Spring 2019 anime

Yeah, Sarazanmai's first episode looked phenomenal. What said plus I'll mention the excellent audio in both audio directing, voice acting and the music. Definitely worth the watch if you're at all interested of something weird.

That being said, the exact same praise could have been heaped on the first episode of Mawaru Penguindrum, the last show directed by Ikuhara Kunihiko that I finished, and in the end when it came time to cash in all that weirdness and symbolism for a great payoff I felt the work never delivered. So, certainly, watch Sarazanmai for the wirdness but maybe don't expect a great story out of it. Then again, there have been people who disagree with me on Penguindrum, so your mileage may vary.

On the entire season, yeah, this feels pretty weak. The only show that I absolutely adored was Mix, but I've loved basically everything I've seen of Adachi thus far and it's all very him. Not even the terrible translation in the subs I watched could destroy the feeling of comfortable homecoming I felt watching the first episode. There were a few shows I'll probably follow this season but nothing really impressed me.

Okay, last batch, let's go

Kenja no Mago: Combining isekai and magic schools, because why follow one shitty formula when you can do two? On the plus side, it makes good use of what budget it has, managing decent fights and spell effects. On the other hand, the dialogue is really bland and clunky. Also they cut out most of how magic works and how physics is getting applied to it, simultaneously losing the justification for it being isekai and removing the only thing about the original I enjoyed

Carole & Tuesday: Gorgeous! Well directed! Poorly written! The setting doesn't really make sense, both in the general "they designed this for aesthetics first" sense and the more specific (Carole sure has nice stuff for someone with no money). The pacing is weird. The main characters' relationship progression is bizarre. The tone is erratic; mostly a slice-of-life comedy, but sometimes it's really cute, or kinda dark, and the manager doesn't fit with anything, being a bizarre (transphobic?) caricature. Also Araragi Koyomi is a villain for some reason? I mean, the show has too many strengths for me to call it bad, but it sure has problems

Sarazanmai: Yep, that's Ikuhara. Best animation I've seen from him, too

So, definitely following Sarazanmai and Hitoribocchi. Some of Fairy Gone, Occult Koumuin, Dororo, Isekai Quartet, Carole & Tuesday, and Kimetsu may get dropped, but are definitely getting another episode before then

Man, this is a weird season. Tiny, but abnormally high numbers of both big-deal series and actively bad ones. Not to mention all the shorts...

My icon is a pretty accurate representation of my reaction to Sarazanmai. That sure was some Ikuhara.

Here's a thread for Sarazanmai if you guys are interested

Edited by ElfenLiedFan90 on Apr 11th 2019 at 9:10:00 PM

Y'know, now that I'm thinking of it, there's also been a criminal lack of good openings this season. I can't remember a single one that made any particular impression on me.

No, I feel the same way. All I've wanted to watch was Ultraman. Even Isekai Quartet isn't something I'm rushing to see.

Despite my lacking opinion of the show itself, I still remember KNY's opening, if only because of the art.

Specifically the art used for the MC's fighting style.

Midnight Occult Civil Servants episode 3:

i highly reccomend you to check out this show, especially now with this latest revelation

Coyote, who set up the trap for our protagonists was revealed to be Huehuecoyotl, the Aztec god of mischief

time to play some appropriate music:

I mean, that seems kind of obvious in an All Myths Are True setting? What else would you expect a coyote or somebody named Coyote to be?

Edited by Iaculus on Apr 21st 2019 at 12:33:22 PM

i don't know, but i certainly didn't expect Aztec gods to get involved, since Aztec mythology is rarely ever used. plus it seemed like a more standard western fantasy + yokai mix from the first 2 episodes

Fairy Gone episode 3:

HOLY SHIT! what an episode!

we got 3 factions playing against each other, with a secret 4th one playing everyone. and Wolfran is soon gonna join in and create some more chaos too

on a side note, we now know how many fairy soldiers there are. 17, which is enough for everyone to appear in this anime's 24 episode run

I'm just over here hoping that Carole & Tuesday goes the yuri route.

Also we don't deserve a weapons-grade cinnamon roll like Bocchi

So among the anime I've watched at least one episode of so far:

• Kimetsu no Yaiba: Way too much Captain Obvious monologues, but outside of that it's an absolute treat for the eyes and ears. And Nezuko is a peach.
• Bokuben: A serviceable adaptation, but much like Hanayome last season, it doesn't give manga readers much reason to watch it.
• Attack on Titan S3.5: It's Attack on Fucking Titan. What more do I need to say?
• Fairy Gone: It was indeed forgettable in the first 2 or 3 episode, but I feel it's taking off with episode 4, so I'll keep following I think.
• Ao-chan wa Benkyou ga Dekinai: Only watched one episode. It didn't really do much for me, even if it's shorts.
• Sarazanmai: A fun ride so far… if you can survive the first episode, which not everyone will. Too many recycled sequences but the characters, setting and visual style keep me hooked.
• Carole & Tuesday: Only watched the first episode so far, but I sure as hell am following this one. I love absolutely everything about it despite the rather conventional structure. And yes, like I hope it goes the yuri route, though that woud be a bonus.
• RobiHachi: Again, I'm only one episode in, but it seems like a "turn-your-brain-off-and-have-fun" kind of show. Which I don't mind in the slightest, as this episode was a ton of fun. A little old school too, I feel. Robby's the kind of protagonist you can't help but laugh at and pity at the same time. Amusingly, it has several similarities with C&T.

So… actually a fairly strong season so far. I would have considered it slightly weak a few days ago, but these last two shows have changed my mind. The originals notably show a lot of promise.

Edited by Lyendith on Apr 30th 2019 at 6:06:57 PM

So it turns out RobiHachi is a weekly space tourism brochure. The Otaku's Guide to the Galaxy, so to speak. Too bad it's limited by the "planet of the week" format though − because of that we end up getting only a superficial glimpse of each planet. A funny glimpse, mind you − Plutonians protesting Pluto's downgrade to dwarf planet was especially hilarious − but it leaves me hungry for more. Also, there's a sore lack of female characters in this. I don't think there's been a single named girl so far?

On the "villains'" side, seems like that mafia boss is smitten for Robby. He does have one hell of a charming smile.

PS: I should mention that I love the fact that the Humongous Mecha is more or less completely useless.

PS2: And man does this show have a banger of an ending theme.

Edited by Lyendith on May 1st 2019 at 1:49:59 PM

Midnight Occult Civil Servants episode 5:

i was waiting for Pandora to drop the bomb of who she is

It might because I just happened to pick the right series, but I feel this season is pretty… gay-friendly. Sarazanmai is already a gay fest, the mafia boss in Robihachi is obviously gay for Robby, and Carole & Tuesday has gay people overtly kissing and even marrying. And if I adjust my yuri goggles enough I can see something between Marlya and Veronica in Fairy Gone.

Watched Sarazanmai's first episode last night. I have little idea of what happened, but the animation is gorgeous indeed.

Speaking of Robohachi this week they had the mascot of the Magical Girl Boy series Binan in it. His pink fwuffy wombat who wants to spread love to the universe.

Never imagined these two series would be in the same setting, considering women don't exist in Binan.

Oh, so that's where it came from? I could swear I had seen it somewhere…

I need to finish and rewatch Binan or Magical Boys

Lovemaking!

It even has a Second Season, OVA, and sequel with new mascots and boys.

Binan and the Magical Boys. What's that?

Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!

Love is over!

Love Is War.