This season is looking good! Enjoy our thoughts.
Welcome to Kaiseki Anime, where we air new episodes every other week. “Kaiseki” covers currently airing anime, older series seen recently, and other relevant topics for the season. I’m your host, Marina, of the blog, “Anime B&B,” and with me is my co-host Draggle, of the cleverly titled “Draggle’s Anime Blog.”
This week, we discuss our fall 2022 season impressions. So as usual, shall we start with the trash that we’ve dropped?
Yeah, and there are a lot just overall, but also a lot in this tier and the one above it. So we need to get going and try to go over them as quickly as we can.
Okay, so this first one that I have on here, Housing Complex C, have you seen this?
Sadly? Exactly. So one of my followers was mentioning that I probably shouldn’t bother. And I was like, no, no, it’s fine. I need a horror for Halloween. I’m not expecting much. I tried this. And I should have taken their advice because it’s pure trash. Lovecraftian trash that isn’t well written. Very cheesy and currently only available in English. I think we have to wait a bit for the Japanese voices to be available. I’m watching on HBO Max. So yeah, skip.
I don’t think the Japanese will make much difference to be honest.
No, like I said, it’s just badly written. So not much you can do there.
The best part was the racism.
The racism is just like, but that’s also Lovecraftian. Right?
But it’s just like, funny to see it on the screen so blatantly?
Yeah. And more, translated to Japan.
Yeah. The angry woman at them doing their prayers. How dare they?
How dare they, yeah. Next one is Human Crazy University. This is like a flash animated thing. And it was like this guy who’s about to be executed but it’s a comedy. I don’t know. I thought it was really kind of nasty and also ugly.
Yeah, I haven’t seen this. So I have no experience.
What about the next one: Legend of Mana the teardrop crystal?
I saw this. But honestly, I like watched the first couple of minutes. And then I kind of zoned out.
I probably should have done the same. I think I powered through to the end. But I was pretty tuned out from the very beginning. I’ve always been really curious about these video games. So I thought I’d give the anime a try, but it just feels too juvenile, looks juvenile, and it’s just yeah, it’s not very interesting.
Yeah. Dropped. Next: More than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers. This seems like the kind of thing I would like but-
I don’t know. The characters are kind of boring.
Especially the pink-haired girl. She’s just so boring. And then the other love venture. She’s not really a character at all. She just like, I don’t know, love fantasy object.
I totally thought this was your jam. I thought you’re gonna be all in on this. I mean, this is the premise–More than a Married couple, But Less than Lovers–we’re in this world, they have it set up so that students have to do like a marriage course, like high school kids, right?
Are they high school? And not adults, not full fledged adults. High school. And they have to be paired up with someone of the opposite sex, of course, so that they can practice what it’s like to be married. So not only is it like forcing down your throat this idea of what marriage is, it’s putting it across everybody. They all have to experience it before they’ve even hit adulthood and it’s just really, really bad.
Yeah, it’s very stupid. It is kind of funny that they have the security cameras watching them for if they’re in love, but somehow it can’t pick up that they’re only pretending to be in love. So they can get together with the people they actually like.
Except they’re not supposed to have any physical touch. Right? Like they’re not supposed to actually have sex.
Oh, they’re not? I thought they were, they kissed and stuff.
I don’t, I think that’s fine, but I think they’re not supposed to actually get it on. Unless I’m totally misunderstanding.
Oh. Okay, maybe you’re right. I don’t know. It was dumb. There’s like a whole genre, by the way. There’s lots of manga kind of along these lines. Like one of the better ones is Koi and Uso, which you…you probably saw before.
Yeah, but that one was actually interesting in that-
-it’s not like forced like this shit is.
Exactly, that one was good. This one it’s not.
Let’s move on. The Master has No Tail.
This was…she was doing rakugo? Is that right?
Yeah, and it’s actually cute. Like I liked the art style. I think the character’s are cute. I think the rakugo lady…I don’t know what she is actually, but she seems pretty interesting, but I just have too many other shows that I’m more interested in for something that’s like, sort of passable like this to get me.
I think she’s a fox. That’s why the title is my master has no-
-dude, but foxes have tails. But do they just not show when they do transformation like tanuki?
Oh. Maybe that’s right. I don’t know-
-now I’m confused. I thought she’s a fox like in Naruto there’s the fox.
I’ve only seen one episode so if they show her being fox-like later, I didn’t see it.
I might have just made this up, too. But anyway, I also liked the first episode, but then I watched the second episode…put me to sleep. Okay, there were just so many other good shows this season.
There’s too many to like, get stuck on this one. Right?
Okay, how about The Little Lies We Tell?
Yeah, I gave up on this one too.
How long did you get into the episode? Did you actually finish it?
I think I got like halfway.
Yeah, I was sort of forcing myself; I don’t know if I made it to the end. I was just not interested…like it’s trying to do like the whole like gag anime and like for cute girls, but they’re all weird in some way. And they’re all lying to each other. And I mean, it’s kind of…I guess it’s silly situation too, like one is an Esper, one is an alien, one is a ninja, and one is…what’s the other one?
A boy! That’s right! Which is, it’s kind of funny that the Esper can’t read their mind because he’s not a girl. But after like, they do their whole shtick, it just gets old super fast.
Yeah. Good, we’re done with that. And last, but not least, VAZZROCK the Animation.
This is supposed to be an idol show, right? Like I expected idol boys doing idol things, but they sit around in this room talking for much of the episode and I just couldn’t even finish it because I was appalled at how it’s just like panning back and forth between them talking. That’s it.
Yeah. But I wouldn’t have watched this even if it was good. So…
Okay, so let’s go ahead and move on to the next tier, which is more of a to be determined. Like it’s too early to tell. So I’m not quite sure if I’m gonna keep it or if I’m going to drop it. Starting with Beast Tamer.
I am sure I’m gonna drop this for the record. This was terrible.
Oh, so would you have pushed it down if you could have?
Yes, this was trash. I’m sorry.
I guess I’m kind of curious. Like him, confronting his former team, you know, because they dumped him kind of like that other anime where he like becomes a pharmacist or whatever, right? Like an apothecary.
So yeah, you want the revenge?
I want the revenge. Yes. I want to see them come face to face with the regret of having cut this guy without realizing how promising he actually is. And as dumb as I find the monster girls, they are kind of cute. And they’re overpowered and it’s cool that like their powers make him powerful. So yeah, that’s why I’m here. Maybe once we get to the revenge if they like do it earlier, then I might instantly drop it after that. But we’ll see.
I think you’re very naive because you haven’t read as many trash isekai slavery manga.
This is basically slavery, except they call it taming.
I mean, that’s what I said. Didn’t I tweet that I was like-
-oh, hey, not slavery. But beasts.
That’s why I was shocked you’re watching it.
I just want to see his revenge. Okay, and like, I guess it’s because I’m used to the whole like, maybe it’s because of my experience and like video games, right? To me like a summoner, he’s kind of a summoner in my opinion, or like a beast tamer. It’s not that weird. It’s just the weirdness is that they’re humanoid.
Right. So you understand the feel of the revenge isekai now is what I’m hearing.
I’ve always understood it.
Yeah, this is basically Healer, Hero, whatever it’s called, except without the less explicit.
Okay, so let’s go on to Bibliophile Princess.
Yeah, I’m all in on this one. I like the first episode.
Oh, did you just watch the first episode?
No, I watched the first two or maybe three if there are three.
I think it’s really like fluffy pretty because it’s got this sort of pastel, you know, very light pencil drawing…that’s what it feels like. And I liked the world, I suppose. I think it’s cool that she’s so absorbed in her books. The second episode, I actually got kind of bored and obviously it’s like super predictable with that villainess and her father. Obvious. And the prince just being like “I knew all along who I was saved, we knew all along. Oh, I’ve always loved you.” Like come on, it’s cheesy. It’s predictable.
I know. I needed the cheesiness and predictability.
Okay, maybe this is the healing we’ll need later on in the season.
I feel like it’s been a while since I watched like a good shoujo show.
Okay, well, I hope she becomes more personable right now. She’s just kind of…blah.
See this is also a revenge story. You just told me how you love revenge. So…
Wait, how is this revenge story? It’s over in like the second episode.
Yeah, I know, that’s what I was wondering too. I’m also a bit surprised that I thought this conflict would like last the whole show. And now her rival’s already been in jail due to things that happened off screen in the first episode. So it’s kinda weird.
So it’s like, where are they gonna go from here? They’re gonna have to come up with some new conflict. Otherwise, I’m going to get bored.
Yeah, I have no idea what’s gonna happen next. I might get bored too. But-
-I like the first three episodes or two or however many there were.
How about BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War?
So I only watched it because of curiosity. And also because KWoo actually watched a lot more of Bleach than I did, the original, like I stopped after like the first major arc, I think, like after they save Rukia. And he got further than that. I’m not quite sure where he stopped. But we went ahead and we watched like a half hour recap video on YouTube to like, refresh our memories of what we had seen and then like, learn what we hadn’t seen. And then we watched the first episode of this one. And it’s not bad. I don’t think it’s necessary to have read or watched the things that happened before. Someone mentioned that it might be more emotionally impactful, which is probably true, but I don’t think it’s required to understand what’s happening here.
Is this just like, more fighting stuff?
Yes. More fighting. Another big evil is coming awake, right? And they’re gonna have to fight probably. So we’ll see how long I stick with this. If it’s just like, battle after battle, power up after power up, then I’ll probably drop it. But for now, I’ll stick with it.
Okay. Yeah, that’s what I remember of what I saw of Bleach: battle after battle, power up after power up.
That’s why I got bored. I was like, he’s gonna get stronger again.
Okay. So let’s move on to BOCCHI THE ROCK!
Yeah, I really like this one.
It has promise for me, but I have to admit that I kind of find her annoying.
Oh, I think she’s the best part. I like how annoying she is.
Oh, so you agree that she’s annoying?
I don’t know. It’s kind of funny. Seeing her go on stage in her box. And she’s like, this is all I’ve dreamed of. Maybe not.
I like that she is like a self-taught guitarist and a pretty popular one at that. No one knows who she is because she never shows her face, right? And like even her bandmates are fans of her account not knowing that that’s who she is because she can’t play like she normally can in public.
So I’m kind of curious at what point they’ll realize if they’ll ever realize that she’s the same person. She’s just so socially awkward. It’s terrible watching her. I just want to get her to please find some normalcy.
She’s like, awkward, but not in like the most cringy way in my opinion.
Not as bad as like, you know how Komi Can’t Communicate–like she’s not that far gone.
-at least tries, yeah. And it’s really well animated. I thought.
Yeah, pretty, pretty well paced. I love their art style.
I do, too. And I’m surprised that you’re watching this because it’s sort of like a cute girls do music.
Yeah, but it’s like cute girls failing at music, which makes it okay.
Arguably, K-ON! is basically cute girls failing at music.
Yeah, that’s why I kinda likedK-ON! too.
Okay, how about the next one, which is The Eminence in Shadow? I thought I put this lower. Did you raise this?
I raised it up, ’cause I hated the first episode because this is like one of my favorite ongoing manga. It’s really funny.
Oh, I didn’t realize because I thought when you said it was a terrible first episode that you weren’t going to watch it. And so I watched the first episode. I was like, yeah, it’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be like, it’s not good. And I’m not gonna watch it, but it’s not as terrible. And then you were like, yes, it was terrible. So you’re actually sticking with it?
Yeah, so I thought it was terrible. Mainly because I had expectations.
And I still think that the first episode was terrible. But second and third episode: they kind of turned it around and realized it’s supposed to be a comedy.
So it was funny in the second and third episode to some extent.
Okay, because can you clarify things for me? In the first episode, which was the only thing I watched, it looks like that he was kind of this outcast. I don’t know like, socially awkward guy who like helps this girl, he like saves her. And then it looks like he dies and has…he’s reborn into a new world. Right? So did anything that happened in his previous life, does any of that matter in his new life?
So like, that girl, that girl that seemed like she was one of the main characters isn’t even around anymore?
I think she shows up later.
So like I talked to some late novel readers–I read the manga, and I refuse to read light novels–but they told me that, oh, this was a really clever starting point, because it started on the extra chapter from the fourth volume of the light novel that told his serious background. And I think they’re very foolish. I thought this was a horrible place to start, because it didn’t make you think it was a joke.
No, that’s why I was like ehhhhh.
Yeah. You like took it seriously.
Right. So in the manga, and also the second and third episodes, it’s like, this guy, he’s supposed to be ridiculous. Like, the entire thing is laughing at this main character for being a chuuni dumbass.
Well, I got a sense of that, right? Like afterwards with like, how he was talking at the end of the episode, I was like, so he, like, wanted to save her. And he wanted to, like, fight these people. He’s a little vigilante. But he’s kind of dumb. I got that a bit. But like, for most of the episode focusing on the girl, I didn’t get that.
Right. Right, it wasn’t very clear. So again…in the third episode, which I just watched, I thought that was pretty good. He’s currently like pretending to be super weak, because he wants to be in the shadows or whatever.
But then he like, he takes it really far. So he makes…he makes friends with all these losers and he calls them background characters. And then he, he like, asks this girl out with them because he wants to get rejected like a normal backhand character. But then she says yes and he gets really pissed at her. And…and then it turns out, she only did it so that she could break up with her fiance. And then he’s like, oh, no, I fallen into this main character development. I have to escape from this. And then she offers him some money to stay with…stay with her. And then he’s like, do I look like the pers…kind of person that could be swayed by some money? And then she says, yes. And then he says-
-well you’re right. And then he dives on the floor for the money.
Yeah. See, that’s where I got confused also, because at the very beginning with that first episode, when he like talks to the girl and he like mutters something about her being a side character, I was like, wait, so is this like, very real life feeling thing actually already an isekai?
No, so he like has delusions of grandeur from his prior world.
Yeah, that’s what I’m saying…Well, no, because he says that in the very first episode to the girl in his real life. It’s like, why would he say that to her unless like, he’s like, deep in chuunibyou? Like, you know, pretending?
Oh, yeah, he’s deep in chuunibyou.
So another, like, poor decision I think on their part.
Yeah, I thought the first episode was terrible. But there’s some hope to turn it around from the second and third episodes.
I’ll leave you at it. You can update me later.
Okay, I’ll update you later.
Okay, so this next one, Encouragement of Climb: Next Summit, I want to make very clear that it took me a bit to realize this, but this is a full length anime with full length episodes, right? The previous seasons have all been shorts. The first one was like very, very short, I don’t know, like five minutes or so. And then the follow up one was like 15 minutes, they extended it. But this current one is like, full 25-ish minutes. Unfortunately, I think they’re starting out with several episodes of recap, recapping the events of what happened in the seasons before, which I guess isn’t bad for people new to the franchise? I just find it kind of disappointing because I wanted to, like start where we ended. But that’s not gonna happen, I think, until like the latter half of the show.
Okay, so maybe I could watch this recap, since I never watched the originals.
Yeah. And you’re gonna have to tell me what you think as a new viewer, because I sort of put them on in the background just to like, get an idea of like, how many of these are recap, and so far, like the first three that I’ve seen are all recap things. And to me, it was kind of slow because I already knew what was happening. Right? And I was looking for new things. So maybe you can give me a little bit more of idea if you thought they were slow. Or if you actually thought they were interesting.
Okay, I watched only the first episode.
Yeah. I didn’t like it too much.
Yeah, I don’t know why they feel like…because to me, those actually do fit better as shorts. And trying to like slap them together into like longer episodes makes it feel slow to me.
Yeah, it did feel kinda slow.
So I don’t know how successful it’ll be and maybe like the latter half will have better writing that actually fits the length of the episode. We’ll see.
Okay, well hopefully you’ll enjoy the later parts.
I hope so. Because I really do love these characters and I’m kind of sad that I’m not enjoying it so far.
Anyways, next one: Futoku no Guild. I can’t believe I watched the first episode. I wish I could gouge it out of my memory.
It was such trash. I loved it.
It was such trash. So like the whole point of this is that it’s this guy right that…he’s like really strong. And then he gets teamed up with like these other beginner adventurers, right?
He’s not really that strong. It’s just his partners are so weak that they think he’s strong.
Oh, okay. I wasn’t sure ’cause I only saw the first episode and he seemed to be pretty competent.
Yeah, he’s like competent, but he’s not super strong on and he’s trying to retire. But all of his younger people who would carry on his job are so useless that he can’t.
I just don’t understand why he feels like he even needs them to carry on his job. Like does he really think that the town is going to expire if he retires? Like don’t be so full of yourself.
That’s the premise, but yeah.
And the girls are so stupid, especially the first one. Just the whole like fighting with the slime. I just was so appalled.
It’s terrible. But you’re gonna watch it?
I like this manga, too. It’s pretty good.
All right, I’m glad you enjoy it. I wish I could forget it.
Okay. I hope you can’t forget it.
Yeah, next is another shoujo one: I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss.
Yeah. And you know, when I first saw this, I thought it was going to be like the other villainess anime, right, which was really cute. And like, I really liked her. But this is not just a copy. This is its own thing. And I actually…I’m quite enjoying it.
So it’s like a similar idea, right? Where she’s like…is she reborn in this world?
Yeah, she’s reborn as the villainess.
Okay. And she…does she know what’s happening. She knows what’s supposed to happen, right? She realizes that she is the villainess.
She knows she’s the villainess, so…and she knows like if it follows the events she’ll die. So she tries to change the events. It’s the same premise basically, as the other villainess show.
She just goes about it a different way, right? Like instead of endearing herself to everyone, like the previous anime, she decides to just cut it off. Like don’t be around this toxic prince. He doesn’t deserve her. He’s an asshole anyways. And she goes off to befriend the guy who actually kills her in the game, right?
-and sort of endears herself to him. Not intentionally, she just already has that charm to her personality. And I’ve been having a lot of fun with them sort of being a duo together.
Yeah, I liked it, too. It does seem like a bit childish at times, like with the familiars and stuff, but-
I’m kind of feeling like we’ve already done and taken care of one conflict, so I’m kind of curious where we’re gonna go from here, you know, through the end of the season.
Yeah. We’ll see. Prince is in trouble.
Which one? The the one that’s been supplanted already, or the previous demon lord?
The one who’s been supplanted already?
I’m confused by the way, how is the demon lord and the prince brothers? I couldn’t quite follow this.
Yeah, I’m not quite sure. Like, why he’s the Demon Lord, if it’s just by chance, because he has magic. Like he got demonic magic somehow. I don’t know why he has it.
Okay. That was kind of my impression, too.
And maybe they’ll explain that, like, maybe that’ll be part of like, the overarching conflict? I don’t know.
Guess we’ll see. The next one: I’ve Somehow Gotten Stronger When I Improved My Farm-Related Skills.
I’m shocked you put that this high.
This is the one where the guy got stronger inexplicably from like, leveling up his farming, right?
And he defeats like the dragon on the way to town.
I mean, that was kind of funny when he like threw something and it exploded. But now I’m struggling to remember. I thought that was funny. And I think I had sort of a positive reaction at the end of this, but I don’t actually recall. Doesn’t he get like betrothed or what happened at the end?
I think the princess is after him. I don’t remember if he actually got betrothed.
Yeah, he’s endeared himself to the royal family, right?
But then doesn’t he escape or something?
I think the princess follows him though. I don’t know. I didn’t follow it too carefully. It seemed kind of standard to me. Standard isekai thing.
I’ll give it another episode or two. But based off the first episode alone…like I’m not offended by anything.
Right. I’ve certainly seen worse.
It just seemed kind of silly. Yeah.
Okay, should we jump to Management of a Novice Alchemist?
So far is just, oh, it’s kind of cute. She has to open up an apothecary in the middle of nowhere in the boonies. So I’m kind of curious because I typically like apothecary sort of, gathering or botanist kind of, shows. So it’s really just like a first impression from the first episode. I thought it was cute.
This one is totally not my thing. I fell asleep. This is a true cute girls doing cute things. They’re too good at their jobs.
Yeah. And like I had mentioned before, it’s still too early really to give my opinion on whether or not I should drop this. Like I’m not bored yet off the first episode.
Okay. Next is LOVE FLOPS, which…I like this more than I expected I would like it. I especially liked how there’s robots in it. This is the one with the robots, right?
Yes. Because it takes the girls underwear.
Oh, yeah. It also tried to throw out the girl as trash. Which I…I liked that part.
Grabbing her skirt! There are so many clip-worthy gifs here. Oh my god, the boy with the dog which just…I can’t believe they did that joke twice in the same episode. It was killing me and now I’m like terrified of those dogs. I don’t want to think about that.
Yeah, so it was a memorable show.
It was memorable in such a bad way to me.
Yeah. So I’m gonna stick with it and see what happens. Although I expect it will go downhill. But you never know.
Is this something you’re gonna watch with your friends?
Maybe we have to decide between this and Futoku no Guild, so it’s a hard choice this season.
Oh, I’m sure. What about the next one Muv Luv Alternative season two. Is this possibly in the contention?
Oh, no, this one’s not too classy. This is like a giant, robot-fighting alien show.
Yeah, but hasn’t this been notoriously like terrible but also extremely ecchi? I don’t remember.
It was pretty terrible. I don’t think it was too ecchi. Like it has these these stupid suits, where they have like extremely giant boobs.
Yeah. But that’s about all the ecchiness.
So I don’t know. I already…I felt like I already watched one season. I might as well finish it. But I don’t have too strong feelings about this either way.
Did you already see the first episode?
Yeah, I saw the first two or three episodes.
Okay, this is just like follow up on the previous season, pretty much right after those events?
Yeah, exactly. It’s kind of hard to follow this show for me honestly. It goes really fast. And apparently, it like skipped the first two thirds of the game. The dating sim. This is based on one so it’s kind of confusing, and there’s like time travel and stuff. So-
Sounds needlessly complicated.
Yeah, it’s very complicated. But whatever. I like how it’s racist, so that always interests me when they have this like…Japanese nationalism shows.
You should watch Housing Complex C.
Yeah, no. No. Okay, let’s move on. Another shoujo that I really liked: Raven of the Inner Palace. I love these palace shows-
-where there’s like betrayal.
Well, plus, you also like the Chinese setting, right?
Yeah, Chinese palace. I just finished reading Dream of the Red Chamber, which is like, perfect.
Yeah, this one was just okay, honestly. I wish it had more portrayals and more intrigue.
I mean, there’s sort of the overarching intrigue about the previous dynasty, right with her being of their-
-I don’t know, race or whatever. The ones that are pretty much exterminated with the people with their white hair. That whole family and she’s like the soul survivor, supposedly, but yeah, I find that interesting. I don’t know if they’re gonna go further with it. Probably. Yeah, right now it feels a little episodic with the mysteries that are proposed to her.
Exactly. I don’t know. I’m not as big on the episodic mysteries, but I know you like that stuff.
I like it. Yeah, it’s not like groundbreaking or really that new to me. I like the world. I like this kind of style of show. So I’ll stick with it to the end.
Yeah, I’m gonna stick with it, too. Hopefully it’ll have more betrayal.
Yeah. What about the next one, Reincarnated as a Sword?
This is another one where I watched the first episode and I thought it was the worst thing ever.
Yeah, it was like an entire episode full of isekai menus. That’s what it felt like.
I mean, if you were reincarnated into the world like this, would you not spend a lot of time looking through your menus?
I would, but I wouldn’t share that in the anime about my life.
Yeah, well, it was very stationary for a bit while he was looking through the menus trying to figure stuff out and then like leveling up as a sword, like that was pretty boring.
I feel like we’ve seen it done a better way with like, you know how Reincarnated as a Slime he does a similar thing with trying to figure out what his powers are, what he can do. And you have that here as a sword, but done in a far less interesting way.
Yeah. But anyway, I watched the second episode and I was surprised because it was…it was pretty good.
Well, I mean, it’s still an isekai, but I liked it. The sword and the girl, they, they were pretty fun together watching them. I like kind of how this one’s like a pretty anti-slavery as far as these things go.
I mean, yeah. Why aren’t they all?
My standareds are low now, but yeah…I thought the second episode was pretty fun.
Do you think I should give it another try, because I was kind of like this sword is kind of lame, all this menu stuff is kind of lame. I was not into it.
Maybe watch the second episode and see how you feel about that?
I thought the second episode was better than… yeah better than Eminence in Shadow’s second episode.
Oh, that does sound maybe like something I should try then. The next one is Shinobi no Ittoki is about ninja family, right? Except the kid doesn’t know until later that that he’s part of this family. He’s been trained since a child for reasons unknown to him. But then he finds out now that he’s being hunted down as the heir to this family.
Yeah, and he had his childhood friend. It was secretly a ninja guarding him. Yeah, it wasn’t very secret, ’cause she like wore a mask in class. And acted like a ninja.
Yeah, I was gonna be like she’s obviously sort of like a guardian to your family, but okay, and that the whole date thing was kind of funny, I guess. But based off of what I saw, and like the promotional stuff, I’m assuming that she’s eventually going to become kind of a love interest. I don’t know.
Well, I don’t know. She seems to be a major character than just like a throwaway girl who tried to date him at the first episode. I feel like she’ll be more reoccurring than that.
Oh, you mean the one who tried to murder him? I thought you meant his childhood friend.
Yeah, well her, too. But I feel like they’re both gonna be regular faces. Probably.
Yeah, I don’t know. I like the first episode. The second episode kind of bored me. And then the third episode, it started off with them going to ninja school.
I was like, oh, no, not this again. But then the episode was actually pretty good, so I don’t know. I have very mixed feelings about this one.
Yeah. Also too early to tell: To Your Eternity season two, which hasn’t come out yet. But I know it’s gonna be good based on the first season.
Yeah, I’ve already added it. But we don’t know what it’s gonna be like. I don’t know if anything’s changed. I haven’t looked into the staff or anything. So we’ll see.
And last in this tier is Urusei Yatsura (2022), Because this is a remake of a very old classic anime. Did you watch this?
I never watched the original. So I thought I’d give this a try.
Yeah, and it’s very dated. That’s for sure.
It’s also very well made. I thought the animation was pretty good.
I was appalled at how well made it was, but I guess I shouldn’t be because it is quite beloved.
Yeah. I don’t really know why it’s so beloved. But I haven’t watched it. So I guess that makes sense.
I think based on when it came out, there probably wasn’t anything like it. And the characters, especially the girl, alien girl are probably very novel at the time. So she’s just sort of this figure that’s become legendary. I’m assuming to older fans that…even people like me like I’ve never watched the original. I don’t watch these kinds of shows typically. Even I know who she is. So yeah, I didn’t like the show at all. Felt old, felt sexist as fuck, and not interested. So even though it looks fantastic, I’m gonna drop it, but maybe other people like…are you gonna stick with it?
Yeah, I’m gonna stick with it. Although, I completely agree with everything you said, but that’s part of the appeal, I think.
So we’ll see how it goes. It’s definitely very well made. Okay, shall we move on to our more promising shows?
Yeah. And talking about very well made is Akiba Maid War.
Oh my god, this is so good.
This is probably one of the most surprising shows of the season because I mean, I know war is in the title, but I still did not expect the brutality and the comicalness of seeing these maids do what they do in this first episode, and I’ve only seen the first episode.
Okay, second episode is good, too.
Okay, don’t spoil the second episode, because I had so much fun with the first one that I’ve…yeah, I’m really excited for what’s more to come.
I think like you said, that’s basically yakuza, but maids.
Yeah, that’s exactly yakuza but maids. They’re like in debt. They run hit jobs on people. They’re part of some family-
I think it’s kind of funny that all the maids that I’ve seen so far are some sort of animal like, what’s up with that?
Yeah, it’s funny how they’re the pigs. Oink, oink.
Right? It was kind of like, all right, I don’t really get what’s appealing about pigs but okay.
Yeah. And it kind of like…it’s set in Akiba in the 90s, right?
And it has like kind of the feel of an anime from that time in some ways.
Just like how it looks kind of dark.
Yeah, the art style. They were able to evoke that feeling.
Yeah, I wonder if teenagers now are gonna be like, oh, this is what the 90s was like.
Maybe! Wow, I want to go back to 90s Akiba, seems like a hardcore place.
No, I think the…what is it…the 35-year-old maid is awesome. I was like, oh, wow.
That was her in the intro, right?
Yeah, how they show like, way back further and they…like a more traditional maid outfit and I think that was her and then now that she’s like still a maid probably out there for revenge again, delicious revenge.
Yeah, I like the scene where she goes and murders all those people. And then that like-
-blood spurts, like five feet.
But it’s okay, because the other girl was wearing the little ramen bib so it’s fine.
Exactly. Yeah, I knew. Definitely everyone should watch this show. It’s really good.
Everyone should try it at least. Now what about BLUELOCK, which is about soccer? And I recommended it to you. How did you feel?
It was really good and I’m not gonna watch it ’cause I hate soccer that much.
But you thought it was good!
I did think it was good, but it’s soccer.
Okay, so putting aside your hate for soccer, what did you think was good about it?
It’s like the Danganronpa of soccer.
Yeah, ’cause it’s a…what do you call this? Like elimination? Or what’s another word for it?
Yeah, you gotta survive, right? Because they’re looking for the best-
They want to make like the number-one shooter for the Japanese team so that they can compete on the world stage and win. And they’re always like, we’ve always been mediocre. We’ve always been like, second best or lower. We’ve never won. It’s time for us to change that. And we’re going to do whatever it fucking takes to turn you guys into winners. And that’s where our main character comes in.
Not sure I buy their logic, but it makes it for an entertaining premise.
Yes, I was waiting. I was waiting for him to betray the other guy that was like the nice guy. And it happened in such a glorious way. I haven’t seen anything past the first episode so far, but I’m pretty excited about it.
Cool. Hopefully it turns out good. The next show is Boruto, which is still amazing. Y’all should watch it. And then next is chainsaw man. So good.
I’ve heard some conflicting opinions on this. It feels like most people like it. I liked it.
I thought it was awesome. But I’ve also heard some people complain that it looks like they’re not a fan of the art style…looks too realistic, I suppose. So I thought that was interesting. Like just the art style and the character designs apparently was-
-less unique than expected or desired for fans of the source material.
It seemed fine to me, but I can’t see where they’re coming from.
I can see where they’re coming from too. I’m not familiar with any of the source material and I thought it was fantastic and appropriately dark and brutal. And I love the dog.
Do you know what happened to the dog?
I mean, obviously they merge, right? It happened in the first episode.
But I like, I love their little relationship. I thought that was great.
And now he is a demon chainsaw man.
Yes. Did you watch the second episode?
Okay. You should. It’s good.
Yeah, I’m excited. What about Do It Yourself? So cheesy!
I love this so much. I moved it up to this category; you had it lower.
Oh, I mean, because it’s like cute girls do do-it-yourself.
And she is ridiculously clumsy. And she’s a little annoying. I can kind of see why her friend is annoyed by her. But her friend is also annoying.
Maybe this is when I like cute girls doing cute things: when they’re incompetent.
You really like being incompetency, huh?
Maybe. Yeah, but this one was so good.
Oh, I’m the biggest fan. This was like maybe my favorite show this season.
I mean, I’m a fan of the setup. Like I like the effect of having a DIY club. And that’s really cool. And I’m interested to see what they make. That’s probably what excites me the most, is like what kind of projects they’re going to make? And I kind of want to see, I’m assuming she’s gonna make a bench. I don’t know if that’s like end game here. Or if that’ll happen sooner and then they’ll have other stuff, but the main character herself like I’m not the biggest fan of like dumb, klutzy characters. I want to see her improve.
Yeah, okay. Yeah, you’re the complete opposite of me because I don’t care what-
I love all the robots. And I love how incompetent she is. And I love her friend and how they fight
Yeah, we’re totally opposites, but I mean, we both enjoy it, but for different reasons.
Yes. So I’m quite excited.
Maybe that’s promising for listeners then because they’re like, oh well either way I’m gonna enjoy it.
Yes. Oh, Marina, did you see the Golden Kamuy author’s tweet?
The Golden Kamuy manga author had a listing of everyone’s penis size, penis size ranking.
You’re gonna have to send that to me later?
Yeah, thank you. Not now, later.
And talking about Golden Kamuy season four: I’m very excited. I’m here for it. I’ve only seen the first episode.
Oh, it’s so good. I saw the second episode, too, and…I forget…maybe the third episode. Such a good start to this new season.
Yeah, it picked up exactly where it left off: familiar characters still going on in their journey. I’m all here for it.
Although, I can’t believe Hijikata got…fell for that so easily.
What, fell for what? I don’t remember.
Oh, maybe this was…did he eat the poison? Maybe this is second episode.
Well, look forward to the second episode.It’s wild.
Okay. And I’m also here for the next one, which is also a sequel, Mob Psycho 100 3, so the third season. Still everything I love about the previous Mob Psychos, excited see where we’re gonna go from here. I don’t know what else to say about this. What about you?
Yeah, it’s off to a great start. Can’t wait.
So the next one is Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury. And this one, as we mentioned in our previous Kaiseki episode, this is a series but it had a prologue from last season. So we’re…we can talk about them both here. But the prologue was actually more interesting to me. And then the main series, I think you feel the opposite. Right?
I felt the complete opposite.
Yeah, this…this is the best Gundam ever. I can already tell.
What? No! Like, okay, so I liked the prologue because it was like an intriguing setting. I like that they were mostly adult characters. That’s…like I liked their maturity and their focus.
The prologue is like every other Gundam show ever made.
No it’s not! You always have some stupid juvenile character as the pilot. And that’s exactly what we have with The Witch from Mercury. She’s stupid. And the classmates around her are stupid. And the school and its rules are stupid.
Yeah, that’s what makes it so great.
Which is like all the other Gundams; they’re always these young pilots. And they’re all dumb. And look, we have it again.
That’s not true. In the more recent ones there’s the…those OVAs with the jazz ones
My favorite one in recent memory is Iron-Blooded Orphans. And that was a little more serious. I don’t know if you saw that one.
Yeah, of course I saw that one. Yeah, I guess that’s true. I guess it’s more a lot in the OVAs and movies that they have adult main characters.
Yeah, I haven’t seen those, so maybe that’s why we have such like different views of it. And I’ve also been slowly working my way through the original Mobile Suit Gundam and like that pilot’s young and dumb, so it’s like fresh in my mind.
He’s very dumb. But these ones are…these ones are dumb in different ways, I think.
So usually they’re like too hot-blooded and they, they want to fight all the time. And they have no fear. This one has…she’s dumb but in different ways, I think. And they’re girls. It’s like the first girl Gundam drivers.
Yeah, that is a cool part of it.
Main character girl Gundam drivers.
And maybe that’s why I’m more annoyed, Draggle, is I feel like we never see female pilots. And then we finally have them here. Like as a main character. We’ve had them as side characters before like in Iron-Blooded Orphans. But I kind of wanted them to be more competent. And it annoys me that it’s like now we finally get a girl pilot and she is annoying and dumb.
She’s just like the male Gundam pilots. What do you want?
But she’s dumb in different ways. And I like the white-haired girl a lot.
What do you have against being dumb?
I just wish they weren’t so like, I don’t know.
Can you imagine how boring anime would be if everyone was intelligent and logical and-
Yeah, you’re right. It’s not entertaining for sure.
Exactly. Like Akiba Maid Wars if the manager wasn’t such a dumb ass…would be really boring.
I guess so. But I mean, Witch from Mercury looks fantastic.
The suits look awesome, like the Gundam look really cool. Characters are great designs. I won’t disagree.
I love the hair of that mecha repair girl. The blue-haired girl.
-but her hair is like a different color underneath.
I’ve always liked that when they do sort of like those two-tone kind of hairstyles.
Right. Anyway, the next show is also full of dumb people, but I think you enjoy it. Spy x Family season two.
You mean, I fucking love Spy Family.
Well, obviously, but I’m more just like I have been squealing nonstop with the introduction of the dog. I love the dog.
I am so happy. Okay, I was so frustrated last season when they like hinted at the dog but then we didn’t get him, right? I was so mad. But I can see now why they held back. They wanted to start really strong, and strong it was by opening with Bond, the best dog in the world.
He’s a big, big good boy. I just want to hug him. I’m so excited for the rest of this season.
Well yeah, isn’t it a dream? It reminded me so much of…do remember Azumanga Daioh?
It reminds me so much of Chiyo with Tadakichi-san, riding on her fluffy white dog. Here we have it again with Anya and Bond and it’s so ridiculously cute. One of my favorite things about him is not only is he a fluffy white dog, but he has the cutest black socks.
I didn’t even notice that.
What do you mean? That was the whole like joke about his name, right? Because he’s like Bond because Bond has like the gloves, and she’s like, oh, well, he’s got black gloves: my dog.
Oh, I thought it was because he…he delivered the lost gloves to Anya.
Yeah, but she was also referencing his feet. I’m pretty sure that they like looked at his feet and said, oh, he also wears black gloves.
Oh, I completely miss that.
And I’ve totally loved his feet since I first saw them.
Okay, I need to pay more attention to dog feet.
Well, my dog is the reverse, right? I have a black dog with white feet. So yeah, I love dogs with like socks or masks. I like it when they have like those differnt colors over their eyes.
Oh, it’s his fur that’s a different color. He’s not actually wearing socks.
No, he had white fur and…but his black feet.
Oh. I thought he was wearing socks, and I was like, how did I miss this?
Not at all, he just has black paws. They’re…they’re black, but they like go up higher like socks.
Okay, okay, I get it now. I get it. I’ll pay more attention.
You obviously don’t have very many friends or you have much experience with pets when I say things like oh, the cat’s got socks. The dogs got socks. It means their fur color.
Or like the dog has a black mask. It means that they have got sort of like the patterning, like a pattern of a different color on their face that makes it look like they have a mask.
Oh, okay. Well, now I know. Good.
Yes, the more you know. Also, I would like to see more development of Yor. She’s still doing Yor things. Nothing interesting so far. She’s still great.
Yeah, she’s definitely the weak point at the moment.
And last new show: Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun season three. Continues to be great. This is like a shounen show. It’s like more for kids., but I think it’s quite good and I’ve really been enjoying it.
Yeah, like I said that Legend of Mana felt juvenile and kind of for kids but this one feels like it’s for kids, but in a good way, like in a way that adults can enjoy, right?
Yeah, that’s right. I really enjoy it.
I will try to watch the first season sometime for you.
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