One sentence summaries

My Hero Acadamia-Slow in the middle but has ramped up, shame it's almost the end of the season.
Diamond isn't Crash (JoJo)-Quite slow as well, not finding it as enjoyable as part 3.
Kotetsujo no Kabaneri-Attack on titans but with trains and better in any way, especially the art.
Sakamoto Desu Ga-Truly the Evangelion of anime, it's goofy and funny in a Chromartie way and it's easily my favourite this season.

With the season coming to an end I think it's time to list what's been good and what's been bad about it, from my point of view. There were shows that started great and ended up not being that good, and some that did it the other way around.

Kabaneri: It started out pretty well but quickly devolved into action porn. If memory serves, all but a couple of episodes had a big action sequence in them, which seems a bit excessive, I would have liked it better if some of the action was turned into character development. Still, as action porns go, this one is pretty good. And since this show can't be mentioned without pointing out similarities with Attack on Titan, I like the fact that the main villain is basically a totalitarian version of Eren.

Mayoiga: It was pretty clear that the big reveal was probably going to be disappointing, and it didn't disappoint. I stuck with this show hoping that the mystery would escalate further, but as it turned out they just kept building on something that was revealed very early on, and was predictable even earlier. Without the mystery all this show has going for it is the absurdity, which to be fair can be entertaining, but not enough to make me look forward to it.

Kiznaiver: It started out with a strong premise and weak characters, but as the show went on the charaters grew on me, not much individually but as a group. I still think the characters aren't very interesting, but I love watching them interact. It's refreshing to see a show where the characters don't have the option of hiding their feelings, something that happens way too often in anime. This particular circumstance is what leads to the great moments in the show when the characters are forced to face each other knowing what they are feeling. Really good stuff.

Kuma Miko: After a strong first episode the show struggled to maintain consistency, some episodes are quite funny while others barely entertain me. I think the good ones were worth the endeavour but I wouldn't really recommend the show to anyone looking for a good comedy.

A.T. Fish wrote:Kiznaiver: It started out with a strong premise and weak characters, but as the show went on the charaters grew on me, not much individually but as a group. I still think the characters aren't very interesting, but I love watching them interact. It's refreshing to see a show where the characters don't have the option of hiding their feelings, something that happens way too often in anime. This particular circumstance is what leads to the great moments in the show when the characters are forced to face each other knowing what they are feeling. Really good stuff.

Yea, this is definitely an anime that got better by the week. By episode three or four I was a bit down on the series, but then everything with it started clicking with me. The last two episodes in particular have been very sweet. That scene in the yard at the end of ep. 10 was for sure one of my favorites of the season.
-----------------------------------------------------

I've actually been kinda happy with Haifuri as of late as well, though I know it didn't really go where a lot of us were hoping. The action in episodes 8 and 9 was a bit at what I was hoping for with the series, though I feel like the character development in this show is close to nonexistent which is a bit of a bummer. Maybe there's just too many characters and too little time, or maybe the writers had a problem trying to not make a bunch of characters exactly like those in GuP. At least we got a logical(????) explanation for the mind controlling rats.
Flying Witch has, of course, remained nice and chill, though I wasn't all that happy with episode 10. Hopefully it'll finish up strong in a couple weeks when we get eps 11 and 12.

Also, watched Eureka Seven over the last couple weeks and found it to be a pretty strong mecha work, though I never really really liked any of the characters besides Eureka. Still definitely worth the time though, and the interaction of the scub coral and humans was a very nice concept. The line in one of the later episodes about Warsaw also being known as Joy Division will definitely go down as one of my favorites in anniemay.

Joy Evangelion wrote:I've actually been kinda happy with Haifuri as of late as well, though I know it didn't really go where a lot of us were hoping. The action in episodes 8 and 9 was a bit at what I was hoping for with the series, though I feel like the character development in this show is close to nonexistent which is a bit of a bummer. Maybe there's just too many characters and too little time, or maybe the writers had a problem trying to not make a bunch of characters exactly like those in GuP. At least we got a logical(????) explanation for the mind controlling rats.

Wait, we did? I don't remember that. I must have been drunk when I saw that episode.

Flying Witch has, of course, remained nice and chill, though I wasn't all that happy with episode 10. Hopefully it'll finish up strong in a couple weeks when we get eps 11 and 12.

Flying Witch is great. Every episode has been strong and delightful. On a similar note I've also been enjoying Tanaka-kun is Always Listless, though it's nowhere nearly as good as Flying Witch. Still worth a watch, though.

Bagheera wrote:Wait, we did? I don't remember that. I must have been drunk when I saw that episode.

It had something to do with some sunken submarine(I think) in which some scientists were experimenting on the mice and them getting loose somehow. I think they said something about them functioning with a hive mind too, but I might be remembering that from a different anime. I'm pretty sure it was revealed in ep. 8.

Yea, I've been planning on watching that Tanaka-Kun once the season wraps up, but first I've got a few winter shows I still need to watch. Good to hear that people are digging it.

Bagheera wrote:Kabaneri 9: So, there's this elite club. Its members have names like Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. Biba really, really wants in.

This show has gotten a little too grimderp for me. Time to get off this train.

I am disappointed that they made Biba really cliche in the last 2 episodes. I might stick around with the show for the action, but I'm not going to expect much in the way of interesting character development.

^ I honestly wasn't expecting much from Biba anyway. If a show has an ensemble cast and character isn't seen in either the show's OP or ED, then that character isn't to be trusted. It's just modern anime law at this point.

Mayoiga's ending soon. I've been watching too much Anime. I regret nothing. Anime is saved.


MONSTER

chazthesilencer wrote:Well, I gave up on it. Probably time I gave it another go. When does the story get "omg best animu evar" good?

It's never a HYPE HYPE HYPE experience, the methodical pace never changes. But once you get into the groove, it's hard to not watch it as fast as humanely possible. I, myself, was very reluctant starting it up, it looked so drab, and the episode-count is kinda terrifying. But nobody should be swayed by that, since now it's one of my favorite shows. It's just so cleverly put together...
So, can we get an adaption of 20th Century Boys now, please? They are adapting old Manga left and right, so plz, just do it, Madhouse.


Eureka Seven

Gus Hanson wrote:I already tire of these Renton getting hazed episodes when I have a feeling there will be many more. I find myself on Hilda's side finding no fun or pleasure watching Matthieu and the gang picking on the new kid just because it's tradition on board the Gekko. The main storyline better pick up the pace or I might drop it.

Eureka Seven is a show you need to have seen at a certain age, or you'll never really get it, I feel. It's story is definitely meandering. The art design, especially those of the characters are phenomenal though. It's been more than 10 years and those characters still look slick.

Joy Evangelion wrote:Also, watched Eureka Seven over the last couple weeks and found it to be a pretty strong mecha work, though I never really really liked any of the characters besides Eureka. Still definitely worth the time though, and the interaction of the scub coral and humans was a very nice concept. The line in one of the later episodes about Warsaw also being known as Joy Division will definitely go down as one of my favorites in anniemay.

As long as you pretend AO doesn't exist, you've got a fine show on your hands - still, if it was a little less meandering it could have been a lot better.


Rahxephon

Gus Hanson wrote:ep. 21

I like the notion, that Rahxephon is Evangelion for people who cannot relate to psychological hardship. Also I love how it looks and sounds. Ayato's mother has my favorite MC in the industry. She also narrated to opening for Fujiko Minne.



Kiznaiver:

A.T. Fish wrote: It started out with a strong premise and weak characters, but as the show went on the charaters grew on me, not much individually but as a group. I still think the characters aren't very interesting, but I love watching them interact. It's refreshing to see a show where the characters don't have the option of hiding their feelings, something that happens way too often in anime. This particular circumstance is what leads to the great moments in the show when the characters are forced to face each other knowing what they are feeling. Really good stuff.

Also, Kiznaiver is greatly elevated by the most beautiful execution I've seen in a series since, Idk. There's so many arresting images, and it boggles my mind with how much individual personality the stunning character artwork is animated. Coupled with gorgeous sound design, it plays on the same league as something like FLCL in terms of audio-visual prowess... Some minor writing hiccups early on is pretty much the only negative thing I can say about it. Yes, the premise of children experiments is a tired trope, but it handled it with so much more humanity/grace than the equally beautiful Terror in Resonance. If this sticks the landing, this might be a personal contester for Anime of the Decade, for me.



Mayoiga

A.T. Fish wrote:It was pretty clear that the big reveal was probably going to be disappointing, and it didn't disappoint. I stuck with this show hoping that the mystery would escalate further, but as it turned out they just kept building on something that was revealed very early on, and was predictable even earlier. Without the mystery all this show has going for it is the absurdity, which to be fair can be entertaining, but not enough to make me look forward to it.

Yeah, it's definitely forgettable, especially if this kind of humor doesn't work on you like it did on me. But it's kinda astounding how much "so-good-it's-bad" they managed to stuff in this series.

A.T. Fish wrote:Mayoiga is kind of mesmerizing, the show apparently wants to be taken seriously, but then it comes up with increasingly absurd backstories and motivations for the characters. At this point I just want to see how much crazier it can get.

Mayoiga never fails to deliver at least one laugh out loud moment for me every week - which is no easy feat.

esselfortium wrote:I'm certain that the show is in on the joke, it's just so deadpan that it's easy to get the impression that it's trying and failing to be serious. But it's full of subtle jokes like Valkana in this week's episode referring to Judgeness by the wrong name again, characters who get bored of the plot and forget what they're even doing, and comically-unfitting direction and BGM that turn would-be dramatic scenes into farces, despite having shown itself to be capable of presenting itself competently on the rare occasion that it actually wants to build some tension. It's honestly surprising that it's shown as much restraint as it has, because this kind of humor would be so easy to screw up by being overzealous about it.

This. There's just too many hints that say: "We know, it's ridiculous". I mean almost every scene the cast talks is filled with non-sequiturs... And then there's the execution lady, who has a tragic backstory, that explains nothing. Also, another hot hint they know is the fact, that this guy has also directed Shirobako. He must know. I'm pretty sure, he tried to go for that route with Another too, but couldn't due to the source material.




Flying Witch

Mr. Tines wrote:Meanwhile, Flying Witch continues to be the best CGDCT-style series in quite a few years (I'm tempted to say "since Aria", here) -- with extra bonus points for having a boy in the cast who isn't any sort of romance self-insert, and having absolutely no school scenes. What a contrast it is to the other shows like HaiFuri which I dropped at the oh-so-hilarious "we're out of bog rolls" episode, or Anne-Happy, which spiralled through surreal into just downright stupid in very short order.

Flying Witch might be the best iyashikei series since K-On! It's consistently charming, it's healing powers are immens, the characters deserve the moniker (of characters), and despite its pacing time flies by. I especially love the little magical moments, which occur sparsely enough to never lose any of their spark. The Episode in the cafe was one my favorite Episodes I've seen in Anime this year! To everyone who enjoys Flying Witch, I warmly recommend Niea_7. It's very similar in its tone (maybe swaying a little bit more into melancholy) by the staff of Haibane Renmei and Serial Experiments Lain.

A.T. Fish wrote:I like Flying Witch for the chill atmosphere but I don't think it's particularly amusing. It's refreshing to see the parents though, for once they actually have a role instead of being virtually non-existent.

Which is on of the little details that greatly improve the atmosphere of "quaint country life" as opposed to the "how harem can we get - mindset", many similar shows seem to embrace.

esselfortium wrote: Mayoiga delivering the absurdist humor and Flying Witch bringing the adorable.

Pretty much hits the nail on its head.



Kabaneri

A.T. Fish wrote:Kabaneri: It started out pretty well but quickly devolved into action porn. If memory serves, all but a couple of episodes had a big action sequence in them, which seems a bit excessive, I would have liked it better if some of the action was turned into character development. Still, as action porns go, this one is pretty good. And since this show can't be mentioned without pointing out similarities with Attack on Titan, I like the fact that the main villain is basically a totalitarian version of Eren.

Attack on Titan suffered greatly from the artificial prolongation, and 1000 Shades of Brown, while Kabaneri's plot contrivances and too little time for the characters to late in the show make it less effective than it could've been. It's hard to decide what's the bigger train wreck. Both are entertaining, both are deeply flawed. @Eren-comparision: I could see that. Maybe it's ja jab on AoT.

A.T. Fish wrote:The latest Kabaneri was refreshingly not action packed, and once again showed how much it was influenced by Attack on Titan when it presented the Hunters, they even wear green.

This festival Episode was hands down the best the show had to offer. Should have come much earlier. That and if they would go for a little less non-sensical I could truly care for this show. As it is, I just like watching the beautiful designs each weak.

Bagheera wrote:This show has gotten a little too grimderp for me. Time to get off this train.

It's interesting, how so many people didn't mind the derpiness in the first half, but now people drop it left and right. But maybe that's just me, I kinda felt that they wouldn't manage to keep up what they delivered with Episode one. I still watch it for the visuals, and I don't think it got particularly stupider.

FreakyFilmFan4ever wrote:^ I honestly wasn't expecting much from Biba anyway. If a show has an ensemble cast and character isn't seen in either the show's OP or ED, then that character isn't to be trusted. It's just modern anime law at this point.

lol



My Hero Acadamia

Sgt. Griff wrote:My Hero Acadamia-Slow in the middle but has ramped up, shame it's almost the end of the season.

There's a good show buried somewhere between my 20th eye-rolling of restating facts we already know. It's almost as bad as Sailor Moons "MARS, VENUS, JUPITER, MERCURY, NEPTUNE, CHIBI, PLUTO, URANUS, TUXEDO MAAAAAASK!!!!!" three times each Episode. But Sailor Moon has the nostalgia bonus.



Diamond isn't Crash (JoJo)

Sgt. Griff wrote:Quite slow as well, not finding it as enjoyable as part 3.

I couldn't handle part 3, it was just so boring. But part 4 looks fucking amazeballs and is so fucking creative. The Restaurant Episode was almost as good as the one of Flying Witch! It seems to be getting 39 Episodes, which seems pretty perfect for the amount of Manga. Man, if they don't split the cours (which doesn't seem to be the case, considering, they've already announced the second OP) this show will entertain me till the end of the year!



SOON MY FRIENDS, the best ED (Luluco) and OP (Kiznaiver) will receive their final form. On 22nd of June, I won't have time to kiss the UK goodbye, 'cause I'll be jamming all day long.

I'm a long time JoJo fan, part 3 was the first manga I ever read since the Dreamcast game made me curious. I have to agree I enjoyed part 4 more than Part 3. It's interesting that it'll be shorter than the Stardust anime since the Part 4 manga is actually the longest part of JoJo besides Steel Ball Run, only by a few chapters but still that could have been two or three episodes. Also it's nine episodes shorter than part 3, a part it had 22 more chapters then. I'm not spoiling anything but I suspect they'll shorten the final fight. The episode that drops today was kind of a mid boss in the manga and took a few chapters so maybe I'll see how quick they adapt this. The stand enemies do kind of get "Monster of the Week-y" but I don't think they'd just cut one out. They might just shorten the length of some of the non combative stands as well.

As for what I'm actually watching myself I've become a pretty big fan of Masakazu Katsura's manga like Video Girl Ai, I"s, Zetman, DNA^2 and Wingman! I'd only read his manga but I've heard people tell me to check out the anime adaptations and I'm enjoying them a lot so far! I've only seen Video Girl Ai all the way through so far but it was so sweet! A really touching OVA that captured the manga in a great way. I even ordered a cell to hang up on my wall next to some others from other favorite shows. We're watching I"s next but I did watch one episode of Wingman raw, really cute! Before he became the master of panty shots and what not though.

FreakyFilmFan4ever wrote:^ I honestly wasn't expecting much from Biba anyway. If a show has an ensemble cast and character isn't seen in either the show's OP or ED, then that character isn't to be trusted. It's just modern anime law at this point.

Biba actually is in the OP, but he's only shown from behind looking villainous; I didn't actually notice he was there until I started examining it closely.

^ Even worse.

Mayoiga
I recommend watching this show, if you're amused by the first Episode. It's got a very specific kind of humor, which, if you're into it, will give you lots of laughs. Also, it's quite an easy watch. If the first Episode doesn't make you laugh though, drop it like a hot potato. There really isn't anything more to say about it, really.

Kiznaiver: I'm honestly not sure how this will end, but I'm sure looking forward to it. I think we're on the verge of something really fantastic here.

Mayoiga's finale was so much fun. I'm going to miss this crazy-ass show.

Mayoiga: I liked the logic of the resolution for the main characters, but was less pleased with those left behind. That felt inconsistent to me, because they had originally found the village empty rather than occupied by previous inhabitants who'd failed to move on. Returning on the bus was also somewhat at odds with other implied instantaneous returns, but I guess it gave a kind of closure (mainly for the driver).

pwhodges wrote:Mayoiga: I liked the logic of the resolution for the main characters, but was less pleased with those left behind. That felt inconsistent to me, because they had originally found the village empty rather than occupied by previous inhabitants who'd failed to move on.

I liked it that way, I think the implication is that people get over their problems at different rates, the ones left behind don't have to stay there forever.

The fifth SYD* OVA is out. Happy days. The last one took months to fansub.

They re-used a gag, which was a shame. The writers should have known better that “love juice” gags tend to stick with you. However- we got a good dose of Uomi, and it was amusing to see Shino getting all pouty over her boy, so all is forgiven.

I liken episodes of JJBA: Diamond is Unbreakable to Chris Jericho matches: I don’t always feel compelled to watch them, but when I do - I’m entertained every time.
It irks me a little that Josuke is never called “JoJo”. It was understandable that Jotaro didn’t use the nickname in Crusaders, he was travelling around with the previous JoJo after all. Must be a language thing. I suppose “JoJo” was/is easier for Japanese speakers to say/read instead of Jonathon or Joseph, hence why the British Jos used the nickname…
It’s nice to look forward to the end credits song again. Can’t say I appreciated Crusaders’ second ED. Odd that upon finally reaching Egypt- the Bangles were dropped.

Food Wars has done a good job of keeping my interest, 11 eps in and really enjoying it.

Watching the Macross Frontier movies. (This time- I’m starting with the first one. I learnt my lesson from last time, Xard.)
Been a long while since I saw Frontier TV, I’ve forgotten most of the fine details so things should feel nice and fresh with a movie retelling…
That said- I couldn’t make it past the first hour in one sitting. Will try again later. It’s weird, it feels like I’m being given too much and too little all at once. One thing I definitely haven’t been given however- is a reason to like any of the characters.
At the 37 minute mark, this happens:

Apparently- the world ends at the edge of the picture frame. Ugh. How… cartoony.

Gearing up to give Monster another go. Just want to catch up on Kiznaiver and the Lost Village first.

I finally caught up with Flying Witch. After a good start it just kinda fades away; a bit like Nichijou did. Whereas Azumanga Daio had a continuity that kept you coming back for the gags, the gags in Flying Witch (and Nichijou) become the only point, and lose their hold as a result. Also, Nichijou was funnier, but Flying Witch is less repetitive.) I'll probably watch the last episodes for completeness, but don't expect anything more than transient amusement from them.

But it's not a gag show . . .

Sure - but the rest of it has become so feeble that the gags which there are have become all that's left. The only character development has been in reverse, forgetting about what made each character distinctive when they first appeared.