The current anime thing

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#950

I have a couple issues with it. The first four episodes were extremely exposition and flashback-heavy. It frustrated me that the stakes had to be restated. Episode 3 spent most of its runtime on events we already know and understand. Spoilers through episode 5 this seasonNot a fan of dropping a whole new and frankly uninspiring cast on me either. And Reiner, after OOOH HE ALMOST DIED for all of season 3 (and even before that) has continued almost dying all the time this season. It’s freaking annoying. Episode 5 held my attention better, but I am very much rubbed the wrong way by the implied “Eren is the villain now” framework.

@Qazikolia It is probably worth your time to check out FLCL Alternative. Nothing can match FLCL - it’s my favorite piece of media full stop - but it captures a similar vibe and I was very touched by how it ended.

#951

Thought this would be a more quiet season but so far there have been a decent amount of promising shows:

Otherside Picnic is an anime adaptation of Roadside Picnic that dares to ask: what if it was yuri. The first episode is pretty fun and effectively creepy when it wants to be. It generally looks pretty good outside of when it has a faraway shot of the characters, at which point they turn into badly animated CG models.

Laid-Back Camp Season 2 is more Laid-Back Camp, which is all I could really ask for. It’s still as comfy as the first season was.

Horimiya is a pretty good romcom, outside of the first scene which inexplicably adds a pervy teacher to the show who, as far as I can tell, wasn’t in the original manga. It’s gross, and really unfortunate as the rest of the first episode is fun. I like the characters a bunch and it’s got a pretty nice looking art style. Also has the best opening of the season so far (though it takes itself way more seriously than the show does).

SK8 the Infinity is a skateboarding anime, which is something we don’t have enough of. It’s got fun characters, ridiculous looking rivals, and some pretty good animation. I liked the first episode a bunch and hope it keeps being this good.

Jujutsu Kaisen hasn’t started this season yet but has so far been great so I’m excited to watch more of it.

#952

Yeah, Horimiya seems nice. Love me some cozy romance. Seconding most of the the comments above actually.

Seems like it can be a solid season. And let’s see if Re:ZERO can keep me interested. This series has not been as exciting as the first.

#953

Sequel heavy season but honestly a lot of them are sequels to shows ranging from good to great. Personally don’t know what I did to deserve a new season of Laid Back Camp and Non Non Biyori at the same time but I’ll take it.

In terms of new stuff all I’ve watched so far is the Spider anime, which seems like it could be okay if you’re interested in seeing Aoi Yuuki put a show on her back if the first episode is any indication.

#954

Thanks for the rec! I think I remember seeing a fairly lukewarm reaction to Progressive when it came out, and just stopped paying attention after that. The kind of emotional space that FLCL plays around in is so appealing but so easily broken, so anything that’s successful in conjuring an atmosphere that’s similar or adjacent to that is a must-watch for me!

#955

Yeah I did not love Progressive much at all and it’s too bad it killed the vibe before Alternative dropped.

#956

I have been binge watching Hunter x Hunter and have been enjoying it quite a bit. I’m currently in the Chimera Ant arc and I have to say I did not expect the show to get as dark as it has considering how upbeat it kind of is for 80% of it.

#957

Wonder Egg Priority’s first episode released today and just so people who want to watch it are prepared going in: big CW for suicide and trauma.

I liked it quite a bit though do want to know how it handles its subject matter going forward before really recommending it. That being said, I do think it has potential. Its mystery has got me hooked (even if I’m cautious of what its outcome could be) and it looks beautiful.

#958

Anyone here using Wakanim? Is it just me or does it no longer recognize that you’ve watched episodes? Neither on the PS4 app or the website. I’ve added stuff to my watchlist and watched several episodes but it’s still on the first one. It’s always been bad at that but now it’s completely broken. Started within the last few weeks.

#959

Sk∞ update: even though I am about 95% certain we’re in the classic sports anime queerbaiting territory (which I guess makes sense, from the director of Free!), I think I like this one. There’s a character who has a JARVIS-y AI for his skateboard and Takehito Koyasu’s weird stalker villain character was introduced just humming Beethoven’s 5th like even more of a cartoon vampire than DIO was. Also there’s a hot chef.