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deltaengineering · 3 years

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Fall Anime 2021: Extra Large

It appears that tumblr has put a limit on the number of images per post. Oh well, I'll just use good ones I have then. Speaking of which...

Tawawa on Monday S2

I watched the original Tawawa and didn't like it, because ginourmous gazongas are as lowbrow as cultured interests get and it occasionally panned up to show faces, which I didn't like either. So why watch the sequel? Well... it made a good companion piece to Douki-chan and a show doesn't actually have to be good for a few minutes a week. I'll say that it's slightly better than S1, because it's better made and at least occasionally as absurd as it needs to be. 4/10

Adventure Anime Triple Feature feat. Takt Op.: Destiny / Fena: Pirate Princess / Sacks&Guns!!

I'm just going to group these three together because they have a lot in common: They're all old-fashioned odd-couple action-adventure hyphenated-anime. They're also all not good, and the most fun I can get out of this is pointing out how they're differently bad.

To start with the most obviously bad one, Takt Op.: Destiny is just severely lacking in most regards that matter. If nothing else, it gave me a lot of newfound appreciation for the kind of deep, multifaceted relationship memetic dumbass Shirou and fencepost-with-a-frown-on-it Saber have. I can really only assume the people behind Takt Op saw that and thought "well, if even Fate can do it it can't be that hard" – but the joke's on them, since for all its faults, Fate is at least intricate and fundamentally well thought out while Takt Op is as shallow as a puddle. This goes from top to bottom: Takt is an utterly unlikeable theater kid that gets a pass from everyone (especially the script authors) because he is good at teh musics – and every time the show pretends to be about music (which it most definitely is not even remotely), it reads as laughably pretentious. The villains are moustache twirlers that would have been parody fodder in an SNES JRPG. Battles consists of overdesigned girls shooting lazors while the dudes stand aside and wave a stick around. The setting only makes sense as an alternate timeline where headphones were curiously never invented. And why yes, this can all be handily explained with this being based on a mobile RPG that desperately wants to be F/go, but that gets us right back to the "lacking Fate's underappreciated fundamentals" part again – and by fundamentals I mean stuff as fundamental as "Masters are humans so shoot them first". That said, it's not all bad; Takt Op has some upsides that keep it from being entirely worthless, such as the fights occasionally looking really neat and things like "Destiny eats a pancake and dunks on Takt" indeed being the kind of surefire, no-effort-required crowd pleaser that the makers seem to have thought the whole show would be. Mostly bad is still bad though, and honestly one of the best aspects of it is that "trying too hard" is not an avenue of failure it opens itself up to often. 4/10

Fena: Pirate Princess has the opposite problem; where Takt Op doesn't seem to aspire to anything but being a superficial Fate copy, Fena goes off in so many scatterbrained directions that it's hard to tell what it's even supposed to be. Sure, at first it seems like it's going to be an Akatsuki no Yona type story where the princess learns to get increasingly badass while going on a treasure hunt, but you might be surprised to hear that by the end of it, Fena barely turns out to be a character in her own story. There's so many characters and subplots that barely any of them go anywhere (I won't even start to list them, suffice it to say that if it's there it probably doesn't pay off), and even the conclusion of the "main" storyline eventually comes down to a version of Indiana Jones that's equal parts about the villain and thinking "huh, Joan of Arc and Noah's Ark sound kinda similar, isn't that neat?" This sounds pretty inexplicable but becomes entirely explicable once you realize that The Guys From Bee Anime Are At It Again. Except B: The Beginning was two anime awkwardly smashed together and one of them was good, while Fena is more like 5 anime awkwardly smashed together and none of them are good. Fena is somewhat more ambitious than Takt is (no shit lol) and the benefit of doing everything is that you're probably going to like something in it, but it really is just a mess. 4/10

Sacks&Guns!! (the original name of Sakugan and one so amusing you can't make me use the real one) handily outplays both of these by knowing what it wants to be and providing a workable narrative backbone. That said while it's usually juuuuust about as good as it needs to be, it's never any better. The main story is interesting, yes, but there's also not a lot of it and everything in between feels like filler that vastly overestimates how fun it is to just watch these characters bicker among each other. This could easily work much better if the characters were stronger, but they just... aren't. And when the story does come around, it's not so much "too little too late", but of course "barely enough and barely in time", which is fine but hardly fulfilling. Speaking of not fulfilling, this show gleefully doesn't have an ending, but in characteristic fashion it provides just enough thematic/character closure and explanation to make me feel like I didn't waste my time. It's still a bold move to leave the entire narrative closure to a sequel that it may or may not get, but I'd probably watch it, accompanied with copious sighing. Sacks&Guns!! naturally gets the lowest possible passing grade. 5/10

Rumble Garanndoll

Gimme some Akio Watanabe character designs in a show that doesn't totally stink and I'm satisfied. Here, there's your review of Rumble Garanndoll. Though that statement is incredibly loaded, since the elephant in the room is why I think this self-congratulating heap of of "us otaku huh" doesn't totally stink. Well, for starters it's pretty funny occasionally, which is a big plus in the sea of brutally unfunny otaku comedies. A lot of it comes down to knowing when to not be funny, since the setup is plenty jocular on its own already. I think Garanndoll just gets the balance right; I wouldn't want a show that is all harem jokes, or all Akihabara celebration, or all heartfelt references to old school mecha, but apparently I can stomach the right blend of these just fine. It works both as a comedy and as a straightforward mecha show, and while it doesn't excel at either, I'm still surprised that even it comes out as "acceptable seasonal fodder". 6/10

Heike Monogatari

Oh boy, where to start with this one. I guess I'll start with the good, and the surprising: Aesthetically, Heike Monogatari is close to perfect – I love how this show is made, how it looks and sounds and moves. And I say this as someone who has been an outspoken critic of Naoko Yamada's directing style before, it just works much better for this somewhat abstract period piece than it ever has for stories about teenager problems. But that gets us right to the issue, and why you're reading about this Very Important Piece Of Literary Adaptation right after the dumb comedy about mechas powered by harem: Quite frankly, I give maybe a fifth of a fuck at best about the Story of the Heike, and this anime failed to convince me otherwise. It's not that they didn't try either, their OC (do not steal) Biwa is easily the best character in the show, it's just that she necessarily doesn't have much to do with the story. If I may be real for just a second, I think it's respectable and a good idea to not dick too much with this literary classic you're adapting, because it really wouldn't be the Heike Story then. But that still doesn't mean I have to like the result. This anime is mainly for people who take the importance of the narrative as a given (i.e., the Japanese), but for me this tale about a bunch of kids who really just want to play the flute but are sad because their Granddad had too much fun being a dick really lacks the sort of gravitas and pathos it seems to be shooting for. Yes, it is insufficiently Shakespearean, this tale from a couple of centuries earlier and the other side of the planet, excuse my gaijin. Anyway, Heike Monogatari really is at its best when it just stops trying to recount whose uncle mustered how many horses and becomes almost entirely abstract, which is at least somewhat frequently. So, didn't care much for it, but A+ for effort. 6/10

Lupin III Part 6 Part 1

Yo, yet again with a show that didn't actually end, what gives? Yeah, Lupin III Part 6 is obviously split into two and the first half indeed had a definite ending, so I'm counting it. First thing, I'm going to view Part 6 (Part 1) as an anthology show, because that's really what it is. Part 5 already flirted with a half-episodic approach but the main difference is that while Part 6 (Part 1) has an ostensible main story, it's really not more complex (or any better) than the side stories, just a bit longer. The real unifying factor is the theme, and that is "referencing famous mystery literature" for the most part. As most anthologies go, there's a wild variety of story content and quality. Some episodes are outright shoddy, a lot of them a "meh" (including the alleged main story, which is actually far too long for how meh it is), many are classic Lupin tomfoolery, and a few of them are excellent. Being the pompous ass that I am, I am of course referring to the too-clever-by-half Oshii episodes, the second of which is hands down the best episode of the season and a big contender for best episode of the year. If you want a practical tip, just watch those two (4 and 10), since they're not connected to anything but general Lupin-ness. Anthologies are hard to rate and this is the definition of a mixed bag, but overall I'll say it's just fine – Lupin has done better before though. 6/10

Yakunara Mug Cup Mo S2

Yakunara Mug Cup Mo was a surprisingly solid Kiraralike (read this if you want the actual take, even if there wasn't much to say back then either), and one should not be surprised that a very quick S2 just keeps on rolling. It's still not much of a show, and its shorter length still helps it immensely. There maybe weren't as many gay Mika daydreams as I'd hope for this time around, but Mug Cup remains an inoffensively good time. 6/10

Ganbare Douki-Chan

Ah yes, here's the Chad to Tawawa's Virgin. I've been debating ranking this higher, but this time around I think I'll disregard the meme. Douki-chan is adorable, and that's the long and short of it. It definitely is less of a cultural milestone than Miru Tights is, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. In actuality, it's probably hurt the most by me having read all the source material already (there's not much), so there was a lot of saying "yep, that's that page alright". Good time, cute faces, rooting for Douki-chan, 3 net minutes well spent. 6/10

My Senpai Is Annoying

So this one is definitely simpatico with Douki, except more so. By that I mean there's more of it (natch), but also that it's even more barebones, if that is even possible. This anime right here is 100% exactly what you would expect. Good thing I generally expect my anime to be good then, amirite? This is Doga Kobo, and they've really made an artform out of taking these basic ass mangas and making them entertaining and it's pretty scary how much I enjoyed this crap. KyoAni cannot pull this off, just watch Maidragon. Oh wait, Maidragon fans already think the manga is exceptional lmao

Uh, where was I. Okay, everything about this is as lame as it gets once you think about it, probably the most extraordinary thing about it is that it has no baseball episode and does a basketball episode instead. But it doesn't do a single thing wrong (incredibly predictable ending emphatically included), and it doesn't mean it's not fun to watch. It is a ton of fun to watch, in fact, and it does put in the work to make you not think about it, but sometimes you just can't help it, such as when writing this down. tl;dr Sakurai is best, don't @ me. 7/10 (while watching) / 6/10 (while not watching)

Tsuki to Laika to Nosferatu

So how much do you care about early 60s Soviet aesthetics and the romance of early space exploration? Because that's what's really going to make or break this show for you. I do on both counts, so this is a show that feels like it was made just for me. It's remarkable that you can still find a light novel with this level of dedication to a setting that isn't... you know. The one. But it's not just the setting and that they care about it a lot, it also gets a lot else right. It has good, rounded characters with an appropriate amount of depth (even if Anya won't let you forget that this used to be a LN in a hurry), it's fairly nuts-and-boltsy but it assumes people who care don't need endless explanations, and it doesn't romanticize its setting too much. So good job there, but there's still a few things that hold it back. First of all, it's not a looker. Not too shabby, but obviously cheap. Second, that ending. I don't disapprove of them not playing hardball to the end, but it really is just far too simple and convenient by any standard. And third, well, it's all good, but besides being a treat for those who care it never goes that extra mile. So go in with limited expectations and you won't be disappointed. 7/10

Isekai Shokudou S2

Can I repeat my Mug Cup bit here? Well no actually, because I apparently never reviewed S1. So first of all, this isn't an "isekai show". No, that doesn't make it one. No, it just doesn't. Secondly, Isekai Shokudou seems like a very simple concept on the surface (one of those food anime where they celebrate uncomplicated dishes), and that's good and all, but it's not what makes it. I'm really here for the sly worldbuilding and how the the restaurant makes an impact on the other world, both globally and personally – it's very amusing to think of this as the wholesome, delicious version of Casablanca. Which is a small but not insignificant part of the show, to be honest, but it being so naturally presented as a side effect of a cute food anime just tickles my fancy. And if you've seen S2, you'll know that I fucking loved the last arc here. Aside from that, it's another slim show that works very well, fundamentally being already good at its thing and then adding another layer of unexpected delight on top of it. Dunno, sort of like a good cake with like, frosting? Soup, salt? Or like, comfort food and stuff? Did I meet the quota of unimaginative food similes every review of Isekai Shokudou is legally obligated to have? 7/10

Taishou Otome Otogibanashi

Taishou + Otome + Fairytale = a winning combination. What we have here is what I'd describe as "the good version of Sangatsu no Lion" and I'm only half trolling. So this is the story of a sad boi who learns to love again with a generous helping of instant cute girlfriend, except it makes much more sense in this setting and Tamahiko actually has very good reasons to have a sad all the time. It's also much more consistently self-aware funny, as opposed to 3lion which just recklessly swings between sitcom antics and drowning in sorrow with no stop at self-awareness ever. But enough about 3lion, Taishou Otome may be a magical girlfriend joint but it's a really good one. It has a really good grasp of switching between broad archetype comedy and serious character work when it matters – and it does get serious, since the "Taishou" is right in the title so things eventually get shaky. The cheesiness can't be denied, but that's what you're here for, I hope. And Yuzu is just cute as a button – which she better be, because that's the show. This is another one that isn't terribly ambitious, but executes very well on the modest ambitions that it does have. 7/10

Shiroi Suna no Aquatope

And finally, here's the last word on Aquatope. I already gave this a preliminary review last season, and I was right about doing that – the second half really is a different show, and in my opinion, a much better one (yes, I know that people seem to disagree with this – let's just say that they were probably here for what it started as, not what it became). It actually turned out to be the second coming of Shirobako that I was hoping for, and in some respects it's actually better – such as not being so in love with its setting that it can't stop talking about it, and also being more evenhanded on the our guys/bad guys spectrum. While the beginning of Aquatope seemed to be mostly about sad Fuuka being healed by Okinawan magical realism, by the end of the first cours it already was mostly about Kukuru – and the second half is almost entirely about her and her struggle in the workplace/growing up in general, with the magic almost completely evaporating (because you see, that is the point – Can I quickly say that "lack of magic is a plot point" is a level of writing I'd ever have expected from the Iroduku team?). It pulls no punches on this because often, Kukuru doesn't actually like what she's doing and also isn't really good at it, which cuts deeper than Aoi just herding a bunch of wacky manchildren for the sake of art. The side character stories (including Fuuka's, but she's now only one of several) are also all very good. So you might be asking, what do I not like? Not much to be honest, the show is now consistently very good and occasionally knocks on greatness. It's still a bit blunt and obvious in places, but that's just anime writing for you. And I'm not sure about the ending. It does absolutely everything it needs to do and then some (including tying up a few story threads from the first half that don't show up at all in the second otherwise), which is an achievement of its own, but it seems a little quick and convenient for everything to fall into place so neatly. So it's by no means bad, it just doesn't go the extra mile that Aquatope otherwise often does and is less good than the "season 1" finale. Still, if you want some well thought out character drama that never forgets the levity, you can't go wrong with Aquatope. 8/10