Fall 2018 First Impressions Pt 2: Pretty Boys, Pretty Girls and Pretty Production Values

Doing these impressions in batches is a bit of a new experience, really, since I’m so used to ranking shows as I go…hence the cumulative ranking.

Just to get some details out of the way quickly: since I tackled part 1 (RErideD and Double Decker) as one post, here’s a new format for the rest of the fall shows. Expect a 3rd batch of impressions, with DakaIchi (the BL anime, which is pretty uncharacteristic of me, but it’s newly added due to Arthifis and Karandi’s collab), Goblin Slayer, Radiant and Gridman in another few days. I’ve also started being on the lookout for Merc Storia.

Sidebar: For some reason, the BL/yaoi community on AniList looks like it’s pretty big but yet seems to want more people. Not only did I get 5 likes after I put DakaIchi on my PTW (I only ever get more than that with the occasional status update), but someone recommended me Hitorijime My Hero out of the blue as well…I can’t watch the latter though, due to the paywalls around it.

Page jumps

• Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken (That Time I Got Reincarnated As a Slime)
• Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru (Run with the Wind)
• Zombieland Saga
• Bakumatsu
• Rankings (cumulative as of this post)

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Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken

We only just met this guy (Satoru). He seems decent, but aside from saving the life of a woman he hasn’t really gotten to know, I could care less about this present day stuff, due to how dreary they made “present day Tokyo” (which is clearly a deliberate choice). I even started laughing during the death scene because Satoru was valuing his computer over his life…which I’m not sure was 100% intended.

However, once Satoru’s in slime form, he’s a bit more expressive (in part due to his general lack of a face) and the story really seems to pick up from that point, even if it’s got a huge helping of exposition and clearly broken skills on top.

Then again, I think the ED (eventual OP) sold me the most, due to how inventive and dynamic Rimuru changing from human to slime and back again looks as a part of the plot.

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Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru

I picked this up after some strong ANN recommendations, especially from Nick. I made sure to listen to it carefully, and it’s got some pretty stellar sound direction (not that I really know what makes it stellar, but it sounds natural enough). The main problem I have is Kakeru’s (excuse my French) resting bitch face, but I blame character designs and Kakeru’s introvertedness for that.

Aside from that, it was an alright premiere, trending slightly more positive. The “once more with clarity” coming after the eyecatch was a bit unfortunate, as it disoriented me a little, but the purpose becomes clear after the timeline is established. I also believe Haiji was being the tiniest bit evil in coopting the other guys, since the show never really pays attention to the sign until Haiji points out that Chikuseisou is a track and field dorm (this could mean poor foreshadowing or deliberately trying to make it a surprise…I’m not sure where this show falls on a spectrum like that). However, the camaraderie felt genuine, Haiji’s face (when he asks “Do you like running?”) always makes me laugh, possibly unintentionally, and I did want to support the Chikuseisou group by the time Haiji’s declaration came around. The references in this show are kind of obscure, so that’s right up my alley, too.

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Zombieland Saga

Prior to watching episode 1, I read ahead, enough to know this is “zombie idols do death metal”, but not enough to have zero surprises going into the first episode – I was surprised by the squid…and how gutsy the animators were, thinking they could get away with killing a protagonist we hadn’t really met outside the cliche intro of being a klutz etc. etc..

Anyways, it was actually a lot more fun than I thought “cute girls do zombie things” would be, in part because that description’s not quite accurate. (It almost makes me want to watch Gakkougurashi in fact, but with all the other fall premieres and Tsuritama, I don’t think I can squash it in.) I think a lot of the execution is Kotaro’s and Sakura’s delivery (yes, I listened to it) but the rest of the heavy lifting was done by jokes and the unexpected nature of how things turn out, including upside-down boards and the like. However, there is also the caveat of not remembering who’s who, aside from Tae Yamada (who gets introduced twice and is credited under ???? as a continuation of the “staff’s holding out on us” joke). So long as the show can keep surprising and it can work out that wrinkle (because the designs are distinctive enough to aid in that), it should be a fine addition to the watch list.

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Bakumatsu

“Time-travelling historical figures”? It’s been done before and probably done better. Still, this is vaguely lackluster. As much as I liked snarking about this show, that’s pretty much the only pro about this show, aside from Sakamoto’s bare chest and the very specific thing I have for the skintight vest Shinsaku wears (although I do question the random diamond cutout), although I could get those in other shows. The “strip because I have grenades in my kimono” thing was also kinda fun in that same “eye candy for people who like to ogle hot dudes” way, but everything goes downhill from there.

It’s not that it’s bad visually – it’s just the execution is so stupid at points the show unintentionally becomes a snark target, but more importantly the time travel aspect is dealt with so badly (they just disappear into the other timeline after they see the dude in the basement). I feel like the themes of this show were shoehorned in and when they get spouted from Shinsaku’s mouth like a shonen hero, it’s like being clubbed over the head, which doesn’t help matters.

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Rankings

Watching:

• Double Decker (finished 2 eps)
• Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken (finished 1 ep)
• Zombieland Saga (finished 1 ep)
• Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru (finished 1 ep)

Paused:

• Jingai-san no Yome (finished 1 ep) – That was it? As much as I get “your wife has been chosen” is meant to be unexpected, we already know Tomari is going to be saddled with Kanenogi from promo material and the title. However, it’s only a setup episode and it’s probably better savoured when I can skip to where Shirai is, so it’s on hold.

Dropped:

• Bakumatsu (finished 1 ep)
• RErideD: Derrida, who Leaps Through Time (finished 2 eps then gave the boot – it didn’t seem to be improving. The fact it could have improved was basically the first episode’s saving grace.)

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I don’t think anyone actually puts page jumps into their impressions, as far as I know. So, I have some questions – as usual, feel free to answer as many or as little as you’d like:

• Do you like the new format (not that I can use it every season, but I’ll try to stick to it if it’s popular)?
• What are your thoughts about the first episodes of the four shows I gave impressions on in this post?
• Are there any shows that I’ve missed out on for this season? (if you need a refresher, see my pre-season anticipated shows list here)