SEASONAL PRATTLE
Well, I suppose this is one way to set up your semifinale. It only took eleven weeks but The Misfit of Demon King Academy’s latest episode finally offers a labored display of improvement from the previous showings of average action and Anos dependency – actually allowing Sasha, Misha, and Lay to be critically involved in this week’s fights and schemes without feeling like small accessories in the background. It really helps that Silver Link’s staff is noticeably more polished with how key sequences in eleven are composed, and there are fewer opportunities this time around for Anos to spit out meme-worthy lines or for the show to bore with its narrow plotting. Now if only this series would extend some thoroughness and creativity to the final two remaining episodes we can at least end on a high note.
Oregairu 3 (10)
“Assured enough to let its storytelling carry viewers to a generous finish”
This was just another quality showing to toss on the thick pile of them from Oregairu, with Haruno being steadfast, and her constitution very good at picking on the rest of the cast’s shortcomings. For much of the run, Hachiman and company are more or less echoing sentiments and core values established for some time now, so while episodes like this may not be too revolutionary in material due to that, the show is still doing pleasant work of illustrating those desires in intimate and playful ways. Episode ten may not wow you, but it’s assured enough to let its storytelling carry viewers to a generous finish.
The God of High School (10)
“Feels equally out of place as it is poorly told”
It’s another week and with that, another round of The God of High School being very successful in its effort to completely degrade itself and deplete any shreds of hope that this story won’t be a total joke when it’s done.
It doesn’t take episode ten long to prove that it’s no more than a jagged slapped together mess of action and loosely conceived plot beats – particularly being laughably bad as it tries to integrate a second narrative thread of Nox’s attack that feels equally out of place as it is poorly told. Making matters worse, the most coherent part of this showing – Jin and Iipyo teams squaring off in the tournament – is not only undercut by the decision to splice the fight with the Nox antics, but by really artificial writing.
I’m not sure who signed off on Jin magically knowing and being able to perfectly execute Han and Mira’s techniques, or Iipyo furry-ish last minute power-up, but I’m sure the blackmail over them is heavy.
