[TV] The What Anime Are You Watching Thread!
AND I'm finished season 1 of Canon Busters and @AshburnerX put it best, this series is just...kind of nothing. Its not horrible mind you, but it doesn't try anything really new, and I got a not so creeping feeling that its relying to hard on late nineties anime nostalgia for people to like it. Also, I can tell the twist with Philly the kid in season 2 coming a MILE away and its torture.
Finally, if its a cartoon, I USUALLY binge it like no tomorrow, but this is the first toon it took me like, TWO months to finish based on how little I actually cared about this series' universe.
Finally, if its a cartoon, I USUALLY binge it like no tomorrow, but this is the first toon it took me like, TWO months to finish based on how little I actually cared about this series' universe.
GasBandit
Staff member
O Maidens In Your Savage Season
Genre: High School, Romance, Drama, Comedy, Ecchi
Fanservice:Moderate visuals, constant innuendo of varying degrees of blatancy, open discussion of human sexuality
Premise: What do you get when you mix equal parts Domestic Girlfriend and American Pie, and throw in a dash of Shimoneta? This.
This is the story of the high school Literature Club (no, not THAT literature club), and how five girls go stumbling through adolescence into young adulthood, discovering and coming to terms with their own sexuality, desires, insecurities, and misconceptions. Their awkward journey to womanhood is punctuated by relatable foibles and outrageous outbursts, all culminating in a coming-of-age story that I wish I'd seen when I was actually a teenager - it might have helped me sort some shit out and not been so damn awkward myself. It feels like the kind of book one might have read as a 14 year old that maybe was aimed for a bit slightly older crowd, and maybe had some material in it that your parents might have not particularly picked out for you just yet - but ultimately is a maturing influence.
I give it 3.5/5. While not quite on the level of something that will become a great classic, it's definitely a good watch, and you can tell a whole hell of a lot of thought went into the plot, dialogue, and production - which is more than you can say for a lot of shows these days.
Genre: High School, Romance, Drama, Comedy, Ecchi
Fanservice:Moderate visuals, constant innuendo of varying degrees of blatancy, open discussion of human sexuality
Premise: What do you get when you mix equal parts Domestic Girlfriend and American Pie, and throw in a dash of Shimoneta? This.
This is the story of the high school Literature Club (no, not THAT literature club), and how five girls go stumbling through adolescence into young adulthood, discovering and coming to terms with their own sexuality, desires, insecurities, and misconceptions. Their awkward journey to womanhood is punctuated by relatable foibles and outrageous outbursts, all culminating in a coming-of-age story that I wish I'd seen when I was actually a teenager - it might have helped me sort some shit out and not been so damn awkward myself. It feels like the kind of book one might have read as a 14 year old that maybe was aimed for a bit slightly older crowd, and maybe had some material in it that your parents might have not particularly picked out for you just yet - but ultimately is a maturing influence.
I give it 3.5/5. While not quite on the level of something that will become a great classic, it's definitely a good watch, and you can tell a whole hell of a lot of thought went into the plot, dialogue, and production - which is more than you can say for a lot of shows these days.
Saw Promare in theaters last night. Really enjoyed it. Visually striking is about the biggest understatement that can be made about it. It's like only second to Redline in terms of visual spectacle. It's the most anime ass anime I've seen in forever and is completely unapologetic about it. It's a damn good time and I'm glad I saw it in the theater.
Ps: it's got huuuge gay energy and I loved it
Ps: it's got huuuge gay energy and I loved it
guess ill have to watch s1 and 2 post haste so i can catch the movie in theatres. SINCE ITS NEVER COMING OUT FOR SALE!
YOU CANT STOP ME FROM COMPLAINING @GasBandit !
Last edited:
*snrk*
GasBandit
Staff member
Isekai Cheat Magician
Genre: Stuck in Another World, Fantasy, Action, Comedy, Harem
Fanservice: Ridiculously "high defense" female armor
Premise: Taichi and his friend Rin are on their way to school one day when they are yanked from our world to a fantasy world of swords and magic. There they find they are actually stupidly strong, and set about fighting bad guys and protecting all the good things blah blah blah.
This is the most humdrum of stock-standard isekai anime. This couldn't have been more by the numbers if it were written entirely on a TI-82. The animation is frequently lazy, the lip flaps are beyond phoning-it-in, the plot has absolutely no twists, and every single character is a stock trope, from the standard protagonist, to the girl-next-door love interest, to the token elf, to every single other character. Really, this title serves no purpose at all other than to exemplify exactly what an Isekai show is. It's not bad, but it definitely isn't good. Entirely forgettable.
Verdict: 2.5/5
Genre: Stuck in Another World, Fantasy, Action, Comedy, Harem
Fanservice: Ridiculously "high defense" female armor
Premise: Taichi and his friend Rin are on their way to school one day when they are yanked from our world to a fantasy world of swords and magic. There they find they are actually stupidly strong, and set about fighting bad guys and protecting all the good things blah blah blah.
This is the most humdrum of stock-standard isekai anime. This couldn't have been more by the numbers if it were written entirely on a TI-82. The animation is frequently lazy, the lip flaps are beyond phoning-it-in, the plot has absolutely no twists, and every single character is a stock trope, from the standard protagonist, to the girl-next-door love interest, to the token elf, to every single other character. Really, this title serves no purpose at all other than to exemplify exactly what an Isekai show is. It's not bad, but it definitely isn't good. Entirely forgettable.
Verdict: 2.5/5
GasBandit
Staff member
Is it wrong to pick up girls in the dungeon? Season 2
Genre: Fantasy, Action, Harem
Fanservice: Scantily clad busty women of every shape and color, and gainaxing galore.
Premise: I really though this show would be more about pick-up artists or something, but it continues to defy that expectation, to the point where I wonder if the name isn't completely bait and switch. Anyway, this is still just a standard "fantasy dungeon anime that goes by RPG rules" show. This season has some moments, but an equal amount of annoyances. When all is said and done, it feels only like something I watched to fill the time between episodes of what I actually wanted to watch coming out. It wasn't terrible, just... destined for obscurity, I guess.
2.5/5.
Genre: Fantasy, Action, Harem
Fanservice: Scantily clad busty women of every shape and color, and gainaxing galore.
Premise: I really though this show would be more about pick-up artists or something, but it continues to defy that expectation, to the point where I wonder if the name isn't completely bait and switch. Anyway, this is still just a standard "fantasy dungeon anime that goes by RPG rules" show. This season has some moments, but an equal amount of annoyances. When all is said and done, it feels only like something I watched to fill the time between episodes of what I actually wanted to watch coming out. It wasn't terrible, just... destined for obscurity, I guess.
2.5/5.
GasBandit
Staff member
Do You Love Your Mom And Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?
Genre: Stuck in another world, Fantasy, Comedy, Harem, borderline Ecchi
Fanservice: A constant barrage, ara ara.
Premise: The Japanese government experiments in creating a deep-dive MMORPG using new technology, and based upon his answers to a survey, Masato is selected as a beta tester. There's just one slight catch - all players in this game have to bring their mothers with them. Masato realizes with gradually building dread that not only is his mother stronger and more capable than him in every way, but she is so much stronger to such a degree that he's basically been relegated to being a background character in what he thought would be his own grand adventure. For her part, all his mother wants is to spend time with her son, care for him, and dote upon him. Naturally, these are things that your average male teenager can't stand - almost as much as the fact that he never gets do to anything heroic because all enemies before him are instantly destroyed by his ridiculously overpowered mother. But this is just how this adventure is - it turns out, the whole point behind this government-sponsored game is to rebuild the familial mother-son bonds that are apparently so strained in society today. But not all the players in the game are going along with it, and so often the administrators turn to Masato and his growing party to help them fix the game by dealing with the troublemakers.
It's an inane premise that somehow goes from stupid to endearing to hilarious as the show progresses. This show does everything wrong - it telegraphs every plot development, it invokes every trope, it hangs every lampshade and waves every hand, it often uses eyerolling humor that relies on puns and barely translates, it has egregiously superfluous fanservice shots in every single episode, and it milks its gimmick utterly dry - and yet somehow the subversion of the standard isekai-gaming-world story just makes it fun to watch. It's not a masterpiece or anything, but it's been one of the more enjoyable shows to watch this season, even if it does fall a little into "guilty pleasure" territory.
3/5.
Genre: Stuck in another world, Fantasy, Comedy, Harem, borderline Ecchi
Fanservice: A constant barrage, ara ara.
Premise: The Japanese government experiments in creating a deep-dive MMORPG using new technology, and based upon his answers to a survey, Masato is selected as a beta tester. There's just one slight catch - all players in this game have to bring their mothers with them. Masato realizes with gradually building dread that not only is his mother stronger and more capable than him in every way, but she is so much stronger to such a degree that he's basically been relegated to being a background character in what he thought would be his own grand adventure. For her part, all his mother wants is to spend time with her son, care for him, and dote upon him. Naturally, these are things that your average male teenager can't stand - almost as much as the fact that he never gets do to anything heroic because all enemies before him are instantly destroyed by his ridiculously overpowered mother. But this is just how this adventure is - it turns out, the whole point behind this government-sponsored game is to rebuild the familial mother-son bonds that are apparently so strained in society today. But not all the players in the game are going along with it, and so often the administrators turn to Masato and his growing party to help them fix the game by dealing with the troublemakers.
It's an inane premise that somehow goes from stupid to endearing to hilarious as the show progresses. This show does everything wrong - it telegraphs every plot development, it invokes every trope, it hangs every lampshade and waves every hand, it often uses eyerolling humor that relies on puns and barely translates, it has egregiously superfluous fanservice shots in every single episode, and it milks its gimmick utterly dry - and yet somehow the subversion of the standard isekai-gaming-world story just makes it fun to watch. It's not a masterpiece or anything, but it's been one of the more enjoyable shows to watch this season, even if it does fall a little into "guilty pleasure" territory.
3/5.
But it's the anime thread.
GasBandit
Staff member
Demon Lord, Retry!
Genre: Stuck in another world, comedy, fantasy, harem
Fanservice: Constant, blatant, unceasing and indiscriminate
Premise: Store-brand "Great Value" Overlord.
Hakuto Kunai is the avatar of an owner/admin for a deep dive MMO. One day he finds himself, as Kunai, summoned to a completely different world - where his original game had a more modern, "Secret World" type feeling to it, he's obviously been transported to your stock standard D&D fantasy world full of monsters and magic. And, of course, he's deliriously overpowered. Resolving to live and prosper in this new world, he goes about increasing his power and influence - and gains a reputation of being the prophesied "demon lord" come to destroy the kingdom and grind the world under his heel.
This show's not all that good. It has all the production value of 20 year old hentai, a threadbare and meandering plot, and as I said, a premise that has already been done a hundred times better in "Overlord." That said, it has its moments of genuine comedy. But its first season of only 12 episodes ends right in the middle of a plot arc and it feels particularly unsatisfying.
Oh, look, special delivery, though:
- Me, at least once per episode.
Verdict: 2.5/5. I will probably watch season 2... if it gets renewed, which is not obvious to me that it will, right now.
Genre: Stuck in another world, comedy, fantasy, harem
Fanservice: Constant, blatant, unceasing and indiscriminate
Premise: Store-brand "Great Value" Overlord.
Hakuto Kunai is the avatar of an owner/admin for a deep dive MMO. One day he finds himself, as Kunai, summoned to a completely different world - where his original game had a more modern, "Secret World" type feeling to it, he's obviously been transported to your stock standard D&D fantasy world full of monsters and magic. And, of course, he's deliriously overpowered. Resolving to live and prosper in this new world, he goes about increasing his power and influence - and gains a reputation of being the prophesied "demon lord" come to destroy the kingdom and grind the world under his heel.
This show's not all that good. It has all the production value of 20 year old hentai, a threadbare and meandering plot, and as I said, a premise that has already been done a hundred times better in "Overlord." That said, it has its moments of genuine comedy. But its first season of only 12 episodes ends right in the middle of a plot arc and it feels particularly unsatisfying.
Oh, look, special delivery, though:
- Me, at least once per episode.
Verdict: 2.5/5. I will probably watch season 2... if it gets renewed, which is not obvious to me that it will, right now.
GasBandit
Staff member
How Heavy Are The Dumbbells That You Lift?
Genre: Comedy, High School, Fitness
Fanservice: Tons, mostly in the form of the above girls in workout clothes and swimsuits, but every episode also has a couple "tasteful nude" quasi-pinups. Oh, and LOTS AND LOTS OF SUPER MUSCLE MEN IN BANANA HAMMOCKS. THAT CANNOT BE OVERSTATED. LOTS. AND. LOTS. OF. BANANA. HAMMOCKS.
Premise: Your waifus want to get swole, and you can do so along with them.
I started watching this show reluctantly, but holy crap did I misjudge it. This series is an absolute joy. It's corny and campy and smashes the 4th wall to shreds, but this is by far the most entertaining edu-tainment I've seen in as long as I can remember. And really, it's this season's primary memefodder. Somewhere between a slice-of-life show and a workout video, the localization is absolutely top notch, there's lots of celebrity lookalike cameos, and they even manage to work in showing you how to properly do the exercises in an easy-to-follow way as well. It doesn't take itself seriously at all, which gives it that extra oomph to really be memorable and enjoyable. This has been a season of really good shows (some of which won't finish until the end of next season, like Vinland Saga and Dr Stone), and Dumbbell is right up there with them.
Verdict: 4/5 SAIDO CHESTO
PS: and it definitely has the catchiest opening song this season.
Genre: Comedy, High School, Fitness
Fanservice: Tons, mostly in the form of the above girls in workout clothes and swimsuits, but every episode also has a couple "tasteful nude" quasi-pinups. Oh, and LOTS AND LOTS OF SUPER MUSCLE MEN IN BANANA HAMMOCKS. THAT CANNOT BE OVERSTATED. LOTS. AND. LOTS. OF. BANANA. HAMMOCKS.
Premise: Your waifus want to get swole, and you can do so along with them.
I started watching this show reluctantly, but holy crap did I misjudge it. This series is an absolute joy. It's corny and campy and smashes the 4th wall to shreds, but this is by far the most entertaining edu-tainment I've seen in as long as I can remember. And really, it's this season's primary memefodder. Somewhere between a slice-of-life show and a workout video, the localization is absolutely top notch, there's lots of celebrity lookalike cameos, and they even manage to work in showing you how to properly do the exercises in an easy-to-follow way as well. It doesn't take itself seriously at all, which gives it that extra oomph to really be memorable and enjoyable. This has been a season of really good shows (some of which won't finish until the end of next season, like Vinland Saga and Dr Stone), and Dumbbell is right up there with them.
Verdict: 4/5 SAIDO CHESTO
PS: and it definitely has the catchiest opening song this season.
Everyone called it.
GasBandit
Staff member
Hensuki: Are you willing to fall in love with a pervert as long as she's a cutie?
Genre: Comedy, Romance, High School, Harem, Ecchi
Fanservice: Unrelenting
Premise: One afternoon, Keiki finds a love note addressed to him, bundled with a pair of girl's panties. The note is unsigned, however, and thus begins his search to uncover who exactly his "Undie-rella" is... but in the course of investigating each of the suspects, it turns out they're ALL infatuated with him... and they all have some bizarre kinky proclivity that creeps him out and sends him running. One wants to be treated like a literal dog, another wants him to be her personal slave, and so on, and so on. But which one is Undie-rella? And can Keiki bring himself to accept the love of such a deviant?
So, the premise is a little pedestrian, even with the ecchi twist, and the artwork isn't the best. But despite the obvious pandering, the characters make for entertaining interaction, and the localization and voice acting are top notch. Still, there's a LOT of said pandering, bordering on gratuitous. But, when all is said and done, I enjoyed watching it.
Verdict: 3/5.
Genre: Comedy, Romance, High School, Harem, Ecchi
Fanservice: Unrelenting
Premise: One afternoon, Keiki finds a love note addressed to him, bundled with a pair of girl's panties. The note is unsigned, however, and thus begins his search to uncover who exactly his "Undie-rella" is... but in the course of investigating each of the suspects, it turns out they're ALL infatuated with him... and they all have some bizarre kinky proclivity that creeps him out and sends him running. One wants to be treated like a literal dog, another wants him to be her personal slave, and so on, and so on. But which one is Undie-rella? And can Keiki bring himself to accept the love of such a deviant?
So, the premise is a little pedestrian, even with the ecchi twist, and the artwork isn't the best. But despite the obvious pandering, the characters make for entertaining interaction, and the localization and voice acting are top notch. Still, there's a LOT of said pandering, bordering on gratuitous. But, when all is said and done, I enjoyed watching it.
Verdict: 3/5.
I agree with Gas's assessment, this show is great, even though the track suit budget for this gym must be through the roof.
My daughter and I have been doing all the exercises together now, which is depressing because she does gymnastics and dance and I sit on a couch.
Rifle is Beautiful
It got my attention because WVU dominates NCAA rifle like UCLA did men's basketball in the Wooden era and UNC does women's soccer. They at least treat the gear with due diligence. But holy crap the CGDCT side. So frelling sugary it makes my teeth hurt. I certainly hope they turn that down a notch or five next week.
It got my attention because WVU dominates NCAA rifle like UCLA did men's basketball in the Wooden era and UNC does women's soccer. They at least treat the gear with due diligence. But holy crap the CGDCT side. So frelling sugary it makes my teeth hurt. I certainly hope they turn that down a notch or five next week.
GasBandit
Staff member
Cop Craft
Genre: Drama, Police, Fantasy, Reverse-Isekai, Action, Supernatural
Fanservice: A little, but much more tastefully handled than you'd expect.
Premise: What if Alien Nation was an Anime?
A portal to a fantasy world opens up in the ocean, and an island city becomes "Earth's Front Door" where humans and the sylvanesque aliens mingle and cultures clash. A hard-bitten homicide cop loses his partner to the attack of a corpse reanimated by magic, and an unlikely team-up is made with a young waif of a magic knight from the other world, both bent on finding justice in a chaotic and decadent urban jungle of crime, corruption, and conspiracy.
Combining elements of buddy-cop drama with a fish-out-of-water story, there's an engrossing plot with good characters on display here. The show feels very Western - like an old Dirty Harry or Lethal Weapon movie, or an amalgamation of shows like NYPD Blue, Law & Order, and CSI:SVU. It feels more of an adult series without being "Adult," as in, no titillation for its own sake - but not shying away from mature concepts such as prostitution.
All in all, it's an excellent series you definitely don't want to miss. The english localization is superb, the artwork is top notch, the pacing is good, and aside from a few trope-tastic supporting characters that border on utter stereotypes, the only knock I have against it is a slightly anticlimactic finish. That alone is the only reason I'm not giving it a 5 - everything else is great and you'd really be doing yourself a disservice not to watch Cop Craft.
Verdict: 4.5/5.
Genre: Drama, Police, Fantasy, Reverse-Isekai, Action, Supernatural
Fanservice: A little, but much more tastefully handled than you'd expect.
Premise: What if Alien Nation was an Anime?
A portal to a fantasy world opens up in the ocean, and an island city becomes "Earth's Front Door" where humans and the sylvanesque aliens mingle and cultures clash. A hard-bitten homicide cop loses his partner to the attack of a corpse reanimated by magic, and an unlikely team-up is made with a young waif of a magic knight from the other world, both bent on finding justice in a chaotic and decadent urban jungle of crime, corruption, and conspiracy.
Combining elements of buddy-cop drama with a fish-out-of-water story, there's an engrossing plot with good characters on display here. The show feels very Western - like an old Dirty Harry or Lethal Weapon movie, or an amalgamation of shows like NYPD Blue, Law & Order, and CSI:SVU. It feels more of an adult series without being "Adult," as in, no titillation for its own sake - but not shying away from mature concepts such as prostitution.
All in all, it's an excellent series you definitely don't want to miss. The english localization is superb, the artwork is top notch, the pacing is good, and aside from a few trope-tastic supporting characters that border on utter stereotypes, the only knock I have against it is a slightly anticlimactic finish. That alone is the only reason I'm not giving it a 5 - everything else is great and you'd really be doing yourself a disservice not to watch Cop Craft.
Verdict: 4.5/5.
fade
Staff member
Ranma 1/2
About 30 episodes in I think. This show is funny! Surprisingly so. It's not just the stiff jokes a lot of so called comedy anime have. These jokes are actually funny. Also, honestly, Ranma's supposed curse is anything but. Oh woe is me, I can turn into an attractive girl. Boo hoo. I'm crying, really.
About 30 episodes in I think. This show is funny! Surprisingly so. It's not just the stiff jokes a lot of so called comedy anime have. These jokes are actually funny. Also, honestly, Ranma's supposed curse is anything but. Oh woe is me, I can turn into an attractive girl. Boo hoo. I'm crying, really.
you will be glad to know they will make the same jokes for SEVEN SEASONS.
GasBandit
Staff member
Oh yeah, like so many Rumiko Takahashi gigs, Ranma 1/2 starts out great! It's just when the filler starts to hit in later seasons...
That.you will be glad to know they will make the same jokes for SEVEN SEASONS.
Status quo is god to Takahashi.
Nothing is ever resolved. Nobody is ever cured of their curse, Kuno never figures out Ranma is the "Pig-tailed girl," Ryoga never gets any kind of growth (aside from learning new techniques of course) and Akane never figures out he's P-chan, basically no major conflict that is ever introduced is ever resolved. Oh, but filler is great, right?! Thank god we got to watch that egg-catcher-man episode or that episode about the dojo getting a new student paying entirely in rice and then next episode he's GONE and never heard from again, right?
Anyway, if you like Ranma 1/2, I sincerely and emphatically recommend reading a fanfic called "The Saotome Gambit," which is a Ranma 1/2 BATTLETECH crossover. Yes, seriously.
Oh, and you'll find out also in later seasons why Ranma's turning into a girl is a problem, when you meet his mother.