Spring 2024 Anime Preview
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Kami wa Game ni Ueteiru. (Gods' Game We Play)
In a world where 93% of the planet is unexplored, full of dinosaurs and other hostile threats, there are also multiple bored gods who grant humans superpowers (known as 'arises') in exchange for having them compete in games for their amusement. Initially, these arises only work in Elements, the land of the gods, but the more games a person wins, the more they'll be able to use their powers in their own world. However, the games are so difficult that nobody has ever won 10 in a row - a feat that would grant them unlimited wishes! Fay is a skilled 'apostle', with 3 wins under his belt already. Leshea is a former god, looking to return to Elements. Together, will they defeat the Game of the Gods?
This was A LOT better than yesterday's 'Banished Former Hero', not to mention last year's awful Liar Liar which also focused on high stakes games. A bit infodumpy, but having the two main characters take part in an introductory icebreaker game helped it to feel a little less forced. The world they inhabit sounds crazy and full of potential! My main worry is that Fay's genius and Leshea's literal god abilities might result in them being overpowered, but without seeing them take part in any official games yet, I'll have to give them the benefit of the doubt. Animation + music was average to decent. Can't see it making my list once the really good stuff starts to air, but for now, it goes on the 'maybe' pile~
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G0XHWM1Q0/gods-games-we-play
Kami wa Game ni Ueteiru. (Gods' Game We Play)
In a world where 93% of the planet is unexplored, full of dinosaurs and other hostile threats, there are also multiple bored gods who grant humans superpowers (known as 'arises') in exchange for having them compete in games for their amusement. Initially, these arises only work in Elements, the land of the gods, but the more games a person wins, the more they'll be able to use their powers in their own world. However, the games are so difficult that nobody has ever won 10 in a row - a feat that would grant them unlimited wishes! Fay is a skilled 'apostle', with 3 wins under his belt already. Leshea is a former god, looking to return to Elements. Together, will they defeat the Game of the Gods?
This was A LOT better than yesterday's 'Banished Former Hero', not to mention last year's awful Liar Liar which also focused on high stakes games. A bit infodumpy, but having the two main characters take part in an introductory icebreaker game helped it to feel a little less forced. The world they inhabit sounds crazy and full of potential! My main worry is that Fay's genius and Leshea's literal god abilities might result in them being overpowered, but without seeing them take part in any official games yet, I'll have to give them the benefit of the doubt. Animation + music was average to decent. Can't see it making my list once the really good stuff starts to air, but for now, it goes on the 'maybe' pile~
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G0XHWM1Q0/gods-games-we-play
Time for my first true sequel of the season (Spice and Wolf was more of a reboot from scratch). As usual, I'll keep my thoughts on sequels short - if you've seen previous series then you should know what to expect, while if you've not seen previous series, it might not make much sense and I don't want to spoil anything!
Yuru Camp S3 (Laid-Back Camp S3)
No danger of any spoilers here, though! Yuru Camp is a slice of life series about schoolgirls camping. No real plot, just beautiful scenery, chill music, and plenty of educational segments about various camping gear - whether it's bought, made, or literally two pieces of wood being rubbed together to start a fire. The first half featured Rin on one of her solo camps, reminiscing about how her grandfather introduced her to the hobby in earlier childhood, while the rest of the Outdoor Activities Club crafted alcohol stoves out of empty cans in the second half. The new studio and change in character designs will take some getting used to, but it has the same relaxing atmosphere - definitely picked up.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GRWEW95KR/laid-back-camp
Yuru Camp S3 (Laid-Back Camp S3)
No danger of any spoilers here, though! Yuru Camp is a slice of life series about schoolgirls camping. No real plot, just beautiful scenery, chill music, and plenty of educational segments about various camping gear - whether it's bought, made, or literally two pieces of wood being rubbed together to start a fire. The first half featured Rin on one of her solo camps, reminiscing about how her grandfather introduced her to the hobby in earlier childhood, while the rest of the Outdoor Activities Club crafted alcohol stoves out of empty cans in the second half. The new studio and change in character designs will take some getting used to, but it has the same relaxing atmosphere - definitely picked up.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GRWEW95KR/laid-back-camp
This *should* be the last wildcard series for a while, as starting tomorrow a lot of the anime that I'm most looking forward to will start airing in short succession.
Highspeed Etoile
NEX Race is a new and high-tech motor sport, where vehicles running on 'distilled fossil fuels' (sorry, but is that really the best fantasy power option they could come up with!?) reach over 500 km/h. Participants don't even need to be human, with many teams fielding driverless AI cars! However, it seems that people still have the advantage at the highest levels: the five time undisputed champion is a man nicknamed King, while the only other racer who remotely poses a challenge to him goes by Queen. Most other drivers quit after a year, failing to even come close. Enter Rindou Rin, a new racer about to make her debut - will she be able to shake up the stagnant leaderboards?
After a rushed introduction to NEX Race and the two big competitors, the vast majority of the episode was taken up by a 50 lap race. Unfortunately, the commentary was dull and monotonous, while the race itself was hard to get excited about because I barely knew any of the characters, and could hardly tell their vehicles apart! The visuals in the race itself were okay; outside of that, the full 3D animation looked good for named characters most of the time, but the crowds + side characters were mostly featureless. MAYBE having a main character to root for could improve this, but Rin was only introduced in the last 5 minutes - a bad decision for this first episode.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GZJH3D879/highspeed-toile
Highspeed Etoile
NEX Race is a new and high-tech motor sport, where vehicles running on 'distilled fossil fuels' (sorry, but is that really the best fantasy power option they could come up with!?) reach over 500 km/h. Participants don't even need to be human, with many teams fielding driverless AI cars! However, it seems that people still have the advantage at the highest levels: the five time undisputed champion is a man nicknamed King, while the only other racer who remotely poses a challenge to him goes by Queen. Most other drivers quit after a year, failing to even come close. Enter Rindou Rin, a new racer about to make her debut - will she be able to shake up the stagnant leaderboards?
After a rushed introduction to NEX Race and the two big competitors, the vast majority of the episode was taken up by a 50 lap race. Unfortunately, the commentary was dull and monotonous, while the race itself was hard to get excited about because I barely knew any of the characters, and could hardly tell their vehicles apart! The visuals in the race itself were okay; outside of that, the full 3D animation looked good for named characters most of the time, but the crowds + side characters were mostly featureless. MAYBE having a main character to root for could improve this, but Rin was only introduced in the last 5 minutes - a bad decision for this first episode.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GZJH3D879/highspeed-toile
Reply 23
Original post
by AngryJellyfishThis *should* be the last wildcard series for a while, as starting tomorrow a lot of the anime that I'm most looking forward to will start airing in short succession.
Highspeed Etoile
NEX Race is a new and high-tech motor sport, where vehicles running on 'distilled fossil fuels' (sorry, but is that really the best fantasy power option they could come up with!?) reach over 500 km/h. Participants don't even need to be human, with many teams fielding driverless AI cars! However, it seems that people still have the advantage at the highest levels: the five time undisputed champion is a man nicknamed King, while the only other racer who remotely poses a challenge to him goes by Queen. Most other drivers quit after a year, after failing to even come close. Enter Rindou Rin, a new racer about to make her debut - will she be able to shake up the stagnant leaderboards?
After a rushed introduction to NEX Race and the two big competitors, the vast majority of the episode was taken up by a 50 lap race. Unfortunately, the commentary was dull and monotonous, while the race itself was hard to get excited about because I barely knew any of the characters, and could hardly tell their vehicles apart! The visuals in the race itself were okay; outside of that, the full 3D animation looked good for named characters most of the time, but the crowds + side characters were mostly featureless. MAYBE having a main character to root for could improve this, but Rin was only introduced in the last 5 minutes - a bad decision for this first episode.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GZJH3D879/highspeed-toile
Highspeed Etoile
NEX Race is a new and high-tech motor sport, where vehicles running on 'distilled fossil fuels' (sorry, but is that really the best fantasy power option they could come up with!?) reach over 500 km/h. Participants don't even need to be human, with many teams fielding driverless AI cars! However, it seems that people still have the advantage at the highest levels: the five time undisputed champion is a man nicknamed King, while the only other racer who remotely poses a challenge to him goes by Queen. Most other drivers quit after a year, after failing to even come close. Enter Rindou Rin, a new racer about to make her debut - will she be able to shake up the stagnant leaderboards?
After a rushed introduction to NEX Race and the two big competitors, the vast majority of the episode was taken up by a 50 lap race. Unfortunately, the commentary was dull and monotonous, while the race itself was hard to get excited about because I barely knew any of the characters, and could hardly tell their vehicles apart! The visuals in the race itself were okay; outside of that, the full 3D animation looked good for named characters most of the time, but the crowds + side characters were mostly featureless. MAYBE having a main character to root for could improve this, but Rin was only introduced in the last 5 minutes - a bad decision for this first episode.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GZJH3D879/highspeed-toile
As a chemistry a level student, I know Im going to be haunted by distilled fossil fules 😭. But ur so right, could they really not have come up with anything better than that lmaooo.
Original post
by Tatakae LAs a chemistry a level student, I know Im going to be haunted by distilled fossil fules 😭. But ur so right, could they really not have come up with anything better than that lmaooo.
Yeah, I'd probably have been fine with electric, solar, biofuel, nuclear or any entirely made up sci-fi power source, but that one broke me.
Reply 25
Original post
by AngryJellyfishYeah, I'd probably have been fine with electric, solar, biofuel, nuclear or any entirely made up sci-fi power source, but that one broke me.
Yes there was so many other choises, but thats the one that they chose 😭. WHy am I tempted to watch it now tho lolol?
So far, everything I've covered here has been streaming on Crunchyroll, but what about the other platforms? I'd planned to watch the Jellyfish show over on HIDIVE tonight, but they've somehow managed to upload it without subtitles. So, let's see what Disney+ has to offer instead:
The Fable [content warning - violence]
'Fable' is a professional hitman, feared throughout the underworld for his skill and efficiency. However, Fable's boss fears that he's killed a few TOO many, and orders him to lay low for a year to let the heat die down, along with his driver/assistant. Set up with fake names and IDs in faraway Osaka, and given roughly 50 million yen in pay, the two must now master the local accent and learn to live as ordinary civilians. But there's a catch - should Fable kill anyone during this time, then he himself will be hunted down. Still, old habits and years of training die hard, and he comes dangerously close to breaking that rule before even arriving at his new home!
Speaking of subtitle woes, Disney+ is still only providing closed captions in English - great feature for those who need them, but seeing sound effects etc written on screen takes some getting used to. Aside from that, a fantastic introductory ep! Fable himself was hilarious when outside of hitman mode, with his deadpan voice (easily my favourite voice acting of the season so far) and weird mannerisms. He and his assistant made a fun double act. Animation was average, but a huge improvement from the studio's other recent, awful looking works. Loved the jazzy soundtrack, and the OP + ED were superb. First wildcard to force its way onto my list, but TBH I was a fool for not including it to begin with.
Official Disney+ link: https://www.disneyplus.com/en-gb/browse/entity-adfce792-68da-427e-aa7c-06705697dba6
The Fable [content warning - violence]
'Fable' is a professional hitman, feared throughout the underworld for his skill and efficiency. However, Fable's boss fears that he's killed a few TOO many, and orders him to lay low for a year to let the heat die down, along with his driver/assistant. Set up with fake names and IDs in faraway Osaka, and given roughly 50 million yen in pay, the two must now master the local accent and learn to live as ordinary civilians. But there's a catch - should Fable kill anyone during this time, then he himself will be hunted down. Still, old habits and years of training die hard, and he comes dangerously close to breaking that rule before even arriving at his new home!
Speaking of subtitle woes, Disney+ is still only providing closed captions in English - great feature for those who need them, but seeing sound effects etc written on screen takes some getting used to. Aside from that, a fantastic introductory ep! Fable himself was hilarious when outside of hitman mode, with his deadpan voice (easily my favourite voice acting of the season so far) and weird mannerisms. He and his assistant made a fun double act. Animation was average, but a huge improvement from the studio's other recent, awful looking works. Loved the jazzy soundtrack, and the OP + ED were superb. First wildcard to force its way onto my list, but TBH I was a fool for not including it to begin with.
Official Disney+ link: https://www.disneyplus.com/en-gb/browse/entity-adfce792-68da-427e-aa7c-06705697dba6
Original post
by Tatakae LYes there was so many other choises, but thats the one that they chose 😭. WHy am I tempted to watch it now tho lolol?
It did have a strange, clumsy charm to it, I haven't *completely* ruled out continuing to watch it, just depends how much free time I have alongside the actually good anime.
Reply 28
Original post
by AngryJellyfishIt did have a strange, clumsy charm to it, I haven't *completely* ruled out continuing to watch it, just depends how much free time I have alongside the actually good anime.
A h well in that case I will add it to my list to watch as a maybe if I getthrough the others
They fixed the subs~
Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai (Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night)
Kouzuki Mahiru is a highschool girl, and former artist. When she was younger, her jellyfish art was chosen to be made into a mural in Shibuya... but once she showed the mural to her friends, they (unaware she was the artist) mercilessly made fun of it, causing her to give up her passion. One night, she meets Yamanouchi Kano, a former idol who left her group after a scandal and the online trolling that followed. Unlike Mahiru, Kano continued to make music under the pseudonym JELEE, as an act of rebellion against her critics. Kano is a fan of the mural, and invites Mahiru to join JELEE and provide art for her videos. With help from a new friend, will Mahiru be able to overcome her fear of rejection?
Props to Doga Kobo, this definitely has the best visuals of anything I've watched so far this season, possibly even this year. Fluid 2D animation, amusing faces, detailed backgrounds, great direction and use of interesting camera angles, even if it did seem a little fanservicey in places. I'm a fan of series set predominantly at night in general, I find the dark colour schemes peppered with bright lights relaxing. The main duo are already very likable and have good chemistry, looking forward to seeing how they inspire each other creatively. Music was decent, and ignore any early complaints on other sites about a lack of subs for the songs, HIDIVE fixed that. I have very high hopes for this one.
Official HIDIVE link: https://www.hidive.com/season/22309
Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai (Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night)
Kouzuki Mahiru is a highschool girl, and former artist. When she was younger, her jellyfish art was chosen to be made into a mural in Shibuya... but once she showed the mural to her friends, they (unaware she was the artist) mercilessly made fun of it, causing her to give up her passion. One night, she meets Yamanouchi Kano, a former idol who left her group after a scandal and the online trolling that followed. Unlike Mahiru, Kano continued to make music under the pseudonym JELEE, as an act of rebellion against her critics. Kano is a fan of the mural, and invites Mahiru to join JELEE and provide art for her videos. With help from a new friend, will Mahiru be able to overcome her fear of rejection?
Props to Doga Kobo, this definitely has the best visuals of anything I've watched so far this season, possibly even this year. Fluid 2D animation, amusing faces, detailed backgrounds, great direction and use of interesting camera angles, even if it did seem a little fanservicey in places. I'm a fan of series set predominantly at night in general, I find the dark colour schemes peppered with bright lights relaxing. The main duo are already very likable and have good chemistry, looking forward to seeing how they inspire each other creatively. Music was decent, and ignore any early complaints on other sites about a lack of subs for the songs, HIDIVE fixed that. I have very high hopes for this one.
Official HIDIVE link: https://www.hidive.com/season/22309
This series got voted for by readers of my external blog, so I'm committed to watching it, whether good or bad:
Shuumatsu Train Doko e Iku? (Train to the End of the World)
Schoolgirl Yoka happens to be the 77,777th passenger to pass through a train station, which earns her the unwanted honour of launching Japan's new 7G network! But when she presses the big golden button, the world is warped in more drastic ways than expected: distances between towns and cities suddenly expand, and the people living in those places are 'changed' in various ways! 2 years after this incident, Shizuru lives in rural Agano, where all adults have turned into talking wild animals. After learning that her friend Yoka is still alive in faraway Ikebukuro, she and three other girls climb aboard a train and set off on a journey into the unknown, seeking to bring her home.
My blog voters did me a favour here, this premise is too wacky to miss! Though this first episode didn't take itself seriously, well aware of how ridiculous its developments and characters were, there was still a dark undertone throughout - people have died or disappeared travelling between towns, and it's said more than once that the 'changes' in other places were far more extreme than being turned into animals, so our protagonists' journey could be very dangerous. I liked the ominous '30 stops until Ikebukuro' message at the end, that's notably more stops than this has episodes. Animation was solid, music was catchy. If you want something truly unpredictable, give this series a try.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GXJHM3GNX/train-to-the-end-of-the-world
Shuumatsu Train Doko e Iku? (Train to the End of the World)
Schoolgirl Yoka happens to be the 77,777th passenger to pass through a train station, which earns her the unwanted honour of launching Japan's new 7G network! But when she presses the big golden button, the world is warped in more drastic ways than expected: distances between towns and cities suddenly expand, and the people living in those places are 'changed' in various ways! 2 years after this incident, Shizuru lives in rural Agano, where all adults have turned into talking wild animals. After learning that her friend Yoka is still alive in faraway Ikebukuro, she and three other girls climb aboard a train and set off on a journey into the unknown, seeking to bring her home.
My blog voters did me a favour here, this premise is too wacky to miss! Though this first episode didn't take itself seriously, well aware of how ridiculous its developments and characters were, there was still a dark undertone throughout - people have died or disappeared travelling between towns, and it's said more than once that the 'changes' in other places were far more extreme than being turned into animals, so our protagonists' journey could be very dangerous. I liked the ominous '30 stops until Ikebukuro' message at the end, that's notably more stops than this has episodes. Animation was solid, music was catchy. If you want something truly unpredictable, give this series a try.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GXJHM3GNX/train-to-the-end-of-the-world
Shinigami Bocchan to Kuro Maid S3 (The Duke of Death and His Maid S3)
This third and final season of Shinigami Bocchan to Kuro Maid continued directly on from where S2 left off. No reboots or studio changes here, just a feeling of comfortable familiarity! It stuck to the usual format of silly comedy mixed seamlessly with more serious plot developments, as our unnamed Duke protagonist finished up at magic school, and now makes preparations to finally lift the curse causing all that he touches to die. Highlights included a touching reunion, more of Daleth's romantic fantasizing about Walter, and the usual cute insert songs. Animation is still full 3D, and I really like the style this studio uses, it's adorable.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G79H23V0G/the-duke-of-death-and-his-maid
This third and final season of Shinigami Bocchan to Kuro Maid continued directly on from where S2 left off. No reboots or studio changes here, just a feeling of comfortable familiarity! It stuck to the usual format of silly comedy mixed seamlessly with more serious plot developments, as our unnamed Duke protagonist finished up at magic school, and now makes preparations to finally lift the curse causing all that he touches to die. Highlights included a touching reunion, more of Daleth's romantic fantasizing about Walter, and the usual cute insert songs. Animation is still full 3D, and I really like the style this studio uses, it's adorable.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G79H23V0G/the-duke-of-death-and-his-maid
Sentai Daishikkaku (Go! Go! Loser Ranger!)
13 years ago, Earth was invaded by aliens - who were defeated in less than year, after a sentai team known as the Dragon Keepers wiped out their leaders, leaving only the immortal but otherwise weak grunts known as Dusters behind! However, the Keepers have grown to enjoy their status as humanity's guardians, and the lucrative sponsorship deals this fame generates, so they force the Dusters into an unfavorable truce: every week, they must send a new monster for the Keepers to defeat, to convince the public that the war is still ongoing. But one of their rank, 'Fighter D', has had enough of being treated as a joke, so he signs up to join the Keepers... with a view to destroying them from the inside.
An interesting deconstruction of the usual sentai tropes! I especially like this justification for the continual 'monster of the week' battles, where the 'bad guys' never learn anything from their defeats, because it's all staged. This first episode had comedy, flashy battle scenes, and plenty of plot potential thanks to D's revenge plan - so far it has all been set up to make us sympathise with the Dusters, due to the Keepers and jeering crowds painting us humans in a bad light, but will we still feel that way if D succeeds in getting their invasion back on track? This is on Disney+, so the usual warning about the CC-only subtitle option applies.
Official Disney+ link: https://www.disneyplus.com/en-gb/browse/entity-8e304909-f3f4-4987-a1ec-603362d42acc
13 years ago, Earth was invaded by aliens - who were defeated in less than year, after a sentai team known as the Dragon Keepers wiped out their leaders, leaving only the immortal but otherwise weak grunts known as Dusters behind! However, the Keepers have grown to enjoy their status as humanity's guardians, and the lucrative sponsorship deals this fame generates, so they force the Dusters into an unfavorable truce: every week, they must send a new monster for the Keepers to defeat, to convince the public that the war is still ongoing. But one of their rank, 'Fighter D', has had enough of being treated as a joke, so he signs up to join the Keepers... with a view to destroying them from the inside.
An interesting deconstruction of the usual sentai tropes! I especially like this justification for the continual 'monster of the week' battles, where the 'bad guys' never learn anything from their defeats, because it's all staged. This first episode had comedy, flashy battle scenes, and plenty of plot potential thanks to D's revenge plan - so far it has all been set up to make us sympathise with the Dusters, due to the Keepers and jeering crowds painting us humans in a bad light, but will we still feel that way if D succeeds in getting their invasion back on track? This is on Disney+, so the usual warning about the CC-only subtitle option applies.
Official Disney+ link: https://www.disneyplus.com/en-gb/browse/entity-8e304909-f3f4-4987-a1ec-603362d42acc
Hibike! Euphonium 3 (Sound! Euphonium 3)
Hibike! Euphonium follows protagonist Oumae Kumiko's story as part of Kitauji High School's Concert Band Club, from her first year in S1 until her third and final year starting with this episode. It is now up to her to try and recruit new members, not only to the club as a whole, but to the brass section she leads, which is usually the least popular section. It has been a long time since S2, so I didn't remember all the finer plot points or character relationships, but this ep covered all the important parts as well as introducing a bunch of new characters, all of whom were very amusing! Animation was stellar, with a lot of variation in the character designs for such a huge cast, as I've come to expect from KyoAni.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GRDQNQW9Y/sound-euphonium
Hibike! Euphonium follows protagonist Oumae Kumiko's story as part of Kitauji High School's Concert Band Club, from her first year in S1 until her third and final year starting with this episode. It is now up to her to try and recruit new members, not only to the club as a whole, but to the brass section she leads, which is usually the least popular section. It has been a long time since S2, so I didn't remember all the finer plot points or character relationships, but this ep covered all the important parts as well as introducing a bunch of new characters, all of whom were very amusing! Animation was stellar, with a lot of variation in the character designs for such a huge cast, as I've come to expect from KyoAni.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GRDQNQW9Y/sound-euphonium
Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 3 (KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3)
Following the events of the 2019 movie (which I didn't know existed - something to watch this weekend if I get the chance!), isekai'd main character Kazuma has been left traumatised, to the point where he decides to give up on worldly desires and become a monk! But the nearest strict temple is a long journey away, and the rest of his party tag along for the journey, trying to talk him out of it. Will an encounter with an injured girl cause him to change his mind, or only strengthen his resolve? More of the same hilarious dark comedy, with a cast of awful people. Definitely won't appeal to everyone, but I'm up for a third helping.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GYE5K3GQR/konosuba--gods-blessing-on-this-wonderful-world
Following the events of the 2019 movie (which I didn't know existed - something to watch this weekend if I get the chance!), isekai'd main character Kazuma has been left traumatised, to the point where he decides to give up on worldly desires and become a monk! But the nearest strict temple is a long journey away, and the rest of his party tag along for the journey, trying to talk him out of it. Will an encounter with an injured girl cause him to change his mind, or only strengthen his resolve? More of the same hilarious dark comedy, with a cast of awful people. Definitely won't appeal to everyone, but I'm up for a third helping.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GYE5K3GQR/konosuba--gods-blessing-on-this-wonderful-world
Kaii to Otome to Kamikakushi (Mysterious Disappearances)
Ogawa Sumireko is a bookshop clerk and author, but her recent works haven't been doing well; she wishes she could return to her childhood days, when her writing won her awards and praise. One night, her wish unexpectedly comes true, after she reads a poem from a mysterious tome abandoned in the bookshop, which causes her body to revert to that of a child! But this ability comes with some serious side effects... fortunately, her co-worker at the bookshop, a man named Adashino Ren, isn't all that he appears to be. Sensing that something is wrong, he soon identifies the book as the cause - but that doesn't mean Sumireko is going to give up her new powers willingly!
This is exactly the kind of creepy supernatural / occult series that I was looking for! I'm very curious to know what exactly Ren's deal is. I also love his and Sumireko's interactions, and that their friendship doesn't seem to have changed even after all this episode's weird events. Character designs are very nice, and so was the animation, to say nothing of the lovely sand art used in the ending theme sequence! Be warned that the show is heavy on fanservice, with focus on boobs, butts and underwear at every available opportunity, but nothing explicit. A strong addition to an already very strong spring lineup.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G1XHJV03M/mysterious-disappearances
Ogawa Sumireko is a bookshop clerk and author, but her recent works haven't been doing well; she wishes she could return to her childhood days, when her writing won her awards and praise. One night, her wish unexpectedly comes true, after she reads a poem from a mysterious tome abandoned in the bookshop, which causes her body to revert to that of a child! But this ability comes with some serious side effects... fortunately, her co-worker at the bookshop, a man named Adashino Ren, isn't all that he appears to be. Sensing that something is wrong, he soon identifies the book as the cause - but that doesn't mean Sumireko is going to give up her new powers willingly!
This is exactly the kind of creepy supernatural / occult series that I was looking for! I'm very curious to know what exactly Ren's deal is. I also love his and Sumireko's interactions, and that their friendship doesn't seem to have changed even after all this episode's weird events. Character designs are very nice, and so was the animation, to say nothing of the lovely sand art used in the ending theme sequence! Be warned that the show is heavy on fanservice, with focus on boobs, butts and underwear at every available opportunity, but nothing explicit. A strong addition to an already very strong spring lineup.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G1XHJV03M/mysterious-disappearances
Kaijuu 8-gou (Kaiju No. 8) [content warning: explicit violence]
In a world where kaiju are real, young friends Hibino Kafka and Ashiro Mina's lives are changed when their school and homes are destroyed by these giant monsters. They vow to join the Japan Defense Force, an elite military team tasked with eliminating kaiju - but while Mina achieves this and quickly rises through their ranks to become a celebrated captain, Kafka's application is rejected. He now works cleaning and removing the huge kaiju corpses, a life he is unsatisfied with. After a new co-worker encourages him not to give up, and following a near death experience with a kaiju himself, Kafka decides to give the application another shot... but then, things take an unexpected turn.
I can see why manga fans were hyping this one up! A very solid first episode, which did a great job introducing both protagonist Kafka and the dangerous world in which he lives, even if there wasn't much to make it stand out from other giant monster anime. Though after that ending, I feel we'll have to wait until next week's ep to find out what this series is *really* about! The writing was great, again I already love the interactions between Kafka and his new colleague Ichikawa, this season is not short on fun characters. Goes without saying that the animation is fantastic too, Production I.G. never disappoint there.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GG5H5XQ7D/kaiju-no-8
In a world where kaiju are real, young friends Hibino Kafka and Ashiro Mina's lives are changed when their school and homes are destroyed by these giant monsters. They vow to join the Japan Defense Force, an elite military team tasked with eliminating kaiju - but while Mina achieves this and quickly rises through their ranks to become a celebrated captain, Kafka's application is rejected. He now works cleaning and removing the huge kaiju corpses, a life he is unsatisfied with. After a new co-worker encourages him not to give up, and following a near death experience with a kaiju himself, Kafka decides to give the application another shot... but then, things take an unexpected turn.
I can see why manga fans were hyping this one up! A very solid first episode, which did a great job introducing both protagonist Kafka and the dangerous world in which he lives, even if there wasn't much to make it stand out from other giant monster anime. Though after that ending, I feel we'll have to wait until next week's ep to find out what this series is *really* about! The writing was great, again I already love the interactions between Kafka and his new colleague Ichikawa, this season is not short on fun characters.
Goes without saying that the animation is fantastic too, Production I.G. never disappoint there. Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GG5H5XQ7D/kaiju-no-8
Kuroshitsuji: Kishuku Gakkou-hen (Black Butler: Public School Arc)
Weston College is an illustrious private boarding school, where tradition is valued above all else. But recently, many pupils have stopped visiting or writing to their families - including a relative of Queen Victoria, who tasks Ciel Phantomhive with resolving the issue. He and his butler Sebastian infiltrate the college, but as a new transfer, Ciel cannot meet with the headmaster or visit other dorm houses. Therefore, he must first ingratiate himself to the upperclassmen and prefects, in order to move up their strict social hierarchy and aid his investigation. A mysterious setting for the new series, it was fun to see the protagonists in a new environment, with many of the usual school anime tropes!
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GYQ43P3E6/black-butler
Weston College is an illustrious private boarding school, where tradition is valued above all else. But recently, many pupils have stopped visiting or writing to their families - including a relative of Queen Victoria, who tasks Ciel Phantomhive with resolving the issue. He and his butler Sebastian infiltrate the college, but as a new transfer, Ciel cannot meet with the headmaster or visit other dorm houses. Therefore, he must first ingratiate himself to the upperclassmen and prefects, in order to move up their strict social hierarchy and aid his investigation. A mysterious setting for the new series, it was fun to see the protagonists in a new environment, with many of the usual school anime tropes!
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GYQ43P3E6/black-butler
(edited 1 year ago)
And with that, I have a decently full anime list to watch this season! I'll probably pick up Boku no Hero Academia too when that finally airs, but likely won't post about it here - it's the 7th series, what can I say that an existing fan won't know and that won't be spoilers for anyone else?
As always though, if there are any other (non-sequel) spring 2024 anime whose first episodes you want me to cover - could be for any reason: maybe you think I've overlooked a hidden gem, or you've watched something so bad that you feel the need to share it, or perhaps you just want an opinion on a first ep before you start the series yourself - let me know and I'll make it happen.
That's enough about my viewing - has anyone else started any of these new series yet? Feel free to share your thoughts on them here, or check out the main Anime Society thread to discuss anime and manga generally.
As always though, if there are any other (non-sequel) spring 2024 anime whose first episodes you want me to cover - could be for any reason: maybe you think I've overlooked a hidden gem, or you've watched something so bad that you feel the need to share it, or perhaps you just want an opinion on a first ep before you start the series yourself - let me know and I'll make it happen.
That's enough about my viewing - has anyone else started any of these new series yet? Feel free to share your thoughts on them here, or check out the main Anime Society thread to discuss anime and manga generally.
@AngryJellyfish what were your best and worst animes this spring and why? I just wish a current feedback, nothing else.
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