The time is quickly approaching when I'll be forced to just buy Photoshop.
Reminder: Any and all statements and criticisms in this post are solely representative of my current mindset. As I have more time to consider things, my feelings and understanding of the final product will be more likely to change. A good way to consider it is that this is my raw personal opinion in regards to the show, more than a critical review, since my recommendations do, apparently, warrant attention every now and then; not that I understand why.
Opening Statement:
Hitoribocchi, also known as "I Know That Feel: The Animation".
All-in-all, definitely not a great season but one that I still dotted with things I enjoyed nonetheless. There were a number of lows, a lot of middle ground, and some of the extremely strong highs that even rivaled last season's greats. On top of all this, though, I still managed to find the time to dip into some old favorites to check out how their dubs went (courtesy of both HiDIVE and Netflix) and also a few titles that had been sitting in Netflix jail for the longest time. So, while I can't say that this was a particularly quality season, I at least got a good quantity of shows to watch. Much like my subscription to free copies of Adobe, though, the time is quickly approaching when I won't be able to watch, let alone review, as many shows as I have in the past. While I still plan to watch, review, and offer opinions on things, I might have to move toward a more strict approach to what I decide to watch each season. In other words, I'm going to have to start treating all this like the hobby this is. As I think about it, though, that's not such a bad thing. Freeing up my seasonal fair will give me more time to delve into my backlog or get back to those retrospectives I used to do. Heck, I'm probably even going to need to change sites at some point, considering what a mess this platform has been. So, all-in-all, expect some changes in the future but changes I think will be for the better. For starters, let's see what I can do to spice up this list of things I watched.
Definitely not that spicy though.
Let's start by changing the format a little bit. Rather than simply listing things, I'll try to fit everything within a few broad but meaningful categories: The Good, The Tolerable, and The Downright Terrible.
The Good:
Fortunately for me and unfortunately for the start of this new format, there's not too much that really deserves to fall in this category this season. There were a handful of stand-out titles but most things were either only semi-decent or outright bad. The first of these privileged few is one that honestly surprised me with its level of quality.
Call me a sucker for moeblob titles but Hitori Bocchi no Marumaru Seikatsu (Hitori Bocchi's __ Life) honestly proved to be something special for me. Through the titular Hitori Bocchi's struggles to overcome her crippling lack of social skills and make friends with her classmates, this show resolves into a heartwarming spectacle of catharsis. Anyone who has suffered from social anxiety will immediately commiserate with this character's plight, no matter how exaggerated her situation is. It's just a nice, fluffy show that deals with some real social problems and offers the audience encouragement for their own social troubles as they watch things actually turn out well for this little cinnamon roll. People might typically enjoy and look to drama, action, and angst as signs of quality but it's nice to get a title every now and then that reminds us that the world doesn't need to be a terrible place. Oddly enough, though, that kind of message is more or less the crux of one of the other "good" shows of the season.
Though it definitely lost a lot of the tension and cohesion that could be seen throughout the whole of its first half, Dororo still ended up ultimately falling within the realm of being a truly "great" show--if only just. Following the adventures of Hyakkimaru and his child sidekick, Dororo, we are given a feast for the eyes and for the mind as it brings forward the question of what it means to be human and how to maintain that humanity when the world is full of chaos and misery. Through his battles with demons and humans alike, we see both Hyakkimaru and Dororo grow into people not only equipped to find an answer to that quandary but also be strong enough to fight their darker natures. Dororo, for all they suffer, could easily grow cold and jaded and willing to accept that the world is evil but they still end up believing that people can be better and ends up gambling everything on that simple hope. And for his part, Hyakkimaru has the more than enough reason to despise humanity for that they took from him and just embrace the demonic nature that's always been fundamental to his very being. Again, though, he ends up choosing hope over his selfish need for revenge, proving thoroughly that life does have to be a cycle of violence and tragedy. Yet, the thing that astounds me more about Dororo is the simple fact that all of these messages and elements are entirely new and original to the anime. While large portions of the plot are guided by Tezuka's original manga, this show is essentially a whole new story in its own right--one that merely borrows the characters and poorly utilized drama from Tezuka's comedy and fleshes them out into something believably tragic and satisfyingly poignant. Now, if only the third entry in my "good" even tried to be believable in its melodramatic depictions of trauma and tragedy, I might have been willing to consider it "great." Being what it is, though, it only really deserves to be called "good."
While I might agree that calling something "edgy" isn't an actual criticism, it's hard to ignore it and even harder not to criticize its presence when it's the one thing that's holding something back from being "great." It might be isekai garbage through and through but Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (The Rising of the Shield Hero) had some serious potential to be one of the isekai greats--up there with Re:Zero, Overlord, and arguably KonoSuba--if only it hadn't built itself entirely on a contrived, angsty mess. Antiheroes and "dark heroes" are a concept that can be a lot of fun to play with and has the potential to offer some really compelling social criticisms but, understandably, it's hard to write these kinds of characters well. Unfortunately, Shield Hero falls prey to that simple fact. Since it's hard to justify a character's decision to actively turn away from a world and its people but still wish to save them, this show simply opted to turn the Shield Hero, Naofumi, into little more than a kicked puppy. Over the course of several episodes, we see him subjected to wholly unreasonable and illogical cruelty simply because they needed a character that had reason to hate the world. Time and time again, he suffers contrived tragedies that ultimately mean nothing, are waved away because this show refuses to actually be a tragedy, and serve no purpose other than using edge as a cheap replacement for a story with actual consequences. Yet, to make things even more confounding, it always works to amp up the edge just so it can then dial it back to reinforce the idea that Naofumi isn't actually a bad guy. When he's forced to buy a slave just to survive, he proves to be a caring and compassionate mentor, rather than master. When he's used as a pawn in someone's political games, he doesn't take vengeance but instead hands the job to overthrow those plans off on someone else. Time and again, the show refuses to actually invest anything into any of its major plot points, opting instead to make sure that Naofumi never crosses any lines. Be that as it may, though, his embracing his hero role in spite of this shitty world and the good he does along the way makes for an actually compelling story, so long as it isn't being melodramatic about everything. Though, to be fair, not all melodrama is necessarily bad. As the fourth "good" show of this season proves, there are times when some properly utilized melodrama can do a lot of good.
To be as blunt about this as I can possibly be, let me simply say this: Attack on Titan has finally paid off on everything it promised us from the very beginning and it's infinitely better for it. Put another way, the second half of the third season we waited so long for is absolutely perfect. Everything, from the answers in the Basement to the toll all of this fighting was bound to take eventually, is absolutely flawless in its execution. Painful and problematic as the wait for this moment was, Attack on Titan finally proved to be worth all that waiting. What's more, we're given hints of things that are even better and more concrete than the potential of "the basement" to look forward to in the coming final season. Weird as things get, the action, drama, and characters of this world have given me hope that the end is going to be something really special. In much the same vein, though, it's those special kinds of shows that are able to prove their worth even when things take a turn for the worst.
Ho boy, where do I even begin with this. As most people know by this point, One Punch Man is a title that has received an incredible amount of hype and praise ever since the first season. With the change to a new studio and team, though, a lot of that shine and polish that made the first season stand out as much as it did has been lost. Yet, blasphemous as it might sound, the show's second season still managed to pack a solid punch. Its overall execution might be objectively weaker than its predecessor but the story and world that the first season built on manages to shine through those rough spots. Rather than just being a story about Saitama now, we get to see the rest of the cast and the world at large step into the limelight. Ambition, desperation, and pride all factor into the personals stories of those who were originally just two-bit side characters and their stories end up adding more and more depth and complexity to One Punch Man's story. Though Saitama might not get as much screen time in this season, the actions of those around him actually help him grow as a hero--giving him the push he needs to find a purpose he can fully throw himself into. Genos, King, and even Garo all offer different lenses this story can be appreciated from and those lenses, in turn, shine a light on just how strong Saitama really is and how much room he still has to grow.
Now, unfortunately, that's pretty much it when it comes to things that qualify as "good" for the Spring 2019 Season. Unsurprisingly, a lot of them were shows that had already proven their worth, either in the previous season or as the sequels to some already solid shows. Luckily for this category, though, Netflix had at least one new addition this season that can help pick up some of the slack.
Aw yeah, best girl Fenneko is back, baby!!!
Appearing almost from nowhere, Netflix just kinda dropped the new season of Aggretsuko into my lap, making it impossible for me to do anything else for the rest of my night. While not as hot or biting as the first season, I don't feel like these new episodes are particularly better or worse. Rather, they just kind of exist to serve a purpose and retread some old ground via three or four new, and still very strong, story arcs. The only real issue is that it is still, ultimately, more of the same. Despite her trials in the first season, things aren't really any better for Retsuko. She's still stuck in a dead-end job and treated like shit by her boss. She's still an indecisive pushover with no will to stand up for herself that's trying to find her place in the world. However, that continuation just points to the fact that no one grows drastically overnight. Like everyone else in the world, Retsuko still proves to be a deeply flawed and troubled person. What's more, though, this choice of not really changing the status quo serves the additional purpose of giving Haida and Retsuko the chance to mend the rift they created in the Christmas special and develop a friendship that might, eventually, become something more. So, all-in-all, I have nothing to complain about. Aggretsuko is just as good as it ever was and I can't wait to see where things go from here.
The Tolerable:
Alright, to be fair, I'm going to go out of my way and say that none of the shows in this list are actually "bad." Some might even qualify as "good" when regarded in a certain manner. Regardless of where they fall, though, all these shows either just didn't quite do it for me or were so out there that I simply can't, in good conscience, give them the badge of being "good" enough to recommend to most people. So, more likely than not, you're going to see some stuff that just isn't worth your time and some things that might just speak to you personally. For example, the first entry in the "tolerable" list is a show so transgressive and bizarre that, as much as I might personally like it, I know it just isn't going to interest your average anime viewer. In fact, I'd advise most people avoid this show like most people try to avoid Boku no Pico.
Boy, if you think this shit is weird, you ain't seen nothing yet.
If ever there was a sentence to perfectly describe how transgressive and weird Sarazanmai is, it'd simply be this: This is an Ikuhara anime. If you know that name, then you at least have a solid groundwork for understanding just how bizarre things are going to get. If you don't, then you're in for a bad trip, m'dude. Strange as things might get, though, most of Ikuhara's shows seem to have a lot of thought and an unreasonable number of layers and meanings that can be taken from them that ultimately depend on the viewers' own perceptions and what they have to bring to the discussion at large. In other words, his stories are the poster-child of Postmodernism (Or is it Post-postmodernism?). In this case, though, the top layer of meaning is actually pretty basic. Obstructed through an absurdist comedy where some troubled boys turn into kappas in the hope that they might have their wishes granted, Sarazanmai is ultimately a story about how hard it can be to connect with other people. Ranging from simple issues of miscommunication to personal sabotage and the ease of blaming our weaknesses on things beyond our control--i.e. the supernatural--this show grows to incredible lengths to hide the truth of that lesson in plain sight. Even if you're not inclined to dig into the various meanings of Sarazanmai, though, it's truly a sight to behold.
In a similar vein of weird but enjoyable for some, Senryuu Shoujo offers a pretty bland and basic teen romantic comedy that's told mainly through haiku. Rather than there being a real reason for that bizarre restriction, the story simply contrives this little quirk through the simple fact that the main girl only talks through haiku. It's not like Nanako is mute or anything, even. She simply prefers to communicate that way since she's shy. To normalize her quirk, though, Nanako is joined by a haiku-loving, reformed delinquent; a girl ripped out of Chio's School Road; a chuunibyou fortuneteller; and a girl who only communicates through drawings. In other words, quirky is just this show's idea of normal and that's fine in my book. The story might be nothing to write home about and the characters don't really prove to be anything more than walking, pseudo- talking gags, but it was definitely an enjoyable show.
Leaning more heavily toward the negative end of the "tolerable" spectrum, I have to say I was thoroughly disappointed with Fairy Gone. Pretty as it looked and well-animated as its fight sequences were, it's characters and story were underwhelming at best. Mainly, the problems with this show stem from the feeling that it doesn't really know what it wants to be. One minute, it'll be an action title along the lines of Jojo or some more standard shounen fare. The next, it'll want to be a grand political drama with so many moving parts that it's almost impossible to remember any names, let alone the motivations of any faction. Yet one more minute and it suddenly shifts into the dullest romantic buddy cop story I've ever encountered. As cool as the initial premise of soldiers summoning fairy tale-based Stands was, I simply had no reason to care for any of the main cast or their troubles. Marlya especially, who spends most of her time moping about some nonsense about being a "cursed child" and bemoaning her lack of strength when she seems to objectively refuse the thought of shooting someone who is out to kill her, is just kind of the worst. The thing that really did this show in for me was the ending of its first season during which we see one guy just walking toward a line of gunmen shooting at him but failing to hit because, apparently, he's so evil and manly that no bullet would dare harm him. If there's one consolation to be had with this show, it's that I wasn't far from the mark in my initial comparison to Witch Hunter Robin. After all, this entire show evokes the same kind of annoyance as that show's short but deep low points.
Trending back toward the more literal feeling of "tolerable," Mayonaka no Occult Koumuin (Midnight Occult Civil Servants) is a similarly confused story about civil servants working to appease and pacify the various supernatural entities that call Tokyo their home. On the one hand, this series wants to be something akin to Noragami with a pinch of Ghost in the Shell for flavor. Achieving neither of the things that made those shows good, though, it also tries to be another Fukigen no Mononokean, aka another supernatural problem-solver show with some vague, noncommittal undertones of yoai-bait. Perhaps its simply because the cast is forced to deal with the supernatural like your basic civil servant, via bureaucracy, but this is by far the most stale and sterilized approach to the supernatural I've seen yet. You have your basic cast that just doesn't know what they're dealing with, a few revengers that have a grudge against the city's "Anothers," and your sole spiritualist who empathizes with the supernatural due to some ancestral ties to a famous onmyoji. The only real piece of novelty to note is that the show works to showcase beings and deities from around the world as they integrate or clash with the established order, speaking to Japan's struggle to incorporate the ideas and beliefs of other nations into their own belief systems.
On the topic of religious beliefs, though, Namu Amida Butsu! Rendai Utena is by far one of the strangest means of incorporating Hindu-Buddhist mythos into an anime ever. Born from a Touken Ranbu clone, the series follows the lives of 15 Buddhas who live together and work to save people when their vices go berserk and overcome them. Played mostly as an action comedy, it's fairly hard to tell what the point of this series actually is. But, for what it's worth, I wouldn't really call it a "bad" show. It just kind of exists and that's all there is to it. At least I can say I learned more about the various figures of the Hindu-Buddhist faith than I did previously.
Speaking of things that exist for reasons I cannot begin to understand, Isekai Quartet is apparently a thing that exists. Ripping the characters of Re:Zero, Youjo Senki, Overlord, and KonoSuba from their isekais and transplanting them into a unified, school life-based isekai. Strange as that might sound, though, I can't deny that I enjoyed this series. Through the various characters of these franchises, I got to see a number of gags that are wholly in line with the characters involved and often spoke to the relationships of their respective authors. For instance, it was oddly heartwarming and gratifying to watch Tanya and Ains become friends, given that both authors have gone out of their way to promote each other's work. While I can't speak to the other relationships witnessed between the chibified protagonists, the overall flow and function of the series actually isn't half bad for a short-form series. This show getting another season might mean that I won't see much from these series (apart from the already confirmed Re:Zero Season 2) but I can't say I'll be disappointed when it rolls around. After all, while this series might just be your basic fanfiction, at least it's one means to get more out of the characters I already love.
If the isekai-ception series isn't your cup of tea, though, there is always your bog standard seasonal isekai to contend with. Specifically, this season we were presented with a series known as Kenja no Mago (Wise Man's Grandchild). Killed by overwork and finished off by truck-kun, this series' protagonist functions in much the same way as any other overpowered protagonist. Namely, thanks to his knowledge of basic science and how various machines work, he finds ways to construct spells the likes of which this world has never seen, instantly earning him fame in the local kingdom. As if that weren't enough of a handicap, though, Shin Wolford is also blessed with becoming the adopted grandson of the world's two greatest magicians, Merlin and Merida. Rather than trying to downplay just how strong Shin is by keeping him away from threats, though, this show does something I appreciate in that it just wholly accepts how powerful he is and uses it to turn the show into something far more laid-back than your average isekai. So, while the series might have bursts of action from time to time, it mainly contents itself with being a comedy full of anachronisms as Shin works to single-handedly change the nature of magic and its uses in this world. What I also appreciate is the show's approach to romance, once again sticking to a lighter feeling along the lines of Rakudai no Kishi. None of that "will they, won't they;" Shin's relationship with Sizilien is straightforward, honest, and awkward in the manner many first loves in anime are, making it infinitely more tolerable than some of it's more harem-focused contemporaries.
It's...a problem when that fact even needs to be stated.
If, however, you're one of those people who want your romances to be as legally questionable as possible, there's Sewayaki Kitsune no Senko-san (The Helpful Fox Senko-san). You know, I'll just come out and say it, this show makes me really uncomfortable. Even more than Wataten!, the whole promise of Senko-san just kind of bothers me. Plagued with depression thanks to his shitty job, Nakano is blessed with the attentions of a divine fox, the titular Senko, in the hopes that her pampering will make him feel better. Already, that premise has a few problems since it ultimately speaks to the idea that depressed guys should just get married and have their wives tend to their every need. What makes it even weirder is that Senko attempts to pamper Nakano through a variety of rolls. From benevolent goddess to wife to mother, child, and pet, she plays so many roles that she basically just becomes a means to gratify any fetish her small frame will allow. If that doesn't do it for you though, there are a couple other fox goddesses who can fill whatever niche fetish Nakano and, by proxy, you could ever dream up. Needless to say, I've got some issues with that kind of use of female characters in general but it's only made worse by the fact that Senko is meant to look like a child. If you're willing to look past that problem, though, Senko-san is more or less you basic supernatural moe romance. It goes exactly where you expect it will and doesn't ever deviate from that cutesy, comedic drama formula.
Despite my known general hatred for harem anime, let me be clear that I do not hate harems on an objective level. I just generally dislike the tone and tactics most of them go for for the sake of some easy ecchi. If you want an example of a harem I'm willing to put up with, though, look no further than Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai (We Never Learn). Striking a solid balance between wholesome romance and shameless ecchi fanservice, this show is more or less my ideal harem anime. All the girls are cute and likable in their own way; the main character has enough of a personality to not be a sock puppet, sleaze lord, or wet blanket; and it takes a slow, reasonable approach to the show's romantic options, giving each girl their time in the sun. While they all start out as walking gags, every character is given moments that add little bits of detail to their overall personality. A quirk here, a family history there, and a means to appeal to a particular fetish and you've got the start to your basic waifu war. Now, while that's obviously the ultimate goal the series, I'll reiterate that it's hard not to like all of the cast for one reason or another. For example, while each girl might need a tutor's help to make up for their weaker subjects, they all have dreams and aspirations that give their stubborn streaks meaning. Even as more and more girls are added to the harem, their each given a solid explanation for who they are and what they want in life and then the show just lets their determination speak for their quality of character. Another way to think about it is that it's a nice, tame take on the classic Love Hina and Negima! formula which is, strangely enough, right up my alley.
Now, as for the Netflix additions to this category, we also have a larger number of possibilities than the "good" category. I've got twice as many options, in fact.
Considering my general praise of the original series of Kakegurui, it might come as a bit of a surprise that I've thrown it in the "tolerable" lot. The thing is, though, unlike Sarazanmai which straddles the lines, Kakegurui XX is simply that, "tolerable." Full of incomplete story arcs, rushed character development, and an almost nihilistic disregard for any subtlety, this season just doesn't match up to the quality of the first. While, yes, it might be more of the same when it comes to the sexualization of gambling addiction and the revelry in this one, particular vice, it lacks that same punch or purpose. This is, of course, an odd problem for this season to have since it features a much more direct challenge for Yumeko to deal with than just her wanting to face an opponent who can satisfy her gambling obsession. Throwing the school into chaos, Momobami Kirari offers to hold an election for the Student Council President seat she now holds in which students can gamble away their votes for the sake of securing their seat by having the most vote chips. As initially interesting as this sounds though, all the problems inherent in the first season come back with full force in this one. For example, it's simply no longer possible to doubt that Yumeko will win every time and that there were never any real stakes to begin with. Characters both new and old, win and lose so often that the vote chip system becomes nothing but a charade. Every character always has more chips than they should to fit the drama and even then they ultimately prove to be worthless. All the more galling, though, is the way the show chickens out of making Yumeko into an actual character. Throughout the season, the show sets up the possibility that she's been planning some Count of Monte Cristo-level revenge scheme all along. Revealing that she's a member of the Momobami's numerous branch families, there was a possibility that she might be working to tear down the family that ruined her mother. What we end up getting though, is just the revelation that Yumeko is, as she's always been, just another gambling addict waiting for a new thrill. Disappointing as that revelation might be, though, the show overall is still a spectacle and easily "tolerable."
On the topic of disappointments, let me just say that Sirius the Jaeger was probably the first Netflix anime to actively disappoint me. I mean, it's a story about the sole survivor of a werewolf clan doing battle with terrorist vampires who are slowly dying out. This should have been a slam dunk, full of classic monster battles between the two factions of monsters who never want to get along for whatever reason. Yet, what we got instead was an infinitely more underwhelming copy of B: The Beginning, but without any of the detective nonsense. For starters, Yuriy isn't even an actual werewolf. He's just a normal person with supernatural strength and a rage that comes to the front whenever the "beast" within him is on the hunt. The best we ever actually get is the quick cut of a silhouette of a werewolf in one of the side character's flashbacks, recalling an encounter with another member of Yuriy's tribe years ago. To make matters worse, though, the vampires Yuriy and his comrades are fighting are some David Bowie-looking nut jobs with Yuriy's werewolf-turned-vampire brother as a primary opponent. It is, to put it mildly, hilariously ridiculous. As far as the action goes, the series definitely isn't terrible but there are definitely better shows out there (i.e. B: The Beginning). Still, dumb and hilariously contrived and edgy as this show might be, it proved to be a pretty fun train wreck to watch.
The Downright Terrible:
Thankfully, I only really have one show to throw into this category this season. Had I the stomach to watch absolute garbage, there'd be plenty I could add to this list, but there's only one I forced myself to sit through this season.
I honestly debated for the longest time if I should even admit that I watched this show but I figured I should offer something for this new category and Choukadou Girl 1/6 (Amazing Stranger) is about as bad as it gets. Centered around the life of an otaku who is steadily collection figurines from his favorite games and anime that happen to come to life, this short-form title is pretty much what you'd expect from that description. It's a mini-girl fetish harem anime full of jokes about cast-off clothes and secret costumes and everything. The thing that honestly gets my goat, though, isn't so much this celebration of a very specific fantasy and fetish. No, the thing that bothers me is the way the show treats the supposed relationships of its characters. As the primary female character of the series, the interstellar robot Nona starts the show off by becoming Haruto's (the aforementioned otaku) wife. Throughout the series, their marriage is played off as a joke. As more living figurines join the show, they all work to seduce Haruto and make him question his supposed dedication to Nona. And the thing is, their plan pretty much works. Haruto actively fawns over the other girls in front of Nona and even goes so far as to make jokes about him cheating on her. He is, as you might expect, your basic fair-weather waifu otaku that'll gush over whatever is in front of him. Despite these depictions, though, the show often does a 180 on his character whenever its just him and Nona. During their "dates" he lavishes her and her affiliated anime with praise, worship, and claims of unfaltering love for her as his wife. Call me a puritan but this kind of stuff is just unacceptable. That complaint, of course, speaks nothing of the show's use of the other female cast members or the brain-dead absurdist plot. So, I pretty much got exactly what I expected and am glad to be done with it.
The Honorable Mentions:
Of course, as with previous wrap-ups, I'll list off the things that I'll be watching on into the next season and the notable shows that I dropped for a number of different reasons.
Basket Nezuko is Best Nezuko. Fight me.
As far as leftovers from Spring 2019 go, only two really quality and one only just. Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayers) is the only true "leftover" show from this season I've watched and plan to continue watching. While the show itself might be your bog standard shounen trash, the simplicity and brevity of each arc make this show a quick and easy action title to cleanse the palate. Neither too dull or too much, Tanjiro and the rest of the cast make for a great troop of clowns to watch in action. Yet, like any good shounen title should, the comedy never gets in the way of the series tense and well-animated fight sequences. Especially as a UFOTable property, there's no arguing that this show just looks great when it really wants to and still looks good when it doesn't.
Jojo Part 5 is the only other show that makes it to this category because it is technically going to be a leftover as well. With its the brief hiatus that'll occur this month and the show's conclusion being released as an hour-long special at the end, it ended up becoming a "leftover." So, ultimately, the jury is still out when it comes to Jojo and my feelings for it. As it currently stands, though, I feel confident in the belief that this is the weakest iteration of the franchise we've had yet. Full of contrivances, nonsense "plans within plans" victories, and one of the most personally confounding plots yet since this part's Jojo isn't even the star of the show until late in the series. From the character writing to the designs and the herky-jerky pace, this just isn't the Jojo for me. Let it be said, though, that I'll be right back on the hype train when Stone Ocean and Steel Ball Run get adapted since those seem to be on a similar level of quality with Diamond is Unbreakable, my favorite Jojo yet.
Among my hold-offs for this season, meaning those I plan to binge when they're finished, both the new Fruits Basket and Carole & Tuesday, which is currently locked up in Netflix jail, are on the top of my to-watch list. From what I've been hearing, both are just absolutely fantastic. Needless to say, I'm excited to watch an old favorite and explore what should be a feast for the ears and eyes.
Reminiscent of Space Dandy and Double Decker!, Robihachi was an interesting comedy that worked to lampoon various revitalization concepts that are likely direct references to some of Japan's more cringe-worthy attempts to promote the country and tourist traps. Using space as its canvas for that ultimate goal, it offered some zany takes on the imagined cultures and marketing ploys of various planets. Interesting that as theme is, though, the show simply didn't speak to me. It wasn't dull so much as something that just stopped engaging me after the first four episodes.
While I've seen a lot of people getting a good laugh out of Midara na Ao-chan wa Benkyou ga Dekinai (Ao-chan Can't Study!) it's vulgar comedy just didn't speak to me, personally. Something about a girl clumsily falling in love with a guy as she learns that he isn't the sex-craved horndog of her nightmares and secret fantasies just doesn't work for me on a conceptual level. So, I ended up dropping it after the second episode.
You know, with a title like Hachigatsu no Cinderella Nine (Cinderella Nine) I should have figured this was just a yuri idol-like show with baseball. For whatever reason, though, I didn't and ended up watching a couple episodes of this just horribly made all-girls baseball drama. I was honestly hoping I might find another Haifuri (High School Fleet) but all I got was disappointment.
So that covers pretty much my entire Spring 2019 Season. Like I said, it wasn't a super strong season but it had a good number of things I enjoyed and a few others to keep my perspective of "good" and "bad" in line. As always, I'll be reviewing all the titles listed here in the order they ended, starting with Sarazanmai. Since this is just one example of the various changes I plan to work through, let me know what you think of this new format of the Season Wrap-up. It might be longer than normal but I feel like it offers a lot more than the older version.