Fall 2019 left me very surprised. There were a lot of amazing selections made for nearly everyone this season. This review contains some Summer 2019 leftovers.
Dr. Stone
While I was not impressed with the first episode, I was glad that I gave it a chance and that I was wrong with my initial judgment. Dr. Stone took me on a great journey and I've come to like Senku a lot. Initially, I thought the series would be too science-based and that it would bore me. Now that I've gone through all 24 episodes, it looks like I still want more. It is still science-based, but Dr. Stone presents it in a way that is more inviting. After all, isn't it exciting to see how the world would operate after being petrified for thousands of years?
Vinland Saga
Like many successful seinen titles, Vinland Saga has great characterization. This is a story that gives more insight into the Viking history through the eyes of Thorfinn and also Prince Canute. It is somewhat accurate in a sense that it describes very vividly the Viking culture. You see with Askeladd and the Danes, they are very barbaric, mercilessly killing people on the battlefield as hired mercenary. In contrast with Prince Canute and Ragnar who are devout Christians, you can see the more nurturing aspects of their personality. I praised Vinland Saga for its characterization and it was Prince Canute that firmly solidified my thoughts. We see it initially with Thorfinn growing up along Askeladd, but with Canute the change is more dramatic. It's more than just a story about war and conquest.
Babylon
It is not perfectly written, because some episodes had fallacies in their arguments. However Babylon is a gripping thriller mystery that has you questioning your personal views on suicide. Because of its erratic release schedule, viewers can forget some events that happened in previous episodes. Despite that, the question still remains: what is Magase Ai. I wouldn't even ask who she is at this point. It's been made clear in the story that she is Evil personified. Some viewers have already suspected that she may be the Whore of Babylon in terms of symbolism which I agree with in many aspects of her character. This leads me to wonder if there will be more new symbolism to come when we have a drug called Nyux in the story that sounds strangely like Nyx, the Greek goddess of night.
PSYCHO-PASS 3
Off that bat, season 3 is refreshing and much better where season 2 left off. Some viewers have recommended that you watch all 4 movies of the Sinners of the System collection. I watched Case 1 and was greatly disappointed. It was boring. While it introduces a new character that will appear in season 3 and adds more expansion to the PSYCHO-PASS universe, I think even diving straight into season 3 without this knowledge wouldn't hurt. I wouldn't even count Sinners of the System as a movie, just longer stand alone episodes with concentration on a smaller cast. Season 3 introduces a new enemy that isn't for the Sybil System, but neither is it entirely against it. It should hold the same intrigue as season 1 now with new Inspectors and Enforcers in the unit.
Shin Chuuka Ichiban!
A reboot of the 1997 classic hit. I was and still am put off by the drawing style. While I do understand it's suppose to mimic the manga's gratuitous white lighting and round shapes, it looked more like an easier job for the animators. It's not exactly a high budget project either because the ending animation could have been easily completed on Photoshop which makes me kind of sad as I expected as more grandiose revival of the old series. The source material to this day is still a hit so the story is still good. One of my complaints is the choice in seiyuu. I see a mixed bag for this project, some great and some mediocre.
Special 7 / Tokunana
Like I had predicted, this is a light police drama a lot like Mayonaka no Occult Kokumin, but a little more developed. You have a protagonist that is good spirited, naive, and indestructible due to plot armor. I would watch this if you want to pass some time.
🔻
Any series that are below this sentence have been put on hold on my watch list after one episode. The general sentiment is to drop it or binge it all in one go at another given time.
Shokugeki no Soma Shin no Sara
For season 4, the story has gone downhill. While the manga in my opinion started to lack development as well, season 4 for the animated series very well disappointed me. It didn't successfully translate the story as well as seasons 1 and 2. I lost all excitement for it and it's not because I already knew what happened. It felt like the studio was taking original material and regurgitating it in animation form.
Assassin's Pride
From episode one, I can see a lot of potential for the story to develop, but it appeared to have crammed a little too much in the beginning. While reading comments from other viewers, the anime seems to be making expansive cuts that were crucial to the story. After knowing this, it has deterred my interest in the series. I am debating whether I really want to pick it up.
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