What Anime are you watching?

[Rodent of Unusual Size]

I've still got 8 shows from this season I haven't started watching, let along the dozen or so from this past year. It can't be time for winter season already, can it?

[B E C K]

The first five trailers on joe's list are on mine as well. #6 didn't interest me and #7 I've never heard of.

And, also, may chell out these....

I'll admit it: I'm only interested in this because of Rose.

I don't think this one actually looks good. But I'm curious about if it is or isn't.

This one, too. I suspect I'll like the first episode and dump it as he has to find and "marry" other princesses.

Skelly-bro.

Read the available manga of this one and looking forward to it.

What is this? A special or something? I liked the other Burn the Witch thing I saw enough to watch this. Even though I loathe the blond dude.

Crunchy's supposed to have this one, too, but I can only find the Spanish trailers. I've read the Lady Elise manwha and would like to watch it despite the cringe ending. The other show I know nothing about.

Not sure what platform this one's going to.

[jonhammstein]

Danjon Meshi is some primo anime. Love the characters, the comedy, it's got a Bump of Chicken song, what more could I ask for?

[B E C K]

I haven't started much of the current season. Shangrila Frontier and Apothecary Diaries are both continuing from the Fall season. Both of them had banger openings and changed to inferior openings, which chars my grits.

Something in Shangrila Frontier's animation is different with the latest episode. The eyes are all "super cute" for some reason and it's weirding me out. Opening song went from S-tier to B-tier. My thoughts for this show (from Fall) are that it's solid but the pacing feels super slow sometimes. Spending several minutes hearing the rabbit sing wasn't a fun time. Sometimes I get the distinct feeling scenes are being dragged out. This show will come out good for people who skip out on it and then go binge it; but watching it week to week sometimes feels unsatisfying.

Apothecary Diaries quickly improved its own pacing problems about five episodes in. The opening song for this cour went from A-tier to C-tier (and, honestly, E-tier on several of the OP's visuals) and once the music changed, I didn't bother with the closing song at all. The content that matters is still pretty great.

For new stuff, I watched:

A Sign of Affection. Lovestory between guy and deaf girl. My only issue is that nearly every male character in this thing looks fruity as hell. It's super distracting. The story seems okay so far and the two leads seem really strong in terms of having likeable personalities that may keep me invested. Don't know how much I'll stick with this.

Solo Leveling. This thing is so hyped for whatever reason and this first episode was so stunted. It's not terrible, mind you. But this show is soooo desperate to show you its cool world and cool characters and cool unique world-building and cool female lead and it's, just, STOP. STOP IT.  Stop exposition dumping and showing me people who don't fucking matter right now and let the viewer learn about these things organically. The "weak" e-rank male lead meeting up with the group, going into the dungeon, and encountering death is a strong enough hook. I wanted more of that. I wanted a whole episode of this guy going into the dungeon and the result. This part was of the episode was fantastic and immersive and it was so annoying that the show blue-balled me (for lack of better wording, lol) super-hard: see these giant ants? see this important guy in the suit? see these cool s-rank adventurers? see this hot popular chick in the hat stopping a purse-snatching? WHO GIVES A FUCK ABOUT A PURSE SNATCHING WHEN THIS GUY AND HIS FRIENDS ARE GONNA DIE IN THIS DUNGEON? And it's not like this is a special 40-min+ episode. This ended too abruptly, which imo isn't okay for a first episode because it didn't successfully set up its premise. You have this type of cliffhanger later, not now. SAO is garbage but that one set up a fantastic first episode. This show is about this dude "solo-leveling" so show us how its gonna be about that. I have no source material familiarity. As a newb to this world, what the fuck is this all about? In this aspect, this utterly failed as a first episode selling the viewer on a concept. I'm confident this show will be carried by pure fan-wank and it does have good visuals and voice-acting. It also does succeed in making me tune in next week. But I'm still annoyed. 

Tales of Wedding Rings went about how I expected it to with the exception that I thought the two leads would have a more solid relationship. I thought they were already romantically involved but it's more "two kids who clearly love each other just friendzoning each other." Which was disappointing since them having a cute relationship was the one aspect I was expecting to like. (And they still have a nice relationship but, no, I don't believe they'd still be "just fwends" this entire time.) The show overall is not super offensive or terrible but something about the world these characters live in (Japan and wherever) feel super non-lived in and bland to me. I can't put my finger on why. Also, girl, put your tits away. At least while you're still in Japan. Her boobs hanging out was killing my immersion.

[B E C K]

Finished ep 1 of 7th Time Loop, which I've read the manga on. Pretty good so far but I still hate her hair. A lot of the hair, actually. But that's a nitpick at worst.

[jonhammstein]

I watched the first episode of the one where the femcel gets off on assaulting magical girls. Pretty vile. Japanese television is getting kind of brazen with their content. I'm no prude, but why does so much of this stuff always lean so heavily towards noncon? "Grr! The fact that they're clearly NOT enjoying it is PRECISELY what gets my motor running!" Blech.

Deaf Girl Monogatari was cute, but you're right, they seem to inhabit a world where evolution favored feminine traits.

I gave Solo Leveling a try, because like you I caught wind of all the excitement surrounding it, and I did end up liking it more than I thought I would. That being said, I'm guessing everybody gets a wardrobe change at some point, because right now all the character designs look like they came straight out of the Sears Fall Catalog circa 1998.

[B E C K]

You know, I felt they were dressed kinda weird for their work but couldn't put my finger on what I found strange about it. I handwaved this point only because being poor and needing money was a plot point. So I figured they're stuck wearing whatever's in their closet.

[Rodent of Unusual Size]

Classroom of the Elite is back! You have to watch this in at least 2 episode gulps, though, because you have a scenario episode and then a resolution episode. It's oddly like reading Psalms: half of it is bitching at God, then the last half is saying He'll work it out.

[B E C K]

Saw Hokkaido girls. The blondie's cute, even with snot. But the dude's so annoying. I find the guys in these types of shows are always the weakness. And then after an okay beginning, it becomes showing this kid's tits and ass. This show could've been really cute with this girl and the cool setting. It felt like it had the potential to be something unique--like a snowy Dress-up Darling--but it was only mid.

Speaking of mid, that's Momochi house in a nutshell: peak, generic early 10's supernatural romance. Nothing remotely special about it. A poor man's Kamisama Kiss.

[B E C K]

Villainess Level 99 seems like it has potential but the first episode is kinda shit. The fakeout beginning is an interesting idea but all it does is rob us of more time with the main character. Like, nothing's done with the fakeout. It's just a glorified info dump. It's not used as a punchline or for shock value or anything. We just transition into the actual story after the beginning. I'm sticking with this because there's the semblance of something there in the latter half of the episode. But as a first episode, it's a bit no bueno.

[B E C K]

The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic isn't living up to its title so far but it wasn't a bad first episode.

[B E C K]

There's something unfathomably dull about The Witch and the Beast. Add to the fact that it clearly has a sack of lentils as its budget and you get a sloppy story with meh characters and not even a single enjoyable action scene for your trouble.

[B E C K]

Dr. Elise's first episode was an entire episode of set up! Boo! First Solo Leveling and now this. Get on with the damn story. Some of the episode comments are commending how good it is to learn about the character first before restarting her life as Elise. No it's not. Literally what flashback scenes are for.

[jonhammstein]

There's something unfathomably dull about The Witch and the Beast. Add to the fact that it clearly has a sack of lentils as its budget and you get a sloppy story with meh characters and not even a single enjoyable action scene for your trouble.

I was a little caught off guard by how low effort it was, visually. Like, even if a show ultimately ends up looking like shit, back in the day they would at least try to hook you with a lavish first episode.

It's probably an unfair generalization, but you can usually tell when the production team is passionate about their work, versus just showing up for a paycheck.

And can I just say, I really fucking hate it anytime I start a new show and the entire introduction is just a narrator info dumping the entire premise of what I'm about to watch. Like, how about some worldbuilding VIA storytelling? If I'm left to piece things together for myself, it makes for much more compelling viewing, right?

I'll give Metallic Rouge credit in that department, because they drop you into it with little to no explanation as to what's going on.

[B E C K]

And can I just say, I really fucking hate it anytime I start a new show and the entire introduction is just a narrator info dumping the entire premise of what I'm about to watch. Like, how about some worldbuilding VIA storytelling? If I'm left to piece things together for myself, it makes for much more compelling viewing, right?

Yeah. And I think a couple of shows are trying to skirt this by showing shit that doesn't matter to the narrative. Like Solo Leveling and Dr. Elise. It's the counter to "show, don't tell," with the problem being: but did we need to know this or see this in the first place?

On the former, I'm hard-pressed to see how seeing a bunch of people whose names I've already forgotten do shit I've already forgotten about is gonna pay off later.

For Dr. Elise, I know for a fact it doesn't pay off at all. Dr. Elise loaded it's first episode with bloat when it's already shown it wasn't needed to begin with via the manhwa.

[B E C K]

I'm not sure what to think of Sign of Affection after the second ep. It introduces the childhood friend and it's just, yay. Great. The childhood friend. He doesn't seem like a terrible character on his own but it feels like a cheap wrench to throw in the works instead of allowing the leads to get to know each other and grow.

Also don't really know what to think about Solo Leveling with its second ep. It feels like it's going to be a trend that we'll get tense scenes and action and then the show will have another scene cut in with nonsense I don't care about. I bit the bullet and went through some 30+ chapters of the manhwa because I can't tell where this is going or why this is "solo" leveling.

Minor spoilers follow within my brick-wall of text below. Not, like, ending shit or anything that major.



I don't think its likely I stick with this. That this becomes a game for him where he can level and get all of these skills and benefits while no one else can isn't really an interesting premise. And his next two fights against other people are against crazy people. It's, like, can people try to kill you for other reasons besides being psycho nutjobs?

There's also too many nutjobs in this thing. Nutjob and his party, nutjob prisoners, nutjob assassin, S-rank nutjob whose the brother of nutjob and wants revenge for his death. Speaking of, why is the S-rank nutjob allowed to go off and kill people? He's just "imma gonna leave and go kill people." So what keeps any higher ranked hunter from going off and killing whoever they want?

The first dungeon is so cool and interesting with riddles and shit. In going through this manhwa, nothing's comes anywhere close to it so far. This minute this dude "teleported" behind the White Tiger guild guy and then proceeded to make a bullshit deal with him that ripped him off, I kinda gave up on reading anymore. I don't get why he had to be a dick and steal from him. I don't get why he's showing off to him. Especially if he's trying to not call attention to himself.  He's also threatening this guy to not snitch but you're showing off, you fuck. Fuck this, I didn't even get to Smell-chan.

This world building feels like swiss cheese. Why do the dungeons have Vegas rules? Hunters or whatever appear to be necessary resources, yet no government or guild or other organizing body puts in an overseer or someone like that to go in with the group? Why would anyone bother going inside of these dungeons if nothing guarantees their safety from being assaulted by others? Rich boy was gonna get killed for his armor. Also, why is rich boy allowed to risk death alone without a chaperone or something.

And no one gives a shit that hunters risk not making any money at all on these raids? Like E-Rank guy's called in to fill numbers but then struggles to pay his rent?  He's the supposed weakest hunter so if even he is called in, all hunters are needed, right?  Why isn't there some sort of stipend or something for hunters if they're so necessary? If they're needed, why would it be in anyone's interest to let them be homeless or starve? 

Why is E-Rank guy hiding his powet but then turns around and works with the rich guy? Why does he think going into dungeons with only the two of them wouldn't call attention to the fact at least one of them is super strong? Rich dude called in some ringers because dungeons require a certain number of people for entry. But then the ringers didn't appear to even go inside? And then other people can walk right up to the dungeon and SEE the ringers they paid hanging outside of the entrance. Earlier in the story, a group of eight walks out and then goes back in to kill the other two of their team of ten. Why did you need a team of ten in the first place? If it's a bureaucratic thing, then who's making sure all of the people go inside the dungeon? No one, apparently. The ringers had to agree to secrecy or pay back "ten times" what they were initially paid. Then couldn't one of them just sell out for an amount over ten times their pay and then pay back the penalty with no consequences?

Also, why is E-rank still trying to keep a low profile when he can get more money for his family? Isn't that what he wanted? Money for his family?

[jonhammstein]

I definitely enjoyed the second episode of Solo Leveling more than the first. I'm sorry to say that I didn't read most of your post, because for stuff I'm not already familiar with, I prefer going in blind. Ignorance is bliss! And if it shits the bed somewhere down the road, I'll just drop it.

MAPPA is on some S-tier shit with Bucchigiri. First episode is so detailed, and so colorful, and so kinetic, and I loved every minute of it. Easily my frontrunner for the season thus far.

[B E C K]

I definitely enjoyed the second episode of Solo Leveling more than the first. I'm sorry to say that I didn't read most of your post, because for stuff I'm not already familiar with, I prefer going in blind. Ignorance is bliss! And if it shits the bed somewhere down the road, I'll just drop it.

Nah, don't worry about not reading my text-wall posts. I vent to vent and I put the spoiler warning there so I don't rattle away on things you would've rather been surprised about.

Disappointed this week's Shangrila Frontier was a recap. Sometimes I forget those are still a thing.

[B E C K]

Sasaki and Peeps.  I thought this was just an isekai with an older protagonist and didn't realize this is a middle-aged white-collar man's powet fantasy where he's surrounded by a loli harem. Gross.  Get this man some adult friends.

That's what I get for not doing my homework on this one: the writer's name is Buncololi and the various LN covers have the MC standing with little girls.  No, thanks.  I kinda liked the first episode, too; although I was admittedly already losing interest in the second episode even before that "twist" at the end. This real-world psychic shit isn't really interesting.

[jonhammstein]

That's what it's about?! I had tossed that one on the nope pile based on the isekai-ness alone, but I feel like I have to see it for myself now.

Did you try the one where the evil dude is obsessed with pandas? It's cute, but it's what the cool kids would call a nothing burger.

Edit A: I see Netflix added a new movie called Maboroshi, any thoughts on that one?

Edit B: I just watched the first episode (double-length, woo!) of Sasaki, and I kind of appreciate what an absolute hodgepodge of disparate genre conventions it is. Like every 12 minutes it's shooting off in a completely new direction, so bizarre.

[B E C K]

Yeah, even though I'm not sticking with it, the first episode was pretty decent; it was going in so many directions that I appreciated something was actually happening. And it does get kudos for the double-length episode (combined episode?), which several shows this season needed but didn't get.

I haven't watched any Netflix anime yet this year but I did see that one on their 2024 anime trailer.

Which show is evil guy panda-lover? Is that the one where the villain has the day off?

[jonhammstein]

Mr. Villain's Day Off, yeah. I should just use show titles instead of vague descriptions.

[B E C K]

Saw the first ep of Dungeon foodie show. Pretty decent. I kinda have questions about some things but other elements of the show were enjoyable enough that I can overlook this and I appreciate the show getting straight to the point. I like the whole lore behind the food, how to prep it, and what parts of the monsters to eat. The food looks good, too.

I wanted to see the second episode immediately but I watched it during my lunch break and I don't have time to see it uninterrupted right now.

[B E C K]

The second ep into Dr. Elise and there's something about it that's kinda ugly. I'm not sure how to describe it. How the characters in Dr. Elise look and move is distorted. I'm no animator, but it almost feels done unnecessarily so. Like if you can't properly animate people walking, you cut off the image above their knees to avoid their feet. Or you angle the image and throw a layer of scenery on top to minimize how much you see the leg movements.  This show is all "nah, imma show you how robots walk." Sometimes they move the way you would move a cardboard cut-out if you were pretending it was walking. Even small items don't look quite right. There's a scene with a ruler and his golden crown is floating on top of his hair. There's even a scene where the main guy and gal don't look properly proportioned.  The perspective makes it look like she's only as tall as his waist. The environments feel dead and sterile, kind of like they did in Niehime.

And it's not only visuals. The story presentation feels butchered. I can only speak as a manhwa reader. I don't know what pace the novel has. The manhwa was well-paced. I read it all in, like, a day or two. For this adaptation, the first episode added all of this useless plodding backstory that has no bearing on the plot. I thought, okay, they're trying to stretch this show out. But then this week they crammed stuff into this episode left and right like they were rushing to fill it in with story. Wtf?

I might still stick with this because the overall story is okay but this feels like a dud. That's kinda okay. This is only the Dr. Marysue anime. Frankly, it having an el-cheapo anime adaptation is a loss to no one. At least this shit didn't happen to 7th Time Loop Villainess.

[jonhammstein]

I know sloppy animation has been around forever, but when you see it these days, you almost wonder if some studios have begun to employ AI in their production. I watched Pluto on Netflix, and there were times when sequences looked "generated" if you take my meaning.

Man, I started watching the second episode of Sasaki, and they've already given up. In the opening sequence, every time they had to redraw Peeps, he was hilariously off-model. In one shot his body is too slender, in the next his beak is way too big, it was beyond goofy. That was an easy drop.

[jonhammstein]

You know, I think I like the idea of new shows a lot more than actually committing to watching new shows. A lot of these that have left me feeling relatively optimistic after the first episode, when it comes time to chell out episode number two I can't even force myself to sit through until the end.

So few shows feel special or vital. It's mostly just a bunch of hastily-assembled refuse piling up at the end of a conveyor belt.

abesimpson.png

[jonhammstein]

It probably doesn't help that I'm simultaneously working my way through my highly-curated backlog, where pretty much everything is guaranteed to be something I enjoy. For instance, I always look forward to watching another episode of Frieren, and so far that show hasn't disappointed me once. Of course, there's the possibility that that won't always be the case.

To Your Eternity is a recent example. That show had such a strong dozen or so episodes, but I'd say even as early as the second half of the first season, the quality fell off a cliff in every meaningful way. The art became rushed and ugly, but even worse, the storytelling was a shadow of its former glory. And the second season only cemented my attitude, with its tendency to spoon-feed viewers the Reader's Digest version of events. It was almost like watching a bunch of recaps strung together for more fleshed-out episodes that don't actually exist.

[B E C K]

I know sloppy animation has been around forever, but when you see it these days, you almost wonder if some studios have begun to employ AI in their production. I watched Pluto on Netflix, and there were times when sequences looked "generated" if you take my meaning.

I'm sure they have. In fact, I think one of the weird "guy walking like a cardboard cut-out" sequences in Dr. Elise was their software puttering out. It was so visually jarring that I can't believe a human was behind it.

[jonhammstein]

Yeah, I think some of the moments in Pluto that stuck out were character walk cycles. I'm trying to think of what it looked like. Maybe if you were to record Michael Jackson doing the moonwalk, but then you played it back in reverse. Kind of like that.

[B E C K]

Watched the first two eps of The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash. It's okay so far. Not "wow" but has some elements that put it just above average. I like the idea of a child with limited ability surviving on their own but I'm wondering how quickly this interesting premise will be abandoned. Because I imagine it will be. Also, the child ends up with some adult nakama so I'd need to see how that's handled. (Japan's making me wary of those adult/child relationships.)