Wooper: Glad November, all! Although behind the scenes we’re catching up on anime from all all through 2025 (AOTY season isn’t far off), Lenlo and I nonetheless made time to sort a number of phrases about at the moment airing sequence. Really, “at the moment airing” could also be a stretch (or an outright lie) for a few of my picks, however they’re correct in his case. I’m hoping to maintain these posts on a biweekly schedule from right here till 12 months’s finish, so get pleasure from this primary of four-ish posts, and we’ll see you in one other 14 days or so.
Sanda – 2-6
Lenlo: Up till final weeks episode, Sanda was in a extremely bizarre place for me. Very a lot a Paru Itagaki creation, the writer of Beastars, it had this bizarre obsession with underage intercourse. From baby marriages to Fuyumura seemingly having the hots for/discovering consolation in a 60+ 12 months outdated man, I wasn’t positive what to suppose. However episode 5 actually introduced it collectively for me. Sanda is much less about youngsters getting it on and extra in regards to the odd obsession individuals appear to have in controlling who kids are, how they develop up, and what they need to or shouldn’t really feel, together with Paru herself along with her private concentrate on kids going by means of puberty and their intercourse drives. It’s… attention-grabbing. Bizarre, you may positively see the resemblance to Paru’s different work, however not almost as off placing to me. I like how every of the youngsters are interacting rising up in numerous methods. Fuyumura isn’t involved about it in any respect as a result of to her, rising out of her lanky and awkward physique could be a blessing, to Ono it’s terrifying as a result of nobody else is altering round her, to Sanda it’s about taking up obligations and abandoning that carefree life of a kid, whereas to Principal Ooshibu it’s essentially the most terrifying factor possible. Certain, Santa Claus is an odd metaphor to channel all of it by means of, however like… I’m kinda into it. Mix all of this with a stable manufacturing and a number of the most hanging character designs of the season, and I feel Sanda might find yourself as one thing nice. I simply want it to not get to bizarre with it like Beastars did.
Fujimoto Tatsuki 17-26 – 1
Wooper: “A Couple Clucking Chickens Had been Nonetheless Kickin’ within the Schoolyard” is the primary of eight tales tailored on this collection of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s pre-Chainsaw Man (and largely pre-Hearth Punch) oneshots. I haven’t learn any of them in manga kind, but when their anime variations are on par with this opening installment, we might have an all-time anthology sequence on our palms right here. Set in a future the place aliens have supplanted people as Earth’s dominant species, but wholly adopted human tradition for themselves, Clucking Chickens makes essentially the most of its alternative to showcase a variety of monster designs. Gigantic bare cops, muscular sailor-suited schoolgirls, pleasant inexperienced cyclopean classmates – the creativeness on show right here is shocking, however what makes this episode legitimately spectacular is how these aliens are dropped at life by means of animation and voice work. Within the span of lower than 20 minutes, we see them exhibiting near-human conduct whereas residing as extraordinary college students, reworking into residing nightmares whereas slaughtering people, and ultimately battling one another over the destiny of a single human lady. There’s motion, absurd humor, deft use of flashbacks, and the usage of shade phases between harmonious and violent based on the wants of every scene. I actually can’t say sufficient good issues about it, so whereas I don’t anticipate the entire remaining episodes to be on the identical stage, I’m fairly excited to see what else this sequence has in retailer.
Star Wars Visions S3 – 1
Wooper: Similar to the unique, this quantity of Star Wars Visions kicks off with “The Duel,” now with an appended “Payback” to suggest its sequel standing. I wasn’t notably enamored with the unique Duel brief, which was skinny on each story and characters, and though this one had 60 % extra runtime to work with, these points remained constant. The Grand Grasp (a cyborg antagonist able to teleportation) was of some curiosity to me, notably due to his Jedi-gone-bad backstory and the visualization of his means, briefly abandoning lineart every time he jumped by means of house. His grudge in opposition to the Ronin was hardly explored, nonetheless, and I struggled to not roll my eyes at yet one more Star Wars baddie utilizing robotic arms to wield a number of lightsabers (Anee-san, the episode’s Twi’lek foe-turned-ally). As with the primary Duel brief, there was a serious emphasis on terrain throughout fight, particularly through the Ronin’s fights in opposition to the opposite two duelists whereas perched atop overturned AT-AT legs. For these viewers who place a premium on fashionable SW choreography, Payback could also be your jam, particularly for those who dig its monochromatic shade scheme. Personally, although, I’m keen to maneuver on to higher installments of this sequence.
Tojima Desires to be Kamen Rider- 2-6
Lenlo: I’m so torn on Tojima. When it’s firing on all cylinders, loving Kamen Rider and simply having time, I like it. Watching this solid beat up Shocker combatants to stable music with a transparent ardour for the sequence is an undeniably good time. It’s all the things else that’s the issue although. Outdoors of the fights Tojima doesn’t know find out how to deal with character interactions or any semblance of a plot. To not point out the abysmal remedy of the feminine solid, making each second on display screen about their bouncing breasts and fats ass, going as far as to border their face between their large tits for a response shot as a substitute of say, I don’t know, simply exhibiting us their face? Take a look at episode 3 for instance, the place whilst Tack wins the battle she smashes into her opponents breasts as a result of why not I assume. It’s such an extremely disappointing option to painting your feminine solid whereas your male lead will get to simply be a jacked otaku. I’ll proceed watching it, as a result of I’m locked in and have that a lot enjoyable when it’s an motion present centered on beating up Tremendous Sentai villains and nerding the fuck out about Kamen Rider, however I feel the entire huge issues I’ve are baked into the present’s core, and that’s a disgrace.
Pokemon Concierge – 5
Wooper: One good factor a few “too huge to fail” franchise like Pokemon is that there’s at all times cash mendacity round to fund smaller inventive initiatives. The video video games have been scraping the underside of the barrel for ages now, and the TCG is suffering from scalpers, but it surely seems like we get a well-made miniseries virtually each single 12 months, and in 2025 meaning one other 4 episodes of Pokemon Concierge. All 4 appeared on-line in early September, so it’s not technically a fall sequence, but it surely’s sure to look on my year-end listing, so I figured this column was nearly as good a spot as any to throw it. As with the primary batch of episodes, the cease movement animation is great, utilizing a variety of supplies (felt, clay, resin, and many others) to precisely depict an excellent wider vary of creatures. One factor I seen about this return episode was the digital camera’s concentrate on close by Pokemon every time human exposition was being delivered, conserving visible curiosity excessive even through the talky bits. Getting each airborne and terrestrial creatures concerned within the “activate the generator” plot was a good suggestion, and the gradual movement domino impact of Pokemon-related mishaps halfway by means of the story was additionally a spotlight. With a lot concentrate on Psyduck and buddies, the character work for Haru is slight, but it surely’s good that the script makes the try, as Concierge may in any other case really feel overly indulgent. Great things throughout – I stay up for taking within the remaining three episodes at a Slugma’s tempo.
Ganglion – 1-3
Wooper: This present is sort of the odd duck – a sequence of three minute shorts in regards to the lifetime of Isobe, a center supervisor for a tokusatsu-style evil group. In these three episodes, we comply with him within the aftermath of his group’s defeat: on the practice, at an oden stand, and to his condo, the place he lastly takes off his masks for his spouse. Isobe is one thing of a scumbag – along with working for a corporation bent on world domination and continuously grumbling about his heroic nemesis Hopeman, the present hints that he might have groped a younger lady on the practice in its very first episode (the 2 teams subbing this sequence disagree on that time, including to the anomaly). Not an aspirational determine, then, however the sequence’ considerably bitter tone is a part of the enchantment, maybe reflecting the writer’s view of life (and notably work tradition) in Japan. Visually, the artwork and animation are indistinguishable from that of a full size TV sequence, making it a rarity amongst brief anime, that are often stylized to compensate for his or her decrease manufacturing values. I notably just like the look of the characters, which is extra aligned with the exaggerated fashion of an older gag manga than with fashionable developments. Three extra episodes have already been subbed, so it seems to be like a minimum of one group will proceed with Ganglion by means of December’s finish, and I’ll be alongside for the experience.
Hyakushou Kizoku S3 – 1-3
Wooper: This marks the third straight 12 months of Hiromu Arakawa’s autobiographical manga being tailored for TV, and although its brief episodes generally really feel too brief, I’m grateful for each minute we get. Not solely does this present obtain well timed fansubs from a one-man group [Seigyoku], however the manga’s sporadic publishing schedule means the anime will run out of fabric ultimately. A dialog between Arakawa (depicted as a bespectacled cow, like common) and her editor at first of this season’s premiere slyly alludes to that dilemma, framing the present’s matter choice as depending on what’s “left within the vault.” These first three episodes talk about the respective challenges of caring for cows, canines, and cats on a farm, and the canine animation stays one of many sequence’ highlights, with cartoonish allure emanating from the display screen with each lifelike wag of their tails. As common, the inclusion of extra academic segments, this time relating to the baling and storage of hay, makes the present just a little dry in some spots (although hopefully none the place hay is being saved, as partial drying might lead to a fireplace). Nonetheless, it’s good to have this present again, dropping each information and droppings-related humor for one more full season.
