Must Watch Series
1. Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka??
I really don't care if you don't like moe series, heck I usually hate on them but GochuUsa has it down. This season is much stronger than its previous one and I'm actually finding myself genuinely entertained by its characters and jokes. There are still times where I feel that the comedy is extremely forced and is as a result not very funny, but more than not, the antics of the characters are blended together better than the cups of coffee that they serve (which is a compliment btw). GouchuUsa also boasts great voice work and music. BGMs are recycled from its previous seasons, but the new OP and ED are great to listen to and I can't wait until the full versions (especially for the ED). If you're hesitant to try moe daily life series, I understand, but if you were to try one, I'd definitely recommend Gochu Usa.
You can watch Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka?? on Crunchyroll here
2. God Eater
In hindsight, I probably should have left my impressions of this in my previous list, but that doesn't matter. What does matter is how my impressions of the show have changed since the first episode. What first seemed like a generic shounen story, a possible first wrong doing of ufotable, became a much deeper, dark story that is more reflective of most of their work. It goes without saying that the animation is on par with that of their previous works, if not better, but the biggest problem, their characters and story, are gradually being fixed I still dislike their method of story telling with occasional flashbacks which are occasionally seemingly put in at the most random times, but otherwise, I think the pacing of the anime is very well done. The anime is definitely something I'd recommend in general to anyone who wants a genuinely interesting, action packed anime.
You can watch God Eater on Daisuki here
3. Noragami Aragoto
If you asked me a year ago, what I thought of Noragami, I'd probably answer that it's decent, but it is overall overhyped. Actually, even now, I feel like it's overhyped, but I don't think it's bad at all. In fact, I'd say it's one of the best shows of this season. I think this season is much more successful than the previous one because there are no more episodes devoted to giving an idea of who characters are, and instead the anime begins to focus on their relationships with one another. So far, I'm impressed with the anime however, I still do feel as if it is overhyped though not as much as something like DanMachi for example. It's an enjoyable shounen adventure with enjoyable characters and a decent story.
You can watch Noragami Aragoto on Funimation here
4. One Punch Man
One Punch Man was my most anticipated anime of this season and all the hype was well deserved. One Punch Man is without doubt my pick for best of this season (as of now). Aside from its amazing animation, One Punch Man delivers a simplistic story with a great cast of characters and every child's wet dream of what happens when you have a really overpowered characters as the protagonist. Before I saw One Punch Man, I thought it'd be incredibly boring since you would know the end before it even happened, but each episode proves me wrong. One Punch Man diverts some of the time of each episode to either build up on antagonists who get defeated by the protagonist or side characters who interact with him. The remainder of the time is focused on the protagonist and his interactions with the city and other people. At its core, it's a comedy series that shouldn't be overlooked, but it's also a great action ride that will give any shounen fan the trip of their life.
You can watch One Punch Man on Daisuki here
5. Owarimonogatari
This might come as a surprise, but I really deliberated whether or not Owarimonogatari deserves to have a spot in the "Must Watch" section. While the general quality reminiscent of the previous series is still present, the charm isn't, the intelligence isn't. This isn't to say that the witty dialogue has been diluted, on the contrary, it is potentially stronger than ever. I'm saying that the narrative has taken a dip in quality. Each episode so far felt incredibly uninteresting and built up to a very disappointing end. In fact, the overall mystery's construction felt very artificial in the sense that it felt that it was a eclectic mess of ideas thrown together, similar to building a house with whatever you find lying around. Ultimately, the story felt uneven in quality and drawn out to the point that I didn't care about the mystery's solution at the end. I will compliment it on the ending of the latest episode though. I'm sure people will want to know what was in the letter, but I think it's better to leave it up to the viewer to fill in the blank with whatever they want That way, they end the story the way they want to.
I ended up putting Owarimonogatari in the "Must Watch" category mostly because of its track record. The Monogatari series seldom disappoints and I believe that this season will be no different. The first arc isn't as bad as some of the other anime currently out there, so mostly by default, it deserves more recognition than the rest. Oh and be careful of the first episode especially if you're prone to seizures. There are a LOT of flashing lights.
You can watch Owarimonogatari on Crunchyroll here
6. Utawarerumono: Itsuwari no Kamen
I cannot even express how anxious but excited I was to watch this. I was a huge fan of the original series back in 2006 and I longed for something to take its place. So far, I'm pleasantly surprised by the quality of the show. It's very rewarding to see how the world has changed since the previous protagonist's time and see what influence he had on the world. The cast of characters is still as strong as its previous iteration with a story that is slowly ramping up. I will say now that I might be biased about the anime because of how much of a fan I was of the original, but I do think that Itsuwari no Kamen is a cut above the rest. Its story telling for one is much better and better paced than most anime and give you ample time to get a feel for each character in the series. There are also a ton of nods to the original that fans will love. Either way, I'm very excited to see what direction this anime goes and I hope you will be there with me.
You can watch Utawarerumono: Itsuwari no Kamen on Crunchyroll here
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| Kuon da bess |
7. Yuru Yuri San Hai!
Similar to GochuUsa, I never had the highest opinion of Yuru Yuri's first season. I thought it was better than most, but not amazing. I never thought I'd put it in my "Must Watch" section and yet, here it is. Yuru Yuri is a surprisingly extremely competent comedy with touching moments of friendship. Even if you don't like daily life "moe" anime, I think Yuru Yuri deserves at least a try because it is definitely a cut above the rest.
You can watch Yuru Yuri San Hai! on Crunchyroll here
Average
1. Comet Lucifer
Comet Lucifer is essentially just another typical boy meets girl story. I can't put my finger on it, but it feels like it has the exact same setting as another anime I watched. Essentially, the protagonist is out exploring and he stumbles upon a girl and saves her from two mechas fighting. It turns out that the girl has mysterious powers and cannot speak any kind of language at all so it's up to the protagonist and his friends to take care of her. Little do they know that she's being pursued by a militaristic group. It's up to the protagonist and his friends to solve the mysteries around her while trying to keep her safe. It reeks of unoriginality and it really shows it. The characters are boring, the events are boring, and there's really no big hook to keep watching. The only reason I put it under "average" and not "bad" is mostly because despite all my griping, it is better than any of the bad anime in the "bad" section. It is legitimately average and should only be watched by those who like the boy meets girl story.
You can watch Comet Lucifer on Crunchyroll here
2. Garo: Guren no Tsuki
I debated whether or not I should put this here because I'm actually behind on this show. One week, I skipped watching it and now I'm kinda far behind because I never felt like watching it. That's kind of the story of the show though, it's interesting enough to make me like it, but it's not interesting enough for me to actually want to keep watching it. I think I'll get around to catching up sometime soon, but probably not now. If you've watched any of the previous Garo, you're in for basically more of the same. The story is basically just episodes that conclude in themselves about the characters and the random demons they have to end up exterminating. I'm sure at one point, there'll be an arc that lasts longer than just one episode, but for now, it's not too compelling to watch. The action scenes are not horribly well done, but I'm not a fan of the CG. It feels very poorly integrated and thus sticks out like a sore thumb, interrupting the flow of the action. If you're a Garo fan, you might as well watch more, but if not, there's no real reason to watch it.
You can watch Garo: Guren no Tsuki on Funimation here
3. Hacka Doll the Animation
Another anime I debated whether or not I should put here. Hacka Doll is an anime about 3 (4 later) "failures" that try to advance the lives of humans. The key word is "try" because they fail in tremendous ways and that's the point of the show. Occasionally, there will be some more serious episodes (I guess) where they tackle more real life situations and I think those are actually the best episodes. There's still humor to be found in those episodes, but overall it's more about character development and learning a lesson. Other than these rare episodes, it's mostly just poorly done humor with not so great punch lines. I ultimately decided that it should be under "average" because it has better comedy than any "bad comedy" I've seen and also, it has short episodes, so it's not overwhelming you with sub-par content. Watch Hacka Doll if you like short comedy episodes about seemingly easy jobs gone wrong with cute girls.
You can watch Hacka Doll the Animation on Crunchyroll here
4. Heavy Object
I think this will be the Fall season's "Danmachi" and that's not just because it's done by JC staff. It's because it is constructed in a similar way. It has the same balance of moe/ecchi with its characters trying to overcome seemingly helpless situations. There's also the part where the main character fallls for an elite, but there are some slight differences there. I guess the main difference would be the speech of its characters. It's mostly witty banter between the cast with occasional monologues explaining what needs to be done and how. Heavy Object though certainly packing the dialogue, packs the action as well. There's tons of shooting, explosions, and tension in their quest to take down the behemoths called Objects. The drawback to this is that though the entire point of Heavy Object is to present a David and Goliath sort of situation, it's getting pretty old and it's only been several episodes. There's no surprise factor to the battles and there's no surprise factor to how the rest of the anime plays out. As soon as the next mission is presented, aside from the setting, it's pretty easy to predict the end result. Predictability is not a weakness that cannot be overcome, though. Predictability can be overridden with a strong cast of characters and equally strong dialogue, which Heavy Object debatably has. It's because of that, that I consider Heavy Object "average" and not "bad." I'm 100% positive that people like it more than me, so give it a watch and form your own opinion if mine doesn't do it for you.
You can watch Heavy Object on Funimation here
5. Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo Returns 2nd Season
Kindaichi's back again and it's more of the same old. I always admired this anime because most of the mysteries are well crafted and there are always clues that help to point the viewer in the right direction without giving anything away. This season is no different. The detective work of Kindaichi continues in a fashion that puts most other mystery anime to shame and that's mostly because of how the mysteries are constructed as well as the amount of time that the anime is given. Most mysteries last at least two episodes, thus giving ample time to not only get a feel for the characters but litter clues about the episodes as well. Though I hold Kindaichi in high regards, I still feel as if some of the mysteries are too "artificially" crafted. They lack the realism that is necessary to have a strong pull. I'm often only looking forward to the end of an arc not because I'm genuinely interested in the mystery, but because I just want an answer. Good mystery anime have an intimate interaction with the viewer that makes them actively look out for clues alongside the characters. Kindaichi does not accomplish this, making for a much less engrossing atmosphere, but an entertaining nonetheless.
You can watch Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo Returns 2nd season on Crunchyroll here
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| Not actually a picture from the 2nd season. I'm pretty bad at finding pictures |
6. Lance N' Masques
This might be another anime that has the popular vote, but I just cannot bring myself to like it. Most of this stems from the art style which I really really dislike, but there's also the general premise and its characters. Characters are flatter than the floor below me and the story is just incredibly uninteresting. Currently the anime is basically just taking its time to introduce more and more characters while hinting at something more grand/sinister in the future. This would be better if the characters being introduced and the situations they end up in are not as hackneyed as they are. These situations only amplify the vapidness of the characters involved and do not even begin to reach any pinnacle of greatness or even mediocrity. So why "average" and not "bad?" Well, if there was a redeeming factor to the anime, it'd be the fact that it is average in all categories of Story, Characters, Sound, and Animation. Some categories might be lower than others, but overall, it's a pretty average series. Though uninteresting and poorly executed, it does not dangerously stray from the the path of generic plots and shallow characters.
You can watch Lance N' Masques on Crunchyroll here
7. Owari no Seraph: Nagoya Kessen-hen
The first season of Owari no Seraph was pretty stupid and it seemed like it was going nowhere but this season gives me reason to believe otherwise. If I write the first season off as build up for the maturing of the characters and their future conflicts in this season, then I can accept it a little more. This season, every character is beginning to come into their own and are growing up. Unfortunately, this doesn't change their core characters which were uninteresting to begin with, but they feel much more respectable. This season of Owari no Seraph is much more action oriented sans the amateurish combat reminiscent of the first season. Characters don't just always have protagonist super armor making them pull off ridiculous feats to accomplish victory in a hopeless situation. The characters actually learn to fight as a team and effectively utilize their powers. I am positive, that deus ex machinas will come back full swing in the next couple of episodes, but for now, it's much more enjoyable than the first season.
You can watch Owari no Seraph: Nagoya Kessen-hen on Funimation here
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| I swear this isn't yaoi. |
8. Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru
I know there's a really good comparison for this anime, but I can't think of it at the moment, so I'll just throw out its components. An eccentric genius with a tragic background at the urging of her assistant, uses her knowledge and expertise to solve cases that the police otherwise couldn't solve. In this case, the eccentric genius is an expert on bones and is consequently a bone collector. She gets roped into solving homicide cases each episode mostly due to her assistant who asks her to. It's a pretty generic setting with not too much in the "good mystery" department. That's not to say that the mysteries are easy to guess, because they aren't. It's just that they're not interesting. I'm tempted to chalk it up to the characters because I have no attachment to any of them, making me feel very uninterested in any of the events. I will give props to the animation, because there are a lot of times that scenes are drop-dead gorgeous. On that same token though, they could really learn to stop using the same "detective" scene as if they were using a magical girl changing scene. It's getting really old, really fast. If you like this kind of anime, go ahead, but I don't feel as if there's any real reward to watching it.
You can watch Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru on Crunchyroll here
9. Subete ga F ni Naru: The Perfect Insider
Another mystery anime but this time with a closed room murder in a high-tech laboratory. My impressions so far, are that it's more focused on the backgrounds of the characters than the actual murder. Of course, the murder is still the central part that keeps everything together, but there's another mystery that is slowly being solved. Who is "Magata Shiki." The allure of this mystery is very slight but enough to whet my appetite for more. I don't think the anime is especially outstanding, but it is definitely the most "average" out of everything in this section. Give it a watch if you're interested.
You can watch Subete ga F ni Naru on Crunchyroll here
Bad
1. Gakusen Toshi Asterisk
The first harem/ecchi on this list and most likely the "best." I'd say it has the best setting, animation, and sound out of the rest of the things on this list. But, there's a reason it's under "bad." Though it might be the top dog among the anime listed in this section, it is still heavily flawed. For one, its premise is pretty generic in addition to its progression. Guy transfers into school, is actually really overpowered, gets into ecchi situations, meets new people, has every girl he meets fall for him, etc. It plays out just like any other harem/ecchi thus making it extremely predictable and uninteresting to continue watching. If there's any redeeming factor, I'd say it'd be the animation/character design which I genuinely do like. I think the animation is pretty average, but the character designs are fairly well done, making for some unique characters. It's unfortunate that these designs are wasted on cliched characters that don't even really fill 1% of an originality bucket. If there was one harem/ecchi you were to watch on this list, I guess I'd recommend Gaksuen Toshi Asterisk. It feels the most mediocre out of all of these and that's a good thing.
You can watch Gakusen Toshi Asterisk on Crunchyroll here
2. Hidan no Aria AA
First thing's first, this is NOT a sequel to Hidan no Aria's first season. This is a spin-off of the series, so that's why the series does not focus around Aria. Now that that's clear, it's time to criticize the anime. I don't really know why there's even an anime about the spin-off light novel when these characters are all so weak. I thought the original cast was uninteresting, but the new cast is even worse. There is not a single interesting character and all the familiar characters from the first season have been relegated to supporting positions with barely any of their personalities carrying over from the previous season. I understand that, I shouldn't give the show crap because the main characters from the first season aren't as central as before, but I will give it crap for introducing a weaker cast with the previous main characters being washed of any personality that we learned of from the first season. I could go on all day with the characters, but let's move on to the story. The story is a basic one, where the main character is trying to become Aria's amica (basically a partner). The anime just basically details the "hardships" she faces on her way to become a better Butei (basically a marksman). When doing these kinds of stories, it's important to have interesting substance to make up for the simplistic plot, but Hidan no Aria AA apparently did not get the message. Each episode is uninteresting and feels as if it barely progresses the plot. The things you learn about the characters could've been condensed into one or two episodes instead of being thrown across as many as it has so far because everything about them is either shallow or predictable. Another thing a show like this usually does to make up for its lack of a complex plot is action and Hidan no Aria AA doesn't do that so well. The fights are even more simplistic than its plot and not very well choreographed or portrayed. I wouldn't say it's the worst, but it's definitely below average. This is not acceptable for an anime that should be focused around its characters and action. If both of these categories are lacking (and they are), then you know that you won't be in for a good time with Hidan no Aria AA.
You can watch Hidan no Aria AA on Funimation here
3. Rakudai no Kishi no Cavalry
I keep getting this anime confused with Gakusen Toshi Asterisk. Neither are distinct enough to actually have their own identity, which is already an indication as to how original and complex the shows are. Similar to Gakusen Toshi Asterisk, there is a lack of depth in its overall construction that makes it apparent that there is no substance in the anime. The anime really has nothing going for it at all. I would say that it is inferior to Gakusen Toshi Asterisk only slightly because its fight scenes and overall animation quality feels much less refined. I'd suggest not to watch it because it's honestly a waste of time and I see no chance of it getting any better.
You can watch Rakudai no Kishi no Cavalry on Hulu here
4. Shinmai Maou no Testament Burst
If you liked the first season of this anime, you'll like it again. If you hated it, you'll still hate it. It is literally the same exact thing as the first season just with the playing field slightly widened. Even so, it doesn't feel as if the world is that big. Despite of the expansion of the world, everything feels very constricted and narrow. This goes hand in hand with just how shallow characters remain from the previous season. If you were expecting any kind of change, there is none. Characters are still the same as they were before and they probably will still be the same at the end of the season. If you're only here for the ecchi antics, well rest assured, they're still in full effect. The only thing Shinmai Maou can do right is its ecchi, otherwise everything is just very low quality. As an ecchi, Shinmai Maou is probably the best, but as an anime, it lacks in all qualities that make an anime good or even average.
You can watch Shinmai Maou no Testament Burst on Crunchyroll here
5. Shomin Sample
This is number one on my "wtf" list and possibly number one worst anime of the season. The premise is deceptively generic. It takes the typical boy transfers into school and tries to paint it over with a coat of "this school is a rich girls only school where they don't know anything about commoners." Well, first, this is Otome wa Boku ni Koishiteru without the crossdressing aspectand second, it's still a pretty dumb premise. Each episode is just the students interacting with the protagonist, trying to analyze what a commoner is and does. There are minor sub plots with other characters, but they're honestly equally dumb. Aside from the weak story, there's the animation/character designs. I'd put this as second worst after Lances n Masques. It doesn't really feel like an anime that was made in 2015. It feels like they were really on a budget and cut corners or alternatively, they just didn't care enough to try hard. Ultimately, Shomin Sample has nothing in the form of "average" and instead keeps itself at a steady "below average" state. This is just another harem/ecchi with an even more ridiculous plot than the others, so feel free to just skip it.
You can watch Shomin Sample on Funimation here
Not on this list but you should maybe take a look at
1. Mobile Suit Gundam Iron Blooded Orphans.
So, I'll admit, I'm not watching this YET. I will most likely watch it as long as I keep hearing good things about it. I just got really lazy and haven't watched it yet. Apparently, people have been liking it so far, so most likely it'd be in the "average" section at least. It might be strange of me to say since I haven't even watched it yet, but give it a watch if you haven't. I'm sure it'll be worth your time especially if you're a Gundam fan.
You can watch the new Gundam on Crunchyroll here
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