I thought I’d try something new this season, since I’m watching a lot of anime (by design; I’m seeing how much anime I can watch concurrently and whether my ability to keep track of a lot of series was a fluke of my youth, or whether I’ve still “got it”). I’m going to attempt a periodic recap of the simulcast/simuldub series I’ve been watching in order to keep my thoughts organized. I don’t know that I’m in a place where I feel like digging deeper into 1 or more series by giving them their own weekly posts like many other bloggers I follow, but I thought this might be a good way to ease into the routine of posting more on a regular basis.
Some series have not aired their second episodes as of the date I’m using as a cutoff for this post, which is why they aren’t listed this time around. I am almost certain I’ll be dropping a couple anime off the list as I go; this might look like a lot, but this is pretty typical for me during a season where I feel active and I’m not shy about cutting a series off if it’s not providing me with any enjoyment.
…Yeesh, this post got long. I hope you’ll forgive me, haha 🙂
Click the links below to navigate to each series:
2.43 Seiin High School Boys Volleyball Team ep. 2
Attack on Titan Final Season ep. 1-5
Back Arrow ep. 2
Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki ep. 2
Cells at Work! Code Black ep. 2-4
Dr. Ramune: Mysterious Disease Specialist ep. 2
Gekidol ep. 2
Heaven’s Design Team ep. 2
Horimiya ep. 2
Laid-Back Camp Season 2 ep. 1-2
Otherside Picnic ep. 2
SK8 The Infinity ep. 2
Skate-Leading Stars ep. 2-3
So I’m a Spider, So What? ep. 2
Suppose a Kid From the Last Dungeon Boonies… ep. 2
The Promised Neverland Season 2 ep. 1-2
2.43 Seiin High School Boys Volleyball Team ep.2
Summary: Following the re-establishment of the middle school volleyball team in the first episode, it comes to the team’s attention that they’d only need to win 4 games in order to get the top spot in the prefectural competition and move on to nationals. This seems like an achievable goal, and Chika, hungry for redemption, wants the team to go for it. Yuni gets caught up in the hype and believes they can make it.
At the competition, the first game goes swimmingly for the team. During the second, however, Yuni’s nerves begin to get the best of him and their practiced routine begins to break down. It’s all Chika can do to single-handedly save the round. After that, Yuni finds an excuse to miss the next game; after having seen Chika take over, he assumes his presence won’t be missed. When he’s finally convinced to make his way to the competition location, he’s told that their team has already been eliminated. Chika ended up dislocating his finger during the match and they had to forfeit. Yuni is deeply pained and ashamed by the loss, and with their middle school competitive hopes dashed realizes just how much he wants to play volleyball seriously with Chika by his side.
Thoughts: Every good sports anime worth its salt has its characters experiencing an important loss at some point. This teaches the characters their limitations and gives them something to work toward mending in the future. Obviously this series is no different, although I’d argue that the focus of this episode and the loss is handled differently than a more straightforward sports anime.
From its first moments, this show has seemed much more about the internal and external struggles of the characters outside of their chosen sport, and how those struggles are then reflected on the volleyball court. It’s not that the games aren’t important or interesting on their own, but I feel as though we’ve learned much more about Chika and Yuni as people through how seriously they’ve treated this early competition that we may have in a more simple character-focused episode of another series.
Content Warnings: Mild depictions of injury (dislocated finger that’s bandaged, a bandaged ankle).
Attack on Titan Final Season ep. 1-5
Summary: Please note: this summary contains major spoilers for a story that is entering its final climax. If you haven’t watched prior seasons of Attack on Titan, I’d recommend you do so before reading this 🙂
At the beginning of this season there’s a time jump to about 4 years after we last left our familiar group of characters, who we now know are Paradis natives who’d finally made their way to the shores of the ocean. We join up with a faction of Eldians who, though historically oppressed for their Titan abilities, are fighting alongside the Marleyan army in order to gain some sort of nominal respect in a society that despises them. Marley’s dominance is waning with the advent of other nations’ new military technologies, so another tactic is needed to end the fighting and bring about unity. Willy Tybur, the holder of the War Hammer Titan and leader of Marley, brings together world leaders in a truce in order to join against a common enemy – Eren Yeager.
Meanwhile, much of the season focuses on the internal struggles of Reiner Braun, current embodiment of the Colossal Titan who so many years ago traveled to Paradis with a small contingent of familiar characters to obtain the Founding Titan and bring it back to Marley. As we know, the mission failed, and Reiner now struggles with PTSD from the experience. As episode 5 comes to a close, we learn that Marley has been infiltrated by individuals from Paradis, including Eren Yeager who meets with Reiner in a basement (poetic symmetry). As Willy Tybur’s propaganda play reaches a fever pitch outside, Eren unleashes his Titan powers.
Thoughts: It’s difficult to sum-up all the events of this final season thus far in a neat way, because this story has has gone places over the years and the delineation between “good” and “evil” has been completely obliterated in the meantime. And that, I think, is a good thing; like our real world, it’s just complicated.
I’ll go ahead and talk about a few of the highlights thus far, and maybe get into some more detail next time. This season has had a very different tone to previous ones, in that it seems willing to realistically examine the trauma of war and how it’s affected our familiar characters. Especially Reiner. I’m amused by the fact that, at one point in the last couple of weeks, someone I know was ranting and raving about how evil Reiner was, because they’d just gotten to the point in the story where his status as the Colossal Titan is revealed. I think at that point his actions feel like a betrayal, which they are; but we also only really know the story from one side, too. This season has provided a lot of insight into Reiner’s experience specifically, and while he’s done a lot of bad things, it’s difficult to completely blame someone who, from the point they were born, was taught self-loathing and raised on state propaganda.
That, I think, is what makes this a powerful story, for all its messy imagery and metaphors; its villains, if you can really call them that at this point, are struggling as much as its heroes, just for different reasons.
Studio Mappa, who took over animation duties for this final season, has made a few aesthetic changes that are noteworthy, including converting the titans to be full CG models in most cases. This doesn’t look bad but it’s definitely a notable change.
Content Warnings: All the typical Attack on Titan content warnings apply to this season thus far, including violence (especially, in this case, military-type violence), and specifically titan-related violence (we get flashbacks to Eren’s mother being consumed, for example). There are also several examples of characters experiencing war-related PTSD, as well as a couple of deaths-by-suicide, and an instance where a character nearly attempts suicide by shotgun.
Back Arrow ep. 2
Summary: Back Arrow seems to be a pretty popular guy, since there are individuals from all the major factions who want to sit down and have a chat with him, especially since he seems to be able to destroy Briheights without also killing their owners. On the opposite end of the spectrum are the Edger villagers who would love nothing more than for him to leave and stop being a burden on their meager resources. When law enforcement from Iki, an independent nation, arrives in Edger to tear it apart, Back Arrow steps in to defend the villagers. But when Elisha finds another bind warper in Back Arrow’s rokuho and dons it, it appears she may have awakened something much more powerful.
Thoughts: This series continues to be an exercise in memorizing new vocabulary, so apologies if the above summary doesn’t make a ton of sense to those who haven’t watched the show yet (but seriously, if you enjoy fun, unique mecha action, you should go check it out!). In this episode we learn a bit more about the dire situation that the Edger citizens have to deal with. We also learn that Shu Bi’s loyalties reside more within his quest for knowledge than to his nation specifically. This is a story with a lot of different characters and factions, so I suspect the details aren’t going to line up clearly for a least a little bit longer.
Thus far I’m having a lot of fun with this show. It’s got very silly character designs that broadcast pretty clearly what real-world nations/regions are meant to be represented by the nations in the series (Europe, China, United States old West, etc.) and I’m curious whether this is meant to be a direct commentary or simply a way to use visual short-hand to give a basic idea of how the different cultures might behave. The big thing I’m excited to see play out is how Elisha fits into all this. The Briheight she awakens at the end of the episode seems to be something deeper than the run-of-the-mill ones who’ve shown up thus far (Back Arrow’s Briheight excluded), and it would be cool if she had as large a role as our assumed protagonist in how the plot will roll out. Obviously since this is an original story it’s not really worth it to try to predict what will happen, but even though I’m already along for the ride there are things that, if they occurred, would make me happy.
Content Warnings: Mild male nudity. Mecha-fisticuffs.
Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki ep. 2
Summary: Tomozaki reconvenes with Hinami to go over his newest task – talk to and hold conversations with three specific girls from his classes. This is easier said than done, since Tomozaki has very little experience willingly participating in conversations. In his home economics class he gets the opportunity to witness various personalities at play in a heated discussion that revolves around him, and though things become tense for a minute after the whole TackFam victory comes to light, Hinami skillfully defuses any simmering resentment between Tomozaki and Nakamura. The bubbly Mimimi even claims to find Tomozaki to be a funny guy. Imagine that!
Hinami has a lot of insight into the class dynamics, knowledge that she willingly passes along to Tomozaki. It all seems so complicated, though; how will Tomozaki know how to respond on his own? Is this just another rule of the “game” he’ll have to get comfortable with?
Thoughts: I’d initially put this series on the back-burner before immediately switching gears and adding it back into my rotation. While I wasn’t wowed by the first episode, something told me that it might be a worthwhile follow.
This next episode proves itself to better than I expected, because it provides some very astute observations about group social dynamics as they apply to a class full of people with very different personalities. Some folks prefer to get along with the group, while others are more stubborn and less likely to agree just for the sake of being agreeable. It’s the sort of knowledge that we aren’t typically taught, at least not purposefully; it’s the kind of detail we (supposedly, at least) pick up on through practice and work out through conflict. One can kind of see why certain people might find it to be too much trouble and just give up; even I, at my age, feel like I don’t always have a good grasp on this kind of thing.
So far I’m liking this series more than I would have thought, so it might be a keeper.
Content Warnings: There’s some brief tickling and ear-nibbling between two girls that reads to me as non-consensual.
Cells at Work! Code Black ep. 2-4
Summary: Having come to know the reality of his situation, Red Blood Cell struggles to accept the overwork and stress of his position delivering oxygen within a body that is stressed to its limits. Outside intervention continues to make his job harder, with the host body consuming alcohol to deal with the stresses of life. He and his compatriots travel to the liver to detoxify, a short respite in an otherwise non-stop working life. Afterwards, he’s called in to help produce an erection so that human life can be (potentially) propagated. But sexual intercourse is a dangerous proposition, one that occasionally results in dire consequences (sex is bad and will kill you, or at least some of my sex-ed teachers would have teenagers believe). As gonorrhea invades their host body, both Red Blood Cell and White Blood Cell face the fight of a lifetime.
Thoughts: These three episodes form kind of a mini story-arc (actually, this series seems to have more continuity than what I remember from the main series), so it was good luck on my part that I decided to watch them together as a unit. Sexuality is a complicated matter, both socially as well as the things that have to happen with all of a body’s systems in order for the mechanical portions to work, so these episodes are interesting in their descriptions and explanations. I think most people are aware of the basic mechanics when it comes to penile erections, but it’s interesting to get all the details from the, ah, insiders’ perspective.
The one issue that I’m really having with this particular incarnation of Cells at Work! is its almost unrelenting bleakness. The series goes really hard into its metaphor of what it’s like to work at a so-called “black company,” one which literally overworks its employees to death (and which is likely the cause of the host body’s many ailments). It’s difficult to accept that these types of places exist, and this series doesn’t let you comfortably ignore the issue. More specifically to me and my own real-life health situation is the way in which episode 3 deals with reproduction, namely the incredibly low chances there are of successfully reproducing even under the best of circumstances. I’ve been suffering from infertility actively for over three years at this point and know all about what I’m specifically dealing with, but the anime putting cute faces on sperm cells and sending them off to most certainly die without fulfilling their purpose is a little painful for me to watch.
Content Warnings: Violence (stabbing and slicing with swords, cells consuming one-another). Mild fanservice (cleavage, clothing partially destroyed). Sexualized violence (the gonococci are tentacle monsters that are primarily attacking the female-coded white blood cells; that said, it’s much more tame and less disgusting than the manga version). Alcohol use. General discussion of fertility.
Dr. Ramune: Mysterious Disease Specialist ep. 2
Summary: Dr. Ramune is approached by a man named Kengo-san who has a very strange problem – his penis has turned into a chikuwa (a grilled, tube-shaped fish cake). He needs a cure and quickly, because he has seven girlfriends he has to please. Dr. Ramune’s quick “solution” leaves Kengo-san worse off than before. In order to actually cure his issue, he’ll have to address it at the source by admitting to the lies he’s been telling all the women he’s been constantly cheating on. That process is painful (emotionally and physically), but not as painful as permanently losing his penis.
Thoughts: So I wasn’t really into this show after the first episode, but the preview for this one was just ridiculous enough that I felt like I had to check it out. In my mind I felt like it would be really funny, but in reality it was just kind of uncomfortable and grotesque.
There are a lot of things to unpack here, such as the morality of maintaining several sexual relationships at one time. I think there are situations where this can work out all right for people; I know some folks who are in the poly community and it seems to be a situation that works for them. The kicker is that everyone knows what’s going on and there are a lot of conversations to establish and maintain boundaries and consent. So Kengo-san’s issue here isn’t that he has a lot of girlfriends, it’s that they don’t know about one-another and if they did, at least some of them wouldn’t approve of what was going on. I’m not really sure that the episode does a good job of outlining this distinction. It’s not really that I expect anime to be on the forefront of sexual morality or anything, but it’s definitely something to think about.
Aside from that, there are some truly cringeworthy moments. About halfway through the episode there’s a short cooking interlude where Dr. Ramune talks about making – you guessed it – grilled chikuwa. At one point, he jams a syringe into Kengo-san’s crotch. I don’t have male genitalia, but I cringed hard at that moment. I think some folks might find this type of thing funny (and I actually expected to beforehand – oh how naïve I was), but I really wasn’t into it. The next episode looks like it’s going to introduce a character who’s an old or ancient being in the body of a little girl, which among the many, many annoying tropes in anime storytelling is probably the one the grosses me out the most. I was planning to drop this show anyway, but now it’s almost certain.
Content Warnings: Body horror involving genitals, including genitals turning into rotten food and use of a syringe on genitals. Unfaithfulness/cheating. Suggestive sexual content (characters at a love hotel). Mild nudity. An unnamed lolicon character excited about watching another character who looks like a little girl urinate on the street (occurs at the end of the episode). Mild slapstick/physical violence.
Gekidol ep. 2
Summary: Seria begins her tenure at the Alice Theater by formally meeting the other cast members, including the very unique acting android called an “Act Doll” the theater maintains. She also learns a bit more about the special holographic projection technology the theater utilizes, including the fact that they they actually developed the tech even though other theaters are more famous for using it. The theater has been struggling to pay its bills, which is a problem due to the high cost of electricity. Without power there’s no projection tech. The actresses decide to put on an idol show to hopefully make some extra money, though they encounter issues when their electricity is cut off. It’s then up to Seria to save the day.
Thoughts: I’m not sure what inspired me to watch another episode of Gekidol, other than being mildly curious about some of the details about the series’ odd setting. There was clearly some kind of disaster that’s caused more extensive effects than the gaping hole in the middle of the city. This episode doesn’t provide any concrete answers, but we do learn that electricity is priced at a premium and there are frequent black-outs, so clearly infrastructure has been affected in some way. I’m still curious about some of those elements of the story, although if I’m being realistic I know those things probably will not be a focus of the series.
Beyond that, this episode offers a decidedly okay idol performance featuring a few of the characters, as well as some character-building background for Airi. Airi still struggles emotionally from the resignation of another actress who she considered her acting partner and who moved on to SMT, which she sees as a betrayal. It’s suggested that Seria may help to fill that void going forward, which is a predictable turn although it helps to anchor Seria’s character a bit. It’s not especially unique material, but I find it kind of fun and so far a decent palate cleanser from some of the more emotionally intense series I’ve been watching.
Content Warnings: There continues to be a running gag where Seria assumes some of her compatriots are having to work in the adult industry due to desperation for money; these are throwaway gags but folks who are sensitive about the portrayal of sex work may want to be aware. At the end of the episode, Airi encounters a man who may be a stalker; the details aren’t entirely clear, but she balks when he recognizes her on the street.
Heaven’s Design Team ep. 2
Summary: We learn more about the different aspects of the design team this time around, including the Insect Miniaturization department populated by overworked IT professionals. When a request comes in from God for an animal that’s both cute and non-cute, Meido-san invents a very cute parasite, as well as the koala (which is less cute than it might appear). Tsuchiya continues to try to develop a working unicorn prototype (who would have thought just adding a horn to a horse would cause so many negative downstream effects?). The story culminates in an epic battle between a sperm whale and a giant squid.
Thoughts: This show continues to be a pleasant diversion and a fun addition to the quirky style of anime “edu-tainment” properties that seem to be common lately. I think it’s fun to learn details about familiar animals that we might not have known (did you know that koalas have a double penis? I sure didn’t). Even though this show doesn’t deal directly with the science of evolution since all the creatures seem to appear wholly-formed, in a backwards way the R&D process serves as a reminder of how some creatures developed on our version of the earth. Fun fact – whales and dolphins are actually related to land mammals like hippos. It’s fun to learn!
There was a time in my life where I’d be unable to comprehend why other folks wouldn’t want to watch series like this. It’s so quirky and fun! Anime is great because it’s unique! I think I understand a little better now, though, why some fans are more interested in plot-based stories or different kinds of comedy. Still, I think series like this are worth celebrating when they appear because I know there are other people like me out there who might be a little exhausted by what the popular trends in anime are at the moment.
Content Warnings: Generally animals (including a lot of unicorns) comically dropping dead due to incompatibility with being able to survive.
Horimiya ep. 2
Summary: Hori’s mother has caught wind of her new “friend” and would like to meet him. It’s then that Hori realizes that she has no idea what Miyamura’s first name actually is. Her attempts at spy work don’t pan out and she ends up having to ask him straight up; after he writes it down for her she promises to try not to forget it. Miyamura helps Hori get out of a tight spot with the student council, and then his thoughts turn to her upcoming birthday. He manages to find the perfect gift for her, though the moment becomes bittersweet when they both realize they’re about to enter their third year (and thus their busiest year) of high school. Hori wonders when Miyamura will give up on making the effort to come visit her.
Thoughts: So, I’d incorrectly assessed that our two young protagonists had managed to come clean about their feelings toward one-another by the end of the first episode. But guess what? I’m not even mad. While I’m not a big fan of beating around the bush, the two leads’ chemistry with one-another, as well as the light-hearted comedy of the series so far is enough to carry it for the time being.
I’m much less a fan of situations where people’s lies end up causing problems for innocent people, and the portion of this week’s episode that put Hori in the hot seat with the student council was both stressful and infuriating. I’m curious whether Remi, whose carelessness with the student council’s paperwork helped to implicate Hori in the loss of an important document, will actually face any consequences; the matter seemed resolved otherwise but that part of it was still kind of up in the air. In any case, mislaid blame is one of my big pet peeves, so this hit me a little harder than I expected.
I don’t know what it is about this show so far, but I need for these two ding-dongs to get together. It may be just that it’s been a while since I’ve watched a romance anime that I’ve really enjoyed and I’m suddenly very invested in the outcome of this one.
Content Warnings: Slapstick humor. One person deliberately head-butting another. Lies/deceitful behavior.
Laid-Back Camp Season 2 ep. 1-2
Summary: The first episode of this second season provides a flashback to Rin’s earliest days as a camper. Surprisingly enough to all of us, she wasn’t always such a deft hand at setting up her tent, building a fire, or cooking camp food as she is now. Rin’s first experience is saved from disaster by her mom having packed a special meal in her backpack (curry noodles save the day!).
In Episode 2, the characters make plans to celebrate the New Year in various ways. Rin travels on her own to the Southernmost point in Shizuoka to see the year’s first sunrise over the beach. Chiaki, Aoi, and Aoi’s little sister travel up Mt. Minobu with their teacher to watch the sunrise from that vantage point. Nadeshiko rings in the new year while she’s out early making deliveries. But the entire group shares the connections of having started the new year off on the right foot.
Thoughts: This series is the comfortable blanket that helps to shield me from the harsh world of more stressful anime. There’s really no plot to speak of, which is really the hallmark of iyashi-kei anime; it’s a window into other characters’ experiences that’s meant to evoke a gentle, comfortable feeling in the viewer.
I liked the insight we gain into Rin’s development as a camper. It’s a good reminder that we all start somewhere and shouldn’t expect to run before we walk. I also always enjoy seeing the different foods that the characters cook and eat. One thing I’ve always thought was missing from American tourism culture is the focus on hyper-local souvenir foods. It’s not that they don’t exist at all, but Japan’s gift-giving culture ensures that souvenir foods are beautifully packaged and visually appealing, which is not always the case here. It makes the prospects of the short trips the characters take to various waypoints more interesting to watch.
I really love this series. While it’s not always the most interesting conversation piece from week-to-week, it’s nearly always a welcome diversion from other more pressing matters.
Content Warnings: None.
Otherside Picnic ep. 2
Summary: In this episode we meet Toriko’s benefactor, a researcher named Kozakura who has some expertise in studying the Otherside. She pays Toriko for bringing her the cube from the previous episode’s adventure. Sorao learns a bit more about Toriko’s search for her friend, who disappeared into the Otherside without a trace. Coincidentally, the next time Toriko and Sorao enter the Otherside to continue their search, they meet a man there who’s searching for his wife who disappeared under similarly strange circumstances. The characters identify unfamiliar footprints that lead them into a crumbling mansion. Inside is a horrifying creature who has the ability to appear as different entities to different people depending on the longing in their hearts. Sorao’s eye, which was affected by the wiggle-waggle, has the ability to see the true form of creatures in the Otherside, while Toriko’s similarly-affected hand is able to grab them. They use their combined abilities to defeat the creature.
Thoughts: This episode of Otherside Picnic continues to present the Otherside as a surreal dreamscape with some very real dangers waiting for folks who enter it unprepared. I find the mechanisms by which people enter the Otherside to be a fascinating mystery at this point. It’s not clear how Sorao traversed the boundary on her own in the first episode (unless I’ve forgotten that detail), but both times the protagonists have entered it purposefully during the last two episodes they’ve used an elevator and a complicated combination of button-pushes to make their way inside. The ill-fated man they meet uses a torii gate at a certain shrine which opens at a particular time of day. It seems unlikely that most people would be able to wander in accidentally, so it’s curious to me that there are unexplained disappearances related to the Otherside.
I was thinking a bit about some reasons why this series appeals to me, aside from the obvious – it being a woman-led sci-fi series in a landscape that is so sadly bereft of them. I think one other reason is that it reminds me a bit of the latter parts of Den-noh Coil, a series that melds technology with urban legends and Japanese spirituality in ways that feel similar to this series so far. I’m interested to learn more about how Otherside Picnic expands upon its own universe.
Content Warnings: Gun violence (including characters threatening one-another with guns). Mild body horror.
SK8 The Infinity ep. 2
Summary: After Langa’s big win at the recent S competition, the internet is ablaze with rumors about him. The fact is, though, that his skateboarding ability is actually pretty poor because his knowledge base comes from snowboarding. He’s nervous that there are no footholds on a skateboard, and creating makeshift ones with duct tape is a safety hazard because it prevents him from bailing if needed. Reki decides to start teaching Langa the basics after building him a custom board. While the learning goes slowly and is full of minor injuries, eventually Langa starts getting the hang of things. But after he’s unexpectedly challenged by a famous young Japanese skater, he wonders if that practice will be enough for him to survive the next match.
Thoughts: This episode is a good reminder that beginner’s luck is sometimes just that. There’s nothing in life that can truly replace practicing the fundamentals. This episode gives us many fun scenes of Langa starting from square one; if you’ve ever tried to simply stand on a skateboard, some of these scenes will be, eh, painfully familiar. One thing I do like is that the show explains the actions that go into performing one of skateboarding’s iconic tricks, the ollie (a type of jump). If you, like me, have ever wondered how athletes manage to jump while taking their board with them, this episode has those kinds of answers (though I’m still having trouble wrapping my head around it).
We also get some insight into what some of the other characters are like outside of their “S” personas, including Shadow, who in a twist no one would have predicted, is a sweet guy who works in a flower shop. I think part of the appeal of belonging to a subculture is that you can portray yourself in any way you please. As an anime fan, I either mask myself behind the icon of a goofy animated dog, or bury myself beneath a pile of Japanese kawaii fashion, because that’s how I’ve chosen to present myself in that context. Sometimes when you wish to be strong, you’ve got to fake it before you make it, I guess.
Content Warnings: Lots of bumps and bruises. If you enjoy watching people wipe out playing sports the material here probably won’t bother you, but I cringed at Langa’s every fall.
Skate-Leading Stars ep. 2-3
Summary: Maeshima manages to worm his way onto the skate-leading team at school, despite the misgivings of some of the other members who were previously put off by his attitude. Unfortunately that attitude doesn’t really improve when he’s forced to practice basic skating techniques rather than the more complicated exercises and routines of the other members. This situation culminates in a series of bets where the stakes for Maeshima’s future team membership is at stake.
In a final push, Maeshima is given one last chance – the squad will be divided into two teams of three, and if his team can manage to out-score the other, Maeshima will be allowed to stay. Otherwise his days on the team will be numbered. When the day finally arrives, Maeshima’s team puts on a messy but impressive performance where it’s clear that they attempted to really push the difficulty in the second half of their routine. Though their final score doesn’t technically qualify as a victory, Maeshima’s obvious ability, as well as the fact that he was able to work together on a team to put on a performance in his own unique style, bends the will of the team captains enough to let him stay.
Thoughts: My feelings about this series haven’t really changed that much over the past couple of weeks, which is probably mostly a good thing. One nice thing this week is that we finally get to see a couple of group performances, which helps give a more complete idea of what skate-leading is actually supposed to look like. I did discover in the meantime that synchronized skating is a thing that exists, so perhaps the type of skating featured in this anime isn’t quite the whole-hearted invention I thought it might be. That said, skate-leading obviously has more of a focus on tricks and skills, including difficult quadruple jumps and other things that are both showy and more dangerous to attempt as a squad. We see that in action as Maeshima and his teammates push themselves to the limit during their routine.
I had been hoping that Maeshima would start to experience a little bit of humility after his loss this week, especially since he was still kindly allowed onto the team. Unfortunately that attitude adjustment hasn’t yet come to pass, and that’s really the only beef I have with show at this point. Just personally, I’m not a fan of characters when they behave as if they have nothing to learn; single-mindedness is fine sometimes, but a lack of self-awareness and reflection isn’t appealing to me.
Content Warnings: Nothing notable I can think of.
So I’m a Spider, So What? ep. 2
Summary: Kumoko is doing her best to survive, now that she’s gotten the hang of being a spider a little bit better. She redecorates and uses her webbing to create all the comforts of home (some of which work better than others), but her comfy life is disturbed when a mysterious egg appears and some humans burn down her web to retrieve it. Kumoko realizes that she’s got work on leveling up so that this type of thing doesn’t keep happening to her. During her level grind, she ends up taking on a snake in one-on-one combat.
In the human world, it turns out some of the other students are wondering where Kumoko’s human spirit could have been reincarnated. Another girl from the class reincarnated as a small dragon named Feirune; she wonders if her fate as a monster in this life may have something to do with the bullying she doled out in her previous one.
Thoughts: This series continues to be a fun bit of speculation on the troubles that come along with being a sentient arachnid. Kumoko’s rambunctious spirit (and the spirited voice-acting) make the second episode fun to watch, even though most of what we’re watching is Kumoko level-grinding and navigating her own evolution skill tree. To be honest, that has always been one of my favorite parts of old RPGs, so I’m not bothered by it here.
I like that we’re starting to learn some bits and pieces about the dynamics of the class in their former lives. The big detail we learn this time is that Kumoko actually was actively picked on by some of her classmates, including the assumed ringleader who’s now confined to a very silly looking dragon body. It’s hard to say whether this is actually karma at work; did the other class members really do anything wonderful enough to earn the right to become upper-class nobles in their new world? And why would a victim of bullying be doomed to live life as a spider? There’s perhaps some internal logic that still needs to be worked out, or perhaps there’s no real logic to it at all.
Content Warnings: Fantasy violence, including Kumoko violently killing frogs and spiders with her fangs. Brief images of bullying.
Suppose a Kid From the Last Dungeon Boonies… ep. 2
Summary: Lloyd is dejected after failing the exam to enter the military, but he doesn’t want to head home in shame right away, so he starts looking for work in town. He finds a cafeteria which needs a new cook, and though the proprietor questions Lloyd’s motivations, he’s marginally more convinced by his delicious tomato risotto. As it turns out, Lloyd’s failure was due to the judges not understanding his answers on the written portion of the exam. What appeared to be doodles in place of answers regarding magical spells were actually powerful, obscure magical runes. Things come to a head in the town square where a pompous prince tries to prove his prowess by getting into a fight with Lloyd. Before Lloyd can destroy him (inadvertently, of course) by knocking his block off, Maria arrives to get him out of trouble.
Thoughts: This continues to be mostly a one-joke show into the second episode, though luckily that single joke manages to sustain most of the action for the time being. There are some amusing sight gags as Lloyd grabs giant monsters and tosses them away like they’re nothing and nearly punches his princely challenger in the face – there’s a great slow-motion ripple effect as his fist nearly makes contact (thank goodness for intervening witches).
I’m discovering that it’s not really the cadence of the humor that appeals to me however, because it’s a lot of slapstick and yelling and I find my attention flagging during those moments. Selen’s creepy yandere tendencies are also something I could really do without. What really entertains me, though, is Lloyd’s humility. He doesn’t have a very broad sense of self-worth because in his eyes he’s a weakling, but this makes him into a very kind, respectful person. That’s appealing to me in a protagonist and possibly the primary reason why I want to see this sweet kid achieve his dreams.
Content Warnings: Slapstick humor.
The Promised Neverland Season 2 ep. 1-2
Summary: Please note: this review will contain spoilers for suspense-heavy series in its second season. I highly recommend you check out the first season of the series to get caught up.
The second season of The Promised Neverland picks up directly where the first left off. The children have escaped into the woods outside the boundaries of Grace Field House, really a farm where they were being raised as livestock to be consumed by “demons.” They’re soon pursued by these very demons, and the situation soon turns dire. Emma, whose wound has become infected, collapses, while Ray attempts to divert attention and is nearly captured. They are snatched up by a shrouded figure who appears to be a demon on horseback.
Emma and Ray are extremely suspicious of their captors, a male and female demon named Sonju and Mujika who claim to belong to a religion that forbids them from eating humans. Soon the two gain the trust of the children and enlighten them to the details of the outside world. Though the situation seems dire, Emma and Ray are energized by the possibility (if not the probability) of making their way toward a world in which they aren’t in constant danger of being killed for their meat. Sonju and Mujika teach the children survival skills in preparation for their long journey ahead.
Thoughts: The first season of The Promised Neverland was a story that benefitted from the confines of its very constrained setting. The tension that arose from characters simply having to have conversations in a house where they were under constant supervision helped enhance the feeling of desperation that was only compounded by some of the characters’ limited time. Now this season has blown things wide open, tossing everyone into a larger world where many of the dangers are truly unknown and providing a very different kind of tension to keep us enthralled from week-to-week.
These first two episodes provide very different things that add to the story. The first gives a very blunt taste of the physical danger that the children are in. They don’t know where they’re going and they could be outrun and overtaken at any minute. The second episode, though, provides a look at dangers that are more insidious, namely the consequences that could come from a of lack of communication within the group, and the potential issues of the kids being able to sustain themselves in the long term. The second problem is solved more easily, as Sonju and Mujika give freely of their knowledge. The first, however, comes to a head when Emma attempts to be strong for the group in spite of the pain she’s suffering. There’s more to be lost through suffering than there is through admitting weakness and seeking help (if only my therapist could manage to convince me of that).
One of my favorite scenes happens in the second episode, when Emma asks Sonju to teach her how to hunt game. Emma has never killed another living thing, yet surviving in the outside world means that hunting (and self-defense using weaponry) is now a necessity. The upsetting synchronicity of the situation isn’t lost on Emma; while they’re attempting with all their might to escape from being eaten, they’re purposefully taking away an animal’s life in order to eat. Sonju also teaches Emma how to use the vampiric flower we’ve seen previously to drain the blood of the animal, a ritual which provides an element of tragic, terrible beauty to the scene. One gets the sense that, for all of what we see as horrifying behavior, the “demons” who rule this version of the world, with their prayers and rituals, are not entirely different from us; their habits simply conflict with humanity’s status as a sentient race. It definitely provides a different perspective on the overall morality of a great many things.
I’ve heard rumblings from other fans that the material being adapted during this season and beyond isn’t as well-liked as what occurred during season 1. So far I’m not seeing a dip in quality, but it definitely is different. I think I may just disagree that different is necessarily bad; it just requires a reorientation of our own expectations.
Content Warnings: Children in peril. Bleeding injuries. Hunting animals. References to humans being consumed.
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[…] all. This post should be significantly shorter than the previous check-in, mostly because I’m just cleaning up a few episodes of shows that hadn’t had second […]