Last new October anime
Wow, like usual it’s quite the slog! But we’ve seen it all now!
Yuuki Yuna wa Yuusha de Aru 2: Second season of teenage girls fighting to protect their tiny sliver of reality against incursions from the chaos beyond the barrier that is maintained by their tree kami. The second series seems to set up a new team of girls, but by this time we’ve already seen how this plays out. I think there’s a new twist somewhere in the series, but the first episode doesn’t suggest anything of the sort.
Verdict: We just can’t be bothered. Pass.
The Idolm@ster SideM: Based on the popular idol-management game, but this time we’re following a team of guys! The main character (of at least the first episode) used to be a lawyer - now he works together with two others to get a dance routine down.
It’s quite refreshing to see young men work hard for a change. The team really starts from the bottom, which is more inspiring than seeing established groups. Still, it’s something we’ve seen before, and it doesn’t really interest us anymore.
Verdict: No.
Himouto! Umaru-chan R: Second season of Himouto, about the perfect Umaru who turns into a total slob at home. She only reads manga, plays games and watches anime - and eats snacks. Her long-suffering brother tries to get her to tune down the otaku bit, but it is Umaru’s desire to make more friends that gets her to open up more.
Usually, second seasons of these kinds of series are not that interesting, as they tend to keep treading the same ground. But Umaru is slowly changing, and that’s interesting to see. Not the high-flier of the season, but fun.
Verdicht: Yes.
Kekkai Sensen & Beyond: Second season of Kekkai Sensen, set in a New York that has been invaded by multiple realities. So there’s aliens, demons and all sorts of weirdness mingling in with the humans. Life is chaotic and, apparently, very cheap. Leonardo, who has been gifted with super sight, is the only slightly normal person in Libra, a group dedicated to fighting against the chaos.
This first episode goes full throttle and introduces all the characters with their special powers, and we’re right in the middle of things. There’s little in the way of long-term plot, but it does a good job of showing us the kind of white-knuckle ride we’re in for! If you liked the first series, then you will most certainly like this.
Verdict: Yes, please!
Wake Up, Girls! Shin Shou: Second season of Wake Up, Girls!, the idol group that’s struggling to outgrow their local appeal and to make it nationwide. It’s really more of the same from the first series, and our patience for this stuff has worn out: it’s not bad, but it’s predictable.
Verdict: Nah.
Inuyashiki: Inuyashiki is a 58-year old salariman who looks like he’s 85. His family ignores him - when he hears he has cancer and has only three months left to live, he doesn’t have anyone to call. His only friend is a dog, and one night when he is walking her, he is killed by a crashing spaceship(!). The aliens reconstruct him as an android (still looking like himself), but they only have combat models in stock! So when he sees a group of teenagers attacking a homeless man, he intervenes, and his automated systems activate!
The CGI of the cyborg animations is really gorgeous. And having an elderly super hero is interesting, but we found it hard to empathise with this guy who acts like a total doormat. We just didn’t like him, and an unlikable main character is kind of a deal-breaker. Premise is interesting though, but the way it developed just didn’t sit right with us. (Also: alien technology that autonomously knows how to interact with earth technology? Hm.)
Verdict: No.
Sangatsu no Lion 2: Second season of the series about Rei, the teenage professional shogi player. The first episode establishes the important shogi players, and shows Rei being part of the science/shogi club. He seems more at ease now, and that’s good to see.
We loved the first series, and this picks up where that left off with the same feel and style.
Verdict: Yes!
Evil or Live: Set in a school/camp to ‘cure’ internet addiction in teenagers. It’s a rough environment with drill sergeant-like ‘instructors’ who don’t mind beating you to get you to comply. Hibiki gets abducted to this camp, and het gets beaten up to set an example. When he tries to get away, he meets a guy who promises to set him up with any girl he wants, if only Hibiki does what he says.
It’s violent and creepy, in the same vein as Deadman Wonderland and Prison School, and it’s shitty.
Verdict: Oh, please, no.
And… that’s it! We’ll now return you to your scheduled blog experience!
Crossposted from my blog. Comment here or at the original post.