Summer Lovin(?): Summer 2022 Anime Season Impressions Vol. 2 - Renegade Animation #74
Tonight on Renegade Animation, Captain Kaye and The Animation Guru are joined by Haley and Teresa as they continue to review a smorgasbord of recent anime! For Volume 2, they look at those that fall into the genres of Fantasy (mostly Isekai) and Slice of Life.
What’s going on, everyone? Cameron, Haley, Teresa, and I have some unfinished business to take care of! We are back in the anime pool, for better or for worse. As I mentioned last time, we haven’t had the best of luck when it came to the summer anime seasons. For the Fantasy/Isekai and Slice of life titles, I was honestly expecting the worst. While some of them were genuinely bad, there were also some that pleasantly surprised me. So sit back, and listen to our ramblings about which shows we recommend, and which belong in the trash forever.
Harem’s Labyrinth of Another World
Content Warning: This show is all about sex slavery as a fetish
“So here’s the thing: had this just been another run of the mill Isekai, I’d have thought nothing of this. Like yes, it checks off all the “Mike’s probably going to hate this” boxes that are part and parcel to the genre…and then the plot starts. The second you introduce the concept of slavery into your anime is the second I can no longer let things slide. Harem in the Labyrinth in Another World was already off to a bad start, but now I can no longer in good conscience recommend this to anyone.” -Captain Kaye
Black Summoner
“Ok, why the hell is this the second Isekai in a row to involve slavery in some capacity? Thankfully it’s not as, um, graphic as Harem in the Labyrinth of Another World, but the way it’s used in the plot feels a little too nonchalant. Anyway, Black Summoner is a boilerplate Isekai, only slightly elevated by a protagonist with a good heart and the companions he surrounds himself with. 95% of the time, I’d say the animation is fine, but the blending of CGI for certain characters and/or objects is janky as hell. It’s probably the worst during an important action scene in episode 2. If you generally enjoy Isekais, then this one is pretty decent. If you don’t, this won’t change your mind.“ -Captain Kaye
Vermeil in Gold
“This one is the very definition of a guilty pleasure, which makes a lot more sense for this to be on HiDive than Crunchyroll acquiring Harem’s Labyrinth. On the “guilty” side of things, the very premise of this anime involves our protagonist Alto Goldfield summoning a demon girl, then forging a contract to be his familiar. It is every bit as risqué as you can imagine, though not as morally repugnant as Harem’s Labyrinth. Where I found enjoyment was mostly with the animation, particularly character reactions, various sight gags, and the magical duels. I don’t know if I feel fully comfortable recommending this to newcomers, but if you’re already subscribed to HiDive, check it out if you’re curious.” -Captain Kaye
My Isekai Life: I Gained a Second Character Class and Became The Strongest Sage in the World
“It would be awfully dismissive of me to compare this directly to Black Summoner, even though I can sort of understand the similarities. Instead, I’ll simply judge this on its own merits. With that said, My Isekai Life: I Gained a Second Character Class and Became The Strongest Sage in the World is pretty good. It is another run of the mill Isekai, but at least what sets this apart is that seldom screen time is wasted on the backstory beyond some flashbacks sprinkled into the first few episodes. In fact, episode 1 gets right to the action, as they simply demonstrate how Yuji and his companions take care of business. His companions are a wolf and a bunch of slimes, and they are great. It’s a soft recommendation, 85% for preordained Isekai fans, and 15% for newcomers.“ -Captain Kaye
Parallel World Pharmacy
“As I’ve observed in the two years that we’ve been doing these anime recap podcasts, it’s become clear that Isekai is to anime as Metalcore is to Heavy Metal music. Meaning, for as many generic, run of the mill SAO copycats that are out there, there are at least a handful of titles that stand out from the rest. Parallel World Pharmacy is the latter. It’s a show whose premise we’ve seen done before, but handled with better care in practically every way. Our main protagonist Pharma de Médicis (a name just a bit too on the nose) is the reincarnation of a 31 year old medical researcher who overworked himself to death. Two things that set him apart from other Isekai protagonists are his genuine desire to help people, and his self-awareness. This anime succeeds in everything, from the character development to the worldbuilding, and even the music. This is one I will certainly see through to the end!“ -Captain Kaye
Uncle From Another World
“I think this might be the first time I’ve seen an anime that could be described as “post-Isekai,” which is far more interesting than what we’ve seen before. Uncle From Another World follows Takafumi Takaoka, who picks up his uncle from the hospital, who recently woke up from a 17 year coma after being hit by a truck. It’s revealed that he brought home magic abilities from his time in another world, and the two use them to try to make a living. This show takes the Isekai rulebook and tosses it out the window, subverting all sorts of expectations of the genre, and even includes some clever commentary on the various pop culture that the uncle missed while in a coma. It has a unique art style, great comedic timing, and just the right amount of cynicism without going overboard. Whether you’re an Isekai fan or you can’t stand the genre, Uncle from Another World stands out from the crowd!“ -Captain Kaye
The Maid I Hired Recently is Mysterious
“Slice of life is a tricky genre to get into. On the one hand, the good stuff can be REALLY good. Other times, you get a show like The Maid I Hired Recently is Mysterious, which replaces compelling drama with constant innuendos and “suspicious” spoken every other minute. If there was an actual mystery, I’d be intrigued, but instead we’re stuck with this dense little orphan coming up with nonsense theories about his live-in maid. I don’t recommend this.“ -Captain Kaye
Prima Doll
“The biggest problem with this series lies mostly in its execution. Tonally, there’s a huge dissonance between the more engaging anti-war drama happening in the background, and the cyberpunk take on “cute girls doing cute things” as the main focus. Maybe there is an audience for this type of series, and it’s not entirely without its merits (I thought the song performed in the third episode was lovely). But on the whole, I can’t recommend this one.“ -Captain Kaye
Shine Post
“On the one hand, this is pretty par for the course when it comes to Idol anime. And yet, there’s something about it that’s grabbing my attention. Our story revolves around an Idol trio called TiNGs, who’s one the verge of breaking up. Their future depends on whether or not they can sell out the venue for their anniversary concert, and in order to accomplish that, they are paired with a manager with the ability to see the “shine” of people who are lying. That’s honestly enough of a hook to keep me invested in the story, since it’s just as much about the Idols’ rise to fame as it is about problem solving on the business side of things. If you’re dead set against Idol anime, this may not be your cup of tea, but I would still keep an open mind.“ -Captain Kaye
TEPPEN Laughing Till You Cry
“Just to get this out of the way, the broadcast of the second episode has been canceled due to a plot involving an assassination attempt, following the real life assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Good news is that it honestly has no real effect on my enjoyment of this anime, as each episode largely stands on its own. Oh, and unlike the last anime that focused on the world of stand up comedy, TEPPEN is actually hilarious. There may be way too many characters introduced at the start, but each episode after the first does a great job of keeping the focus on a select few. And I love the way each scenario escalates to insanity, from the trophy flashbacks in the first episode, to ripping cryptocurrency a new one in episode 4. This is an easy recommendation!“ -Captain Kaye
Phantom of the Idol
“To be perfectly honest, I think I was worried over nothing when it came to this season’s Idol anime offerings. Maybe that’s just because (at least to my knowledge) they weren’t simply corporate driven multimedia projects, but rather character driven narratives that happened to revolve around the industry. Both Shine Post and Phantom of the Idol have elements of magical realism, though the latter has it more in the foreground. What works about this show is the contrast between Niyodo, the lazy, unmotivated half of the Idol group ZINGS, and Asahi, the ghost of a young Idol who died in a car accident the year before. Their odd couple dynamic is infectious, and it’s a great example of a “grass is greener” arc for each character. What makes a great Idol anime ultimately comes down to the characters, and based on the first three episodes, I see great potential for the rest of the season.“ -Captain Kaye
When Will Ayumu Make His Move
“While I wouldn’t necessarily call this one of the best romantic comedies of the year, it at least takes a unique approach. I like the dynamic between our two leads, and how they forged a bond over a mutual love for Shogi, the Japanese equivalent of chess. A lot of the comedy comes from the fact that both Ayumu and Urashi clearly have feelings for each other, but neither can admit it. Also, when their friends and classmates try to help them out, something always goes awry. We still get the usual high school slice of life tropes, such as the track and field day activities in episode 2, and the school festival in episode 3, but I like the way it’s handled here. When Will Ayumu Make his Move isn’t revolutionary by any means, but it’s enjoyable enough for its genre.“ -Captain Kaye
The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting
“I knew this was going to be good, I just wasn’t prepared for how emotionally invested I would be. Toru Kirishima, known as the “Demon of Sakuragi,” is tasked with one of his most challenging assignments yet: watching over the Yakuza boss’s daughter. This show is just charming, and it won me over pretty quickly the same way I was won over by shows like Kotaro Lives Alone and Spy x Family. It has something for everyone, from moments of levity to genuinely touching dramatic beats, as Kirishima gets closer to the Sakuragi family. The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting is another Summer 2022 highlight!“ -Captain Kaye
There you have it, another season of anime impressions in the books! Thank you for joining us, and as always, stay tuned for more awesome content coming your way!
