I know, I know … running horribly late again.
I’d started writing this a few weeks into the season and then ran out of steam, so it sat for quite a while as a draft. Consequently, this is pretty much a recap of what I watched, rather than talking about it in the middle.
Standard boilerplate:
- I have a paid subscription to CrunchyRoll (and Netflix), so I don’t have access to shows on other streaming srevices. Yes, I know I’m missing other stuff, but – this is a hobby, not my job.
- The listing of shows within each category does not indicate any sort of preference for one over the others. It’s typically just the order in which I was reading them from my Watchlist.
Quick Internal Links
- Continuing Shows
- Returning Shows
- The Romance / Rom-Coms
- The Isekais
- Action-ish / Fantasy
- Did Someone Mention Robots and War?
- Reincarnation / Life “Reboot”
- Slice-of-Life
- “Other”
- On Hold
- Music!!!
- The Clear Winners
Continuing Shows
Arifureta, S3 – The final few episodes of Arifureta spilled over into the Winter season. I’m a definite fan / enjoyer of the series, so I absolutely was here for it. There’s strong indications that there won’t be a season 4 (largely due to a lack of source material since the light novel series ends shortly after the events adapted for this season). However, if there is, I will absolutely be there for it! Give me more Hajime, Yue, Shea, Tio, and all the rest of it!
Blue Box – This series continues with the not-quite love triangle, with a very slow burn between the main couple and the other girl (who, unfortunately for me, as she’s voiced by my favorite voice actress, Akari Kitō, is clearly a “losing heroine“) trying her best.
Blue Miburo – Interesting look at early Meiji period Japan (the same timeframe Ruroni Kenshin is set in), this time from the perspective of the Shinsengumi, who are also somewhat an element of Kenshin.
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth – Continuing further into the concepts of a sun-centered perspective conflicting with a church-ordained belief in an earth-centered universe. With this second cour done, the entire series is fully adapted. As I said for the first cour, last season, it took a few episodes to grow on me, but once it did, it became a fascinating look into the conflict, ultimately culminating with elements of the story of a real-world astronomer, Albert Brudzewski, who wound up being an influence on Copernicus finally being successful in pushing a sun-centric view of the solar system.
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- – Still more story movement, thankfully (for him and for those of us who get a bit twitchy every time Natsuki Subaru dies horribly and painfully) with, I think, just a single “reset”. The story itself, and many of the subplots, are absolutely heart-rending and pull no punches when it comes to delivering “da feelz”.
Rurouni Kenshin – The modernized version of RK continues, heading, now, to Kyoto for the continuation of the story. As with the previous season, it’s faithful and just updated to more recent animation techniques (and modern display ratios – 16×9 vs 4×3). This bodes well for a complete re-do of the entire series and, yes, I am absolutely here for it.
Shangri-La Frontier – I’ve said it before and I’ll repeat myself here. If you’re a gamer, or know a gamer, or have heard of gaming … you should go watch this!
TRILLION GAME – This show crossed my “disbelief threshold” waaay back during the first cour and has done absolutely nothing to redeem itself. It’s utterly stupid, but I’m still watching – if only to see how much more outlandish and ridiculously lucky / predictive-planning the “idiot” of the main pair can be. (Never mind how the “nerd” of the pair just literally could not be as good at “hacking” (ugh, I loathe that term and its modern usage) as he’s portrayed as being.)
Tying the Knot with an Amagami Sister – As a continuing show, this one dipped into some interesting territory this cour, delving into sort of … “alternate history” pieces with some of the key characters triggering different events to give themselves a sort of “personal wish fulfillment”, but doing so messes up so much else in the process. Gives a lot more depth to all of the characters beyond just the simple (and simplistic) “no, it’s not a harem!” plot.
Returning Shows
Solo Leveling, S2 – Wait. You’re not watching this show? Heck, my younger (19) son asked me about it because it’s been blowing up in all of his social media, and once I showed him the first few episodes of season 1, he’s hooked and will be binging all the way through season 2. The story is good, the animation is phenomenal, and the OP is absolute fire! There’s even a music video by the artists for the OP and that just makes it better.
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You, S2 – There’s harems where you know, just like The Highlander, there will be “only one”. Then there’s harems where there are a few girls who are part of it, and you don’t know how it will resolve. And then … there’s this show – where it’s right there in the title. Our guy is going to wind up with one hundred – and for “reasons” – they’re all cool with being just part of the harem, even to the point of accepting and welcoming in each new girl every time he finds one. And, every time he does collect a new one (“They’re just like Pokemon! Gotta catch ’em all!”), not only does each girl have her own quirks and talents, but there’s time lovingly given to not only allow that girl to be shown for herself, but also how she does contribute to the “family” as a whole.
The Apothecary Diaries, S2 – Maomao is back, giving us a view of Imperial China and the intrigue among the courtesans, the rear palace, and other mysteries. There’s also much more information about the emperor and the imperial family / bloodline, as well as some (just pre-final episode, which isn’t out yet) teasing about Jinshi and who he really is.
Unnamed Memory, S2 – It’s possible it’s been long enough since season 1 that I lost some of the threads, but season 2 feels very … disconnected … in some ways, from the first season. And, as always, there’s nowhere near enough time to go back for a rewatch to catch up. Interesting stories, nevertheless, so I’m still watching it.
The Romance / Rom-Coms
Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You – I’m not entirely sure why I watched this all the way through. This reverse-harem “look-back” is very bland and the male leads are practically interchangeable with the extent to which they’re all clearly infatuated (at the very least) with the main girl, but barely any of them are able to overcome whatever group dynamic there is and “make a move”. I say “look-back” because the “present” for the series is with the cast as young adults, but almost the entire series is set in 2020 (yes, that year) and folds in the real-world event from that year as being pivotal to the story (since there’s so much of their lives which was “canceled”). Watch(ed/ing) mostly out of some sense of obligation and hope that something will happen.
Honey Lemon Soda – The absolute shining gem of a rom-com this season. The shy (and heavily bullied in middle school) Uka Ishimori slowly breaks out of her shell upon finding supportive friends (and a love interest) in high school. I was never bullied, so I can’t connect on that level, but the slow process of her finding not only herself but her own resolve is well done and the impact she’s able to have on those around her as a result is heart-warming. There’s a reason it earned the banner image slot for this season!
I Want to Escape from Princess Lessons – The girl who will be the crown princess is being tormented by her “princess lessons” (which, in their presentation, definitely are closer to torture than simple lessons in etiquette) is seemingly given an opportunity to annul the engagement and runaway. However, the crown prince is actually in love with her and pursues her. Hilarity ensues. The first couple of episodes were almost enough to get me to stop watching it (they were that un-fun to watch, and the occasional fourth-wall-breaks by the girl were annoying as hell), but then it turned into being at least amusing. The final few episodes introduced more utter stupidity which made me want it to be over as soon as possible. It is, and I finished it. Not sure I’d actively endorse watching it, though.
I’m Getting Married to a Girl I Hate in My Class – The top two students in a class (boy and girl, obviously?) despise each other … or do they? Doesn’t matter, because the grandparents of both of them wanted to be together when they were young, so they’re forcing the two kids to be married (like, literally and legally) as a proxy for their never-happened relationship. And they’re rich enough that the threat of disinheriting them is sufficient leverage. Amusing with a bit of fluff and the expected massive levels of tsundere-ness from the girl.
Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms – I’ve read all of the manga for this one and, honestly, the start of the story is the best part. The “best girl” can’t get that one guy (titular Medaka) to fall for her, so she goes out of her way to do so, repeatedly. Little does she realize he’s only in her school (because he’s a monk-in-training and needed to broaden his education). And, of course, while he’s told a couple of his guy friends, no one is making this information known to everyone. (I truly cannot imagine something like that becoming known to everyone within minutes of it being told to anyone, but … a plot is needed, right?) It’s stupid and silly. For some reason, it’s already gotten approval for a season 2. (This, honestly, annoys me. The manga seriously starts a downhill run after this point in the story. There’s much better stuff which deserves a season 2 … Makeine, anyone?)
OKITSURA: Fell Love with an Okinawan Girl, but I Just Wish I Know What She’s Saying – This is a romcom disguised as an advertisement for “How cool is Okinawa?” Or maybe it’s the other way around? Suffice it to say there’s at least a couple of Okinawan lore “info-dumps” every episode. And, yeah, they’re cool. Add in that the titular “Okinawan girl” is voiced by Akari Kitō and I’m happy. This is more of a “blip” on the romcom scale, but it’s there.
The Isekais
Headhunted to Another World: From Salaryman to Big Four! – Underappreciated (aren’t they all?) Japanese middle-to-upper-manager gets isekai’ed off to the fantasy world. Not from a meeting with Truck-kun, but by being literally recruited (and, thus, forcibly isekai’ed) by the Demon Lord to help lead his army of demons and demi-humans. He embraces the opportunity to bring all of his problem-solving (and personnel management) skills and really show off for his new boss, and proceeds to do that. Definitely has some interesting approaches to “No, wait! What if we really try and solve the problems here, not just turn it into a reason to invade the humans!” And, of course, there’s at least one female (half-dragon?) demon general who wants to throw herself at him … repeatedly … but he’s a bit too oblivious for that.
The Daily Life of a Middle-Aged Online Shopper in Another World – Bog-standard isekai of a middle-aged guy who discovers he still has access to our-world Amazon, so he can order all of the comforts of home while still living in a fantasy world. He, of course, capitalizes on this by, functionally, turning himself into fantasy-world Temu and selling what would be cheap knock-offs (jewelry, for an example) in fantasy world for serious gold. Oh, and every female he meets wants to throw themselves at him – which, unlike the middle-manager in Headhunted to Another World…, he is happy to accept into his bed. This even starts in the first episode, where the random inn he stays in is run by a lone female – who winds up in his bed that night. Sheesh! Even so, watching him use a backhoe to slap monsters around is stupidly silly.
I’m a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic – Oh, look! Another super overpowered isekai protag-kun who not only can’t fail, but also masters any magical technique in a heartbeat, quickly surpassing his teacher. Yeah, I watched it all. No, I’m not proud of myself for doing so.
Possibly the Greatest Alchemist of All Time – Fairly bog-standard isekai with only a couple of notable exeptions – titular alchemist is isekai’ed by accident and, rather than getting tossed to the trash, gets saved by the “other” goddess … except … surprise twist! … she isekai’s him into the fantasy world months before the other heroes show up – because they’ve been force-summoned to be the conquering heroes (for the other other goddess). It was watchable?
The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World – It’s a premise that I’m surprised hasn’t been done before. Everyone knows about shows like Power Rangers, etc., right? Well – what if one of those rangers (Red) got isekai’ed into a fantasy world where there’s magic. But, and here’s the kicker – all of his ranger powers still work … from the funky special weapons to the mechanical beasts all the way up to the giant robot. Oh, and whenever he transforms? There’s a big explosion in the background – which, apparently, aren’t just special effects. It’s crazy, ridiculous, hilarious at times, frustrating at others, and, eventually, even got a whole bunch of tender moments.
Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! – “I’ll see your isekai and raise you with a double-reverse part-time isekai!” Main guy isekais … while he’s asleep. And then he returns to our world the next morning, having been an adventurer in the other world. He knows it’s a real thing because he packs a lunch box for himself before going to sleep … and it goes with him. Eventually, to save his elf waifu companion from impending disaster, he grabs her and flips back to the real world, hoping that will at least prevent her death. Except … she comes with him. It’s sweet and has an interesting blend of romcom / slice-of-life moments while in the “real” world while still retaining the fantasy / adventuring elements while in the dream world (so long as she’s next to him when he goes to sleep, she goes back with him).
Action-ish / Fantasy
I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time – I was not expecting this one and the way it’s presented. The “guild receptionist” in this case is an S-tier badass who can, indeed, solo (and oftentimes one-shot) dungeon end-bosses. However, the life of an adventurer is dangerous and can have unstable benefits, so, instead, she chooses to become a receptionist at the adventurers’ guild. After all, it’s a steady income with a retirement package! If only those pesky adventurers would do their jobs so she didn’t have so much paperwork to deal with – enough that she has to work overtime to get it all cleared up. And she hates working overtime!
Did Someone Mention Robots and War?
None this season
Reincarnation / Life “Reboot”
None this season
Slice-of-Life
Sakamoto Days – This is either Slice-of-Life or Action, but it’s more of a weird mix of the two. Basic premise is John Wick minus the dead wife, plus a kid, now running a convenience store in Japan. He’s happily retired, and has let himself go (adding on lots of kilos of non-muscle-mass), and isn’t into the whole “assassin” business any more. Except, some of his past is finding him, and he’s still notorious enough that they want him dead. Needless to say, this doesn’t happen. It’s a short cour, but looks like it will be followed immediately (sort of) by a second cour in the immediately coming Spring season.
“Other”
Ameku M.D.: Doctor Detective – Take House (the TV series), and instead of the (incredible) Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House, the main character is a short, cute Japanese girl (sort of like a female version of Doogie Howser), and the mysteries involved were more purely Sherlock-style than solely medical … and you have this show. So, consequently, it’s much more of a mystery series than a medical one – although there’s always some sort of medical twist to each and every mystery. Definite fun to watch and, as I said, it’s got a lot of echoes of both of the Western series in it.
On Hold
Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE – It’s been so long since I watched Dr. Stone, and I don’t think I’ve seen the part of the series which ran immediately prior to the current series, so I’ll need to rewind at least a little bit so I can catch up. This is definitely on the “Will Watch In the Future” list, but … not just yet.
ZENSHU – My initial reaction, after only a few minutes into the first episode, was “Nahhh…”. But then everyone started gushing about how good it was – both story and art. So, I’ve put it on hold for an eventual “catch-up”. I’ll get to it – promise! It’s on my watch list, so it won’t completely disappear from memory.
Music!!!
Arifureta, S3: (opening), “Unending Wish”, by Void_Chords (ft. MindaRyn).
Honey Lemon Soda: (opening), “Wonderful World”, by & Team.
I May Be A Guild Receptionist…: (opening), “Perfect Day”, by 310; and (ending), “Ashita no Watashi ni Sachi Are” (May the Future Me Be Happy), by Akari Nanawa.
Solo Leveling, S2: (opening), “ReawakeR”, by Lisa (ft. Felix of Stray Kids).
The Apothecary Diaries, S2: (opening), “Ambivalent”, by Uru.
Special Mentions
None this season
The Clear Winners
Rather than trying to call out the shows I think are absolutely outstanding in each description, here’s a quick list. Think of these as the “If you can only watch a few, go for these!” list. I won’t get into the details on the whys for each one (beyond what I described above), but these are the ones definitely worth checking out. List is purely alphabetical.
- Arifureta, S3 (staying on the list)
- Honey Lemon Soda
- Shangri-La Frontier, S2
- The Apothecary Diaries, S2
Tied For Second
And, if you have a bit more time beyond just those few, here’s others I think are definitely worth having on your own watchlist
- Ameku M.D.: Doctor Detective
- I May Be a Guild Receptionist…
- Orb: On the Movements of the Earth
- Sakamoto Days
