Winter 2020 may be tracking about where I expected it to on the whole, but that doesn’t mean it’s getting there the way I expected it to.
This has the feel of a pretty standard anime season, especially an “off” (winter and summer) one. One or two really good series at the top, a bunch in the middle, and the usual pile of detritus not worthy of much attention or discussion. But what stands out to me is that it’s a late developing season – more shows than usual have yet to stand or fall at the time of the check-in post. The scary part is that includes a couple I was counting on pretty heavily.
You always like to have series in the “Elite” category, but at least this season has a couple that didn’t miss by much. There are quite a few interesting shows clumped below that, but only three in the next two buckets isn’t great by any stretch. And it’s a bit scary that almost everything of interest this time is one cour. Couple that with stuff like Gegege no Kitarou, Chihayafuru, and Boku no Hero Academia ending and there’s almost nothing carrying over into spring – which doesn’t look to be especially stacked with elite prospects from two months out. That could end up being a real problem.
It should be obvious to any regular reader of the site what my primary surprises are (though they were also sleepers) and which shows are potentially disappointments. My top pick going in, Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun, is at the top of the table right where I expected it to be. After that, though, the pecking order is quite different than I would have predicted.
And so, on to Winter 2020:
The Elite
None
Outstanding
Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: A-
Comments: Only an A-minus here, but that’s because the adaptation is following the course of the manga, which starts at a very measured pace. The best is still very much to come with Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun, but we can already say with confidence that Lerche are being quite faithful to the manga’s unorthodox visual style – more so than I would have predicted in fact, and enough to flummox some new viewers who’d clearly have liked something more conventional.
Runway de Waratte
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: A-
Comments: The clear upside surprise of the season, even though it was already on my sleeper list. What a wonderful first three episodes this has been – uplifting in a way few series are, vastly entertaining and totally winning. I don’t care a whit about fashion but Runway still manages to make it interesting enough to stand up to a couple of really likable and believable protagonists. Definitely one of those manga adaptations I wish were more than one cour (as is Hanako-kun).
Very Good
Haikyuu!! To The Top
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: B+
Comments: Haikyuu!! – the franchise so insistent it even capitalizes the “The”. It would be odd to call Haikyuu a pleasant surprise at this stage – not only is it on its fourth season, but it’s been remarkably consistent. That said, the first trio of eps have felt refreshed and vibrant, and I’ve never found Shouyou more interesting than when he’s struggling to overcome challenges off the court for a change. As with HeroAca there’s been a little tweak in key staff and visual style for the fourth season, and it’s likewise provided an interesting change.
Worthwhile
Pet
Episodes Watched: 4
Grade: B
Comments: Pet doesn’t blow you away with its production values, and it’s somewhat confusing and hard to follow. But it works – the pedigree of both the source material and anime staff shine through. It reminds me of earlier Geno Studio work Kokkoku in that sense, and in the general tone of paranoia and disconnection from reality. It’s one of those shows that’s more than the sum of the parts, which certainly beats less. And it should get a full adaptation including the original ending, which makes for a nice change of pace.
Eizouken ni wa Te o Dasu na!
Episodes Watched: 4
Grade: B
Comments: I still don’t think there’s much to Eizouken beyond Science Saru’s artistic brilliance and an infectious love of animation. The characters are two-dimensional and there’s not much of a premise generally. But then, those are two pretty good things to build a series around if you had to pick. I’m not swigging the Kool-aid here, and the reality of being attacked for every measured criticism of this series has me feeling less inclined to cover it than I would based on merit alone, but no ships have sailed yet either way.
Kyokou Suiri
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: B-
Comments: It certainly makes sense that Kyokou Suiri is from the same mangaka as Zetsuen no Tempest. They’re similarly odd series with a love for mannered, theatrical dialogue that seems to go on forever. Unlike Zetsuen In/Spectre is based on an ongoing manga and will only run one cour, which worries me quite a bit considering how long it takes for anything to happen in a Shirodaira Kyou series. It’s engagingly weird so far, but I’m still not convinced. But I wasn’t at this stage of Zetsuen either, so that may not be a bad sign.
Dorohedoro
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: B-
Comments: I really, really want to embrace Dorohedoro, but so far I just can’t get a handle on it. It’s too gross to be really funny and too funny to be really creepy, and I don’t feel any particular emotional connection to anybody. It’s just a bunch of people going around killing each other sandwiched around slapstick comedy, which is a weird formula to be sure and sort of works. Maybe the light switch will click on at some point and I’ll realize this is genius (but maybe not).
Housekisho Richard-shi no Nazo Kantei
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: B-
Comments: There’s a definite, well-defined niche for series like Housekisho Richard-shi no Nazo Kantei on my calendar. It’s dignified, restrained, relatively interesting and seemingly not too concerned with impressing anybody. The quality of the individual stories (they’re more life-counseling than mystery) has varied a good bit, but the two leads are likable and the writing is smart enough to suggest the premise has legs. Not the most upside of the bubble series to be sure, but perhaps the least likely to burst.
Still Watching
Boku no Tonari ni Ankoku Hakaishin ga Imasu.
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: B-
Comments: Boku no Tonari would definitely qualify as my guilty pleasure of the season so far. I came in with no expectations and the show couldn’t be more under the radar, but I quite like it – it makes me laugh pretty consistently. Kimura Ryouhei is killing it as a troll, and Fukuyama Jun and Sakurai Takahiro are embracing the stupid with aplomb. The tone towards chuuni in anime seems to have shifted, with a kind of “they aren’t really hurting anybody but themselves” compassion in ascendance, and I must confess I don’t dislike that trend.
Somali to Mori no Kamisama
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: C+
Comments: Somali is another show I quite wanted to love but just haven’t been able to. It’s pleasant enough, but frankly it plays as pretty standard moe fare of the Satou Junichi school. The visuals are nice if not quite breathtaking and the premise is better than its execution, but it’s emotionally manipulative in a way I find pretty tiresome.
ID/Invaded
Episodes Watched: 4
Grade: C+
Comments: ID is the sort of pseudo-intellectual sci-fi crime series that’s seems to be endemic in anime these days. It’s not nearly as smart or interesting as it thinks it is and that’s always a problem, but it’s not terrible.
Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: C+
Comments: I haven’t seen anything from Magica Record to distinguish it from the pile of mediocre sequels to lucrative properties that seem to have no compelling reason to exist. It’s fine, but has none of the edginess and spark of the first series – which itself feels like a relic from another time.
Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki Nisatsume
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: C+
Comments: Like the first season, Yatogame Nisatsume is an amusing three minute diversion which even offers the occasional interesting tidbit about Nagoya (perennially voted Japan’s least interesting city). What, you don’t have three minutes to spare to hear Tomatsu Haruka speak in her natural accent?
Dropped:
Rikei ga Koi ni Ochita no de Shōmei Shite Mita, Oshi ga Budōkan Ittekuretara Shinu, number24, Darwin’s Game, Plunderer
Here, then, is this season’s blogging prospectus:
Monday:
Definitely Blogging: Pet
On the Bubble: Eizouken ni wa Te o Dasu na!, Dorehedoro
Tuesday:
Definitely Blogging: None
Wednesday:
Definitely Blogging: Chihayafuru 3
Thursday:
Definitely Blogging: Mugen no Juunin: Immortal
Friday:
Definitely Blogging: Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun
Probably Blogging: Housekisho Richard-shi no Nazo Kantei
Saturday:
Definitely Blogging: Boku no Hero Academia 4, Haikyuu!! To The Top, Runway de Waratte
Sunday:
Definitely Blogging: Gegege no Kitarou (2018)
Probably Blogging: Kyokou Suiri
Manga: Otoyomegatari, Hunter X Hunter (hiatus)
Watching For Now: Mairimashita! Iruma-kun, Ahiru no Sora, Radiant 2nd Season, Boku no Tonari ni Ankoku Hakaishin ga Imasu., Somali to Mori no Kamisama, ID/Invaded, Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story, Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki Nisatsume
One more thing before I wrap. As you know, the need for financial support for LiA is greater than ever. Everything has gotten more expensive again this year, and it gets more and more difficult to justify the time I have to put in to make the site one I feel proud of. If you’re inclined to consider helping out, please visit one of the links in the sidebar. Patreon patrons, Paypal subscribers or one-time contributors – you all have my everlasting gratitude.
Miyu Fan
January 30, 2020 at 7:46 pmBoku no Tonari is a nice surprise. I got bored watching Ep 1, but Ep 2 sealed it for me – the line ‘I’m not taking advice from a guy that is into another guy’s wife’ still made me laugh. Kimura Ryohei sounds like he’s having a time of his life playing as a troll.
Guardian Enzo
January 30, 2020 at 8:06 pmIt really is so much fun, as dumb as it is. This persona Fukuyama is using here often wears thin for me, but here it really works. But yeah, it’s basically Kimura’s show – he owns it, the others are just renting.
Dauntingoverlord
January 30, 2020 at 9:20 pmIt always amazes me how annoying some fans can be over shows their favorite studios/directors make to the point of not being able to handle critique (I remember when Darling in the Franxx was airing, and no one then would take any kind of critique then). I’m in the same boat with you on Eizoken (I’ll still read any episode reviews you put out) , but I’d understand if you’d rather drop it because of them… I’ve read those comments… yeah… yeah…
sonicsenryaku
January 31, 2020 at 2:30 amWhat comments did you read exactly (are you referring to ones on this site?)? Four eps into Eizouken and not a single commentor has attacked anyone on here. As I’ve said before, having your opinions challenged and being attacked for having an opinion are two COMPLETELY different things. The fact that people get overly defensive to the point of claiming they’re being attacked whenever someone pushes back against them is something I’ll never understand. I mean I get it; people have a natural aversion to situations that could potentially breed conflict, but people need to be able to exercise the capacity to identify the difference between having a disagreement with someone and them attacking you. Not every conflict with a person is an indictment towards your personhood. I understand that some people are more sensitive than others, as even the slightest semblance of conflict generates feelings of anxiety within them; but in those situations, the solution is to exert some cognitive awareness and critically assess the reality of the situation. Be diligent and scrupulous about what’s actually occurring.
That being said, the discourse around Darling in the Franxx way back was toxic as shit as you could see the verbal abusing, condescension, and disregard/twisting of other people’s point of view clear as day. I remember browsing the comment sections of reddit and animenewswork only to see vitriolic arguments and repugnant behavior from users of the site. I’ve always had hard skin so I tend to not be bothered too much by bullshit like that despite my reprimanding of such behavior (My pet peeves during debates are moreso tied with actions demonstrating a clear resistance to listen or when someone purposefully distorts what is being told to them just so it can fit their narrative), but ask yourself; really think about this: does the comment section on Eizouken (at least on this site, because it seems like you’re implying that the comment section here is an example of people being unable to handle opinions that go against their point of view) look ANYTHING like what could be found within a Darling in the franxx comment thread?? Are people truly being attacked here? The answer should be obvious; and with that, I think I’ll be done speaking on this matter.
Litho
February 1, 2020 at 2:13 pmI’m actually kinda glad Eizouken isn’t ticking all your boxes. It’d just be another antiseptic Shinkai or Adachi story if that were that case.
Guardian Enzo
February 1, 2020 at 2:28 pmI can’t imagine two more different storytellers than Adachi and Shinkai. What an odd analogy.
The passive-aggressive insult was exactly the sort of thing I’ve been talking about, ROFL.
Litho
February 1, 2020 at 4:04 pmYeah, keep telling yourself that. The way you rose-tint so many anime from those two. Now you know how put-off the people reading your write-ups feel.
Guardian Enzo
February 1, 2020 at 4:05 pmAppreciate you making the case for me.
Litho
February 1, 2020 at 4:35 pmLike I said, keep telling yourself that.
sonicsenryaku
February 1, 2020 at 4:17 pm“The passive-aggressive insult was exactly the sort of thing I’ve been talking about, ROFL.”
But Enzo Buddy; we’re all guilty of doing that every now and then; that’s natural and it’s okay in small, metered doses. I mean hell, assuming that Litho was actually trying to be mean-spirited instead of being tongue-in-cheek with his comment, the irony of all this is that even you make the same passive-aggressive jabs in your posts from time to time towards certain people or fandoms. Hell, even in this very check-in you’re kind of passive aggressive to dissenters of Hanako-kun’s aesthetic; Exhibit A:
“The best is still very much to come with Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun, but we can already say with confidence that Lerche are being quite faithful to the manga’s unorthodox visual style – more so than I would have predicted in fact, and enough to flummox some new viewers who’d clearly have liked something more conventional.”
Would you not consider the last part of this sentence a passive-aggressive insult by your assertion? How are you so sure that some of the viewers levying their complaints on the visuals are “new?” new to what? New to anime? New to anime of this kind? Is it justified to assume that their complaints are a consequence of them being perplexed by the visuals? As if they just don’t get it? What is there to be perplexed by? Why assume that their bewilderment comes from them being conditioned by the conventionality of anime? Why can’t they just not be impressed by Hanako’s visual style for other intricate reasons? How are you so sure it’s so clear? See how this can be a case of the pot calling the kettle black? Someone reading that paragraph of yours could easily take that statement as a passive-aggressive insult towards people who aren’t vibing with Hanako-kun’s visuals. And you have way more other cases of passive-aggressive behavior not unlike this. But that’s okay, because it’s natural for this side of people to show up every now and then WHEN WE DISAGREE!!. Having enriching discussion isn’t always going to be everyone singing Kumbaya around a comment section. Sometimes people are going to challenge your opinions; sometimes that challenge may come with some intellectually daunting pushback from your opponents. Sometimes that pushback may also get a bit emotionally rocky, but mature people will be able to read each others’ level for emotional strain and lay off the aggression based on that. And sometimes, people may have what it takes to handle a really intense discussion (I’m not saying your blog has to become home to that at all). Trust me 100% when i say to you that I ain’t even tryna start problems or get on your case; but rather, talk to you like an adult. As a person who has been following you for 10 years, I just want to shine a light on this topic and perhaps, open your mind a bit more in regards to having discourse with people. Again, I know that your site is sort of a haven for you and other liked-minded individuals to discuss, share, and express love for anime both hype and obscure; but still, a little bit of friction is healthy for human development and it’s fine if that comes about between two or more people; it doesn’t have to always be perceived as an attack. Take it from someone who studies psychology in-depthly.
Enzo it’s okay; it’s okay for discussion to get slightly rough. I’m not saying let it get out of hand to the point of bullying or disrespect, but i think most of us are adults here and can handle little bit of passive-aggressive condescension from time to time if it does pop-up. I understand that you can get a little defensive sometimes but it’s okay; I wouldn’t respect you any less (haven’t been following you for 10 years for nothing). Besides, on the internet, we can never fully know what a person’s emotion disposition is when making written comments. So much can get lost in translation when all you have for context is a silent wall of text. Maybe, not everything may be a passive-aggressive comment just because you think it is. Maybe, the person could be asking a genuine question that’s being perceived as an insult by the reader based on their own emotional baseline. Heck, a few days ago i asked a person if they felt Eizouken lacked narrative substance because the narrative didn’t wear itself so outwardly (which history has shown viewers tending to do if they’re not use to that style of storytelling) and you exclaimed heresy. Now i can see how one would probably perceive what i said as a passive-aggressive “ATTACK,” but no, that wasn’t the case. And you wanna know why? Because 1. I didn’t make an assumption that their lack of appreciation for Eizoken’s narrative substance absolutely came from a lack of exposure to this kind of storytelling. I made sure to ask the question first and so i could then gauge what the person’s thoughts were first while hoping to explore those feelings once they gave me feedback before making judgment and 2. If I’m going to be condescending, I’ll just be upfront about it. Anyway, I just thought i’d share that (Ok for real; that’s my last rant on this whole “feeling attacked” bullcrap)
Guardian Enzo
February 1, 2020 at 4:28 pmNo, I don’t think those two instances are analogous at all. One was pure snark, and the other was an observation based on actual written comments which are other there for anyone who cares to see them to see them. The reason you’re saying otherwise is because you’re trying to support your own argument, and using examples out of context is the only means you have of doing it.
This is not a new thing, which you seem to believe it is – I’ve been through this rodeo before (ironically though perhaps not coincidentally Shirobako is a very good earlier example, in fact).
Sonicsenryaku
February 2, 2020 at 12:34 am“One was pure snark, and the other was an observation based on actual written comments which are other there for anyone who cares to see them to see them.”
Wow; you really believe those two instances aren’t comparable don’t you? Dude, whether or not your comment wasn’t born from pure snark compared to his; whether or not you think you’re just “making an observation,” you’re still making a narrow one about those group of viewers based on your frustrations on seeing comments you don’t agree with and that can be seen as being a bit condescending. I can’t believe you really think that’s not being passive aggressive. No one is taking ANYTHING you said out of context. Like you said, the comments are there for anyone to see; anyone with reasonsble levels of discernment only needs to look at the comments and your stance to see what’s up; there’s no need for me to take anything out of context “just to defend my argument.” I’ve perused most of the comment sections regarding Hanako-kun on myanimelist, reddit, animenewsnetwork, and on your site; and most of them pertaining to the shows visuals boiled down to one of two things: “the art is really pretty” and “the art is fantastic, but it could use more animation though;” with the stray comment mentioning Hanako being creepy or some shit. How does that observation justify your conclusion that “the viewers are new to anime; that they’re clearly used to something more conventional, or that they are perplexed by them?? Sigh; I don’t think we’re gonna get anywhere with this matter…..oh well
Darrel
February 3, 2020 at 5:29 pmWhile I wouldn’t say all of the Eizoken comments fall under this category (perusing through the sections just now, I would say its a minority in fact), the comments Enzo is referring to, like the one above, tend not to be helpful and do little to forward the discussion. Rather than keeping an open mind, it boils down to the individual being overtly defensive, and discounting any negative opinion before even considering it. I get it – we all tend to be this way towards shows we love (Enzo certainly isn’t absolved of this) – but such lines of argument are detrimental to any meaningful discussion.
The primary issue isn’t people challenging Enzo’s criticism of Eizoken, but rather the general sentiment that if one doesn’t enjoy any aspect of the show, he is somehow incapable of ‘appreciating art’, or that any desire for Eizoken to be anything more than an animation flight of fantasy is somehow invalid. Eizoken is symptomatic of this hivemind mentality which surrounds any ‘high-art’ kind of show, anime or otherwise.
sonicsenryaku
February 4, 2020 at 2:06 am“we all tend to be this way towards shows we love (Enzo certainly isn’t absolved of this) – but such lines of argument are detrimental to any meaningful discussion.”
I agree to an extent; however, those lines of argument aren’t the real problem; the person’s disposition and temperament throughout the argument IS. A conversation can easily start with a bit of intensity and end off meaningful as hell despite not agreeing with each other, simply because the two people having the discussion are mature enough to not let their defensiveness go over a certain threshold leading to verbal slamming or outward disdain. What’s conducive to meaningful discussion is how receptive both parties are of feedback and how they are addressing each others’ points. Being told you don’t understand something or you don’t seem to be able to appreciate something ain’t an comment worth getting so up in arms about. Perhaps my perspective on this is not all that robust on this matter, but i find comments like that so below the threshold of aggression that claiming to be attacked because someone said those things to you is a bit overdramatic if you ask me.
“The primary issue isn’t people challenging Enzo’s criticism of Eizoken, but rather the general sentiment that if one doesn’t enjoy any aspect of the show, he is somehow incapable of ‘appreciating art’, or that any desire for Eizoken to be anything more than an animation flight of fantasy is somehow invalid.”
Yea, I know that. My greater point is that not everyone challenging a person’s opinion on the show is BECAUSE of this line of thinking. When people get overly defensive, a person’s dispositions during discourse tend to be easily conflated for passive aggressive dissent when that MIGHT not actually be the case (Enzo’s response to one of my comment’s to another comment on the ep 4 post is a great example of this). Also, being told that you’re wrong or that you’re misunderstanding something isn’t the end of the world; it doesn’t necessarily mean you are being told that you’re incapable of appreciating the work or your opinion is invalid for feeling a certain way towards it. Plenty of times, our opinions may not take everything into consideration; and sometimes we may truly (as far as our standards on subjective material anyway) be undervaluing certain elements of a piece of work. Pointing that out and telling them why you think they’re wrong or underappreciating something isn’t an indictment. Yes; some of the snark can be done without, but if that snark does happen to show up in small doses (which we sometimes can’t help but commit from time to time) it ain’t the end of the world so as long as w have the maturity to temper ourselves and focus understanding one another; you’re not being attacked unless indicated otherwise by the nature of the person’s demeanor (and subsequent responses)
yualexius
February 2, 2020 at 1:56 pmHi, thank you for sharing your thoughts about winter 2020, we actually shared a lot of stuffs at the upper portion of your list. Although I have to agree that this season is quite slow on development. So far atop of my favorites this season are Smile Down the Runway, Haikyuu!!, Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun, Somali & the Forest Spirit, Pet, In/Spectre, Darwin’s Game, The Case Files of Jeweler Richard, and Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!
I’ll give average score at the following shows but also vulnerable that I might drop them anytime – BOFURI, A Destructive God Sits Next To Me, A Certain Scientific Railgun T, ID: Invaded.
While I am seriously disappointed with Plunderer, Infinite Dendrogram, and Dorohedoro (am a little bit hopeful for this one tho).
Scampi
February 5, 2020 at 1:58 amCompared to last season, the general atmosphere of this season is much more light-hearted. I know Hanako is classified as shounen but I think the “girl meets supernatural boy and assists him in solving supernatural cases” narrative fits snugly in the shoujo category too. So I wasn’t expecting Runway to be more shounen than Hanako, but I’m glad to have expectations subverted.
Guardian Enzo
February 5, 2020 at 7:31 amBoth of those manga are published in magazines where subverting genre expectations is the norm. And those tend to be very interesting series, in my experience.
Color2413
February 6, 2020 at 6:29 pmI think you might have dropped “Darwin’s Game” prematurely. I’m finding it quite engaging, and certainly not a show that makes we want to continually look at my watch. It’s basically a tournament show, and while I think it’s impossible to have a completely fresh take on this genre given the existence of long-running shonens having literally hundreds of episodes, Darwin’s Game has some novel villains, well-drawn suspense, and a lot of strategic thinking on both sides of the battles. In terms of user reviews on ANN, it’s been on a upward trend, with the last episode rated as 4.1 stars by users. I’m generally not a huge fan of tournament shows (for example, I’m several episodes behind on “My Hero Academia”) , but so far this one has my attention.
Guardian Enzo
February 6, 2020 at 6:31 pmWow – really? That was a quick drop for me – I really, really didn’t care for the premiere. When in your estimation did it start to really uptick?
Color2413
February 8, 2020 at 5:53 pmI think that the uptick started happening around the third episode, when the protagonist started to make alliances and the show became more oriented toward strategy as “The Florist” appears as an antagonist who flights using plants, of all things, as weapons. Animation quality is somewhat sketchy, but the action moves right along, even while requiring considerable suspension of disbelief.
I am not a gamer, so some of these tropes probably seem fresher to me than they would be to someone who does a lot a gaming. But by ep 4, Lynzee Loveridge of ANN bumped up her rating by a half-star (to 3 1/2), while the ANN community rated it 4.1.
After taking a break from wiriting this, I just watched ep 5. The first part is devoted to character development and negotiation and is a trifle slow, but the second part picks right up with a new villain, a ticking clock scenario, and an intriguing mystery. I wouldn’t rate ep 5 and highly as ep 4, but it is still keeping me watching.
Skygtr
February 9, 2020 at 6:51 pmGlad to see Iruma-kun still on the watching list. Enjoying the heck outta that show and all it’s silliness.
Guardian Enzo
February 9, 2020 at 7:29 pmYeah, I really do enjoy it. I actually rather regret not blogging it now.