Winter Anime Vortex 2021 Spectacular: 23 New Anime Titles Reviewed! - Renegade Animation #10
Welcome to the Winter Anime Vortex, a time when multiple studios all release their latest and (hopefully) greatest slices of anime pie for us to sample and savor! Mike (the Captain) and Cameron (the Guru) are joined by special guests Haley and Teresa, making their respective debuts on the podcast, and I’m here to add my thoughts to the show notes! We have 23 (count ‘em!) new series to chat about, including the awesome Sk8 the Infinity and the not-so-great EX-ARM, so let’s get to it!
Note: We are going to break this down in ascending order, so we’ll comment on the worst of the shows first, then it’ll get progressively better as we thin the herd and get to the top-tier shows near the end of the notes! Please listen to the podcast, as Mike, Cam, and Teresa do a far better job of explaining the new series there. I’m the casual anime fan, so take my opinions with a hefty grain of salt, and know that most of my views are impressions based on the premiere episode of each show (and also, I’m kind of the snarky one here, so don’t mind me). Also, visit Cameron’s website at Cam’s Eye View for more reviews and thoughts on these series! Without further ado, let’s get this vortex a-spinnin’!
The Worst:
Ex Arm (Crunchyroll, VRV)
Captain’s thoughts: Any potential interest I could have had in this admittedly generic cyberpunk futuristic premise is thrown the fuck away by weightless, directionless animation. There’s not an ounce of consistency in the character designs, facial expressions, or movement. This might just be one of the worst attempts at “blending” traditional 2D and 3D animation I’ve ever seen.
Guru’s wisdom: What do you get when you hire a director who has no animation experience, doesn't bother to learn how animation is produced, works with a studio that hasn't made anime before, relies too heavily on motion capture, and then has the giant brass cajones to think this was going to be the next big science fiction hit? Well, you get Ex Arm, [which] did become big and popular for one reason, it's incredibly terrible CGI animation. This might be the worst CGI animation I have ever seen in anime. Lifeless, emotionless, stiff, and it's 100% amateur hour from top to bottom. You can even tell when this show uses ugly white light circles to cover up that the people working on this show did not know how to do anything but animate CGI models like they were bashing action figures together. It's an embarrassing front all around, and even if it had the proper animation team behind it, the writing falls flat, the characters are forgettable, the designs aren't interesting, and due to the awful reliance on motion capture technology, the action sucks.
Neoplasmic’s musings: I have to agree, Cap and Guru. This is one of the most life-less, horrifically inconsistent anime series I’ve ever seen. I’m usually a fan of cyberpunk, to the point that I’ll even ignore some flaws in the genre, but this is so derivative of literally everything that’s come before it that I can’t see myself watching this show beyond the pilot. Also, plot-fuckin’-HOLES! Whaddaya even mean that Akira (god, they named him that, of all names) is anti-technology? How are we even supposed to understand that apparently key character trait? And how many times are they going to show him staring creepily at the camera with his mouth agape?? And why the hell are some characters animated in 2D and the rest are in this Appleseed-wannabe 3D cel-shaded style??? This show literally pissed me off after I saw the first episode. Gah! Get off my screen! 1 badly rendered CGI character out of 10!
Redo of Healer (HiDive, VRV)
Captain’s thoughts: Redo of Healer has the opposite problem as Ex-Arm. This is an anime that has relatively decent animation, par for the course for the dark fantasy genre, and a GREAT OP and background music score. However, the biggest problem I have is the main “protagonist,” who is an irredeemable jackass. Episode 1 isn’t nearly as bad, but episodes 2 and 3 are so tasteless that I fail to comprehend how anyone can defend this series beyond its surface level merits.
Guru’s wisdom: Well, to the shock of no one, this is the worst anime of the season. On a moral level, it's a repugnant revenge fantasy that has rape, homophobia, racism, and every red flag you can think of for an anime. It's made for edgelords that don't see anything wrong with the main character thinking rape is a proper revenge tactic. It is an anime with a time travel gimmick, but since the writing and storytelling are not good enough to distract me from the other minefield that is time travel, all I'm stuck wondering is why didn't the main character, instead of doing all of this awful stuff, not just go back in time to a point where his abusers weren't alive, or go back in time and kill them before they were born. Heck, if you are going to become a power fantasy since you can pull up the cheat sheet of powers and abilities, why not just create a past where you didn't become the healer, and just live on your merry way? Instead of doing something more straightforward, this unlikable dumpster fire goes out of his way to "get back" at the abusers in a way that still makes him an abuser.
Neoplasmic’s musings: Once again, I totally agree with Cap and the Guru. The animation here is good, and at least has a consistency, unlike EX-ARM. I quite liked the battle sequence against the Demon Lord, which showcased a fairly intriguing origin story for our “hero,” who quickly became insufferable and is morally bankrupt, though the other characters aren’t any better. Particularly Flare, who’s oddly mean to Keyaru, the main character, for no apparent reason than her unreasonably inflated ego. I’ve only seen the premiere, so I can’t speak to how bad episodes two and three are, but it’s clear that this premise could easily break down. 2.5 insane vengeance quests out of 10.
Scar on the Praeter (Funimation)
Captain’s thoughts: While Scar on the Praeter has a fascinating premise, as well as some gorgeous visuals, the one thing that’s holding this series back is it’s self-serious tone. Not that it’s completely devoid of humor, I just wish there was a little bit more energy injected into these characters. Perhaps this could be one of those series that grows on me as it continues, and I’m curious to see where the story goes from here.
Guru’s wisdom: Our first original anime of the season is directed by Shingo Suzuki and produced by GoHands. We have yet another anime that is filled to the brim with pretty boys looking edgy and cool, and maybe a touch too much in world jargon mumbo jumbo to make you feel invested. Anytime I have tried to talk to someone about this show, I don't remember anything outside of the gaudy 3D visuals, and while the main characters look better than in Handshakers (a previous anime from the studio), they are still overly designed and they almost blend into one another. The action is disjointed and janky with fights that feel very unsatisfying. It's a show that easily goes through one ear and out the other, and that alone is shockingly bad. I don't know who at GoHands keeps getting funding for these original projects, but just because you are an original anime, doesn't mean you get off with a free pass because it's rare to find original anime not based on something.
Neoplasmic’s musings: Yeah, this one has a little something going on. I love the fluidity of the action sequences and gunfights, which are very Cowboy Bebop-esque and definitely ape the style of John Woo’s early films. I’m not entirely crazy about the mish-mash of 2D characters and 3D backdrops, but it’s a minor nitpick. The character designs are a little too Bishonen for my tastes, as well, but the animation quality makes up for it. Not bad, but not overly good, either. 5.5 Cerberus tattoos out of 10.
The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter (Crunchyroll)
Captain’s thoughts: By design, harem anime are pretty sleazy, and this one is not nearly good enough to recommend to anyone who’s not already into that subgenre. However, at least this is a comedy, and one that knows it’s full of sleaze and isn’t trying to pretend otherwise. There are elements that may go a step too far, particularly involving a teacher at the Hero Academy, but it’s nothing compared to Redo of Healer.
Guru’s wisdom: This power-fantasy harem comedy is in the worst category for multiple reasons. Its RPG elements are reliant on the main character getting pleasurable satisfaction from the women he interacts with. The fantasy world itself looks like a more mediocre Konosuba, and the animation is just okay, which is a problem if you want some softcore fanservice. The side characters are constantly unlikable, and for a fanservice show, it doesn't go far enough to be fully titillating. It kind of knows what type of show it is so it's not trying to be deeper than it is, but by the 3rd episode, I'm already seeing way more "likable" characters than our male lead, and this entire time, I was just thinking about how I would rather be watching Konosuba or Princess Connect: Redive. It has some funny jokes, but they are too few and far between in this somewhat mean-spirited world where being a noble has its own hierarchy system, and that just doesn't make sense to me.
Neoplasmic’s musings: I really didn’t care for this show. I could tell just by the way the pilot episode hit me that I was not into it in the least. It’s way too juvenile and not nearly as funny as it thinks it is. The animation is mediocre at best and the voice cast is shrill and annoying. It may not be as bad as EX-ARM, but it’s down near the bottom of my personal list. I give it 3.5 obvious video game adaptations out of 10.
Jobless Reincarnation (Funimation)
Captain’s thoughts: Oh wow, what a shocker that this anime with a borderline pervert of a main protagonist is an adaptation of a light novel. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the appeal (somewhat) from an animation perspective. This series looks so much better than it has any right to be, and I even enjoyed the score. I just can’t get behind the protagonist, and apparently things get worse after the third episode.
Guru’s wisdom: It's honestly one of the most beautiful anime on the list. it's in the top five. It looks incredible from the designs, the colors, the fluid animation, the consistent character models, and it's a visually stunning overall package in the presentation department. This sucks for one reason, and one reason only, because the main character is intolerable and unlikable. I have heard that there is a long-term play with the lead's arc, but when the story is about a 30-something loser who gets kicked out from his home after running out of money, dies when he's struck by a truck, and is reincarnated with all of his memories into the mind of a kid, it's a really insufferable and sometimes extremely uncomfortable part to sit through. The lead does get better and does learn to change his perverse ways, but when the anime dabbles a little too much into it, it's a tall order to tell people that it gets good later on. So far, it is getting better, but that still doesn't excuse the fact that this anime put everything into making a stupidly stunning show, but then have a wildly problematic lead character whose whole redemption arc is going to be a slow crawl to being a better and somewhat less perverted individual.
Neoplasmic’s musings: Well, all I can say about Jobless Reincarnation is that the premise and animation style is exceedingly dull. The characters aren’t interesting, and the narrative looks like it’ll fall flat after about two episodes. It’s the same basic idea as The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter and Redo of Healer, but with a more familiar fantasy setting and yet another insufferable protagonist. 3 water balls out of 10
Mediocre:
Gekidol (Funimation)
Captain’s thoughts: I honestly can’t tell if idol anime are simply not my cup of tea, or if this one in particular just felt undercooked. Gekidol is by no means a bad series, the characters are all likeable enough, and I admire Seria’s deep passion and commitment to becoming an actress. I suppose the one thing I take issue with is the underlying plot thread of the mysterious world ending disaster that occurred 5 years ago, and how so little attention has been brought to it. Maybe that’s the whole point, and we’ll see that develop after these first three episodes. I may be lukewarm now, but I’m keeping an open mind.
Guru’s wisdom: It's another idol anime (big shock), but since it's coming out during a season with more than just one anime being about idols, it's going to be tough to stand out, and even tougher to be good. Well, sadly, I didn't like Gekidol. It has such a weird dark turn with the base of the plot, and then it turns into every yuri trash anime that you can think of with the same batch of characters, dialogue, and weak fanservice. The dark setting doesn't get brought up a whole lot, since you know, everyone forgets when a huge chunk of your city is just, you know, gone.
Neoplasmic’s musings: If ever there was an anime that didn’t scream “Hey, Neoplasmic, watch this show,” it’s this one. Idol anime series are definitely not my cup of java. 1 extremely squeaky-voiced protagonist out of 10.
Hortensia SAGA (Funimation)
Captain’s thoughts: Now this is far more up my alley! Based on the mobile RPG game of the same name developed by Sega, Hortensia Saga is a Medieval fantasy anime that follows Alfred Albert, Lord of the Albert Dominion. He is training under the tutelage of his uncle Maurice alongside his squire Marius. As critical as I’ve been so far of dark fantasy anime that honestly feels excessively grim and gritty, Hortensia Saga hits that perfect sweet spot, balancing the darker themes with a classic sense of adventure. It’s by no means perfect, but I’m hooked enough that I want to continue past the first three episodes.
Guru’s wisdom: Based on the smartphone game by Sega, directed by Yasuto Nishikata, written by Rintarou Ikeda, and produced by JC Staff, this new fantasy anime sure doesn't do a lot to make itself stand out. It was also bad timing for the first episode of this show to air during the US capitol being raided by terrorists because the anime starts with an evil red-colored army storming a blue-colored castle with a mission to kill all of the royalty in there. Anyway, I'll say that I least like this anime more than that awful King's Raid anime from last year. Hortensia, at the very least, looks better and while looking clunky at points, has better action. It looks cleaner, the music is better, but outside of that, there isn't much else there.
Neoplasmic’s musings: I actually kinda like this one! It’s got decent to good animation, some nice character designs, and a bit of a hook beyond the typical medieval war/fantasy setup, since there are monsters like werewolves in this world. The look of the anime is a bit pedestrian, and there are some of the ever-present cutesy elements that I don’t particularly care for, but it isn’t the worst of the winter anime vortex thus far. 6 werewolves out of 10.
I★Chu: Halfway Through the Idol (Crunchyroll, VRV)
Captain’s thoughts: So as it turns out, the secret ingredient to a good idol anime is the music. If nothing else, I★Chu has some of the best music I’ve heard so far in this genre. I wish the characters had a little more personality beyond their archetypes in their respective bands, but it’s still fun to watch them go through all the trials and tribulations of becoming idols. Consider this one a “guilty pleasure” that I can comfortably recommend to idol fans.
Guru’s wisdom: Hey, look, another idol anime. It's time to buckle up because there are a few of them this season. This anime is based on the rhythm game by Liber Entertainment Inc. It's directed by Hitoshi Nanba, written by Yoshimi Narita, and produced by Lay-Duce and Twin Engine. What do you get when you have 15+ lead characters? Too many! It was sometimes hard to remember their names, their designs, their quirks, and outside of some of them having some kind of hobby, they are cardboard cutout stereotypical male anime leads. It becomes such a problem that some of them seem to bleed into other characters, and end up sharing the same personality traits. It's all too much for an anime that's also really boring to watch.
Neoplasmic’s musings: No. Just no. No more idol anime. I cannot deal with it. NO. NO MORE. GET BEHIND ME, IDORU! Gah, these shows and their horrible, incessant pop music and bad singing and aesthetic that looks like someone puked up a bunch of colors on my screen! I swear I’m gonna go sit in a corner and cry myself to sleep now. 2 pretty anime boys who can’t sing out of 10.
Average:
Vlad Love (YouTube)
Guru’s wisdom: An original anime that's written and directed by anime legend Mamoru Oshii? That should be incredible. It's also co-directed by Junji Nishimura and produced by Drive. At first, I was finding it hard to gel with the premise, being a bit too chaotic with its jokes. It slings jokes at you with such intensity that it becomes too much. It's a yuri romantic comedy about a high school girl who has a fetish for donating blood, who gets involved with a vampire. It's a bit much due to how high octane it is.
Neoplasmic’s musings: Produced by Ghost in the Shell director Mamoru Oshii, Vlad Love is the tale of Mitsugu Bamba, a “blood-donation over-enthusiast,” who runs into an actual vampire girl named Mai Vlad Transylvania, and the two strike up an unlikely friendship over the course of the 12-episode series. I’m a little surprised to see that Oshii is one of the major creative voices behind this series, as it seems pretty slapstick and lighthearted compared to his other work. The animation is okay, with some interesting techniques (like split-screens) utilized, but it’s nothing to write home about. 5.5 blood bags out of 10.
Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki (Funimation)
Guru’s wisdom: Based on the light novel and manga by Yuki Yaku, directed by Shinsuke Yanagi, written by Fumihiko Shimo, and produced by Project No.9, this is a self-help harem comedy. Most of the time so far has been spent making sure our main male hero is improving upon his social skills and how he is seen on the inside and outside, and I respect what the anime is going for with how they are approaching the subject matter. Granted, some of it feels very superficial and Queer Eye-ish, but I guess sometimes, you need to be pushed into the deep end to hit the ground running. I think my only real issue is that the gaming lingo is awkward as it never sounds natural.
Neoplasmic’s musings: Tomozaki is a guy who hasn’t really been lucky in life, so he dominates the video game scene in Japan, until he meets a mysterious opponent named “NO NAME,” who turns out to be his high school classmate Hinami. Oh, and did I mention that she’s a girl, and a close-ranked second to him on their favorite game’s leaderboards? No? Well, by golly, we have an anime premise! I’m kind of intrigued by the characters’ relationships here, but I’m not sure if I’ll stick around to find out where it goes. If you don’t have anything else to watch, you could do worse than what’s on offer here. 6.5 high scores out of 10.
Idoly Pride (Funimation)
Guru’s wisdom: Well, even though I wouldn't say I like any of the Idol anime this season, at least Idoly Pride had an interesting hook to it. Sadly, I wish I could say that the Idol stuff was just as good as the base hook. On one hand, I love the tragic romance aspect of our lead character, who was goaded into being the love interest's producer while she became an Idol. It has a real tragic twist, but an interesting supernatural element, as she comes back as a ghost to make sure her producer does well at his job. There is a lot of gold that could be mined from this premise, and there are story elements that could work very well to make this a great story. Too bad that's not the focus.
Neoplasmic’s musings: WHAT DID I JUST SAY ABOUT IDOL ANIME??? Okay, I guess I should write something down here. So, uh, there’s a bunch of girls, ya know? And they’re all wearing frilly costumes, and they all have high-pitched, squeaky voices, and they all want to sing, and they all have stage fright, and they’re all nervous, and then they do a cheer and go out on stage and sing and WHY AM I WATCHING THIS??!? NO! 3.5 idoru singers out of 10.
Good:
Skate Leading Stars (Funimation)
Guru’s wisdom: So, on its own merits, I do think Skate Leading Stars does stand on its own feet. It's more interested in competitive skating and team coordination among its multitude of attractive anime boys. It is one of those anime that introduces maybe too many characters, as this anime is supposedly going to have 15+ main characters, and while they are different enough, are still too many to focus on so far for a satisfying story. I'll say this, they are at least different enough and so far, don't share personality traits like I★Chu: Halfway Through the Idol. Otherwise, it's a solid sports anime with some decent animation and likable characters.
Neoplasmic’s musings: Okay, I actually thought this anime was kind of cool. It follows a young man named Kensei Maeshima who competes in a figure skating-esque team sport called “skate-leading.” Maeshima’s rival, a far younger (and more stuck-up) guy, dominates him and the sport’s rankings, so he makes a pact with a mysterious benefactor to train hard and win the next time they face off. It’s a typical anime premise, but I liked the animation and found the narrative to be pretty interesting. Not the best I’ve seen, but one of the better ones coming out of this batch. 7.5 triple-axels out of 10.
So I’m a Spider, So What? (Crunchyroll, VRV)
Guru’s wisdom: Out of all of the fantasy/isekai anime of the season, So I'm a Spider had the most creative premise as a lonely gamer girl, along with her classmates being swept up into another world. The catch is, our main character reincarnated into a spider, whereas her classmates had better luck as humans and so on. I was excited to see an isekai fantasy anime that was from the perspective of the animal world. It's not like the anime doesn't tease that aspect, since half of the episodes so far are about our spider hero making her way through surviving this harsh world as a monster you usually see in the first dungeon of a video game. While its CGI is noticeable, the models used for our spider hero is very expressive, and once you realize that this was the same studio and director behind that notoriously awful Berserk adaptation from a few years ago, then that's impressive to see how much better this show is overall in visuals and storytelling. However, my biggest complaint is that it's taking a bit too long to set everything up. I keep preferring the spider side of the story compared to the more generic humans side, but the show sometimes seems to lean more on progressing the humans more than our spider hero. It's frustrating because the show also adds in generic RPG stat elements, and I just don't care about that stuff.
Neoplasmic’s musings: And the winner for best title of this bunch goes to this show, as well as the award for best opening theme song. I quite like the premise here, and the way it just basks in its sheer wackiness. Y’see, our protagonist, a young schoolgirl who seems to live a normal life, suddenly wakes up to find that she’s been reincarnated as a spider! But Spider-Gwen, she ain’t, as she discovers that not only has she gone through a Kafka-esque metamorphosis, but the world has changed, as well! I like the musical score here, and the animation style and art direction is decent. Not bad! 8 video game-y skill points out of 10.
Dr. Ramune: Mysterious Disease Specialist (crunchyroll, VRV)
Guru’s wisdom: I know this isn't anyone's favorite due to the chunky art style and clashing tones for a horror/comedy anime, but I find myself enjoying this mix of comedy and horror. What gets me is how the weird diseases the characters are encountering are mixed with some form of social commentary. The stories are so far creative and fun to watch. By episode 3 they have introduced some other members of the main cast, and while one of the characters has a trope I hate seeing in anime, I do love the other new male lead they introduce. It's an anime that's easy to get into, and it's creative enough for me to probably commit through the entire season.
Neoplasmic’s musings: Speaking of strange anime series, here’s one about a doctor (who seems like he’s a bit of a douche, actually) who cures people of their “mysterious” afflictions. How mysterious, you may ask? Try a girl who literally cries mayonnaise and soy sauce out of her eyes. And that’s just in the pilot episode! That just… doesn’t sound good at all. Of course, the disease is basically a metaphor for the fact that the girl turned out to be an actress whose mother is the worst. While the girl suffers, her mother tells her to hold back her tears and save them for her acting career, and barely spends any time with her. It’s an intriguing show, and while I can’t say I’m fully on board, I probably will check out the rest of the series in the future. 7 bento box lunches out of 10.
2.43 Seiin High School Boys Volleyball Team (Funimation)
Guru’s wisdom: While you may wonder if you are getting a similar experience as the smash hit Haikyuu, well, you are not. This is a more grounded male-centric sports drama about our two leads Yuni Kuroba and Kimichika Haijima. It's full of gay tension between them as well. The show is more about the drive to play, and the philosophy behind the sport in general. It's also really melodramatic and it's a bit of a rough sit for the first episode due to how unlikable Haijima is. Still, it's a good sports drama, and if you need an alternative Haikyuu, then go watch this show! Oh, and the opening song is a real banger!
Neoplasmic’s musings: Pretty straightforward in terms of sports anime, with a fairly interesting narrative at its core, as former childhood best friends Yuni and Chika meet in high school years after separating from each other earlier in life. Yuni wants to pick up where they left off, but Chika is a changed man, cold and distant, with his obsessive need to win volleyball matches as his driving force in life. Animation is good, with the actual volleyball serves and spikes getting the most attention and fluidity. Character designs are clean and crisp, and I’m going to at least watch a few more episodes of this, as it’s kind of intriguing. 7.5 spike serves out of 10.
The Best:
Back Arrow (Funimation)
Guru’s wisdom: We have ourselves an original giant mech anime this season, which I am super happy about! It's directed by Goro Taniguchi, written by Kazuki Nakashima, and is produced by Studio VOLN. It stands out from other giant mech shows with the evil imperialist empire having a more Chinese-dynasty look, whereas other villages and towns so far in this show have used more wild west fashion choices. I can't tell if this will be any more substantial than just being a fun giant mech anime, but I'm fine with that, honestly. We don't need every giant robot anime to be so melodramatic and bogged down by philosophical arguments. Sometimes, you just want to see giant robots and feel like a kid watching Toonami again.
Neoplasmic’s musings: What we have here is a fantasy/sci-fi/mecha series about a land called Lingalind, and it’s surrounded by a wall. A beautiful wall. Impenetrable, you might say. And there are two kingdoms inside the wall. The wall is god, you see. It protects, defends, slices, dices, and makes french fries in three different ways. Both kingdoms say the other is going to pay for the wall. Oh, wait, this is an anime. Okay, so on the one hand, we have the Lutoh Kingdom, which values intelligence. On the other, there’s the Great Rekka Empire, which values honor. See where this is going? I like the blending of technology with the world design, which gave me the impression it was going to be more fantasy-based. Solid animation, too, and the character and mech designs are pretty neat. They do get pretty chatty before and during battle, though. But I can dig this kind of show. 8.5 grand victory speeches out of 10.
Otherside Picnic (Funimation)
Guru’s wisdom: This anime is also based on Roadside Picnic, an eerie female-driven horror drama anime that has our two leads Sorawo and Toriko exploring a place known as the Otherside, where dilapidated buildings are conquered by nature, and creatures from supernatural tales reside. It's a show that captures a real intimacy and offbeat friendship between the two women with some pretty nice-looking animation, quiet humorous moments, and an unsettling atmosphere once they cross over to this new world. Some of its use of CGI is clunky, but it looks better than Ex-Arm by continents. It's not just a supernatural anime either, as the first three episodes dive into the mindset of both of the leads and the characters with whom they interact. I was a little confused about a few things in the first episode, but I'm having a fantastic time going through this journey with our heroes. Oh, and if you want a horror anime this season, this is the one to watch. Just don't watch it late at night as I did.
Neoplasmic’s musings: Ah, this is more like it! I really like the mysterious tone of this show as it starts out. The basic plot follows two young women, Sorawo and Toriko, who bond over their shared experience with a “Wiggle-Waggle,” a kind of ghostly apparition that lives in a parallel dimension called the Otherside. I’m of course simplifying the plot, as it’s really cool and intriguing and I will stick with this show. So far, it’s my favorite of the bunch, and I’m very curious to see where Toriko and Sorawo’s budding relationship goes. I love the creepy monster designs, too, but wish they were referred to as something a bit more terrifying than “wiggle-waggles.” 9 bags of rock salt out of 10.
Wonder Egg Priority (Funimation)
Captain’s thoughts: I’m not exactly sure what to make of Wonder Egg Priority. All I can really say for now is that I am fascinated by this premise, and the mystery that’s established in these first couple episodes. We don’t really know much about our main character, Ai Ohto, other than the fact that she’s been out of school for a while after losing a friend. I may need to keep up with this one weekly, since the mystery has me intrigued.
Guru’s wisdom: With a season of anime that has had shows like Redo of Healer, which tries to be dark and mature, but falls flat, Wonder Egg Priority handles its subject matter with creativity and respect. With a constant theme of losing someone to suicide, it needs to be handled well, and this show is handling it with a very careful hand. It's a drama with characters who are trying to bring someone close to them back to life, but who knows if that will happen or exactly what the outcome is. It's balanced out with some incredible action, vibrant monster designs, and some of the best animation of the season.
Neoplasmic’s musings: I’m so confused. 6 egg-children out of 10.
Suppose a Kid From the Last Dungeon Boonies Moves to a Starter Town? (Funimation)
Guru’s wisdom: Long title aside, this anime based on the light novel and manga by Toshio Sato, is directed by Migmi and produced by Liden Films. It's a fantasy (not isekai) comedy that gives us a humorous main hero, who would be like if Saitama from One Punch Man didn't know how stupidly strong he was. You see, the lead in this anime thinks he's weak even though the village he is from is next to the final dungeon. So while he is considered weak while moving to a small kingdom to train and become a knight, everyone else is horrified of his powers and how humble and unaware he is of his strength. This alone has brought me three-plus episodes of laughter and fantastic character dynamics with some of the best comedy this anime season. The characters are all enjoyable, and the story by the end of the first episode kicks into gear and while it might not be a super unique fantasy tale, the premise and characters alone make up for it.
Neoplasmic’s musings: As we can see from the mouthful of a title, this series is of the “wacky fantasy adventure” genre, and as such, it does little to capture my attention. I just don’t think the animation is very good, nor is the story all that intriguing, and there’s a lot of high-pitched screaming and over the top expressions here. As I get older, the cuteness kind of wears off. 5 unicorn-bunnies out of 10.
Kemono Jihen (Funimation)
Guru’s wisdom: While I do think Dr. Ramune is a gem among the great anime of the season, Kemono Jihen is that gem polished to perfection. What a delightful horror/action/mystery anime with some rather engaging twists and turns. It might look like a typical shonen battle anime, but it has a lot more substance than most shows in these genres. Yes, it has young kids with powers, but with how the story has tackled them so far, it's more mystery and horror than pure action. The encounters with the supernatural creatures so far also have some cool subtext and commentary about them.
Neoplasmic’s musings: A detective from Tokyo is called out to a countryside inn to investigate a series of disappearances in this horror/fantasy tale, which has a decent premise but is actually not that exciting. For me, it’s kind of pedestrian and lacking any real personality, and the narrative is slower than I typically like. Art direction is pretty good, though. 6 ghosts out of 10.
Horimiya (Funimation)
Captain’s thoughts: Based solely on the first episode of the simuldub, Horimiya is a romantic comedy that can best be described as “saying the quiet parts out loud.” Seriously, when was the last time you saw a rom com this brutally honest, thus opening the door for so many comedic opportunities? My favorite character so far is Hori, the popular girl in school who has a completely different personality outside of the classroom. This is another series I look forward to keeping up with each week in English.
Teresa: What a cute high school romance. As a romance book lover, this is right up my alley. I really like the layers being revealed of the two characters. Very curious about the dub.
Guru’s wisdom: This teen drama is probably my personal favorite anime of the season. I love every anime in this category, but Horimiya hit me hard with its themes about how we present ourselves when we are by ourselves and when we are in front of people. It's a clever premise on how we sometimes wear masks to hide from everyone else. It's an anime that understands having to deal with emotions, relationships, and other individuals in high school, and I find the romance between our two leads adorable and fleshed out. It's an extremely healthy relationship as well. What's even better than this show's amazing visuals, baller opening, and incredible writing, it shows how mature it all feels. While it might be about teens, this show treats them like adults. It's also heartwarming, funny, and it's easily going to be in my top five anime of the year so far.
Neoplasmic’s musings: Okay, I’ll admit it: I like Hori as a character, except for that piercing scream she let loose in the first episode. But yeah, she’s a cool character, and a great design. She also has responsibilities in the show, like taking care of her younger brother while their mom is at work. And, of course, she may or may not have feelings for the introverted but totally cool goth-punk dude in her class. Ah, young love. So thrilling, and yet, so destined to fail. It’s a solid show, and one I may keep an eye on in the future. 8 floating hearts out of 10.
Sk8 the Infinity (Funimation)
Captain’s thoughts: Based solely on the first episode of the simuldub, Sk8 the Infinity is a lot of fun! Sports anime is pretty common, but it’s not often they explore skate culture, so this was a very pleasant surprise. The animation from Bones was very stylish, and I’m liking the dynamic of the two main characters so far. I look forward to keeping up with the dub each week!
Teresa: LOVE THIS. The pairing of the two leads is so good. And Langa’s quiet mysterious personality really shines when he visualizes snowboarding. I will definitely watch the entire series.
Guru’s wisdom: There are a ton of reasons why this show is climbing up the charts as one of the best from this season. For one, you have the director of the beloved Free! and Banana Fish adaptations with Hiroko Utsumi. Second, you have an anime that is 100% stylized and one of a kind in a sea of anime that's released this season. Third, it's a sports anime with endearing characters, each having distinct and identifiable personalities, and you then give it to Bones to animate. Seriously, this is easily one of the best looking shows of the season. Not only that, but the skating sequences are a lot of fun to watch, the characters are interesting, and it has the right balance of both action and story-telling to make it all work.
Neoplasmic’s musings: This is a show that just exudes cool, and that seems to be harder to find in modern anime. The character designs, particularly for the skaters, definitely have a unique flair to them, and I’m loving the way that Reki’s workplace (the skate shop) looks. This is definitely one to keep an eye on, and I’m curious to see how the dub turns out. 9 skate punks out of 10.
Heaven’s Design Team (Crunchyroll, VRV)
Teresa: Like the premise and animation, but the 2nd/3rd episodes got a bit too silly for me to watch it all.
Captain’s thoughts: Heaven’s Design Team has a wonderfully creative premise, and is probably the funniest anime I’ve seen so far this season. The idea of God outsourcing the creation of animals comes with loads of potential, and what’s unique about this series is how well it manages to sneak in real world education in between its cartoonish hijinks. If, for some, bizarre reason, Animal Planet ever decides to broadcast anime, this series would be a perfect fit.
Guru’s wisdom: This is the Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle of the season. Not only is it educational with little moments where they talk about the real-life animals that they create, but the entire show is also all about them making said animals and the process of getting the tasks from God as to what to make. I love how the premise is that God got too busy making the earth and outsourced it to a freelance team of angels to handle the creation of animals. It's constantly funny, creative, and there is a lot of heart and great chemistry between the individuals who are a part of this team. It helps that there are about three or so segments each episode, and due to the different challenges thrown at them so far, the show hasn't gotten boring. It's the right kind of show to watch when you need a good laugh, and it's pretty much the best comedy anime of the new anime of this season.
Neoplasmic’s musings: The premise alone has kind of won me over, and the opportunity for comedic gold is strong here, as well as its educational value. I really like the unique art style this show has, as well. There aren’t many others that stand out visually in this winter season, so that’s a huge plus. The humor hits home frequently, too, which has to do with the situational comedy and the voice acting. I do hope they get a bit more outlandish with their designs, but I don’t know if that would undercut the tone they’re going for. Still, this is a very fun show! 9 unicorns out of 10.
Otherside Picnic
There you have it, the final verdict on all the new anime series premiering now on streaming platforms like Funimation, Crunchyroll, and VRV! Definitely some good ones in the bunch, like Otherside Picnic, Horimiya, and Sk8 the Infinity! Hope you’ve enjoyed listening to the episode and reading our thoughts! Let us know what you want us to cover in the comments below, and please visit Cameron’s site if you’d like to read more detailed thoughts on these series and take a look at his Patreon if you’d like to support his work! Be safe out there, Renegades, and we’ll see you on the next episode of Renegade Animation!
-Neoplasmic
Previously on Renegade Animation, Captain Kaye, The Animation Guru, Haley, and Teresa dove head first into the Spring anime season and took in the good, the bad, and the bizarre. And now… Squid Game: The Anime.