Blog Archive

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Fall 2020 Anime First Impressions: Part 2

Maoujou de Oyasumi:  A pointless story where a supposedly kidnapped princess is allowed to run amok, attack and even kill her own captors with no reprisal.  Fail.

Kimi to boku no Saigo no Senjou:  Soooo chuunibyou.  War between modern, civilized nations doesn't occur without good reason.  These two countries are far too developed to be fighting over territory or plunder.  So why are they fighting?  For 100 years no less?  It's an absurd setting.  And then you have this super cool swordsman protagonist surrounded by clumsy, big-breasted idiot girls.  It's just too much!  Too chuunibyou!  What would appeal to a 13 year old boy?  Magic? Swords? War? Throw it in the pot!  Nothing can be too much!  Pour it on!  Fail.

Adachi to Shimamura:  I don't like even one moody, gloomy girl thinking deep thoughts to herself much less two keeping each other company.  Give me cheerful, positive thinking, friendly girls any day.  Fail.

Kamisama ni natta hi:  This was a promising first episode.  A dubious twerp justifies her claim of omniscience over a short period of time, along with a dire warning that the world will end in 30 days.  Obviously this regular high school guy's first question to Odin should be whether the world ending can be prevented, but I have a sense that it can't be.  This story isn't about saving the world, but about facing honestly the end of the world.  It's about facing death.  Something Jun Maeda now needs to do every day ever since his prognosis of heart failure.  But actually the whole world needs to come to terms with the end of the world because we're ignoring world ending demographic changes to our peril.  I'm pretty much resigned to the end of the world at this point, or even exultant about it, since it would prove me right that all these liberal reforms were bad ideas.  So seeing a fellow traveler who's also resigned to the world ending due to 'mankind's foolish choices' explain his thoughts on the matter seems like a good use of time right about now.  Especially considering Biden might win the election in around 30 days just like the timing of the world's end in this anime.

Then again, I've seen many series with promising first episodes fail to deliver on their cool initial premise, including Jun Maeda's previous work, Charlotte.  I need more content before I can give this one any serious appraisal.  Pass.

Maesetsu:  Even if you use the character designer from Lucky Star, manzai is still manzai.  Fail.

Ochikobore Fruit Tart:  A low budget story about low budget idols.  But they're genuinely cute and their music/costumes aren't bad.  It's not a bad concept.  The humor is pretty hit and miss.  We'll just have to see what future episodes provide.  Pass.

Magatsu Wahrheit Zuerst:  A vaguely germanic Empire is having trouble with terrorism, monsters and cataclysms.  Luckily all of this can be overcome with some swords, guns, and sorcery.  The first episode doesn't make much sense, but it is exciting and fun, so whatever.  Pass.

This concludes the fall 2020 season.  A record 20 watchable shows.  Even if I drop one, Shingeki no Kyojin will bring it back up to 20 in December, so not bad!  I told you this season would make up for the whole year.  A season to remember.  In order of how excited I am for each new episode of each series, you get this:

1.  Love Live! Nijigasaki

2.  Strike Witches s3
3.  Major 2nd S2
4.  Kami-tachi ni Hirowareta Otoko
5.  Higurashi Gou
6.  Assault Lily Bouquet
7.  Kamisama ni Natta hi
8.  Danmachi S3
9.  Tonikaku Cawaii
10.  Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear
11.  Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibouken Remake
12.  100-man no Inochi
13.  Healin' Good Precure
14.  Hanyou no Yashahime
15.  Majo no Tabitabi
16.  Mewkledreamy
17.  Jujutsu Kaisen
18.  Magatsu Warheit Zuerst
19.  King's Raid
20.  Ochikobore Fruit Tart

I have high hopes that Assault Lily Bouquet, Kamisama ni Natta hi, Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear, or even Dai no Daibouken will also reach my top anime rankings as the fall season rolls along.  That would certainly flesh out this otherwise lacking year in a flash.

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