Mid-Winter 2026 Anime Ranking

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This is a heavy season for us. So many great shows! Also a lot of content from my favourite seiyuu Umehara Yuuichirou, and a quite a few rock music OPs too. I’ll list some of the ones that caught my attention below.

01. [OSHI NO KO] Season 3 (Ep. 1-10)

OP: “TEST ME” by CHANMINA

(Streaming at HIDIVE and Crunchyroll)

02. Tamon’s B-Side (Tamon-kun Ima Docchi!?) (Ep. 1-11)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. Journal with Witch (Ikoku Nikki) (Ep. 1-11)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

04. Blue Miburo: Serizawa Assassination Arc (Ao no Miburo: Serizawa Ansatsu-hen) (Season 2, Ep. 1-12) – I’m so glad I didn’t drop this after the mediocre first season. Now that the set up is done, we can focus on the grown up members of the Miburo instead of the kids, and it is so much better!

Episode 5, “Firefly Glow,” featuring Okiku, was really powerful. It artfully humanized Serizawa and showed what kind of person he is, for better and for worse.

I do have some doubts and disbelief at the actions of some of the characters, namely Niimi and Hijikata, and ultimately I’m not sure if those are character problems or writing problems. But I appreciate that the show really makes me think about their motivations.

OP: “Blue Noise” by Ryōsuke Yamada

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. Isekai Office Worker: The Other World’s Books Depend on the Bean Counter (Isekai no Sata wa Shachiku Shidai) (Ep. 1-11) – Kondou is a workaholic with substance abuse tendencies. He wasn’t supposed to have been summoned to this other world, but since he’s here, he might as well balance their books, try to fix their miasma problem, and maybe find love!

This is isekai as I haven’t seen before. It’s BL. It actually has well-written characters and a well-rounded story line. Pretty impressive.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. You and I Are Polar Opposites (Seihantai na Kimi to Boku) (Ep. 1-10)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. TRIGUN STARGAZE (Season 2 of TRIGUN STAMPEDE, Ep. 13-22)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

08. Hana-Kimi (Hanazakari no Kimitachi e) (Ep. 1-11) – I was watching this show just casually, not caring much about Mizuki pretending to be a boy, or whether Sano would high jump again. But at some point, I realized how much I like Nanba-senpai! He’s got the looks, the voice, and he cracks me up!

I bumped this classic shoujo title up quite a few notches, more than it deserves, because I actually found myself looking forward to watching it.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

09. Love Through a Prism (PRISM RONDO) (Ep. 1-11)

(Streaming at Netflix)

10. DARK MOON: THE BLOOD ALTAR (DARK MOON: Tsuki no Saidan) (Ep. 1-9)

OP: “One In A Billion（Japanese Ver.)” by ENHYPEN

ED2: “Fatal Trouble” by ENHYPEN

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

11. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Sousou no Frieren) Season 2 (Ep. 1-8)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll and Netflix)

12. In the Clear Moonlit Dusk (Uruwashi no Yoi no Tsuki) (Ep. 1-10)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

13. A Gentle Noble’s Vacation Recommendation (Odayaka Kizoku no Kyuuka no Susume.) (Ep. 1-10) – The way almost everyone who encounters Lizel becomes obsessed with him is admittedly amusing, but other than that, this show is about nothing?

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

14. Chained Soldier (Mato Seihei no Slave) Season 2 (Ep. 1-11) – Still a fun show, don’t get me wrong. But whereas last season they took great pains to justify the sex and nudity through actual plot, this time around it is more graphic, largely gratuitous, and occasionally crosses the line into assault.

OP: “Hikari yo, Boku ni.” by Akari Kitō

(Streaming at HIDIVE)

15. The Villiainess Is Adored by the Crown Prince of the Neighboring Kingdom (Akuyaku Reijou wa Ringoku no Outaishi ni Dekiai sareru) (Ep. 1-10) – Both of the leads are sweet, sure, but maybe too sweet? Over time, Tiara’s voice and face started to get on my nerves. And just in case you thought I automatically love every character that Ume gives voice to, it isn’t true; Aqua here, is way too bland to inspire feelings of any kind.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

16. Oedo Fire Slayer -The Legend of Phoenix- (Hikuidori: Ushuu Boro Tobi-gumi) (Ep. 1-8) – I came warned that the CG animation was atrocious, but I think that was an exaggeration. Mostly they just stand around talking, and that looks passable. What’s really lacking is the unimaginative action/firefighting scenes, where they’re still just standing around talking. This ain’t no Firefighter Daigo!

I want to know what tools and equipment were available to them in those times. When there was a fire, they literally just took off running? How did they transport their equipment, get their water? It seems like their main tactic to contain a fire was to tear down the nearby buildings. What support was given to the people who were left homeless? The one guy who complained was knocked down a peg or two, but he had a valid point? And what about that time they broke into a private storehouse for materials to put out a blaze – that was somehow okay?

Seriously, about the only thing this has in common with Firefighter Daigo is how preachy it is!

OP: “Hamidashi Gomen” by Porno Graffitti

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Mid-Autumn 2025 Anime Ranking

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01. The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity (Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku) (Ep. 5-11) – The opposite-side-of-the-tracks friendship/romance between Rintarou and Kaoruko sparks character growth for both of them, as well as for their friend groups. It’s an incredibly solid piece of work, full of positivity.

Anime is often not the place to find good parenting on display. Rintarou’s mom, Kyouko, is a different breed; she is really supportive and amazing.

(Streaming at Netflix)

02. SPY x FAMILY Season 3 (Ep. 38-46) – After many episodes of light confections, SPY x FAMILY finally serves up some meat! The long-overdue flashback story of Twilight’s youth did a lot to renew our interest in the show. And the bus hijacking arc was a great showcase for many characters, especially Anya and Damien.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. Mechanical Marie (Kikaijikake no Marie) (Ep. 1-11) – Marie takes on a job as a maid and bodyguard, but has to pretend to be a robot because her new master has severe trust issues. It’s all pretty absurd, but also sufficiently funny and quite sweet. For example, the way Arthur always carries a bunch of extra AA batteries for Marie – it’s a stupid recurring joke, but ultimately it shows that he values her and really cares for her.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

04. Tojima Wants to Be a Kamen Rider (Toujima Tanzaburou wa Kamen Rider ni Naritai) (Ep. 1-10) – Ugly as heck. Imagine a bunch of grown adults with incurable chuunibyo syndrome, finding out their fantasies are real. The anime is fairly well written, it’s amusing, and sometimes even thoughtful, but some of the fights are too long.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. Dad is a hero, Mom is a spirit, I’m a reincarnator. (Chichi wa Eiyuu, Haha wa Seirei, Musume no Watashi wa Tenseisha.) (Ep. 1-11)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota (Kao ni Denai Kashiwada-san to Kao ni Deru Oota-kun) (Ep. 1-10)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. May I Ask for One Final Thing? (Saigo ni Hitotsu dake Onegai shitemo Yoroshii deshou ka) (Ep. 1-10) – The idea of a high society lady who loves to brawl is certainly novel. And Scarlet looks so cool too, so at first this anime seemed like a lot of fun. But somehow the storytelling doesn’t flow well; there are revelations out of nowhere, like they’re trying to force some depth into the plot. And yet, Scarlet still acts like she can solve all their problems with only her fists.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

08. Li’l Miss Vampire Can’t Suck Right (Chanto Suenai Kyuuketsuki-chan) (Ep.1-8) – This anime really doesn’t do anything for me. I don’t get the attraction of Luna. So she actually turns chibi for real when she tries to suck blood? And why is the male lead always missing the lower half of his facial features?

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Mid-Summer 2025 Anime Ranking

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01. TO BE HERO X (Tu Bian Yingxiong X) (Ep. 14-24)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

02. Leviathan (Ep. 1-10)

(Streaming at Netflix)

03. The Summer Hikaru Died (Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu) (Ep. 1-10)

(Streaming at Netflix)

04. Betrothed to My Sister’s Ex (Zutaboro Reijou wa Ane no Moto Konyakusha ni Dekiai sareru) (Ep. 1-9)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. KAIJU No. 8 (Kaijuu 8-gou) (Ep. 13-21)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. Anne Shirley (Ep. 14-22)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. DAN DA DAN (Ep.13-22)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll and Netflix)

08. My Dress-Up Darling (Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru) (ep. 13-22)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

09. Scooped Up by an S-Rank Adventurer! (Yuusha Party wo Tsuihou sareta Shiromadoushi, S-Rank Boukensha ni Hirowareru: Kono Shiromadoushi ga Kikakugai Sugiru) (Ep. 1-10)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Also Started:

The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity (Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku) (Streaming at Netflix)

Notable Drops:

TOUGEN ANKI (Ep. 1-7) – Too violent. Terrorizing, murdering of children never feels like entertainment to me. Atempts at humour were frequently tone-deaf.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Secrets of the Silent Witch (Silent Witch: Chinmoku no Majo no Kakushigoto) (Ep. 1-8) – Not exactly bad, but the storytelling was clumsy, and we lost interest.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

CALL OF THE NIGHT Season 2 (Ep. 1) – Tried to keep an open mind, but all the worst elements of season 1 were still there; and worse, it felt like a goddamn SHAFT anime, complete with Sayonara, Zetsubo-sensei reference.

Mid-Spring 2025 Anime Ranking

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01. LAZARUS (Ep. 1-10) – The world is going to end for humanity, after a scientist reveals his widely used pain-relief drug, Hapna, is actually a ticking time bomb. A group of misfits is tasked to find him, with the goal of obtaining an antidote.

I really like that Axel’s parkour and prison breaks are believable because his inability to stay still for long is so well-demonstrated. Miyano Mamoru is a natural fit in the lead role here. In general, the characters and voice acting are great. And the action scenes – wow, truly phenomenal!

I wish they would give Hersch a more generic outfit though. Her usual clothes are too distinctive (and ugly) to wear every day.

Other criticisms: There are maybe a few too many coincidences. And there is a strange, dreamlike, lack of urgency to everyone. Why would people go so out of their way to protect their own agendas when everyone is going to die?

Regardless, this sort of anime is my jam, and I look forward to it every week!

02. TO BE HERO X (Tu Bian Yingxiong X) (Ep. 1-11) – The narrative consists of individual story arcs with no clear connection so far. Additionally, the order in which they are presented is not even linear. Anyway, the stories are good, and intriguing, though I fear I may need to re-watch once I know what’s actually going on.

Going in, I was a bit unsure about the CG animation, but there was no need to be wary as it looks really good.

The soundtrack, including the OP and ED, are great! Sawano Hiroyuki delivers again!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. KOWLOON Generic Romance (Ep. 1-10) – The retro setting seems at odds with the modern-day devices and futuristic object floating in the sky. And the main character might be a clone? Kowloon Generic Romance is definitely unique and mysterious and very interesting.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

04. The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto 2nd Season) (Ep. 33-46) – The sheer amount of medical and scientific knowledge that Maomao possesses defies credibility, in my opinion. And it’s also quite the stretch that she’s kept her blinders on for so long about Jinshi’s secret, when she’s so morbidly curious about literally everything else.

Regardless, this show is consistently well-written and Maomao is a great lead. I am not personally watching for the potential romance aspect; but for those who are, there’s finally some development here.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. Anne Shirley (Ep. 1-10) – Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. Classic Canadiana, countless publications, TV and movie adaptations. Despite growing up in Canada, it all somehow eluded me. Typical story of my life: it took Japan to make a modern anime to reel me in!

Anne is really charming. This is basically a slice-of-life tale, but the story moves fast – each episode finds her about a year older!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. Rock is a Lady’s Modesty (Rock wa Lady no Tashinami deshite) (Ep. 1-11) – A pretty fun show about proper young ladies letting loose and being true to their heavy metal hearts. Also, because of how repressed they usually have to be, it’s understandable they find it refreshing to be able to cuss each other out too. However, I will posit that there’s a difference between blunt honesty and verbal abuse!

Real life metal band BAND-MAID not only provides the OP song, but also the music played by the girls; so it looks and sounds really authentic!

(Streaming at HIDIVE)

07. Apocalypse Hotel (Ep. 1-9) – The world has ended for humanity long ago, but the Gingarou Hotel in Ginza, run by robots, continues to operate, eventually providing hospitality to extra-terrestrial guests.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

08. The Gorilla God’s Go-To Girl (Gorilla no Kami kara Kago sareta Reijou wa Ouritsu Kishidan de Kawaigarareru) (Ep. 1-9) – I tend to have a soft spot for anime featuring super strong, female, reluctant heroes, and Gorilla God fits the mould. The supporting characters are sufficiently pleasant too.

I love that Sophia routinely gets different hairstyles and outfits depending on the situation. However, it is hard not to notice the increasing use of recycled footage otherwise.

The most annoying thing, well maybe it’s just a personal pet peeve, is that most of the characters’ names are derived from the animals they are blessed by. It makes no sense, since the blessings are not hereditary, and are not received until one is in their teens. It goes so far as to be a spoiler, since the show doesn’t reveal everyone’s animal god right away; but you know.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

09. The Shiunji Family Children (Shiunji-ke no Kodomotachi) (Ep. 1-9) – Okay, incest/harem anime are pretty far off the beaten path for me! If it weren’t for Umehara Yuuichirou in the starring role of Arata, I never would have found my way here. Surprisingly, it’s not nearly as trashy as I anticipated, partly because Arata is a decent guy and a good brother to his siblings. He is rightfully weirded out when his sisters start thinking of him as potential romantic partner material once they learn they are not blood-related.

Pure speculation, but don’t tell me Lala, the girl he actually likes, is his blood-related sibling for real. That would be groan-worthy; but it would serve as an ironclad reason he cannot end up with her, and he has to consider looking in-house instead!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

10. I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire! (Ore wa Seikan Kokka no Akutoku Ryoushu!) (Ep. 1-4 + select episodes only) – This isekai sci-fi comedy is gratuitous and somewhat misogynistic. It does have its humorous moments, but I really cannot recommend this show! I only started watching because of my sister. And she only watched because Hirose Yuya plays a bit part. It got to the point where she was checking the end credits for his name before deciding whether or not to continue each episode.

I expected Shiunji Family Children to be trash, but it was not even close compared to I’m the Evil Lord.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Mid-Winter 2025 Anime Ranking

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01. Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (Chi. Chikyuu no Undou ni Tsuite) (Ep. 15-24) – This second cour, with almost all new characters, is not quite as engaging as the first, but the storytelling remains top-class.

(Streaming at Netflix)

02. Rurouni Kenshin -Meiji Kenkaku Romantan- Kyoto Disturbance (Kyoto Douran) (Ep. 37-45) – Saito Hajime, and company, stop the burning of Kyoto.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. ZENSHU. (Ep. 1-9) – If you get the numerous references to other anime, I think there’s an extra level of enjoyment possible. To be honest, a lot of them are over my head; but I’m still enjoying this isekai, starring an anime director, a great deal!

Episode 4 was a stand-out. How true that having an oshi can be a life-affirming experience!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

04. The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) (Ep. 25-32)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated! (Akuyaku Reijou Tensei Ojisan) (Ep. 1-10)

(Streaming at HIDIVE)

06. Unnamed Memory Act.2 (Ep. 13-20) – Still as ridiculously fast-paced as the first season. Still I like it regardless of its significant flaws.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. Blue Box (Ao no Hako) (Ep. 13-21) – Props to Hina for being so forthright and decent. But the love triangle is dragging on a bit.

(Streaming at Netflix)

08. Blue Miburo (Ao no Miburo) (Ep. 13-20) – A younger Saito Hajime, and company, stop the burning of Kyoto.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

09. I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time (Guild no Uketsukejou desu ga, Zangyou wa Iya nanode Boss wo Solo Toubatsu Shiyou to Omoimasu) (Ep. 1-7) – I enjoy this more for the relatable and sweet characters than the one-note plot.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

10. Übel Blatt (Ep. 1-9) – The storytelling is poor and many plot developments in this revenge tale seem unintentionally funny. But who cares, right? My sister’s oshi, Hirose Yuya is voicing the lead character (and doing a fine job of it!) so we are watching avidly, and laughing when we feel like it.

(Streaming on Amazon Prime)

11. HONEY LEMON SODA (Ep. 1-8) – Shy, bullied Uka finds her saviour in heartthrob, and high-school Jesus, Kai. Full-on shoujo romances are not my thing, clearly. Kai doesn’t seem like a real person to me; and the pair of them have no chemistry.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Also watching, sort of:

My Happy Marriage (Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon) (S2 Ep. 1-5) – Whatever my thoughts on this potato of an MC and her wish-fulfillment protective fiancé, wow, the incredible scenery and all of Miyo’s gorgeous kimono are enough to make this worthwhile! (Streaming at Netflix)

Baban Baban Ban Vampire (Ep. 1-5) (Streaming at Netflix)

Mid-Autumn 2024 Anime Ranking

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It’s a season of blue-coded anime, apparently. I am watching Blue Box, BLUE LOCK, and Blue Miburo. If I was still following it, I could have been watching Blue Exorcist as well!

01. Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (Chi. Chikyuu no Undou ni Tsuite) (Ep. 1-12) – A fictionalized account of the perils faced by astronomers who realized the truth of heliocentrism during a time when the powers that be (ie, the Church) were politically and murderously committed to geocentrism.

The concepts raised here are surprisingly timeless. We might expect that we no longer have our heads in the sand when it comes to scientific progress, but clearly it has been shown time and time again that misinformation and mistrust are prevalent in any century.

(Streaming at Netflix)

02. Rurouni Kenshin -Meiji Kenkaku Romantan- Kyoto Disturbance (Kyoto Douran) (Ep. 25-35) – The Kyoto arc, unabridged. What more needs to be said?

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict (Sennen Kessen-hen -Soukoku-tan-) (S3 Ep. 1-10, Overall Ep. 27-36) – This third instalment of TYBW has been my favourite yet. Lots of major revelations and developments for the Soul Society Squad Captains and really nice animation to boot.

The OP is also remarkably gorgeous; I never skip it.

(Streaming at Hulu and Disney+)

04. Blue Box (Ao no Hako) (Ep. 1-11)

(Streaming at Netflix)

05. Nina the Starry Bride (Hoshifuru Oukoku no Nina) (Ep. 1-10)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. DAN DA DAN (Ep.1-11)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll and Netflix)

07. Blue Miburo (Ao no Miburo) (Ep. 1-8) – I’m no stranger to historical dramas about the Shinsengumi. This is right up my alley.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

08. BLUE LOCK 2nd Season (BLUE LOCK VS. U-20 JAPAN) (Ep. 25-34) – The Blue Lock project is put to the test in a pivotal game against the U-20 Team. It’s a shame that the animation quality is so very lacking this season, but the soccer is still as tense and over-the-top as always.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

09. Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii (Ep. 1-10) – Right off the bat, I found Kirishima to be a toxic and off-putting love interest, and I nearly dropped the show because of him. However, I did like Yoshino’s tough yet vulnerable personality. And maybe I was a little morbidly curious at how things would go.

Yakuza Fiancé is certainly an unconventional romance, to say the least. However, I did warm up to the characters and their relationships, even if I still had difficulty supporting the main romantic pairing.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

10. NEGATIVE POSITIVE ANGLER (NegaPosi Angler) (Ep. 1-11) – This one would normally be off my radar, but the word of mouth was good and plus, one of my sister’s oshis, Hirose Yuuya, has a role in it.

I don’t know, there’s something about fishing stories, they always put me to sleep. So the only way I can pay attention is if I’m multi-tasking, such as having dinner, at the same time. My sister, on the other hand, cannot eat while watching anything gross and slimy, so it has been interesting fitting this show into our schedule!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

11. The Healer Who Was Banished From His Party, Is, in Fact, the Strongest (Party kara Tsuihou sareta Sono Chiyushi, Jitsu wa Saikyou ni Tsuki) (Ep. 1-9) – Okay, out of the dozens of fantasy/isekai series on offer this season (and every season,) I selected this one to check out because of the voice talent. Specifically, Umehara Yuuichirou plays a supporting role. I wouldn’t say it’s bad, but it is pretty forgettable, and the animation quality is about on level with BLUE LOCK 2nd Season.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Mid-Summer 2024 Anime Ranking

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01. [OSHI NO KO] (Ep. 12-22)

(Streaming at HIDIVE)

02. YATAGARASU: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master (Karasu wa Aruji wo Erabanai) (Ep. 14-19)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. Suicide Squad ISEKAI (Ep. 1-10 complete)

(Streaming at Hulu)

04. Senpai is an Otokonoko (Senpai wa Otokonoko) (Ep. 1-11)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. Twilight Out of Focus (Tasogare Out Focus) (Ep. 1-11)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. The Magical Girl and The Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies (Katsute Mahou Shoujo to Aku wa Tekitai shiteita.) (Ep. 1-11)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. Egumi Legacy (Ep. 1-10) – Voice actor Eguchi Takuya’s unique character designs in glorious animation. To be honest, I’m not sure I get it, but this work is one of a kind, that’s for sure!

(Streaming at YouTube)

Notable Drops:

Delico’s Nursery (4 episodes) – Certainly, the message that child-rearing is as important a job as any other is a meaningful one. But I don’t know. When your other job is crime-solving, and people are out there dying while you and everyone on your team are changing diapers and looking after the kids, it does make me question your priorities.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

The Elusive Samurai (Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi) (3 episodes) – It was not bad, by any means; the animation especially, looked great. But I just felt too much discomfort reconciling the very violent and disturbing narrative elements (eg. torture and murder of children) with the comedic content. Well also we have a tendency to be less interested in action dramas starring child-protagonists.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Mid-Spring 2024 Anime Ranking

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01. KAIJU No. 8 (Kaijuu 8-gou) (Ep. 1-10) – After only one single episode, I already cared about Kafka and was convinced of his bond with Reno, even though the two of them just met each other. Week after week, KAIJU No. 8 continues to impress me with well-paced storytelling, detailed world-building, likeable characters, and brilliant humour.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

02. YATAGARASU: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master (Karasu wa Aruji wo Erabanai) (Ep. 1-8) – There are a lot of characters to keep up with in this historical drama with a fantastical spin, but once you get to know them, it is really engrossing and suspenseful. Basically, a deadly succession battle is going on between supporters of the Kingdom’s 2 princes, and it’s hard to tell who can be taken at face value and who is scheming something. It’s reasonable to suspect that probably everyone except Yukiya has a hidden agenda.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. Unnamed Memory (Ep. 1-10) – Undeniably, this is a pretty troubled adaptation. It seems like they are trying hard to cram an immense amount of story into a span of a single season. It’s actually kind of impressive that this anime is not a total incoherent mess!

In spite of its flaws, I still find I enjoy it a lot, mainly because I’m sold on Oscar and Tinasha. Whereas I often feel nothing for romance shows, such as A SIGN OF AFFECTION or My Happy Marriage as recent examples, I am surprised at how invested I am in this love story!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

04. Astro Note (Ep. 1-10) – By contrast, the storytelling and plot progression of Astro Note are top notch. The characters are eccentric but endearing, and I believe there are visual clues throughout that hint at future developments of the story.

We only started watching this sci-fi comedy because of Saito Soma hamming it up in the trailer, but it’s looking to be a cute and funny and satisfying series overall.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

05. OBLIVION BATTERY (Boukyaku Battery) (Ep. 1-9) – Speaking of hamming it up, here we have Miyano Mamoru as the quirky, amnesiac catcher in this baseball anime. OBLIVION BATTERY‘s character art is a little questionable, what with the tiny faces, small heads, and long necks. But the animation is kind of amazing and the show is pretty funny. Some parts, including the opening flashback sequence, are overwhelmingly melodramatic, but I’m going to assume those are meant to be funny too, because I was cracking up!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. Black Butler: Public School Arc (Kuroshitsuji: Kishuku Gakkou-hen) (Ep. 1-5)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. WIND BREAKER (Ep. 1-10) – At the start of the season, this was near the top of the list. The animation was impressive, the characters were likeable, plus omurice! 

I was wary though, when Shishitoren came calling and they all matched up for a big fight. Indeed what followed was episode after episode of largely pointless brawling, while our enthusiasm for WIND BREAKER evaporated. It’s basically the opposite problem of Unnamed Memory, in which huge conflicts are wrapped up in half an episode; these small conflicts don’t need to be half a season long.

Also, is it not weird that Furin High School is all plastered over with graffiti? The boys take such good care of their neighborhood; yet their school looks like that?!

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

08. Vampire Dormitory (Ep. 1-6) – Ah, this one’s pretty bad. It’s laughably ridiculous that Mito’s close contacts can’t figure out that she’s actually a girl; meanwhile a couple of random thugs on the street outed her in seconds! Her wig is so unbelievable! It would have been way less distracting if that was just her real hair.

In one episode, Mito up and leaves in the middle of work and doesn’t go back, and it’s okay? And what about that mixer that 8 people showed up for? Two walked off to speak privately, which was weird because the person they were talking about was actually present at the meeting, and then the mixer was totally forgotten. What kind of writing is this?

Also, how is it that Ren is so much more likeable than lead guy Ruka? Go ahead and count me for Team Ren.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM

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Released 2024

I admit, I’m terrible at telling mechas apart, so I was never a huge fan of the series’ battle scenes. I was surprised that even the director said in his introduction that battle scenes could seem “insipid” if there were too many, and unfortunately, for me this was already too much.

Maybe it’s just me not paying enough attention, or not recalling enough from the TV series, but I wished there was better explanation of their strategies. Like, they decide to let’s save Lacus – but how? And I didn’t get a good grasp of how the antagonists’ mind-control/mind-reading abilities worked.

Foundation needed Lacus’s support to make their plan a reality; but they didn’t even try to court her in earnest before resorting to underhanded methods. In general, I found all the villains to be too blatantly villainous.

I also personally thought the cheesy love stuff, and love triangle side plots, to be a bit overdone. I get that freedom of choice to love was being used as an analogy for freedom of life, but I guess I’m just particular in my enjoyment of love stories and this wasn’t my thing. For the record, I was invested in the Murrue x Mu romance back in SEED and the Cagalli x Athrun pairing during DESTINY.

There were things to like about the screening. Obviously it was pleasantly nostalgic to re-visit these iconic characters. But the biggest crowd-pleaser was when several of them got into a full-on fist-fight.

The first Gundam SEED anime used to air on YTV in the 2000s, so I’ve watched it all the way through at least twice. As the overall plot is very complex, I definitely got more out of it during subsequent viewings. The same could be true of this film, I suppose.

Mid-Winter 2024 Anime Ranking

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I’m adequately enjoying most of what we’re watching, however this is yet another season in which I have no clear favourites.

01. 7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! (Loop 7-kaime no Akuyaku Reijou wa, Moto Tekikoku de Jiyuu Kimama na Hanayome Seikatsu wo Mankitsu suru) (Ep. 1-9) – Riche says she won’t do any work, that she wants to live a carefree life. But all that means is she won’t do the official duties expected of the betrothed of royalty. In her idle time, she is working her butt off, fixing the economy, curing diseases, and trying to stop a war! And ultimately, she hopes to avoid suffering an untimely death yet again.

The Prince Theodore arc was weak, and strained my interest in the show a lot; but subsequently the narrative has picked back up, now that elements of Riche’s past lives are coming together.

For a villainess-do-over-genre anime, I wasn’t expecting anything special in the animation department, but 7th Time Loop has some pretty nice-looking fights. And the ballroom dancing scene was the best of the 3 shows in this category that we’re watching. Yes that’s right: 3! The others are Doctor Elise and Villainess Level 99; and yes they both happened to have a ballroom episode too. However, I think I prefer the more subdued colour palette of the other 2 anime.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

02. FRIEREN: Beyond Journey’s End (Sousou no Frieren) (Ep. 17-27) – With most anime, I usually find that the fights and action scenes don’t do that much for me; and I prefer the quieter character-building moments. It’s the opposite with FRIEREN, though. The fights are really interesting and smart, while the slice-of-life sequences come off as slightly boring.

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

03. The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) (Ep. 13-23)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

04. Chained Soldier (Mato Seihei no Slave) (Ep. 1-12) – My sister has a new Roman Empire, as it were (I just learned this phrase recently lol), and it’s seiyuu Hirose Yuya. So expect us to be watching more of his works going forward, starting with this raunchy harem anime, which is certainly outside our usual zone of interest.

Considering the ecchi and nudity, Chained Soldier is surprisingly not as exploitative as one might expect, since it’s the females who hold most of the power in this society. And yes, it’s actually pretty funny too.

(Streaming at HIDIVE)

05. Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss but I’m Not the Demon Lord (Akuyaku Reijou Level 99: Watashi wa Ura-Boss desu ga Maou dewa Arimasen (Ep. 1-9)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

06. Doctor Elise (Gekai Elise) (Ep.1-9)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

07. Mr. Villain’s Day Off (Kyuujitsu no Warumono-san) (Ep. 1-9)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

08. A SIGN OF AFFECTION (Yubisaki to Renren) (Ep. 1-8)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

09. The Witch and the Beast (Majo to Yajuu) (Ep. 1-7)

(Streaming at Crunchyroll)

ALSO STARTED:

HIGH CARD Season 2 (Ep. 13-17) (Streaming at Crunchyroll)

Classroom of the Elite III (Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e 3rd Season) (Ep. 1-6) (Streaming at Crunchyroll)