Seasonal Anime Reviews: Winter 2023

Pui Pui Molcar: Driving school

Pui Pui molcar is just like canada’s worst driver (link). Following the crazy driving feature in the first season, the molcar’s are arrested and sent to a canada’s worst driver style driving school, where they must relearn how to drive, and conform into society. Average molcar antics, I thought it was alright.

FINAL RATING: 7/10

Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san Season 2

As with how I felt about the second season of Uzaki-chan, I feel the same here, I enjoyed the second season much more, maybe I am just more satisfied the more it feels like these relationships are actually developing. Anyways, I thought there was some really fun stuff this season, the skiing trip, judo, etc. A good fun time. Naoto’s (Paisen) glasses-less state while still pushing up the glasses is pretty funny. I prefer the first season’s opening theme to this one, though.

FINAL RATING: 7/10

Cool Doji Danshi

Cool doji danshi is a show about guys who shop at uniqlo. When I first saw this manga for sale years ago, I was unaware of it being bishounen shoujo material, as was I unaware when beginning the anime, but I do not discriminate, I watched it in full. Sometimes, it feels strange where the series was going, but as far as nothing-happens slice of life goes, it was good, although the characters were lackluster (Which is a quite important aspect in slice of life).

FINAL RATING: 6/10

Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible

This show, alike quite a few airing shows as of late (isekai ojiisan, ayakashi triangle both come to mind), stopped airing half way through the season, due to production issues. I am sure we are all aware of the horrors of the animation industry, and how it has only gotten worse, post-covid, so I will spare you that explanation. From what I have seen so far, this show is boring, to me, as there have been many similar shows in recent season/years. A preliminary 4/10, before it starts airing again.

The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten

Romance slow-burn, best of it’s variety in the season. While cheesy and tame (romance wise), I still had an enjoyable time watching it. Enjoyed the protagonist being more of a character than most in the genre. Felt weird about the husband/wife dynamic.

FINAL RATING: 8/10

Tomo-chan wa onnanoko

now this is anti-tomboy

Tomo-chan wa onnanoko is a manga I remember reading TEN YEARS AGO, which was a very different time in my life. I found myself shocked that they decided to animate it, this many years later. I find it different from the manga, in tone, but maybe I am remembering differently. The manga seemed more comedy, and this seems to lean into drama more. Leaning into the drama of the situation (a gag manga situation, no less), has caused the anime to feel quite cringeworthy at times. The ending was alright.

FINAL RATING: 5/10

Vinland Saga Season 2

Well, sorry in advance for my critical thoughts. It feels like, at times, there are certain parts of a story that only works in a certain form, I feel this way with this story arc in vinland saga. I have yet to read the manga, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this part of the story is not as ASS as it is in the anime. The main character as a slave doing nothing but tilling land for 24 episodes is not efficient use of one of the best animation studios in the industry right now, especially when the employees are very run down. In my opinion, I feel that this arc could have been skipped, or at least condensed into a few episodes, rather than animated as a full season. Certainly, there have been interesting developments, but not enough to warrant a whole season. This whole arc could have maybe been three OVAs, at best. The return back to prince canute at least feels promising.

FINAL RATING: 3/10

Aggretsuko Season 5

Episodes 1-5

A new season of aggretsuko has come along, and it suddenly is hitting me that this show has now lasted half a decade. Wow! Continuing with my usual theme of relating to Haida, this season seems to focus on him and his never ending struggles, he takes every L imaginable. Being an unemployed loser myself, I really found JDFJGJKD’s comments on the routes unemployed men take to cope; becoming a gaming-addict or a gym-rat. Seeing as you can’t find me on final fantasy online, or any big esports games, I am obviously the latter, and it shows. Although there is not anything wrong with my consistent weightlifting, I should definitely pull more of my weight in society. Upon struggling to find a job in his current field, accounting, Haida decides to reskill and change career paths, somewhere IT/software dev adjacent. He picks up a book on learning javascript (No! Haida, don’t do it) and gets busy at work. Having been briefly homeless, Haida now resides in Retsuko’s apartment, much to the dismay of her mother, who has yet to be formally introduced to Haida, let alone introduced as her new boyfriend (Upon starting the season, I actually forgot they *finally* got together, haha). The NEET MMORPG gacha game addict mini-arc felt VERY reminiscent to the same story line in Welcome to the NHK, which I wouldn’t have minded as much if I were not currently in the middle of a welcome to the NHK rewatch, but that is just bad-timing on my part.

The second half of the season follows Haida moving into Retsuko’s apartment and Retsuko promptly being scammed into becoming a politician, it is genius stuff, really. Aggretsuko continues to expand it’s coverage of social issues, leaving the office and adventuring to explore nepotism, politics, coming of age, marriage, homelessness, amongst other themes. Unfortunately, for the future of the show, I did not see much social media hype for this season, which may equate to less viewers, i.e. less incentive to make more seasons, you hate to see it. Additionally, a storyline hinted at during the end of the season might indicate they are trying to wrap it up, quite disheartening. The show is now on half a decade of existing, time really does fly when you are having fun. I always enjoy discussing this show with my friends. All in all, a great season.

FINAL RATING: 10/10