make the most entertaining shows around topics I would normally not be interested in, like bread battles and boxing for example. In this case Ballroom dancing is the topic and other than the weird facial expressions from time to time. I have to admit Ballroom e Youkoso is pretty darn funny so far.

Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e

Synopsis : Koudo Ikusei Senior High School is a leading prestigious school with state-of-the-art facilities where nearly 100% of students go on to university or find employment. The students there have the freedom to wear any hairstyle and bring any personal effects they desire. Koudo Ikusei is a paradise-like school, but the truth is that only the most superior of students receive favorable treatment.

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka is a student of D-class, which is where the school dumps its "inferior" students in order to ridicule them. For a certain reason, Kiyotaka was careless on his entrance examination, and was put in D-class. After meeting Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyou, two other students in his class, Kiyotaka's situation begins to change.
Thoughts : Youjitsu is one of the very few new anime this season that has made me curious as to how it's going to progress. Especially as more is shown of the main character that does seem a bit...lackluster at first. Most definately one of the anime to watch this season.

Princess Principal

Synopsis : At the end of the 19th century, London, the Kingdom of Albion has been split into East and West sides by a giant wall. Five girls attend Queen's Mayfaire, a conventional and prestigious school. Under the guise of regular high school girls, they act as spies under cover. Disguise, reconnaissance, infiltration, car chases... Each girl uses their own set of special skills to dart around the world of shadow.
Thoughts : I'll admit the setting of Princess Principal which reminds me of the east vs west germany to some extent, with the added allure of cute girls, spies and fantasy-like powers is what mostly has me interested in Princess Principal, Hopefully it continues being good but only time will tell.

Keppeki Danshi! Aoyama-kun

Synopsis : Aoyama is a handsome young soccer genius who is a Japan representative. His play style is cleanliness. He doesn't tackle and doesn't head the ball. If he's doing a throw-in, he'll only do it if he's wearing gloves.
Thoughts : Keppeki Danshi! Aoyama-kun brings the same kind of humor that Sakamoto ga desu had, but just in a more enjoyable sports setting, namely soccer. If laughs after a hard day at work/school is what you need. This is what you should watch.

That concludes the list of anime I think are must see this season, Like I said earlier, the general quality of the season feels lacking compared to previous ones. Luckily we still have Boku no Hero 2 and Shingeki no Bahamut Virgin from last season airing as well as the fantastic Re-Creators! Now to talk about the rest of the anime that might be worth following this season, and lastly the anime to avoid completely.

Made in Abyss : So far has a very interesting setting, but there isn't much more to it currently. From the few episodes that have aired thus far it's still hard to place. It's enjoyable but not great.

Jikan no Shihaisha : Is one of the more promising anime this season, with the entire premise of time demons and all, though it does feel very episodic which might be it's downfall.

Shoukoku no Altair : Mostly watching it for the historic warfare setting and has a kind of Arslan vibe to it, but not nearly as epic

Katsugeki Touken Ranbu : A visual treat from UFOTable as always, but so far it's hard to discern if it's more than just something nice to look at, as to date it's mostly been episodes with no real depth.

Hina Logi - From Luck & Logic : Hina Logi is a much more palatable spinoff anime from the Luck and Logic franchise. That being said, currently it's not much more than magical cute girls doing cute things.

Jigoku Shoujo - Yoi no Togi : HELLGIRL is back! Only reason it didn't make the "top 5" list is due to it being a sequel, or rather the 4th season in the Hell Girl Franchise..

Centaur no Nayami : Second episode was a huge improvement over the first, quite a few good laughs in this anime thus far, but still not sold on it.

Knight's & Magic : Mecha Otaku reincarnated into a cute boy aside(for fanservice to the ladies out there) Knight & Magic seems pretty interesting thus far, my only gripe is, things are going too smoothly

Battle Girl High School : Cute girls transforming and going into battle with monsters, not really a new idea nor is this a great execution of it. It has it's moments but at best this anime is average currently.

Fate Apocrypha : The latest in the Fate franchise, and even though the battles are well animated, The premise seems even more far fetched than the Fate/Stay Night and Fate/Zero arcs. I don't have high expectations

Isekai Shokudou : BEST OPENING SONG OF THE SEASON, anime itself is fun to watch, nice relaxing anime with people from other worlds eating good food.

Youkai Apartment no Yuuga na Nichijou : A twist on the whole "guy moves into dorm full of crazy people" trope with using yokai. I'm sure it should be fun to watch as a whole. But nothing from the few episodes that have been out really stood out to me.

Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni : As much as I love the whole guy being reincarnated in a different world trope, it just feels that the main character is so overpowered it's boring.

Koi to Uso : Most probably the best drama series this season, and a possible contender for one of the best anime this season, depending on how it progresses. The relationship dynamics in the anime are quite curious.

Aho Girl : Eh, it has it's funny moments, But as a whole thus far it's nothing to write home about. Might drop it after a few more episodes.

Nana Maru San Batsu : This quiz game anime might be a dark horse this season, but remains to be seen. So far it's been fairly enjoyable, even though the main character is a bit daft.

Tenshi no 3P! : If musical lolis are what you were looking for, then this has exactly what you need. I'm just curious as to why the main character avoids people in general, feels like there might be some deep placed trauma there.

New Game!! : The cute game dev girls are back! And it seems like they have quite a few new challenges ahead of them with their new project.

Nora to Oujo no Noraneko Heart : 3 minute episodes of slapstick comedy. Short enough to make it worth it for a quick watch

Hajimete no Gal : I do feel that this anime might end up surprising us with some very emotional scenes, I'm just hoping the main character stops being an idiot.

Action Heroine Cheer Fruits : Kind of has a locodols vibe to it, without the adorable girls...but somehow I kind of want them to succeed!

Gamers! : A certain popular early access game in the Opening scene of episode 2 aside~ Gamers seems to be an enjoyable watch with a lot of laughs included!

Senki Zesshou Symphogear AXZ : Hibike and the gang are back! To fight against Alca-noise and whatever new threat to the world the latest evil organization has on their mind

Netsuzou TRap - NTR : Nothing, absolutely nothing, is worse than NTR, but somehow I'm not minding the fact that it's Yuri...It does seem like the relationships are fairly complicated in this anime so I'm hoping for it to be good.

18if : I'll admit I initially thought this anime would mostly just be weird episodic tales of  murderous witches and the guy trying to safe them, but episode three had some surprise feels. So now I'm kinda intrigued

And now onto the anime to avoid this season.
Dive!! : Other than the fluffy dog, and if you want to see washboard abs. This is so far the most dull "sports" anime I've seen thus far. Rather try out Free if you want boycandy swimming.

The Reflection : The premise is...boring and the animation is half assed. It doesn't feel like the creators of it even want people to watch it.

Enmusubi no Youko-chan : Apparently the original chinese version is pretty good for a chinese production, that being said. It feels like another terrible anime from Tencent.
Hitorijime My Hero : If bad yaoi anime is your game, by all means go ahead. But for everyone else avoid!
Vatican Kiseki Chousakan : The premise of this anime sounded so cool, and yet the reality is something far more dull than anyone can ever stomach. apparently the manga is fairly popular though I can't figure out why.
Tsurezure Children : 4koma romance does not work in anime form, sure it might be sweet in print. But this just feels jumbled up.
Clione no Akari : The premise behind this anime isn't bad, it's just the execution that terrible. And after Koe no Katachi my hopes were high as this shares a similar theme.

And that concludes me thoughts on the Summer 2017 anime season as a whole. the possibility exists that quite a few more shows will be dropped. And as usual it's hard to say for sure which will be the best anime of the season until it actually ends! Feel free to share your thoughts as not everyone's tastes are the same!
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