Anime Reviews for Spring 2019
Friday, May 31, 2019
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Spring 2019 is truly a treasure trove for
anime lovers. Encompassed in this list are some of the anime from Spring 2019 that
I will be reviewing. Do note that at the point of writing this article, most of
the anime are only aired halfway or slightly more and form the basis for this
review. I have included my overall comments and personal rating for each show
on this list but it is worthwhile to note that it solely based on my opinion. I
hope this article provides useful insight on the animes discussed.
1. Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin
(Season 3 Part 2)
Kicking off this list is Attack on
Titan. This season can be described as phenomenal. Picking up from where we
left off in Part 1, our beloved survey corps, otherwise known as the scout
regiment, returns to Shiganshina to recapture Wall Maria. There are plenty of
adrenaline inducing moments such as the fight between Levi and the Beast Titan.
That scene got me so hyped up that I kind of wished I was Levi.
This season is not lacking in thecharacter development department either. In particular, I am pleasantly
surprised to see the character growth in Armin Arlert. Armin has always been
one of my favourite characters. What I like about Armin is his unwavering
loyalty towards his comrades. For those unaware, Armin was first introduced as
a timid and meek character with low self-confidence. Despite being physically
weak, Armin’s intelligence is unrivalled, aiding his comrades on many occasions
with his strategies. In this season, Erwin, the commander of the survey corps,
gave Armin the authority to command a detachment. Armin gave firm orders to the
troops which made me impressed considering how his personality is like.
However, Armin’s steel resolve and sacrifice in order to buy time for Eren to
defeat Bertolt was what left me flabbergasted the most. Armin is the kind of
guy you would want to have as a friend, you will be able to rest easy knowing
he has your back covered.
Overall Comments: Everything is spot on, from the Artwork, Voice-over, pacing to the captivating storyline making this a very satisfying watch. I highly recommend giving this show a watch if you have not yet done so.
Personal Rating: 9/10
2. One Punch Man (Season 2)
We are then introduced to Garou (pictured
above), ranked 3rd S-Class hero Bang’s former disciple, and a major antagonist
in the series. Garou is the first non-monster antagonist in the series, not
including Sonic and the deranged scientist in Season 1. Garou is portrayed as a
villain with morals. A villain with morals?! Now hold on, let me explain. Garou
is someone who seeks to prove his strength by defeating the strong and not the
weak, unless of course the weak decide to engage him in combat. Garou often
chooses to analyse his opponent’s moves before striking as shown in his battle
against Tanktop Master and Golden Ball. I really like Garou because he is
extremely nimble and also relies on his wits in battle.
This section onwards will focus on my
impressions of the fight scenes because let us be frank, we watch One Punch Man
mainly for the action, apart from the comedy of course. A fight scene that stood
out to me was Metal Bat vs Centisenpai and Lafreshidon. Metal Bat pummelling them
with his trusty weapon was very gratifying to watch.
Next up we have the Martial Arts
Tournament Arc where Saitama entered in the guise of Charanko. I have a huge
gripe about this Arc because the fight scenes were dull. The fight scenes
lacked energy and did not pique my interest. The arrival of Gouketsu, the first
winner of the tournament who turned into a monster, did not alleviate this
issue. I am hoping the show gets better as it progresses.
Overall Comments: This season pales in comparison to Season 1 mainly because the fight scenes are underwhelming and not as exhilarating. Season 2 is quite a let down so far and I am pretty disappointed.
Personal Rating: 5/10
3. Bungou Stray Dogs (Season 3)
Dazai and gang return in the Third
Season of Bungou Stray Dogs. Being an avid fan of the series, I am ecstatic
that the third season is out. I have high expectations for this season and
hopefully it does not disappoint. Read on to find out more about my impressions
of the show so far.
First episode in and I am already
starting to think that this season looks very promising. There was a good mix
of hilarious and tense moments which reminded me of the first two seasons. Thereafter,
we get an interesting backstory on Dazai and Chuuya, showcasing how they met and
their love-hate relationship.
Sadly, the show started going downhill
past that. The main reason is due to the plot being all over the place. Do not
get me wrong, the episodes after the Dazai-Chuuya backstory were still very interesting
to watch. They were emotional and action packed, albeit following a pretty
random sequence. This would not deter me from continuing to watch the third
season though, because of how invested I am in the series.
Overall Comments: The third season of Bungou Stray Dogs maintains a good balance of serious and comedic moments in conjunction with decent fight scenes that kept me glued. The voice actors receive approval from me and the opening and ending theme songs were fantastic. However, a major flaw is that the plot is all over the place and could definitely have been improved. Unfortunately, this season did not match up to the previous two. I would have given this show a higher rating had the plot not been weak.
Personal Rating: 7/10
4. Kono Oto Tomare!
I love to find hidden gems each season
that are often overlooked or underrated due to the fact that they are usually
overshadowed by the more prominent titles. Consider it a hobby of mine but I
like to spread awareness about them so that people do not miss out. My hidden
gem pick and review for Spring 2019 is Kono Oto Tomare!
A heart-warming show that emanates good
vibes is what best describes Kono Oto Tomare. Chika Kudo (pictured above), a
first-year “delinquent”, joins the school Koto (Japanese Stringed Instrument)
Club. The first episode is very emotional and I was trying desperately to hold
back my tears. Kono Oto Tomare only gets better as it progresses with the
introduction of new characters and the bonds forged between them as they seek
to overcome trials and tribulations to prove their worth to those that doubt
them. The anime evoked strong feelings from me due to the deep connection I
felt with the characters.
Kono Oto Tomare is a perfect example of
an anime done right. Primarily belonging to the music genre, we also get a
beautiful display of friendship and obvious hints of romance coupled with a medley of serious and humorous moments. The plot is deep, creative and well
thought out, it tackles complex issues that many of us can relate to. Character
development is incredible and makes you increasingly connected to them as the
show progresses. The perfection of this anime cannot be merely described in
words, do yourself a favour and watch this anime to experience a roller coaster
of emotions.
Overall comments: The plot together with
fantastic character development and pacing made this anime surpass the others
on this list even though the others are much more well-known titles. Labelling
this anime as a gem is an understatement. Kono Oto Tomare is so surprisingly
good that I am thinking of giving it a spot in my Top 10 Anime. Please give
this amazing show a try. I promise it is worth your time!
Personal Rating: 10/10
Written by Kou
