Dave Baranyi
2018-08-27 13:42:38 UTC
It's just past mid-season for the Summer 2018 anime season so I decided to give an update on what I am still watching and what I dropped. This season has been odd because several new series started a month into the new season. Maybe the whole concept of anime “seasons” is quietly going away. So in no particular order:
Dropped shows:
“FLCL Alternative” - episodes watched: 1, status: dropped, final rating: C.
“FLCL Progressive – Restart” - episodes watched: 1, status: dropped, final rating: D.
The reboot of “FLCL” was a very unappealing mess. The creators of the new series seemed to have no idea at all about what made the original FLCL a classic, nor even how to create something that wasn't an insult to the intelligence of the viewer.
“Chio-chan no Tsuugakuro” - episodes watched: 4, status: dropped, final rating: C. This gag comedy started out funny but soon became just another repetitious slice-of-life series.
“Island” - episodes watched: 3, status: dropped, final rating: C. This throwback to old-school datesim harem shows was creaky to start and became less interesting with each additional episode.
“Satsuriku no Tenshi” - episodes watched: 3, status: dropped, final rating: C. This murder-game mystery suffered from having no appealing characters which meant that there was no real reason to continue to watch to see the next psycho get killed.
“Kyoto Teramachi Sanjou no Holmes” - episodes watched: 1, status: dropped, final rating: C-. Appallingly trite and paint-by-number shoujo “mystery” with no appealing characters to make up for the saccharine writing.
“Sirius the Jaeger” - episodes watched: 2, status: dropped, final rating: C. Yet another paint-by-number vampire hunting anime with the “catch” that the protagonist is a werewolf.
New shows that I'm still watching:
“Planet With” - episodes watched: 8, status: still watching, current rating: A-. This odd sci-fi series is very typical of the complicated plotting done by Satoshi Mizukami in his other works such as the manga “Sengoku Youko”. Although the overall concept is fairly simple the presentation and development of the story is anything but.
“Overlord III” - episodes watched: 7, status: still watching, current rating: B-. This is a very uneven show in a very uneven series of shows. On one hand the black humour is often fairly good, but on the other hand the overall development is often tasteless and pandering. I can't really recommend it but I've got enough morbid curiosity to keep on watching it.
“Angolmois” - episodes watched: 7, status: still watching, current rating: A-. This ahistorical adventure series is rousing fun at its best, and still watchable at its worst. If only the damn “dirt” filter wasn't in place to try to make the show seem more “historic”.
“Tsukumogami Kashimasu” - episodes watched: 6, status: still watching, current rating: C+. One of the late starting series this season, this NHK historical fantasy is an odd blend of shounen and seinen. On one had you have “cute” magical creatures while on the other hand you have detailed discussions of how Edo period commercial businesses ran, including brothels.
“Muhyo to Rouji no Mahouritsu Soudan Jimusho” - episodes watched: 4, status: still watching: current rating: C+. Another late season start this shounen magical power fantasy is old-fashioned fun. There's nothing terribly original here but it is done well enough to be entertaining in its own way.
Still watching from previous seasons:
“GeGeGe no Kitaro (2018) – episodes watched: 22, status: still watching, current rating: B+. This reboot of “Kitaro” is doing quite well at being entertaining and occasionally engrossing. The episode during the anniversary of the atomic bombings was particularly well done.
“Lupin III – Part 5” - episodes watched: 20, status: still watching: current rating: A. I'm continuing to have lots of fun with this great retro-fest. Every episode puts a smile on my face. It's like being a teen in the 60s all over again.
And still watching forever:
“Meitantei Conan” and “One Piece”. Both still “A” series, both still entertaining, both still showing no signs of ever finishing.
Dave Baranyi
Dropped shows:
“FLCL Alternative” - episodes watched: 1, status: dropped, final rating: C.
“FLCL Progressive – Restart” - episodes watched: 1, status: dropped, final rating: D.
The reboot of “FLCL” was a very unappealing mess. The creators of the new series seemed to have no idea at all about what made the original FLCL a classic, nor even how to create something that wasn't an insult to the intelligence of the viewer.
“Chio-chan no Tsuugakuro” - episodes watched: 4, status: dropped, final rating: C. This gag comedy started out funny but soon became just another repetitious slice-of-life series.
“Island” - episodes watched: 3, status: dropped, final rating: C. This throwback to old-school datesim harem shows was creaky to start and became less interesting with each additional episode.
“Satsuriku no Tenshi” - episodes watched: 3, status: dropped, final rating: C. This murder-game mystery suffered from having no appealing characters which meant that there was no real reason to continue to watch to see the next psycho get killed.
“Kyoto Teramachi Sanjou no Holmes” - episodes watched: 1, status: dropped, final rating: C-. Appallingly trite and paint-by-number shoujo “mystery” with no appealing characters to make up for the saccharine writing.
“Sirius the Jaeger” - episodes watched: 2, status: dropped, final rating: C. Yet another paint-by-number vampire hunting anime with the “catch” that the protagonist is a werewolf.
New shows that I'm still watching:
“Planet With” - episodes watched: 8, status: still watching, current rating: A-. This odd sci-fi series is very typical of the complicated plotting done by Satoshi Mizukami in his other works such as the manga “Sengoku Youko”. Although the overall concept is fairly simple the presentation and development of the story is anything but.
“Overlord III” - episodes watched: 7, status: still watching, current rating: B-. This is a very uneven show in a very uneven series of shows. On one hand the black humour is often fairly good, but on the other hand the overall development is often tasteless and pandering. I can't really recommend it but I've got enough morbid curiosity to keep on watching it.
“Angolmois” - episodes watched: 7, status: still watching, current rating: A-. This ahistorical adventure series is rousing fun at its best, and still watchable at its worst. If only the damn “dirt” filter wasn't in place to try to make the show seem more “historic”.
“Tsukumogami Kashimasu” - episodes watched: 6, status: still watching, current rating: C+. One of the late starting series this season, this NHK historical fantasy is an odd blend of shounen and seinen. On one had you have “cute” magical creatures while on the other hand you have detailed discussions of how Edo period commercial businesses ran, including brothels.
“Muhyo to Rouji no Mahouritsu Soudan Jimusho” - episodes watched: 4, status: still watching: current rating: C+. Another late season start this shounen magical power fantasy is old-fashioned fun. There's nothing terribly original here but it is done well enough to be entertaining in its own way.
Still watching from previous seasons:
“GeGeGe no Kitaro (2018) – episodes watched: 22, status: still watching, current rating: B+. This reboot of “Kitaro” is doing quite well at being entertaining and occasionally engrossing. The episode during the anniversary of the atomic bombings was particularly well done.
“Lupin III – Part 5” - episodes watched: 20, status: still watching: current rating: A. I'm continuing to have lots of fun with this great retro-fest. Every episode puts a smile on my face. It's like being a teen in the 60s all over again.
And still watching forever:
“Meitantei Conan” and “One Piece”. Both still “A” series, both still entertaining, both still showing no signs of ever finishing.
Dave Baranyi