#final impressions

[kihocrystal]

Winter 2019 - Final Impressions

So, uh, yeah... these are definitely late. ^^;

These were my thoughts on anime that I watched while they were airing that finished at the end of the Winter 2019 season. I had these done months ago, but just never got around to posting them... but hey, better late than never! Like my other final impressions I’ve done, these are written very casually, so don’t take them too seriously :P

Anyways, these are in alphabetical order and under the cut!

Ace Attorney S2 - 7.5 / 10 (C+ / B- )

better than S1, I think! But still kind of the same quality overall

this game covers the 3rd game (T&T), so the pacing is less rushed overall

there are some anime original stories here too (including an original case)! So for people who’ve only played the games, there’s some added worthwhile content for ya

I didn’t watch the dub, but this might be a show where the dub would be better than the sub (if only for hearing the localized names being spoken instead of just being subtitled in)

since I already knew the story, this was a good anime for me to do work while watching / listening too ^^;

the game is still the better way to experience this story (duh), but at least this season of the anime was decent enough that I’d recommend it to people who’ve already played the game

BanG Dream! S2 - 8.0 - 8.5 / 10 (B / B+)

This season is good like season 1! But it’s very different, too

I’ve played the EN version of the game since the beginning! But I watched S1 for the first time during a rewatch on r/anime this past December

S2 is almost entirely in CGI, and it’s good CGI for the most part (it’s best during the performances)

for anime-only people, this season introduces many things previously only in the game (most notably the other 3 bands), and their introduction can be a bit jarring

at least each band gets their own focus episode outside of the main narrative

I liked PoPiPa’s dramatic arc this season (centering around Tae this time); the bait-and-switch at the end of the school festival was effective too

the song created at the end “Returns” was a very effective song as well!

Raise A Suilen is definitely an interesting band, but (at least with ChuChu) are very antagonistic

Their story is definitely not over though, if the ending of the finale is any indication (so keep in mind this season doesn’t have a conclusive ending in that regard)

The not-as-conclusive ending hurts my score for this a little bit, but S3 is already confirmed, so just consider this an 8.0 until S3 comes out (then it’ll be an 8.5, I guess? Depends on how good S3 is)

Mob Psycho 100 II - 8.5 / 9.0 / 10 (A-)

IT TOOK ME WAY TOO LONG TO WATCH THE LAST 3 EPISODES >_<

but yeah, S2 is really good. Definitely one of this season’s best

this is probably my AOTS runner-up behind Promised Neverland, but it didn’t lose by much!

animation is great of course. sasuga Studio Bones (those fights, hot damn!)

also this is probably one of the most pacifist shounen series ever made, lol

everyone fights, but Mob is just motivated by being there for others & trying to stop the fight :’)

also accurate to say this is a very emotionally sincere shounen too ^^

Reigen had a very good dedicated character arc during this season… helped flesh him out more!

It took forever for Teruki to become relevant again though (considering his relevance in S1) ^^;

also that arc involving the evil spirit of the dead medium Mogami was pretty intense!

definitely had the best sakuga outside of the final arc

This season plot-wise kinda felt like a bunch of un-related plots strung together, but I think that works ok here

By the end of this season, the Claw plot seems to be done.

There’s probably more subplots to be wrapped up in a potential S3 though!

since this show’s so popular, you’re probably watching it anyways, but go watch it if you haven’t!

also tfw MP100’s S2 is gonna be better than OPM’s S2 😂

Run with the Wind - 8.5 - 9.0 / 10 (A-)

Great feel-good anime about running. Production IG does it again!

All the boys in the team had fun personalities! (& their character development!)

Their improvement in running is kinda unrealistic, but hey, it’s anime :’D

also GET FUCKED, NOT-SHINJI 8)

not tournament-based like Haikyuu, so it’s a more introspective-type sports anime!

animation was good of course, even though there was bad CGI runners sometimes

conclusive ending(!!!), plus a time skip at the end made for a real good ending~

btw, if you liked this, go watch Fune wo Amu! (same source material author!!!)

kinda wrestling between an 8.5 or a 9.0 for this one, but either way, go watch this show!

The Promised Neverland - 8.5 - 9.0 / 10 (A-)

VERY VERY GOOD THRILLER SHOUNEN JUMP ANIME

the first episode is very effective in getting a lot of people hooked! I knew about the premise going in (so I was spoiled in that regard), but it was still a very good premiere

All the main trio are good! Emma is my fav (I love how her intelligence is not the traditional smarts kind), but Norman and Ray are very good sneaky boys

Those two boys are masters in the art of Keikaku at this point

Isabella / Mother is a very effective villain too! It’s so interesting how she genuinely cares for all of them even while breaking their limbs and their spirits :’)

though that one scene in episode 11(?) could suggest that she could have doubts? Maybe???

it’s been pointed out that Sister Krone’s portrayal in this (as a black woman) is problematic to many people. Heck, even one of my (white) mutuals dropped the manga bc her portrayal bothered her too much to continue.

I wasn’t bothered by it personally, but I definitely understand why people would think this.

If it helps at all, she’s not in the show for a long time, so at least she comes and goes within this season? YMMV

Animation’s really good (CloverWorks did good for once???), and the OP song is a banger

finale was really good and was as conclusive as it could’ve been at this point, really

plus we got more Isabella backstory! that humanized her a whole lot.

And also THAT REVEAL o_o

so uh yeah, I definitely recommend this show to most people! Can’t wait for S2 in 2020 :’)

Sword Art Online: Alicization [1st Half] - 8.5 - 9.0 / 10 (A-)

HOLY DIRECTION BATMAN… did the direction / animation / music score elevate this show or what! A-1 Pictures and the rest of the squad did a phenomenal job here

visuals looked great all the time (had this glow to it) & fights were really good for TV!

Of course the story was good too! Albeit kinda basic when you get down to the nitty gritty, but there were some notable interesting nuggets

Eugeo turning evil (i.e. Integrity Knight) actually got me to dive into the Wiki, so I consider that a good accomplishment (plus those episodes / scenes got the doki-doki’s going ^^; )

also just thinking about how all the humans in this world are real, yet also not… it make me think a little harder about the world building and stuff

though you can’t have SAO w/o at least one problematic rape-like scene, apparently! 🙃

at least the author’s come out and said he regrets writing those plot points… still sucks that they’re here in the anime, though :(

and man, did the sad parts of the finale hit me HARD in the kokoro

WHY DID EUGEO HAVE TO DIE…….. (I was spoiled on this due to previously mentioned wiki-diving though, so R.I.P. me :’) )

Those death scenes were super well done though, Damn!!!

plus it ends on a cliffhanger……… really intriguing, but obviously doesn’t leave a sense of conclusion at the end (plus it kinda is a big mood whiplash after watching Eugeo and kid!Alice die)

so yeah, this show has 9-10/10 direction with like a 8/10 story (& -20/10 certain plot point(s))… so this gets an 8.5 overall, I guess

I enjoyed the good parts enough to outweigh the bad, for what it’s worth

in any case, definitely looking forward to the second half of this arc!

P.S. - This will likely be my last Final Impressions post. I didn’t watch anything that finished in Spring 2019, and for this current season, I’m only watching a couple anime plus I’ve gotten kinda burnt out on writing these posts anyway. I kept this series going for over 6 years tho, so that’s gotta count for something! Feel free to check out my Final Impressions tag if you wanna see my thoughts on anime’s past, I guess. To everyone who’s read these posts: Thank You! 

[whentheychirp]

chapter 4 - himatsubushi - final impressions

The shortest chapter (took me 14 hours while other chapters took 30-40h), more of a side story/extra.

And it was mostly a big flashback happening in 1978 during the dam protests, while we accompany a newbie cop from Tokyo who investigates Hinamizawa.

Akasaka as an MC was an interesting change of pace, he was a bit bland but also much more competent than Keiichi, and was too mature to cause cringy fanservice jokes.

The story wasn’t disturbing this time, just felt like a standard cop drama / action movie: the kidnapping of Minister’s grandson, Akasaka investigating the village from the outsider’s perspective with our local seasoned cop, Oiishi, and the dramatic fight with yakuza as a climax. Add a gentle, loving, pregnant wife waiting for her husband in Tokyo in a hospital who in the end dies in an accident without seeing him again for the drama of it all.

Honestly, when I sum it up like this it sounds extremely boring.

It had a few interesting tidbits though. Watching 10 year old Mion for one already being a capable yakuza leader (sadly with the same sprite), seeing with our own eyes the semi-legal techniques and passion of the protesters, and the most essential - meeting the 5 year old Rika.

Rika who really swayed my “it’s gotta be 100% human mystery” viewpoint.

She was always too eloquent for a child and a bit ominous and in this chapter it was put in the spotlight. And this time she just knew too much - her perfect prophecy describing the crimes from years 1979 - 1983 a year before they start happening truly proves

The question is whether she is entirely a supernatural being who just has fun with messing with people (Oyashiro-sama’s reincarnation / or she is simply Bern in some shape or form) or is a kid asking for help while being possessed.

There was a tip suggesting she just plays around bc elders boosted her ego, there was a suggestion in the extra that Rika somehow found a crime script and that’s why she knew (but who writes crime scripts so they can be easily found) but the prophecy was so detailed, so perfect, and told by a merely 5 year old! I just can’t fully believe in a “human mystery” explanation here.

That’s it for the question arcs. I think that chapter 3 is still my favourite bc of its tension and theme, then chapter 2 with twins drama and disturbing rituals and then chapter 1 who introduced us into this suffocating village. Chapter 4 gave off mostly the dull cop drama vibes but also elaborated a bit on the past which made it decent.

time for the answer arcs o/

[iwishmylifewereadrama]

Lion Pride (twdrama)

Guys I started watching Lion Pride as a filler drama while I had nothing to watch but it turned out to be a great drama. It reminded me of healer because of several reasons you will figure out while watching the drama. Its a romance crime thriller. The synopsis of the drama makes it sound super boring but I guess its to keep the suspense. I loved how they built the characters and supporting characters and got me so involved in the story plus the OST was amazing. The chemistry between leads was great too, I dont want to spoil how the male lead manages to fall in love with the female lead so many times and in different ways and the male lead instead of being a one dimensional cold guy turns out to be a guy who has become introverted and blunt due to his tragic past and harsh surroundings while growing up. And I am so glad that the second lead guy Kevin Liu finally got to showcase his acting, more than just the lively best friend, his passion and sincerity was just heartwarming. Would totally recommend watching this.

-Z

[lia-nikiforov]

Winter Anime Final Impressions

I was supposed to do this like two weeks ago but with Gundam ending so late and me getting swept up with many things, I didn’t have the time, but here’s a quick rundown of the best and worst of the Winter season. I’m gong from best to worst and also since I watched very few shows this season, I ‘m not gonna break them down in best/meh/worst

Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen

A masterpiece to the very end, as heartbreaking as it was full of joy and love. There was this weird insinuation at the end that didn’t sit well with me at all and I’m not sure why they felt the need to do it, but I can overlook it because the rest of the picture is so wonderful and special and heart-wrenching. When Konatsu asked Yakumo to make her his apprentice, I actually cried. What a beautiful show. Don’t let the obscure antique Japanese art keep you from experiencing one of the best anime of this decade.

Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto-hen

I was a bit worried about this one because lately, when an “old” show gets a sequel many years after it last aired, said sequel turns out underwhelming and poorly done. See D.Grayman HALLOW (which also adapted my favorite arc from that manga) and Berserk (production values aside, the decline of this is due to Miura’s gross storytelling, so I guess it was inevitable). But I was more than surprised and ecstatic to see this rendition of the Kyoto arc did justice on the source material, with excellent production values, a good pace and wonderful emotional and action scenes alike. AoEx is one of the finest examples of the battle shonen genre and that translated wonderfully to this new iteration of the anime. I can only hope we’ll see Izumo’s and Shura’s arc eventually too.

ACCA-13-ku Kansatsuka

I was a Little on the fence on this one at the start, but once they laid down all the cards and tied all the loose threads, it became absolutely amazing. I’m sorry I ever doubted you Natsume Ono, your ability to craft smart and fascinating adult stories shall never be questioned again. Definitely worth checking out if you want to try something different to your usual anime genres. Helps that the visuals are really interesting and that Mauve is such a bae. I still feel Jean was the weakest link with his absolute nonchalance, but even that somehow worked at the end. Definitely worth going through the somewhat slow initial episodes.

Yowamushi Pedal: New Generation

NGL i’m not a fan of Kaburagi, he’s so much like Naruko I don’t feel he adds anything to the team. But this is now officially the Teshima show and that compensates for the snooze that is Kaburagi because Teshima has become so fabulous and cool I’m just excited every week to see what he’ll do next. Also the First-year race was a true highlight and I’m very disappointed Sugimoto didn’t make the cut, they did a fantastic job in making him likable, so it was sad to see him lose. Hopefully he’ll get to assist Imaizumi when they’re 3rd years.

Little Witch Academia

This show’s a lot of fun, with really sweet animation and it also sports the Best Girl of the season, Sucy Manbavaaran, although I gotta say there were a bit too many fillerish episodes and it was frustrating to see them take so long to get the plot going. I’m not hating on the show, it is in fact extremely entertaining, but it’s a little lacking on the plot department. Hopefully we’ll get more of that on the second cour.

Classicaloid

I’ve never been happier of not quitting a show as I am about Classicaloid. By episode 3 I was on the verge of giving up because it wasn’t what I had expected, but I kept going and I ended falling so hard in love with this show I’m ecstatic it’s getting a second season. Once I embraced the absurdity, it became the best comedy of the season, and I honestly would watch Schubert’s fishy misadventures for 52 weeks a year. It’s an acquired taste for sure and not easy to recommend, but if you’re willing to let go of all reason, you’re sure to have a good time.

All Out!!

I have a lot of love for this show and its characters (and Sekizan’s ridiculous hair), but I’m afraid the pacing they chose basically doomed them because with the abysmal sales, it seems unlikely we’ll ever see a second season and therefore we’ll never get to see if Jinko does get to Hanazono. It’s a perfectly competent sports series, that does a really good job of developing its huge cast, definitely much better than the likes of Prince of Stride or DAYS, but its inconclusive ending is quite frustrating. I really do hope we get to see more of these boys, but Madhouse’s never been all that good with the whole getting-sequels-done so…

Kuzu no Honkai

In spite of its low ranking, this is actually a really good show and a unique take on teenage female sexuality that you wouldn’t normally see in this mostly sexist medium. Hanabi made for a truly interesting protagonist and I liked seeing her explore herself and her relationships. I was however quite disappointed by how little focus we actually had for Hanabi and Mugi’s relationship. I felt there was more telling than showing in that regard, especially in the latter half of the show. The ending was pretty good and mature in spite of everything, and as always, I’m just really fond of all the vaginal imagery in the ED animation. Could’ve done without Moca though.

Gundam: Tekketsu Orphans

At the end of the Fall season, I expressed my concern about pointless, meaningless deaths. Clearly the Gundam writers thought I wasn’t concerned enough because the amount of characters that died pointless deaths went on to, I think, the double digits. I wouldn’t have minded the carnage if there had been some sort of payoff to the sacrifices. For example, if Shino hadn’t stupidly and conveniently missed his one shot because the show couldn’t afford to kill Rustal yet. I always felt Orga, Mika and Akihiro had a ton of death flags looming over their heads, but I certainly didn’t expect all three of them to get to the chopping block. Orga’s death was particularly random and pointless, but then again, what they did with Orga in general was very confusing. That he agreed to McGillis’s sketchy propositions to become “king of Mars” never made a whole lot of sense to me and that’s the result we got. I’ll also never get over how creepy and weird the whole Atra giving Mika a baby thing was. In short, I have very mixed feelings about it.

Hand Shakers

I could write thousands of words for everything that was wrong with this series but I think it wouldn’t make justice to the absolute experience that is watching this amazing trainwreck. Go watch it to see a masterclass of how not to anime. Honestly I had such a good time hating this show, it was so horrible in every possible way. Good job GoHands, even animate, who sponsored this show, won’t give it any publicity.

Super Lovers

I’m not sure of how this production team managed to put out 20 episodes of nothing actually happen. Like you just have to give kudos to the writers for managing to simply not do anything over the course of 6~ hours of content. No drama, no decent comedy, no character development, not even relationship development in a BL romance. It’s kind of amazing how pointless the whole thing is. The dog’s still cute and the relationship is still creepy and gross and that’s about all there is to say about this.

Although most of the shows I watched turned out great, it did feel like a weaker season because there wasn’t that much that was interesting (my Wednesdays were literally empty). Or maybe everything looks lackluster in this post-Yuri on Ice world D: But there was Rakugo and rakugo is good and I’m glad we live in an age in which such a niche, quiet and adult artistic show could be made and tell a complete story.

[dr-j33]

Korosensei Q final thoughts

It wasn't that good. >The bugs were a cool idea but they only showed up either as plot devices or gags. (Also Sugino had two bugs?!) >The fan service made me cringe half the time. Please stop trying to sexualize Middle schoolers. >Animation was really lazy at times, heck sometimes they didn't even draw half the students. >Karma's bug was poorly done. Half of his bad luck was just buckets falling on him literally every time he appeared onscreen >I'm not even sure how faithful it was to the manga because the translations stopped. >THEY PUT THE GODDAMN PEANUTBUTTER JELLY BANANA IN THE SHOW >The last episode was shit. Ultimately this felt like a more watered down version of Rock Lee and his Ninja Pals but with much less funny writing.

[whentheychirp]

episode chapter 1 - onikakushi - final impressions

Soo, Higurashi was obviously worse than Umineko, but it’s not like I expected it will be better anyway (no trans coding loses in my heart).

It still was very good and I enjoyed it. It had similar themes (after all it’s also a mystery with supernatural elements) but was more down-to earth with its small village setting (and a cast of completely not rich people). So even if most of the characters in Higurashi are kids they sure are more relatable.

I didn’t care much about Keiichi, but Rena and Mion were adorable / cool in their own ways. Satoko and Rika... are just very small kids. Though Rika gives off these Bern vibes.

The atmosphere was also creepier than in Umineko, again, maybe because it’s more relatable. It’s just easier to imagine this scenario actually happening to you.

I have no theories because it’s too early to have any (and I’m a dumbass) but I sure am looking forward to more.

[kihocrystal]

Spring 2018 - Final Impressions

Sorry this post is so late (again)! I had a *really* busy July, which really didn’t help at all. But anyway, here’s my thoughts on the shows that I finished this past season! All but one are sequels, though (and the one non-sequel was a carryover from last season)... Don’t worry, I’ll watch stuff like Megalobox and Hinamatsuri eventually! :’D

All “reviews” are listed in alphabetical order!

Amanchu! Advance - 8.0 / 10 (B-)

I liked season 2 as a whole! (Except for one episode / thing…)

QUEERBAITING SUCKS

I dunno if this is the fault of the anime or the source material…

…but this is still the most blatant example I’ve ever watched >_>

episode 11 didn’t need to happen!!! Why couldn’t Kokoro just… be a girl

or y’know, just let Pikari and Teko continue to “love” each other as they have! OTL

maybe why it annoyed me so much is that it’s like… a total bait & switch that went on for 2 SEASONS

to be fair, the reveal kinda went over my head? But when r/anime pointed it out, that’s when the salt began :/

yet the finale still has them blushing over reading thank you notes? It’s like this show wants its cake & eat it too

at the end of the day, the Kokoro stuff just… got in the way of Teko & Pikari’s interactions, platonic or not >_>

Also I’m one of the few people who actually liked the Peter arc

and it gave Ai some spotlight time!!!

it’s nice to have a little story arc to change things up (as opposed to an episodic structure)

(though I understand why many didn’t care for it… it leans a lot more towards supernatural than usual)

IMO they at least gave precedent w/ that one lucid dreaming episode w/ Teko, though

AND THERE’S ACTUAL SCUBA DIVING THIS TIME \o/

the underwater moments can be very magical… definitely the visual highlight

And the cast of characters is still enjoyable to watch too~ (def. a good group dynamic there)

Kokoro is considered a polarizing character for sure

I didn’t mind him that much until, y’know… his gender reveal led to the queer-baiting thing >_>

The finale was really nice though! It had pretty diving scenes and had cute Teko & Pikari moments~

In any case, this is still a very relaxing and heartwarming anime~

It has all the things I enjoyed about S1 here; it’s just the things added on top were a mixed-bag

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card - 8.0 / 10 (B)

EVERYONE IN THIS SHOW IS BEING VAGUE AS SHIT

But at least the mystery is interesting!

It’s just too bad it took like… 20 episodes to start getting any kind of explanation :’)

I actually watched the original series through a r/anime rewatch at the end of last year!

(meaning there wasn’t much time for me going from that series to this sequel)

I enjoyed the callbacks to the original series as well!

(including going from *anime* canon! i.e. the 2nd movie actually being canon)

The visuals look nice! Even though it almost looks a bit… *too* rounded in comparison to the original

I enjoyed watching Sakura capture all the new cards in different ways~

Even though this season was VERY light on plot (mostly), this aspect provided the action~

Also I enjoyed watching the character interactions too ^^

But yeah… the lack of overarching plot development and VAGUENESS kinda holds this season back

that being said, the final episodes set up some potentially interesting developments to come

and the finale itself *definitely* was not a conclusive one, so S2 better be confirmed soon!

Overall, I still enjoyed this continuation for the things it did right! I’ll be looking forward to a S2~

Darling in the FranXX - 8.0 / 10 (B)

Well this is/was a… polarizing show, to say the least.

I enjoyed it overall, but certain things about it hold it back from a higher score for me.

There’s two main elephants in the room with this series, really

#1 is… the heteronormativity

this was basically from the get-go, and in the roots of the story / themes itself

since the themes revolve around male/female partnerships & the importance of that… Yeah

one of the core quotes being “a female and a male aren’t complete w/o the other” …Yeah, again

also the sex-like positions of the “stamen” and “pistil” while piloting also doesn’t help

the workings of this world’s society has hetero relationships as the standard and doesn’t really allow for other options

(i.e. the FranXX piloting, Ikuno’s female attraction not working out in both operating the mech & her feelings for Ichigo, etc.)

at least Ikuno and Ichigo got a scene to talk about their attraction feelings & make up somewhat ^^

plus the Nines are basically gender non-binary but are seen as antagonistic forces for most of the show… Yeah

and just basic hetero things (like sex & pregnancy) were like being attacked in this show (when it’s not in real life???)

there’s an image meme that’s like “no, Prime Minister Abe… this will not get people to have babies” (…agreed :’D)

sure, there are *many* ways you can interpret this show, but the fact that so many people have seen it as such is Not Good

#2 is… the show supposedly “jumping the shark” towards the end

the main culprit of this (for many people) seems to be the “suddenly aliens!” reveal in episode ~20

this didn’t really impact my enjoyment of the show at all, but I definitely understand why people would be disappointed

in a way, it does kinda shift the story away from the themes it was using prior to this…

perhaps the lack of foreshadowing was another reason the shift in plot didn’t go well

plus it tends to directly riff off of certain visual cues from other mecha (like Eva & Gurren Lagaan)

Those two main gripes aside, the directing & visuals in this show were what kept me interested throughout

music choices, visual choices, etc. just really made certain moments better than they probably should’ve been

I enjoyed the characters as a group as well (even if most of them individually weren’t anything to write home about)

Goro’s a good bro, Ichigo went through good development, Kokoro & Mitsuru developed as a good pair…

Futoshi ended up being kind of a fat joke to the end though (& it was interesting that him & Kokoro didn’t end up together)

of course, Zero Two is the one everyone loved (& I liked her & Hiro’s dynamic as well)

sure, some people felt like she had “no personality” after she realized the truth about Hiro, but I didn’t mind the change

Plus I like that this show had a… pretty good ending, actually! (All things considered)

Directing as always was on point, and we got to see everyone’s lives over time (& Hiro + Zero Two eventually re-uniting as kids)

I just wish the main group got to see the two of them again :’)

though I do wish VIRM actually got full-on destroyed instead of a “we might come back” ending :/

and the ending was also kinda like “oh yeah, all the Children sent away didn’t actually die!” ???

This show will likely have a legacy not unlike Guilty Crown going forward, but I thought it ended better than that show, for the record

But yeah, this show is far from perfect and has questionable themes. But I still enjoyed it over all for the things it did well~’

Nanatsu no Taizai S2 - 8.0 / 10 (B-)

Unfortunately, not as good as S1 (but I still enjoyed this season overall)

S1 felt like its own self-contained story, but this season is clearly a “Part 1” for things to come

I wish Diana had more to do this season… she lost her memory early on and STILL doesn’t have it back

she was out of the main conflict (& separated from the group) for most of it :/

she also had these WEIRD ANGLES & POSES all the time… the fan service w/ her was *Really* distracting

the only consolation is that we got to learn some backstory for her & meet her fellow giants

oh well, at least she’s met up with King again and is enjoying his company by the end :)

The Gowther twist is interesting, but the way they revealed it was kinda… underwhelming

plus that *also* hasn’t been resolved yet (like many other things this season)

Some good moments this season were centered around Ban

such as his relationship w/ Jericho, time w/ a resurrected Elaine, and the small arc w/ his foster dad :’)

Also the final Sin got introduced w/ Escanor! PRAISE THE SUN

he’s a fun character; skittish by night and INVINCIBLE by day

The addition of power levels was kinda weird

it wasn’t necessary in S1, so why add it now???

The training arc gave us a full flashback to Melodias’ past w/ losing Liza, which was nice (and sad ;~; )

plus the vs. 10 Commandments fight actually showed Melodias full-on dying? That doesn’t happen much

it was a brutal death too! Hard to watch ;~;

plus they even changed the OP animation to reflect that he died… now that’s commitment

of course he came back later on, but there’s a catch… (since he loses some emotions every time)

There were some good fights, mostly during the “tournament” arc

(especially Melodias vs. all commandments… a sakuga highlight for sure)

The finale had a good stopping point, but it definitely makes clear that the story’s not over

so yeah, unlike season 1, this season *needs* a season 3 to be worth the watch

So yeah, there were some good moments & fights this season, but as a whole, it’s weaker than S1

Shokugeki no Souma S3 (Part 2) - 8.5 / 10 (B+)

I enjoyed this season! Continuing on the darker tone that the first half of S3 set up

This plot line of Central taking over the school is still my favorite plot point thus far, tbh

in other words, shit is finally going down!

…even if many of Central are just mustache-twirling villains :’D

Erina’s gotten great development from this arc too…! She’s not just a typical stuck-up tsundere anymore

her backstory is definitely a harsh one. It was great seeing her gain the courage to stick up to dad!

We also learned more about Souma’s dad! :O

Especially about how he was seen as feared, and the pressure of success got to him :’(

along with how this backstory tied into Asami’s motivations as well

Most of the season was kinda a gauntlet of opponents for the “resistance” to face off against

seeing Akira turn evil (for a bit) was interesting, but it’s a good thing he turned good again~

we oddly haven’t seen a lot of the Elite Ten in cooking action yet???

The final part of the season started off the big Team Shokugeki! …but it only got through the first round

the stakes are definitely high for this one, and also seems like the big conflict of this arc for sure

it’s just, y’know… the season ending in the middle is not a good look, really

at least the ending wasn’t abrupt; it was open-ended but still had a sense of conclusion

All in all, a good second half of season 3 (with some of my favorite plot content thus far!). Keep it up!

[kihocrystal]

Winter 2018 Final Impressions

I’m a month late, as usual (whoops!), but here’s my final thoughts on the animes I watched this past season! 

The “reviews” will be in alphabetical order!

3-gatsu no Lion S2 - 9.0 / 10 (A)

This second season of 3-gatsu was great! It’s just… a really great drama show about fighting depression (& a bunch of other character storylines)!

First off... THE BULLYING ARC WAS REALLY GOOD

extremely complicated, emotionally complex… this arc brings all sorts of emotions & angles into the forefront

multiple perspectives too: Hina’s, Rei’s, the bullied girl’s, the bully’s, the teachers’, and Akari too!

The art style can pull off both thick-outlined / bright colored style and watercolor-esque style incredibly well

it really is beautiful how it can visually portray both light-hearted and emotionally intense scenes

This season continues to show how good it is at character development for characters both main & supporting!

We get to see Rei moving through the ranks as a shogi player

and also moving through the ranks of conquering his depression! He’s improved more than ever before!

We get to learn about the white-haired master player (Souya); I liked how he has his own quicks and challenges he has in his daily life

Along with the other head shogi guy (Yanagihara)! (& how he shoulders his legacy for his friends)

Even the last episode offered some perspective from the foster mom about Rei & her kids

this show is just… really good at making normally-hated characters sympathetic, hot damn

Aside from bullying arc, this season also showed Hina preparing for the transition to high school

The finale episode was nice and sweet, with Hina saying goodbye to Takahashi and even getting a haircut!

This continues to be one of the best drama anime in recent years! Not to mention SHAFT’s best show since Madoka Magica :3

Cardfight!! Vanguard G: Z - 7.5 - 8.0 / 10 (C+)

And so ends the G series of Cardfight Vanguard… this final season I’ll say though is kind of a mixed bag

The plot had interesting ideas and moments at times, but the execution and pacing left a bit to be desired

though I will say it was definitely better than last season (CFV G NEXT)

This season didn’t waste any time getting to the main plot, as Chrono has to face off against a Diffrider right away

the diffrider stuff is continued from last season, but for the most part, it’s a new plot kicking off!

The rollout of all the new Diffrider Apostles (& them showing their strength) definitely made them look like powerful foes

not to mention the Zeroth Dragons, which were also shown to be powerful and very risky to use

Also knowing that anyone in the main cast could end up being The Vessel added some intrigue as well

the reveal that Kazuma would be the vessel definitely was a well executed twist imo~

However the pacing in places felt a bit too fast for me… the Relics subplot felt like it wrapped up too quickly, for example

the final fight against Gyze also kinda felt rushed… Gyze didn’t even have any dying words after his defeat :/

As a final season specifically, I feel like it kinda pales in comparison to Stride Gate, unfortunately

The cast was also kinda hit and miss in terms of how well they were utilized in the plot

some of the apostles definitely had more screen time than others (gredora only got like… two episodes)

plus gastille (the supposed apostle leader) got beaten sooner than like 3 other ones???

some villains carry over from last season too, such as Noa (Chaos Breaker) and the red-head punk kid

I liked all the new villains this season, personality-wise! (Also Yukari Tamura in there is a plus)

also no Am and Luna this season, really…

the previously established OG cast were integrated fine, for the most part

including Aichi and Kai getting the kill against Chaos Breaker Dragon

but the final episodes kinda just shoe-horn in a bunch of cameos that just didn’t feel natural :/

it just felt like “OH SHIT, this is the last season actually! Quick, throw in a bunch of cameos!”

this also applies to G characters, which makes less utilized characters (like Am & Luna, as mentioned before) look out of place :(

Sure, I’m saying a bunch of negative stuff right now, but I REALLY LOVE THIS CAST… I JUST WANT THE BEST FOR THEM

It’s the main reason I love CFV G, after all~

This season was definitely an improvement over NEXT for sure! The plot was interesting, I just wish the conclusion was better

The final episode basically just felt like an OVA, really… aside from the last scene, it didn’t really feel like an epilogue at all

I guess it just bums me out bc the original series got a good epilogue episode, so I know they could do it here, too…

In any case, I’M GONNA MISS THIS CAST, BIG TIME ;A;

In any case, this was a decent season to end the G series with! Not the strongest, but not the weakest either.

I’m gonna look back on my time with CFV G fondly for sure, if for nothing else than the great ensemble cast :’)

It’s gonna be weird going back to the OG cast for sure… I arguably liked the G cast better than the OG one :’D

Osomatsu-san S2 - 8.0  / 10 (B)

The consensus among fans seems to be that this season wasn’t as good as the first season

As for me, I… probably agree with that (though I still enjoyed this season!)

As with most comedy anime, whether the jokes land is pretty subjective. I feel like I didn’t laugh as hard this season? IDK

There were more “seasonal/holiday”-based episodes this time around (i.e. summer, new year’s, etc.)

What stays the same though is that this show is at its best when featuring the main brothers themselves

Skits involving the side characters (like Iyami, Dayon, etc.) didn’t make me laugh much…

I will say though that I enjoyed the second half of the season more than the first half~

Enough about the negatives, let’s talk about this season’s memorable skits / episodes!

The premiere was really good, as it poked fun at the huge popularity the show unexpectedly got xD

plus a bunch of references that *aren’t* gonna get them removed from streaming sites this time!

Jyushimatsu getting an “apprentice” with a little kid was also pretty funny~

The Karamatsu taxi skit, the spooky inn, & all the characters being stuck on an island were also good skits!

Ep. 18 (Iyami, Alone in the Wind) was also a crowd favorite, since it brought the feels for a change :’)

The finale 2-parter pulled a bait-and-switch yet again!

Part 1 was actually pretty serious, but the actual finale just has them trying to break out of hell xD

OH YEAH, I still really like the live-action stuff they do during the ending sequences

the first half’s ED was my favorite (the stop-motion of the brothers riding in the car)

I don’t have much to say about comedies generally, but Osomatsu-san is still my favorite in recent years ^^

Even though this season didn’t hit as hard as S1, it still provided some fun laughs~

Pop Team Epic - 7.5 / 10 (C+)

What can I really say about this show? It kind of defies description ^^;

Ok, yeah, it’s a sketch comedy, but it’s a really… crazy and random sketch comedy

The jokes are hit and miss (and in my experience was a bit more… miss than hit)

I never really laughed out loud at this show either

but then again, the humor here is more “being confused at what’s going on, but going along with it anyway”

There’s also a lot of modern anime references, so you might not get those jokes if you don’t follow most recent anime

Each episode has a long skit in it, plus a bunch of bite-size skits

I personally preferred the short skits over the long ones

There were a couple song parodies which I enjoyed (including the Earth Wind & Fire parody)

Also, this series definitely benefits from having an English simuldub! Some skits I found funnier in English!

OH YEAH, the voice actors (in both languages) change every episode, with female and male VAs in each episode

that enhanced the enjoyability of the sketches too, since I liked hearing favorite VAs do silly dialogue and performances!

I wouldn’t say this ranks among my favorite anime comedies, but it’s definitely unlike any other I’ve seen! ^^;

Your mileage will *definitely* vary with this one, so give it a try and see if it’s for you!

The Ancient Magus’ Bride (Mahoutsukai no Yome) - 8.5 - 9 / 10 (A-)

This was a very enjoyable fantasy drama show! Some people feel this show was overhyped, but I still thought it was really good!

I really liked the cast overall, especially Chise

She has really good character development throughout the show! She really becomes more strong and confident!

Seeing the fantastical world through her eyes was interesting as well!

Especially since those mystical elements were also responsible for her terrible childhood…

Elias was also an interesting guy… he and Chise have an interesting relationship together

Their relationship definitely has aspects that are unhealthy, but they do grow closer to each other by the end

If people can’t get past the whole premise of “him buying Chise to be his bride” though, I totally understand ^^;

They help each other learn too, which I liked to see

The supporting cast was also enjoyable! Not much to say about them individually though

The dragon keeper was nice and we got to learn about Elias’ origins through him

The dragons in general were great! Especially the old one that turned into a tree :’)

He gives Chise some good sage advice, even after death :’)

Angelica, Silky, and Stella (among others, like the other anti-hero duo) were good support characters too~

I liked Stella’s role of “normal girl who learns of the supernatural’s existence”

Cartaphilus was an… okay villain, I guess (though his methods were quite creepy indeed, which added some intrigue)

Some character designs are a bit questionable though… like who approved the vampire’s design? ^^;

Another large appeal of this was the world building of the fantastical elements!

I liked seeing all the different types of locales & supernatural creatures, both good and bad

As a low-fantasy show, this show does a Dang Good Job with the fantasy!

Chise learning more about herself and gaining confidence through these experiences were a highlight as well

I enjoyed each story arc as well, even though most of them were more explorative and introspective

This show can be dang beautiful sometimes, through both its art/animation and its stories (Thanks, Studio WIT!)

Some were better than others, but they all deliver either a heartwarming (or a dark) story

Some favorites of mine were the dragon-based ones, and the vampire loving the old man

The finale was good too! It’s unknown whether this conclusion is anime-original or not, but it was definitely a good S1 ending~

If you love low-fantasy shows, this is definitely one to check out!

Violet Evergarden - 8.5 - 9.0 / 10 (A-)

Best *new* anime (that I watched) of this past season, hands down~

Though to be fair, I still need to watch A Place Farther than the Universe… and Yuru Camp… and After the Rain…

Going into this season, this show was hyped and back and somehow… a lot of people were *disappointed* with this show?

I think it had to do with expecting a different show than what we got; as for me, I knew it’d be an episodic drama the whole time :P

But yes, this show has a (mostly) episodic plot with an overarching character arc. If that’s too slow for you, then you probably won’t like this show.

In any case, back to the positives! The first one being how good this show looks visually… as expected from KyoAni~

there’s so much detail in the backgrounds and the character elements (especially the lighting on objects like Violet’s metal hands)

this aspect is one thing *everyone* agrees on regardless, so… yeah, this show’s really pretty!

The main star (and focus) of this show was Violet herself… you can really see how she changes for the better from beginning to end

You get to see how “robot-like” she was at the start of the show, but she slowly learns about dealing with emotions of others… and herself

This character arc is definitely the “main” plot of the show, along with her coming to terms with Gilbert’s death and her war killings

The episodic plots were good in their own right, too!

Ranging from Violet’s start as a Memoir Doll to the different clients she works with, they all teach her something along the way

These sometimes focus on the side characters working at the Doll Agency too, so we get to learn more about them as well

The one that comes to mind first is Iris’ episode, where she (messily) reconnects with a former lover

Not all of them get a full episode in the spotlight, but they do get some focus scenes from time to time

Violet’s clientele episodes were the most memorable out of this lot IMO

ESPECIALLY EPISODE 10… that was the BIGGEST feels trip

I knew exactly how the episode was going to end, but I still teared up at that ending!

The finale was action packed, but also was a beautiful way to show how far Violet has come

I know some people’s issue with this show is that “it doesn’t know what show it wants to be” re: the action stuff, but I was fine with it personally

in any case, it was a pretty good book-end for Violet’s development, since she finally understands (a least a little) what “I love you” means :’)

I understand certain people’s gripes with this show, but this really is a great little drama show that *will* deliver the feels~

P.S. I also watched Fate/Extra: Last Encore this season. It hasn’t technically ended yet, so I can’t give final impressions on it right now. However, my current score for it is a 7.5/10 (C+).