Currently Watching (Summer 2021 Edition)

**Buckeye** · 07-14-2021, 06:19 PM

Summer 2021 Simulcast Interest List

Time for my quarterly simulcast interest list, and nothing has changed from last time.

IN
[MHA-5] My Hero Academia Season 5 (continuing)
[TYE] To Your Eternity (continuing)
[TRN] Tokyo Revengers (continuing)
[TSL-2] That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 2 (continuing)
[HIG-G2] Higurashi: When They Cry Sotsu
[IMH-H] The Honor Student at Magic High School
[PMM-MR2] Magia Record Season 2
[KMD-2] Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S
[OGF-2] My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! X

PROBABLE
[AQT] Aquatope on White Sand
[VTS] The Case Study of Vanitas
[FPP] Fena: Pirate Princess
[REM] Re-Main
[ROL] Remake Our Life!
[OTS] I, Tsushima (short)

QUESTIONABLE
[DCT] D_Cide Traumerei
[DEM] The Detective is Already Dead
[DSC] Drugstore in Another World: The Slow Life of a Cheat Pharmacist
[DDM] The Duke of Death and His Maid
[MQB] The Dungeon of Black Company
[GRO-A] Getter Robo Arc
[JHY] The Great Jahy Will Not Be Defeated!
[IDT] The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace
[UOS] Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan
[HRH] How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom
[PBR] Peach Boy Riverside
[SNX] Scarlet Nexus
[SGK] Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles
[SON] Sonny Boy
[OBM] Obey Me! (short)

DOUBTFUL
[B5S] Battle Game in 5 Seconds
[KK2] Girlfriend, Girlfriend
[KAS] Kageki Shojo!!
[LLV-SS] Love Live! Superstar!!
[MRY] Mother of the Goddess' Dormitory
[NHD-41] Night Head 2041

OUT
I'm Standing on a Million Lives Season 2
Idolish7 Third Beat
Kick and Slide
Tsukipro Season 2
Fire in His Fingertips 2
Yamishibai 9

**Buckeye** · 07-25-2021, 05:42 PM

Post-Simulcast Report: July 1-15

Time for my first post-simulcast report of the season. I will get to my first impressions soon, but because of the staggering premiere dates that I won't be able to do one until next week, a full month into the season.

Completed

Weathering With You (Movie): A
This movie is another Makoto Shinkai masterpiece, albeit not quite at the level of Your Name. Everything is constructed nicely with the story concept, the animation, the character development, and the plot. Just about the only thing that keeps it from being among the best of the best is that the screenplay was not quite up to par as it relies on convenient story writing in places and gets lazy, lessening the impact that Your Name brought to the table. Nevertheless, it's another must watch movie coming from the new Hayao Miyazaki.

*Shadows House: B+

Isekai Cheat Magician OVA: C-

^Magia Record (1-13): C+
It was clear that this series was meant to be a mobile game rather than an anime, and the way the show was structured and played out is indication of that. The story just drags and spends too much time with characterization to the point that it compromises the plot and the story writing, and being a mobile game would allow for that to happen, but not so much as an anime. That said, the show brings the high production values the main Madoka Magica series does to the table, all while the show does a great job with characterization and has a great concept. It's just that the execution doesn't translate, and that's something that can be corrected with the second season.

Record of Ragnarok (1-12): C-
While this show has great storytelling, intense battles, and lots of depth, the show just dragged and moved way too slowly to the point where the show barely gets anywhere by the end. While the adaptation comes from strong source material, it was clear that adapting it into anime was going to be difficult. Most of the time is spent on the battles and it just dragged on with slow pacing with each battle taking four episodes when really three would have been enough, all while the show doesn't have a proper introduction and the MC just doesn't get enough exposure. In all, this is one of the shows where the whole is less than the sum of its parts.

Ongoing

[ARA-2] Aria the Natural (1-13)
[CFV-3] Cardfight!! Vanguard: Link Joker (1-8)
[CFV-OD] Cardfight!! Vanguard: OverDress (1-2)
[LGH] Legend of the Galactic Heroes (25-27)
[OPC] One Piece (629-641)
[7DS-4] The Seven Deadly Sins: Dragon's Judgment (1-12)

**Buckeye** · 08-03-2021, 08:49 PM

Summer 2021: First Impressions

This is unusually late for me to do this, but seeing that this season's premiere dates are so ridiculously scattered with stuff starting as early as June 18 (albeit as sneak peaks) and as late as July 31 (Magia Record season 2 and Jahy, which is allowed because they are 8 and 20 episodes, respectively, so that they can fit in their allotted timelines) that I didn't get to check out everything until now. So with that, I'll try my best to put down my impressions following two episodes since I have already dropped a few of these shows, while I have already maxed out my allotted extended trials (Peach Boy Riverside, Scarlet Nexus, Girlfriend Girlfriend, The Detective is Already Dead, and The Duke of Death, for which at least one will stay between the two Thursday shows and I intend to keep exactly one of those two Sunday shows meaning up to three of these shows could be dropped after 6 instead of the usual 4 episodes) seeing that I have to make decisions on those shows without having checked out Jahy. In any case, onto my impressions. Nothing has changed in that Red Zone shows are ones I know I'm watching for sure, Midfield means I'm on the fence on after getting a first look at the show, and Own 20 means it's unlikely I'll watch it unless things turn around.

Red Zone
My Hero Academia Season 5 (continuing)
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 2 (continuing)
To Your Eternity (continuing)
Tokyo Revengers (continuing)
Higurashi: When They Cry Sotsu - Things don't quite pick up where they last left off, but the show does a nice job of differentiating itself from the other series, and in more ways than just changing the viewpoint character. The storytelling is an improvement over Gou, and aside from that it pretty much is on even footing.
Magia Record Season 2 - The first season went to show why this was meant to be a mobile game rather than a TV series, but the first episode is easily better than anything the first season put out bringing Madoka and Homura into the fold. That said, it remains to be seen where this show goes after everything that happened to end the first season.
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S - This season features more fanservice than the first, but it's all done in good taste and is consistent with the first season. It continues to be a great mixture of KyoAni's great handiwork, fun atmosphere, amusing characters, and nice jokes that makes this show so great.
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! X - Pretty much, this is a somewhat less serious version of the first season now that the MC has made it past the game, and it's a show that's more focused on relationships and bonds rather than avoiding doom.
Aquatope on White Sand - The show has been slow to develop and the story direction seems to fall into the trap that doomed Glasslip at times, but the animation is gorgeous and the story does a nice job in maintaining focus and not get away from the task at hand.
The Case Study of Vanitas - Bones does what they are known for and the end result is another great show from one of the best in the business. The show does a great job in blending story with lightheartedness that meshes with the show, all while creating an air of mystery and intrigue that has been well-executed so far.
The Honor Student at Magic High School - This spinoff to The Irregular at Magic High School that focuses on things from Miyuki's perspective has been a pleasure to watch even if its production values aren't as great. The show places an emphasis on the girls and does a great job with being far more easy to get into than Irregular that's too story-driven to the point where it gets hard to follow and ends up becoming something that many just don't care about. This show sacrifices story telling as it's definitely inferior to Irregular, but does so in order to make it flow much better. That said, I'm in it since the supporting cast was the biggest highlight of Irregular for me.
How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom - It's another isekai, but one that's more reminiscent of Spice and Wolf (which is not an isekai, BTW) than your typical generic one like Seirei Gensouki. The MC is someone whose vast knowledge and experience is something that leads itself well for a show like this. And then there is the supporting cast that has made quite an impression.
Re-Main - It's a comeback sports story like the other MAPPA sports shows, and it has a very creative concept with the MC being someone who has to rediscover his talent for water polo following an unfortunate accident. It has followed a typical sports show aside from that, but the characters are being developed quite nicely so far.
Remake Our Life! - This was one of my most anticipated shows of the season, and it definitely doesn't disappoint after a strong first episode, followed up by some great character development and it does exactly what a show like this is supposed to do: making the most of a second chance. Just about the only thing I don't like is the needless drama that pops up from time to time that kind of spoils the mood.
Sonny Boy - This is one weird show, but with Shingo Natsume doing what he does best, it's a show that is weird in a great way. Stuff doesn't make sense, but that's part of the show's charm as opposed to something brought on by incompetent writing.

Midfield
The Detective is Already Dead - The source material is supposed to be strong for this show, and it starts off with a great first episode. But from the second episode onward the show starts to really slip with convenient story writing and too much nonsensical stuff that are generally unfitting for a detective show.
Drugstore in Another World - This is supposed to be an isekai, but from the first few episodes nobody would know it. The show is made by one of the worst animation studios out there, and the animation quality is an indication of that. But above all, the show just gets repetitive really quickly. Despite that, the show has great characters and an inviting atmosphere even if the show's construction isn't up to snuff.
The Duke of Death and His Maid - As this is animated by the same staff behind Hi Score Girl, the show is in CG, and that's off-putting for a show like this as it just doesn't look right. That said, the show is amusing while the characters are full of intrigue. But the show doesn't seem like it's going anywhere at the moment.
Getter Robo Arc - This show pretty much runs on nostalgia as it's something that only fans of the Getter Robo series might appreciate. The show has a little bit of everything, but not really excelling at anything as the animation quality, albeit appropriate given the era this show is from, and production values are rather low, all while the show is action-heavy at the moment and not exactly doing much in the storytelling department. Even so, the battles are great, while the music and soundtrack is quite appropriate to make it worthwhile.
The Great Jahy Won't Be Defeated! - This show is pretty funny as Jahy's antics are amusing, as well as the setup of a demon lord who lost just about everything but her life, but is still highly motivated. So far, the show is entertaining even if it looks like it's going to be repetitive.
Peach Boy Riverside - This show is all about the characters are this has arguably the best cast of all new shows this season. They are characters with so many sides to them that make them amusing. That said, the show's production values are pretty low with the studio in charge of making it, all while the show is airing out of order that makes it disorienting for viewers. Even so, the show builds intrigue, and of course there are the characters.
Scarlet Nexus - This show is made to market a video game, and this show has better production values than typical shows of this kind. The animation is nice, while the characters are an intriguing bunch. That said, the show is dragging its feet with its horrid pacing as a few episodes in, it's only barely scratching the surface of things. But it's a show where I'm hoping for a huge payoff once the setup phase is finished.
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy - It's another isekai where this time the MC is stripped of his hero status and must work his way back up, but with the abilities to do so, and this show revolves around the comedy as there are quite a lot of laughs to be had in this show. That said, the show doesn't have the best production values, all while the storytelling can be frustrating at times, but it looks like it will be something I will find to be worthwhile to watch.

Own 20
Battle Game in 5 Seconds - The show has some solid action and decent drama, but poor production values and a cliched plot that rips off Darwin's Game pretty much makes this a show I'm not too enthused about.
D_Cide Traumerei - Just about everything screams mobile game advertisement in this game. Generic plot, bland characters, mediocre CG action, and awful story writing makes this a show that is easy for me to D_Cide to drop.
The Dungeon of Black Company - The show can be good at times, but really awful at others. Not to mention, the poor animation quality and the irritating characters doesn't do any favors for this show.
Girlfriend, Girlfriend - Pretty hilarious stuff this show is, but at the same time it gets repetitive and very cliched, all while the characters can get pretty annoying.
Kageki Shojo!! - While this show has some solid story writing and stuff, at the same time this show just feels dull and bland, all while the characters can be a handful.
The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace - This show is all about style as there's plenty of it, but the substance is just lacking. The animation is tough one eyes, all while I'm just not feeling this show with all the crazy things that are involved.
Life Lessons With Uramichi Onii-san - This show can be funny at times and irritating at others. While the comedy is pretty good, it's a show that just gets repetitive and thus, leads to something really stale.
Love Live!! Superstar! - This show features a different kind of MC as the genki lead that these shows tend to have get really old. Not so much with this show. That said, having not seen any other Love Live!! series that I don't have much interest in it.
Mother of the Goddess' Dormitory - It's your standard ecchifest that is thankfully uncensored for HIDIVE. It does what an ecchi show is supposed to do, and not much more that can convince me to stick with it.
Night Head 2041 - This show has some pretty nice action, and the CG is of good quality. That said, the story is totally lacking as it is just so hard to follow as things just are not connecting.

**Buckeye** · 08-15-2021, 02:33 PM

Simulcast Rankings: July 2021

This is two weeks late, but I'm now putting my simulcast rankings after the first month. While I have started Fena, it won't appear on this list here, while my ranking of Jahy and Magia Record are based off only one episode due to the ridiculously scattered premiere dates for this season. I have finalized my watchlist, but this reflects where I stood back on July 31 where black is in, red is out, and blue I'm undecided about.

Home Run
To Your Eternity
Tokyo Revengers
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 2

Base Hit
The Case Study of Vanitas
Remake Our Life!
Aquatope on White Sand
Sonny Boy
Magia Record Season 2
Re-Main
My Hero Academia Season 5
Higurashi: When They Cry Sotsu
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! X

Walk
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy
Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles
How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom
The Great Jahy Won't Be Defeated!
The Honor Student at Magic High School
Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan
The Duke of Death and His Maid
The Detective is Already Dead
I, Tsushima
Peach Boy Riverside
The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace
Scarlet Nexus

Flyout
Kageki Shojo!!
Battle Game in 5 Seconds
Getter Robo Arc
Mother of the Goddess' Dormitory
Girlfriend, Girlfriend
Drugstore in Another World
The Dungeon of Black Company

Strikeout
Obey Me!
Night Head 2041
D_Cide Traumerei

This season is shaping up to be a weak one with a few heavy hitters, but on the flipside the duds this season aren't hot garbage and at least have some watchability to them even if they aren't all that great. While the second tier of shows is sizable, only Vanitas and Remake Our Life! are the only shows I clearly consider to be in that tier while the rest are borderline between that and the next tier down.

**Buckeye** · 08-15-2021, 03:02 PM

Post-Simulcast Report: July 16-31

Time for the second of six post-simulcast reports. Pretty short since I was busy watching the Olympics and busy with work.

Completed

Given Movie (movie): B+
After a strong TV series that does an excellent job in being mostly about reconciliation and getting over the hump rather than about establishing yaoi relationships, this movie follows things up very nicely, mostly focusing on the other two members of the band. And of course, the music is top notch, while the show maintains its focus never getting away from what it sets out to do.

Beastars Season 2 (1-12): B+
After a strong first season, this one was a bit of a letdown as it mostly focuses on one of the supporting characters and his relationship working for the enemy. While it leads to some excellent drama, the story writing is a notch down from the first season, especially with the lack of Haru in it. That said, it was great to watch the drama unfold, and while the use of CG is a sticking point, this studio produces high quality CG.

^The Gymnastics Samurai (1-11): B-
This show is all about substance over style as it has a very good story and well-developed characters that goes to show that MAPPA can be all over the spectrum when it comes to how they approach shows While the show has a great plot and solid story writing, this show is dogged by production values as the animation just looks cheap and not really reflective of the studio's usual standards, all while the show tends to get sidetracked too much and not always for the better. In all, it's another solid product from MAPPA and while it would have been quite a lot to ask it to match Yuri on Ice!!, it does a nice job in being something that does what a sports anime is supposed do.

Ongoing

[CFV-3] Cardfight!! Vanguard: Link Joker (9-16)
^[CFV-OD] Cardfight!! Vanguard: OverDress (3-4)
[GTZ] Gantz (1-4)
^[HBD] Hanebado! (1-4)
^[FRE-3] Free! Dive to the Future (1-8)
[LGH] Legend of the Galactic Heroes (28-30)
[OPC] One Piece (641-650)

**GingaDaiuchuu** · 08-15-2021, 06:55 PM

Not inspired to say too much about this season, but here's my current lineup.

01. Fumetsu no Anata e | To Your Eternity (A)
02. One Piece (A)
03. Tokyo Revengers (A-)
04. Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon S | Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S (B+)
05. Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken 2nd Season Part 2 | That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 2 Part 2 (B+)
06. Kingdom 3rd Season (B+)
07. Mairimashita! Iruma-kun 2nd Season | Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun 2nd Season (B)
08. Love Live! Superstar!! (B)
09. Vanitas no Karte | The Case Study of Vanitas (B)
10. Bokutachi no Remake | Remake our Life! (B)
11. Boku no Hero Academia 5th Season | My Hero Academia Season 5 (B-)
12. Sonny Boy (B-)
13. Uramichi Oniisan | Life Lessons with Uramichi-Oniisan (B-)
14. Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta... X | My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! X (B-)
15. Heion Sedai no Idaten-tachi | The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace (B-)
16. Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu | Tsukimichi -Moonlit Fantasy- (B-)
17. Shiroi Suna no Aquatope | The Aquatope on White Sand (B-)
18. Kaizoku Oujo | Fena: Pirate Princess (B-)

Dropped

19. Seirei Gensouki | Spirit Chronicles (C+) 4 episodes
20. Tantei wa Mou, Shindeiru. | The Detective Is Already Dead (C) 4 episodes

Services

Crunchyroll (13) Fumetsu no Anata e, One Piece, Tokyo Revengers, Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon S, Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken 2nd Season Part 2, Mairimashita! Iruma-kun 2nd Season, Bokutachi no Remake, Boku no Hero Academia 5th Season, Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta... X, Heion Sedai no Idaten-tachi, Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu, Shiroi Suna no Aquatope, Kaizoku Oujo
Funimation (5) Kingdom 3rd Season, Love Live! Superstar!!, Vanitas no Karte, Sonny Boy, Uramichi Oniisan

Weekly Schedule

Sunday (2) Kingdom 3rd Season, Kaizoku Oujo
Monday (3) Fumetsu no Anata e, Love Live! Superstar!!, Uramichi Oniisan
Tuesday (1) Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken 2nd Season Part 2
Wednesday (2) Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon S, Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu
Thursday (3) Sonny Boy, Heion Sedai no Idaten-tachi, Shiroi Suna no Aquatope
Friday (2) Vanitas no Karte, Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta... X
Saturday (5) One Piece, Tokyo Revengers, Mairimashita! Iruma-kun 2nd Season, Bokutachi no Remake, Boku no Hero Academia 5th Season

Pretty balanced schedule. Always a little more on Saturday, of course, but that's to be expected, and at least it's on a weekend. It'll be interesting to see what develops with Funimation owning Crunchyroll and VRV. As long as it's not them folding everything into their own awful player, I'm not too worried, but who knows what could happen?

**Buckeye** · 08-29-2021, 01:35 PM

Summer 2021: Finalized Watchlist

It's now time I reveal my final watchlist that took awhile due to several shows starting so late this season. They are once again placed in order with continuing shows first, followed by shows that locked down their spots quickly, and then the last shows in (with the exception of shorts that are always listed last). The dropped list had shows that were the last ones out listed first, and shows that didn't stand much of a chance at the bottom.

Watching

My Hero Academia Season 5
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 2
To Your Eternity
Tokyo Revengers
Higurashi: When They Cry Sotsu
The Honor at Magic High School
Magia Record Season 2
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! X
The Case Study of Vanitas
Remake Our Life!
Re-Main
Sonny Boy
Aquatope on White Sand
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy
How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom
Getter Robo Arc
Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles
Peach Boy Riverside
The Duke of Death and His Maid
The Great Jahy Won't Be Defeated
Fena: Pirate Princess
Obey Me! (short)
I, Tsushima (short)

Dropped

The Detective is Already Dead
Scarlet Nexus
The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace
Girlfriend, Girlfriend
Life Lessons With Uramichi Oniisan
Drugstore in Another World
Dungeon of Black Company
Love Live! Superstar!!
Mother of the Goddess' Dormitory
Battle Game in 5 Seconds
D_Cide Traumerei
Night Head 2041
Kageki Shojo!!

So to quickly summarize how I got to this list, the first nine shows were automatically in due to them being sequels or spinoffs, and it didn't take long for Vanitas and Remake Our Life to make it in. The rest of the list took a few episodes before convincing me, though some with fewer episodes than others. Re-Main, Sonny Boy, and Aquatope were never in doubt, while Tsukimichi, Realist Hero, Getter Robo, and Seirei Gensouki were in good standing, but I needed to be absolutely sure by having those shows run through their usual trial periods.

As for the rest, Fena was the last show in only because it was the last to premiere and after a strong premiere, there was no doubt about it. Then it came down to needing to choose one Thursday show to drop, and Idaten Deities was easily the show I was least interested in, but I also end up ditching Scarlet Nexus as well as I plan on playing the game and from what I heard, it's a much more fulfilling experience. Thus, Peach Boy Riverside made the cut as while the show's story and direction are a joke when watched in the broadcast order (I have a feeling I won't be saying that when watched in its true order), the characters are just a great bunch. And for the final spot, it was between the two Sunday shows Duke of Death and The Detective is Already Dead, and while it looked like Detective would easily run away with this, the show just got progressively worse, whereas the Duke of Death was at least fun and consistent. Finally, there's Jahy where I left a spot that will not be filled with another show should I decide to drop it, and in the end I decided to go for it.

So with that, here's a breakdown of the shows by day of week:

Sunday (2): Getter Robo Arc, The Duke of Death and His Maid
Monday (2): To Your Eternity, Seirei Gensouki
Tuesday (1): That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Wednesday (2): Tsukimichi, Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid
Thursday (4): Peach Boy Riverside, Higurashi Sotsu, Aquatope, Sonny Boy
Friday (2): Vanitas, My Next Life as a Villainess
Saturday (9): My Hero Academia, Remake Our Life, Honor Student, Magia Record, Realist Hero, Re-Main, Great Jahy, Tokyo Revengers. Fena

And just like with the spring season, Saturdays are loaded as that day alone has more shows than the number of shows on Sunday through Wednesday combined. While Saturdays are always going to be the favored day, this season it's even more so with a lot of reruns being broadcast on other days in several of these timeslots.

**Buckeye** · 08-29-2021, 08:51 PM

Post-Simulcast Report: August 1-15

Moving right along with my post-simulcast reports, it's onto the next semi-monthly report of this season now in the second half. Just like with the previous report, I watched a lot of sports anime with the Olympics going on and now it's back to working through my pile of new BDs.

Ongoing

^Free! Dive to the Future (9-12): B+
After an epic second season that did an outstanding job with character development left a lasting impact that's rarely seen in anime, this season, not so much. The animation continues to be amazing as typical of KyoAni, the characters are full of depth, and the new characters brought into this show make a very meaningful impact, all while the story continues to be well-constructed. It's just that this season doesn't leave that lasting impact the second season does, although it does more so than the first season.

^Hanebado! (5-12): C+
This show had a great beginning, but midway through it just becomes so cringeworthy to watch. The characters are just an awful bunch for the most part, none more so than the lead who transforms into some bully with no sense of decency. It doesn't help that the bad apples of the supporting cast are emphasized more than the good ones that made for a show that blew its potential. That said, the show does a great job with the badminton action and the show manages to have a good ending despite all the missteps it took in the middle.

^Harukana Receive (1-12): C+
Pretty much, this is a low-key sports show as it's one that is more about maintaining a positive outlook on life rather than dealing with adversity and challenges that are generally the backbone of a typical sports show. While the show could have easily been all about the fanservice, it does a nice job of avoiding that temptation and sticking to what it sets out to do. The end result is a solid show that develops the main characters nicely, and an atmosphere that is inviting. That said, this show is held back by cheap animation and a supporting cast that is woefully underdeveloped for the most part, all while the story just doesn't flow at times. In all, it's sufficient, but certainly could have done more.

Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time (movie): A
To finish off the Rebuild of Evangelion movies, the end result is a proper ending that was 25 years in the making. After an underwhelming third movie, this one does a great job in being strategic and of course, the mecha action is always what makes this show go. But the drama, characterizations, the story writing, and best of all the climax, those were all well-executed to make for a great way to finally finish off this movie series that does an excellent job with telling a fresh story where the ends justify the means unlike what End of Evangelion, and especially the TV series that ended with a long and pointless interrogation sequence.

Continuing

[CFV-3] Cardfight Vanguard: Link Joker (17-21)
*[CFV-OD] Cardfight Vanguad OverDreaa (5-6)
[GTZ] Gantz (5-10)
[LGH] Legend of the Galactic Heroes (31-32)
[OPC] One Piece (651-655)
[SHK-N] Shaman King 2021 (1-13)

**Buckeye** · 09-27-2021, 06:10 PM

Post-Simulcast Report: August 16-31

I have a lot of catching up to do on my post-simulcast reports so here's the next one, the second half of August. Seeing that I have started to watch simuldubs and some of them are being released as a complete season batch that I have decided to create a third section called Also Checked Out to indicate that I watched these episodes whose simulcasts are complete, but I have no plans to watch it through at the moment. This one is fairly short since the only thing I completed is a rewatch of the first season of Dr. Stone.

* indicates a finished simulcast
^ indicates a show that is being rewatched

Completed

*Tonikawa: Over the Moon for You SNS (OVA): A-

^Dr. Stone (1-24): A-
This is a show that was cleverly constructed with a great setting, while utilizing real life scientific research and development to make this show go. The characters are a great bunch, all while the show has plenty of amusing things going on. Just about the only major issue is the pacing as it felt slow and prone to spend too much time on sidetracts. In any case, the show is simple great fun that is put together in a complete and smart manner.

*To Your Eternity: A+

Ongoing

[ARA-2] ^Aria the Natural (14-20)
[CFV-3] Cardfight!! Vanguard: Link Joker (22-26)
[CFV-OD] ^Cardfight!! Vanguard: OverDress (7-8)
[EDZ] Edens Zero (1-4)
[GTZ] Gantz (11-17)
[LGH] Legend of the Galactic Heroes (33-35)
[SHK-N] Shaman King (2021) (7-13)

Also Checked Out

A3! (7-8) [Checked out the simuldub for the Summer Troupe]
Show by Rock!! Mashumairesh!! (1-2)

**Buckeye** · 09-29-2021, 10:21 PM

Post-Simulcast Report: September 1-15

With the season almost over, I still have one more outstanding post-simulcast report to do for this season.

* indicates a finished simulcast
^ indicates a show that is being rewatched

Completed

^Aria the Natural (21-26): B+
After a first season that had some pretty rough animation, this season cleans up the artwork to produce a nice follow-up. The episodes continue to be fun, all while the character antics and exploration aspect continue to be nicely adapted. While the show's content remains strong, this season doesn't really go anywhere with the story as while the first season does a great job of storytelling, this season not so much as it felt like a bunch of random adventures more than anything. But in this case, they are fun adventures that never get dull.

^Astra Lost in Space: A-
This show is all about character development and forming relationships in order to survive the impossible, all while the show has some well-executed drama. This show has is all together as the show has exceptional storytelling and drama that really brings out the best in this show. That said, the story writing was a bit off as a lot of things felt too convenient and predictable given everything that happens in this show. Nevertheless, the show does a lot of the important things right to make for a show with great dramatic effect.

*Peach Boy Riverside: C+

Ongoing

[CFV-OD] ^Cardfight!! Vanguard: OverDress (9-10)
[GTZ] Gantz (18-22)
[LGH] Legend of the Galactic Heroes (36-38)
[OPC] One Piece (656-673)

Also Checked Out

Magatsu Wahrheit Zuerst (1-2)
Moriarty the Patriot (1-3)
The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent (1-2)
World Witches Take Off! (1-2)

**Buckeye** · 10-06-2021, 11:31 PM

Post-Simulcast Report: September 16-30

And now, for my final post-simulcast report of the season. I will do a leader board at some point, but I want to wait and finish Fena before doing that, or at least until there is one more episode left to go. Pretty much, this report is mostly revealing the grade I gave to the simulcasts that just finished up with only two shows I'm giving reviews for.

* indicates a finished simulcast
^ indicates a show that is being rewatched

Completed

*My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! X: B-

*Tokyo Revengers: A-

*The Duke of Death and His Maid: B

*Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles: C+

*That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 2: A-

*Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy: B

*Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid: A

^Cardfight! Vanguard OverDress (11-12): D+
This show is nice to watch for the artwork done by CLAMP, as well as the de-emphasis on the card game as they tend to essentially do the same thing. Not with this show as it's more about the social aspect of the game rather than the game itself. That said, this iteration of Vanguard is hurt by two major issues. The first is that the lack of clarity of what's happening in the card battles as that made the show so hard to follow when the battles happen. And the second is the show is full of annoying characters that were so irritating to watch at times. While it's nice to see something much different than what this franchise has been putting out, at the same time it has too many slip-ups going on.

*My Hero Academia Season 5: B

*Remake Our Life!: B

*The Honor at Magic High School: C+

*Magia Record Season 2: B

*How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom: B-

*Getter Robo Arc: C-

Gantz (23-26): C+
This is a nice show to watch as a guilty pleasure as it has glorious violence, fulfilling ecchi and other highly mature themes, and intense drama, and solidly animated action that was nicely done for its time. While it had all the parts that draw viewers to this show down, this show is hindered by a story that felt tentative and incomplete, all while the characters were quite an irritating bunch, especially those in the last arc of the show. And not to mention, the ending was poorly done. But in the grand scheme of things, it was all about style over substance, and while it got the style down, not so much with the substance.

*I, Tsushima: C+

*Higurashi: When They Cry Sotsu: B-

*Sonny Boy: B

*Star Wars Visions: A-

Ongoing

[EDZ] Edens Zero (5-6)
[OPC] One Piece (674-686)

**GingaDaiuchuu** · 10-24-2021, 11:00 PM

First Impressions

Although most of the season ended around a month ago, three of the series ended in the past week, so here are.

01▲ 00► 01. One Piece (A)
01▼ 00► 02. Fumetsu no Anata e | To Your Eternity (A)
03▲ 02▲ 03. Kingdom 3rd Season (A)
00► 01▲ 04. Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon S | Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S (A-)
02▼ 01▼ 05. Tokyo Revengers (B+)
01▼ 00► 06. Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken 2nd Season Part 2 | That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 2 Part 2 (B+)
00► 00► 07. Mairimashita! Iruma-kun 2nd Season | Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun 2nd Season (B)
00► 00► 08. Love Live! Superstar!! (B)
00► 00► 09. Vanitas no Karte | The Case Study of Vanitas (B)
03▲ 01▲ 10. Uramichi Oniisan | Life Lessons with Uramichi-Oniisan (B)
05▲ 01▲ 11. Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu | Tsukimichi -Moonlit Fantasy- (B)
03▲ 00► 12. Heion Sedai no Idaten-tachi | The Idaten Deities Know Only Peace (B-)
01▼ 00► 13. Sonny Boy (B-)
03▼ 00► 14. Boku no Hero Academia 5th Season | My Hero Academia Season 5 (B-)
05▼ 01▼ 15. Bokutachi no Remake | Remake our Life! (B-)
02▲ 01▼ 16. Kaizoku Oujo | Fena: Pirate Princess (C+)
00► 01▼ 17. Shiroi Suna no Aquatope | The Aquatope on White Sand (C+) Dropped after 10 episodes
04▼ 01▼ 18. Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta... X | My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! X (C+)

Services

Crunchyroll (12) One Piece, Fumetsu no Anata e, Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon S, Tokyo Revengers, Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken 2nd Season Part 2, Mairimashita! Iruma-kun 2nd Season, Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu, Heion Sedai no Idaten-tachi, Boku no Hero Academia 5th Season, Bokutachi no Remake, Kaizoku Oujo, Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta... X
Funimation (5) Kingdom 3rd Season, Love Live! Superstar!!, Vanitas no Karte, Uramichi Oniisan, Sonny Boy

Weekly Schedule

Sunday (2) Kingdom 3rd Season, Kaizoku Oujo
Monday (3) Fumetsu no Anata e, Love Live! Superstar!!, Uramichi Oniisan
Tuesday (2) Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken 2nd Season Part 2, Heion Sedai no Idaten-tachi
Wednesday (2) Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon S, Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu
Thursday (1) Sonny Boy
Friday (2) Vanitas no Karte, Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta... X
Saturday (5) One Piece, Tokyo Revengers, Mairimashita! Iruma-kun 2nd Season, Boku no Hero Academia 5th Season, Bokutachi no Remake

Not the most impressive season, but still some good content from continuing series, and of course, the next season is well underway, with basically everything having already started.

**Buckeye** · 10-25-2021, 01:57 AM

Simulcast Rankings: September 2021

Now that some late-finishing shows have all wrapped up, time for my final leader board of the season. Again, this only reflects the episodes that happen during the cour and doesn't take into account episodes that happened outside of it, but with a couple of exceptions as it will include all of Fena, which just finished with four episodes in October, and up to episode 10 of Jahy since due to its late start the show didn't hit the halfway point until mid-October. Without further ado, my final rankings for the summer 2021 season.

Home Run
To Your Eternity
Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid S
Tokyo Revengers
Star Wars: Visions
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 2

Base Hit
The Case Study of Vanitas
The Duke of Death and His Maid (Promoted)
Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy
Fena: Pirate Princess
My Hero Academia Season 5
Sonny Boy
Remake Our Life!
Magia Record Season 2

Walk
Aquatope on White Sand (Demoted)
Re-Main
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! X (Demoted)
Higurashi: When They Cry Sotsu (Demoted)
How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom
Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles
Peach Boy Riverside
The Great Jahy Will Not Be Defeated!
I, Tsushima
The Honor Student at Magic High School

Flyout
Getter Robo Arc

Strikeout
Obey Me!

Overall, this was a fairly underwhelming season as there were very few top-tier shows to watch this season, and while I could count on having a number of shows in the upper echelon of second tier, not so much as except for Vanitas, they pretty much all barely made the tier list.

Rising

The Duke of Death and His Maid - After getting over the initial shock of seeing this show animated in CG, all while being amusing but repetitive, the storytelling really steps up in the final episodes setting things up nicely for the second season. That made this all the worthwhile as the show took the next step when it needed to.

My Hero Academia Season 5 - Three words: My Villain Academia. This is by far the worst of the seasons so far as it adapts the weakest segment of the manga. That said, the My Villain Academia arc towards the end of the show helped this season salvage some respectability. Whether it leads to a big payoff in season 6 or not just like in the manga remains to be seen, but after a weak season, the show at least gets good towards the end.

Re-Main - The ending was very well-executed as it self-awareness prevails. The show was all about telling a story rather than showcasing the game, and the writing was perfect in the end to emphasize development over results.

Falling

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! X - After a great first season, it didn't feel like much could be accomplished with a second season, and I was right at least until the final episode. Most of this season felt like filler than anything, and while the show continues to be carried nicely by its characters, there's only so much that can do when the story had gone stale.

Aquatope on White Sand - The artwork was great, but the show was starting to sag towards the end of the first half due to inconsistencies and stuff. Some of the content got really cringeworthy, all while the focus and emphasis is somethings in the wrong place.

Higurashi: When They Cry Sotsu - The new Higurashi series had some of its strongest storywriting at the beginning of this season. However, the show ends up becoming a full-on horror show towards the end, which is the main reason why the first season of the original series was so tough to watch. Not to mention, the amount of character-destroying just goes too far towards the end.

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