Spring 2018 in Review Part 1

Hi Everyone. Since most of the shows that I am watching have ended recently and I have some stragglers still hanging around due to breaks, starting late, or having recap episodes in the middle of arcs, I am splitting this list into two parts. This one is going to be significantly longer in the amount of series that I am going to cover, but I feel like next part is going to be longer due to how much feelings have toward series like Darling in the FranXX and Full Metal Panic. I also have some interesting views toward FLCL Progressive that you might want to hear too, so I am just going to throw that all together in to one post against my own sanity in Part 2. Yay? Here is everything else.

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Watch Right Now!

-Hinamatsuri

I’ve written a post about why I love the show that you can read right here. The TLDR version is that this is a comedy show with insanely good timing that turned out to carry the consequences of those jokes and have heart felt emotions at the same time. It’s so good, guys.

-My Hero Academia Season 3

This is only the end of this season’s first cour, but My Hero Academia has never been better. MHA had some slow build up, but how everything was resolved with All Might and everyone else carried a lot of good action, animation, and as much heart as a shonen series could carry with it. Also, the story is still good. I love this show.

-Lupin the Third: Part 5

It’s another Lupin series with mini arcs, incredible animation, direction, and using the character’s personas in the best ways possible. I can’t recommend this show enough.

Golden Kamuy

Despite the cg animals and fire, Golden Kamuy has a lot of things going for it. The hunt for gold is just a good excuse to get all of these wonderful and insane characters to interact with each other and explore the show’s setting. This show takes place after the Japanese-Russo War. There are so many things going on here that I’ve fallen in love with it. Exploring a culture that I wouldn’t know existed otherwise is one of them. Watch the show and see what I mean.

Then These!

-Legend of the Galactic Heroes (2018)

I like the original series a lot, but this edition is good too. If you are interested in getting into the Legend of the Galactic Heroes franchise, this is the way to do it. Only twelve episodes the beginnings of an epic space war that is also an analysis of democracy. The execution is a little different, because it’s more by the book, but Production I.G. has put a lot of effort into this story. This show is more focused on Yang compared to the original that is more focused on the Empire. I like that fact. It helps make the two editions feel distinct from each other.

-Megalo Box

This is a sports anime and I am somewhat bored by the story line, but the retro art and character designs, action, production values, and world building keep me going to it. There are also a lot of good characters in this show, but they only interact because our bland main character Joe carries them with him. He does start to have a semblance of a personality near the end of the show, but a little too late for me. That’s why I can’t rank this show higher. Still, can’t help but recommend this one.

-Wotakoi

This is a decent show with good, relatable otaku adult characters. That’s about it really. Each episode is centered around these characters going through some otaku thing or another and interacting with normal people, but nobody does anything surprising. It’s a very relaxing watch, but very trope based.

-Kakuriyo

Centered around a human in the hidden realm of demons, this show is just above ok for me. The reason is that the world being presented and explored in this series is interesting and so are the characters, but it never does anything ambitious. It’s also a relaxing watch for a Monday night, so that’s why this gets a pass by me.

Eh

-Magical Girl Site

How do I start talking about this one? Ummm….it had a very serious start which I thought was ok, but I can’t take it seriously anymore. I’m sorry. In terms of being an anime, it’s about average. Still very watchable and all that. After the first episode, it is much more watchable. Still, the over played use of drama and insane scenarios at the same time make me laugh way too hard. Not a big recommendation because you can see a lot of these things that have the same themes, but it’s worth watching to see how this messes with the “dark magical girl” formula if you are interested in that sort of thing.

Can’t Recommend Unless you are a mecha fan, even then maybe not

-Gundam Build Divers

As of the first cour, I can’t recommend this one. It has a interesting premise centered around Gundam fighting and MMO play and stuff, but there is nothing interesting about its execution. It is a very simple show designed for kids so it’s not intelligently put together or anything. Come on, kids are smarter then what this show thinks they are. It plays the same sorts of plots again and the villain is such a nothing in the end. All the awesome mecha fates and Gundam references does not save this one. I’m going to keep watching this one, aren’t I?

Space Battleship Tiramisu

If I had to describe this show, it’s Mecha jokes that don’t go anywhere. It’s ok stuff for us mecha fans that like seeing our usual tropes messed around with a little bit. It can be pretty funny from time to time and each episode is only seven minutes long, but that’s about it. There is a story line that isn’t focused on, so all of the jokes about a mecha rivalry go completely out the window. Don’t watch this show if you aren’t a mech fan.

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Looking back at all of these now, this season was really good. It had a wide variety of shows of great quality that were incredibly worth watching. I hope that the summer season can match this. If not, there is Space Battleship Yamato 2202 and Zoids! ZOIDS! Can’t wait! So excited!