Anime of the Year 2019-I Winter - Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari

Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari is a great isekai. Yakusoku no Neverland made quite an impact in due time. Domestic na Kanojo pulls it off with characters.

1. Yakusoku no Neverland The Promised Neverland 約束のネバーランド  [CloverWorks] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen Psychological, Survival Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Suspense Surrounded by a forest and a gated entrance, the Grace Field House is inhabited by orphans happily living together as one big family, looked after by their "Mama," Isabella. Although they are required to take tests daily, the children are free to spend their time as they see fit, usually playing outside, as long as they do not venture too far from the orphanage—a rule they are expected to follow no matter what. However, all good times must come to an end, as every few months, a child is adopted and sent to live with their new family, never to be heard from again. However, the three oldest siblings have their suspicions about what is actually happening at the orphanage, and they are about to discover the cruel fate that awaits the children living at Grace Field, including the twisted nature of their beloved Mama. A fresh gust of wind with a lot of mind games. But with the way they ended the first season they should have stopped there.   Overall Rating: 8/10

2. Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen Kaguya-sama: Love is War かぐや様は告らせたい～天才たちの恋愛頭脳戦～ [A-1 Pictures] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Seinen Psychological, Romantic Subtext, School Comedy At the renowned Shuchiin Academy, Miyuki Shirogane and Kaguya Shinomiya are the student body's top representatives. Ranked the top student in the nation and respected by peers and mentors alike, Miyuki serves as the student council president. Alongside him, the vice president Kaguya—eldest daughter of the wealthy Shinomiya family—excels in every field imaginable. They are the envy of the entire student body, regarded as the perfect couple. However, despite both having already developed feelings for the other, neither are willing to admit them. The first to confess loses, will be looked down upon, and will be considered the lesser. With their honor and pride at stake, Miyuki and Kaguya are both equally determined to be the one to emerge victorious on the battlefield of love! Each episode contains three stories, so it's episodic themed humor which was not to my liking.   Overall Rating: 6/10

3. Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari The Rising of the Shield Hero 盾の勇者の成り上がり [Kinema Citrus] (Finished 25/25) Tags: Isekai Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy The Four Cardinal Heroes are a group of ordinary men from modern-day Japan summoned to the kingdom of Melromarc to become its saviors. Melromarc is a country plagued by the Waves of Catastrophe that have repeatedly ravaged the land and brought disaster to its citizens for centuries. The four heroes are respectively bestowed a sword, spear, bow, and shield to vanquish these Waves. Naofumi Iwatani, an otaku, becomes cursed with the fate of being the "Shield Hero." Armed with only a measly shield, Naofumi is belittled and ridiculed by his fellow heroes and the kingdom's people due to his weak offensive capabilities and lackluster personality. When the heroes are provided with resources and comrades to train with, Naofumi sets out with the only person willing to train alongside him, Malty Melromarc. He is soon betrayed by her, however, and becomes falsely accused of taking advantage of her. Naofumi then becomes heavily discriminated against and hated by the people of Melromarc for something he didn't do. With a raging storm of hurt and mistrust in his heart, Naofumi begins his journey of strengthening himself and his reputation. Further along however, the difficulty of being on his own sets in, so Naofumi buys a demi-human slave on the verge of death named Raphtalia to accompany him on his travels. As the Waves approach the kingdom, Naofumi and Raphtalia must fight for the survival of the kingdom and protect the people of Melromarc from their ill-fated future. I enjoyed it a lot. It's high quality isekai. But at the same time can't say it produced a heavy impact which is needed for a perfect masterpiece.   Overall Rating: 9/10

4. Mob Psycho 100 II モブサイコ100 II [Bones] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Super Power Action, Comedy, Supernatural Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama is now maturing and understanding his role as a supernatural psychic that has the power to drastically affect the livelihood of others. He and his mentor Reigen Arataka continue to deal with supernatural requests from clients, whether it be exorcizing evil spirits or tackling urban legends that haunt the citizens. While the workflow remains the same, Mob isn't just blindly following Reigen around anymore. With all his experiences as a ridiculously strong psychic, Mob's supernatural adventures now have more weight to them. Things take on a serious and darker tone as the dangers Mob and Reigen face are much more tangible and unsettling than ever before. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

5. Dororo どろろ [Tezuka Productions, MAPPA] (Finished 24/24) Tags: Shounen Historical, Mythology, Samurai Action, Adventure, Supernatural The greedy samurai lord Daigo Kagemitsu's land is dying, and he would do anything for power, even renounce Buddha and make a pact with demons. His prayers are answered by 12 demons who grant him the power he desires by aiding his prefecture's growth, but at a price. When Kagemitsu's first son is born, the boy has no limbs, no nose, no eyes, no ears, nor even skin—yet still, he lives. This child is disposed of in a river and forgotten. But as luck would have it, he is saved by a medicine man who provides him with prosthetics and weapons, allowing for him to survive and fend for himself. The boy lives and grows, and although he cannot see, hear, or feel anything, he must defeat the demons that took him as sacrifice. With the death of each one, he regains a part of himself that is rightfully his. For many years he wanders alone, until one day an orphan boy, Dororo, befriends him. The unlikely pair of castaways now fight for their survival and humanity in an unforgiving, demon-infested world. It seemed to be a popular shounen, so I sat through it, but never understood the fuss.   Overall Rating: 6/10

6. 5-toubun no Hanayome The Quintessential Quintuplets 五等分の花嫁 [Tezuka Productions] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Shounen Harem, School Comedy, Romance Fuutarou Uesugi is an ace high school student, but leads an otherwise tough life. His standoffish personality and reclusive nature have left him friendless, and his father is debt-ridden, forcing his family to scrape by. One day during his lunch break, Uesugi argues with a female transfer student who has claimed "his seat," leading both of them to dislike each other. That same day, he is presented with a golden opportunity to clear his family's debt: a private tutoring gig for a wealthy family's daughter, with a wage of five times the market price. He accepts the proposal, but is horrified to discover that the client, Itsuki Nakano, is the girl he confronted earlier! After unsuccessfully trying to get back on Itsuki's good side, Uesugi finds out that his problems don't end there: Itsuki is actually a quintuplet, so in addition to her, he must also tutor her sisters—Miku, Yotsuba, Nino, and Ichika—who, despite the very real threat of flunking, want nothing to do with a tutor. However, his family's livelihood is on the line so Uesugi pushes on, adamant in his resolve to rid the sisters of their detest for studying and successfully lead them to graduation. Not bad for a harem comedy. But it's just not interesting to watch for me.   Overall Rating: 6/10

7. Kakegurui×× 賭ケグルイ×× [MAPPA] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shounen High Stakes Game, Psychological, School, Strategy Game Drama, Mystery As Yumeko Jabami's fame grows and the reputation of the student council dwindles, Kirari Momobami decides to revolutionize the group. To this end, she announces an election for its next president. The rules are simple: each student in the school receives one chip. Whoever has the most chips by the end of thirty days becomes both the new president and the head of the Momobami clan. Upon receiving news of this development, the Momobami branch families spring into action. Eleven transfer students arrive at Hyakkao Private Academy, each aiming to lead both the school and the Momobami clan. Equipped with unique talents, they will compete to get as many chips as possible—but their chips are not the only things on the line. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

8. Domestic na Kanojo Domestic Girlfriend ドメスティックな彼女 [Diomedéa] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Shounen Love Polygon, School Drama, Romance In their teenage years, few things can hurt people more than the heartaches that come with unrequited love. Such is the case for Natsuo Fujii, who has found himself entranced by his school's ever-cheerful teacher Hina. Deflated by this unreachable desire, Natsuo humors his friends and attends a mixer. There he meets Rui, a girl whose lack of excitement rivals that of himself. After bonding over their mutual awkwardness, Rui takes Natsuo to her house and asks him to have sex with her, hoping that the experience will stop her friends from treating her like a clueless child. With his hopeless feelings towards Hina still on his mind, Natsuo hesitantly agrees. Equally unfulfilled by their "first times," the two decide to part ways as strangers. However, before he even has a chance to process this experience, Natsuo's father drops a major bombshell: he is getting remarried, and his new wife Tsukiko Tachibana is coming over now to meet Natsuo. As if that was not enough of a shock, her daughters—and, in turn, Natsuo's new sisters—are Hina and Rui Tachibana, the woman he's in love with and the girl with whom he shared his first night. Now, Natsuo must come to terms with the feelings he has for his step-siblings as his eyes open to a darker side of love. I used to have quite good memories of this dating SIM analogue. Having rewatched now, only better than average characters stand out. As usual in such cases, I compare with Amagami SS, and Domestic Girlfriend is better in some things while worse at others, so it deserves the same score.   Overall Rating: 7/10

9. Date A Live III デート・ア・ライブⅢ [J.C.Staff] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Harem, Mecha, School Action, Romance, Sci-Fi Shidou Itsuka carries on with his quest for Ratatoskr in finding Spirits and trying to seal their powers, all while maintaining his relationships with the ones he had already sealed. Moreover, as new Spirits appear, he must undergo more complicated trials—all to put a stop to further disasters as he discovers more about the Spirits' origin. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

10. Boogiepop wa Warawanai (2019) Boogiepop and Others ブギーポップは笑わない [Madhouse] (Finished 2/18) Tags: Psychological Avant Garde, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural Hushed exchanges among the female student populace of Shinyo Academy center around an enigmatic supernatural entity. This entity is Boogiepop, a Shinigami who is rumored to murder people at the height of their beauty before their allure wanes. Few know of his true nature: a guardian who, between periods of dormancy, manifests as the alter ego of a high school girl named Touka Miyashita to fend off "the enemies of the world." Now, a string of mysterious disappearances—presumed by the school to be merely runaways—has caused Boogiepop to awaken. But somewhere in the academy, a menacing creature hides, waiting for its opportune moment to strike. Boogiepop wa Warawanai subtly explores the intrinsic associations between human beings and their perception of time, while delving into its characters' complex relationships, emotions, memories, and pasts. Guess need to like original Boogiepop, but, alas.   Overall Rating: 6/10

11. Watashi ni Tenshi ga Maiorita! WataTen! An Angel Flew Down to Me 私に天使が舞い降りた！ [Doga Kobo] (Finished 3/12) Tags: CGDCT, Otaku Culture Comedy College student Miyako Hoshino is quite shy around other people. She mostly spends her time in her room making cosplay outfits. When her fifth-grade sister Hinata brings her classmate Hana Shirosaki home, Miyako instantly becomes captivated with Hana's cuteness. Miyako tries to do various things, ranging from making Hana wear cosplay dresses to giving her sweets. This gives Hana a bad impression of her at first, but Miyako will do anything to grow closer to the angel who has descended before her. Another imitation of Strawberry Marshmallow. Not a bad one, actually. But there's more cringy otaku stuff and less actual comedy here. It's good, but just not enough, especially in comparison.   Overall Rating: 6/10

12. Doukyonin wa Hiza, Tokidoki, Atama no Ue. My Roommate is a Cat 同居人はひざ、時々、頭のうえ。 [Zero-G] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Slice of Life Adult Cast, Pets Teenage otaku Tsutsui is finally starting to feel comfortable in his relationship with his beautiful classmate Iroha, but the real world continues to make things tough for both of them. With the school cultural festival coming up, Tsutsui gets stuck working on the festival committee while Iroha's classmates pressure her to enter the beauty contest. Meanwhile, Tsutsui's best friend Itou finally works up the courage to confess his feelings to Ayado, but she turns him down. As Itou works to get over this rejection and Tsutsui struggles just to survive the festival, they both decide to do whatever they can to become better people. Will their good intentions pave the way to a happy outcome, or will more hearts be broken along the way? Don't like pets particularly, so for me it soon becomes a bore.   Overall Rating: 6/10

13. 3D Kanojo: Real Girl 2nd Season Real Girl Season 2 3D彼女 リアルガール第2シーズン [Hoods Entertainment] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Shoujo Otaku Culture, School Romance Teenage otaku Tsutsui is finally starting to feel comfortable in his relationship with his beautiful classmate Iroha, but the real world continues to make things tough for both of them. With the school cultural festival coming up, Tsutsui gets stuck working on the festival committee while Iroha's classmates pressure her to enter the beauty contest. Meanwhile, Tsutsui's best friend Itou finally works up the courage to confess his feelings to Ayado, but she turns him down. As Itou works to get over this rejection and Tsutsui struggles just to survive the festival, they both decide to do whatever they can to become better people. Will their good intentions pave the way to a happy outcome, or will more hearts be broken along the way? Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

14. Manaria Friends Mysteria Friends マナリアフレンズ [CygamesPictures] (Finished 2/10) Tags: Iyashikei, School Fantasy, Slice of Life Mysteria Academy is a prestigious magic school that teaches magic without discrimination to the three factions (men, gods, demons), who usually are engaged in battle with each other. Two of the academy's students are Anne, a princess and honor student, and Grea, a princess born from a dragon and a human. Shorter episodes and their number scream about lack of content. And reality is that there's no story at all. It's just fantasy SOL with girls of different races, something like A Centaur's Life, just with Bahamut world flavor and better quality.   Overall Rating: 5/10

15. Ueno-san wa Bukiyou How clumsy you are, Miss Ueno. 上野さんは不器用 [Lesprit] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Romantic Subtext, School Comedy As the head of her middle school's science club, it's only fitting that Ueno is also a brilliant inventor. With devices that can convert any liquid into drinkable water, deodorize the most foul smells, or even generate dark matter to be used as a means of concealment, it seems like nothing is beyond Ueno's capabilities. However, she doesn't invent these devices for the advancement of mankind. Rather, the one force that motivates her is love, the only phenomenon she can't quite figure out. Ueno is head over heels for Tanaka, her nonchalant fellow club member. Yet, because she is too nervous to confess her love and he is too oblivious to notice her affection, her love life is completely stagnant. In Ueno's mind, if she could just expose him to perverted situations, then surely he'd get flustered and fall for her, right? Assisted by her stone-faced classmate and dedicated wingwoman Yamashita, Ueno employs her many inventions on Tanaka in a lewd manner in hopes that he may one day understand how she feels. Short episodes are split into two parts, so it's episodic yonkoma comedy around school science experiments and clumsy romance. Crude drawing, unlikable characters and degenerate humor make me stop there.   Overall Rating: 5/10

16. Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka 魔法少女特殊戦あすか [LIDENFILMS] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Seinen Gore, Mahou Shoujo, Military Action, Drama, Fantasy Three years ago, a bloodthirsty race of interdimensional beings known as the Disas appeared and destroyed everything they could reach on Earth. With regular weapons rendered useless, humanity's only hope of survival relied on humans who became magical girls after forming an alliance with the Spirit Realm, who had followed the Disas to Earth. After a violent conflict, the squad of magical girls emerge victorious, with the survivors now known as the "Magical Five." Following the war with the Disas, the Magical Five disbands. Kurumi Mugen, Mia Cyrus, Tamara Volkova, and Lau Peipei independently continue their own military services, while their leader, Asuka Ootorii, retires and becomes a high school student. However, Asuka's peace is short-lived, as it seems there were survivors on the enemy's side as well. As magic must be fought with magic, Asuka is dragged back into combat as an even worse battle looms on the horizon. Retired magical girls are dragged into conventional weapons conflicts, primarily against terrorists. Not much meaning in all that, so not sure what to like here.   Overall Rating: 5/10

17. Girly Air Force ガーリー・エアフォース [Satelight] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Military Action, Sci-Fi Kei Narutani and his childhood friend, Song Minghua, are Chinese refugees who are fleeing from the Zai, a mysterious organization that indiscriminately terrorizes their country and its people. Fortunately, during their escape to Japan, they are saved by a strange red aircraft. Kei's fascination with this aircraft leads him to meet his savior: a girl who is an "Anima"—the pilot of a unique type of airplane called a "Daughter." The girl goes by Gripen, an adorable JAS-39F fighter aircraft. Kei develops a bond with Gripen and is then recruited by the Japan Self-Defense Force to help Gripen overcome her troubles with flying. Later joined by Eagle, a carefree F-15J-ANM, and Phantom, a proud RF-4EJ-ANM, the squadron takes up arms, determined to protect humanity. Together, the five individuals battle against the invasive Zai, forming the last line of defense against the threatening alien force. Pilot themed pieces are rather boring from the start, and this anime does very little to grip interest. And the amount of primitive sexism is seriously daunting to watch further.   Overall Rating: 5/10

18. Endro~! ENDRO! えんどろ～！  [Studio Gokumi] (Finished 5/12) Tags: CGDCT Fantasy, Slice of Life  In a world of adventurers and magic lies Naral Island. Every generation, a Demon Lord rises to plague the land, and every generation, a Hero is born to subdue him. For countless centuries, the cycle has repeated with no end in sight. The latest Hero, Juulia "Yusha" Charldetto, has almost completed her valiant campaign alongside her party members: responsible priest Seiran "Seira" Élénoir, enigmatic mage Meiza "Mei" Endust, and hyper-energetic warrior Fai Fai. In the final battle against the Demon Lord, Yusha's party attempt a risky spell to cast their enemy into the drifts of time. But the incantation goes awry, sending Yusha and her friends back to a time before the Demon Lord, before Yusha becomes the Hero, and before the party had even graduated as adventurers. With their memories of the future erased, the four girls restart their ambitions to become the Hero's Party, aspiring to defeat the Demon Lord. However, in a sudden twist of fate, the Demon Lord was also sent back in time with her memories intact. Reduced to the form of a little girl, the Demon Lord takes the name Mao and infiltrates the adventurers' school as a teacher, planning to stop Yusha before she becomes a hero. Thus begins the story of Yusha and her friends, in their quest to defeat the Demon Lord, not knowing that the one they seek is right by their side. Cute fantasy CGDCT. Don't remember fantasy ones before, but besides that not particularly special.   Overall Rating: 6/10

19. Revisions リヴィジョンズ [Shirogumi] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Mecha Action, Sci-Fi  "This is a prophecy for you, where five people will meet huge adversaries, and only you can protect everyone." Daisuke Dojima is a second-year high school student who was abducted when he was young. He was involved in a special phenomenon—Shibuya Drift—with his childhood friends Gai, Lu, Marimari, and Keisaku. They were transferred to the center of Shibuya over 300 years into the future. What's waiting for them is endless wilderness and forest, Interspersed ruin, future citizens, and "Revisions" which are huge mechanical monsters. Trampled by the monsters without understanding the situation, a girl who has the same name as the person who saved Daisuke when he was abducted, Milo, provided a mobile suit "String Puppet" and told them to save Shibuya. With separated paths, adversaries, destined prophecies, the boys, and girls are on their journey to return to their original time. CGI mecha with time travel. And I remembered finishing it only half way through, so it's hardly memorable at all.   Overall Rating: 6/10

20. Fukigen na Mononokean Tsuzuki The Morose Mononokean II  [Pierrot Plus] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Mythology Comedy, Supernatural  Despite being burdened with crippling debt to the morose Haruitsuki Abeno, Hanae Ashiya has come to enjoy his job as an exorcist. His ability to communicate with youkai has given him a sense of responsibility regarding the magical creatures, and he continues to work hard to send them to their true home in the Underworld. As Ashiya’s life finally stabilizes, the youkai threaten to upset it once again. Knowledge of his existence has begun to spread, and not everyone is happy to have a human working for the Mononokean, the interdimensional tea room. But one day, a simple visit to the Underworld draws the attention of those in power, and Ashiya soon learns that not every youkai is willing to go along with Abeno's plans. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

21. Piano no Mori (TV) 2nd Season Forest of Piano Second Season ピアノの森 第2シリーズ [Gaina] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Seinen Music, School Drama With the start of the Chopin piano competition, Kai Ichinose, Shuuhei Amamiya, and many other hopeful musicians from around the world strive to reach the top. The stakes have never been higher, and the judges are rigorous when it comes to selecting the winner out of the plethora of talented pianists. This competition is so harsh that even famous prodigies can be easily eliminated. Some play for the money, some play to fulfill their duty to their families, and yet others play for their music to be heard. However, the only one who can reach the top is the one who embodies the spirit of the music Frédéric Chopin crafted for future generations. With the stakes higher than ever before, rivalries, friendships, and family ties will be tested, and each pianist will find their own sound. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 6/10

22. Grimms Notes The Animation グリムノーツ [Brain's Base] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Action, Adventure, Fantasy  Within one's Book of Fate is their destiny. Written by the mysterious Story Tellers, these books decide every small detail of one's life. Some Story Tellers, however, choose to interfere with the stories of others rather than write their own. These malevolent beings are known as Chaos Tellers, who seek to ruin stories by overwriting the Books of Fate. Ex, Reina, Tao, and Shane were born with blank books. Ostracized by society due to this abnormality, they abandon their respective stories in search of better lives. In the vast unknown, they encounter famous fairy tale characters such as Cinderella, Momotarou, and Snow White. All the while, they work to subdue the Chaos Tellers and return peace and order to the stories. Super boring mashup of fairy tale characters and stories.   Overall Rating: 5/10

23. BanG Dream! 2nd Season BanG Dream!（バンドリ！）第2期  [SANZIGEN] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Music  Kasumi Toyama and the members of Poppin'Party—their high school band—are now second-year students, but with the new school year comes their latest set of challenges: student council duties, cram school, and part-time jobs, among other things. Furthermore, they are now separated into different classes, and as a result, their free time together is shortened. Looking back, their joyful times together seem like nothing more than an unachievable fantasy when their members are too occupied to even gather in Arisa Ichigaya's basement for practice sessions. As the band ponders over the situation, an unfamiliar girl suddenly emerges, unknowingly pulling them into the spotlight once more. In this rising era of girl bands, Afterglow, Pastel*Palettes, Roselia, and Hello, Happy World! begin to make their appearance as well. Each band, comprised of musicians with their unique personalities, illuminates the stage with its performances. As Poppin'Party returns to the music scene and encounters new friends, the sparkling, heart-pounding music starts to play once again! Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

24. Egao no Daika The Price of Smiles エガオノダイカ [Tatsunoko Production] (Finished 12/12) Tags: Mecha, Military Action, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi  On a world far removed from the Earth, there is a certain kingdom that's brimming with smiles. Fate thrusts young Princess Yuki, filled with idealism, joy, and innocence, into a station in life for which her most endearing qualities are ill-matched. Her kingdom faces grave danger as the Empire threatens the realm's security. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the conflict, an imperial soldier known as Stella Shining hides behind a facade. However, a time may come where her mask cracks, potentially costing her everything. Princess Yuki and Stella's paths will cross, and the fate of nations will follow. Quite good mecha overall to keep watching, but not good enough to remember or stand out. Story and characters are ok while there was potential for something great, and thus it all feels disappointing. What's especially striking is that they utilized a typical Gundam plot and still performed better than any Gundam series inside these boundaries.   Overall Rating: 6/10

25. Kouya no Kotobuki Hikoutai The Magnificent Kotobuki 荒野のコトブキ飛行隊 [WAO World, GEMBA] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Military Action, Adventure  Across the desolate wilderness, resources are scant and survival is the utmost priority. Essential supplies are delivered through the network of zeppelins, relying on protection from mercenary crews piloting single-engine fighter planes. At odds with pirates and political conflict, these brave aviators provide the strongest guard to stability in such dismal lands. Kylie—a talented, hotshot pilot—serves with one such crew: the Kotobuki Squadron. Recruited to the group by her childhood friend Emma, her natural aptitude for flight makes her a key member. Armed with their Hayabusa fighter planes, the six-member squadron is hired to protect people, goods, and society as they continue to engage hardships in their complex world. Mostly CGI. Mercenary pilots in survival setting are only tad bit more interesting than conventional pilots that I'm not a fan of.   Overall Rating: 5/10

26. Kemurikusa (TV) ケムリクサ [Yaoyorozu] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Fantasy, Sci-Fi  A few young girls with strange powers and a tree that has grown through a railcar cling onto life in a desolate land, searching for its last reservoirs of water. Their routine struggle to survive is interrupted by the arrival of Wakaba, a boy with no memory beyond his own name. The girls and their new companion commit to a perilous journey across seas of burning red fog—all in order to find what they need to sustain themselves on the more distant, dangerous islands swarming with robotic bugs. Their ultimate fate will be decided by their own strength, along with Wakaba's curious ability to understand the Kemurikusa: mysterious glowing leaves with wondrous powers. Besides the girls, Wakaba, and the hordes of ravenous bugs, the Kemurikusa are the last sparks of life surviving in this land. How did things end up this way? Why are there so many empty buildings with no one to live in them? Wakaba and the girls lack the answers to these questions, which means the truth can only be found within the Kemurikusa. Full CGI. Naive boy and five red hair evolved girls fighting mechanical beetles. Behavior is full of cliche and I found very little interest in here.   Overall Rating: 5/10

27. W'z ウィズ [GoHands] (Finished 1/13) Tags: Music Action Yukiya, who is "probably" 14 years old, spends his time DJ-ing alone. Due to his father's influence, he's listened to house music since he was young, and he uploads videos online. He wants to convey something to someone. He wants to be recognized, and become important. But getting hurt is scary. One day, while trying to get more views, he does something that can't be undone. And he sees a live broadcast from "that world." Yukiya believes he can't do anything alone, but that he could accomplish something if he were doing it together with someone else. Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

28. Pastel Memories ぱすてるメモリーズ [Project No.9] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi  The story takes place in the future, the city of Akihabara. It was once called a "Holy land of otaku" but now has become an office town. Otaku culture has declined, people are losing memories of anime and manga, and only a few specialty shops remain open. What supports the world of creative works are "memories" of manga and anime in people's minds, but when the world of the creative work is destroyed by a virus, it disappears from everyone's memory and is erased from the material world. 12 girls working in a small shop in a corner of Akihabara are fighting the virus to protect everyone's important memories about their favorite manga and anime, and return Akihabara to the way it was before! Ugly boring ecchi focused mess.   Overall Rating: 5/10

29. Kemono Friends 2 けものフレンズ2 [Tomason] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Anthropomorphic, Iyashikei Adventure, Comedy Serval and Caracal find a "human" child in the forest. As they travel with the child, they meet new Friends, uncover the secrets of Japari Park, and become involved in an event that will "shake the earth." Sequel.   Overall Rating: 5/10

30. Circlet Princess CIRCLET PRINCESS（サークレット・プリンセス）  [SILVER LINK.] (Finished 3/12) Tags: School Sci-Fi, Sports Virtual Reality and the arrival of Circlet Technology has changed people's lives. A new competitive electronic sport called Circlet Bout emerges, and schools duel to determine the strongest Circlet Bout Club and player. One day, Yuuka Sasaki gets mistaken for a challenger and battles against Chikage Fujimura, the best player in Japan, tying the intense fight despite her inexperience. These events lead to her passion for the sport, deciding to become a Circlet Bout player. Two years later, Yuuka moves to Tokyo and enrolls in Union School, a place where she can practice and pursue her dream of fighting Chikage again. After her arrival at the Union School, she discovers the club closed. Now her first goal is to help the athletic Miyuki Kasahara and club manager Ayumu Aizawa reopen Union's Circle Bout Club and return it to its former glory. A not bad spokon CGDCT, but rather unremarkable both for characters and plot. Watchable, but basically a waste of time as there's nothing to look forward to.   Overall Rating: 5/10

31. Star☆Twinkle Precure スター☆トゥインクルプリキュア [Toei Animation] (Finished 1/49) Tags: Mahou Shoujo Action, Fantasy Hikaru Hoshina is an energetic middle school student with a love for space and the occult. As she draws constellations in her notebook, a small and fluffy creature suddenly appears from it! The creature, which she names Fuwa, turns out to be an alien with the ability to create warp holes. When Fuwa's companions, the aliens Lala Hagoromo and Prunce, arrive on Earth, they declare that they are searching for the Precure, legendary warriors who will save the universe. But an organization known as the Notraiders soon follows and attacks, intending to capture Fuwa and its power. Overcome by a desire to protect Fuwa, Hikaru finds herself transforming into "Cure Star," one of the Precure that Lala and the others have been searching for! It is now up to Hikaru and the rest to fend off the Notraiders' onslaught, discover the rest of the Precure, and find the Star Color Pens, artifacts that will awaken the 12 Star Princess who keep the universe in balance. Sequel of side-quel or something.   Overall Rating: 6/10

32. Choujigen Kakumei Anime: Dimension High School 超次元革命アニメ Dimensionハイスクール [Asmik Ace] (Finished 2/11) Tags: School Fantasy The high school boys transferred to an anime world while they are in cramming school. Since then, they start school life in the anime world they transferred in. Half live action/half full CGI male puzzle solving anime akin to Danganronpa. Actor acting is artificially expressive which only adds cringe to all these other elements that I'm not fond of.   Overall Rating: 5/10

33. Virtual-san wa Miteiru Virtual-san Looking バーチャルさんはみている [Dwango] (Finished 1/12) Tags: Music Comedy Lide Virtual-san wa Miteiru is an anime that brings Virtual YouTubers to life. The term Virtual YouTuber, or VTuber, refers to a YouTuber who shows themselves as an animated character, hiding their true appearance but still bringing joy to viewers. VTubers featured in Virtual-san wa Miteiru include Hime Tanaka and Hina Suzuki, who together make the rhythmic music duo HimeHina; Siro, the cyber girl, who definitely, certainly, positively has never murdered anyone; the lazy, FPS-loving Hinata Nekomiya; the upbeat Akari Mirai who sexually harasses her juniors; and the lightweight Mito Tsukino, who has a serious superiority complex. In every episode these VTubers perform nonsense together in skits filled with slapstick, puns and fourth-wall-breaks. From the parody space adventure "Virtual Wars" to the nameless skit about bouncing gorillas, these absurdly funny segments are brimming with excitement. Virtual-san wa Miteiru is a one-of-a-kind comedy certain to bring delight to any fan of Virtual YouTubers! Usual VTuber nonsense, only for fans of such pastime.   Overall Rating: 5/10

34. Bermuda Triangle: Colorful Pastrale バミューダトライアングル ～カラフル・パストラーレ～  [Seven Arcs Pictures] (Finished 3/12) Tags: Idols (Female), Music Fantasy The glittering spotlights. The sparkling, fluffy, cute outfits. The charming voices while dancing with bright smiles. Under the dazzling lights on the big city stage, these would be the mermaid idols who swim and dance freely underwater. But far from this big city, the girls once lived in the peaceful village of Parrel. These girls, who would not even imagine such a glittering future for themselves, are instead just raising a fuss over the snack cakes they are eating. This is the story of the cheerful daily life of mermaids who strive their hardest everyday. Anything with pastrale in title is a boring mess by default for me. Banal typical SOL with unremarkable characters that considers exotic place is enough.   Overall Rating: 5/10

35. Xie Wang Zhui Qi The Demonic King Who Chases His Wife 邪王追妻 [KJJ Animation, Big Firebird Culture] (Finished 8/13) Tags: Action, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance  She, a renowned assassin of the 21st century, actually crossed over to become Su Manor's most useless good-for-nothing Fourth Miss. He, Jin Empire's imperial highness, was an emotionless overbearing demonic tyrant with unrivaled talent. Everyone knew that she was idiotic and good-for-nothing and bullied her as they pleased. But only he, the overbearing tyrant with the discerning eye, wouldn't let go of her even if his life depended on it. For the time being, let's just see how the stubborn versus stubborn clash and play out in this good show of the chaser and the chased. Episodes are half-length. Only slightly better than usual idiotic Chinese atmosphere shoujo due to all kinds of elements copying and lack of emphasis on both characters and plot.   Overall Rating: 6/10

36. Wu Dong Qian Kun 武动乾坤 [Motion Magic] (Finished 2/12) Tags: Historical, Martial Arts Action, Adventure, Fantasy The Great Yan Empire exists in a world where respect can only be earned through strength. Within this Great Yan Empire, the four great clans have always stood above the rest. Among them, a particular incident in the Lin Clan resulted in the banishment of a certain individual who went on to start his own family, in hopes of one day being recognized again by the Lin Clan, and rejoining them… Hailing from a banished family of the Great Lin Clan, when Lin Dong was very young, he watched, powerless, as his talented father was easily crushed and crippled by the overwhelming genius of the great Lin Clan, Lin Langtian. With a despairing father, a heartbroken grandfather, and a suffering family, ever since that fateful day, Lin Dong has been driven by a deep purpose; to take revenge on the man who had taken everything and more from his family. Armed with nothing but willpower and determination, join Lin Dong as he unknowingly discovers a destiny greater than he could ever hope to imagine when he stumbles upon a mysterious stone talisman… Full CGI and with strong wuxia elements, but seems to be well received, so can give it a try. It's a bit different setup due to action revenge story instead of travelling, but I don't see any appeal here as silly antics are intact, and there's hardly anything to keep interest for me. Need at least to like shounens.   Overall Rating: 5/10

37. Ling Feng Zhe The Leader 领风者 [Wawayu Animation] (Finished 1/7) Tags: Historical Drama, Romance, Slice of Life The life of German thinker Karl Marx, focusing on his political and economic theories, his romance with Jenny von Westphalen, and his friendship with Friedrich Engels. Stylized CGI. It's wrong on so many levels. And it's part of propaganda, so useless even to discuss.   Overall Rating: 5/10

38. Fight League: Gear Gadget Generators ファイトリーグ ギア・ガジェット・ジェネレーターズ [Bandai Namco Pictures, XFLAG] (Finished 1/26) Tags: Mecha Action, Sci-Fi Hot-blooded in nature, Adjust Wrench competes with her team Boltechs in a popular tournament known as the "Fight League," where two teams fight using personalized weapons called "Gadgets" until only one team is left standing. However, despite their best efforts, Wrench and her friends have only achieved moderate success in the Fight League—winning just as often as they lose. Aiming to gain more strength, Wrench installs a mysterious computer chip that her grandfather possessed into her Gadget and inadvertently summons an overwhelmingly powerful girl. Naming herself Mona Chrome, she joins Boltechs, and together, the group starts rising through the ranks with their new teammate's abilities. But as the other teams push themselves to become stronger, everyone begins to question Chrome's identity and the source of her power. Childish CGI shounen.   Overall Rating: 5/10

39. Wan Jie Shen Zhu 万界神主 [Ruo Hong Culture] (Finished 1/60) Tags: Adventure, Fantasy  Ye Chen, an ancient god, who fell from the world of the gods into a heavenly and peaceful world. In this world there are hundreds of countries, surrounded by thousands of states, who are strong and arrogant. Ye Chen has been in this world for hundreds of years and has established great strength, moreover his existence has always been a legend. But the power of the gods' world extends slowly into this world, beginning one of the most cruel and ferocious battles. 1/3 episode length CG wuxia that has more plot than usual. But in the end it's just abstract fighting action between powerful from the start characters.   Overall Rating: 6/10

40. Ashita Sekai ga Owaru toshitemo The Relative Worlds あした世界が終わるとしても [Craftar Studios] (Finished 1/1) Tags: Action, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi  Shin Hazama has shut his heart ever since the mysterious and sudden death of his mother during his childhood. With his scientist father occupied with research, he can only rely on his childhood friend, Kotori Izumi, the popular and good-natured daughter of his father's employer. At the end of their third year of high school with graduation right around the corner, Shin and Kotori finally begin to move forward together, both in life and in love. Everything falls apart again when Shin's father also suddenly dies. But before things can settle down, he and Kotori learn the secret behind his parents' sudden deaths when they encounter agents from a high-tech dystopian Japan existing in a parallel universe. Among them is Jin, Shin's "relative self," who is working against the humanoid weapons Miko and Niko. As the lives of relative selves are linked, Jin has two objectives: defend the vulnerable Shin to protect both their lives, and assassinate Kotori to end the ironclad rule of her relative self, Princess Kotoko—his mortal enemy and the killer of his parents. Confronted with this new reality, Shin and Kotori must honestly face their feelings for each other, even if the world as they know it will end tomorrow. Stylized CGI. Supernatural Sci-Fi mystery investigation with not so exciting fighting action continuation and resolution. Decent at best.   Overall Rating: 6/10

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