Spring 2017 Week 11

Posted on by Karandi

This is my final Spring List though I will be posting the results of my polls when I get back at the end of July. If you haven’t voted yet for what you think the best and worst of the season have been, the links are at the bottom of this post. The vote for best is pretty close so far though worst seems to already have a clear winner. As always, I’d love to know your thoughts on the season so please feel free to comment below on any of the currently airing shows.

yuri10d

Must Watch

My Hero Academia Season 2 (Episode 25)

Okay, this one doesn’t make me think and wonder about the nature of the universe but it has certainly made me sit up and take notice (and eat my words – not literally – about a tournament arc being boring). That was completely amazing as a finishing touch to that story arc and we are already moving into the next one so no down time or filler (or at least it doesn’t look like we’re setting up for that). My review for this episode once again went well over the 100 words and I do not regret even one word I spent gushing over this episode or this series at this point.

Kado: The Right Answer (Episode 10)

My review of this week’s episode is going to be far longer than my usual 100 words (hoping to cut down my initial rant a bit). It isn’t that anything that happened this episode was particularly bad. This show is still an absolute must watch. However, for the first time, even while watching the episode there were parts where the shiny coating seemed to be flaking off just a little bit. Just hoping this show can hold out until the end of the season and not fall apart too soon.

Natsume Yuujinchou 6 (Episode 10)

I’d love to be able to put this and My Hero Academia on an even level I think after this week. My Hero Academia is exciting, but Natsume always plays to its strengths and season 6 has been exceptional at spinning a good story and drawing the audience into Natsume’s world. The conclusion to this season looks like its going to be pretty solid too so really looking forward to the next episode.

The Eccentric Family Season 2 (Episode 10)

Benten backed down from a confrontation with Nidaime and the only other appearance of Benten this episode turned out to be a dream sequence but she still manages to have massive presence even when she isn’t on screen. This episode really kicks things into high gear and suddenly the stakes are much higher than before. You would think Yasaburo would learn to stop stirring trouble but I guess the show wouldn’t be half as interesting without him sticking his nose into things without thinking it through.

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Usually Entertaining

Attack on Titan Season 2 (Finished)

Full season review coming shortly. The last episode was actually kind of decent and did reveal something so at least it gave us that and didn’t just have a smack down for the whole episode. There are still so many questions but it did feel like it made some progress.

The Royal Tutor (Episode 10)

This week we finally get to the episode we’ve been waiting for and the reveal about Heine’s past. While nothing revealed here is mind blowing or changes your whole perception of the show, it is a nice reward after the build up and it fits in with the audience’s knowledge of the world. Also, some really great character moments fill this episode so it is kind of a delight to watch. Overall, this show is probably my biggest surprise from this season given how much I’ve been enjoying it.

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Okay, I Guess

The Laughing Salesman (Episode 11)

Business as usual here. Two people introduced and both get their five minutes of tragedy. I’d really like there to be just one story that went a different way just for the novelty factor but I’m still enjoying this easy going and formulaic show. The no surprises means it is fairly restful viewing.

Granblue Fantasy (Episode 12)

Despite this show having another episode, the preview has made it pretty clear next week is just an extra and that was the feeling I got the whole way through this episode. It felt like a finale. It didn’t answer a lot of questions, but we had all these characters come back, random new characters running into the fray, and a big boss fight. Pretty much a season end.

Grimoire of Zero (Episode 10)

Grimoire and Granblue are kind of battling it out to see which one is going to be the most mediocre fantasy show this season. Both have good ingredients and ho-hum execution. Granblue is losing at being more mediocre than Grimoire though because I actually kind of like the characters in Granblue. Then again, the magic in Grimoire is kind of cool, if only they spent more time on that.

WorldEnd (Episode 10)

Yep, this show has officially made me accept that it just isn’t going to be very good. The first episode is interesting enough and makes excellent use of music and visuals to draw you in to what should be a very interesting world and narrative. However, the rest of the series just hasn’t been able to match the emotional feel of that or actually make use of the interesting setting and plot that has been dropped on it. It all feels like we are going through the motions at this point and while this show remains pretty that’s about all I can say it has going for it at this point.

Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor (Episode 11)

The show worked hard this week to pack some sort of punch but it just isn’t working on me given I’m really in a state of indifference toward the entire cast at this point. Possibly this episode will play out a bit better for those who have formed some sort of connection with the main characters but for me this was mostly just watching them build up to a series end and wondering if they’d be nice enough to actually kill off the main character.

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They Made This

Sagrada Reset (Episode 11)

I had to drop this show here. This show is on absolute notice given I spent almost all of this episode thinking I was done and that I was finally dropping it. I had no reason to want to continue. If not for the preview I would be finished with it. It is a sad state of affairs where I’m only continuing to watch because of thirty seconds of preview.

The Silver Guardian (Finished)

Apparently a second season of this is coming out next year (according to MAL at least) but to be perfectly honest I won’t be watching. This is an unresolved meander and a mess of ideas. It still could have been okay if it had managed to tie up any of its plot elements but it steadfastly ignored the actual plot right until the end and its final episode focussed on poor comedy instead of story. Oh well.

gangsta6

Tried and Dropped

Alice & Zoroku (Episode 6)

Sword Oratoria (Episode 5)

Tsukigakirei (Episode 2)

Eromanga Sensei (Episode 2)

Armed Girls Machiavellism (Episode 2)

Sakura Quest (Episode 1)

Love Tyrant (Episode 1)

Clockwork Planet (Episode 1)

Time to start choosing the best and worst shows of the season. If you haven’t voted in my poll yet, please click the links above and have your say.

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Karandi James.

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Spring 2017 Week 10

Posted on by Karandi

We’re getting close to the end for some of these shows and I’d love to know which ending you are most looking forward to. For me, I’m actually just kind of sad that I’m going to have to wait on some of the endings because I may or may not get to see them while travelling. That said, the ending will make or break a few of these in terms of where they end up in my final list for the season so let’s hope they end well. Please share your thoughts on the season in the comments.

yuri10d

Must Watch

Kado: The Right Answer (Episode 9)

I suggested that this show needed to be in a higher category last week (not that I have one) and after episode 9 I firmly believe this anime really is in a category of its own. The enjoyment is different from something like My Hero Academia and Natsume Yuujinchou. It is telling a story and there are characters (and these are both very good), but it is the ideas behind the story and the characters that make it utterly compelling.

My Hero Academia Season 2 (Episode 24)

Another rapid fire series of clashes and we’re heading for the final of the tournament next week. Probably just as well, as they’ve probably milked as much development out of these match ups as possible and while its been amazing I’m glad they aren’t stretching the friendship. Even as the tournament wraps up though this show presents a new conflict incoming so at least we won’t be left at a loose end once the tournament ends. My Hero Academia showing it is keenly aware of the short attention span of most of us these days and is happy to keep us entertained.

Natsume Yuujinchou 6 (Episode 9)

Natsume did not get any worse, it’s just My Hero Academia has been getting stronger and stronger and Natsume is more of a consistent and relaxing joy. Comparing the two shows is insane given how vastly different they are in tone and style and yet I’d have to admit that right now I am definitely more eagerly anticipating the next episode of My Hero Academia, even while I’m convinced that long term Natsume will be the show I come back to more often for re-watching. This week’s episode was back to Natsume episodic formula and it worked well.

The Eccentric Family Season 2 (Episode 9)

Seems my wish for more Benten and Nidaime will be answered with where this seems to be heading. Episode 9 was fantastic and we see a lot of the story lines starting to converge in a fairly intriguing manner which may or may not explode next week depending on how they choose to handle this current situation. All and all, I’m hooked and can’t wait for the next episode.

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Usually Entertaining

Attack on Titan Season 2 (Episode 11)

Attack on Titan is only still this high in the list because of how much I enjoyed the first half of this season. This second half belongs in the ‘Okay, I Guess’ section and this last episode doesn’t even make it that high with a lot of issues in both narrative and delivery. On balance, I’m thinking I’m going to end up feeling much the same about season 2 of Attack on Titan as I did about season 1. Wow, there’s some great visuals and emotions and some scenes are done superb, and wow, this story gets derailed pretty quick and they don’t know how to do pacing or characterisation.

The Royal Tutor (Episode 9)

I was less sold on this episode but this series has still be fairly entertaining on the whole. It wasn’t as though this episode was bad, more it just felt a little bit like they were purposefully delaying any kind of serious dive into Heine’s past. Possibly the events in this episode are more significant than that but it really felt kind of like a throw-away villain for the sake of having one more episode.

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Okay, I Guess

Sagrada Reset (Episode 10)

Much like Kado I’m starting to think this show needs its own category but it wouldn’t be above must watch. This one would be more out to the side of the list in a pile of shows where I have no actual opinion about whether they are good or bad until they finish because they might still go somewhere but meanwhile I’m hopelessly frustrated by it. Sagrada Reset, the show to watch if you like things that go around in circles and offer analogies in place of explanations.

The Laughing Salesman (Episode 10)

Another two stories and another two hearts… well I won’t say they’ve been healed but they’ve certainly been changed by the events that have befallen their owners. Moguro continues to dish out some interesting consequences to the deserving and undeserving alike and this story continues to be a bit of an oddity but kind of enjoyable for it.

Grimoire of Zero (Episode 9)

Grimoire of Zero is probably going to end up on my list for a show that wasted a lot of its potential. There are good moments and the world itself is fascinating but the story just doesn’t know what it wants to do and there’s too many ideas that just get shafted. I would like this show to be better than it is but while pretty it has rarely been above ordinary in terms of character or plot and unfortunately I’d rather watch something inconsistent than something I find kind of dull with occasional moments of entertainment.

Granblue Fantasy (Episode 11)

I’m no wiser as to what this show’s end goal is going to be, but this episode spends a great deal of time trying to make us care about Lyria and the bond between her and Gran, so maybe that’s actually important. As always, this show is watchable, pretty enough, stuff happens, but I’m not overly invested.

WorldEnd (Episode 9)

WorldEnd started so much higher on this list and now it seems to be in free-fall. the inconsistencies, the wasted time in each episode, the scattered focus, it is all starting to wear on me as a viewer so that even the moments that should hit the mark are starting to miss more often than not. I’m gradually losing my care factor about any of the characters in  this show and that is definitely not something that the show can afford given the story has been a meandering mess with a lack of clear direction.

Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor (Episode 10)

What little goodwill this show had gained in the mid-season is rapidly fading as we’re regressing to cheap comedy and stereotypical character reactions. That’s not to say it still couldn’t work, but this episode was completely unappealing to me after two fairly ordinary episodes.

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They Made This

The Silver Guardian (Episode 11)

Not regretting the decision to move this down to this category. Episode 11 is just as much of a mess as the last four episodes have now been. That’s almost half a season of mess and if you count the first episode as well, we’ve had more mess than decent content and that is never a good sign for a series. To be honest I don’t even care anymore whether Suigin ever finds Riku Rei.

gangsta6

Tried and Dropped

Alice & Zoroku (Episode 6)

Sword Oratoria (Episode 5)

Tsukigakirei (Episode 2)

Eromanga Sensei (Episode 2)

Armed Girls Machiavellism (Episode 2)

Sakura Quest (Episode 1)

Love Tyrant (Episode 1)

Clockwork Planet (Episode 1)

Which ending are you most looking forward to?

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If you like this site and you like what I do, consider becoming a patron.

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Thanks,

Karandi James.

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Spring 2017 Week 9

Posted on by Karandi

Alright, I wasn’t crazily looking forward to all the sequel seasons that came out this Spring but most of these have actually turned out to be pretty cool so it has made this season of sequels actually pretty fun to watch. I can’t say the same this week for a lot of the shows in the ‘Okay, I Guess’ category as a lot of them gave some fairly luke warm episodes this week. They were watchable, to be sure, but they didn’t do much else.  Let me know your current thoughts on the season below.

yuri10d

Must Watch

Kado: The Right Answer (Episode 8)

Do I need a category above Must Watch? This show is making me consider that a possibility at this point in time. Episode 8 was fantastic, even the low point of the episode where we had some slightly off comedy contributed to the overall narrative and to be honest I’m just completely hooked on this. Must have the next episode.

Natsume Yuujinchou 6 (Episode 8)

That was so adorable. It’s been awhile since we’ve had a new yokai of the week with the last few episodes all bringing back a focus on already known characters. I really had a lot of fun with this episode and I’m kind of hoping  Aoi does come back in future episodes but its always hard to know which characters will return and which have come and gone. Anyway, Natsume continues to be utterly adorable.

My Hero Academia Season 2 (Episode 23)

Okay, one more episode like these last two and I may even move this above Natsume. This show continues to prove it knows exactly what its audience wants and it delivers it with gusto. It isn’t ashamed of its superhero and shonen tropes but fully embraces them and because of that it continues to be pure fun and builds on its strengths rather than trying to apologise for its own origin.

The Eccentric Family Season 2 (Episode 8)

Can Benten and Nidaime get their own show because I’d happily watch those two forever? Of course, Kaisei also made a great showing this week. Basically, I still love all these characters and they continue to be highly entertaining even as there seems to be no real point to anything that is going on. Maybe it will all come together, but even if it doesn’t, this one is more about the journey than the destination.

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Usually Entertaining

Attack on Titan Season 2 (Episode 10)

And down it comes again. This is more or less what happened with season 1. I got into it and really got swept away early on and then the story kind of suffered from pacing issues, lack of reveals, and problematic characters. Season 2 has not escaped any of these issues in its second half. Still very entertaining viewing, but it just doesn’t stand up next to something like My Hero Academia that goes from strength to strength with its characters. I won’t compare this to Natsume or KADO because that would be ridiculous but I know which next episode I’m more looking forward to.

The Royal Tutor (Episode 9)

I was less sold on this episode but this series has still be fairly entertaining on the whole. It wasn’t as though this episode was bad, more it just felt a little bit like they were purposefully delaying any kind of serious dive into Heine’s past. Possibly the events in this episode are more significant than that but it really felt kind of like a throw-away villain for the sake of having one more episode.

Sagrada Reset (Episode 9)

I’m thinking I’m going to have to move this further down. Entertaining isn’t quite the right word for it. Personally, I’m enjoying picking it apart and looking for clues and double meanings, but from an actual narrative point of view we’ve seen enough now to know it is kind of failing as a story. Plot, characters, and pacing are all full of issues and while the concept is kind of cool there’s only so long that will keep your story afloat.

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Okay, I Guess

The Laughing Salesman (Episode 9)

This week I wasn’t quite so caught up in  The Laughing Salesman, though whether that was because the stories lacked bite or because I just wasn’t in the mood I’m not sure. Overall though, this series is pretty consistent so still happily following along with this one.

WorldEnd (Episode 8)

There’s only so many shopping trips I can take watching in one series and WorldEnd has already exceeded its quota. For all the good ideas that keep me watching the show it has spent far too much time just waffling around and showing us cute girls being kids. I get that there’s meant to be a contrast for emotional affect but to be honest it just keeps dragging the pace down.

Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor (Episode 9)

First inconsistent, now rushing through what feels like it should be a range of more significant plot points. This remains watchable and has some good ideas but I can’t say I’m overly enjoying the viewing experience at this point.

Grimoire of Zero (Episode 8)

Send out the assassins, I want them all alive. That kind of seems contradictory to me but I guess that’s more or less standard for this show at this point. I am actually enjoying this show but the plot is so incredibly contrived and the reveals are pretty much obvious so I’m struggling a little bit to take it seriously.

Granblue Fantasy (Episode 10)

Granblue continues its trend of watchable but not good. It would be really nice if I actually knew what the characters wanted to achieve for this series. Are we collecting pieces of the sky map, running from the empire, getting Gran to the island of the astrals where his father is, randomly helping random people, or is it all about saving Lyria? I don’t know and I don’t think the show does either.

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They Made This

The Silver Guardian (Episode 10)

There we go, it finally made it into this category. Each week for about three weeks I’ve been wondering what the writers were actually trying to do and now I’m more or less convinced that they’ve decided just to pull random actions and characters out of a hat and that’s the focus for the week. Okay, it isn’t that bad, but Suigin was barely on screen this week, Riku made no appearance but was mentioned, and we spent most of the episode with the random players we met a few episodes ago first mugging other new players and then being the victims of a mugging. I’m not sure what that contributes to the overall plot and to be honest I wasn’t that interested.

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Tried and Dropped

Alice & Zoroku (Episode 6)

Sword Oratoria (Episode 5)

Tsukigakirei (Episode 2)

Eromanga Sensei (Episode 2)

Armed Girls Machiavellism (Episode 2)

Sakura Quest (Episode 1)

Love Tyrant (Episode 1)

Clockwork Planet (Episode 1)

Which ending are you most looking forward to?

Are you a fan of 100WordAnime.blog?

If you like this site and you like what I do, consider becoming a patron.

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Thanks,

Karandi James.

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Spring 2017 Week 8

Posted on by Karandi

This week kind of didn’t go to plan in the real world at all so I’m thinking a lot of episodes this week will need a rewatch when I’m a little less distracted. That said, the Spring season is still going strong and I’m enjoying the shows I’ve stuck with. While the usually entertaining category has shrunk, mostly that’s because I currently have five must watch shows which is actually a record. Normally I have two or three shows that I am literally counting down the minutes to release and watching as soon as possible so having five in one season is pretty amazing.  Let me know your current thoughts on the season below.

yuri10d

Must Watch

Kado: The Right Answer (Episode 7)

That was a great follow up to episode 6 (I wish I hadn’t had to wait two weeks for it but it was pretty much worth it). This show continues to climb from strength to strength, introducing new ideas as needed and building on what has already been established. It all feels very logical and cohesive so far and hopefully they manage that through to the end.

Natsume Yuujinchou 6 (Episode 7)

With Eccentric Family picking up its game in this second half, Natsume might need to watch out. As much as I am in love with this series, not every episode is a gem, and this week’s offering was kind of average. Not the worst Natsume has offered in six seasons, but not exceptional either. While I still feel season 6 has overall been one of the better seasons of this show, going from strength to strength, it would be a shame to see the second half of the season to not finish on a high note.

My Hero Academia Season 2 (Episode 22)

Blown away this week. Literally. Just blown away. My review for episode 22 comes out tomorrow. I didn’t bother trying to cut it down. It’s 1000 words of gush. I loved this episode and following a couple of very good character episodes (even if we are watching a tournament fight that I don’t care who wins), this series is just getting better.

The Eccentric Family Season 2 (Episode 7)

That slightly more serious tone shift from episode 6 continued and this episode got dark. For a show about the daily life of a Tanuki just kind of seeking interesting experiences, this show really knows how to transition from those lighter moments to the more serious and it all makes the world these characters are living in feel a bit more grounded in reality even as they interact with supernatural creatures and use all manner of magical objects.

Attack on Titan Season 2 (Episode 9)

Attack on Titan this week delivered quite a lot of dialogue and yet so many characters were saying so many of the things I’ve wanted people to say to Eren for a long time, I just kind of loved it. Then again, on reflection, we know nothing new about anyone at the end of the episode other than the fact that Reiner’s grip on reality has really slipped and that Ymir has decided that teaming up with Eren is not in her best interest. Amazing how they managed to drag that out for twenty minutes without actually saying anything.

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Usually Entertaining

Sagrada Reset (Episode 8)

It is amazing how fun it is when you’ve felt like you’ve been kept in the dark and you’ve come up with all those possible theories and one of them turns out to be true. That doesn’t actually improve this show overall given there’s still a lot of issues, but that moment of satisfaction feels totally worth it right now and will keep me going a couple more weeks.

The Royal Tutor (Episode 8)

Kai’s episode is pretty slow and not overly great but continues the general tone and flow of this show so overall this show has been pretty entertaining this season. I’m really glad I started it and stuck with it after the first episode. I was very iffy about whether I’d enjoy this at all.

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Okay, I Guess

Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor (Episode 8)

Inconsistent is probably going to be my major criticism of this show when I finally review it in full. It has its moments of greatness and pure entertainment but they are sandwiched inbetween some really ordinary to poorly executed ones. This most recent episode hit a bit of both and really just made it clear why this series isn’t exactly thrilling me despite having some half decent ideas.

WorldEnd (Episode 7)

And another show that inconsistent is probably the best description I can give it. The great moments are there but then there’s a lot of down time inbetween and I’m just not sure that overall this is entertaining so much as frustrating.

The Laughing Salesman (Episode 8)

This has continued on with pretty much the same tone. I’m enjoying the watch through of it and it is different from the other shows I’m still following so I quite look forward to each new episode. That said, it isn’t exactly going out of its way to be amazing. It’s just doing its thing.

Grimoire of Zero (Episode 7)

Episode 6 of this was quite interesting and episode 7 continues that interesting trend. I may even need to start moving this up the list if Granblue and The Silver Guardian don’t do something in the next episode or two. It would be nice if this show could have a strong finish. It still won’t be my favourite ever but it could certainly be entertaining enough if it goes somewhere interesting.

Granblue Fantasy (Episode 9)

The only reason Granblue Fantasy isn’t at the bottom of this list is because I like the characters more in this than the ones in The Silver Guardian. They don’t have all that much personality, but they are more likeable. Basically, this show continues to be watchable but pretty ordinary in every respect.

The Silver Guardian (Episode 9)

The downward slide of this show continues. That’s three episodes in a row that have been barely watchable. Any remaining curiosity I had about how we get to what we saw in the first episode has pretty much been killed off. If this doesn’t do something interesting next week I’m almost positive I’ll have reached my limit on this one.

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They Made This

Nothing this week.

gangsta6

Tried and Dropped

Alice & Zoroku (Episode 6)

Sword Oratoria (Episode 5)

Tsukigakirei (Episode 2)

Eromanga Sensei (Episode 2)

Armed Girls Machiavellism (Episode 2)

Sakura Quest (Episode 1)

Love Tyrant (Episode 1)

Clockwork Planet (Episode 1)

Which ending are you most looking forward to?

Are you a fan of 100WordAnime.blog?

If you like this site and you like what I do, consider becoming a patron.

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Thanks,

Karandi James.

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Spring 2017 Week 7

Posted on by Karandi

Some of these shows just get better and better. Meanwhile those that were just kind of ordinary remain that way and get a little bit less exciting each week. I have dropped both Sword Oratoria and Alice & Zoroku in the last two weeks so it isn’t as though the list is stagnant (Grimoire of Zero is still hanging in there by a thread). Still there are so many shows where I get to the end and I’m just really anticipating the next episode so this season has been a lot of fun to watch. Getting closer to the end of the season and I’m kind of hoping these shows can deliver a strong conclusion (though I know a couple are continuing on into the next season). Let me know your thoughts on the season below.

I’m also going to try a few shows that I didn’t get to at the start of this season because dropping Alice & Zoroku left a small hole in my schedule that I’d rather fill but if I don’t find anything I’ll do some random movie reviews or something there.

yuri10d

Must Watch

Kado: The Right Answer (Episode 6)

Recap episode – no movement.

Natsume Yuujinchou 6 (Episode 6)

I want to find a way to bottle the emotions I feel when I watch this show. There is no mood so bad that Natsume can’t make me feel better and even make me smile. I knew from the preview that this week was going to focus on Natsume’s normal human friends but I hadn’t realised we were flashing back to Natsume transferring into the school. This was a really great episode and continued to fill in our knowledge of the world these characters exist in. Absolutely great fun to watch.

The Eccentric Family Season 2 (Episode 6)

Nidaime was conspicuously absent this week but we did get a healthy dose of Yasaburo and quite a bit of Benten as well as a surprising return from a certain character from season 1 (though I guess that shouldn’t have been too surprising). Add in a brief field trip into a painting of hell and you have a fairly fun and interesting episode even as the tone takes a shift for the slightly more serious.

Attack on Titan Season 2 (Episode 8)

This episode really does feel like it’s taking a moment to have a breath before plunging us toward the end of the season (given it is apparently going to end after 4 more episodes). There was a lot of reminders of key players, then we had some flash backs and some motivational reminiscing, before most of the characters got on their horses and rode out. Dramatic conclusion and all but really this felt like we were being deliberately held up to ensure the story ends where they want it to given I don’t think we learned anything new through the flash backs or discussions.

My Hero Academia Season 2 (Episode 21)

Fine, My Hero Academia, you win. You are a must watch this season. You make me laugh, you make me nervous for the characters, you make me care about their daddy issues, you have some pretty cool action, and mostly you’re just fun to watch. Please keep it up.

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Usually Entertaining

Sagrada Reset (Episode 7)

And I’m back to being totally confused by this show and yet completely unable to stop watching it. This isn’t the fun puzzling out that ACCA gave me or that I experience while watching KADO. This is at times genuinely frustrating because of how this is being delivered and how it is being executed. It doesn’t stop me from being any less intrigued and curiosity almost always wins out with me, but maybe sometimes it shouldn’t.

The Royal Tutor (Episode 7)

The charm continues and pretty much I have to admit I like this show. It isn’t ground breaking or spectacular, nor will it make a favourites list for me (unless that is a list of slice of life/comedies that I’ve actually watched through to the end), but it is a fairly light and entertaining entry into my weekly viewing and I’m quite enjoying it.

Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor (Episode 7)

And after praising this show last week on its recovery from a poor start, it spent all of this week reminding me of each and every thing I didn’t like about episode 1. Another episode like this will definitely knock this out of the usually entertaining category for good because while one or two episodes that aren’t great is pretty standard, if it starts to become a real trend it is time to admit the show is just not very good.

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Okay, I Guess

WorldEnd (Episode 6)

The week after I dropped this from usually entertaining we get episode 6 which kind of pulled the overall feeling from this show right back up. This show is very up and down and I think it is going to have to wait until the end of the season before I know where in this list it actually belongs. For now I’m leaving it here but I definitely enjoyed this episode more than last week.

The Laughing Salesman (Episode 7)

No change here as the show remains watchable and kind of amusing but isn’t exactly going anywhere (not that it really needs to given its absolute episodic formula).

The Silver Guardian (Episode 8)

This show has definitely peaked already. It is becoming increasingly silly and they are just withholding information for the sake of it at this point. I don’t know how many episodes there are going to be of this but I’m kind of hoping it wraps up soon because otherwise I’m never going to find out how he saves Riko Rei. It’s a good thing these episodes are short because the last two have been barely tolerable.

Granblue Fantasy (Episode 8)

Grandblue Fantasy remains watchable but becomes increasingly pointless. This peisode in particular screamed filler or sidequest and while it was fun and all did absolutely nothing to advance a plot.

Grimoire of Zero (Episode 6)

Having dropped Sword Oratoria and Alice & Zoroku, this one is probably the last of my possible drops for the season. That said, episode 6 managed to get me interested in where this might go and so I’m sticking with it. The world the story is set in is fascinating it is more the characters and the plot so far I’ve had issues with. So, if they character are finally going to do something in a world that is inherently interesting, then I am all for seeing that.

Tattoo6

They Made This

Nothing this week.

gangsta6

Tried and Dropped

Alice & Zoroku (Episode 6)

I knew this didn’t have much chance of staying in my watch list, but wow episode 6 definitely put the nail in the coffin as it focussed on all the parts of the show I wasn’t overly interested in and kind of just moved away entirely from the few things I was hoping to see explored or developed. This is more a failing of my own expectations rather than the show being poorly done, but still, this is where I part ways with it.

Sword Oratoria (Episode 5)

Tsukigakirei (Episode 2)

Eromanga Sensei (Episode 2)

Armed Girls Machiavellism (Episode 2)

Sakura Quest (Episode 1)

Love Tyrant (Episode 1)

Clockwork Planet (Episode 1)

This is the halfway point for the season, what do you think will be the best of Spring 2017?

Are you a fan of 100WordAnime.blog?

If you like this site and you like what I do, consider becoming a patron.

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Thanks,

Karandi James.

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Spring 2017 Week 6

Posted on by Karandi

And we’ve hit the halfway point for the Spring anime season. While there are a lot of fairly ordinary but watchable shows this season, the shows I am enjoying or having put on my must watch list are really blowing me away. It is going to be hard to decide what my overall favourite from the season is when it ends (unless all of these shows suddenly derail). As always, I’ve got my list below, please let me know what you think of the season in the comments below.

yuri10d

Must Watch

Kado: The Right Answer (Episode 6)

I had to move KADO into the number 1 position this week. This show has been great from the start. It’s a slow burn but completely worth it and this week’s episode confirmed that there is some solid story telling and characterisation going on. Seriously, if you aren’t watching this and you didn’t try it, give it a go.

Natsume Yuujinchou 6 (Episode 5)

That was a fantastic episode and a great part 2 for Natsume and KADO overtaking it as my first must watch isn’t actually an indication that the quality of Natsume dropped. It really is that Natsume tens to be solid and stable, whereas KADO is definitely building somewhere. Still, I hope we don’t have to wait a whole season to find out what the fall out is from Natori finding out Natsume is hiding something but it doesn’t look like the story is in any rush to deal with this particular plot point as the preview for next week has moved us back to Natsume’s school friends. Still, wow!

The Eccentric Family Season 2 (Episode 5)

This was a really enjoyable episode and slowly all the threads in this story are coming together though at the moment they are definitely still forming and aren’t quite ready yet. I’m really enjoying some of the character moments and interactions as well as revisiting old grudges. For a relaxing viewing session with a bit of humour and a lot of warmth, The Eccentric Family works well for me.

Attack on Titan Season 2 (Episode 7)

While this second season is still amazing, I liked this episode a little less (oh, look, Eren’s back in the spot light). Between the Eren heavy focus and the fight that lasted an entire episode (minus flashbacks) this one was a little less enthralling than the previous ones (though I guess people who watch the show for the massive titan battles got exactly what they wanted). Still definitely a good follow up season and I’m still pretty hooked on finding out where they are going, but this week’s episode left me a little indifferent to the outcome of the current fight.

days11

Usually Entertaining

My Hero Academia Season 2 (Episode 20)

I’m torn about whether this needs to move up into the Must Watch or not. This episode was so incredibly two speed and I loved part of it but found the other part relatively plain. Essentially, the characters and some of the commentary in this episode shine (and Todoroki is just fantastic in the few minutes he gets) but the plot is pretty much stagnant for the duration. Now March Comes in Like a Lion proved to me that a non-moving plot isn’t an instant strike against a show, but in an action story it would be nice to make some sort of progress and while two matches were decided, this is only the first round of this particular tournament, there are other contestants waiting and then there are other rounds. How long is this going to be stretched out?

Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor (Episode 6)

Some real positives continues to come out of this show in terms of narrative, pacing and delivery, which continues to surprise me given the first episode was a poorly paced, lazily written, cliché filled piece of drivel. Amazing what a decent premise can become once they start actually telling a story and don’t just try to jam in every standard anime trope they can fit into twenty minutes.

Sagrada Reset (Episode 6)

This week gave us a pretty solid episode (and this series needed one at this point after the weak delivery of episode 5). I’m back to being very intrigued and only marginally annoyed that I have no idea where episode 5 fits in the grand scheme of things. Honestly it feels so much like filler at this point but the timing of that seems odd. Anyway, a lot happened this week and clearly this little arc has a couple more episodes to run so hopefully they can maintain the standard from this week for a bit.

The Royal Tutor (Episode 6)

I thought The Royal Tutor had risen as far as it would on this list when it made it to the top of the Okay category. However, this show actually gets a little bit more interesting each episode and I’m really enjoying the character moments. That isn’t to say that The Royal Tutor is some super-amazing royal saga. It is comedy/slice-of-life/drama and there are certainly weaknesses in the way it is delivered. But, it is quite a charming way to pass twenty minutes and I’m finding myself looking forward to it more and more each week.

Exorcist18

Okay, I Guess

WorldEnd (Episode 5)

This one dropped from Usually Entertaining to Okay this week. Mostly that’s because other than the first episode and some of the ideas in the premise, this show has pretty much been determined to just be okay. It is watchable and fun enough, but is hardly doing anything overly interesting or good. If we ignore the first episode, it really is just an okay kind of fantasy story with the usual harem antics going on. It actually is worse because underneath that is a half-decent plot that they just keep kind of avoiding dealing with.

The Laughing Salesman (Episode 6)

This show continues to be what it is. Watchable, a little bit different from the others on the list, but not particularly noteworthy. Odd little stories of people having casual brushes with a supernatural salesman.

The Silver Guardian (Episode 7)

The Silver Guardian this week dropped below Salesman due to the excess of fanservice and the absolute zero plot progression. While I have been enjoying this, I get the feeling I could have watched maybe two minutes of this episode and got the basic rundown and then pick up the next episode without really missing anything. A little bit disappointing after its improvements over the last few weeks.

Granblue Fantasy (Episode 7)

This continues to be bland but not too bad and while I’m not rushing to recommend it any time soon, there isn’t any reason not to enjoy watching it even if it isn’t particularly memorable or overly interesting. Okay, the cute kid syndrome is definitely kicking in with the introduction of Io and they definitely like crying things out to get to a solution, but mostly it is just a pretty ordinary fantasy adventure.

Grimoire of Zero (Episode 5)

Well they were fighting with magic which was kind of cool. Mostly this episode introduced a whole bunch of different factions into a show that already seemed to have enough different groups fighting and didn’t offer a lot of explanations. We do know that Zero is super possessive of her mercenary though.

Alice & Zoroku (Episode 5)

No episode this week but a special (surprise). Given last week felt like a season final, and then this week we didn’t get an episode, it really does feel like the story is done. Next week this title has its work cut out for it because to be honest I’d be happy enough to drop it satisfied with the ending I got last week.

Tattoo6

They Made This

Nothing this week.

gangsta6

Tried and Dropped

Sword Oratoria (Episode 5)

There’s a chance I’ll go back and finish Sword Oratoria once its finished airing, but to be honest, I’m bored and I’m letting it go.

Tsukigakirei (Episode 2)

Eromanga Sensei (Episode 2)

Armed Girls Machiavellism (Episode 2)

Sakura Quest (Episode 1)

Love Tyrant (Episode 1)

Clockwork Planet (Episode 1)

This is the halfway point for the season, what do you think will be the best of Spring 2017?

Are you a fan of 100WordAnime.blog?

If you like this site and you like what I do, consider becoming a patron.

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Thanks,

Karandi James.

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Spring 2017 Week 5

Posted on by Karandi

Well it has been an incredibly busy week with the anniversary and all, if you missed any posts they are all tagged anniversary so please check them out, particularly the follower features. However, regardless of what else I’m doing, the Spring anime season is marching on and there have been some great shows to check out this week so below is my list and my current thoughts. Love to know what you are watching and how you feel about them so be sure to comment.

yuri10d

Must Watch

Natsume Yuujinchou 6 (Episode 4)

Natsume delivered a great part one of a story this week and given my favourite exorcist has made an appearance in this episode I’m pretty thrilled. So far this series is giving me exactly what I was looking for in another season of the show so I have no complaints.

Kado: The Right Answer (Episode 5)

Kado may very well pass Natsume on my list of must watch shows next week. It isn’t that there is anything wrong with Natsume, more that Natsume always maintains a nice, sweet story, whereas Kado gets just a little more thrilling each episode. My only concern is where Kado may end up going because Natsume will end well, I already know that from experience, and Kado may very well derail itself as so many anime do. Still, loved this episode and love how the tension continues to build in this series.

Attack on Titan Season 2 (Episode 6)

Another show that may just topple Natsume next week. Episode 6 was pretty thrilling and the reveals were fantastic. While the first season started strong and then kind of meandered, season 2 is taking the opposite approach as it builds just a little bit more each episode. If this continues for the whole season, this is going to be a great watch.

The Eccentric Family Season 2 (Episode 4)

This is still a must watch but I have to admit in terms of which show is moving along and getting me excited for the next episode, Attack on Titan is definitely stronger at this point. Still loving the relaxed approach to narrative this show has and the characters are fantastic, but it doesn’t really drive forward as it is happy just to meander along its own path. That makes the experience fun but individual episodes less striking.

days11

Usually Entertaining

My Hero Academia Season 2 (Episode 19)

This was a fairly nothing episode if you think about grander plots and the like and yet I thoroughly enjoyed this transition between the second and third competition in the tournament. The character moments were well handled and because we moved between several different groups and scenes it never felt like it was standing still but rather like we were still driving forward. This second season is still being quite fun and I’m hoping it continues.

WorldEnd (Episode 4)

I’m thinking by the end of this show I’m going to want a rewrite. Take all the good parts of it that have been engaging and fascinating, cut out some of the filler cute moments and the parts that just kind of feel like they are there for the obligatory light novel adaptation check list, maybe trim down the cast though we’ll see if all of these characters actually do serve a point or not, and repackage the whole thing as WorldEnd: Will You Watch if We Remove the clichés? Despite that, I’m still enjoying this quite a lot so I’m guessing my complaints are pretty half-hearted.

Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor (Episode 5)

This episode continued to be surprisingly good. I really do have to write episode 1 off as an anomaly at this point and just accept that this show is actually entertaining. It isn’t brilliant and you are certainly going to encounter a whole barrage of clichés, but it does the job and is actually kind of decent at times. As a definite plus, the world continues to be more fleshed out and there’s some quite interesting back story coming into play. The minus would be the radical re-characterisation of the protagonist after episode 1.

Sagrada Reset (Episode 5)

While Sagrada remains very intriguing, it is becoming increasingly problematic in terms of delivery (and it already had enough problems with characterisation and pacing so it really didn’t need to add in any more issues). There’s still hope that this show might be quite good but episodes 4 and 5 have kind of left me thinking this show is going to end up more of a failed attempt at something and I’m not sure yet what that something is.

Exorcist18

Okay, I Guess

The Royal Tutor (Episode 5)

This one is now firmly entrenched. Much like The Laughing Salesman, this is pretty set in its position. There’s certainly the mystery of who Heine is that could become quite an interesting plot point, or the show might just give us more semi-funny/semi-sweet family moments between the princes and either way I’ll probably enjoy it enough but it isn’t really making me fall in love with it. Definitely watchable and cute, but that’s all.

The Silver Guardian (Episode 6)

This show is surprisingly decent. It would be better, I think, just to watch it in one hit. Given the short run time on each episode and the fact that it is one continuous story, watching it in a binge fashion would probably make it far more entertaining, but at episode 6 this is actually pretty okay.

The Laughing Salesman (Episode 5)

While I think other shows will bounce either above or below this title, it is pretty set in its position at this point. There are a few interesting ideas that might later be explored or it may remain episodic and either way this is watchable but not exceptional.

Granblue Fantasy (Episode 6)

There’s only so many times you can say that something is mostly harmless before you realise it really is just bland and there’s not a lot of reason to continue watching. That said, I won’t drop this show, but it is certainly falling down the list, not because the quality got any worse, but just because I get a little less enjoyment from this particular slice of nothing each week.

Grimoire of Zero (Episode 4)

Episode 4 is kind of good in building tension and drawing the audience in to anticipating what is coming, but doesn’t really do anything else (we learn a tiny bit more about magic and some of the character background but not in any depth). This series remains watchable and there are a few signs that it might be able to build a half decent narrative, but at the moment is still just kind of nothing.

Alice & Zoroku (Episode 5)

Mid-season final battle? Kind of felt like they were wrapping up the whole story in this one episode so wondering what the plan is going forward. More importantly, one of the reasons I actually wanted to keep going with this show, to find out what the whole shady organisation was up to, kind of just got punctured and tossed to the side. They could revive this plot line but it seems like they effectively shoved it to the side in favour or Sana learning how to be a cute girl who sings to plants.

Tattoo6

They Made This

Sword Oratoria (Episode 4)

Episode 3 I nearly dropped this into this category and at episode 4, while I am really close to just outright dropping this, my questions about why this even exists remain. Ais is so incredibly boring. Loki as a goddess is absurd (even more than Hestia because at least Hestia was kind of amusing and cute even while clearly being fanservice bait and little else). None of the other characters have given me any reason to care about them. And what is the story? DanMachi it was clear that Bell wanted to be a hero and an adventurer (even if part of his motive was to pick up girls). The story was about him getting stronger. Every episode contributed in some way to his growth as a character and every encounter led to that outcome. What is Sword Oratoria about? Girls who don’t understand the function of armour wandering about and occasionally fighting monsters? This is an unfocussed mess and I am nearly done with it.

gangsta6

Tried and Dropped

Tsukigakirei (Episode 2)

Eromanga Sensei (Episode 2)

Armed Girls Machiavellism (Episode 2)

Sakura Quest (Episode 1)

Love Tyrant (Episode 1)

Clockwork Planet (Episode 1)

Which sequels are you watching and which ones have made the strongest impressions on you so far?

Are you a fan of 100WordAnime.blog?

If you like this site and you like what I do, consider becoming a patron.

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Thanks,

Karandi James.

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Spring 2017 Week 4

Posted on by Karandi

Pretty sure the watch list is set at this point. There’s a handful of shows that I’m still kind of thinking about dropping even though we’ve past the three episode point. I guess it really depends when they push me past being just kind of bored with them into disliking them. The rest of the shows I am most likely going to finish. Though with 8 shows as either Must Watch or Usually Entertaining I’m really enjoying Spring so far. That said, with writing anniversary posts, some of the shows I watch on Sunday haven’t been watched yet or updated on this list. Will fix that for next week. How are you enjoying the Spring season?

As always, I would love to know your thoughts on the shows this season so please leave a comment below.

yuri10d

Must Watch

Natsume Yuujinchou 6 (Episode 3)

Natsume continues to be its usual self and was just the fun and relaxing watch I needed this week. Still no complaints about how this season has started as it is very much what I would have expected going into yet another season of Natsume.

Kado: The Right Answer (Episode 4)

After saying this show was not in any kind of a rush, episode 4 felt like it was speeding along nicely. Events are fully in motion (I guess you can’t offer humanity infinite energy and have them just sitting around). This story continues to be fairly intriguing and quite clever, though it is still very dialogue driven and there is quite a heavy political focus at times.

The Eccentric Family Season 2 (Episode 3)

Benten is back! Okay, that statement alone would probably be enough to keep me going another week with this as a must watch regardless of how scattered or absent any kind of overall plot has been so far. Throw into the mix Nidaime’s very cool personality and to be honest I’m pretty happy to forget about the Tanuki and focus on those two for awhile. Still, it will be interesting to see what Yasaburo chooses for his next move after all of this.

Attack on Titan Season 2 (Episode 4)

Okay, it took 4 episodes but Attack on Titan is getting better each week. The slow start to this season is paying off as more and more pieces are coming together and the show is finding its pacing and tone. I really enjoyed episode 3 and episode 4 was better. Hoping this can maintain for the remainder of the season. Plus, the opening song is finally growing on me.

days11

Usually Entertaining

My Hero Academia Season 2 (Episode 18)

The kids have gone all out with their quirks during the second part of the cavalry battle and, despite the lack of danger being faced, they managed to build some real tension in those final moments. Again, this season continues to be entertaining and enjoyable even if it is also fairly predictable.

Sagrada Reset (Episode 4)

Episode 4 was somewhat less satisfying and has given me some concerns about the intended future of this show. There’s still a lot to think about in terms of what it is doing and where it is going, but for the first time, this show felt like it was rushing to get information out to the audience and as a result it all just felt kind of messy.

WorldEnd (Episode 3)

Much better third episode. After the weak second entry I was kind of fearing that I’d have to drop this show down. While the first episode was great without a decent follow up that’s all it would be, a great first episode. Third episode put some of those fears to rest by dealing fairly decently with the characters and pushing the story along a bit. Hopefully this show can continue to build from this beginning.

Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor (Episode 4)

Akashic Records has finally moved from Okay to Usually Entertaining and other than the entirety of episode 1 and Glenn as a character, the rest of this show is quite entertaining (and even Glenn has his moments, I just personally have issues with him). Kind of looking forward to how the rest of this show plays out and still wondering what they have in mind for an end game.

Exorcist18

Okay, I Guess

The Royal Tutor (Episode 4)

Last week I said that I wasn’t really interested in this show, but episode 4 finally feels like we’ve past the introductions and I did find myself quite enjoying this episode. It still isn’t really my kind of thing, but it has its own appeal and this week I found quite a few sweet or funny moments to enjoy. Unless it takes a serious nose dive in quality, this one may end up in the usually entertaining category because even though it really isn’t my thing, it is working hard to win me over.

Granblue Fantasy (Episode 4)

Last week I said, “There’s no reason for me to drop this but little reason to recommend it”. I’m just going to leave that as my description of the show at this point. It is working well enough but it isn’t exactly great.

The Laughing Salesman (Episode 4)

This has pretty much settled here. It is okay to watch and fun while its on but it isn’t exactly blowing me away with any particular element. It is 20 minutes each week I will enjoy and then I’ll probably forget about it until the next week.

Grimoire of Zero (Episode 3)

It didn’t get any worse this week, and as an individual episode the third one was probably the most interesting. However, the world and overall plot of this story remain pretty flat and as I am only passingly interested in the characters there really isn’t a lot of appeal in this show. Still sounds like it should be far more interesting than it is.

Alice & Zoroku (Episode 4)

I realised that at this point I don’t care about this show or its characters. There’s a tiny part of me still vaguely curious about where they are going with this whole dreams of Alice thing which is why I haven’t dropped this, but I’m not emotionally invested in the slightest. This realisation came as I watched twenty minutes of a young girl being treated cruelly after being kidnapped and not once did I care about whether she was rescued or not. I legitimately felt nothing for her plight. This one may not survive the whole season because usually this level of detachment comes right before I start making excuses to avoid watching the next episode.

The Silver Guardian (Episode 4)

This finally clawed its way out of the ‘They Made This’ category as it finally looks like they are actually going to tell the story they promised us at the start of episode 1. All and all, episode 4 was a pretty interesting episode (not great by any means but compared to episodes 2 and 3 it was pretty good). If the show actually builds from there it might even become passably entertaining.

Sword Oratoria (Episode 3)

Sword Oratoria is dangerously close to hitting the ‘They Made This’ category, because really, why did they make this? They’ve given us no new perspective on Ais, there’s no actual plot being constructed yet, the events that have been retold have been less satisfying from the new viewpoint, and even if we ignore that this is a spin off and simply view it as an entirely new show, it is still flat and uninteresting. The couple of seconds of entertainment that you gain from seeing Bell or hearing a line from the original show, does not make up for the rest of the episode.

Tattoo6

They Made This

Nothing at the moment that I’m watching.

gangsta6

Tried and Dropped

Tsukigakirei (Episode 2)

Eromanga Sensei (Episode 2)

Armed Girls Machiavellism (Episode 2)

Sakura Quest (Episode 1)

Love Tyrant (Episode 1)

Clockwork Planet (Episode 1)

And now the shows have made their initial impressions and are pushing on with their stories. Which plot has you most interested this season?

Are you a fan of 100WordAnime.blog?

If you like this site and you like what I do, consider becoming a patron.

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Thanks,

Karandi James.

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Spring 2017 Week 3

Posted on by Karandi

The Spring season continues to be entertaining, which is great afer the relatively slow Winter season. My list is pretty much consolidated now though there are still a handful of shows that I’m not convinced I’ll watch through to the end. That said, I have 15 shows at the moment that I’m going to be reviewing episodically this season. Looking forward to what everyone else has decided to follow.

As always, I would love to know your thoughts on the shows this season so please leave a comment below.

yuri10d

Must Watch

Natsume Yuujincho 6 (Episode 2)

So sweet. Okay, I loved this episode as it kind of touched on everything I love about the Natsume series and following on from such a great first episode, this season is really starting well. Absolutely love this series.

Kado: The Right Answer (Episode 3)

This show is definitely in no rush to move the plot along. It is taking its time with each scene and the waiting in between. Rather than finding this dull or boring, I’m actually finding that it is adding to the tension of watching. There’s so many answers you are waiting for and hoping the next conversation will reveal. While not everyone is going to love the pace of this, there’s a fairly compelling story being set up here.

The Eccentric Family Season 2 (Episode 2)

Episode 2 introduces yet more characters and plot threads into the mix and this really feels like it is going to go the same path as season 1 where lots of ideas slowly develop before coming together at the end (or at least lets hope they do). Pretty much is you enjoyed the humour and tone of season 1, season 2 is much the same (which means I’m having a lot of fun with it so far).

Attack on Titan Season 2 (Episode 4)

Okay, it took 4 episodes but Attack on Titan is getting better each week. The slow start to this season is paying off as more and more pieces are coming together and the show is finding its pacing and tone. I really enjoyed episode 3 and episode 4 was better. Hoping this can maintain for the remainder of the season. Plus, the opening song is finally growing on me.

days11

Usually Entertaining

Sagrada Reset (Episode 3)

Given my episode review on this took me clear over 500 words and I still wasn’t sure I’d said everything I wanted to and given right now I’m desperately awaiting the next episode, I had to move this up the list. It isn’t highly recommendable given the incredibly slow pace and unrelatable characters, but I’m really enjoying picking at the mysteries being presented and still trying to piece together where this story is going. Part of me kind of wishes they’d started with episode 3 and just filled in some of the blanks rather than having us sit through the first two episode before jumping two years.  This episode really got the story moving and while the characters still have as much personality as your standard talking toaster, when they are surrounded by intrigue you can kind of get behind the pair.

My Hero Academia Season 2 (Episode 17)

I’m feeling that while I’m going to mostly enjoy watching this season, a common complaint is going to be whether or not we actually needed to watch something. There are so many scenes and conversations where I just have to wonder what they are adding to overall character development or plot and mostly they aren’t. They are just there getting us from A to B but we could have easily skipped straight over it and just figured out that a conversation or a scene had happened without watching it. Still, it is good fun even if it isn’t the most compelling viewing.

WorldEnd (Episode 2)

This second episode wasn’t bad, but it definitely had a lot more work to do filling in story than episode 1, and as a result, it wasn’t as interesting. That said, there is still quite a bit of promise in this show and I’m hoping now that its gotten through some of its explanations we can move forward.

Exorcist18

Okay, I Guess

Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor (Episode 3)

So this went from the bottom of this category to the to and if it keeps going I may have to move it to usually entertaining. The various fights around the school were well done with enough variety that it didn’t feel like Glenn was just pulling the same trick on each villain. Admittedly, that final win was a bit convenient, but it is only episode 3 so I guess you can’t go killing off your title character.

Sword Oratoria (Episode 2)

And down it goes. To be honest, I enjoyed this episode less than the episodes of Alice & Zoroku and Granblue Fantasy, however Sword Oratoria still gets a few points for being a spin-off of a show I loved. Still, once we get past episode 3 if the series hasn’t managed to find its own feet (or anything of interest to present) I can see this show diving well to the bottom of my watch list. This second episode was almost painfully dull to watch as it contained everything I didn’t like about DanMachi and none of things I did enjoy.

Alice & Zoroku (Episode 3)

Right, so this is staying on my watch list but it is pretty ordinary. The ideas are good (or at least interesting) but the narrative and tone aren’t settling as we jump around and it makes the viewing experience less than thrilling. I get some people will be enjoying this more but I’m finding myself bored during the comedic stretches and less than impressed with the attempts at drama.

Granblue Fantasy (Episode 4)

Last week I said, “There’s no reason for me to drop this but little reason to recommend it”. I’m just going to leave that as my description of the show at this point. It is working well enough but it isn’t exactly great.

The Laughing Salesman (Episode 3)

I don’t think this will ever come up on my list of must watch anime and even saying it is entertaining is a stretch. What it does is formulaic cautionary tales but there’s something satisfying about watching it. The visuals aren’t great (but they are consistent), and with the exception of the Salesman there aren’t any recurring characters so character development is non-existent. That said, this is twenty minutes of viewing where I can switch off and happily watch and let the story just kind of roll over me and sometimes that’s enough to get out of a show.

Grimoire of Zero (Episode 2)

This one is slowly moving downward. There’s still a possibility that after it gets through these early episodes it will pick up, but to be honest, I’m not very impressed so far. It really sounds like it should be more fun than it is.

The Royal Tutor (Episode 3)

The Royal Tutor isn’t badly done. It’s perfectly nice to look at, the jokes are there and only a few are actually cringe worthy, and the characters are slowly but surely taking shape. That said, I am watching this with about as much interest as I watch the sports section of the morning news at this point, which is I’ll sit through it because it is there but barely remember it once it leaves the screen. One more episode (I say this week and probably for the next three weeks after that).

The Silver Guardian (Episode 4)

This finally clawed its way out of the ‘They Made This’ category as it finally looks like they are actually going to tell the story they promised us at the start of episode 1. All and all, episode 4 was a pretty interesting episode (not great by any means but compared to episodes 2 and 3 it was pretty good). If the show actually builds from there it might even become passably entertaining.

Tattoo6

They Made This

Nothing at the moment that I’m watching.

gangsta6

Tried and Dropped

Tsukigakirei (Episode 2)

Eromanga Sensei (Episode 2)

Armed Girls Machiavellism (Episode 2)

Sakura Quest (Episode 1)

Love Tyrant (Episode 1)

Clockwork Planet (Episode 1)

Week 3 over – what made it onto your watch list for the season?

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If you like this site and you like what I do, consider becoming a patron.

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Thanks,

Karandi James.

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Spring 2017 Week 2

Posted on by Karandi

While there are still a handful of shows I’m sitting on the fence about, for the most part I know what I’m going to watch for the season and I’ll have a final list by next week. One thing I know is that I am more excited about the possibilities for a lot of shows this season than I was during the Winter season so I’m really hoping they live up to their potential.

I’ve loved reading everyone else’s initial impressions of Spring. Seems like a lot of shows have been very hit and miss for some people with some raving over them and others instantly walking away, but there’s a lot of great conversations happening as people share their views and make their choices. Looking forward to watching the rest of the season and following along as others watch their shows of choice.

As always, I would love to know your thoughts on the shows this season so please leave a comment below.

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Must Watch

Natsume Yuujincho 6 (Episode 1)

This is kind of no-brainer given I’ve already watched 5 seasons of it. This is my total relax/calming show and I love watching the characters as they go about their lives. This first episode does exactly what you would expect of Natsume (and if you haven’t watched the previous seasons you should really give them a go). I know Natsume is unlikely to be my best show of the season (it’s a little too low key for that) but I’m starting it here because this show just makes me so happy.

Kado: The Right Answer (Episode 2)

The complaint I made last time about little actual progress probably remains, however, I was really into this episode and felt profoundly disappointed when it ended. The show has definitely set up some good intrigue during these first episodes, whether it continues until the end of the series is another story, but for now this stays a must watch.

The Eccentric Family Season 2 (Episode 1)

While this show is a bit different for me (slice of life following a tanuki with a heavy comedy focus) I can’t deny that I found season 1 thoroughly charming. Season 2’s first episode delivers more of the same though offers little to anyone not already familiar with the characters or story so far given it provides almost no recap and only very briefly introduces the characters before plunging straight into a new conflict.

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Usually Entertaining

WorldEnd (Episode 1)

I know that isn’t the full title but forget that; there’s no way I’m typing that every week. Anyway, this is almost a cute overload but somehow managed to land on the charming side with just enough intrigue that I’ll ignore the couple of innuendos that made me wince and the clear cliché riddled territory we seem to be heading into for episode 2. I really enjoyed this first episode so hopefully it can continue to charm.

Attack on Titan Season 2 (Episode 3)

Attack on Titan might even make it to a must watch if it keeps actually investigating some of the mysteries and inconsistencies in the world that appeared in season 1. Season 1 was very action focussed and reactionary, which while spectacular left me feeling a little over it by the end. Season 2 so far seems to be trying to fill in some of the gaps in the world building as well as build some fairly decent mystery into the story. That said, it could all come tumbling down again and we could go back to shouting characters and violence, which is still entertaining but not must see.

Sword Oratoria (Episode 1)

As much as I was excited for this title and a return to this world, the protagonist of this spin-off is boring. Okay, she fights well with a sword and they are definitely setting up tragic backstory for her, but that doesn’t make her any more interesting to watch and clearly the show knows it given how little screen time she got in the first episode (one scene she got was a bath scene where she mostly just stood moping in water). Still loving the world and the dungeon in this series, really excited to see some familiar faces, but if this is going to move higher on the list then the Ais is going to have to step up.

My Hero Academia Season 2 (Episode 16)

Midoriya still hasn’t used his quirk but they did manage to give us that sense of over the top fun in episode 16 that  I enjoyed during season 1. So while I’m still a bit critical of the direction this is going, I had a smile on my face during most of episode 16. Hopefully the show can consistently give us more of these moments.

Sagrada Reset (Episode 2)

I just don’t know. Something interesting happened toward the end of episode 2, which shook the episode from just kind of going through the motions to being genuinely intriguing but the slow pace of the delivery and the robotic characters are going to wear thin sooner rather than later. Plus, why do we now have a 2 year time skip? Okay, I just don’t know. I’m intrigued more than entertained and I’m not yet ready to drop this one down any further but I’m not sure I’d recommend this as a watch to anyone.

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Okay, I Guess

Grimoire of Zero (Episode 1)

While there was nothing wrong with this as a first episode it just wasn’t particularly exciting. A lot of exposition and introductions with a vague set up for the story. Despite that, there’s certainly the possibility of this getting quite interesting (or becoming really generic). We’ll see how it goes.

Alice & Zoroku (Epsidoe 2)

Episode 2 is leaning firmly toward a cutesy slice of life style and while the poor CG was gone, the animation isn’t anything to write home about. There’s nothing really wrong with being cute or slice of life, but I’m not overly interested in it. That said, I am still wanting to know a bit more about these dreams of Alice so from a curiosity point of view I’m not dropping this just yet.

Granblue Fantasy (Episode 3)

Generic and ordinary seem to be the buzz words for this show. Nothing wrong with episode 3 but no real excitement or anything of interest either (which you know we have swords, magic, airships and an entire army in this episode so why can’t it be exciting). There’s no reason for me to drop this but little reason to recommend it.

The Laughing Salesman (Episode 2)

Mindless was a good description of this last week as this week rolls out another two stories that pretty much follow the same formula established in episode 1. I think we’re going to need something to shake things up in episode 3 or I may not make it to episode 4.

The Royal Tutor (Episode 2)

Really my opinion of this hasn’t changed much. It is perfectly watchable but definitely not my usual genre and a lot of the comedy is missing the mark for me. I’m interested enough to go a third episode but this one is definitely heading toward being dropped.

Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor (Episode 2)

Why didn’t they start with this? Okay, I still hate the main character and given the outfits the girls are in and the fact that we’ve had an attempted rape 2 episodes in isn’t promising, but this second episode actually seemed to realise it was supposed to do more than just roll out lazy clichés and kind of delivered a semi-compelling plot in amongst the less desirable parts. And tragically it introduced an idea about magic just interesting enough that dropping this is more or less off the table for now.

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They Made This

The Silver Guardian (Episode 3)

Pretty much this has become predictable but watchable nothingness. There’s not a single thing to recommend it from the three episodes it has aired, but there isn’t really any reason to hate it either. It just kind of is.

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Tried and Dropped

Tsukigakirei (Episode 2)

This is actually quite a good show and if you are into slow, middle school romances with shy lead characters it is worth checking out. That said, it isn’t my thing and the characters didn’t quite interest me enough to stay on board.

Eromanga Sensei (Episode 2)

While the first episode was kind of enjoyable even while there were some jokes that were a bit uncomfortable, episode 2 from minute 1 decides that having a cute girl discuss male anatomy and a younger sister throw a tantrum like a 2 year old is good enough for laughs. While the episode may have been getting to a point, I honestly don’t care.

Armed Girls Machiavellism (Episode 2)

Kind of figured this would end up here sooner or later. Unlike Akashic Records, the second episode of this is pretty happy to continue in the same tone as episode 1 which means it isn’t doing much other than bath scenes and various innuendos interspersed with some generic comedy and action.

Sakura Quest (Episode 1)

Love Tyrant (Episode 1)

Clockwork Planet (Episode 1)

And that is week 2 finished. Which show has surprised you the most so far?

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Thanks,

Karandi James.

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