#and their individual flaws and failings end up clashing in an apocalyptic way by the end of RotS

[the-far-bright-center]

Regarding Padme's negotiating skills, I was re-reading the AotC novelization and there's a part that stands out to me:

"Do you see any way, through negotiations, to bring the separatists back into the Republic?" Jamillia asked, staying calm despite Sio Bibble's obvious agitation.

"Not if they feel threatened." It amazed Padme to realize how secure she was in these estimations. She felt as if she was beginning to fully understand the nuances of her postion, as if she could trust her instincts implicity. And all of her talent would be needed, she knew.

This is in relation to Padme's attempts to prevent the creation of a Republic military because she knows it will automatically be viewed as a declaration of war from the Separatists' perspective.

So yeah, in RotS Padme knows that any hint of violence would endanger her ability to get through to Anakin. Even after she's horrified by what he's saying to her ("rule the galaxy", etc), she still knows this. She'd never, ever have consented to bring Obi-Wan along, knowing he was intending to confront/fight/kill Anakin. The whole reason she goes to Mustafar in the first place is to try to persuade Anakin to run away with her and go hide somewhere BEFORE Obi-Wan finds him. She believed Anakin was still 'in' there and that he could be saved. Padme in RotS is meant to directly parallel Luke in RotJ who is told by Obi-Wan and Yoda he must confront/fight/kill Vader. Like his mother, Luke refuses because he (rightly) believes Anakin is still 'in' there and can be saved.

I feel that there is supposed to be a great irony in the fact that, during the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan is known as 'the Negotiator'. Ultimately, we are meant to see that it is a title that proves to be just as 'false' as Anakin's 'the Hero with no Fear'.

Likewise, there is another additional irony that, in AotC, it is Obi-Wan who is so upset and accusatory with Anakin for 'using Padme as bait' to try to catch the assassin, even though Anakin explains that he only did it because it was Padme's idea. In other words, she had given her consent for said plan.

By this point in RotS, Obi-Wan seems to be in just as much of an 'ends justify the means' way of thinking as Anakin is, only in his case it is from his certain point of view 'Jedi are in the right' perspective.

Can we please acknowledge that Obi-wan hiding on Padmé’s ship to get to Anakin was wrong?

[bellboy905]

Democracies are sustained through the formal process by which power is contested and exchanged. Once that process is corrupted, you have merely the trappings of democracy within an authoritarian regime. Such governments may retain elections and courts and legislatures, but those institutions have no power to enforce the rule of law. 

[...]

Trump has... engaged in a purge of officials who testified truthfully... in the impeachment hearings... In any administration, political appointees serve at the pleasure of the president. But these officials did not somehow fail in performing their official duties or even clash with official policy. As Republican Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma put it, “People were supposed to have loyalty [but] obviously they didn’t.”

[…]

The GOP now makes no distinction between fealty to Trump and loyalty to the country. The Founders devised the impeachment clause as a remedy for a chief executive who abuses his power to stay in office. But as there were no parties at the time of the founding, they did not foresee that such a chief executive would be shielded by toadies who envision their civic obligations as beginning and ending with devotion to the leader.

[...]

The Republican Party is slowly transforming into a regime party, one whose primary duty is to maintain its control of the government at all costs. The benefits here are mutual. By keeping Trump in power, the party retains power. Individuals who want to rise in the Republican Party and its associated organizations… must be unwavering in their devotion to the leader. That is the only way to have a career in the GOP, let alone reap the associated political and financial benefits. Allowing Trump to fall would render all the humiliations, compromises, and sacrifices… made to keep him in power meaningless.  

But keeping Trump in office is not the ultimate goal... The purpose is to preserve the authoritarian structure Trump and Barr are building, so that it can be inherited by the next Republican president... The Trump administration is not fighting a “deep state.” It is seeking to build one that will outlast him.

[...]

The Republican-controlled Senate has ratified Trump’s authority to interfere in American elections, while helping install judges who understand that their paramount obligation is to shield Trump from accountability. The president’s public attacks on political opponents and detractors, and his demands that they be sanctioned or prosecuted, have had the intended effect of silencing elite criticism… Potential future dissidents are meant to note the folly of placing their civic obligations before the whims of the president.

[...]

Members of the Republican elite have transitioned seamlessly from attempting to restrain Trump’s authoritarian impulses to enabling them, all the while telling themselves they are acting in the best interests of democracy. This delusion is necessary, a version of the apocalyptic fantasy that conservative pundits have fed their audiences. In this self-justifying myth, only Trump stands between conservative Americans and a left-wing armageddon in which effete white liberals and the black and brown masses they control shut the right out of power forever.

[…]

To save “democracy” then, they must, at any cost, preserve a system in which only those who are worthy... that is, those who vote Republican... may select leaders and make policy. If that means disenfranchising nonwhite voters, so be it. If it means imposing a nationwide racial gerrymander to enhance the power of white voters at the expense of everyone else, then that is what must be done. And if it means allowing the president to use his authority to prevent… free and fair elections, then that is but a small price to pay. 

[...]

The insistence... that “the Democrats have never accepted that Donald Trump won the 2016 election, and they will never forgive him either” has it exactly backwards. Democrats impeached Trump to preserve a democratic system in which they have a chance of winning, in which the president cannot blithely frame his rivals for invented crimes. Republicans acquitted him because they fear that a system not rigged in their favor is one in which they will never win again.

[...]

How long the Trump administration lasts should be up to the American people to decide. But this president would never risk allowing them to freely make such a choice. The Republican Party has shown that nothing would cause it to restrain the president, and so he has no reason to restrain himself.

[…]

The Senate acquittal marked the beginning of a fundamental transition of the United States from a democracy, however flawed, toward authoritarianization. It was, in short, the end of the Trump administration, and the first day of the would-be Trump regime.

[recentanimenews]

AnimePalette's Guide to Fall 2017

This article is cross-posted with the permission of AnimePalette that does not reflect the opinion or values of Crunchyroll 

    The chart is meant to be a compact tool to quickly pick the shows you might be interested in. The longer reviews below were written by a few friends of mine from the 2016 /r/Anime Awards jury, who frankly who have been helping me out with the charts for quite some time now.

The Ancient Magus' Bride The show to watch. Maybe not the best of the season (critics will give that to Land of the Lustrous, Girls' Last Tour, or one of the sequels), but certainly the best compromise between quality and accessibility.

Magus Bride starts out like a shoujo cliche - a frail, sensitive girl, troubled by life, gets rescued by a gentle, mysterious individual. One might question the relationship (words "Stockholm Syndrome" are bound to appear), and such unhealthy relationships are kind of a plague in fiction written for girls - but this is not as much of a problem as it might appear to be. Whatever your questions or problems are, the show will address them, and will not let them go as easily. However, the romance element is in the background, as the show's main strength is the breathtaking journey into the world of magic and fantasy. Magus Bride manages to enchant the audience with a world, cast, and visuals that never fail to cause the sense of wonder and amazement.

Let it bewitch you. If you're a fan of Mushishi or Natsume's Book of Friends, this is most certainly a must-watch. [lukeatlook] Land of the Lustrous A true hidden gem of the season, Land of the Lustrous finds it hard to shine in the shadow of Anime Strike’s truly outrageous double paywall as well as being ignored or even straight up called “awful” by prominent voices in the anime community. However, this show is hardly the type to fracture under stress, as so far each episode has delivered a landslide of interesting character interactions and solid animation. That isn’t to say Land of the Lustrous is a perfectly cut gem - the low frame rate and lighting effects can sometimes be jarring to those sensitive to unpolished frames. However, this diamond in the rough is a jewel of a show and has left me glassy-eyed and over the moon with how it’s shattered my expectations for CGI anime. While it’s certainly not perfect, I would adamantly recommend everyone give this show a shot. [Pandavenger] Land of the Lustrous is an adaptation of a fairly esoteric manga with the same title, about a group of androgynous immortal gems that inhabit a small island in a (post-)post-apocalyptic world, while defending themselves from the Lunarians who want to take them to the Moon and make jewelry out of them. Such simplicity in premise and setting, while leaving many questions to be answered, allows the focus to be put on the dynamics of our long-lived characters, who day by day face the existential horror of being immortal beings, by questioning the meaning and value of their existence and fulfilling their small but meaningful roles constantly. Through the eyes of Phos, our clumsy but good-willed and charismatic protagonist, we slowly get to discover the nuances and tensions of these relationships, as well as slowly get to know more and more about the current state of their world.

The series features excellent comedic timing, and balances both its lighter and more dramatic chords competently, managing to capture at least a fraction of the bittersweet melancholy its source material presents, helped by a brilliantly composed and utilized OST featuring subtle percussion, with piano and strings being at the front. The choice of getting this adapted by a CGI studio like Orange is a good one, given the fast-paced action and intensity of movement the manga has, since CGI animation allows to make this kind of action look consistently good with extra technical freedoms, which is also the staff’s specialty in this case.

Definitely recommended for those looking for something out of the norm in terms of presentation, don’t mind lack of a clear-cut plot direction, and want a more world/character focused show. [Karmic_thread]

  Kino's Journey -The Beautiful World- Kino’s Journey is a show of two parts - first, there is the titular journey to a multitude of culturally, politically, technologically unique and diverse nations (more like city-states), which serve as a setup for hypothetical thought experiment showcasing a philosophical dilemma. In essence, they act as parables and you view this via the lens of the second part of the title, Kino, who’s a biased but non-judgemental protagonist with a moral code that allows you to come to your own conclusions about the actions of both parties in any given episode. That’s the core appeal of the show, really: it forces you to interact with the stories it puts forth, leaving you in deep thought about the core moral issues at play in a wide array of contexts. It engages you, yet lets you choose your own way, accepting any answer that you present it as truly yours and thus worthwhile - and that’s honestly a pretty rare thing in media.

On a side note, given the inherent nature of the show, it’s a totally episodic affair, and this new adaptation is trying to appeal to both fans of the old series, by adapting mostly new stories, as well as newcomers to the franchise by readapting the 3 stories that are crucial to understanding Kino’s unique viewpoint. Considering this, I’d highly suggest you check out the 2003 series if you have the time, as while this new show is pretty good, it stands nowhere near the level of the original, in terms of not only the presentation of the material but even the content of the material they have adapted, at least thus far. [AdiMG]

  Girls' Last Tour "Wow, is this like Made in Abyss"? Eh, not really. But the comparison is fair - little kids adventuring into a dangerous and unknown world sounds familiar, right? However, I believe this is where the similarities end, as Girls' Last Tour is much more of a slice of life before anything else. Even though the setting is terrifying (a presumably post-apocalyptic world, with no human civilizations in sight), the focus of the show lies in the interactions between the main duo, Yuuri and Chito, and those tend to be light-hearted with a tendency to the cute and/or funny side. Despite the focus, Girl's Last Tour still approaches subjects common in any post-apocalyptic story, such as the meaning of existence and the value of weapons in comparison to food and other resources. Still, even when dealing with such matters, Girls' Last Tour tends to take a positive view on it, leaving the depressive storytelling for other shows. Rarely do you find a tale that handles themes like these this way, but more importantly you not often find anime that use their setting as well as Girls' Last Tour does, utilizing a rich and detailed worldbuilding to tie in amazingly well with the characters and their way of life, resulting in a beautifully developed canvas for the plot to take place in.

It is, of course, possible that at some point this light-hearted approach to a presumably hostile environment will change, after all a theoretical threat is present and it could cause Yuu and Chii some degree of suffering in their future, frankly though, I doubt we will ever get to such point. You can probably watch this and expect nothing more than smile-inducing moments, beautiful backgrounds and exploration, and the occasional philosophical question.

Overall, Girls' Last Tour has so far introduced us to a mysterious and intriguing world, a couple of main characters with great comedic and dramatic chemistry with each other, and a narrative that might go in several different directions, making the viewer as curious as the girls themselves to what the future holds for them. If you are a fan of unique slice of life shows don’t miss out on this one. Oh, and it has one of the best OP and EDs of the season. [Patureau]

  JUNI TAISEN: ZODIAC WAR There have been some new battle royale anime in recent times, most noteworthy the oh-so-popular Fate series, but here we have another challenger entering the fray with Juni Taisen. The rules of this clash is a simple ”last man standing” deathmatch with all the participants more-or-less content with that. The show managed to make the characters interesting and relatable by delivering backstory for one of them each episode.

The animation and choreography, especially in the fight scenes, are great. For the fans of action series, this show is pretty much a must-watch. And while you can criticize whatever flaws it has, it's indubitably the least bad edgy action show this season has to offer. [MilanY]

GARO -VANISHING LINE-

There are numerous shows centered around a superpowered protagonist fighting monsters. The newest addition of Garo takes this seemingly simple format and turns the action up to 11. While the two previous iterations of Garo occasionally shied away from the exciting fights, Vanishing Line absolutely revels in it. Set in the fictional town of Russel City, the show follows our battle-hungry protagonist as he fights monsters known as Horrors while searching for the truth behind the words “El Dorado”. Are you a fan of incredibly well-animated action fights? Complete balls to the walls action sequences with entertaining characters? A fresh MC who's virile and joyous? Then Garo -Vanishing Line- is definitely the show for you.

  IMPORTANT NOTE: Although Vanishing Line is the third installment of the Garo anime-series, it is not a sequel. All three series are completely standalone, and there is no preference to watch any installment before or after another. Each series also has a dramatically different tone and atmosphere, making it closer to three completely different shows. [Vaxivop]

  Just Because!

Dozens of school slice of life shows come out each year that try to stand out among the others by using all kinds of quirks carrying from revenge plots to age pills, but usually failing to stand out in the most core parts of slice of life. Just Because!, on the other hand manages to shine above most other school slice of life shows we’ve seen this year while staying true to the core fundamentals of the genre: Characters living their ordinary lives. Just Because! manages to have some of the most interesting, entertaining and charming slice of life characters of the year while still keeping everything simple. The show has a very good grasp on the ‘simplicity’ of its setting and manages to use that combined with strong production to make the show feel genuine, human and true to life. The driving force behind the show is the friendships and romances blooming between the cast but the show never overplays them for cheap drama.

  Overall Just Because! is a show worth checking out for any fan of character-driven light slice of life shows with a mild focus on romance. It’s not much more than that, but it’s damn good at what it is.

[DoctorWhoops]

  Recovery of an MMO Junkie

Seemingly just another MMO focused romantic comedy, MMO Junkie is a pleasant surprise of the season, showing charm in many aspects, and providing the viewer with a mostly pleasant experience. The plot follows Moriko Morioka, a 30-year-old woman who willingly quits her job to become a NEET and play computer games all day long. Here we can already see one of MMO Junkie's main appeal, its unusual main character. While the NEET MMO player is a trope overused at this point, a relatively old woman who fits the description is something new, and thankfully it does not fail to deliver an interesting approach to this type of character. Morioka’s funny/sweet’ reactions and thoughts are the main driving force of MMO Junkie, making all the usual MMO tropes a lot more bearable.

But that's not all MMO Junkie has going for it, the romance between Morioka and her in-game guildmate is surprisingly well done by this point. Both characters have been making rational logical decisions (not much Misunderstandings! here) and their relationship has been progressing in a nice, believable pace. Now the show is set to have 10 episodes only, so it is hard to assume such development will maintain such qualities until the end, but it's a possibility.

In the end MMO Junkie is a nice romantic comedy that does not rely on fanservice to get the viewers attention, instead it showcases a (mostly) mature relationship between two adults with constants modern gaming references, like gacha mechanics, and it's certainly worth a try for anyone looking for a decent romantic comedy.

[Patureau]

  BLEND-S

Welcome to the meme town - Blend-S hits off with the inherently most memetic opening of the season, creating fertile ground for dozens of parodies. The anime features a cast of characters working in a maid cafe. Unlike typical "cute girls doing cute things" shows, it's not all cute girls - there's male characters, too, which makes the whole ordeal a bit akin to Working!!. Certainly a positive change in cast dynamics, because it's still a "cute girls doing cute things" at heart, with girls standing firmly in the foreground.

  It's a simple idea, really - in this maid cafe, the girls embody several popular anime archetypes - the tsundere, the imouto, the idol, the sadist, the older sister... thing is, none of the girls are anything like the characters they're supposed to play. Their real personalities are far, far away from the ones they act as - which creates a simple yet effective vibrancy of the cast.

  Watch this if you're looking for the most upbeat comedy of the season.

[lukeatlook]

  A Sister's All You Need

There was a AnimeMaru article once, titled “Eromanga-sensei’s Author No Longer On Speaking Terms With His Sister”, which was a satire on the works of the infamous author of OreImo. This show, in particular, seems to follow the exact same joke - by portraying a character who lives off writing light novels featuring the incest romance taboo - in a cynical manner that Watari’s Oregairu and Gi(a)rlish’s Number would be proud of.

  At this point, it doesn’t even surprise me that the most upvoted reactions of the community are the ridiculously blatant lewd jokes. The irony is not lost on them - we’re just horrible people and this show knows it. The first few minutes are what you'd call a "normie filter", and hopefully you're expected to be on the verge of dropping the show there. Otherwise, I fear for you.

  Watch this if you liked Eromanga-sensei. Watch this if you hated Eromanga-sensei. [lukeatlook]

  INUYASHIKI

The opening 10 minutes or so are some of the most gut-wrenching scenes this season has to offer. I don't think we've seen a protagonist that shat on by life in a good while.

  Inuyashiki is most probably going to be a complete adaptation, which is already great news, of a somewhat popular or at least acclaimed manga. Animated by MAPPA, with OP from MAN WITH A MISSION (this time not as memetic as the legendary Database), this is a solid piece of anime with an odd taste of CGI that you simply need to get used to. [lukeatlook]

  KONOHANA KITAN

Do you like Hanasaku Iroha? Do you wish it had fox girls and yuri vibes? Look no further, Konohana Kitan is the anime for you! The story follows young and adorable Yuzu as she moves into the Konohana Inn and starts working there while interacting with a cast of lovable youkai, ranging from a Kanna-esque little girl to a tsundere-ish black haired beauty, these are all likeable characters, even though they don't have the most original templates, through good comedic timing and decent writing one can grow attached to them rather quickly… and by the way, there is a Saber with fox ears.

  Konohana Kitan is one of the best slice of life series of the season but, despite being the trademark of the genre, comfy relaxing moments isn't all it offers, even though these are abundant, Konohana also brings in some quality tidbits of possible romance between the girls and some genuine heartfelt moments, wrapping all that up with a great atmosphere of Japanese culture, presenting interesting references to religion and customs of old age Japan. Also, did I mention it has a fox-eared Saber? [Patureau]

  URAHARA

Urahara is definitely one of the most controversial shows of the season. Despite the fact that the show sits at a very meager 5.29 on MAL, it is garnering praise and attention in specific circles. With the unconventional (yet gorgeous) style and plenty of quirks and absurdities, the show hasn’t left the best impression on most people because it’s quite difficult to get into. However, I think despite this I think it’s a show that really has to be checked out.

  The visual style is bright, expressive, and beautifully comes together with other elements of the show like characters, setting and narrative to create a very complete picture of how the show and world express themselves, and the more you watch of it the more it builds upon itself. The character interaction is charming and entertaining and also a has a very distinct style to it. The music is one of the better if not one of the best soundtracks of the season and all these parts come together to create something unique and highly engaging if you take the time to get used to it.

  Of course, it might not work for you, but it’s definitely worth the try. If you get into it, it’s an incredibly unique and highly entertaining show to watch. I won’t call it a ‘must watch’, but definitely a ‘must try’. [DoctorWhoops]

  My Girlfriend is a Shobitch

Remember My First Girlfriend is a Gal from the last season? If you take that and dial the lewdness waaayyy down, you get Shobitch. The side characters, although mostly one-dimensional, seem much more mature in regards to how they react to relationships. While the show is still chock full of sex-jokes and one-liners, it forgoes the panty shots (mostly) for a bit more of an innocent atmosphere. This overall results in a much less frustrating watch, at least for me. It feels more like Seitokai Yakuindomo in regards to its humor, as opposed to a raunchy ecchi-comedy. While it’s certainly still a “trashy” show to watch, it’s certainly not awful. not to mention we get to hear the wonderful voice of Aoi Yuuki talk about sex positions.

  If you like slightly more innocent sex humor, give this a shot. If you’re specifically looking for a show full of ecchi tropes, this show might not be for you. It’s certainly a fun show to sit down and watch after a long Wednesday. [Pandavenger]

  Anime-Gataris

Something something Monogatari watch order joke. So far, I haven’t been impressed with Animegataris and I genuinely thought I was going to like it. The character designs are cute and interesting and the surrealness of the talking cat and beret still have me intrigued, but the episodes are a drag to sit through. While many can certainly appreciate and even laugh at some of the references in the show, it feels like it has no soul. The characters we’re supposed to relate and empathize with are just caricatures of each subsect of the anime community and, as a result, all they feel like are characters reading out a script. Credit where it’s due though, some of the references made have been very on point, and the meta-ness of the third episode, where the characters literally talk about the show getting dropped if nothing happens in the third episode only for nothing significant to happen, could potentially pay off if the rest of the show executes on it.

  The first three episodes haven’t left a positive impression, but there’s plenty of screenshot and meme fodder here, and the premise and set-up is still very intriguing. If a (potentially surreal) show about the adventures of joining an Anime Club with a bunch of uber-weebs interests you, give this show a shot. [Pandavenger]

Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~

Straight women and gay men rejoice! We have another cute boys series besides Free! that isn’t complete garbage! Following a ragtag group of bishonen versions of famous fictional characters such as Arsene Lupin, Frankenstein, and Van Helsing, Code: Realize centers around a girl named Cardia who disintegrates anything she touches. This superpowered gal is taken by our previously mentioned squad in order to keep her away from a dastardly secret organization who plans to use the relic replacing her heart in a terrorist attack.

Overall, the show doesn’t do anything special but is still very enjoyable. An interesting steampunk Victorian London setting, fun characters, and a plot that at the very least makes sure something exciting is happening keep the show afloat. Perfect for casual viewing, but nothing more. [chrispy294]

Love Is Like A Cocktail

There’s not much to say about this. Each week is a 3-minute clip into the life of a complete lightweight whose husband loves to get her drunk (and who can blame him? Drunk anime girls are C U T E!) There’s a short recipe for each cocktail at the end of each episode as well. Watch this if you enjoy drinking cocktails, want a new recipe to impress your weeb friends, like drunk and/or adult anime girls, or just have 3 minutes to kill each week. [Pandavenger]

TWO CAR

From the studio that brought you beloved shows like Tanaka-kun is Always Listless and Kokoro Connect comes their 10th-anniversary celebration show about sidecar racing that no one asked for.

  I have no idea why a studio that usually makes romances and comedies would do a racing show, but I guess they thought it would be a great idea! Somehow, beyond all believable doubt, they managed to suck all the excitement and tension out of racing. Pair that with poor animation, rough art, and annoyingly bad characters, and you have a mess of a show worth no one’s time. Unless you like staring at CGI anime girl butts as they go around a curve? [chrispy294]

Black Clover

Have you ever been watching anime and had the sudden urge to listen to something that’ll make your ears bleed? Well then, Black Clover is perfect for you! With an amateur voice actor, poor direction, and an obnoxious shounen MC cliche, this anime is perfect for all your deafening needs.

Horrible voice for the MC aside, Black Clover otherwise isn’t much more than another mediocre shonen battle anime. If you like Naruto and want a fantasy version that doesn’t even reach the low bar set by the long-running series, then maybe you’ll like Black Clover. For everyone else, the shallow characterization, bland storytelling, and overabundance of poorly-used tropes probably won’t do it for you.

[chrispy294]

King's Game

What do you get when you cross-breed Mirai Nikki, Mayoiga, and Another? Well, I’m not sure what it is but it’s called King's Game and goddamn is it entertaining. Combining the worst elements of all three shows and wrapping it up in a whole lot of awful writing, this show becomes something so hilariously bad that it reaches levels only rivaled by the unintended comedy classic Garzey’s Wing.

  The show follows a class of students being forced into a death game by a weirdly fetishistic almighty being called the ‘king’. The King forces them to do a variety of unusually sexual tasks that vary from licking each other’s feet, to forcing characters to have sex. All these tasks have to be obeyed to avoid a cruel punishment which usually ends up being a violent and bloody death only matched by Another in its ridiculousness. If you think you’ve got the jist of just how silly and ridiculous this show gets, then prepare to have your expectations blown away as every time you think you’ve seen the worst the show can offer it manages to pull a brand new beautiful disaster out of nowhere. If you love a good shitwatch, or want a beautiful example of just how low Anime can get then Ousama Game has got you covered, probably much more than you bargained for. [DoctorWhoops]

  EVIL OR LIVE

A strong contender for the "least watchable", "most edgy", and "unintentionally funny" awards. If you're puzzled by how silly the title sounds, the entire show is exactly like it. Watch only if you want an experience you'll get to share with fewest other people possible. [lukeatlook]

Dies irae

Ever since Saga of Tanya the Evil, the community has had a hankering for some good (but, also not good) evil Nazi anime girls. Dies irae tries to cash in on that demand, but with an emphasis on “tries.” The prologue episode was confusing and impossible to follow and, while the following episodes were better, it wasn’t significant enough to convince me to continue watching.

  The show itself is a mess, and while I am assured by the visual novel readers that it will get better (and in their defense it does appear to be very critically acclaimed), I think I can see myself more likely to sit down and play the VN rather than continue watching the show. I’m 100% sure clicking through the VN would be infinitely less boring than sitting through the anime. The music is pretty epic and that’s about it. If you like the character designs or the premise of the show, I would say that you should keep watching in case it does get better. It’s certainly not anything I would recommend anyone pick up, although I think I might check out the free common route on Steam. [Pandavenger]

Welcome to the Ballroom

Adapted from a critically-acclaimed and successful manga, Welcome to the Ballroom comes in as easily one of the best and highly-anticipated shows of the season.

  The focus of the story lies in our young protagonist who only just finds out about the wonderful world of dancing and gets dragged into a dancing school. The show explores themes of rivalry, competition, and talent like you’d expect from sports anime with finesse and great writing, but on top of that manages to be an incredible story of overcoming anxiety, finding your passion, and opening up which is told through the awkward but dedicated main character. On top of that, the show has lots of fun characters like the many rivals and some of the dance partners Tatara meets in his career from zero to hero.

  Don’t be scared off by the fact that this is about dancing, because Welcome to the Ballroom is one of the most well-written and highly enjoyable shows of the season that shouldn’t be missed out on. [DoctorWhoops]

  MAGICAL CIRCLE GURU-GURU

Hailed by plenty of avid anime fans as the "hidden gem of the season" this renewed adaptation of an old '90s manga holds up as one of the more interesting watches this far down the list.

The show tells the story of a young and incredibly smug hero and his adorably bubbly magician travel companion, who set off to defeat the demon-kin in a quirky RPG style comedy story. And with RPG style I mean that quite literally, with 8bit text boxes showing up on screen and the show often resorting to classic elements and tropes. The show is filled with a silly but incredibly fun style of comedy that makes it a great watch. The old style is there, but it holds up, and the show’s humor doesn’t feel outdated. If an old-school JRPG comedy with a totally unique style sounds like your thing, you can’t miss out on this. [DoctorWhoops]

Altair: A Record of Battles

Turns out that when you write a Middle East historical drama from the Far East perspective, there's more than enough interesting cultural groups in what's modern Turkey alone and the European perspective goes out of the window.

  That means there's no DEUS VULT memes, but it's alright as a political drama. Nothing to write home about, but if you're a fan of the genre, go ahead and give it a try. [lukeatlook]

Food Wars! Third Plate

Boobs! Foodgasms! Hype! Asses! Epic Soundtrack! More Boobs!

  Yeah, you know the drill and, if you don't, do yourself a favor and go back and watch the first seasons. Just don't be too sad when the animation quality drops for this season, because it does. But hey, maybe it will improve again later on. [Patureau]

March comes in like a lion

This show can’t save anime, anime can only… wait shit, wrong Shaft show. In the newest installment of Homura-chan did nothing wrong… wait fuck, that’s not right either. Which one is this again? Oh yeah, more shogi with plenty of Shinboisms! So 3-gatsu no Lion is back and, of course, it’s as beautifully powerful as ever. Directly continuing from the ending of season 1 this season approaches one of the most highly anticipated arcs of the manga. Anyone who liked season 1 cannot miss out on possibly the best sequel of the year. [chrispy294 & DoctorWhoops]

Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond

When Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond was announced, a lot of fans were understandably worried that it wouldn’t live up to the previous season, given the director change. Luckily, there was no need to worry. The second season of BBB is as strong as ever, this time seemingly focusing more on the rest of the cast instead of the first season's heavy focus on Leonard, Black, and White (the latter two being anime original). All its charms, all its wacky nonsense, and all its over the top action is retained and if you liked the first season, then you will definitely not be disappointed in Beyond. [Vaxivop]

  Osomatsu-san

Probably the least noob-friendly show of this season, wildly popular in Japan - a successful remake of a cult classic cartoon. If you "get" the Japanese humor, this might be the pinnacle of it. [lukeatlook]

Himouto! Umaru-chan R

Surprisingly enough, a genuine improvement upon the first season. R changed focus from Umaru being a spoiled little ball of hate to her learning to be a normal human being and having fun with her friends. It’s still not great, but it’s much less annoying.

[lukeatlook]

Yuki Yuna is a Hero

Last but not least, the second season to what I like to call the milestone of post-Madoka magical girl anime. Watch the first season to understand why. It's got the punching kickass action from Symphogear, the melancholic mood of Madoka (just with acid trip dimensions being colorful instead of creepy) and the upbeat joy of cute girls doing cute things slice of life - all in a mix that acknowledges its predecessors and plays with the audience's expectations for the story.

  The second season is... weird. Half is a prequel, based on a light novel that was published alongside the first season, and it was already released in a movie version. Second half, however, is a sequel, with no source material to speak of, so let's just say the fans are pretty fired up for that one.

  In Japan it sold pretty well (we're talking top 2 of the season), hence the continued development of this multi-media franchise. The confusing release made it look pretty niche and forgotten in the West, but it's certainly a show with a dedicated fanbase. Taking just the production values at face value, it's got the character designer of Sword Art Online, the composers of NieR:Automata, and... well, the scriptwriter is the mangaka of Akame ga Kill, but hey, it's all renowned titles.

  Give it a shot. Everything's gonna be daijoubu.

[lukeatlook]

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com