TV: General Anime Discussion (Part 3)

[cheechoo]

Hell, I got to 290 in Bleach and I am starting to get worn out, especially since I got another filler arc and that extremely stupid arc with dirty boots (will never forget that in my life) power coming up. Don't get me wrong, I am still very much enjoying it, but I don't know how some of you lot could do a One Piece run. I never watched a single episode in my life of that show and it is because of how ridiculous it is.

The difference is that One Piece is peak fiction and Bleach is an average / above average anime...

You definitely can't speedrun One Piece and I think that adds to it's charm.

It appeals so much to me because my favorite aspect about shonen is the exploration. It's like i'm on a roadtrip with my best friends and One Piece does it pretty phenomenally. All of the arcs are so unique, and the Pirate aspect means they're constantly stretching and exploring the boundaries of their landscape.

The themes can get pretty dark too. Oda doesn't hide his political worldviews. The show revolves around things like unions being infiltrated by the feds, overthrowing the ruling elite, colonial exploitation, healthcare, indigenous people fighting back for their land etc.

The Strawhats are peak and all unique in their own ways. You ask five different OP fans and they likely all have a different fav Strawhat.

But the length of the show can definitely be daunting and you have to have a filler guide on deck. Most people I know that are caught up have taken sabbaticals from their watch/read.

 

[syz]

Ok who decided that these Kaiju No.8 OP/EDs were a good idea?

 

[PALE PWNR]

Really liked Solo Leveling. Looking forward to where it goes.

 

[kingsholygrail]

Finished the Thunderbolt Fantasy "Melody of the West" movie. Onward to season 3. Can't get enough of these puppets.

 

[S E P H]

- It has been a minute, but I finished Bleach month(s) back and it was effin' amazing. The only complaint I have is that most of, if not all the characters we are stuck with at the end of the current season are all essentially useless since the main battle must be between the Quincey bloke and Ichiago. I have not read any of the manga so these are random predictions, but that's pretty much where it is heading to based on the predictability of "main protagonists'" storylines.

- After Bleach, I caught up with Spy x Family season 2 and that was amazing, so much better than the first season. I thought the show finally found a fantastic level of speed, dialogue, and chemistry after some hit-and-misses from season one. Bloody good ship arc storyline, which led to much-needed character development. Also, they really came with it in regards to action fighting scenes, very interested in where it will go in the next season.

- Then I caught up with Classroom of the Elite season 3, and that was also ridiculously awesome. Not Spy x Family level good, but still very enjoyable with a lot of character development for the secondary ones.

- I just finished Osho no Ko and that was rather....weird. SPOILERS ahead, do not read if you have not watched it. It is hard to explain because I was totally feeling it towards the end, but a lot of the beginning and setting of the plot were just strange. I don't know, I definitely do not condone getting preg at 16 years old or whatever old Ai was, that is effin' weird and reminded me too much of all the 16 and preg videos on MTV with that trash destroying culture (anything made by MTV for that matter). That is my biggest gripe of the show in all honesty, but the first couple of episodes were really bad and really slow until it finally found its footing after episode 2 or 3. Another semi-complaint I had was this show is about a certain segment of society as Dress Up Darling is for cosplay, Osho no Ko is for acting/idol fad that KPop started 4-6 years ago. The problem is for a show predominately about becoming idols, the studio company went to great lengths to make sure the blood stains were realistic lol, too realistic where it seems they went out and studied murders because it was crazy how much effort they put in those scenes. I am looking forward to season 2, but the show suffers from not knowing what it wants to be. Does it want to be Re:Zero 2.0 (which actually balances a lot of the elements nicely), does it want to be a comedy show (because of that dude with the bird head - which is so not funny in any shape or form), does it want to be a revenge show (because there is too much humour so far to make it so), does it want to be a show about a certain topic like Dress Up Darling (because that is what I was expecting, but it does not follow those cliches), or does it want to be a show talking about the dark side of entertainment (as As You Lie in April does)? Just too much going off in too many directions I thought.

- I just started Frieren as it was next on my list and I want to see what all the hype is about, but I admit I am not huge in D&D sort of fantasy stuff when it comes to many forms of entertainment so there is a chance I might not like it. We will see.

 

[hoyster]

- I just finished Osho no Ko and that was rather....weird. SPOILERS ahead, do not read if you have not watched it. It is hard to explain because I was totally feeling it towards the end, but a lot of the beginning and setting of the plot were just strange. I don't know, I definitely do not condone getting preg at 16 years old or whatever old Ai was, that is effin' weird and reminded me too much of all the 16 and preg videos on MTV with that trash destroying culture (anything made by MTV for that matter). That is my biggest gripe of the show in all honesty, but the first couple of episodes were really bad and really slow until it finally found its footing after episode 2 or 3. Another semi-complaint I had was this show is about a certain segment of society as Dress Up Darling is for cosplay, Osho no Ko is for acting/idol fad that KPop started 4-6 years ago. The problem is for a show predominately about becoming idols, the studio company went to great lengths to make sure the blood stains were realistic lol, too realistic where it seems they went out and studied murders because it was crazy how much effort they put in those scenes. I am looking forward to season 2, but the show suffers from not knowing what it wants to be. Does it want to be Re:Zero 2.0 (which actually balances a lot of the elements nicely), does it want to be a comedy show (because of that dude with the bird head - which is so not funny in any shape or form), does it want to be a revenge show (because there is too much humour so far to make it so), does it want to be a show about a certain topic like Dress Up Darling (because that is what I was expecting, but it does not follow those cliches), or does it want to be a show talking about the dark side of entertainment (as As You Lie in April does)? Just too much going off in too many directions I thought.

- I just started Frieren as it was next on my list and I want to see what all the hype is about, but I admit I am not huge in D&D sort of fantasy stuff when it comes to many forms of entertainment so there is a chance I might not like it. We will see.

I absolutely loved Oshi No Ko for being a mix of everything. You never knew where the story was going to go or what the next focus would be and that kept me hooked for sure. The balance of tragedy and humor hits me really well. I've only seen 1st season of Re:Zero and again I see someone compare these two shows and I have no idea where that comes from. I didn't see any parallels. To me the show just seems kinda realistic how it narrates the complexity of social media and idol culture. Guys like Pieyon are ridiculous, but you just know these kind of people exists and get many views, so it's not there just as a comedic relief.

As for Frieren, just enjoy the show. You don't have to be DnD or fantasy fan. You'd enjoy other parts more for sure, but that is not the main theme of the show. And remember that the first 4 episodes were aired as one so it might be a little slow start for some.

 

[S E P H]

I forgot to mention I watched the Cyberpunk anime and that was also ridiculously good. I actually liked all these characters so much more than the ones in the game (which were already top-notch by their own standard).

I absolutely loved Oshi No Ko for being a mix of everything. You never knew where the story was going to go or what the next focus would be and that kept me hooked for sure. The balance of tragedy and humor hits me really well.

Yeah, I do not agree because when you're trying to be five different things at once, elements tend to begin to suffer. I am most definitely going to keep watching it because it's a great show in its own right, but to me, all those different elements were not as nicely done compared to Re:Zero and felt like it lacked a bit of direction because of that.

I've only seen 1st season of Re:Zero...

I only compared it to Re:Zero because it has a mixture of everything; humour, emotions, fighting, love, etc. Don't drop Re:Zero though, it gets WAY better after the stupid mansion arc with the stupid over-emotional protagonist and the stupid female bulter that everyone loves but is not that interesting lol.

As for Frieren, just enjoy the show. You don't have to be DnD or fantasy fan. You'd enjoy other parts more for sure, but that is not the main theme of the show. And remember that the first 4 episodes were aired as one so it might be a little slow start for some.

I'm on episode 10 and it is awesome for sure, really enjoying it! The amount of detail that was put into the world (probably by the manga artist) is very reminiscent of Hunter x Hunter (which I know you don't want to watch). My only slight knock so far is that too many of the characters are plain emotionless. I am absolutely fine with some characters coming across as constantly boring, but so far both magicians are, most of the legendary heroes are except for Himmel, and all the demons.

 

[oil Leaks]

It's so bad it's actually good
And there is a second season kekw

Isekai de Cheat Skill wo Te ni Shita Ore wa, Genjitsu Sekai wo mo Musou Suru: Level Up wa Jinsei wo Kaeta

All his life, Yuuya Tenjou has been the subject of resentment and contempt from everyone around him, even from his parents. To make matters worse, his grandfather—the only person who ever showed him affection—suddenly dies, leaving Yuuya truly alone. Despite facing many adversities, Yuuya does...

myanimelist.net

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

It's so bad it's actually good
And there is a second season kekw

Isekai de Cheat Skill wo Te ni Shita Ore wa, Genjitsu Sekai wo mo Musou Suru: Level Up wa Jinsei wo Kaeta

All his life, Yuuya Tenjou has been the subject of resentment and contempt from everyone around him, even from his parents. To make matters worse, his grandfather—the only person who ever showed him affection—suddenly dies, leaving Yuuya truly alone. Despite facing many adversities, Yuuya does...

myanimelist.net

It's not THAT bad. It's not great.

 

[hoyster]

I forgot to mention I watched the Cyberpunk anime and that was also ridiculously good. I actually liked all these characters so much more than the ones in the game (which were already top-notch by their own standard).

Cyberpunk was amazing and it got me to play the game again after the dlc patch and it became one of my favorite games

Don't drop Re:Zero though, it gets WAY better after the stupid mansion arc with the stupid over-emotional protagonist and the stupid female bulter that everyone loves but is not that interesting lol.

So far I like most of the characters and I do trust when people say that the MCs get better (so far Subaru and Emilia are one of my least favorites). I'm just not fan of isekais in general and especially the time loop theme.

I'm on episode 10 and it is awesome for sure, really enjoying it! The amount of detail that was put into the world (probably by the manga artist) is very reminiscent of Hunter x Hunter (which I know you don't want to watch). My only slight knock so far is that too many of the characters are plain emotionless. I am absolutely fine with some characters coming across as constantly boring, but so far both magicians are, most of the legendary heroes are except for Himmel, and all the demons.

I love the deadpan look of Fern and Frieren. Both characters have their own reason to be that way and when they do show emotion, it gives those moments so much more meaning. Aura arc is probably the best arc I've seen in any show in a while.

 

[oil Leaks]

It's not THAT bad. It's not great.

Stuck in the middle. Not good enough to be great, not bad enough to be trash. Looking forward to whenever season 2 is out. Apparently, the manga is better.

 

[syz]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1796767509775069272

 

[kingsholygrail]

Finished the Thunderbolt Fantasy "Melody of the West" movie. Onward to season 3. Can't get enough of these puppets.

And done with Season 3! Season 4 is in post production. Can't wait for more shenanigans from the vape wizard.

 

[RobBrown4PM]

JFC, Fujimoto cooked uhhhhh, he cooked a Shinji in Chapter 167.

Not that it's going to happen anytime soon, but GL to the studio who's animating the series when it reaches this point.

 

[PALE PWNR]

Mushoku Tensei really delayed a week to release that episode today...

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Mushoku Tensei really delayed a week to release that episode today...

Happy Fathers' Day!

 

[PALE PWNR]

Happy Fathers' Day!

 

[S E P H]

Okay, Kaguya-sama is still my favourite show like by far. I am rewatching the third season to go straight into the movie and enjoying the hell out of it.

Ok who decided that these Kaiju No.8 OP/EDs were a good idea?

Good show though? I wanted to check it out in the future...

 

[hoyster]

Okay, Kaguya-sama is still my favourite show like by far. I am rewatching the third season to go straight into the movie and enjoying the hell out of it.

Many great contenders in the rom-com genre, but yeah Kaguya-sama is still the goat.

Any good animes coming up in summer season? Obviously Oshi No Ko S2 and I think Spice and Wolf will have 24 eps, so we'll get the second half right away. Looks like there will be a few romance and slice of lifes, so I'm looking forward to checking those out.

 

[The Merchant]

Enjoying the hell out of Kaiju No. 8. AoT + Gurren Lagann + Soul Eater vibes. Extremely bingable watch so far.

 

[S E P H]

Kaiju No. 8. is bloody fantastic, I started that over the weekend and super hyped for it. The character designs are cliche in the anime world, but still extremely well done. Has some Gantz (manga version) and One-Punch Man vibes and I can get down with that.

 

[hoyster]

Holy f...Demon Slayer just went off! I don't usually get too hyped up, but god damn what a finale.

 

[S E P H]

So I did now gents, I went down the rabbit hole with Odd Taxi. I am on episode 9 and I thought it was just going to be a chill easy-watch show...but no, I couldn't have been more wrong in my life.

 

[oil Leaks]

 

[hoyster]

My spring 2024 animes with a few extras that I watched:

Dungeon Meshi - 9,5/10
I heard people grouping Dungeon Meshi in the "Big 3" with Frieren and Apothecary Diaries and I thought there's no way a show about people cooking the monsters in a dungeon can be anyway near the all-time shows like those. While it is not on the same level, I was a fool. Well, not really as this show evolved into so much more than just that. Some absolutely amazing character like Marcille, Falin, Senshi and I loved the late addition of Izutsumi.

Konosuba Season 3 - 9,5/10
The only isekai I really like and it's back better than ever. Absolutely loved the season, IMO the best comedy anime of all-time. Hope they don't take too long with the new season/movie, cause I can't wait what comes out of that egg.

Yuru Camp Season 1 - 9/10
With not many interesting new animes this season, I decided to pick up one of the best rated slice of lifes that I hadn't seen before. Can't really say what it is about Yuru Camp, but this is just a wholesome show, which even got me to want to go out camping in the winter. Really glad this show has few more season and a movie I can watch if there's nothing else going on.

Girls Band Cry - 9/10
I had never heard of this show and I almost missed it completely until accidentally stumbling upon it few weeks ago, and I binged it in few days. I'm not really a fan of the 3D CGI animation style, but it actually looked incredible. The fact that they compiled a band and then made an anime about them with the band members doing the VA is great. The voice acting was really good and the song they had were absolute bangers.

Kaiju no 8 - 8,5/10
Seems like a mix of other shounen animes (AoT, JJK, even some Demon Slayer). The animation is a bit weird with great action scenes and cool kaiju designs, but then the human characters look like I could've drawn them. Overall just a really cool show and I'll definitely keep watching it.

Demon Slayer Hashira Training Arc - 8,5/10
After an underwhelming Swordsmith Village Arc we got the Hashira Training Arc which we knew wasn't going to be that action heavy. Some episodes seemed to drag out. I would've liked to get to know better the other Hashiras, but instead we got more Tengen and Tokito. Still the season was good considering the expectations and the last episode was top 3-5 Demon Slayer episodes. Sure got me more excited for the next arc than the precious season.

Spice & Wolf - 8/10 (first half)
Again might be a bit unfair to compare this to Frieren, but I'm not the one who said it. I didn't know anything about the original Spice & Wolf show so went in this completely blind. Holo seems as good of a character as advertised but the show itself is quite boring. Might be that I'm not interested in economics at all. Also Lawrence seems really boring so far. Will continue watching though.

Ninja Kamui - incomplete
Started off great with amazing hand-to-hand combat animation, but then after a few episodes turned into weird mecha anime with bad writing. Stopped after 9 episodes.


Summer 2024 list:
Oshi no Ko - Obvious
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian - Looks really good after the first episode
Pseudo Harem - A bit misleading name, first episode was nice. If they keep up the same thing though, it might get old real fast. Saori Hayami gets to show off why she's one of the goat VAs.
2.5 Dimensional Seduction - Very My Dress-Up Darling -like first episode, we'll see where this goes.

I'll also continue Yuru Camp and maybe continue Monogatari series as well, cause I've only seen Bakemonogatari.