New year, new anime! It's time to kick off 2018 with my Winter 2018 Anime Impressions. We'll be starting off by taking a look at My Favorites (so far). As only 2-3 episodes of the season are underway, these could always change.
However, it's safe to assume that every show on here left an impression on me. At the very least, give these show an episode or two and see if you'll agree. With that, here we go!
_________________________________________________________________________________
PopTeamEpic
Let's get this out of the way; just go watch PopTeamEpic.
I'm serious.
If you're a fan of crude humor and incoherent gags, this show is perfect for you. Even if it's not, PopTeamEpic may change your mind.
The best way to describe it would probably be, "What if Tim and Eric was an anime and had Robot Chicken's pacing?"
It's also not exclusive to any service, so you shouldn't have any difficulty finding it.
...
Though, the first couple of minute may throw you for a loop if you're not familiar with the comic it's based on (which happened to me).
Either way, just watch it.
Mitsuboshi Colors
Unconventional for me as someone who dislikes children (in media and in general), Mitsuboshi Colors skews towards the kid side of cute girls. And no, I don't mean it like that.
This show follows Yui, Sacchan, and Kotoha as the titular Colors protecting the peace of the city. Seems typical, but in reality it's just pretend (at least to those on the outside). It's cute to watch and each girls personality shines through.
Yui as leader is the most level-headed. She acts like a kid, though she does get thrown off guard by Sacchan's jokes. She also is the most likely to tear up from scolding or when trouble starts to brew.
Sacchan is the jokester of the trio. She likes to mix things up, but poop jokes are her go-to. As the spunkiest one, she's the most likely to step on adults' toes during hi-jinks. This is especially true in one of my favorite moments from episode 1.
Kotoha is the quiet genius of the group. She's usually the one to put the pieces together on whatever case the Colors may be solving. She's also a bit sadistic, at one point in the first episode expressing interest in finding a pinkie or ear in a locked safe.
Really these girls carry the show. While it still looks nice, mostly everything else is fairly average. In the end as long as its weaker traits aren't distracting, that doesn't detract from my enjoyment of the show. Mitsuboshi Colors is a favorite (so far) for the season in spite of its flaws, and it's a pretty great exclusive for HiDive to pick up.
Slow Start
"Cute girls doing ___" has been a running template in moe anime since its mainstream genesis K-On! Pick a subject and you'll likely see a "Cute girls doing ___" version of it.
Cute girls playing light music? K-On!. Cute girls in theater? Hinako Note. Cute girls driving tanks? Girls und Panzer. Even this season we've got a couple of those lined up (that I may or may not talk about later on *hint*)
However, what if I told you that there was a moe anime this season that was "Cute girls doing...cute things"? You probably wouldn't believe that something so plain would even exist. Well, let me introduce you to Slow Start.
Slow Start follows Hana Ichinose, a 17-year-old girl entering her first year of high school. If that seems unusual, it's because she enrolled one year later than normal. Now Hana is trying to catch up both academically and with finding friends in her new school.
Let's be real here. This is as moe as moe gets. If you don't like the genre, this won't change your mind. However, there's something about Slow Start that makes it infectiously cute.
It might be the animation. Slow Start strikes a nice balance between cute and gag art styles, coupling them with animation that looks much more lively in motion. It could also be the voice acting. While drowning in cuteness, there's a decent range that helps develop the personalities of the four main girls. Speaking of the girls, it could also be the writing. It may be basic, but the writing behind the girls and their interactions helps to make them endearing.
Or, more likely than not, it's everything all at once. All the little pieces that would make for a decent to good show are put together well enough to make something pleasant. Breaking ground isn't what Slow Start does or even needs to do to be one of my favorites (so far). It's just a good show that I happened to gravitate towards. And there's no harm in that!
Laid-Back Camp
For a winter season, it makes sense to broadcast shows that makes you feel cozy. Maybe it'll inspire you to snuggle in a blanket by the fireplace, drinking hot cocoa and watching some great anime. If you're looking for something to scratch that itch, Laid-Back Camp may be just what you're looking for!
Laid-Back Camp introduces us to two girls in the first episode. Rin is an outdoors girl who loves to go to various campsites around Mt. Fuji for solo camping. At one of these sites, she has a run-in with Nadeshiko, a girl who loves the outdoors and recently moved to the area. The evening they meet is where Nadeshiko first sees Mt. Fuji in the moonlight and it inspires her to join the Outdoor Activities Club at her new high school.
At this high school is where we meet the other girls. Rin's friend Ena isn't involved with the club, but helps nudge Nadeshiko to become friends with Rin. Meanwhile, Chiaki and Aoi are the other members of the Outdoor Activities Club Nadeshiko joins.
There's not anything else sophisticated about Laid-Back Camp, in all honestly. In much the same way as Slow Start, its appeal is in the moments and character interactions. Animation is simple, but something about the style of the character designs is adorable, especially the way closed eyes are drawn. Voiceacting also increases the cuteness, with Nadeshiko and Rin being my personal favorites.
Laid-Back Camp also has its fair share of humor and visual gags to help punctuate the blissful feel of watching. In the end, the whole package is light and feel-good. Even if it isn't your cup of tea, watching this show is still a pleasant way to pass the time. That makes it a favorite (so far) for me!
A Place Further Than The Universe
Who would've thought that the literal first show of 2018 would be one of my favorites (so far) for Winter 2018. Seemingly from out of nowhere, this original production from anime studio Madhouse is one of the most engaging and well directed TV anime I've seen!
A Place Further Than The Universe focuses four high school girls with the goal of going on a public expedition to Antarctica. Mari, a normal girl who never really did anything adventerous, has a run-in with Shirase at school. Shirase's mother went missing on an Antarctic expedition three years prior, and it has been her goal to save up to go on the upcoming expedition.
As Mari is inspired by Shirase's ambitions, she joins in on the quest. Along with Hinata and Yuzuri, these four do their best to make their trip a success!
The premise is certainly original, but it's the striking direction and performances that really sell this show. The first episode is chocked full of smart visual direction. Some notable moments were Mari hiding an envelope of 1,000,000 yen inside a book on ethics and Shirase slamming a bathroom stall door that has an "Open and Close Doors Quietly!" sign hanging on it.
The performances also helps the girl's personalities to shine through. Shirase could be played as stoic, but her obsession with Antarctica is obvious through her voice and mannerisms. Mari can be ditzy, but her earnesty is palpable. Hinata is boisterous and speaks her mind. Yuzuki is reserved, but comes from a place of loneliness and just wants friends.
All these little pieces are then taken by Madhouse and woven together into an excellent watch. Were it to premiere in any other season, it likely would have been my top pick for my favorites (so far) of Winter 2018. However, there's only one that I think is better.
Violet Evergarden
Every season, I inevitably get hyped up over an anime coming down the pipeline. Some of the ones of note from recent history were Kiznaiver, Eromanga-sensei, Yuki Yuna Season 2, and Sword Oratoria. Shockingly, not everything lives up to my frankly higher than normal expectations.
Most recently, Violet Evergarden has been on my mind ever since its first episode had limited screening last year. This show has had tons of time to stew and fuel my building anticipation. In every respect, this anime should have left me disappointed. It couldn't possibly live up to mine and other people's expectations as high as they were.
And then, I watched the first episode...
Everything about Violet Evergarden is impeccable. The quality is astonishing in both the detail and line work of the animation as well as the sheer beauty of the artwork and world. Voice acting is superb in its execution. Yui Ishikawa does a fantastic job of emanating Violet's robotic cadence in her speech. The other voice acting talent also helps to maintain the bar.
Contrary to my biggest concern going into Violet Evergarden, it isn't all fluff either. The writing and direction centering the first episode around Violet and her relationship with her commanding officer Major Gilbert is expressed both in solid dialogue and in subtle visual cues.
From what I can tell, the only flaw comes from going in completely blind. Violet is a doll; previously invented for other tasks, they are thrown into the frontlines of Liden's war due to their inhuman prowess.
It isn't like this is a major flaw, as it's pretty much established exactly what Violet is once her adamant silver arms are revealed. The show also does a good job building up to this, with visual cues of a porcelain doll Lt. Colonel Hopkins sees and Violet being unable to describe the feeling she has when seeing an emerald brooch that matches Major Gilbert's eyes.
I think it's safe to say that it's being nitpicky to fault the show for something so subtle. If that's the only flaw, however, Violet Evergarden is easily my favorite (so far) anime of Winter 2018. Heck, I'd even venture to say it has potential for first contender for Anime of the Year!
As someone who lives in the States, it may surprise you that I would have access to this show to watch it. Currently, Netflix is not simulcasting in this region, holding a still-nebulous Spring 2018 over our heads. However, I don't think you'll have a horrible time trying to find a version with English subs. That info is out there.
*wink*
_________________________________________________________________________________
And those are my favorite (so far) anime of Winter 2018. Of course these aren't the only shows to watch this season; they just happen to be my favorites (so far).
Other great entries like Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, DARLING in the FRANXX, Kokkoku -Moment to Moment-, Hakumei and Mikochi, and Karakai Jozu no Takagi-san are worth checking out as well.
Fortunately, these aren't my Meh or Worst Anime of Winter 2018. Those you can see in rest of my upcoming Winter 2018 Anime Impressions. Stay tuned!
No comments:
Post a Comment