Spring 2024 anime

Some repeats in here but, again initial impressions:

Watched:

• Gods Game We Play — interesting premise, a bit weak execution in the first episode. 2nd ep at least had interesting puzzles going on. Still, Watching, for now
• Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf — it has better more tightly polished plotting than the 2008 series, and 2 cours at once this time. Definite watch all the way through
• Train To Another World — celebrating the 150th year of Japanese Railroads with a trip down the first line built (I think). Very surreal and fun so far through 2 eps. Watching
• Yuru Camp S3: The girls are back for more Maximum Comf. Definite Watch
• Henjin no Salad Bowl: Hinamatsuri with a detective instead of a yakuza. Watching
• Astro Note: Its Maison Ikkoku with aliens. She's even a Wido(w)! 3 Episode Rule
• Hey! Tonbo: Cute, laid-back golf story. No underground death matches, but chill and fun so far. 3 Episode rule
• Highspeed Etoile: Iffy CGI characters, but cool CGI for the races. Plot seemingy really starts in episode 2. 3 Episode Rule
• Tonari no Youkai-san: supernatural slice of life with just a hint of darkness. I really like it 3 Episode Rule, but a very likely continue
• Jellyfish in the Night - feels like it's a coming-of-age series, with vibes similar to Ya Boy Kongming! - underground idol/indy-rock in Shibuya, but without the tactical genius. Very pretty cityscapes as well. 3 ep rule, but a likely continue
• A Condition Called Love: whether you like this show or not depends how you see Hananoi. I saw him as creepy and overbearing. Dropped.
• Grandpa and Grandma are Young Again: I thought it would be cute and wholesome, but it seems to only have two jokes and one of them is incest. The other is the rejuvenated young people doing old people stuff. Dropped.
• Unnamed Memory - I think I know where this is going. Witch and Prince will slowly fall for each other. 3 ep rule
• Mysterious Disappearances - the trailers de-emphasized the amount of fanservice shown in this first episode in favor of the horror vibe. Sumireko is built up as an interesting character before literally objectifying her and taking away her agency, which she slightly reclaims when she stole the book back. 3 ep rule. Whether I continue depends on if the fanservice remains excessive or if its as de-emphasized as it was in the trailers.
• The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio: two girls who seem to hate each other, but there is a hint of attraction in there. Not labeled as such on Ani Chat or MAL, but the manga is tagged as GL, things will probly get spicy as hate-to-love blooms. Watching for now

Not available or on a service I don't watch:

• Girls Band Cry : Not picked up: Dropped
• The Fable: Its on Hulu/Disney+. Dropped
• Go! Go! Loser Ranger! Hulu/Disney+: Dropped
• Blue Archive the Animation: not picked up: dropped
• Mission: Yozakura Family Hulu/Disney+: Dropped

My last unwatched shows are on Saturday:

• Kaiju No. 8
• Whisper Me a Love Song

Edited by ScrewySqrl on Apr 11th 2024 at 12:08:15 PM

Has anyone else watched Tadaima Okaeri yet? It melted my brain in a good way and made me add "don't wait for summer to get a new Crunchyroll gift card once the current one expires basically anytime now" to my to-do list. It appealed to the aspiring queer ally in me (I only really qualify for a couple of the meanings of the A in the acronym and the leads might as well be on the G and T/I side of things), the part of me that likes reveling in the cuteness of very young children and the world seems just different enough from our own to have me wonder what's up with it.

Hoping it stays as good/interesting for the whole season. And that the Fantastic Caste System doesn't devolve into anything too dark.

Edit: I saw the word Omegaverse on a previous page while giving it a second skim and found out what it actually means for the first time.

Edited by Nazetrime on Apr 12th 2024 at 9:03:42 PM

OOOH neat another TadaOka watcher!
Welcome to the Omegaverse! It's also my first time dealing with this kind of BL anime in seasonal form, so I hope you'll enjoy your stay as much as I would.

I just saw the first episode of Mysterious Disappearances, and I'm going to disagree with ScrewySqrl's interpretation. Sumireko gets into a supernatural mess due to outside events and needed Adashino's help to understand what was going on, but the first episode is also about Sumireko's past, her feelings on her current state in life, and how she deals with her (apparent) Fountain of Youth. The climax hinges on persuading her to believe in herself rather than do something self-destructive. It's about what choices she makes. Moreover, I don't think future episodes will just be about Sumireko getting herself into similar problems. I think this is going to be about her helping other people deal with similar problems, like a darker Bakemonogatari.

I actually feel pretty optimistic about the series. Though if the opening is any indication, there probably will be a good bit of fanservice to come.

Also, wouldn't literally objectifying Sumireko involve turning her into a chair or something?

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=17128464150A69858300&page=1#1

For Viral Hit.

Kaiju No. 8 is out. No thread for it I believe.

Sumireko is objectified by the camera with constant lingering shots of her chest, slow pans from her legs to her chest, her ass to her face, or from her chest to her face. Gratuitous shower scene frames so it again draws your eyes to her (bare) chest. All just so the audience can ogle at her massive mammaries. It's the bad kind of fanservice because it interrupts the story. She is reduced over and over again to her body, and even more than that, her virginity, which is the source of her powers.

Edited by ScrewySqrl on Apr 13th 2024 at 1:12:21 PM

Initial Reactions:
Maou Gakuin no Futekigousha S2 2nd cour: I seriously hope I can remember what's going on this time around...
Kaiju No. 8: Colossal action as expected of Jump series? Check. Banger OP and ED? Check with kudos for bringing in Western artists. But did it sell for me? Not yet...
Sasayaku You ni Koi wo Utau: The initial misunderstanding was a bit painful to see, but nonetheless, I'm rooting for both of their happiness together!!
THE NEW GATE: Pretty standard... It decided to pull an SAO, and then after, pulled an isekai scenario to make it interesting. Ok? But Shin's first outfit isn't really helping it stand out... I might as well be here because Sou's doing the OP...

Kaijuu 8-gou was... interesting. I went in completely blind, so my reactions were, in order:

OK, so there's random Kaiju attacks and there's teams that fight them. We see the super Team 3, so this eight is going to be about a newbie team that's just formed or something? Threatens to be a big generic, but it's all about the execution, so let's see...

Wait, oh, so this is about those people who clean up after Kaiju attacks? That's more interesti... But now the lead has a childhood promise and there's a sudden action scene so more likely this'll be about a middle aged guy changing their life and starting with their dream from the bottom? So we'll probably get that new team after all.

And now he's a Kaiju... Why does that leave me disapointed?

So yeah, felt like there were enough concepts for at least three different pilots in the first episode and in the end they picked the least interesting option. Still, I was sort of sold by the lively characters that managed to have strong personalities with very limited screen time so I'm on board for now.

First Impressions

• The iDOLM@STER Shiny Colors: Might be because it's going up against GIRLS BAND CRY and Jellyfish, but dang was this introduction bland. The soundtrack might have been trying to be poignant but it came off as languid. This Producer somehow has less personality than the previous ones, and Mano just sort of changes her mind about joining the idol group? The other girls aren't memorable either, broadly following previous archetypes. Sorry but these stars you want to shine bright... they're already flickering out of sight. Three episode rule.
• Kaiju No 8: I personally think that the manga has worsened over time and become a mediocre battle shonen. I honestly had no intention of watching the anime until I saw the trailers, and now having watched the first episode in full, I have to admit, the big budget blowout is keeping my attention. That scene of Mina leaping down from a helicopter is still playing over and over again in my head. Even the quieter scenes have great animation, so I can only imagine how insane the upcoming fights will look. I already know what I'm in for, so I'll guess I can tune out of the story and just enjoy the sakuga. Continuing.
• Hibike Euphonium S3: There's a sort of pride in seeing Kumiko seize the reins of her club as its president. It feels like it was only yesterday when she was this dispassionate, bumbling freshman, but here we are seeing her as the still bumbling, but now more skilled euphonium player that's dead set on winning the gold at Nationals. It's also nice to see Reina and the rest back, along with Euphonium’s brand of organic dialogue and endearing character interactions. My heart especially melts whenever Kumiko and Reina take jabs at each other. Last but not the least, it goes without saying the animation and music are both top-tier, as one would expect from Kyoto Animation. Definitely continuing.
• Sasayaku You ni Koi wo Utau: Huh, Spring 2024 sure has a lot of shows starring cute, musically-inclined girls that you can ship with each other. This one takes the cake though, because Yoru is explicitly, undoubtedly infatuated with her adorable underclassman, Kino. And who can blame Yoru? Kino has big golden retriever energy that makes you want to pat her head all the time. It's a shame that Kino didn't actually confess to Yoru, but this only makes the story more interesting. Seriously, I have to applaud Yoru, because when she found out that there was a misunderstanding, she stays firm to her feelings and pivots to courting Kino with her music. I'm rooting for you, Yoru! Get her addicted to the sound of your voice. Definitely continuing.
• The New Gate: Yeeep this was aggressively terrible. Stilted visuals, over-reliant on exposition, and the usual isekai power fantasy muck. Continuing for the lols.

Edited by fillerdude on Apr 13th 2024 at 1:00:56 AM

Whispering Me a Love Song is one of those series that made almost overdose on sugar from the early chapters… I didn’t follow it for very long (partly because of said overdose) but what it does, it definitely does it well.

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=17130599870A07180800&page=1#1

Kaiju No. 8

x3 Re: Euphonium, are they actually getting back on the Reina shiptease train from season 1? I thought part of the kerfuffle around S2 was that most of that was added in for the anime, and S2 yanked it back to Reina being essentially a background character.

Might be shipping goggles, but there’s been some yuri ship tease with Kumiko and Reina, and heck Reina is not the only girl that she gets teased with. That said, Kumiko’s main love interest is still pointing towards Shuichi, which still feels a little off when considering what happened in season one.

Edited by fillerdude on Apr 13th 2024 at 10:30:51 AM

SasaKoi: Oh, this is a bit too cute for me. Unfortunate

Yatagarasu: It's well put together, and I appreciate (if not enjoy) the willingness to have plain and ugly characters. But it's too much of a straight drama to keep my attention

Kaiju #8: Sure is pretty. Compositing is a bit sketchy, but not to the point of being a problem. I don't really like the writing, but, still, following for now

Meanwhile, dropping Wind Breaker (I only like the fights, and there were none in ep 2), and I think I'll binge Girls Band Cry once it's over, but am definitely continuing with Shuumatsu Train and Yorukura

I've read the manga adaptation of the first Yatagarasu volume (that is, the story focused solely on the wife candidates) so it's interesting to see the parts of the story I have no knowledge of as well as amusement at some of the anime only reactions to the story

First impressions:

• Konosuba is so back, and it's still as good as it was when we left off after the movie. Plus, it's looking to be better than the Megumin spinoff, which was admittedly eeeeh. Definitely continuing
• The morning that Yuru Camp S3 E1 aired, I finally caught up with everything else, including the movie and Room Camp. Going fresh into S3, I was a bit scared that the quality would drop somewhat, but just from the first episode alone it looks like the new studio is putting just as much love into this new season. Desperately hoping the good quality continues throughout. The new models need some getting used-to, though. Continuing
• Girls Band Cry is a spectacular show plagued by the worst fansubs I've seen in an anime, but I'm not going to let that stop me from singing the show's praises. The songs are catchy and the characters are shaping up to be really interesting, especially Nina. I'm all for a music anime with a little angst. Definitely can't wait to see more. Remember to flip the bird to show your appreciation! Continuing
• Train to the End of the World is a batshit insane show, just to my liking. Equal parts mystery, horror, and (hopefully) friendship-that's-thinly-veiled-implied-yuri, I could tell from just the first episode that I was going to enjoy this. Definitely continuing
• Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again wasn't bad for its first episode, although I agree that the incest jokes could be toned down a bit. I like the wholesomeness, although I'm hoping the rest of the show turns out better. Three episode rule

Then, for the shows yet to air:

• My Hero Academia is back, which means I get to watch high-schoolers go through life-changing trauma again. Watching
• Please, let Demon Slayer be better than the last season. Watching

Additionally, I've heard good things about Jellyfish Can't Swim In The Night, so I'll try that out too.

Edited by AirplaneNiner on Apr 23rd 2024 at 11:47:00 AM

I'm currently watching The Grimm Variations, a new anime on Netflix that grimmifies classic fairy tales in new ways. The first episode is Cinderella, which seems to have the stepmother and sisters more as victims while the Cinderella character is a creepy little girl.

I'm liking the Jazzy soundtrack, don't really hear it in anime all that often.

Edited by Kaiseror on Apr 17th 2024 at 7:47:47 AM

I just started watching it too, i liked the twist on the classic Cinderella tale.

Watched episode 2 of Mysterious Disappearances. Pretty light on anything I could call horror, but Sumireko and Oto are pretty entertaining as characters, the humor is mostly on-point, and I'm curious to see where it's going.

My first impressions:

• Train to the End of the World: It's been a trip thus far. I normally don't like wacky series like this, but the weirdness is presented as an actual challenge to overcome. It almost feels like someone's tabletop campaign. Continuing

• Mysterious Disappearances: I'm about an episode and a half in. There's a bit too much fanservice for my tastes and it's been pretty light on the horror thus far, but we've got a solid plot hook with the main character. It's sure as hell no Dark Gathering, though. Three-episode test

• Kaiju no. 8: First episode's pretty good. We get to see the less glamorous side of kaiju hunting. Plus the main character is some kind of were-kaiju as of the episode's end. The monster designs thus far are pretty good too. I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes. Three-episode test, but I'm more likely to stick with this one.

• Sand Land: Haven't gotten to it yet, but I'm planning to start on it this weekend.

• I might look into some of the other ones when I have the time, but it's a    hard pass    on the omegaverse anime.

For me, it's more that it seems like media about gay couples can't get any significant success or visibility without shoehorning hetero dynamics in and I'm just kind of tired of seeing it. That said, I suppose it's as much that romance as a genre (including m/m) has a heteronormativity problem as it is anything else.

Edited by Ghostninja109 on Apr 18th 2024 at 12:09:16 AM

(Disclaimer: I'm almost completely oblivious to the power dynamics involved in sex, but understand on an intellectual level that omegaverses give those an extra level or three I can't even start to understand)

For what it's worth, Tadaima, Okaeri has so far (Episode 2) kept a watchability level that I consider on par with that of The Apothecary Diaries, which I had my own reservations about prior to watching due to the Red Light District / Royal Harem setting.

Edit: Definitely guilty as charged for that specific issue. Considering I'm so new to the concept that I spent some time assuming Masaki is a trans guy and can't do such verses in their most common form, the anime has a higher degree of novelty for me.

Edited by Nazetrime on Apr 18th 2024 at 6:08:04 PM

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=17125023070A68100300&page=1#6

Here's the thread for Tonbo.

Grimm Kumikyoku. Watched the first two episodes (they are roughly twice as long as normal). Very interesting take on classic stories. Pretty in vein with original but with a twist. It was pretty predictable for the most part but enjoyable (I surprised a lot of people found it confusing). Also, the use of jazz and interesting arrangements of classic pieces in soundtrack was good. Will watch the remaining eps during the week.

Edited by Nachtwandler on Apr 22nd 2024 at 3:15:38 AM

At least for the Cinderella one, I can sort of see where this comes from. I've had trouble with some non-verbal forms of storytelling in the past and know what emotional abuse or generally manipulative behavior can look like. There were still parts where I wasn't entirely sure what was going on. They may have been a little too good at depicting how illogical such situations can get.

Edit on the 24th because there has been no addition:

Tadaima, Okaeri: Continuing its Slice of Life in the Omegaverse thing. Some secondary plotlines are getting too easily resolved or moving a little quickly to my taste, letting it pass because I tend to write like this, myself. To the surprise of absolutely nobody who has watched the opening, Matsu/Yuki is officially a thing and Masaki is pregnant. And small children being able to tell that someone is pregnant without being told is never not adorable.

Edited by Nazetrime on Apr 24th 2024 at 6:51:09 PM