We here at oprainfall don’t just love video games: we’re big fans of anime, too. So in celebration of the medium, we’re here to give you our thoughts on what we’ve been watching each week as we watch it. Old, new – anything goes.
Currently Airing:
Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting
It’s all about streaming sensation Team Cherry this week as The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting takes a slight detour from adorable cinnamon roll watching. Kirishima and Sugihara are tasked with making money for the family through live-streaming, so they settle on “anonymously” showing off the yakuza lifestyle through poorly-edited videos. Donning masks and taking on fake names, the duo rope in two others from the family for their gig and end up being a surprise success. Everyone loves how low-budget and charming they are, and soon the group skyrockets into stardom. It’s a ludicrous premise played mostly straight and was honestly really fun to watch. It also gave us a look into Kirishima and Yaeka’s relationship from a different angle, so it doesn’t completely abandon our precious little lady. This show is always good for pure chill, and I look forward to it every week. – Leah
– You can watch The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting on Crunchyroll.
Yurei Deco
Imagine a world where everything is powered by Facebook Likes. From the clothes you wear, to the avatars you use, to even the design of the city you walk through, everything is reliant on those Likes. They’re social status and currency, and without them you don’t legally exist. Welcome to the world of Yurei Deco, where society is completely structured around Love (ie: Facebook Likes). Our protagonist Berry loves Love and is always looking for ways to earn more. She’s also obsessed with the Phantom Zero, an urban legend about a mysterious character who zeroes out all Love. As luck would have it, she happens upon a shady young boy who can steal Love, and in the process of following him manages to run smack dab into Phantom Zero – as well as immerse herself in the underbelly of society. To call this show ambitious would probably be an understatement. The world design is flashy and overwhelming, with one of the most ostentatious color palettes I’ve seen in a while. Honestly, it’s pretty on par with Science Saru projects as a whole, and that’s not a bad thing. The animation is incredibly fluid, the character designs gorgeous, and the music is fantastic. I’m still not entirely sold on the show, but I can’t stop watching it, either, because it’s so out-there crazy and unlike anything else airing this season. It also definitely has something to say about internet culture, government control, and aesthetics, and I appreciate art that tackles difficult and relevant subject matter. This one’s worth at least checking out. – Leah
– You can watch Yurei Deco on Crunchyroll.
Dropkick on My Devil!!! X
This episode went back to the basics and focused mainly on Jashin-chan and her attempts to kill Yurine. It starts off with premeditated murder along with something going terribly wrong. Surprisingly, this is before Yurine even appears in the episode. While some of the other characters make an appearance, most don’t do much. While I like the large cast of characters, it was nice to focus on the main two characters. Although, I feel it is better when they mix up the episodes more, I’m not saying that it wasn’t a good episode. Jashin-chan’s schemes are entertaining since they range from the ridiculous – such as her statue disguise – to the much simpler plan with a hole and a rock. They did keep up with the Miku appearance this episode, though oddly it was in a flashback – Walter
– You can watch Dropkick on My Devil!!! X on Crunchyroll.
Vermeil in Gold
I decided to give this series a try and went a few episodes in, but I’m not caught up with it. It follows Alto, who is in a school for magic and has a problem. He’s a top student in everything except summoning. He is desperate to get a familiar and as things would go, finds an old book. He is able to read a part of the text and ends up summoning a demon named Vermeil. She disguises herself as human, but it is still an odd situation for Alto, as other students have familiars such as spirits or animals. If you like fan service this show might be up your alley. You can tell Vermeil is something like a succubus and she teases Alto quite a bit. She clings onto him in public and even teases Alto’s childhood friend Lillia. I like her character, not to mention she is quite strong as she takes on some fights. I do like the opening and ending as well. If this is something you might like, I would say give it a try. – Walter
– You can watch Vermeil in Gold on HiDive.
Uncle From Another World
I only heard about this series and started the manga just a little bit before it premiered, but it is one that definitely got my attention. It follows Takafumi, who goes to visit his uncle after he just awoke from a coma. He at first thinks that there’s something else still wrong with him. He finds him speaking another language and saying he had spent the last 17 years in another world after being hit by a truck. Takafumi then realizes the truth once he sees his uncle’s magic, he then makes a YouTube channel to make money off of it. Much of the series has us seeing his Uncle getting used to life after all the changes in 17 years, along with glimpses into his life in the other world. It is also important to mention his love for SEGA and how much of his life was dictated by it. Due to this and his looks, his life in the other world had some issues, though some weren’t as it seemed. One of my favorites is when his Uncle mentioned his worst harasser in the other world was an elf. After using his magic to show Takafumi we see what they really are like and that his Uncle is extremely dense – a fact that we will keep seeing. It’s a nice twist on an isekai and one that I’m going to keep up with. – Walter
– You can watch Uncle From Another World on Netflix.
Lycoris Recoil
This week’s episode takes place a month after the events of episode four, where there was a terrorist incident in a train station. Chisato and Takina are tasked with guiding an elderly gentleman, Mr. Matsushita, on a sightseeing tour of Tokyo before he passes away due to terminal illness. They must do this while guarding him from a skilled assassin named Jin, a former colleague of LycoReco owner, Mika. Chisato is able to stop Jin’s assassination attempt, but only more questions pop up after the mission is done. Who was the person behind Jin’s assassination request? Why was Matsushita so intent on getting Chisato to kill someone? And to top it all off, the terrorists from the previous episode are now targeting Lycoris members. Ok, so right off the bat they drop a revelation bombshell at the start of the episode. It turns out, Chisato has an artificial heart. She was gifted this life by the Alan Institute, but we don’t know the details of why that occurred. Later on we learn that because she was given this heart, she was also given a mission, but that is also unknown. We just have more questions than answers about the Alan Institute, and I’m chomping at the bit to learn more about them. All I know is that they’re super shady, I really don’t trust them so far. Chisato and Takina continue to grow closer which is always a delight to see. The action once again delivered and we got to see how badass Chisato is, once again. The series continues to escalate plot-wise, and it just makes me more excited for what’s to come in the later episodes. – Patrick
– You can watch Lycoris Recoil on Crunchyroll.
Anime of the Past:
Captain Harlock
When I was little, I remember first seeing Galaxy Express 999 on the Sci-Fi channel’s Saturday Anime block and absolutely falling in love with Captain Harlock. He’s suave, debonair, and mysterious, but also loyal and honorable. He’s awesome. It’s been a long time since I sat down and watched this series though, so this week I returned to it for a re-watch. There’s something really special about 70’s anime and it’s all on display here – the music, the recording quality, the look of hand-drawn cel animation. Leiji Matsumoto’s designs are also iconic. For those not in the know, however, Captain Harlock is a space pirate who steals from greedy corporations and has become an infamous outlaw accused of assassinating Earth’s astronomers. The government is doing everything it can to capture him, but he’s always one step ahead of them. However, there’s something approaching Earth that even he can’t identify, and it’s up to him and his crew to make sure nothing bad befalls the people of the planet. It’s a romp, and if you’re into classic anime you owe it to yourself to watch one of the defining titles from that era. Captain Harlock influenced a lot of anime that followed it and is well worth your time. – Leah
– You can stream Captain Harlock on Crunchyroll or purchase episodes on Amazon Prime Video.
What anime are you watching? Let us know in the comments!
You can read previous Week in Anime entries here!
