Well folks, it looks like we made it to the end of this season’s new anime (well, excluding shorts and sequels… of which there are a ton this time!). While I’d say it hasn’t really been a mind-blowing season so far, it’s at least been kind of interesting. But I’m getting ahead of myself – there are still a few more new series to take a peek at before passing any major judgments.
And this is probably something that I should have said at the outset, and definitely bears repeating – these are just impressions based on 1 episode, so by definition can’t necessarily speak for the entire series. However, one thing I always look for is potential, whether that’s the potential to entertain or the potential to offend, and that’s something that can often be gleaned just by determining how a series puts its best (or I suppose first) foot forward.
True Cooking Master Boy
After passing the Guangzhou Special Chef Trials, Mao decided to travel around China, to learn more about the unique preparation of food. Upon his return, he will learn that the real battle has only just begun. The Underground Cooking Society has already begun to move… – MAL
Streaming: Crunchyroll
Episodes: TBA
Source: Manga
Episode Summary: Mao, the youngest Super Chef in history, has left his home to travel China with his companions Shirou and Meili. Having spent their last pennies on a certain important book, the three youngsters are left with grumbling stomachs. Luckily they find themselves near a town, and it happens to be a place famous for its chicken exports and many chicken-centric restaurants. Of course, they happen to end up near the one failing restaurant in town, run by a young woman named Tiya.
Tiya’s brother wanted to raise a certain breed of black chickens, and the drive to do so ended up leaving him in failing health. After his death, Tiya took up her brother’s task, though by that point the birds were seen as harbingers of misfortune by the other townsfolk. Mao takes this as a challenge, and enters Tiya’s restaurant in the city’s large chicken cooking competition, though his use of the birds is extremely unorthodox. In fact, his finished dish appears to be nothing more than just white rice. But the judges soon discover that appearances can be deceiving, and the rice has the purest flavor and essence of chicken imaginable. Mao’s victory helps shift Tiya’s fortunes, and Mao’s traveling group continues on their journey.
Impressions: I remember downloading a few episodes of Cooking Master Boy in my very early years of digital fansub consumption. I don’t know if I ever actually watched them, but I was intrigued by the prospect of anime revolving around food competitions. Now we have such varied titles as Yakitate! Ja-pan and Shokugeki no Soma, among many others, so the concept has lost a lot of its novelty. Of course, it’s not fair to dock a series points just for happening to miss the localization boat in lieu of other, luckier anime series.
This is technically a continuation of that earlier anime adaptation, though the first episode does a good enough job of summing up the major plot points that seem to matter that I doubt that anyone would have problems starting here (that, and the alternative is to download unofficial subs of the original, and it’s 52 episodes long… it’s just a lot of work). The story seems simplistic and formulaic enough that the charm wouldn’t necessarily be in experiencing longstanding story arcs, but instead watching a clever character use his skills and cunning to solve various episodic problems through cooking. There’s definitely a kind of low-impact satisfaction to that kind of entertainment.
That said, considering the volume of high-profile shounen tournament entertainment now available, as well as the lack of history this series has in the English-speaking West (at least in the US), it’s a series that seems likely to get lost in the shuffle. I enjoyed this episode and thought the visual style was poppy and charming, but it wasn’t impactful in the way it might have to be to rope in an audience (despite the extreme reactions of the food judges; this is of course a mainstay of many similar food competition series). I could very well be wrong, but I suspect that this might fall under the radar especially considering that the new season of the “big” shounen cooking series that everyone’s familiar with is airing at the same time.
You have to be pretty confident to deck your town out in chicken iconography. 
Are the black chickens cursed? 
It may appear to be rice… 
…but it’s chicken!
Pros: Colorful and fun art style. The judges’ reactions are entertaining. Easy to understand despite being a continuation of a series from over 15 years ago.
Cons: It has a lot of competition nowadays for the same audience.
Content Warnings: Offscreen animal slaughter, animal butchery.
Grade: B-
Case File nº221: Kabukicho
The East Side of Shinjuku Ward is the neon-lit Kabuki-chō district that stretches across the center of this chaotic city. Where light shines, there are also deep shadows. Yet even deep in this darkness where evildoers lurk, the light of a detective tenement shines. The tenement run by Mrs. Hudson has seven peculiar, shady individuals. The curtains has risen on this stage on the night when a bizarre murder by Jack the Ripper takes place. – ANN
Streaming: Funimation
Episodes: 24
Source: Original (based on Sherlock Holmes)
Episode Summary: Inspector Lestrade is offering a hefty reward for the capture of Jack the Ripper, a muderer who’s been terrorizing Kabukicho as of late. Dr. Watson is in search of detective Sherlock Holmes for help solving a personal mystery. The two cases collide as Watson finds Holmes in the midst of investigating the murder of yet another woman.
Holmes’ methodology is extremely unorthodox, but he seems to have a perceptive sense that gets right to the root of the situation. He identifies that Jack the Ripper isn’t the culprit in this particular murder, although his priorities in nabbing the actual perpetrator are sorely lacking. Somehow Watson ends up enmeshed in this situation, for good or ill.
Impressions: Well, if I can say anything about this episode, it’s that it has to be one of the biggest minefields I’ve encountered lately. Most anime series are pretty obvious in their intentions. If they’re trying to be overtly sexist, for example, they tend not to tip-toe around it or waste time with a lot of artfulness and style. The issue with the first episode of this series is that it combines some very interesting storytelling techniques with the same tried-and-true anime gender and sexuality pitfalls that bring down so many lesser series, which is really disappointing.
Kabukicho is a location known for its sex industry and other adult-centric entertainment, and that in itself isn’t really an issue. I think it provides an interesting backdrop for some potentially good stories revolving around these kinds of activities. Unfortunately this episode is focused around the sexual victimhood of women and related sexual violence and murder, and also manages to drum up some of the same harmful queer stereotypes that anime in general has suffered from over the years in the process. Mrs. Hudson is portrayed as a “man in a dress” stereotype, conflating gay men, drag queens, and transgender women into one caricature who also casually sexually assaults Watson by grabbing him in the groin. It’s framed as a comedic moment, but it’s just not funny. In short, dead sex workers and harmful humor make a really shoddy first impression.
It’s disappointing, because on the other side of the coin this episode does a lot of things that are compelling. Holmes relays his theories on the murderer through a rakugo performance, which although a bit over-the-top is at least entertaining in how unexpected it is. I also like the fact that the episode doesn’t do a lot of hand-holding; it expects that the audience can jump in and follow what’s going on even though there isn’t much time spent laying down the basics. It’s disorienting, but in a manner that I tend to enjoy. I think its storytelling chops are definitely on point, if you’re like me and enjoy entertainment that’s a little bit (okay, a lot) unorthodox.
This is one of those cases where I wish the creators had just made different choices. Sherlock Holmes mysteries endure because they continue to be entertaining even decades after the fact; there’s a reason that they’ve been adapted over and over again in so many different ways (that, and they’re in the public domain, which makes things a lot easier!). This series would be a no-brainer to recommend but for its offensive missteps.
Mrs. Hudson is a landlady by day, and a cabaret singer by night. 
Several detective are on the trail of Jack the Ripper. 
Holmes relays his findings. 
The culprit is no more than a copycat.
Pros: The story is relayed in a lot of creative and unorthodox ways. The setting is rich and full of seedy potential.
Cons: Women exist as victims or side-characters. The episode indulges in a lot of bad stereotyping.
Content Warnings: Sexual/sexualized violence, including visual depictions of a dead sex-worker. LGBTQI+ stereotypes.
Grade: D+
Chidori RSC
Hikari Kokura is an incoming high school student who is excited to join her school’s shooting club. However, when she gets there, she learns that the club has been shut down, so she must revive it. – ANN
Streaming: Hidive
Episodes: 12
Source: Manga
Episode Summary: Hikari went into high school with one mission: to join the school’s shooting club. Unfortunately the club no longer exists, or won’t unless she and her best friend Izumi manage to scrape up a couple more club members. What they think will be a challenge ends up being a piece of cake, since two high-level shooters, Erika and Yukio happen to have just started school alongside them. After re-registering the club, it’s time to start practicing in earnest.
Of course, school clubs are also about building relationships, and this one is no different. Specialized sports require specialized equipment, and when Hikari needs a larger-sized uniform, her fellow club member steps in to offer her a selection of her retired ones. Picnicking and shopping aren’t off the table either. With a fun, engaging club activity and good friends at her side, Hikari’s high school days look to be off to a good start.
Impressions: Rounding out the autumn season is a premiere that isn’t necessarily anything special, but is cute and entertaining with a charm of its own. I was a little bit wary about the subject matter since I’m personally not really a fan of gun culture (even though Japanese gun culture is obviously going to differ from… whatever it is we have going on in the US). Luckily the “shooting” sport that the characters participate in is actually what I’d describe as a variation on laser tag. Specialized light guns and targets are used, and the goal is to shoot as closely to the bulls-eye as possible. It’s just coincidental that the tools used to aim and fire at the target are fairly realistic-looking rifles. While that might still bother some folks it’s something that I can get past.
Unfortunately very little of this episode actually revolves around the sport. In the grand tradition of cute girls doing cute things, the focus here is on character relationships, humor, and other very low-stakes situations rather than the type of action or drama one might expect from a more sports-focused series. That’s not necessarily a deal-breaker, but once I started to become interested in the hobby aspect of the episode I got a little disappointed that it didn’t feature some more of it. Sometimes novelty is more appealing than familiarity when it comes to entertainment. Even more so when some of the “familiar” components are characters commenting on their various breast sizes. *sigh*
I appreciated the use of CG animation during the episode. The suits that the characters wear while shooting are made to be stiff to aid in their targeting, so in those moments the characters’ bodies and the rifles they use are modeled in 3D. While we still have a long way to go before 3DCG replaces hand-drawn 2D character animation, at least when it comes to the traditional anime “look,” I think it’s a great tool when used judiciously and helps a lot with consistency.
Overall this is nothing special per se, but it was pretty entertaining and easy to recommend for folks who would rather enjoy more easy-going entertainment.
Sometimes wishes don’t quite come true. 
Hikari’s expectations are demolished. 
No, not that kind of “beam rifle.” 
The shooting uniforms are incredibly stiff.
Pros: Features an unusual activity. Very light-hearted with low-stakes entertainment. Good use of CG.
Cons: Does not focus on the shooting sport aspect very much. Some breast-size humor.
Content Warnings: Semi-realistic looking firearms. Brief nudity (underwear).
Grade: C+