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:
My Dress-Up Darling
The majority of this week’s episode focuses on one thing, getting Kitagawa’s measurements. Sounds like a simple task right? But unfortunately for Gojo (and fortunately for us), it’s anything but simple. All the reactions Gojo had were a delight and I got a good laugh through a bunch of this episode. Kitagawa is as cheery as she was in the last episode, but we also got to see how big of a fan she is of the Slippery Girls series. The whole lecture she gave on it was quite something, I am impressed with how much she loves it. And of course, Gojo’s reaction to it was priceless too. It was also nice to see that Kitagawa isn’t shameless, she too can get embarrassed by certain things. I love Gojo and Kitagawa’s chemistry so far, and I have enjoyed this episode and the previous one immensely. I definitely recommend checking it out if you haven’t. – Patrick
If there’s one thing I love, it’s seeing others gush over their own hobbies, and this week’s episode did not disappoint. Kitagawa waxing poetic over eroge games absolutely tickled me, and Gojo’s reactions were at both understandable and charming. I also low-key love that this show just immediately shuts down the argument that some things are “for boys” or “for girls” and lets everyone just enjoy the things they love. It’s very refreshing. We also got to see a lot (and I do mean a lot) of Kitagawa, and I continue to love her dearly. She’s so pure-hearted and cheerful, and has an overall positive effect on both Gojo and the show. The animation continues to be on point, as well, and I cannot gush enough about Kitagawa’s fashion sense. Erika Nishihara outdid herself with designing the outfits Kitagawa wears, and for that alone the show is worth a watch. – Leah
– You can watch My Dress-Up Darling on Crunchyroll.
The Case Study of Vanitas (2nd Cour)
Picking right up where the first season left off, we join Noé and Vanitas as they head into the neighboring country of Gévaudan to hunt down a suspected curse-bearer known as The Beast, which was last seen in the area during the war between humans and vampires. We’re also introduced to a new Chasseur, the 12th Paladin Astolfo, who is far more blood-thirsty and demented than the Chasseurs our intrepid duo met up with beneath the streets of Paris. Jeanne also shows up out of the blue to fight The Beast. Separated by a strange spell that blankets the land in snow and appears to have sent our heroes back in time, Vanitas must contend with The Beast while Noé struggles against Astolfo, at least until the pair are reunited and swap roles. As with the first season, Vanitas continues to be hit or miss with its animation, excelling at background and detailed establishing shots, with impeccable comedic timing and adorable silly moments, but suffering from occasional stilted and awkward action sequences. On the plus side, our main characters continue having fantastic chemistry and I’m curious to see where their story goes. If you liked the first season, you’ll want to keep up here, too. – Leah
– You can watch The Case Study of Vanitas on Crunchyroll.
Princess Connect! Re: Dive
Princess Connect! Re: Dive returns with the guild going on an adventure after Karin provides a torn map for them. Getting lost, Yuuki and the group end up in a dire situation after a poor choice in meals and are saved by an old man. Things with him are not as straight forward as it seems, but they set out to find something called the drops of the sea. In a fashion that isn’t out of character for the group, things don’t end just right. The episode, to me, felt almost like a retread. In a series like this, themes like the power of friendship or “it’s about the memories you make,” not the treasure you get at the end of an adventure, are par for the course. It’s just kind of weird to me that they would do it to start of their second season when you kind of more or less had moments like that in the first season, just maybe not as focused on like this episode. Either way, the series keeps it comedic moments and some nice effects for some of the fighting pretty well. I’m glad the gourmet guild has returned, and am excited to see which characters from the game they bring in next. – Walter
– You can watch Princess Connect! Re: Dive on Crunchyroll.
In the Land of Leadale
Picking up pretty quickly after the last episode, Cayna wakes up having a hangover and goes on to say she will never drink again (haven’t we all thought that), something that we can see later that may not go according to plan. She quickly intervenes to help an injured man and learns that the group is heading to the capital; she decides to join them. From talking with the group, she finds that one of her adopted children has a prominent role there. Before leaving, she promises the inn keeper’s daughter, Lytt, who she became close with, that she will return. She also lets her know she is the one the locals call the “Silver Ring Witch,” who people in the area think is a fearsome character. Unable to find her son Skargo, Cayna actually ends up finding her youngest foster child, a Dwarf named Kartatz. Even though he’s very much an adult, Cayna still treats him like a child, which clashes with his seemingly rough appearance. She also learns her foster daughter is in the capital. From there, Cayna signs up to be an adventurer and quickly finds success. The show is continuing to go along with some of the usual beats of an overpowered protagonist, but Cayna does make it a bit more interesting. The addition of her children also adds something to it and it’ll be interesting when she meets the other two. – Walter
– You can watch In the Land of Leadale on Crunchyroll.
What anime are you watching? Let us know in the comments!
You can read previous Week in Anime entries here!
