SEASONAL PRATTLE
Layered, poignant, and elegantly articulated – Wonder Egg Priority had a fantastic debut made even more impressive considering this is Wakabayashi’s first time directing a full-length series. As a genre piece, episode one is strongly pleasing. Viewers are immediately dropped into a dreamy, puzzling blend of wonder outfitted with a vision that’s equally as colorful as it is curious,— remaining so, so good at staying uncanny as the framework of its narrative is methodically pieced together though Ai’s closed behavior and a handful of critical encounters. It’s ambitious and concentrated, having a high aesthetic sense to accompany its quirky nature and harmonizing that with an elevating sound direction that really drives home its key beats. By credit roll it’s clear that Wonder Egg Priority is a more than competent watch both on a visual level and a thematic one – easily the best start from a non-sequel anime this season.
Horimiya (2)
“Still displaying a healthy amount of signs to currently feel good about it”
This was another firm assertion of Horimiya’s quality – not yet showing the glistening mix of smart, occasionally barbed reflections, dramatic efficiency, and meaty social encounters that tend to be core cogs in putting works in its genre over the top, but still displaying a healthy amount of signs to currently feel good about it in at least the short term. Hori’s sensitive, but not too sensitive. Her concern early on in Two for getting Miyamura’s first name and general playoff her mom was very charming and Miyamura’s nonchalant behavior only adds to that pleasure. The rest of the episode falls in line with a similar sentiment, working different threads and sliding new characters our way but still coming to the same enjoyable outcome in the end. Good job.
Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu (2)
“Roxy proves to be rather productive when soothing Rudy’s trauma”
In a way, it’s kind of nice to see this latest Muskoka Tensei hitting home drama that falls more in the feel good camp as opposed to simply just drowning in Rudy’s lingering depression as it very well could have. Roxy as a character is admittedly more efficient than I assumed – there are a few key points in here where she effectively steps in as a lead, taking over whole scenes and doing well to sell their content as respectable parts of the story. More importantly, Roxy proves to be rather productive when soothing Rudy’s trauma, acting as a sign of security and strength with the confidence she exudes when handling her own particular resentment. Episode two may not have been that exciting in raw narrative, it’s virtually just Rudy finishing up his tutoring, but its personal victories and character insights along the way keep it favorable.
Kemono Jihen (2)
“The precise essence of its premise with nothing added or subtracted”
Decent performance from Kemono Jihen which offered pretty much the precise essence of its premise with nothing added or subtracted. For that episode two is somewhat limited – going through the motions of getting Kabane acquainted with the rest of the specialists before tackling our first case in a rather straightforward fashion with hardly any trouble at all. As far as this episode’s construction goes, the actual content was pretty standard: A few dramatic cuts with slight visual embellishment, some reasonable animation during more passive scenes, and no outright hiccups – but nothing commendable either.
Jaku-Chara Tomozaki-kun (2)
“The character acting holds up well in the sense older more carefree school-oriented shows use to”
This was a decent turnout from Jaku-Chara Tomozaki-kun, which did a valid job getting some new faces involved and remaining forward flowing in the process. This series doesn’t have particularly commendable art or direction, but the character acting holds up well in the sense older more carefree school-oriented shows use to – where it’s just a few incidental details here and there tied to certain interaction sequences that produce a wholesome mood. The exchanges between Aoi and Tomozaki in episode two reflect this, with Aoi taking on most of the traditional “lead” attributes in their group conversation, but each of them supplying quirks to their banter and giving a platform for the Minamis and Fuukas of the show to fill in. It’s a formula that can be sustainable, not impressive on paper but entertaining enough in practice.
Urasekai Picnic (2)
“Generally offers more in terms of world-building and characterization”
Good follow up for Urasekai Picnic and an overall reassuring sign for the series’ health as a whole. Episode two generally offers more in terms of world-building and characterization, getting Kozakura involved with little textual trouble, and fielding an exploration attempt that’s easily more interesting than the first and sharper in production. The show still holds firm to its misty brand of telling, being deliberately vague with certain narrative aspects – but that’s to be expected given its genre. if Urasekai Picnic can maintain its intrigue while steadily making positive strides as it gets to the pulp of its story, it could be a pretty good show.
SK8 the Infinity (2)
“Two doesn’t have a prime platform to flex its craft muscles or really enthrall as it could”
Take two for SK8 the Infinity and it’s a fine one, more concerned with getting the groundwork out of the way for episode three’s events than being magnetic on its own. With that said, we’re virtually spending the entire showing dealing with a wave of good-spirited, camaraderie beats all tied together under the purpose of getting Langa more accustomed to skateboarding from the roots up. There’s no actual race this time around, and thus, Two doesn’t have a prime platform to flex its craft muscles or really enthrall as it could. However, watching Langa and Reki just goof around while practicing has its own sense of fun and makes for a reasonably satisfying time – smoothly chugging along as attention turns to next week.
Kai Byoui Ramuneu (2)
“Slight thematic edges and underlying storytelling put in enough work to efficiently compensate and sell its material”
Kai Byoui Ramuneu definitely isn’t a flashy show, but given how it carries itself so far, it honestly doesn’t need to be. Its visual execution is mainly just a serviceable depiction of the narrative, but the slight thematic edges and underlying storytelling put in enough work to efficiently compensate and sell its material. Here in episode two, that couldn’t be any more true: Kengo’s Chikuwa problem has little exterior help from Platinum Vision’s staff, mostly ending up being framed and delivered in typical ways. Be that as it may, this week’s ailment lends itself well to Ramune’s personality, making for some entertaining interactions and nicely marrying into Kengo’s deceptive ways that are at the heart of the episode. It’s a fun one-two punch that keeps this series on the “watchable” side.
Tatoeba Last Dungeon (2)
“More successful with the timing and pop of some of its gags in doing so than the previous showing”
Checking in on Tatoeba Last Dungeon, and I’m happy to report it’s still at least reasonable enough to dependably steer twenty minutes of content into satisfying places – even if that content is relatively linear. This week had a noticeably heavier comedic hand than its debut, thankfully being more successful with the timing and pop of some of its gags in doing so than the previous showing – namely displaying more competency early on around the exam results. However, Lloyd’s antics still come up as limited and he’s almost always outshined by his more colorful supporting cast. Once again this isn’t a grave issue, but given that Lloyd eats a lot of screentime, it does give the show a somewhat low ceiling.
Kumo Desu ga, Nani ka? (2)
“Fei’s sulking and dialogue are pensive enough to feel genuine and Schlain’s role in passively consoling her is a nice accessory to it all”
Kumo Desu ga, Nani ka? returns with an episode that’s arguably not as good as the first, which in itself, was even really good to begin with. There are roughly four or so minutes that actually have some legitimate heart this week: Fei’s sulking and dialogue are pensive enough to feel genuine and Schlain’s role in passively consoling her is a nice accessory to it all. Beyond that, Two just plays in the same rocky fashion as One – full of basic, middling life adjustments for Kumoko’s and monster battles that lack both the creativity and visual intelligence to truly be engaging. Kumoko evolving at the end is sort of neat, but “sort of neat” moments isn’t going to cut it in a show that’s already average at best in a heap of ways.
2.43: Seiin Koukou Danshi Volley-bu (2)
“The execution is just simply not there to truly make it click”
2.43: Seiin Koukou Danshi Volley-bu continues to be rigorously consistent in its ability to put out content that is glaringly ill-conceived in some way. This time around we’re dealing with a level of hasty pacing that I’m sure Kimura would love to have a do-over on, never really letting any given event surrounding Haijima breathe and feeling unnaturally loose with Yuni’s related involvement. Compounding on that, Yuni’s characterization and handling in the bigger picture are questionable in itself, with more suspect decision-making and internal logic than one should expect from a growing lead in only the second episode. All in all, it’s fairly apparent this chunk of largely stepping stone-ish content meant well, but the bottom line is the execution is just simply not there to truly make it click.
Kaifuku Jutsushi no Yarinaoshi (1)
“A lot of this show’s potential impact is hampered by TNK coming out of the gate weak here”
Kaifuku Jutsushi no Yarinaoshi’s first episode has come and gone, carrying plenty of pre-air anticipation yet ultimately coming up short in its construction when it’s all said and done. For a work like this that heavily leans on its inherently lewd and violent nature, having a middling portrayal of its events hurts more than normal, and thus, a lot of this show’s potential impact is hampered by TNK coming out of the gate weak here – proving a total craft effort that handles like a cheap, marginally built fantasy work. Toss in heavy censorship and Kaifuku Jutsushi no Yarinaoshi loses even more of its visceral fangs, amounting to mediocrity at best for this start.
Project Scard: Praeter no Kizu (2)
“Further agitated by a questionable craft showing”
Nothing too emotionally appealing or immediately rewarding, Project Scard: Praeter no Kizu essentially swims in a pool of exposition and calls it episode two – taking a break for a few minutes to show off Kai using Cerberus before gleefully diving back in headfirst. And that issue is only further agitated by a questionable craft showing: Sure it had its awkward moments, but GoHands was visually favorable in spots a fair amount of time in episode one – however here, there are complete sequences that can land as uneven and jarring between their elements, making its thick supply of stuffy monologues that much more painful. A sure misstep.
Hortensia Saga (2)
“Playing things too safe within its genre”
Round two for Hortensia Saga and it’s a turnout that teeters on the edge of “okay” and “poor”. To be blunt, the show’s current problem is that it’s playing things too safe within its genre and the larger narrative strokes it attempts to go off course with aren’t really compelling from the start – specifically being mundane with the scripting that’s highly Marius oriented. On the somewhat bright side, Hortensia Saga is still fairly composed visually and it’s paced decently enough to not be a liability, though, so if it can gain a bit more personality, it could at least be reasonable.
Ore dake Haireru Kakushi Dungeon (2)
“It seems like the default writing for Ore dake is to roll out a pile of rehashed tropes with little in way of imagination”
Ore dake Haireru Kakushi Dungeon’s latest episode is exactly as one would expect – Noir enrolls into a guild and completes a couple of starter quests all while his harem slowly but obviously emerges one by one, declining further in its banality as it offers just the bare minimum in terms of production and execution in doing so. It seems like the default writing for Ore dake is to roll out a pile of rehashed tropes with little in way of imagination to such an extent, that it’s not even pretending to try. That’s then coated in fanservice and suspended by a weak story – all baked to perfection for a less than mediocre “experience”, or more accurately defined, “waste of time”.
I★Chu: Halfway Through the Idol (2)
“Another routine portrayal of some very standard genre beats”
I★Chu: Halfway Through the Idol’s second entry was largely mild in the same way the first was – its typical narrative structure and execution join hands to make another routine portrayal of some very standard genre beats. This episode in particular noticeably lacked the nuance to be dramatically effective, with much of Akio’s role in the content feeling rather bland when selling both his plight and character. Given that Two basically centers around Akio, the conclusive performance is average – accomplishing its intended narrative responsibilities but not going an inch beyond that in any meaningful way.
Soukou Musume Senki (2)
“We’re already in a hot spring and it’s only the second episode”
We’re already in a hot spring and it’s only the second episode. While this particular chunk of scenario writing doesn’t last long, it pretty much sets the stage and sums up the quality of Soukou Musume Senki this week – an uninteresting, weakly written effort that does the bare minimum to establish a relationship between the LBX girls and offers some semblance of conflict through its newly introduced government officials. It’s a showing that has next to no hook, flair, or passion to be engaging or worth the time.
Back Arrow (2)
“Watch long enough to see LiSA perform the OP and then get out while you can.”
In a season with its fair share of outwardly colorful yet narratively bankrupt shows, Back Arrow stands as one of the most inept, reconfirming its crown with a second episode of plotting that quickly melts into an uninteresting, amateurish stew not even five minutes in. I highly suggest you watch long enough to see LiSA perform the OP and then get out while you can.
