Another week, another elimination. But this may not be the one you’re expecting as one particular show pulls out a surprise tactic! Will it work out? See for yourself!

Voyager: Welcome, welcome! This competition is really heating up!

EvilBob: Yeah. Nothing but really good shows left in the mix. Gonna be tough saying goodbye to another one, this week…

Voyager: More than you know…

EvilBob: What?

Voyager: What?

EvilBob: You… you just said something.

Voyager: Ahaha! On with the show!

EvilBob: Wha-? You can’t just-

Voyager: This is the Winter 2020 Anime TKO!

EvilBob: BATTLE ROYALE EDITION!

Voyager: Teehee. So easy.

Voyager: First up, we promised you guys a brand new rule to spice up the remainder of our little competition!

EvilBob: So let’s talk about the brand new Penalty and Reward system. See, sometimes a show does something in an episode that just… works really, really well.

Voyager: Something that I might really, really enjoy.

EvilBob: Or something that I have to appreciate beyond just enjoyment.

Voyager: For instances that break our typical scales, we’ve decided to introduce a brand new system that gives us the chance to offer some much ado praise-

EvilBob: Or well-deserved vitriol…

Voyager: To episodes that might’ve resonated with us particularly well… or poorly. Each of us gets one reward and one penalty to give out, per round.

EvilBob: But they’re worth a full five points to our individual scores. Trust us. That adds up.

Voyager: The math speaks for itself!

EvilBob: So that’s what that burning in my head was.

Voyager: …Yeah! Anyway, since we both only get one of each, we’ve gotta choose wisely. And, of course, we’re not obligated to give out any. We could skip out on giving any in a week.

EvilBob: So now all that’s left is to see if any shows earned our accolades…

Voyager: Or our ire…

EvilBob: In the latest round. Let’s get right to it.

1 – Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun (86◎)

Voyager – 90
EvilBob – 85
Episode Average – 88

Voyager: Aww! They wanted to get to know him more!

EvilBob: And, uh… boooy did they. Well… Nene, did. And yikes. S’all I’m gonna say about that.

Voyager: I like all the worldbuilding stuff! And the tone’s reeeally expertly handled. The show’s excellent at suddenly switching gears between goofy and lighthearted to… well…

EvilBob: Downright ominous.

Voyager: Yeah, that! Originally I was all for getting to know more about Hanako’s past! But now… yeesh.

EvilBob: Chills, mate. Chills. That was almost as dark as Voyager’s soul.

Voyager: Ahahaha!

EvilBob: …That really shouldn’t have been funny to you.

Voyager: Of course it was funny, silly! That isn’t my soul. That’s just the endless black void that’s taken its place!

EvilBob: …What?

Voyager: What?

EvilBob: …I’m gonna move on to the next one, now.

Voyager: Okay!

2 – Runway de Waratte (82◎)

Voyager – 80
EvilBob – 80
Episode Average – 80

EvilBob: This show needs to stop elevating my blood pressure!

Voyager: Heehee. Cute.

EvilBob: Why is a show about models and fashion designers doing this to me?! What’s going on?!

Voyager: It’s a Shonen, silly. That’s the whole point. I actually really like it! It’s got a lot of those more serious and realistic overtones but doesn’t really ever drift too far into them! It has a really nice vibe, in that way! Acknowledging a lot of the darker trappings of the adult world – especially this particular industry – while also openly and flatly rejecting certain aspects of it! It’s written in an almost fantastical way and I like that!

EvilBob: …Exactly how much thought have you put into this?

Voyager: Almost none!

EvilBob: You came up with all that on the spot?!

Voyager: Mhmm!

EvilBob: what kind of monster are you…?

Voyager: *smile*

3 – Somali to Mori no Kamisama (79◎)

Voyager – 77 (-5 Penalty)
EvilBob – 70
Episode Average – 71

Voyager: *raises hand*

EvilBob: Oh… this again. Yes? You there? In the front?

Voyager: *ahem*

EvilBob: Oh. What a coincidence. So do I!

Voyager: So why didn’t the harpy just ask Somali for a small blood sample?

EvilBob: How come the harpy meat instantly killed the wife and daughter but the father was better off?

Voyager: If the same medicine can work on a human that works on a monster, how come they haven’t been able to cure his condition by now?

EvilBob: why would the harpy even consider listening to what’s basically a Beholder to learn how to cure this disease?

Voyager: What was the harpy planning to do about Golem once he found out she’d killed Somali?

EvilBob: What did the guy do with the mama harpy’s body?

Voyager: Why did they spend long enough in that cave to begin dying of starvation, which basically takes anywhere from 3 to 5 weeks?

EvilBob: How did they not consider… you know… cooking the meat, therefore possibly burning out any harmful properties?

Voyager: Why do I get the feeling none of these questions will be answered?

EvilBob: Because they probably won’t be. On the plus side, the rest of the episode was pretty solid. Having him face what he did and having her wrestle with the reality of their situation, it was pretty good stuff.

Voyager: Probably would’ve been even more compelling if even a shred of it made sense, tho!

EvilBob: You’re… you’re in rare form today, aren’tcha?

Voyager: I’m not a Rare, I’m an Epic! No! A Legendary!

EvilBob: …anyway, next.

Voyager: Wha?! Hey, that joke was funny, right? Right?!

4 – Itai no wa Iya nano de Bougyoryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu. (78▲)

Voyager – 82 (+5 Accolade)
EvilBob – 80
Episode Average – 81

Voyager: I love it. I love all of it. Every minute of it. Pls, sir. May I have some more?

EvilBob: What’re you, Tiny Tim?

Voyager: … *shakes empty can*

EvilBob: …He has a problem, but he’s right. The show’s great.

Voyager: Whaaa-? I don’t have a problem! I can stop any-… ooooh.

EvilBob: Yeah.

Voyager: But really! If I’m gonna be honest, this show might not be the most technically savvy of all the ones on the list, but it’s probably the one I’m having the most fun with, this season! It’s just so cute and funny and great to look at! The stakes are low, sure, but I’m still really enjoying it!

EvilBob: So… would you say it’s even capable of keeping up with… Hanako-kun?

Voyager: …

EvilBob: …

Voyager: BAHahahahahahahahaha!

EvilBob: Bwahahahahaha!

Voyager: Oh! Oh, you! You had me, for a second! I thought you were serious! Ahahahahaha!

EvilBob: Yahahaha! Right?! Oh, you should’ve seen yourself. You got so quiet! Oh man, that was good.

5 – Rikei ga Koi ni Ochita no de Shoumei shitemita. (76▼)

Voyager – 72
EvilBob – 80
Episode Average – 76

EvilBob: It’s good having this show back in rotation.

Voyager: Yup! It’s still as funny as ever! It’s not the best-looking show, but it really does have its moments. The character chemistry is great too.

EvilBob: Also, that new girl… scares me.

Voyager: Well, she scares Ibarada… or at least bothers her. So it’s pretty reasonable, I’d say.

EvilBob: She’s just freaky, man.

Voyager: Seems… strangely out-of-place, though. But I guess it’s just a way of throwing in some more dire conflict for the remainder of the season.

EvilBob: Or at least the next couple episodes.

Voyager: It was super weird, though! I felt like the episode kinda slowed down in that second half.

EvilBob: Really? I thought it picked up when she got involved.

Voyager: Heeeh?

6 – Infinite Dendogram (75◎)

Voyager – 77
EvilBob – 80
Episode Average – 79

EvilBob: Well then. That was quite the midseason finale.

Voyager: Right? That was pretty good. One of the show’s stronger episodes, for sure! though I’m kinda surprised at how… quickly it wrapped up.

EvilBob: True. I almost expected this to take longer.

Voyager: So… was I right?

EvilBob: …I dunno what you’re talking about.

Voyager: Ahaha! so forgetful! Right before you watched it, I warned you that there’d be a part that probably got your blood pressure up! Did it? I bet ya got reeeal scared, didn’tcha?

EvilBob: N-no!

Voyager Ahaha! You thought Nemesis was gonna die!

EvilBob: I did not!

Voyager: Oh! But I liked how they handled it! Showing that she didn’t actually have any intention of letting herself get offed, that easily. It was a nice little swerve and felt appropriate for the character.

EvilBob: Eh? Uh… y-yeah! That’s exactly what I was thinking! She definitely didn’t almost give me a heart attack!

Voyager: Ahahaha! Sure!

EvilBob: Believe me, dang it!

7 – Koisuru Asteroid (74◎)

Voyager – ?
EvilBob – ?
Episode Average – ?

EvilBob: …You clever bastards. How dare you drop a recap episode in our laps!?

Voyager: Ooooh! Talk about sneaky tactics! I guess we can’t very well rate an episode that isn’t really there.

EvilBob: They did this on purpose. They had to!

Voyager: Heeeh? just how big a deal do you think we are? Well, nothing to be done about it! Looks like this show’s spared itself for the week and earned an exemption!

EvilBob: That ain’t right, man.

Prized Moment

EvilBob: Smile Down the Runway needs to stop it already.

Voyager: Yeeeah. It’s toootally not fair how much of a glorified highlight reel this show is. The test was awesome from start to finish. Incredibly good off of him and really tense off of the “judge.” Great scene, great show. What more can be said?

Choice Screen Grab

EvilBob: Those poor girls…

Voyager: That poor table…

Top Line

Voyager: Y’know, I actually really appreciated this line! It yanked the rug out from under me, but in the best way! Like a magic trick! Swoosh!

EvilBob: …really?

Voyager: Yeah yeah yeah! I just like what it says about Ray and Nemesis without saying much of anything. Just cutting straight through everything to show exactly how much the two of them have already grown to trust one another. It was great from Nemesis and works as a great little “Oorah” moment. Uuunfortunately…

EvilBob: Yeeeah…

MVP: Hanako

EvilBob: Wait, huh? But… Hanako barely did anything in this episode.

Voyager: His presence is enough!

EvilBob: …You pursuing a career as a rodeo clown? Because that seems like an awful lot of bull to me.

Voyager: Ahahaha! So mean! Just kidding! Actually it’s not so much that Hanako did anything. Just the mystery around him is really intriguing and any chance we get to explore it just pulls me in! That counts, right?

EvilBob: …uh…

Voyager: Right!

EvilBob: R-right…

Voyager: And now for our next elimination!

EvilBob: Well. One show dodged a bullet, this week. So it looks like we’re moving up to the next in line.

Voyager: Sayonara, Infinite Dendogram!

EvilBob: Sad thing, too. It was honestly just hitting its stride. Buuut, in retrospect, maybe it was taking a little too long to do that.

Voyager: This late into the game, it really should’ve been able to do more than just catch up to Science Fell In Love – a straight-up comedy.

EvilBob: I’m still probably gonna watch it, now that it’s done. But that’s a pretty big bummer.

Voyager: Yep yep yep! A major oof, that one.

Voyager: Tah-dah! That’s the end, folks! What’d you all think of this week? Last week? Eh. Whatever.

EvilBob: All-in-all, a really solid week when the one show getting kicked actually had a really good episode… and the show that probably deserved to be kicked pulled out a cheap tactic, straight from nowhere…

Voyager: Dirty tricks are the best kind!

EvilBob: …What?

Voyager: What?

EvilBob: Okay, we are not gliding by that one.

Voyager: Ooh! Gliding! That sounds fun! I wanna try it!

EvilBob: …Nevermind. Anyway, that’s everything. Look forward to next time as the season gets that much closer.

Voyager: It’ll be fun! In the meantime, thanks for reading!

EvilBob: And letting us waste your time.

Voyager: Keep up the Awesome!

EvilBob: And Keep it Classy.

Voyager: Take care!