This was actually a really great first episode. It was cool to see a little of the Magical Girls’ past – the monsters they fought and where they came from. The world itself is really intriguing, and I definitely didn’t expect it to be as deep as it appears to be. Alongside the flashbacks, we get to see Asuka’s attempt to fit into the normal world. The perspective of an otherworldly super-heroine trying to integrate anonymously into the public is an interesting one, and I hope that it’s developed over the course of the anime.

The thing that I dislike most about Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka thus far is something that I knew about from the beginning – the character design. I expected over-the-top, but I feel like it’s outrageous to the point of affecting the animation. The scene were Asuka was in the cafe was incredibly awkward looking, and I questioned how she could even raise her arms high enough to drink her beverage. I suppose that it’s part of the “hook” for the series, and it’s just something I’ll have to overlook.

Overall, Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka surprised me. I honestly expected to drop this anime                                                                                                                                                              after the first episode, but it was fun and                                                                                                                                                                exciting enough to bring me back next week.

                                                                                                                                                Score: 3/5 (It was okay)

This episode ties the first two together and explains what happened off-screen, but it was neither entertaining nor enlightening. I’m still having a difficult time deciphering a lot of the characters and remembering who they are, and what their importance is.

The first half of this episode moved incredibly slowly. I couldn’t remember who it was the group of students was searching for, what her relationship to them was, or why she was important. I think the overarching cause of these symptoms is that I simply don’t care about any of the characters. None of them are developed enough for me to relate to, and thus I can’t remember them.

I’m still shocked at how bad a lot of the art and animation is. I realize that Madhouse has declined in recent years, but some of it is just appalling. The scene where Echoes and Manticore are fighting and chasing each other is especially bad.

It seems that this episode is the end of the first arc, so I suppose that I’ll never get any answers as to who or what Echoes and Manticore truly were. I’ll never understand where Echoes came from or what his purpose was.

The sound design continues to be the best part of Boogiepop Never Laughs. Unfortunately, this is currently the biggest disappointment of the season for me.

Score: 2/5 (I didn’t like it)

The Promised Neverland blew away my expectations. I knew that it was going to be a dark, vaguely horrific anime. What I did not expect was how deeply the characters were going to be developed from the very beginning. Every child at the Grace Field House has a unique look and personality, and seeing their relationships with each other instantly made me care for each one of them.

The pacing of this episode was perfect. It could have easily been rushed, and it would have been much less impactful. The fact that the majority of the episode was spent on the characters made the reveal towards the end so much more shocking.

The art and animation is incredibly well done. There were a few questionable scenes, but I still believe that The Promised Neverland is one of the best looking anime of the season. The attention to detail in the facial expressions of the characters is especially noteworthy.

Overall, this was an amazing debut. The Promised Neverland has become my most anticipated anime thus far, and I can’t wait for the next episode.
Score: 5/5 (I loved it)

The first episode of The Rising of the Shield Hero is, in a word, mediocre. The fantasy world of Melromarc and the summoning of the Heroes are set up nicely, but there is very little that is actually interesting about any of it.

The plot reveals an intended twist about half-way through the double-length episode, and unfortunately it is a twist that anyone could see coming a mile away. It’s not something that is intriguing and, moreover, it’s a bit distasteful in the current state of the world.

The other heroes immediately distrust and dislike their fellow Shield Hero, Naofumi, and he becomes an outcast throughout the entire kingdom. This incident occurs with very little precedent, and the other characters disdain Naofumi simply because they view the Shield Hero as being weak.

All of that said, however, there are things about The Rising of the Shield Hero that show promise for the episodes to come. I really enjoyed Naofumi’s personality transformation after he is betrayed, and it will be fun to see how much more he changes under the pressures of the new world. The art and animation are really well done, and it looks like there could be some                                                                                                                                                   really cool battles ahead.

Overall, not a bad beginning. I feel like I’m in the minority with this one, but I’m looking forward to seeing if The Rising of the Shield Hero can surprise me.

Score: 3/5 (It was okay)

I went into this first episode with literally no background knowledge about Dororo. I’ve never watched the original anime, nor have I read the manga. I didn’t know what to expect.

I can honestly say that I am hooked. It was really great to see a little of Daigo’s backstory, and it was done so well. You immediately understand what kind of person he is, and immediately resent him for it. I am hoping that some of the gaps will be filled in throughout the season, and we’ll see some of the things that transpired over the course of the 16 year gap that brought Hyakkimaru to the point where he is at now.

The animation and art both look really solid in this first episode. There were a few minor issues that I noticed, but by and large it’s awesome. The soundtrack throughout the episode was sufficient, nothing too exciting but also not horrible. The ending song is good, but I really didn’t care for the opening one. The music is alright, but something about the vocals didn’t do it for me.

Overall, an excellent first episode. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the season of Dororo.
Score: 5/5 (I loved it)

The first two episodes of Boogiepop Never Laughs aired yesterday, so I’ll be reviewing them together.

The first thing that comes to mind is how confusing these episodes were. I understand that it’s a new psychological anime and that all my questions will most likely be answered with time, but it was really difficult to grasp what I was watching. The story is told in a non-linear fashion, meaning that it jumps back and forth from past to present. Compounding this is the fact that it follows multiple characters, and that these characters often look very similar in appearance to other characters.

I’m also very disappointed with the art and animation thus far. I expected far better from Madhouse.

That said, I did find the story to be intriguing. I finished the second episode, and immediately wished that there was more to watch. I want to know more about the world and about Boogiepop. Despite being confusing, the story is engaging and really pulls you into it from the very beginning.

The thing I love most so far about Boogiepop Never Laughs is the sound design. The opening and ending songs are incredible, and the soundtrack throughout is dark and disturbing.

Overall, I’m a little disappointed. I don’t know what I expected from Boogiepop Never Laughs, or maybe my expectations were too high because of all the hype that it’s been generating. Either way, I’m hoping that the positives will outweigh the negatives as the season progresses.

Episode 1: 3/5 (It was okay)
Episode 2: 3/5 (It was okay)