2021 WINTER SEASON RECAP — PART 1

I don’t know about you, but for me, this season was quite fulfilling. Lots of shows amazed me, kept me entertained, made me sad, scream, or think. I also felt grateful for creators continuing their hard work despite the whole pandemic. I rely a lot on anime/manga/books/music since I’m an introvert and mostly spend my days by myself, it’s a joy (and relief) to be able to continue to do so in dire times.

That’s why I wanted to write a little about my overall thoughts on the shows that have finished this week. I wanted to finish everything in one go, but the post got surprisingly long, thus the second part is scheduled for Thursday. They are in no particular order. Enjoy~

Dr. Ramune -Mysterious Disease Specialist-

This show was certainly a ride. During the first episode, I laughed a lot about the mysterious disease where the kid was crying condiments — until I couldn’t when we got to the abusive mother. The nature of the diseases contradicted the seriousness of the actual issues that caused them and I didn’t expect the show to take such a turn. Unreliable-looking master and overly serious assistant dynamic is something I enjoy a lot, and although one could nitpick about the animation quality dropping at times, or occasional pacing issues, none of them dampened my experience. I’d like to pick up the manga when I have the chance!

So I’m a Spider, So What?

I mentioned how I don’t usually enjoy the isekai genre. I checked out So I’m a Spider, So What? out of some unknown obligation and I’m glad I did! Kumoko is one heck of a spider and following her journey (or leveling up?) was so much fun. I liked the human side of the story less and found it less intriguing. I think it’s especially thanks to Aoi Yuuki, Kumoko’s voice actor because she did a splendid job of providing depth to an otherwise roaming spider. I never once got bored despite the show being monologue-heavy. We still have 12 more episodes to go, can’t wait for the rest. 

Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki

I praised BTC Tomozaki for taking more feminine-coded aspects such as paying attention to one’s looks, working on their stance and speech, being attuned to others’ interests and emotions, and paint it in a positive light. Working on oneself is sometimes equated to being ‘fake’ or putting on a mask, and this series presents good pointers to ponder on. The characters were all likable and while I was a bit annoyed about the “You have to ask Kikuchi out or we’re done,” ultimatum given by Hinami, I think the disagreement was wrapped up nicely. I’d be totally up for another season.

Heaven’s Design Team

My closing remarks on the last episode will be up tomorrow, but this series brought me immense comfort and delight that I don’t think I can do a good job of describing it. Well, I reviewed it for a whole season, so that should speak for itself. I can’t wait for another season!

Sk8 the Infinity

My fave sports anime of the season is here! Honestly, this was such a joy to watch and I anticipated the next week enthusiastically. Characters were well-developed, Reki’s struggle with accepting his own limits and dear friend Langa’s talent was very relatable. The bright color palette supported the energy of the series and the mid-episode animations were too darn cute! I could do without some of the ‘discourse’ over ADAM, imagine me rolling my eyes here. But! Got everything I need from a sports anime and more, I’d like a season 2 please.

Otherside Picnic

Remembering how excited I was for this yuri fantasy makes me sad. Solely because it could be much more. The series has a good foundation, and although I’m not a fan of horror stories or internet urban legends, the theme can provide an interesting drive. Sorawo and Toriko are really likable and I loved their dynamic so much. With this positive outlook, I kept up with the show until the 9th episode or so, but I wasn’t really interested in it anymore so I dropped it. I don’t have any negative thoughts about it, just ‘could’ve been better’s here and there. 

Bungou Stray Dogs Wan

This one was a cute, weekly fun type of series. I realized I missed the gang a lot, so getting this short was welcomed. 

Cute Executive Officer

It is what it is, an elementary schooler is the CEO of a company. A hilarious short anime to watch in between ~

There are some shows that I started but put on hold that I’m still yet to finish such as Vlad Love, WAVE!! -Let’s go surfing!!-, Attack on Titan‘s last season or dropped early on like Skate-Leading Stars, I CHU, or EX-ARM; hence they didn’t make it into the already long list. 

What about you? Which anime surprised you, either in a good or bad way? What did you think about my takes? Are there any other anime that you’d recommend to me based on my tastes here? Let me know in the comments. See you tomorrow, and thank you for the supportive comments when I had to take a break!

Header source can be found here.