Usually, I’ll have both Double Decker! and Ulysses – Jeanne d’Arc to Renkin no Kishi to watch as soon as I wake up, but that doesn’t seem to be the case today. Maybe they’ll air later or something, but in the meantime, let’s get this post out of the way.
New Shows
Will Blog
Boogiepop wa Warawanai – PV
So I’m told that this will be a proper adaptation of the light novels. I think I enjoyed the original adaptation, but obviously, that was over a decade ago. My tastes have certainly changed since then. I’ll probably rewatch it during my winter vacation so I can compare it to the new one. Hopefully, they get the good Madhouse team. I dunno, that studio has been really hit-or-miss for years now. There’s also more action in the PV than I would’ve liked.
Dororo – PV
A kid and a dude travel the countryside to hunt and fight demons? Sounds good enough for me. But of course, that’s not all. One of the two main characters has to defeat demons in order to get his parts of his body back:
Before Hyakkimaru’s birth his father, a greedy feudal lord, made a pact with 40 demons and let them each take a piece of his unborn son’s body, in return for granting him great power. Hyakkimaru was born without arms, legs, eyes, ears a nose or mouth, a barely human creature, and his father had him thrown in the river. He was rescued and raised by Dr. Honma, who made him artificial limbs and helped him learn to fight the demons – each time he defeats one he reclaims one piece of his body.
So it makes me wonder why the show is even titled Dororo. The kid is obviously an important character, but more important than a dude fighting to reclaim his body? Guess I’ll just have to wait and see.
Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen – PV
Two geniuses at school are actually in love with each other, but they’re too prideful to confess. Then you’re not really in love then, are ya? The whole point of loving someone is putting their interests (generally) before yours. What’s galling is that it sounds like these two even know that they like each other, but someone has to confess first. Someone has to be “submissive.” Why? That’s so stupid. Are you guys actually geniuses? Life is too short to play these pointless games.
Anyways, the initial premise sounds like a poor, poor, poor man’s Kare Kano, but that’s probably where the buck stops. Whereas the couple in Kare Kano quickly get together, I imagine that the two geniuses here will take forever to admit their feelings. It might even take more than a single adaptation. Meh. I’m not excited for this show, but if I’m honest, it’s something that I would blog.
Revisions – PV
An all 3-D anime about a guy being transported to the future in order to fight the bad guys in a mecha. No wait, the entire Shibuya ward is lifted into the air transported to the future. That’s, uh… that’s something. Also, there’s a hard-nosed, pink-haired heroine. Pink-haired girls are so hot right now. Obviously, the 3-D part gives me pause, because I have yet to see a show pull that off with stellar animation. Still, I’ll watch this show for the action.
Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari – PV
Another dumb isekai concept, but this time, the hero only has a shield to work with. Um, okay. Didn’t the dude in Absolute Duo only have a shield? Well, that wasn’t an isekai, so I guess it’s totally different. The only good thing I can say here is that the main character looks a bit older than your typical isekai protagonist.
Honestly, blogging about isekai anime is like craning my neck at road accidents. They’re horrible, but I just can’t help myself. So you can bet your butt that I’ll be blogging about this show come next season.
Yakusoku no Neverland – PV
The premise doesn’t tell us much other than that these kids are forbidden to see the outside world for some dark, mysterious reason. So on the one hand, we have a mystery which is something that will always pique my initial interest in a show. But on the other hand, I don’t really like stories centered around young kids. So we’ll see. Maybe we’ll get a poor man’s Shinsekai Yori, a show which people keep bugging me to finish (I won’t, so don’t bother). I’ll probably stick with this show only because the rest of the winter line-up doesn’t look very promising.
On the Fence
Domestic na Kanojo – PV
So a high schooler sleeps with his future step-sister, but he is also in love with his other future step-sister… who just happens to be his homeroom teacher? Sounds trashy, my dude. Is this the Alabama of Japan?
Egao no Daika – PV
This synopsis is probably the most vapid thing that I’ve read in a long while:
On a planet far from Earth, there is a kingdom full of smiling faces. Princess Yūki is 12 years old, and about to enter a sensitive age in a person’s life. Everyday, she cries, laughs, and sometimes, her heart throbs with excitement. All the while, she lives merrily in the royal palace.
Filling her days with color are her loyal vassals: her tutor Reira, Izana who assists in political affairs, the leader of the chivalry Harold … and then, there is her childhood friend and aide Joshua.
“Yūki! If you have spirit and guts, you can do anything!”
“…No, not this again! Joshua, be nobler!”
Stella is 17 years old and a capable, reserved soldier. However, she is always smiling … for smiling is essential to living.
This is a story of two girls born on distant planets.
Dude, this tells me nothing. Nothing. Sadly, the PV also tells me nothing other than the show has okay animation?
Girly Air Force – PV
This barely belongs here. Barely. So our hero’s partner is totally not a human girl, but totally looks like a human girl anyways. She also has pink hair. Pink-haired girls are so hot right now. Also, her aircraft is bright pink. Hmmm.
Grimms Note The Animation – PV
Our lives are predetermined by what’s written in these metaphysical books that are attached to each of us, and now bad guy are going around and writing bad stuff into said books. Obviously, good guys will try and stop them. And judging by the name of the show, I’m guessing that some references and allusions to fairy tales will be littered all over the place. Eh. Sounds whatever. Character designs also look really boring.
Kakegurui xx
I haven’t seen the first season. Is it worth watching? Should I watch it in order to watch the sequel? Then again, this is one of those Netflix shows, right? I have Netflix so that isn’t the problem. The problem is trying to watch the sequel as it airs.
Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka – PV
Cute girls fight undead creatures. Usually, cute girls doing anything is a hard no, but eh… at least they’re fighting stuff.
Meiji Tokyo Renka – PV
Sounds like a popular reverse harem. In other words, Plain Jane girl somehow grabs a bunch of rich guys’ attention. Rich guys with status. Not really my thing, but it might be worth a look.
W’z – PV
A show about a 14-year-old DJ but there’s also combat between pretty boys. What?
Might Watch But Won’t Blog
Doukyonin wa HIza, Tokidoki, Atama no Ue – PV
A writer uses a stray cat as his muse. It’s slice-of-life, so it’ll probably bore me to tears. I’ll take a peek, but I doubt I’ll blog about it. Even when they’re good, slice-of-life shows are difficult to blog.
Mob Psycho 100 II – PV
I kinda enjoyed the first season, but this isn’t really a show that’s conducive to my style of blogging.
Rinshi!! Ekoda-chan
Same reason. My interest is piqued, but I doubt this is really something I can blog.
Nah
3D Kanojo 2 – PV
The first season was painfully boring, and I can’t stand the main character. He’s mega insecure and has weird misconceptions about people. On the one hand, him being socially awkward is the point of the show. Sure, I get that. But on the other hand, it’s just not enjoyable to watch him constantly doubt his girlfriend or shoot himself in the foot every single week. Also, the first season had terrible animation.
5-Toubun no Hanayome
Sounds like a harem but with quintuplets. Unless I bring back the Harem Hill feature, I’m not going to touch this. Couldn’t find a trailer, but I doubt it’d change my mind.
B-PROJECT: Zecchou*Emotion – PV
Never even heard of the first series, but honestly, that doesn’t matter anyways. I never watch idol shows, male or female.
BanG Dream! 2nd Season
Sequel to something I’ve never seen. Plus, it’s a show about cute girls doing stuff. Hard pass.
Bermuda Triangle: Colorful Pastrale – PV
Mermaid idols? Haha, no.
Circlet Princess – PV
Cute girls playing e-sports? Meh.
Date a Live III
I’ve never seen a Date a Live anything. Not going to start now.
Dimension High School
This synopsis tells me almost nothing:
The high school boys are transported to an anime world while they are in cram school. Since then, they start school life in the anime world they are transported to.
So… it’s technically an isekai, but they’re still just students in high school? What? I tried to look for a PV, but it seems like one isn’t out yet. I’m dumping this into the no column.
Endro!
Cute girls go to school to learn how to defeat the demon king. It doesn’t help either that the PVs are all character introductions. Pass.
Flying Babies
Cute girls learning to become hula girls? Pass.
Fukigen na Mononokean Tsuzuki – PV
Sequel to something I’ve never heard of.
Kemurikusa – PV
A 3-D show about cute girls fight bugs. Not really my jam, bro.
Kemono Friends 2 – PV
I don’t give a damn what the internet likes.
Kouya no Kotobuki Hikoutai – PV
Cute girls fly planes to protect traders. Also one of those 3-D shows. Sounds boring.
Pastel Memories – PV
At first, the premise is about a dude raising “otaku girls” in a world where otakuism is nearly dead, but then all of a sudden, we have nonsense like battling “viruses” in order to recover people’s lost “memories.” I don’t know why those two words are in quotes. After doing this for nearly ten years, however, that’s just how anime synopses are. Needless to say, this show doesn’t interest me one bit.
Piano no Mori 2
I tried watching the first season, but it didn’t grab me. The character drama was kinda flat (pun intended).
Ueno-san wa Bukiyou – PV
The main character’s screeching is annoying. But even if I could get past that, this is a romantic comedy that probably doesn’t have enough meat to blog about.
Watashi ni Tenshi ga Maiorita! – PV
Some girl in college falls in love with… wait, a fifth grader? Are you serious Absolutely no on this one.
Leftover stuff from last season
Will Continuing Blogging
Sword Art Online – Alicization
Sure, it’s boring, but I’ll never pass up the opportunity to make fun of this series. You might even say that this is my raison d’etre.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Also kinda boring, but I guess it could be worse. The show is oddly very popular. It’s similar to Log Horizon in that case; absolutely puts me to sleep, but everyone loves it.
Might Not Continue Blogging
Run with the Wind
I kinda just dropped this show, huh? Sadly, it just doesn’t excite me at all, and it never felt like anyone else was watching it either. I think the worst part is that the characters aren’t very interesting either. In the last few episodes that I did watch, I often found that I had very little to say. Having said that, I have a couple weeks off from work at the end of the month, so I’ll see if I should stick with the show.
Just for fun, here’s a poll:
Moe Sucks 
I’ve been following anime/manga for more than 25 years. For whatever it’s worth, do not underestimate Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai. It is in my personal “top 5 shows ever” list and easily holds its own against Kare Kano (which is in my top 10).
The show has fantastic characters and offers a wide range from drop-dead hilarious comedy to clever-funny humor to endearing slice-of-life to tear-wrenching drama.
Shrug, we’ll see.
Ulysses was off this week. They aired the director’s commentary version of the blu-ray episode 1 instead.
Very much looking forward to Boogiepop, keeping an eye out for Dororo & Neverland too.
Domestic Girlfriend synopsis on MAL:
Yeah, I’ll probably give this a shot. Somewhat related, I recommend Scum’s Wish if next season doesn’t pan out & your games bore you. And I’m about to try Mob Psycho, if I enjoy it might pick up the 2nd season.
Kakegurui is a pretty silly show. Setting is a dystopian school with a silly caste system, which is superficially meritocratic but actually rich kids get to exploit poor kids by making them play games rigged to their advantage. You lose you basically become a slave, which is the fate of one main character. The other (his savior) is some reckless chick who’s super rich but finds thrills orgasmic, so she willingly risks her social standing to beat the exploiters at their own game & cum numerous times in the process.
Yes, I literally mean it — show plays that aspect up to 11. I don’t expect you to be flustered or anything, but all the moans were getting annoying at the end of the day.
Some of these rigged games are more interesting than others, but as I recall a bunch were nigh impossible to figure out from the audience’s vantage point, so you had to patiently wait for the show to reveal its cards & explain everything.
If you have some time to spare why not give it an episode or so, that should be enough to form an idea about the show.
Man, that makes Kakegurui sound like a slightly better Dorei-ku, which is not good news.
As for Scum’s Wish, its synopsis doesn’t seem like something I’d enjoy.
Haha, no good bois though!
That’s fine. How entertaining was Mob Psycho? What would you compare it to?
Eh, it’s just silly fun for me. Nothing to write home about.
I’ve only really just started thinking about next season and at this point have no idea what I intend to watch. I think as usual I’ll leave it up to first episodes to decide.
I always have a few shows I’ll ride or die with. Gotta have something to blog about, after all.
sean about revisions. there was one show that actually pulled 3d with stellar animation and that is land of lustrus
you know the one about gems
Hm, I have read the light novel of Boogiepop. But it’s such a long time ago. I remember liking it quite a bit, but not as much as the original anime series. It’s actually pretty slow-pacing compared for most thriller, and there’s not much action except at the very end, so I guess if I read it now, maybe I would feel that it’s boring. We’ll see. Anyways, I am surprised that it got a new anime series. The series still could sell some books in Japan, but it’s largely forgotten. Oh, and there’s multiple POV too, just like in the anime. In fact, it’s like a series trademark.
I forgot the story of the old Boogiepop phantom anime actually. But I remembered crying at some part of it, and when it finally ended, I feel…relieved. Even though I don’t really understand what’s going on, the anime still managed to give me an emotional payoff. I guess it’s something.
My memory of the old series is very hazy, so I’m going to rewatch it. It’s not very long, thankfully. I just remember being somewhat disappointed by the show even though I still liked it overall. I wanted something creepy, but as I would come to find out over the years, anime is rarely ever freaky.
I’ll comment on a few new anime that I find interesting and also know about.
Dororo: I don’t know about the manga, but I know about its video game adaptation named Blood Will Tell. That game has potential, but is mediocre overall in the end. I’ll see if the anime can do it justice.
Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: As a romcom, the romance is nothing special for me. But as a comedy, this is good. It makes me laugh. I don’t think you can write much about this anime, though.
Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari: This isekai story is only relatively good in the low, low standard of isekai in the beginning, though. After that part, the story goes full throttle on the entire power fantasy and slavery and pedo fetish stuff. Every part of it is good for cheap laugh, though, just like all other isekai stories.
Domestic na Kanojo: I read the manga for fun and damn, it goes off rails after it reach certain point. It goes from love triangle between step siblings to the protagonist’s journey to become a novelist and then ehhh… it keeps going at least. I don’t think the anime is going to reach that point, though.
Mob Psycho 100: Awww… I like the first season and I thought I could read you blogging the second one. That is too bad. This is one of the few shonen stories that I sincerely like.
I don’t think it lends itself to my blogging style.
enjoyed the first season of Kakegurui. I’m excited for the second season.
Kaguya-sama: Love is War is absolutely hilarious, the author builds up on jokes and tends to subvert your expectations. I would put it on the same level as Hinamatsuri.
Shield Hero is actually one of the few isekai series I really enjoy. It isn’t the typical overpowered MC with a harem series. The MC goes through a lot within the first ep and it turns him into a very cynical person. It’s going to go through some controversial topics though and stir up the anime community again like Goblin Slayer.
Kakegurui is a lot of fun and shows the crazy side of gambling. The rush you get from building up stakes from all the adrenaline and eventually finishing in O faces lol.
Promised Neverland is a great Jump series, it’s a thriller and mystery series that is a slow burn but the details you gradually get are disturbing and the manga art has some chilling panel.
Oh if the hero of the shield (not nationalist). I have seen people speak wonders also others saying that only the first arc is good and then it becomes in the same old story you already know a overpowered guy that crushes without effort or mercy his opponents.