Spring 2020 Seasonal Anime Wrap-up

Back to regular programming, I think? This has been the most strangest season in my experience as a seasonal anime watcher. Two shows, Appare-Ranman! and The Millionaire Detective – Balance: Unlimited, whose episodes basically got a sneak preview for a short period and then we’ll get to experience it fully when it comes again. Do I need to watch them again? Not really. I do have the general idea and I just want to know what happens next.

Not only that, Oregairu S3 was pushed back to the upcoming season too alongside other big-name shows. The one part I did at least enjoy was how I get to explore other hobbies or avenues as opposed to the daily routine. Even writing different topics was one thing I didn’t expect to do and it ended up being 4 blog posts long! And if you’re there during the very first collaborations post, you deserve praise for your own hard work. Now, for the seasonal wrap-up.

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Must-Watches!

• Wave, Listen to Me! – Watching this anime was an experience in a weekly format. This is how you do a story aimed for a mature audience. An adult cast lead by a woman getting into the world of radio was the most unexpected type of story you’d see and it’s a nice change of pace. Also, her voice is the biggest plus here. Though it’s unlikely to have a sequel, I’m quite pleased it exists.
• Sing Yesterday for Me – I binged this show at the last minute when the season is about to be over. It was the best decision and I got hurt by how relatable the characters are at times. If I did follow it normally I’ll be frustrated by their decisions and would still watch it. A drama with shaky relationships adding with cinematic visuals is an excellent combination. Just be prepared for the slow and thorny path and the consequences.
• Arte – A tranquil journey of an aspiring artist. I love Arte’s willingness to learn new things and grow from what she learned around her. The historical aspect of the series is, however, left to the background and there are parts they could’ve improved more. If there was more time to explore, it would’ve been better. Oh well, who am I to judge?
• My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! – A nice spin on the harem genre and adding isekai elements to it. Though there are moments it felt stale and not all members of the harem have enough time. But, the infectious and light-hearted nature is what makes up. At least the MC isn’t the kind of dense where you’d cringe at their indecisiveness to their love interests.

Good Sequels

• Fruits Basket 2nd Season – How many times have I cried at this? What’s so weird is the fact there’s no high stakes involved yet the characters feel like real people. No over-the-top supernatural powers, only a curse waiting to be lifted by a person who genuinely wants to help. Can’t wait for what’s next!
• Kaguya-sama: Love is War 2nd Season – Notably, you can tell production-wise they went all-out and the characters became more than what we knew back in season 1. I can’t find another romantic comedy who knows how to pull off its punchlines. Except, it does take its time when the main couple wants to confess to each other.

Dropped

• Kakushigoto – I gave up on this. The whiplash in delivery from comedy to supposed heavy moments didn’t work out and it was left dry in a ditch. Adding a huge cast of one-dimensional characters with their own Japanese puns makes it more difficult to understand their existence in the story. It was supposed to make you feel attached to the father-daughter dynamic yet I felt so disconnected.

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In the end, another season has passed whether we like it or not. I do want to see how the next one would fare differently despite the rebroadcasts. Are there any shows you like? Shows you dropped? Let me know!

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