What Current Anime Are You Watching Version v4.0

[Hikaru Ichijo SL]

I finished Madan no ou to Vanadis last night and I thought it was really good.  It definitely needs a 2nd season.  Some of the war maidens barely appear.

[Focslain]

15 hours ago, Hikaru Ichijo SL said:

I finished Madan no ou to Vanadis last night and I thought it was really good.  It definitely needs a 2nd season.  Some of the war maidens barely appear.

It should but most likely won't. It's part of the current trend of making an anime based on a LN so you'll buy the LN to get the rest of the story.

[chyll2]

This is why I tend to not watch LN adaptation. They are mostly trailers for LNs. But sometimes it is so good or hyped that you can't ignore it

[Focslain]

40 minutes ago, chyll2 said:

This is why I tend to not watch LN adaptation. They are mostly trailers for LNs. But sometimes it is so good or hyped that you can't ignore it

If the series has enough of my attention then I'll get the LN (happened with Irregular and No Game). For Lord marksman most of the appeal for me is the art so it's kind of lost in written form. Same goes for Violet Evergarden, though the story is really close to getting my urge to continue.

[Hikaru Ichijo SL]

I started Shinryaku Ika Musume last night and it is so funny.  I hear Gorou talk and in one second, I said oh great another anime with Nakamura Yuuichi in it.  Which is a good thing.

[Stampeed Valkyrie]

I was able to snag a title that just went out of print that I completely forgot about.     Kotoura-san or as NIS America titled it The Troubled Life of Miss Kotoura.

Apparently just recently went OOP,   I kinda scrambled to find it,  so now that I have it I am giving it a rewatch.    Not a great title in the slightest,  but I would have been upset had I never gotten around to acquiring it.

 

I also just finished a rewatch of the Funimation release of Ancient Magus Bride.. overall the first half of this series was excellent.   

[Focslain]

2 hours ago, Stampeed Valkyrie said:

I also just finished a rewatch of the Funimation release of Ancient Magus Bride.. overall the first half of this series was excellent.   

The second season has some bad pacing issues, otherwise the series overall is really good and the dub is on par with the original voice cast.

[Hikaru Ichijo SL]

Index III episode 18 was great.  I was very happy when Misaka Worst showed up.  I liked her voice for the 3 second it was used.  Voiced by one of my favorite seiyuus Kakuma AI.  I would have thought that Satou Rina was voicing her.

[Stampeed Valkyrie]

So 2 of the current titles am following have flip flopped in regards to my interest on them.

Slime is getting very MEH,  the latest episode is very Dull which is bad when it was supposed to be the culmination of an Action Arc.     And on the flip side Rising Shield hero which started as MEH is actually getting quite good IMO.

Finished my NIS copy of Kotaru-san,   I enjoyed it,  not sure I would give it a general recommendation though not for everyone.

[Seto Kaiba]

1 hour ago, Stampeed Valkyrie said:

Slime is getting very MEH,  the latest episode is very Dull which is bad when it was supposed to be the culmination of an Action Arc.     And on the flip side Rising Shield hero which started as MEH is actually getting quite good IMO.

Slime was always pretty dull, IMO.  It's so enamored of its MMO-inspired setting that Rimiru, as the standard massively overleveled isekai protagonist, spends most of the story simply managing resources because he has nothing better to do and nothing can really threaten him.  It's like watching someone play Civilization.

Overlord is one of the few isekai stories I felt really handled the overleveled protagonist thing well.  There, the plot basically revolved around the rest of the world reacting to a godlike (undead) being showing up on their doorstep.  That way, even though Ainz doesn't actually do much most of the time, it doesn't get old because the focus isn't on him.

The Rising of the Shield Hero got surprisingly good surprisingly fast though.  Once it got past that rough, lazy, almost form letter start it went to some interesting places with Naofumi being a Knight in Sour Armor over his false accusations and not being the standard overleveled juggernaut.

[Focslain]

19 minutes ago, Seto Kaiba said:

It's like watching someone play Civilization

Honestly this has been keeping me in the series, granted the last ep was a bore, need more politics with the other kingdoms soon. It's also keeps me in Sheildbro due to what he gets saddled with soon. Like to see him turn what seems like a POS into his own nation just to spite the princess.

[Seto Kaiba]

1 hour ago, Focslain said:

Honestly this has been keeping me in the series, granted the last ep was a bore, need more politics with the other kingdoms soon.

They never really get into politics in That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, barring that brief tiff with the dwarf kingdom early on and a lot of buildup with zero payoff WRT all of the various demon lords.  The story totally changes gears and Rimiru takes off to go become a school teacher in another country for some incredibly contrived reason.

 

1 hour ago, Focslain said:

It's also keeps me in Sheildbro due to what he gets saddled with soon. Like to see him turn what seems like a POS into his own nation just to spite the princess.

... well, that'll depend on how far this animated adaptation goes I guess.

Both of those things do in fact occur in the light novel... though spiting Princess Malty is near-term enough that it's likely to get animated, though not by having his own nation.

Spoiler

Naofumi does eventually end up the founder of a new kingdom... but in the light novel's distant future epilogue some 330+ chapters further on, and only after he left the world entirely.

 

[Hikaru Ichijo SL]

Shinryaku! Ika Musume is the funniest thing ever I am already finishing season 1 tonight.  I wish Gorou would say Nagisa once.  Maybe he shouldn't I might start crying.

[Focslain]

17 hours ago, Seto Kaiba said:

They never really get into politics in That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, barring that brief tiff with the dwarf kingdom early on and a lot of buildup with zero payoff WRT all of the various demon lords.  The story totally changes gears and Rimiru takes off to go become a school teacher in another country for some incredibly contrived reason.

Basically the events shown in the closing. Figured but one could hope.

[Stampeed Valkyrie]

So do I drop slime now?   It sounds to me like it's going to keep getting more and more ... MEH.

 

My trek through cheap holiday anime continues..   Watamote is on my plate.      I have gone through 2 episodes and its pretty stupid so far.

 

[Seto Kaiba]

3 hours ago, Focslain said:

Basically the events shown in the closing. Figured but one could hope.

More or less.

 

1 hour ago, Stampeed Valkyrie said:

So do I drop slime now?   It sounds to me like it's going to keep getting more and more ... MEH.

The only real excitement for a good while in the story is this fight with the disaster-grade demon Charybdis, which started in episode 19... and even then it's pretty dull, since the "fight" is mostly Charybdis no-selling everything thrown at it for the better part of a day.  I suspect they intend to end it there this season, since the defeat of Charybdis is what sets up Rimiru taking off to another country to be a teacher.

 

Quote

My trek through cheap holiday anime continues..   Watamote is on my plate.      I have gone through 2 episodes and its pretty stupid so far.

Watamote can be... tedious.

It's cringe comedy distilled down to its purest form.  Normally shows like that (e.g. Haganai) try to soften the blow a little by depicting the socially awkward otaku cast in a somewhat sympathetic light or throwing in a softer subplot like a little romance or some non-cringe-inducing humor, or at least make the protagonist an unapologetically horrible human being the audience won't feel bad for when their horribleness causes life to sh*t all over them (e.g. Fawlty Towers).  

Watamote is having precisely none of that sh*t.  Tomoko Kuroki is here to SUFFER for your entertainment.  That she's actually dimly aware of how screwed up her life is and wants little more than to become a socially functional person counts for exactly nothing, so naturally all the comedy comes from her desperate (and desperately misguided) attempts to gain even the tiniest iota of social acceptance.  She's the girl who can do no right, so she's perpetually digging a deeper hole for herself.  I stopped reading the manga after a few dozen chapters because the one-note humor stopped being funny rather quickly and that just left the cruelty.

Haganai, incidentally, I would recommend if you're in the mood for that kind of thing because it's a lot less cruel even if the cast are every bit as weird as Tomoko Kuroki is.

Edited February 15, 2019 by Seto Kaiba

[Hikaru Ichijo SL]

Kakuma Ai is doing a great job as Misaka Worst in Toaru Majutsu no Index III she is creepy and cute at the same time.  She also sound like Satou Rina who voices Misaka.

[Vifam7]

7 hours ago, Seto Kaiba said:

 

Watamote can be... tedious.

It's cringe comedy distilled down to its purest form.  Normally shows like that (e.g. Haganai) try to soften the blow a little by depicting the socially awkward otaku cast in a somewhat sympathetic light or throwing in a softer subplot like a little romance or some non-cringe-inducing humor, or at least make the protagonist an unapologetically horrible human being the audience won't feel bad for when their horribleness causes life to sh*t all over them (e.g. Fawlty Towers).  

Watamote is having precisely none of that sh*t.  Tomoko Kuroki is here to SUFFER for your entertainment.  That she's actually dimly aware of how screwed up her life is and wants little more than to become a socially functional person counts for exactly nothing, so naturally all the comedy comes from her desperate (and desperately misguided) attempts to gain even the tiniest iota of social acceptance.  She's the girl who can do no right, so she's perpetually digging a deeper hole for herself.  I stopped reading the manga after a few dozen chapters because the one-note humor stopped being funny rather quickly and that just left the cruelty.

Watamote can indeed be tough to get through, but depending on your viewpoint Tomoko can be a character you can sympathize with.  I was able to handle Tomoko's missteps early on but admittedly I was getting tired of it around Volume 6/7 of the manga. However, I stuck with it and it rewarded me when things turned the corner on Volume 8.  Right now, it's one of my top 3 manga that I look forward to getting the next volume.  It's now at Volume 14, Tomoko's in her 3rd year of high school, and the story seems to be heading towards the end. The anime isn't really worth watching as it barely covers the first few volumes of the manga.

On a separate note, I've started watching My Hero Academia. (Yes, I'm a bit late to this series :)) I'm halfway into Season 2 of the anime (as well as several volumes of the manga) and I'm enjoying it. Typical shounen martial arts/superpower fight series but it's enjoyable.  I've pretty much outgrown Shonen Jump anime/manga stuff like DragonBall, Naruto, and the sort but this one is done quite well.  At least, thus far.  Not sure how much this series can keep my attention though.

Edited February 16, 2019 by Vifam7

[Seto Kaiba]

1 hour ago, Vifam7 said:

On a separate note, I've started watching My Hero Academia. (Yes, I'm a bit late to this series :)) I'm halfway into Season 2 of the anime (as well as several volumes of the manga) and I'm enjoying it. 

It really does grow on you.  I used to love shonen stuff as a kid (I'm sure you can guess which show was hot when I was like 13), but I'd kind of cooled on it as I got older.  My Hero Academia has a certain heartwarming charm and ananarchic sense of humor which I found tremendously endearing.  I do enjoy the subversion that Midoriya isn't really getting more powerful in the standard shounen manga style as he is finding unexpected new utility in the power he already has... turning a one-trick pony into a swiss army superpower.  (I also rather enjoyed the unusual focus on the lack of required secondary powers, like how Midoriya has his super strength but has to learn how to tune it down so as to not wreck his own body using it, or how Uraraka can turn off gravity but can't turn off the effect a lack of gravity has on her inner ear.)

In a few ways, it kind of reminds me of Adam Warren's Empowered with its world-half-empty view of a world where superheroism has become a business with a naive, idealistic main character who'd be a better fit for a world of pro bono super-vigilantism like in typical superhero comics.  

[Big s]

I’m late to the game as well regarding my hero academia. I thought it was just gonna be another naruto, and it is but in a good way. It’s very similar but it’s more practical with it’s impracticability.

My daughter watched it with her friends and said I would like it and she was correct. I started it about 2 weeks ago and finished the second season the other day. I thought it was funny that there are so many Star Wars references.

[Hikaru Ichijo SL]

Tate no Yuusha is still my favorite new show of the season.  Filo and Raphtalia are great characters.

[Stampeed Valkyrie]

1 hour ago, Hikaru Ichijo SL said:

Tate no Yuusha is still my favorite new show of the season.  Filo and Raphtalia are great characters.

I agree that Shield hero has gotten really good,   I would have to say I am enjoying Love is War better though. 

 

 

[Hikaru Ichijo SL]

I am really wondering why I am watching Egao no Daika it is terrible.  I will probably drop it,

Edited February 18, 2019 by Hikaru Ichijo SL

[Seto Kaiba]

22 hours ago, Hikaru Ichijo SL said:

I am really wondering why I am watching Egao no Daika it is terrible.  I will probably drop it,

The Price of Smiles really is the biggest disappointment of the season.

A new, original mecha anime from Tatsunoko Production as part of an anniversary event for the studio?  What mecha fan could have said no to that?  Sadly, the writing's terrible, the art's pretty derivative, and animation quality took a dive after four episodes.

[Hikaru Ichijo SL]

2 hours ago, Seto Kaiba said:

The Price of Smiles really is the biggest disappointment of the season.

A new, original mecha anime from Tatsunoko Production as part of an anniversary event for the studio?  What mecha fan could have said no to that?  Sadly, the writing's terrible, the art's pretty derivative, and animation quality took a dive after four episodes.

I agree, I usually love Tatsunoko stuff.  I also watched it because Satou Rina is in it and if it is not evident I am a huge fan of hers.

[Gerli]

Naofumi can make GMO's now... I think I know where this is going...

Spoiler

 

[Hikaru Ichijo SL]

Wow Index III and Date a Live III have been great lately.  Nice to see Misaka 10777 again.  Kurumi is back and as cute as ever.

[Stampeed Valkyrie]

While I am getting the Index III episodes I haven't gone past the episode where I last commented on it.   It was getting too silly for me.

As for Date a Live III,   Best Girl (Kurumi) may have just saved the entire season.    The introduction of the 2nd loli was fairly boring,   and the Oregami reveal was very ho hum as well.   This latest plot turn however has me taking notice.

 

[Hikaru Ichijo SL]

4 hours ago, Stampeed Valkyrie said:

While I am getting the Index III episodes I haven't gone past the episode where I last commented on it.   It was getting too silly for me.

As for Date a Live III,   Best Girl (Kurumi) may have just saved the entire season.    The introduction of the 2nd loli was fairly boring,   and the Oregami reveal was very ho hum as well.   This latest plot turn however has me taking notice.

 

If they follow the Light novel closely DATE A LIVE III is going to get even crazier.

[Seto Kaiba]

Kaguya-sama: Love and War and The Rising of the Shield Hero seem to be doing pretty well this season.

I've all but completely given up on The Price of Smiles, which is just a horrific train wreck by this point.

[Focslain]

Only watching slime and shieldbro right now. My weekly anime group fell apart after one was sent to the hospital last month (she's doing kind of fine, but won't be joining us soon). Next up I think we're bringing in a new boy and introducing him to Konasoba. Also starting watching the Girl's Last Tour dub.... if I haven't been there before I swear it was impossible to be depressed and happy at the same time.

20 minutes ago, Seto Kaiba said:

I've all but completely given up on The Price of Smiles, which is just a horrific train wreck by this point.

I did a catch up on Price of Smiles and got to ep7. I think I can see the crash sight, but I'll come back to it after it finishes to see how big a wreck this turns into.

Edited March 6, 2019 by Focslain

[Seto Kaiba]

4 minutes ago, Focslain said:

Only watching slime and shieldbro right now. My weekly anime group fell apart after one was sent to the hospital last month (she's doing kind of fine, but won't be joining us soon).

Bummer.  Hope she recovers swiftly.

 

4 minutes ago, Focslain said:

Next up I think we're bringing in a new boy and introducing him to Konasoba.

KonoSuba was at least mildly entertaining in its anime form because they let Kazuma have some lasting character development.

The light novel is an incredibly frustrating read because any character development in Kazuma and Aqua is undone by the start of the next volume and half the story will inevitably consist of Darkness and Megumin trying to turf him off the couch to actually do something.

 

4 minutes ago, Focslain said:

I did a catch up on Price of Smiles and got to ep7. I think I can see the crash sight, but I'll come back to it after it finishes to see how big a wreck this turns into.

It's sad how little original thought or imagination went into that series.  I had expected much better from Tatsunoko.

It really hasn't scratched my mecha itch like I'd been hoping it would, so I'm getting by with Gyakuten Saiban and Lupin III Part V.

[Hikaru Ichijo SL]

I started Gundam X and it is different.  it is the last Gundam series I have not seen.  I want to build a gx-9900 model now.

Edited March 6, 2019 by Hikaru Ichijo SL

[Petrov27]

My roommate is a cat is a joy, just started Love and War and hooked immediately. Mob Psycho just got serious (like crazy serious end of previous episode) and went from what had become almost slice of life comedy to all hell breaking loose with esper superpowers which has my attention....

[Hikaru Ichijo SL]

I did not expect that to happen to Ito in 3d Kanojo Real Girl 22, way to man up.