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First Impressions Reviews

Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Zombie Land Saga

The usual mornings. The usual music. The usual self. For seven girls, a peaceful life was all of a sudden destroyed. All at the hands of zombies, dead things that somehow remained moving. Now they step into a new world, whether they liked it or not. A “zombieworld” that represented both the best and the worst. The seven girls had only one wish: “We want to live.” – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll and Funimation (Simuldub premieres Oct. 28th)

Episodes: 12

Source: Original

Episode Summary: Sakura loves watching idol performances and is looking forward to submitting her application to become an idol. Unfortunately, on her way out the door to mail it in, she’s hit by a truck. She wakes up in unfamiliar surroundings during a raging thunderstorm, and is soon pursued by other frightening figures in the darkness. Sakura escapes the house and encounters a police officer, but his reaction to her appearance isn’t encouraging. When she sees her own reflection, it becomes clear; she’s in the same state as the zombie-like creatures who chased her away.

Sakura is collected by Tatsumi, a flamboyant and eccentric man who claims to be putting together an idol group. The other threatening creatures are undead women from throughout idol history, brought back to life for this very purpose. Aside from Sakura, all the others behave as typical zombies would, mindlessly shuffling throughout the room and occasionally biting one-another. Considering these unusual circumstances, Sakura believes this whole “idol” business to be complete folly. Nevertheless, Tatsumi has signed them all up for a live performance at a local death metal festival. Having never practiced any songs or routines the performance is still an unlikely success; it seems that the zombies still retain some inherent sense of rhythm, and their horrifying death screams fit right into the atmosphere. The performance also seems to have had another benefit – the mental stimulation has “awakened” most of the other girls, who are now able to function like Sakura.

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Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Goblin Slayer

“I’m not saving the world. I just kill goblins.” Rumor has it that, in a certain guild in the middle of nowhere, there is an extraordinary man who has climbed all the way to the Silver rank just by killing goblins. At the same guild, a priestess who’s just become a new adventurer has formed her first party… and the man who ends up rescuing that party when they get into trouble is none other than the Goblin Slayer. – Crunchyroll

Streaming: Crunchyroll and Funimation

Episodes: 12

Source: Light Novel

Episode Summary: A Priestess, having just become an adult at 15, elects to become an adventurer and to serve as a healer for adventuring parties. No sooner does she join a local guild than she’s hired by a group of greenhorn adventurers on a quest to exterminate a nest of goblins. Though the popular opinion is that such a quest is too much for beginners, the enthusiastic bunch isn’t deterred. The Priestess joins them.

As they enter the goblins’ cave, it becomes apparent just how woefully under-prepared they are. The swordsman’s sword is too long for such an enclosed space, and no one has brought any healing items with them. When the Priestess and mage fall behind they’re soon surrounding by a swarm of goblins who, despite their small size, are vicious and cruel. Things quickly take a downturn and the Priestess soon finds herself alone and in a very vulnerable position. It is likely only due to insanely good luck that she is saved by the Goblin Slayer, a high-ranking member of the guild who makes quick work of the goblin horde. She then elects to join the Goblin Slayer on his quest to kill goblins.

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Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Hinomaru Sumo

A “small” new student, Ushio Hinomaru, appears before the weak little sumo club of Oodachi High School. The words “big” and “heavy” are the rules to this sport, which does not fit this newbie one bit, but Ushio surprises everyone. Ushio and the small sumo club climbs its way to the top with a goal to reach the highest rank, Hinoshita Kaisan. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 24

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: Ushio Hinomaru is a small guy with a big dream – to achieve the rank of Yokozuna, the highest honor in sumo wresting. He takes a day to scout a high school with a famous sumo program, but gets off at the wrong train stop and finds his way to Oodachi High School instead. He meets Ozeki Shinya, practicing his sumo techniques outside. Though he’s lovingly constructed a sumo ring outdoors, Ushio wonders why he doesn’t make use of the perfectly good dojo on the school grounds. Unfortunately, it’s been overrun by delinquents and Ozeki is too timid to kick them out.

Ushio’s love of sumo is such that, when the ringleader of the delinquents makes a mess of Ozeki’s wrestling area, Ushio challenges him to a duel. Ozeki offers to give up sumo to protect him, but Ushio will have none of it. In order to win this rigged contest, he’ll have to endure 10 minutes worth of punches without defending himself, something that his fine-tuned muscular body seems to do effortlessly (even when an extra 5 minutes is added in secret). Ozeki gets his dojo back, and Ushio goes to find the high school he was actually looking for. When Spring arrives, Ozeki receives a big surprise; Ushio decided to transfer to Oodachi High after all, because he was so wow-ed by Ozeki’s dedication to sumo wrestling.

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Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Uzamaid!

Misha is a little girl who lost her mother at an early age, and now lives with her father. Her father employs a maid named Tsubame, who was a former Self-Defense Force official, and is also a lolicon. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: Tsubame is a retired member of the JSDF who’s on the lookout for the perfect civilian job. Unfortunately her idea of “perfect” is somewhat unorthodox. She likes cute clothes and little girls who wear them, and wants a job that can combine these two passions. She has a stroke of luck when she notices a job flyer for a local address looking for a maid to cook, clean, and babysit. It’s the same house where Tsubame saw a cute little Russian girl during wintertime. Might she be lucky enough to work for that girl’s family?

Misha is the girl in question. Suffering from the death of her mother and her father’s cluelessness, she’s driven away each and every maid her father has tried to hire. But Tsubame has the guts and the motivation to stick around and do the job right, even as Misha protests her every action. Tsubame does whatever she can to get Misha to spend even a small amount of time together with her, though Misha is so put off by her creepy vibe and actions that she refuses. Will Tsubame have what it takes to survive this job assignment… and will Misha?

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Autumn 2018 First Impressions – DAKAICHI: I’m Being Harassed by the Sexiest Man of the Year

Takato Saijō has reigned as the idol industry’s “Most Huggable” for five years, that is, until freshman actor Azumaya. Takato was always considered brusque while Azumaya’s smile is winning over admirers by comparison. The whole fiasco drives Takuto to over indulge in alcohol and his actions catch the attention of the last person he wants to see. To his surprise, Azumaya uses this new info to blackmail Takuto for physical affection. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 13

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: Takato Saijyo is at the top of his game. He’s coming up on 20 years in the entertainment industry and shows no signs of stopping. For the past five years he’s been voted as the “most huggable” man in a popular magazine poll and expects that his ruthless hard work will land him at the top of this year’s standings as well. However, he gets a rude awakening when Junta Azumaya, a young but popular upcoming actor, upstages him big time, stealing his top spot (and to him, all the glory). Even worse, the two are working together on a new film in which Azumaya has the lead role.

If that weren’t bad enough, Saijyo ends up in Azumaya’s house after a night of heavy drinking (which Azumaya has on video), and Azumaya confesses that ever since Saijyo gave him acting advice a year ago, he’s harbored strong feelings for him. So strong, in fact, that Azumaya tries to make a move right then and there before Saijyo escapes and locks him in the bedroom. Needless to say, the atmosphere gets a little awkward on the movie set the next day, but Azumaya’s try-hard method of acting requires some hardcore correction, so Saijyo finds it in himself to provide some guidance. After a successful day of filming, Azumaya drags Saijyo back to his apartment for round 2, and Saijyo can’t find it within him to resist this time around. But he vows that he won’t have sex with Azumaya again unless Azumaya wins the “best actor” award.

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Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 5: Golden Wind

Naples, 2001. Giorno Giovanna is a small-time crook with one big dream—to become a “Gang-Star.” No ordinary thief, Giorno has a connection to the remarkable Joestar bloodline, and possesses a Stand named Gold Experience. His dream starts to become reality when he meets Bruno Buccellati, a mobster from the gang Passione and a fellow Stand user himself. Realizing that they share similar ideals, and both disagree with the gang’s harmful affairs, Giorno reveals his goal to Bruno: with Bruno’s help, he will reform Passione by overthrowing the boss. – MAL

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 39

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: Naples, Italy is a beautiful city drawing tourists from far and wide, but it has a darker underbelly filled with drug use and crime. Teenager Giorno Giovanni exists somewhere in between, committing petty crime for profit and paying the police to look the other way, but also occasionally also thwarting the efforts of local gangsters. When he crosses Leaky-eyed Luca, a violent gang member after protection money, Giorno uses a mysterious power, called “Golden Wind,” to turn the tables on Luca. The gangster’s defeat draws the attention of his associates and puts a target on Giorno’s head.

In the mean time, Koichi Hirose arrives in Naples on the orders of Jotaro Joestar; he’s been sent on a mission to gain information (and perhaps a DNA sample) of a young man named Haruno Shiobana, who Jotaro believes may be the human son of DIO. After encountering Giorno multiple times (and being duped by him), Koichi is positive that Giorno and Haruno are on-and-the-same; Jotaro agrees, and believes Giorno’s un-Japanese blond hair is likely a symptom of the awakening of his stand powers. As Koichi mulls over how best to fulfill his mission, Giorno is cornered on the trolley by a gangster named Bruno, an associate of Luca and someone with frightening powers of his own.

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Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai

There’s a rumor about a mysterious phenomenon call “puberty syndrome.” For example, Sakuta Azusagawa is a high school student who suddenly sees a bunny girl appear in front of him. The girl is Mai Sakurajima, Sakuta’s upperclassman and also a famous actress who has gone on hiatus from the entertainment industry. For some reason, the people around Mai cannot see her bunny-girl figure. Sakuta sets out to solve this mystery, and as he spends time with Mai, he learns her secret feelings. Other heroines who have “puberty syndrome” start to appear in front of Sakuta. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll and Funimation

Episodes: TBA

Source: Light Novel

Episode Summary: Sakuta Azusagawa is a bit of a loner. A misunderstanding that morphed into a rumor turned him into something of a pariah among his classmates, so he has very few friends and spends most of his days on his own. One day when he’s in the library, he sees something entirely out of the ordinary – former child star Mai Sakurajima, now one of Sakuta’s upperclassmen, dressed in a bunny suit. None of the other patrons seem to see what he’s seeing. Once Mai realizes that Sakuta is aware of her presence, she orders him to forget everything and leave her alone.

Life doesn’t work out that way, however; the two keep encountering one-another around town. Mai eventually reveals that, since going on hiatus from her acting work, she’s noticed that more and more people are unable to see her. Sakuta even witnesses firsthand when a bakery employee acts as though Mai isn’t there at all. He believes that this might be a case of an urban legend called “Adolescence Syndrome,” if only because he and his sister are also victims – she was bullied and the painful words hurled at her manifested as physical wounds, and Sakuta woke up one day with huge gashes on his chest. Whatever the cause, Sakuta and Mai start to recognize one-another as kindred spirits.

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Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Between the Sky and Sea

In the future in Onomichi, Hiroshima fish disappear from the sea around the world and only whales live in the ocean. The Ministry of Fishery decides to set up giant experimental Universe Fish Tanks in space. The Onomichi Universe Fishery Union is established and begins to train space fishermen. Female fishermen are in demand due to the strengthening of an equal employment law for men and women. Six new female space fishermen are selected, and the story centers on supporting their growth. – ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Mobile Game

Episode Summary: One day, all the fish in Earth’s vast oceans disappeared. Because human kind still had a taste for sushi, drastic measures were taken and special tanks were built in space to grow and harvest fish. Special space fishermen were needed to obtain the fish, and thus a new industry was born. Haru Soramachi dreams of becoming a space fisherman, if only so that her grandma can eat her favorite sushi again. She travels to the coast to join a space fishing program where she can eventually join the ranks of the high-flying astronautical fishermen.

Unfortunately Haru’s sense of direction is lacking and she winds up completely off course, stumbling into a heated argument between a couple of girls her age and some men who are already established fishermen. Makiko and Namino claim Haru for their team (her sweatsuit bears the insignia for the space fishing organization, so she must have some idea of what she’s doing), thus forming a proper group of three to fish in space. Haru unfortunately has no experience operating the fishing equipment and needs instruction from the ground up. When she’s told to choose a guardian deity to accompany her, she picks the one known to be most useless. It’s no surprise that the men claim victory over the three girls, and their unauthorized expedition ensures there’ll be hell to pay once they get back to solid ground.

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Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Run With the Wind

Kakeru, a former elite runner at high school, is chased for stealing food. He is saved by a Kansei University student Haiji, who is also a runner. Haiji persuades Kakeru to live in the old apartment “Chikuseisou” where he plans to team up with fellow residents to enter Hakone Ekiden Marathon, one of the most prominent university races in Japan. Kakeru soon finds out that all of the residents except for Haiji and himself are complete novices. – MAL

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 23

Source: Novel

Episode Summary: Kakeru Kurehara has fallen on hard times since losing his apartment down-payment to the whims of the mahjong table. He’s been reduced to stealing bread from the local convenience store. Luckily he’s a practiced runner with speed enough to get away with this misdeed. He can’t outrun all of his problems, though; he’s eventually chased down by an energetic man on a bike. Haiji Kiyose is on the prowl for one last person to fill the vacant room in the boarding house he shares with several other young men, and he invites Kakeru to take the final slot.

Haiji has ulterior motives, as Kakeru soon learns. Boarding House Chikuseiso is filled with all kinds of young men, from geeky, to studious, to those with certain vices. Haiji invites them to celebrate the addition of their tenth resident with a trip out of town – namely, to Hakone. It’s his dream to participate in the Hakone Ekiden, a famous annual relay race. With their landlord (a former runner) as their coach he feels that this is their best (and his only) shot. But Kakeru isn’t even sure he wants to stay, let alone tackle this monumental task, especially when the other residents seem hesitant at best.

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Autumn 2018 First Impressions – Xuan Yuan Sword Luminaries

Ken En Ken: Aoki Kagayaki is based on the 2004 Taiwanese role-playing game Xuan Yuan Jian Waizhuan: Cang zhi Tao, whose story is set in the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history (approximately 770–476 BC). – MAL

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 13

Source: Taiwanese RPG

Episode Summary: Yin, Ning, and Zhao are three friends who are inseparable until the Taibai Empire’s army arrives and tears their lives apart. Zhao is enslaved by the empire and he believes Yin and Ning were killed as their village burned to the ground. The Empire’s mechanical constructs are now built partly on Zhao’s back. As a quick learner and an insatiable tinkerer, he uses the Empire’s discarded parts to create his own mechanical toys in secret.

Yin and Ning actually survived their village’s destruction. Though Ning lost her arms, she and Yin make a hardscrabble living putting on acrobatic shows as they travel from village to village. One evening as Yin searches for some water, she hears a strange ringing noise from an abandoned house. Inside she’s confronted by a horrifying snake demon and falls through the rotten wood floor to a hidden room. She obtains a mysterious scroll which grants her the companionship of a summoned familiar in the form of a girl named Yun. Yun has considerable power; she’s able to destroy the snake spirit easily. After doing so she disappears. Later, when the village is attacked by Taibai constructs, Yin is able to summon forth Yun and also produce a deadly sword using the scroll’s power; together, they defend the village and destroy the constructs.

In the meantime, Zhao’s illicit tinkering is discovered by the authorities and he and a young girl he’s befriended are taken into custody. Because Zhao was favored by the chief engineer who has since defected to the rebellion, Zhao has now become a suspect. As he faces the empress to receive his punishment, he realizes that she is in fact the girl who became his friend. She grants him a noble title and the all-important task of studying to become the new chief engineer, putting his considerable talents to use for the Taibai Empire.

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