aris-lazy-anime-reviews

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End of Season Review: Spy x Family Season 2

Yor really carried this season, with her character-focused arc spanning a whopping FIVE episodes. Although she's a member of the core cast, I feel like Yor often gets much less spotlight than either Loid or Anya, so I'm glad Yor was able shine in season 2. (I'm also glad she was able to show off how badass she is. Those fight scenes in the cruise ship arc were amazing.)

Other than the Yor-focused episodes, the rest of season 2 was okay. It was more of the same of what we've gotten in season 1. I still don't care very much for the side-characters (especially Damian and Yuri), but the one episode focusing on Becky's kiddie crush on Loid was funny.

Fortunately the animation in this series is still as strong as ever, and I love how the manga is being adapted faithfully while also still having some anime-extra scenes thrown in there to expand further on certain scenes. Unlike season 1, season 2 has already completed with just 12 episodes. At the rate that the manga is progressing, I think it's a good thing that the anime isn't rushing to catch up to the manga. There's also a film that is set to air or is already airing. I hope Crunchyroll manages to get the streaming rights to that, because I'm very interested.

Out of five:

4 out of 5

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End of Season Review: My New Boss is Goofy

I never expected a series about four adult office workers to be so... adorable? The main characters range in age from their 20s to 40s and yet they're all surprisingly... "moe". (I will probably be called cringe for saying that, but there's no other way to describe them.) This was just a very pleasant and calming anime, that also takes a very hard stance against abusive bosses/managers.

I love that all four main characters are so kind. We also have some bi rep courtesy of Kinjo (the guy in the all white suit), which is great. While this is not a BL series, there is quite a lot of ship-teasing between Momose and Shirosaki, the two most central characters. Even if they don't ultimately end up together romantically, it's still just as good to see them as close friends.

There's not really much more I can say about this series because I found it to be really enjoyable overall. I guess what I'm most impressed by is that the running gag of Shirosaki being innocently oblivious doesn't get old. For those seeking a more exciting and action-oriented anime, this show will likely bore you. But people who prefer more action-oriented shows would not be watching My New Boss is Goofy in the first place.

Out of five:

3.5 out of 5

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End of Season Review: I'm Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness

This series ended up being a huge waste of time and I'm still annoyed about it.

The first handful of episodes were so pleasant and heartwarming that I was misled into thinking the series was going to be a relaxing slice-of-life series. Instead, this anime turned out to be kind of dumb. It seems like the writer(s) didn't know how to move the plot along except by introducing a new character--resulting in a bloated cast and quite a bit of annoying characters that don't do much after their initial appearance. There's also an uncomfortable amount of characters who Really Want To See Allen And Charlotte Bang, including Allen's own family(?!) and… I don't know, that's just a little uncomfortable??? I know the "will they or won't they" trope in anime is aggravating, but the opposite extreme isn't exactly great either!

It's a shame because Allen's and Charlotte's relationship really is sweet--I just wish that all these annoying side characters would just leave them alone and let them do their own thing. The show also ends on a disappointing note, hinting at a second season. Which I very likely won't be watching.

Out of five:

2 out of 5

[aris-lazy-anime-reviews]

Autumn 2023 First Impressions: My New Boss is Goofy

It's really hard to get good screenshots of this show due to the animation and the art style--not that they're bad perse, it just looks a lot better in motion. Anyway--

I ended up watching the first two episodes of this series. I wasn't planning on picking up yet another anime especially since I'm already keeping up with four shows this season... but the first episode of My New Boss is Goofy really won me over. It's just a seriously wholesome and healing show, especially if you've already dealt with adult working life (like me orz).

Shirosaki is such a great character (and a great boss!) and the dynamic he has with Momose (our main character) is just really adorable. The main jokes in this show usually revolve around Shirosaki being "goofy," though I think the word "oblivious" describes his personality better. He tends to misunderstand or mishear words in an innocent sort of way. Surprisingly it hasn't gotten old yet, and luckily no one makes fun of him for it.

Overall thoughts: I know a lot of people are already shipping Momose and Shirosaki... and tbh I think I do too.

Would I watch more?: Most likely.

[aris-lazy-anime-reviews]

Autumn 2023 First Impressions: Speed Review Version

A more informal review with a list of anime where I mostly just glanced through the first episode. These were all anime I was interested in but just didn't have the time to sit down and watch it through at a normal pace.

I Shall Survive Using Potions

Seems like an okay isekai show. The "reincarnation" aspect takes up over a third of the episode, but it does seem to move very quickly after that. There's obviously some typical isekai tropes, and I have to wonder why the MC looks like a little girl, but at least the MC seems to be a bit more self-aware than the usual isekai MC.

My Daughter Left the Nest and Returned an S-Rank Adventurer

If we didn't already have so many bangers this season, I'd probably be keeping up with this series. The first episode seems to focus more on the daughter and her party than her reuniting with her father--which was what I was more interested in. Apparently she does finally return home in episode 3! This looks to be a wholesome show, but perhaps a little bit too slow for me.

Our Dating Story: The Experienced You and The Inexperienced Me

This looks like a cute show but I'll be honest, romance isn't my thing, which is mainly why I'm giving it a pass. I don't like the drama and possible love triangle being hinted at in episode 2; otherwise this seems like a very charming anime where a guy whose never dated starts a relationship with a girl who's much more experienced in romantic relationships than him. They both seem like nice characters.

Power of Hope ~Precure Full Bloom~

As much as I love the Precure series, and the whole idea for this anime--where we see beloved Precure characters again except as adults--I'm going to pass on Full Bloom. I do not have the fortitude to keep up with another possible 40+ episode series (one Precure season per year is good enough for me); and I sadly have no attachment to the seasons/characters shown off in this anime. I'm sure die-hard Precure fans will love this, though! It shows off the characters' adult lives and seems to go about it in a gentle way.

The Family Circumstances of the Irregular Witch

I really wanted to like this series, but after glancing through the first two episodes... eh. Viola is SIXTEEN?! HOW?!? That and the weird... focus on her boobs/fanservice of her made me lose all motivation to properly watch through the first episode. The humor also seems weird and dumb (similar to Vampire Dies in No Time) and I am so scared of being burned by a "comedy" series like that again that I'm going to give this one a hard pass.

[aris-lazy-anime-reviews]

Autumn 2023 First Impressions: I'm Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness

This was a surprisingly heartwarming and wholesome show. Despite the title, nothing 18+ actually happens--the "naughtiness" that Allen shows Charlotte basically amounts to eating sweets at dinnertime.

Our two main characters are Allen, a sorcerer who bears the "Dark Lord" title for some reason; and Charlotte, the unlucky young woman who was framed by her betrothed prince for crimes she didn't commit. It's a pretty cop-out way of making Charlotte into a "disgraced noble lady" for the sake of an underdog story, especially since Charlotte herself is so nice and kind--almost nauseatingly so. But I still found myself liking the characters and their dynamic. Allen is a little arrogant (and who wouldn't be with that "dark lord" title?), but he's also likeable enough.

I'm assuming that this is going to be a more relaxed type of anime with tons of fluff and not much of a serious story (though I could be wrong). If it really goes this route, I'd be fine with it. I can always use more pleasant anime, and the animation is quite nice so far.

Overall thoughts: Just a really chill (possibly) slice-of-life series with a few more magical and fantastical touches.

Would I watch more?: Most likely.

[aris-lazy-anime-reviews]

Autumn 2023 First Impressions: Ron Kamonohashi's Forbidden Deductions

I try to keep reviews brief on this blog, since it's meant to be a more low-key thing. But I don't think I can be brief about this show.

In recent years, I've become very interested in early- to mid- 1900s detective novels, and have read from quite a few different authors at this point. I've also read and watched quite a few detective manga and anime over the years... so I'm pretty nitpicky when it comes to detective anime now that I'm older.

When a mystery story is done well, it can leave you awed. When it's done poorly, it just feels like a waste of time. The mystery plot in this first episode of Forbidden Deductions was... it was ok. I tend to be a little less critical about mysteries in the first episodes of detective anime--especially if it's wrapped up in one episode--as first episode mystery solving tends to be rather low stakes anyway. So the mystery/mystery solving aspect of the episode was fine.

What I can't stand, however; are the characters. I am so freaking sick of asshole detectives in any media. That probably sounds hypocritical coming from someone like me, who likes Ranpo (Bungo Stray Dogs) and the Nero Wolfe series so much. But at least Ranpo was still somewhat likeable, and Archie's and Wolfe's banter is funny. Ron feels like Sherlock Holmes but with less charisma and with the jerkishness turned up high. His main traits are whining, being melodramatic, dissing people, being arrogant, and disrespecting crime scenes. His one "weakness" (that sets him apart from other anime detectives) and the reason for his semi-retirement from detecting is... dumb beyond words.

And don't even get me started on Totomaru. How did someone so naive and oblivious even get into the investigative branch of the police department in the first place?!

Overall thoughts: This show could have the most amazing plot and I would still not enjoy it because Ron and Totomaru are just insufferable characters. And the "jokes" in this first episode are so old hat I could practically predict the punchlines.

Would I watch more?: If I have the time I may check out a second episode because I do love a good mystery. But the thought of having to suffer through Ron's antics a second time really makes me lose motivation.

[aris-lazy-anime-reviews]

Autumn 2023 First Impressions: Migi & Dali

This series comes from the creator of Sakamoto-san, Nami Sano, who passed away earlier this year (may she rest in peace). Migi & Dali was her last work before she passed.

After watching the first episode, all I can say is that it's uhhh. Interesting?

The series is way weirder and creepier than Sakamoto-san, but it definitely has a similar type of absurd humor. Migi & Dali takes the "creepy twins" trope and runs with it. The whole plot of the show (so far) is that the identical twin brothers are pretending to be one person so that they can be adopted by a wealthy family. And also they have a lot of sinister expressions when they're not pretending to be angelic, and they make sinister sounding plans when they're alone.

Although the soundtrack for this show is pretty amazing (and helps to make the absurd scenes feel more creepy), I can't help but feel that this type of story would work better in a manga format... and I actually did go and check out the manga after watching the first episode. Since I'm impatient, I ended up spoiling myself on what happens later. With the manga having finished at 7 volumes, I wonder if the anime will actually adapt the entire story in one season?

Overall thoughts: The animation, soundtrack, and voice acting are perfect for this show; but it's a bit weird and absurd even for me--and I've seen some weird anime in my lifetime.

Would I watch more?: Despite spoiling myself on the ending of the manga, I'm still interested in seeing the lead-up to that. If I have the time I may check out another episode; otherwise I'll probably just stick to reading the manga.

[aris-lazy-anime-reviews]

Autumn 2023 First Impressions: A Girl and Her Guard Dog

Admittedly I... just skimmed through this first episode, because once I realized what this series' angle was, I was too uncomfortable to actually sit down and watch the whole thing.

Our protag Isaku is the granddaughter of a yakuza boss. Keiya is a yakuza member who is tasked with taking care of Isaku. The two have known each other since Isaku was a young child, and it seems like Isaku has feelings for Keiya... and Keiya might possibly have feelings for her.

Yeah, this show is uh. Possibly a little bit icky for the age gap relationship. (Isaku is 15 or 16 and just starting high school, while Keiya is confirmed in this episode to be 26.) It's a teen-aged girl being shipped with an adult man. I get that these types of relationships can be appealing to some women (and this is confirmed to be based on a shojo manga), but... idk. It's not personally my thing. This series so far seems like a much creepier version of "Yakuza's Guide to Babysitting" (which I have watched and reviewed on the old blog).

The anime's art style is also just not very appealing. I think they tried to make everyone too pretty, resulting in everyone's faces looking extremely stiff instead. These characters barely seem to emote, with Isaku's face appearing to be stuck in a constantly pouting expression. It becomes jarring whenever the characters' voices are so much more emotional than their faces show.

That ED is really cute, though; and it's unfortunate that it has to be the ending theme for a series... like this. (Also... why does it seem like Isaku emotes way more in the ED than in the entire episode itself?)

Overall thoughts: This show is what it is. I don't like the subject matter personally, but some people may enjoy it.

Would I watch more?: No.

[aris-lazy-anime-reviews]

Autumn 2023 First Impressions: Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

I'm going to try to do more First Impressions this season... let's see if I succeed!

I started off with Frieren, which seems to be a highly anticipated show for the Autumn anime season... and damn; maybe I should have started with something else, because this first episode was phenomenal and I don't think many things this season can even compare.

So rarely do anime or manga tackle the events after the end of the heroes' journey. And to do it through the perspective of a long-lived race (Frieren, the elf) makes the whole thing more bittersweet.

I love that this series is taking its time. The pacing of this anime is on the slower side, but it works perfectly for an introspective anime like this. I also really love the animation style used. It's very soft and peaceful. The OP and EDs for this show were also lovely.

Overall thoughts: This First Impression review probably seems very short, because I don't know what else to say other than: that was an amazing (and emotional) first episode.

Would I watch more?: I only watched one episode so far, even though Crunchyroll released four episode simultaneously. I definitely want to check out more of this series, though!

[aris-lazy-anime-reviews]

End of Season Review: The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today

I guess this was a pleasant enough, cozy slice-of-life series. Unfortunately, I couldn't fully enjoy it as I wasn't fond of the humor in this show--which mainly focuses on how incompetent our main protagonist, Saku, is. Speaking of Saku, there were moments in the show where she just wasn't very endearing. Sure, she is nice; but she's also portrayed as being horribly incompetent, extremely whiny, extremely lazy, an alcoholic, and sometimes just plain dumb--and yet she's apparently an expert at her job? (How???)

I guess the protagonist needed to be uh... this pathetic in order for the main plot of Yukichi (the cat) taking care of her to make sense, but it's not always pleasant to watch Saku fail at... basically anything that's not her job. Also, I can't help but think that a lot of the side characters are, uh. Assholes? (Especially that one blonde coworker "friend".) The best part of this show is undoubtedly Yukichi. The flashback sequences featuring him were especially cute.

I don't know. I enjoyed this show a lot more in the beginning. As the series went on and the jokes kept repeating the same kind of punchlines over and over, it just got a little tiresome. Maybe it's just due to the format of the anime, since this type of series feels more suited to shorter 10 minute episodes rather than full 20+ minute episodes.

Overall: I don't regret watching this series, and it certainly has its heartwarming moments, but I don't think I would care enough to bother watching a second season if this anime manages to get one.

Out of five:

2.5 out of 5

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End of Season Review: Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon

Random tangent: I was eating fried onion rings while watching the first episode, so now I kind of associate onion rings with this anime... And of course I ate them again while watching the finale episode as a sort of send-off. ANYWAY...

I ended up enjoying this series far more than I expected. Although at first glance it seems like another silly isekai show--which it still sort of is--it's got a lot more thought put into it than you would expect. Maybe it's because our main character is a vending machine and not a generic dude that the series almost automatically feels much more interesting. What keeps the show from being stale is that our vending machine protag can transform into many different types of vending machines (that apparently actually exist in Japan), and he uses his limited vending machine functions to fight in rather ingenious ways.

I'll be honest, the vending machine facts were far more interesting to me than all the fantasy world stuff, which just felt a little like stock RPG tropes. There's also a surprising amount of action in this anime, which... you wouldn't expect since our protagonist can't even move by himself. But if this show had leaned more towards the slice-of-life stuff, I probably would not have minded.

We get introduced to a ton of characters throughout the season, but I still don't have much attachment to anyone other than the more major characters, such as Boxxo, Lammis, and Hulemy. Lammis' and Boxxo's relationship is rather sweet, even if the more romantic slant on it (that the series implies) kind of weirds me out.

A second season has already been confirmed, so I'll be highly looking forward to that. This "Vending Machine anime" will probably not be considered a "masterpiece", but it was certainly fun while it lasted. And of course, I'll likely celebrate with more onion rings when the first episode of the second season airs.

Out of five:

3.5 out of 5

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End of Season Review: Bungo Stray Dogs (Season 5)

I keep telling myself that I'm not going to bother keeping up with this series anymore... and yet here I am again.

Season 5 was honestly kind of a mess. While this season doesn't try to haphazardly shove in a light novel story that wastes precious episodes, the story still felt rushed as hell. We're given no time for plot points/developments to sink in, or for any character development to stick; because uh oh--we have to rush on to the next plot twist! It's maddening.

I am also deeply unhappy with how the ultimate big bad was handled, both in their character motivation and their fate. Their reason for doing evil things was so dumb (in my opinion) that it made the entire two-season arc felt pointless in hindsight.

I also dislike that BSD just straight up forgets about most of its major female characters. This was pretty noticeable in previous seasons, but it's downright egregious here. (The end credits shot of [redacted] and [redacted] just felt like such a slap in the face since they didn't even... contribute anything to the last half of the season?!?)

Season 5 does finally wrap up a rather long arc that was kickstarted in season 4, but it does so in such a way that it strains ones' suspension of disbelief. A of stuff that happened in the final episode (episode 61) felt like such asspulls. If season 5 had simply ended with a (sorta) satisfying conclusion, then that would have at least been fine--but noooo they had to put in a random cliffhanger moment featuring scenes so ridiculous that I wanted to throw my hands up in the air.

While I did enjoy season 5 slightly more than season 4, the only good things I can really say about it are that the animation is still top-notch, and the Aya's presence is greatly welcomed. (She's the real MVP for sure).

Out of five:

2.5 out of 5

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Summer 2023 First Impressions: The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today

Admittedly, when I found out this show was being animated by GoHands I was... more than a little wary. I'm personally not fond of their hyper-realistic, visually overwhelming, and "everything is always moving, all the time" style of animation. It tends to give me a headache and (imo) doesn't look that visually appealing. (Also, they seem weirdly obsessed with low-angle shots?) Fortunately, GoHands got all of this mostly out of their system in the first few minutes of the episode, and the rest of the episode was fine.

The Masterful Cat seems like it'll be a charming slice-of-life series that's a little more on the fantastical side, due to our main lead having such a large cat... that also cooks and does housework. Unfortunately, my enjoyment of the series is a little bit hampered by this being yet another anime about an overworked Japanese officeworker. I'm getting really tired of these types of plotlines, not necessarily because they're overdone, but because I'm currently going through something of the same thing myself and it just makes me depressed to see fictional characters crying about not wanting to go to work (I feel you, Saku).

I guess these types of show are meant to be comforting, but unfortunately most people don't have a giant cat to help them get through the day. But I guess one can dream...

(I couldn't figure out where to put this, but sometimes Yukichi's--the cat--eyes don't have pupils in certain shots? Is that a stylistic choice or what?)

Overall thoughts: I haven't read the source material this anime is based on, but it seems like a pleasant enough show so far.

Would I watch more?: I may check out another episode or two, just because Katsuyuki Konishi voices a character in this show and I am a sucker for hearing his voice in anime.

[aris-lazy-anime-reviews]

Summer 2023 First Impressions: My Unique Skill Makes Me OP even at Level 1

The best thing about running my own lazy review blog is that I'm free to tap out of an anime whenever I fee like it. I quit this one at about the 9:30 minute mark.

This anime (I'm not gonna write that entire title out again) isn't... horrible. The main dude's "unique skill" is that he has absurdly high drop rates for everything he manages to defeat. This could be an interesting premise, but unfortunately the show (like a lot of other isekai) are so bogged down in video game stats and terminology and info dumping that first episodes are always terribly boring.

This series also seems to be a bit of a budget series, with some pretty bland animation and backgrounds. In the first half of episode 1, the characters are in a dungeon which is portrayed like an empty, white bricked structure. It's so visually boring! And the main cast (shown off in the OP) all look terribly generic. I also have to side eye the two main characters' relationship. One is an office-worker-reborn-into-a-fantasy-world, and the other looks like a grade schooler. WHY did they have to make the female lead look so young? She acts rather motherly towards our male MC too, and might be a potential love interest? That's weird; why couldn't you have just made her look like a short adult instead of like a child???

Anyway, that's not even the main reason why I dropped the episode midway. I dropped the episode because the show started to tout this awful message about how "one's efforts will always be rewarded, and the longer you go on without being rewarded, the greater the reward will be in the end." Which is... okay. I get what they were going for. But the female lead then comforts office worker dude (who just realizes he's died in the other world from overwork and is crying) by saying his reward for overworking himself to death is that... he gets to be reborn in this world and reap the rewards here. ???What??? I know this was supposed to be a comforting scene but that message is not at all comforting and uh. Is that really the message you want to send, anime??? That people should keep overworking themselves because someday maybe possibly you'll get a really big reward for it? Maybe I'm too much of a cynic but this message just feels hollow when death by overwork is an actual thing that happens in Japan.

Overall thoughts: I'm sorry for rambling so seriously about what is probably just a silly little isekai anime but I'm incredibly disturbed by the message this first episode puts out. If it was meant to be "inspiring" it definitely had the opposite effect on me.

Would I watch more?: No thank you.

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Summer 2023 First Impressions: Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon

Before even watching this show, I was ready to be dismissive of it, because... come on, it's a dude reborn as a vending machine in a fantasy world. But after watching the first episode... I'm a little bit intrigued.

Admittedly the first half of the episode was a little bit boring, since... our main character is reborn as a vending machine that can't even move on its own. But after Lammis (the female lead) is formally introduced, the episode picks up immensely. There's something strangely charming about how Lammis quickly learns to communicate with our vending machine protag, and how they both immediately strike up a friendship.

Other than the vending machine stuff, everything about this series is very "anime fantasy world" so far. There's the usual monsters, vaguely European-esque villages and cities, and dungeons and the like. Since our characters are confirmed to be in a dungeon of some sort, here's hoping things become more interesting once Lammis and Boxxo (the name given to our vending machine character) reach the surface.

Overall thoughts: I know that there's some attempts at comedy thrown into episode 1, but I'm honestly way more interested in Boxxo and Lammis' relationship (and I cannot believe I am actually typing these words out).

Would I watch more?: ...I think this is high on the list of anime I'm planning to watch this season. The concept is definitely silly, but it's fun so far.

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Summer 2023 First Impressions: Sweet Reincarnation

I think I have to resign myself to the fact that isekai shows are now a staple of anime, just like how "magic school for magic students" and "school club" shows comprised most of the upcoming anime in past years.

Unfortunately, there's been so many isekai shows now that they all start feeling a bit samey. I only wanted to check out Sweet Reincarnation because it looked uh... less bad than some of the other isekai shows I've seen before, and I always have a weakness for food-themed anime. Other than the characters having some bonkers food-related names, I don't think Sweet Reincarnation really sets itself apart from other Isekai all that much--so far. (Our main character is named "Pastry"? And his dad is named "Casserole"?!? Let me tell you, hearing characters saying "Lord Casserole" in a mostly serious fantasy anime is some whiplash.)

Since all isekai start out roughly the same anyway I kinda wished this series had sped through the whole reincarnation stuff to get to the main plot. Yes, Pastry/Pas gets killed within the first few minutes of the anime, then gets reincarnated in a fantasy world, and then is revealed to have like; amazing amounts of magic or something. It's all old hat. I honestly wished we could have had more focus on the pastry/sweets aspect of the show since that's what I expected. As of writing this review, two episodes are out already but I only had time to watch the first one--and the second episode looks to be... more fantasy politics crap. Hey, that's not what I signed up for!

Maybe the series actually allows Pas to make sweets and stuff later on, who knows. I guess I'm glad that Pas is at least... a decent "adult stuck in a kid's body" protagonist. He's voiced by the same VA who voices Tsubasa in this year's Precure (and uses the exact same voice), so it was pretty funny to hear. (I'm sure someone out there can take Pas' voice clips and edit them on Tsubasa's animations, and vice versa.)

Overall thoughts: Well this is definitely an isekai series. It's ok so far.

Would I watch more?: I might try to hang on until episode 3 just to see if the baking component of the series actually comes into play. I'm willing to give this show more chances because of the food-theme and because this series hasn't fallen into the usual trappings of a bad isekai show... yet. (i.e. there's thankfully no awful fanservice, this first episode was just kind of boring.)