All right, two weeks down, just a few more to go!
Featured Shows
Kimetsu no Yaiba (Episode 9 – 10)
A damn awesome action episode, followed by… something of an anticlimax. Well… okay.
(Full Review: Episode 9)
(Full Review: Episode 10)
Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai (Episode 9 – 10)
Nariyuki’s continued ability to understand people is eclipsed only by his and the girls’ continued learning about the relationships between people. And I don’t mean that in the purely romantic context. It’s actually rather sweet. Plus the new girl’s fun.
(Full Review: Episode 9)
(Full Review: Episode 10)
Unfeatured Shows
Black Clover (Episode 85 – 86)
Having read the manga, these two episodes are entirely filler. It’s relatively good filler, but still filler. It has no real bearing on anything and actually kinda feels like a regression, walking Asta’s character back after having that big moment after the Water Temple arc where he pumped himself up and said he’d never despair again. Well… that seems to have been a lie. Because he seems rather caught up in despair, after the results of the tournament. Either way, getting more of Yami’s backstory as a Magic Knight was cool. Particularly how he formed the Black Bulls. But that’s about where things end. The episodes weren’t anything particularly special or overly engaging. Junk Food.
Fruits Basket (2019) (Episode 9 – 10)
This show continues to be a genuinely excellent ride and a real trip, emotionally. Though I do worry about that, to a point. Being strong at delivering those heavy emotional beats is fantastic. But one should be mindful not to inundate the work with it, lest it makes the series emotionally exhausting. It’s not a problem, currently. But it is a danger. Either way, these two episodes were both naturally Super Effective. In fact, I’d dare give Episode 9 a World’s Finest mark.
One-Punch Man II (Episode 8)
The first solidly paced episode of this show in a while, really. A solid beginning, middle, and end with a really great moment as Suiryu is humbled. But it came after some cool fights. Then? Saitama gets yet another hero moment as he’s called out to for help. Epic. Alas, the 9th episode was postponed because of the French Open, or something. So we’ve just got that one to go on, for now. And it was a solid episode. Super Effective.
Kenja no Mago (Episode 8 – 9)
The further development of the relationship between Shin and Sizilien is really adorable. Yes, their chemistry could be stronger, but they have nailed the cuteness and butterflies of it all. Though I have a really bad feeling about all of this. It’s going too well. Much too well. And as glad as I am for them finally being a thing, I just get an uneasy feeling about it. The show is as blatant as wish fulfillment gets. So maybe it really is as simple as Shin reincarnating into another world, meeting the love of his life, and saving the day. But I have some serious concerns that this is gonna get dark, should there be a follow-up season. I do have the ability to read the manga, though, I suppose. So I could always check. Either way, this show is, as ever, a nice helping of Junk Food, across the board.
Carole & Tuesday (Episode 8 – 9)
It’s a tournament arc. It’s a music tournament arc. And Angela is totally gonna be the duo’s Tien Shinhan. I mean, let’s get real. We’re only halfway into the show. No way are they gonna win. That said, Cybelle scares me, dude. That girl carries some baaad mojo with her. It was also cool, seeing the girls barely get through their own round, especially as they became more aware of the competition, realizing they’d have to step things up in true Shonen fashion. Overall, a fun two episodes with some fun musical performances and surprisingly great character interactions. Both Super Effective episodes, in their own right and I’m looking forward to seeing Angela interacting more with the girls, whatever that yields.
Older Shows
Kotoura-san (Episode 9 – 10)
Ah. There’s the drama. Including the Mama variety. Looots to unload in this short, two episodes. Things get intense, both emotionally and physically as there’s now a sense of actual danger involved in things. The show’s weird, tonal whiplash effect is back in full force, as well. After a certain point, the drama just hits 11 and never really comes back down. It’s really volatile and bizarre.
Achievements
As per usual on delayed posts, only the most recent episodes compete, this time. And no bonus achievements.
Overall Episode Medalists
Fruits Basket delivers yet another fairly strong episode, though not quite up to the heights of the previous two or three. Still, it’s standing head-and-shoulders above most of the competition, even with that in mind, earning it the Gold. Bokuben gave us a genuinely engaging and sweet and rather funny episode. One that puts on full display the exact strengths of the show’s lead, letting it take home the Silver. The latest episode of Carole & Tuesday was… something. It was definitely something. And I’d say it was something fantastic in terms of its handling of this musical tournament arc. On top of that, some really fun musical performances. Bronze is something to be proud of, really. Given its competition. This is honestly the most fluid season we’ve had, thus far, with a lot of shows all sneaking in and out of these awards.
MVP: Nariyuki
It’s another week where this could’ve gone to just about anyone. So I decided to extend Bokuben some love and give it to Nariyuki. Without his natural ability to empathize with others and understand the struggles they endure, as well as understand the relationships between people, this should would be far less exceptional. But, as it stands, it’s actually made all the better because of him and not just the many great girls that so surround him.
Conclusion
Another two weeks down, folks! What’d you think? Let me know, down below. And for more weekly overviews, check out Weekly Evil. Thanks, as always, for reading. Keep up the Awesome!
Take Care,
Voyager