The series is done. After three or so years, this legendary series has come to a close. Something that fans have been wanting for a long time, and that people like myself have heard about, but went along for the ride for the first time. A series full of ups and downs, great animation, wonderful music, and sometimes that monkey zodiac. It’s time now though, to give you my final thoughts, at least at this stage. So after the cut let’s jump into it. This is Fruits Basket.
This was a show that was pretty big a few months ago, and while the second season is currently airing, I dragged my feet on watching the first. I’ve said this before, but I am pretty much a lapsed Shonen fan at this point. I had my shows, I had my ‘time’ and most of what I see these days just doesn’t interest me. I’m sure they are absolutely great shows, but it’s not my thing anymore.
However every now and then I’m put those feelings aside and watch a good ol shonen. Or a show will come along that really pulls me in (Demon Slayer). The show we are talking about today is kinda that, but not really. After the cut let’s get into the first season of the hit anime of last year: Fire Force.
Anime Winter 2020 will end this week, which means giving out thoughts on all the series that came out. Series that were more than two cours are also finishing, so our final thoughts on those longer anime are also due! Fate is a series that is no stranger here, so I won’t bore you with any more words. Join me after the cut as I dive into the second cour of Fate/Grand Order: Absolute Demonic Front – Babylonia!
The last two episodes of the anime Azur Lane, which were pushed back due to the animators needing more time, have just been released. When I gave my thoughts on the series back when it was airing, I said it was for two types of people: Fans of the mobile game (like me!) or someone who was watching a rather sub par show with tons of cute girls. Now that the series has wrapped up, what are my final thoughts?
Meh.
That’s pretty much it. The show was decent before, and the last two episodes do very little, if anything to change my mind. Aside from the absolutely kicker theme song, Azur Lane was a exactly what it was suppose to be: A commercial for the mobile game. However unlike Absolute Demonic Front Babylonia from the Fate series, this anime didn’t have a story or compelling enough characters to make it work. Frankly, the show has too many characters for it to work, and too often the plot wasn’t able to get on a even footing, when there was one. If Azur Lane had finished before 2019 had ended, it very well might have been my worst anime of that year, just because there is no real heart put into it.
I’m not mad though, I play the mobile game because I like collecting sexy anime ship girls, and by all accounts, the game is doing swimmingly (heh) at the moment. This anime was harmless enough that I never felt my time was wasted, but it also felt that I wasn’t seeing the best of what it could have been. There has been rumblings that another anime from another studio is coming in the future, one that is more comedic, so that will be something to look forward to. I like the world of Azur Lane, and I wish that that world had been given just a bit more love. Either way..I got my Bismarck.
I’ll admit that despite being a member of the 90s anime generation, who grew up when anime was still on television at decent hours, I never watched Cowboy Bebop. I know, I know, the series that is considered a landmark for the genre, to many the Firefly of the anime world. I know that one day I’ll get around to watching it, but I won’t deny it’s legacy.
A legacy that shows up a bit in the series I’m talking about today. Join me after the cut as I dive into the series No Guns Life.
Today is the last day of 2019, and the last day of anime in 2019.
The year has not been as good as 2018, but that year was one of the best on record, so it is understandable. Still the year, especially in the back half has delivered some great series, characters and moments. I already did this at the halfway point of the year, so let’s not waste anytime, join me after the cut as I give you my best, and worst, of anime in 2019.
The last five years in anime can probably be best summed up as the age of the Isekai. Another world adventures have seized the reins of the Anime industry and there seems to be no sign of them letting go anytime soon. In the last five years we’ve seen good Isekai stories (Smartphone, Overlord, Knights & Magic), great Isekai stories (Konosuba, ReZero, Saga of Tanya the Evil), sexy Isekai stories (How Not to Summon a Demon Lord), and really bad Isekai stories (Master of Ragnarok). There has been a bit of something for everyone, and as we head into the third decade of the 2000s, I doubt things will change anytime soon.
In this last season of the decade, the overall last ‘word’ on Isekai before we put a lid on the 2010s, we’ve been blessed with a few Isekai stories, and the one we are talking about today is, in my mind, a solid cap on everything viewers have experienced. Join me after the cut as we take a Shallow Dive into Cautious Hero: The Hero is Overpowered but Overly Cautious.
Shallow Dives in Anime was a blog that came from my desire to talk about anime, specifically the harem genre, which I had been heavily indulging in at the time. While we’ve expanded things here to other anime genres, harem anime is always something that will be discussed on her. I love the genre to death, and it has some of my favorites series of all time.
I’ve also said though, that Harem needs to have a series that throws a bit of shade on it’s own premise, very much like what ReZero did to the Isekai genre. I don’t know if this series is the one that has done it, but we are going to discuss it nonetheless. Join me after the cut as I dive into the series Oresuki: Are you the only one who loves me?
Because the last two episodes of Azur Lane have been delayed until March (March!). I’ve decided that in lieu of a proper Shallow Dive on the series, I’m just going to give you my quick thoughts on the series so far. While I don’t expect these to change much, if at all, once all is said and done. I do want to talk about the series, so join me after the pic as I give you my thoughts so far on Azur Lane.
When you watch Azur Lane, you most likely fall into one or two camps.
You either have played the mobile game, so the show is a fanservice-filled fest as you watching your favorite ship-waifus do cute and awesome ship-waifu feels.
Or you are just an anime fan and your watching a show that has a decent, but bare bones story, with animation that has varied from impressive to just plain bad.
Now I’m heavily in the first camp. I love the Azur Lane mobile game, fuck I am playing it right now as I type out this post. I have put down decent money on this game, collected so many ship-waifus, and fuck my banner on my twitter is from the fan-art that people got all pissy about. I love this game, and I have enjoyed the anime immensely. Mostly because I am going into the show not expecting some grand narrative, or even a decent story. I just want to see my cute waifu ship-girls doing cool things and looking sexy doing it. With that, Azur Lane delivers and despite the animation whiplash, I’ve always enjoyed every moment I’ve spent in the series.
But if you aren’t in that camp, then Azur Lane is just kinda ‘eh’. It’s got some cool ideas and is creative in adapting real life battleships into cute anime girl, but that is something that’s been done before and sometimes done better. The characters are all just cardboard cut outs of the classic anime tropes, and the cast is just so damn big that none of the characters ever really get any depth.
Azur Lane is probably the purest example I’ve seen of a “commercial anime.” It’s here to sell people on the mobile game and that’s it. However despite that it never feels like a truly ‘bad’ series and it looks cute enough to entertain you while doing it. If you play the mobile game, see this out for the enjoyment of going “I have that girl”, but if your not playing, then you might want to avoid getting on this ship. But either way, the opening theme fucking ROCKS.
The Fall season and the final run for 2019 is nearing it’s end. The decade is going to close on a decent note, as the last part of the year has delivered some solid anime so far, and I’ve been enjoying it far more than the rest of what 2019 has offered. We are eight episodes in and it’s time to once again give you my thoughts on what I’m watching. Check it out after the cut!
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