2021 Anime Review (New Show Edition)
As promised in my previous entry, here are my thoughts on many of the new shows (as in premiering in 2021 or late 2020) that I watched this year!
Osomatsu-san Season 3: I found this season to be much better than Season 2 (though Season 2 wasn't necessarily bad, it had a few lackluster moments). The premiere episode was absolutely insane, with the sextuplets having to take their show back from family-friendly/gender-balanced/globally diverse replacements (yes, there were three sets of replacements). The new robot characters, Shake and Ume, were cute, and I liked that their arc was about them finding their place in the show's world instead of changing the lives of the sextuplets. My two favorite episodes in the winter cour were probably Episodes 15 and 17. The former was a Tidbits episode with the sextuplets in varied roles, my favorite segment having Todomatsu as a judge who sentences Osomatsu to death for farting. The latter involved most of the cast competing to make a potato stew for Dekapan. The running gag of Jyushimatsu and Hatabou blowing themselves up never got old, and while I saw the ending gag coming a few minutes in advance, I still had to laugh.
Jujutsu Kaisen: This was a very exciting show to watch. I love that the school festival arc didn't bother with a fighting tournament and had the students play a baseball game instead. The comments about each student during the game were pretty funny, my favorite being Panda's dream of punching a zebra. The first cour had a much better OP and ED than the second; while the second OP was still good, I couldn't stand the second ED. Then again, I've never been much of a fan of slow songs.
Fruits Basket: The final season wasn't quite as good as the first two, probably due to the story being rushed. That being said, it was still a very good season. I'm not bothered by Akito's redemption, since it doesn't feel like everyone forgave her. I see Tohru's capacity for forgiveness as an ideal more than a requirement. I'm excited for the prequel movie focusing on Kyoko and Katsuya.
Don't Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro: I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected I would. Many people rag on the premise, but I noticed that Nagatoro grows with Senpai. While he learns to be more assertive, she learns the difference between playful teasing and bullying. One of my favorite moments is the fireworks scene, in which Senpai manages to tease Nagatoro right back.
The Promised Neverland: This was the biggest disappointment of the year. The animation was gorgeous, I liked the new characters, and I didn't even mind the story like some people did. Unfortunately, the pacing ruined everything. This could have been wonderful if they had just taken their time with it, perhaps splitting the story into two seasons. I should have known there was trouble when the story skipped six months, and again when a recap episode was announced midway through.
Dr. Stone: While The Promised Neverland's second season was a letdown, Dr. Stone's second season was a masterpiece. The animation was beautiful, the action was impressive, and I couldn't help but grow fond of Nikki and Ukyo, as well as Tsukasa's little sister Mirai. Speaking of Tsukasa, I definitely feel sorry for him, even though I'm glad his plans were stopped. I can't wait for the next arc to be animated.
Zombieland Saga Revenge: It was definitely great to see Franchouchou and Kotaro Tatsumi again. It was also great to learn more about Yuugiri. That post-credits scene in the final episode better be connected to the upcoming movie.
Cells at Work!!/Cells at Work BLACK: The second season of Cells at Work!! was surprisingly short. I don't think I've ever seen an anime season only last eight episodes. I did enjoy what we got, but the spinoff was more interesting.[Spoiler (click to open)]I should have expected one of the main characters to be killed off; that hit hard.
Shaman King: I enjoyed the first set of episodes more than other people did, but I would not recommend it to anyone who hasn't read the manga or watched the 2001 anime due to its fast pace. The second set was recently released on Netflix; I hope to start watching it soon.
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Season 2: Iruma-kun became one of my favorite anime from the very first episode, and this season was just as fun as the first. So many of the characters are what my friends and I call "good noodles;" the term is almost the same as "cinnamon roll." I'm very happy the show is getting a third season.
My Hero Academia Season 5: This season was definitely a dud compared to the previous four, but I don't think it was that bad overall. I enjoyed the competition between 1-A and 1-B, the only thing really bugging me being the realization that some 1-B students were recast. I wouldn't mind so much if I knew the reason for the recasting; was it COVID-related, budget-related, or agency-related? I also had no idea one of the filler episodes was a movie tie-in; I thought it was just a sequel to a Season 2 filler episode.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 2/The Slime Diaries: While I liked both of these, I preferred the gag spinoff. It really gave a chance for all the characters to shine, and the "Kamona Tempest" ED was fun to watch and listen to. As for the main series, I can't help but feel underwhelmed by Clayman's defeat, even knowing Rimuru got a major power-up.
The Great Jahy Will Not Be Defeated!: This was another very fun watch. The animation was a bit lacking, but the characters were great. My favorite characters were the pub manager and her younger sister, the landlady.
Mieruko-chan: This was also a bit of a disappointment, though unlike Promised Neverland, which started out strong and petered out as it raced to the finish, this show improved in the later half. The premise was interesting, but I became frustrated by the characters' actions. I would've given up with Episode 4 if it weren't for the twist at the end.
I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level: I almost gave up on this during the second episode, but one scene had me cracking up. I love the premise of an overpowered MC deciding not to bother with adventure and just focus on an easy life. I always skip the OP, though.
My Next Life as a Villainess X: A friend of mine didn't like this season as much due to some of the guys forcibly kissing Catarina. I liked the OP for this season much more than the first season's OP, so I was a bit annoyed that the latter song was used in the ending scenes for the finale.
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S: Ai no Supreme is hands-down the best OP of the year; I don't care what anyone else says. Every episode was cute and wholesome.
Fena: Pirate Princess: Crunchyroll heavily promoted this, so I had to take a look. The animation is amazing, as is the OP. The protagonist is a sweetheart, and the cast is excellent. That being said, I still have four episodes left. I've read that the final four episodes are controversial, but I'm optimistic they won't detract too much from my enjoyment of this series.
Battle Game in 5 Seconds: This was a fun one. The CG was jarring, but I really liked the characters. I like that the female lead, Yuuri, is essentially the dumb muscle. The main villain, Mion, is an obnoxious troll and I love it. If she were one of the good guys, she'd be insufferable, but as the villain, she's perfect. I get the feeling there isn't going to be a second season, though.
Obey Me!: A friend of mine (the same one who didn't like this season of Villainess) loves to play the mobile phone game and recommended the anime adaptation to me. Each episode is a short featuring the dumb brothers doing dumb things. As a fan of Osomatsu-san, I was easily able to get behind it. The only issue was Funimation's video player fucking up a few episodes for me, particularly the audio commentary episode.
The Vampire Dies in No Time: A bunch of friends were enjoying this one, so I checked it out around Thanksgiving and breezed through it. All the characters are great, but my favorite is John, Draluc's adorable armadillo familiar. I must give props to Mutsumi Tamura for making John so lovable with just "Nu" and "Nyu." Of course, the rest of the cast is top-notch; they even got Shigeru Chiba and Norio Wakamoto! The only real downside is that it gets a bit shouty at times, but it's otherwise a hilarious show. A second season has been confirmed, which makes me happy.
Stone Ocean: I'm only halfway through the first batch of episodes, but I'm very much enjoying it.
Komi Can't Communicate: This is such a cute little show. Komi, Tadano, and Agari are adorable, while the gender-ambiguous (or perhaps gender-flexible?) Najimi is an enjoyable troll.
Demon Slayer: As much as I loved the Mugen Train movie, I couldn't bring myself to watch more than 2 episodes of the TV version because only the first one really had new material. Maybe I'll go back and watch the other episodes after the Entertainment District arc is done. Speaking of that arc, I'm liking it so far.
Osomatsu-san Season 3: I found this season to be much better than Season 2 (though Season 2 wasn't necessarily bad, it had a few lackluster moments). The premiere episode was absolutely insane, with the sextuplets having to take their show back from family-friendly/gender-balanced/globally diverse replacements (yes, there were three sets of replacements). The new robot characters, Shake and Ume, were cute, and I liked that their arc was about them finding their place in the show's world instead of changing the lives of the sextuplets. My two favorite episodes in the winter cour were probably Episodes 15 and 17. The former was a Tidbits episode with the sextuplets in varied roles, my favorite segment having Todomatsu as a judge who sentences Osomatsu to death for farting. The latter involved most of the cast competing to make a potato stew for Dekapan. The running gag of Jyushimatsu and Hatabou blowing themselves up never got old, and while I saw the ending gag coming a few minutes in advance, I still had to laugh.
Jujutsu Kaisen: This was a very exciting show to watch. I love that the school festival arc didn't bother with a fighting tournament and had the students play a baseball game instead. The comments about each student during the game were pretty funny, my favorite being Panda's dream of punching a zebra. The first cour had a much better OP and ED than the second; while the second OP was still good, I couldn't stand the second ED. Then again, I've never been much of a fan of slow songs.
Fruits Basket: The final season wasn't quite as good as the first two, probably due to the story being rushed. That being said, it was still a very good season. I'm not bothered by Akito's redemption, since it doesn't feel like everyone forgave her. I see Tohru's capacity for forgiveness as an ideal more than a requirement. I'm excited for the prequel movie focusing on Kyoko and Katsuya.
Don't Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro: I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected I would. Many people rag on the premise, but I noticed that Nagatoro grows with Senpai. While he learns to be more assertive, she learns the difference between playful teasing and bullying. One of my favorite moments is the fireworks scene, in which Senpai manages to tease Nagatoro right back.
The Promised Neverland: This was the biggest disappointment of the year. The animation was gorgeous, I liked the new characters, and I didn't even mind the story like some people did. Unfortunately, the pacing ruined everything. This could have been wonderful if they had just taken their time with it, perhaps splitting the story into two seasons. I should have known there was trouble when the story skipped six months, and again when a recap episode was announced midway through.
Dr. Stone: While The Promised Neverland's second season was a letdown, Dr. Stone's second season was a masterpiece. The animation was beautiful, the action was impressive, and I couldn't help but grow fond of Nikki and Ukyo, as well as Tsukasa's little sister Mirai. Speaking of Tsukasa, I definitely feel sorry for him, even though I'm glad his plans were stopped. I can't wait for the next arc to be animated.
Zombieland Saga Revenge: It was definitely great to see Franchouchou and Kotaro Tatsumi again. It was also great to learn more about Yuugiri. That post-credits scene in the final episode better be connected to the upcoming movie.
Cells at Work!!/Cells at Work BLACK: The second season of Cells at Work!! was surprisingly short. I don't think I've ever seen an anime season only last eight episodes. I did enjoy what we got, but the spinoff was more interesting.[Spoiler (click to open)]I should have expected one of the main characters to be killed off; that hit hard.
Shaman King: I enjoyed the first set of episodes more than other people did, but I would not recommend it to anyone who hasn't read the manga or watched the 2001 anime due to its fast pace. The second set was recently released on Netflix; I hope to start watching it soon.
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Season 2: Iruma-kun became one of my favorite anime from the very first episode, and this season was just as fun as the first. So many of the characters are what my friends and I call "good noodles;" the term is almost the same as "cinnamon roll." I'm very happy the show is getting a third season.
My Hero Academia Season 5: This season was definitely a dud compared to the previous four, but I don't think it was that bad overall. I enjoyed the competition between 1-A and 1-B, the only thing really bugging me being the realization that some 1-B students were recast. I wouldn't mind so much if I knew the reason for the recasting; was it COVID-related, budget-related, or agency-related? I also had no idea one of the filler episodes was a movie tie-in; I thought it was just a sequel to a Season 2 filler episode.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 2/The Slime Diaries: While I liked both of these, I preferred the gag spinoff. It really gave a chance for all the characters to shine, and the "Kamona Tempest" ED was fun to watch and listen to. As for the main series, I can't help but feel underwhelmed by Clayman's defeat, even knowing Rimuru got a major power-up.
The Great Jahy Will Not Be Defeated!: This was another very fun watch. The animation was a bit lacking, but the characters were great. My favorite characters were the pub manager and her younger sister, the landlady.
Mieruko-chan: This was also a bit of a disappointment, though unlike Promised Neverland, which started out strong and petered out as it raced to the finish, this show improved in the later half. The premise was interesting, but I became frustrated by the characters' actions. I would've given up with Episode 4 if it weren't for the twist at the end.
I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level: I almost gave up on this during the second episode, but one scene had me cracking up. I love the premise of an overpowered MC deciding not to bother with adventure and just focus on an easy life. I always skip the OP, though.
My Next Life as a Villainess X: A friend of mine didn't like this season as much due to some of the guys forcibly kissing Catarina. I liked the OP for this season much more than the first season's OP, so I was a bit annoyed that the latter song was used in the ending scenes for the finale.
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S: Ai no Supreme is hands-down the best OP of the year; I don't care what anyone else says. Every episode was cute and wholesome.
Fena: Pirate Princess: Crunchyroll heavily promoted this, so I had to take a look. The animation is amazing, as is the OP. The protagonist is a sweetheart, and the cast is excellent. That being said, I still have four episodes left. I've read that the final four episodes are controversial, but I'm optimistic they won't detract too much from my enjoyment of this series.
Battle Game in 5 Seconds: This was a fun one. The CG was jarring, but I really liked the characters. I like that the female lead, Yuuri, is essentially the dumb muscle. The main villain, Mion, is an obnoxious troll and I love it. If she were one of the good guys, she'd be insufferable, but as the villain, she's perfect. I get the feeling there isn't going to be a second season, though.
Obey Me!: A friend of mine (the same one who didn't like this season of Villainess) loves to play the mobile phone game and recommended the anime adaptation to me. Each episode is a short featuring the dumb brothers doing dumb things. As a fan of Osomatsu-san, I was easily able to get behind it. The only issue was Funimation's video player fucking up a few episodes for me, particularly the audio commentary episode.
The Vampire Dies in No Time: A bunch of friends were enjoying this one, so I checked it out around Thanksgiving and breezed through it. All the characters are great, but my favorite is John, Draluc's adorable armadillo familiar. I must give props to Mutsumi Tamura for making John so lovable with just "Nu" and "Nyu." Of course, the rest of the cast is top-notch; they even got Shigeru Chiba and Norio Wakamoto! The only real downside is that it gets a bit shouty at times, but it's otherwise a hilarious show. A second season has been confirmed, which makes me happy.
Stone Ocean: I'm only halfway through the first batch of episodes, but I'm very much enjoying it.
Komi Can't Communicate: This is such a cute little show. Komi, Tadano, and Agari are adorable, while the gender-ambiguous (or perhaps gender-flexible?) Najimi is an enjoyable troll.
Demon Slayer: As much as I loved the Mugen Train movie, I couldn't bring myself to watch more than 2 episodes of the TV version because only the first one really had new material. Maybe I'll go back and watch the other episodes after the Entertainment District arc is done. Speaking of that arc, I'm liking it so far.