Anime and Manga Thread: 2nd Season

[speedlolita]

It was my most anticipated anime when they announced it as i'm a big fan of the manga, so happy madhouse have given it proper treatment, just was not expecting them to go overboard for it. All demons must die!

Looking forward to the mage exam and Denken turning up but thats not likely till the second half of season 1 next year.

After last season being an almost total washout, there are quite a few shows i'm enjoying like Jujutsu Kaisen continuation with the Shibuya Incident, MF Ghost (initial D sequel), Shangri-La Frontier and Under Ninja. Also like Goblin Slayer s2 and Oldman does VRMMO, both cheap in art and animation but i enjoy them.

I'm really enjoying MF Ghost too. It has led to me starting a complete Initial D rewatch which is also a ton of fun.

[Tobal]

winter season just started and thankfully Frieren restarted for the second half after a weeks break with a new OP and ED (and another top episode), and bless the lord they kept (a slightly remixed) Anytime, Anywhere for the ED song, it's a super rare experience to see a show keep a song while having a new animation. Looking forward to meeting Denken, Ubel and the rest of new cast.

Looking at the new stuff coming in, i would definitely recommend Delicious in Dungeon (Dungeon Meshi), the manga which finish middle of last year is fantastic a story about being self-sufficient eating monsters in a dungeon while trying to save a friend left behind. However Trigger (with netflicks money) are handling it which isn't really their wheel house to do SOL/comedy with a little bit of action, there current output for 'good' animation is always quite off key animation with tons of angle changes and also alot of odd colour choices. Having watched ep1, i can't put my worries to rest just yet as there was no action, but they mostly got the comedic timing down which i thought they would mess up.

Kind of interested in how A-1 adept Solo-Leveling from Korean to japanese, it's pure wish fulfilment power fantasy that starts out quite fun and turns in to total nonsense once the Ruler stuff is done...

[importaku]

Onepiece going in hard to the start of the new year, already set up for egghead island. Loving the new intro & ending songs, the weapon the goverment used to totally obiterate lulusia was genuinely unsettling the power scaling to even be able to attempt to counter something like that is going to be amazing to see.

[Tobal]

Sousou no Frieren finished at ep 28, man that feeling of loss when you've finished a truly great show, easily up there along side the Lord of the Rings trilogy for best fantasy.

[importaku]

Haven't been picking many new shows up but i watched the entirety of Iseleve it was a fun watch as most isekai type anime they have them struggling for everything. Was fun watching someone just stumble through with stupidly good items & gear all the time. It kind of filled a itch that log horizion left as i really liked that one, needed more so i picked up shangri la frontier which has been rather good too sadly i discovered this morning that there was no episode as it's the end of that current season they could have at least given me a clue lol.

Egghead island arc of onepiece is the best yet so far for filling in what exactly happened in the void century and why the world government are so desperate to hide it. Satisfying as hell for pieces of the story to finally start slotting into place my mind was blown when that egghead islands future technology was what it was like back in the void century and even vegapunk cant replicate it perfectly. This weeks ep learning Vegapunks theory on what devil fruits are was quite the revelation too, so many cool things happening all at once. Also bonus points for something nice happening to Robin for a change regarding the legacy of Ohara.

Oh and super satisfying watching Luffy been able to willingly activate gear 5 and the first time all of his crewmates seeing him properly not just tiny bits as he battled kaido. Lucchi about to get his ass beat he should have left his loser ass back in enies lobby.

[Tobal]

Nier Automata [1.1a] finished airing, took them an extra year to come out with the second half (24eps total) after production problems. Ultimately it follows the game to [E]nding with a few changes,

->Open Spoiler<-

we see B2 and 9S wake up and greet each other now, followed by a fake out death for A2 when she's replaced by her sword in the window. Instead we see Accord from Dragon on Dragoon 3 appear, wink and pan down to A2 having been assumedly saved from the spaceship rubble, i was not expecting that at all

. I would say it's worth it for the Nier fans to watch.

Not many good shows in the summer season that is just finishing, highlights being Elusive Samurai, I Parry Everything, and Too Many Losing Heroines for new IP shows.

My Hero is in its 6th season has about 8 episodes away from completing the story after the manga finished a month or 2 ago, so i'm hoping they give us a different epilogue after the turd we got in the manga. Feels pretty insulting

->Open Spoiler<-

that Deku learned nothing, he ended as the same self-pitying, powerless loser he started the story as, had to have everything handed to him to reach greatness, and once AFO is taken away he retreats for 8 years waiting for someone else hand him power.... seemingly ignored by his friends and the people he saved in the meantime. They could have made him Batman using his trained martial art combined with making plans with his forgotten personality quirk early in the manga of remembering powers and how they work... endless possibilities.

[importaku]

Seeing as Onepiece is now on a 6 month break it time to catch up with some other stuff. Shame it's on break for so long but seeing as they release it weekly i think they all deserve a break it's getting too close to the manga and need some time to properly get enough distance again. Last few episodes with Garp & Coby i enjoyed a lot he's really come along.

Was really surprised to see that Natsume yuujincho has a new season i thought it was done as it's been years since the last season, really love this one i'm a sucker for stories revolving around yokai they always have a feel good quality to them.

Also shangri-la frontier has started up again for a new season, been enjoying this one it fills the gap that log horizon left after that one ended the last season still waiting for a new one for that. The fights are fun to watch.

The only other thing i'm watching is a new one, everyones been raving about Dandadan i saw the artstyle and i was intrigued. At first i had no idea what i was in for as the first episode is way too pervy for it's own good however now onto episode 4 and the story is acually a lot of fun as it's all weird yokai/urban legend stuff it's totally my jam and the fights have been creative so far.

[Tobal]

Wrap up of 2024's worth watching.

Winter/Jan 2024
New shows
Delicious in Dungeon
Snack Basue

Sequels
Classroom of the Elite s3
Dangers in my Heart s2

Spring/Apr 2024
New shows
Kaiju No.8
Girls Band Cry

Sequels
Magical Genius s2 part 2
Demon Slayer S5/Hashira Training Arc
Sound! Euphonium s3
Konsuba S3

Summer/July 2024
New Shows
Too Many losing Heroines
I Parry Everything
The Elusive Samurai

Autumn/Oct 2024
New Shows
DandaDan
Let this Grieving Soul Retire
Negative/Positive Angler

Sequels
MF Ghost s2
SAO: Gun Gale s2

full breakdown in the spoilers.

->Open Spoiler<-

Winter/Jan 2024
New shows
Delicious in Dungeon - studio TRIGGER first attempt at DnD styled fantasy, well adapted from the manga source which has a very western vibe to the art, animation is great, the story stops at good place ready to finish the story in the sequel. About a party trying to save their healer who was lost to the dungeon, going in with minimal supplies, living off the dungeons monsters and plant life.

Snack Basue - comedy + parody mix of small talk skits, from the questionable morals of the lead bar hostess to bars regular drinkers.

Classroom of the Elite s3 - more of the same as the outside world intervenes to get at 50%man, while he navigates the inter classroom challenges/politics. Alot of fun trying to guess what crazy long winded plans the MC comes up with.

Dangers in my Heart s2 - lovely little school romance show about first love, great characters and story, really looking forward to sequels as the manga is just fantastic.

Spring/Apr 2024
New shows
Kaiju No.8 - well produced shounen, soldiers using weapons and armour built from Kaiju monsters fight Kaijus, along with help from the MC, monster No.8

Girls Band Cry - pretty good band formation story, not quite as good as B.E.C.K. but the characters are great and interact with other well, real good use of modern 3D anime techniques.

Magical Genius s2 part 2 - covers some Rudy's real highs and lows all in the same season, tough stuff.

Demon Slayer S5/Hashira Training Arc - pure training arc but ends on a 'OMFG' cliff-hanger.

Sound! Euphonium s3 - fantastic end to Kumiko's school high life, one of KyoAni's best series.

Konsuba S3 - great start but puts in some actual series story towards the end which gets in the way of laughs, a step down from S2 and the film.

Summer/July 2024
Too Many losing Heroines - fun high school harem, which we don't get much of anymore or of this quality of characters and writing, does take abit of dip when it focuses the story away from Anna to the less interesting girls but finishes well, looking forward to more.

I Parry Everything - very fun swords and sorcery fantasy, a guy whos only skill is to parry get into the most stupid situations with alot of jaw dropping looks from the rest of the cast and enemies. laughed alot how silly it gets.

The Elusive Samurai - a 13th century history given a fantastical retelling of the story of runaway Hojo Tokiyuki. Really well animated.

Autumn/Oct 2024
DandaDan - current super hit, Teenagers fighting Aliens and Ghosts. Old school shounen with great characters, animation and plenty of ecchi moments you just don't get anymore, specially in these style of shows.

Let this Grieving Soul Retire - comedy fantasy show about the weakest adventure somehow despite his best efforts to quit, runs the strongest guild. Alot of other people misunderstanding is intentions and his pure luck paying off in spades.

Negative/Positive Angler - fishing show about late teens lad, finding how his has a terminal illness, his spiral in to debt/gambling and salvation by new friends and fishing.

MF Ghost s2 - more eurobeat and car racing from the sequel to Initial D

SAO: Gun Gale s2 - its more gun gale, more of the pink rabbit trying to ignore her insane will to kill/win by any means necessary (online, not real life).

[QualityChimp]

Nice one. There are so many choices, it's easier to just not start an anime show!

I see that Disney+ now has a load of Macross stuff (except the first series because Harmony Gold are sat on it), however, I don't know which shows are worth watching.
Which of these are worth my time, in you opinion, anime fans?
Zero
Frontier
Frontier: Labyrinth of Time
7
Flashback 2012
II
FB7 Listen to my Song!
Dynamite 7
Delta

[Tobal]

Nice one. There are so many choices, it's easier to just not start an anime show!

I see that Disney+ now has a load of Macross stuff (except the first series because Harmony Gold are sat on it), however, I don't know which shows are worth watching.
Which of these are worth my time, in you opinion, anime fans?
Zero
Frontier
Frontier: Labyrinth of Time
7
Flashback 2012
II
FB7 Listen to my Song!
Dynamite 7
Delta

Macross is tough to get into as a taste for j-pop idol music and the power love over science and overwhelming odds is stronger than Mechs and mecha action shoved in any promotional stuff, doesn't help the most 'recent' entries Frontier (2007) and Delta (2016) are pretty trash and killed macross franchise off as we've had 1 Delta film since (no idea if it's a sequel or TV adaption). Best trying to stick the film adaptions of the TV shows for the older stuff and seek out Plus and Zero (originally a set of a 2-6ep OVAs, probably now found as film adaptions).

If its up your street, the Bleach continuation Thousand Year Blood War seems to be on Disney+.