Yeah, I know I’m really late to the party for this one, and I haven’t exactly been doing much lately anyway. Unlike the few previous ones of these I’ve done, I’m just going to highlight a couple of shows that I’m watching as well as what my “winner” is. Why am I picking my own “winner”? Well… in previous seasons, I thought that Lycoris Recoil and Bocchi the Rock! were both fantastic shows and loved them to pieces … and it turned out I picked really well, so – might as well try again, right?
The Intriguing
In/Spectre (S2) – I absolutely loved season 1 of In/Spectre. I am an absolutely fanboy for Akari Kitou (Kotoko’s VA). Plus, it’s just a flat-out cool idea … what if all the spirits and ghosts and what-not needed their own Goddess of Wisdom? But, part of the job of said Goddess was not only to solve issues (High Judge) among the spirits but also protect them from the “real” world. So, things which are otherwise unexplainable (without otherwise needing spirit intervention) need some way to be explained to the mere mortals. That’s the underlying premise. [Note – I’ve read most of the translated manga in ebook form, so I’m now just watching to see how it turns out in the anime – and, of course, to hear more Kotoko!]
Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for my Retirement – It’s yet another isekai (other world) anime … oh, what fun. Except, in this one, the main character didn’t need to actually die … and she’s got the super-power of being able to transport herself (and other stuff) back and forth between our world and the other one. What’s a poor isekai heroine to do? What else but figure out how to make a fortune in the other world to be able to set herself up for life, right? It’s cute, it’s silly, but it’s a cool idea and, aside from a couple of cringe-worthy moments, seems to be decently executed.f
The Fun
Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro (S2) – It’s season 2 of Nagatoro-san. Senpai’s back! She’s back! The rest of the gang is back! Thankfully, as was clearly apparent towards the end of season 1, this doesn’t continue the same steady stream of abuse that the show seemed to start with. [Some analyses I’ve seen make the case that, right at the beginning, Nagatoro likes Senpai – which was pretty clear – but, because she’s never had a relationship before, had no idea what to do. Thus, the seemingly abusive nature of the budding relationship between them.] Yeah, she’s still doing what she does to him, and the noodle-arms are hilarious. But, more importantly, there’s definitely the turn to start having some more “rom” in this “rom-com”.
The Cute
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten – All right. I’ve been waiting for this one for a while, since I started reading the light novel when the first volume came out translated to English, and I’ve been a faithful reader ever time a new volume pops out. Is it very cliched and the situation utterly contrived? This is a Japanese Light Novel for a high-school rom-com – need I say more? But it’s cute and it’s well done. And the character designs, both for the source material and the light novel are … chef’s kiss.
Making Miyazaki Jealous?
Kaina of the Great Snow Sea – I can only imagine someone at Polygon Pictures (the studio that’s creating this) saying, “Do you think we could do an anime series that is beautiful enough to make Hayao Miyazaki jealous enough to come out of retirement just to show us something even better?” The story took a little bit to really start to get rolling, but the animation has been absolutely gorgeous the entire time. I’ll admit, I’m not typically a big fan of lots of CG animation being shoved into my face, but with Kaina – I just don’t care. The images feel like they were taken from discards of a Miyazaki sketchbook.
The Winner
Ningen Fushin: Adventurers Who Don’t Believe in Humanity Will Save the World – I love this show. The start of the first episode – with Nick, a character clearly in a fantasy setting, being enticed into becoming an idol fan – was weird, but got me interested. Then, as the other main characters get introduced, and all of them are shown to have some decently heavy trauma that brought them to where they are when the show starts. Ultimately, this turns a bit into the story of them all learning how to trust after they’ve all (in their own ways) been betrayed. They’re building their “found family”, and it’s splendid to watch. Oh, and the ED song is just awesome. (Seriously – I’ve listened to it, by itself, a whole lot of times!) This is my “hidden gem” of the season, and if you’re not watching it, I’d suggest checking it out and giving it a try.
