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:
SPY x Family (2nd cour)
Anya’s back! And right where we left off from the first cour, as she, Loid and Yor prepare to go pet shopping as an award for obtaining her first Stella. Unfortunately, there’s a plot to assassinate a leading Westalis politician brewing, so Loid has to step out from the family shenanigans for a bit in order to uncover who and where the terrorists are. That leaves Anya and Yor to go pet hunting together! Too bad for Yor that Anya happens to spot the biggest, fluffiest dog that also happens to have telepathic powers like her, and the girl runs off to scope it out, accidentally stumping into the above terrorist cell. This was a really fun return to this show and these characters, with a nice blend of comedy, suspense and action. Yor really shined here and I’m excited to see how the end of this episode resolves next week. It’s just great to have SPY x Family back! – Leah
– You can watch SPY x Family on Crunchyroll.
My Hero Academia
After what felt like forever, things are finally coming to a head for the heroes and villains of the world. With the newly-formed Paranormal Liberation Front at his back, Shigaraki is putting his plans in motion to overthrow the normal order of things and remove heroes from society. The police and various hero associations are aiming to infiltrate the Liberation Front’s bases and knock out operations in one fell swoop, but nothing is ever that easy, especially when Nomus are involved. We get to a learn a little bit more about the doctor who created the Nomus, as well as see some of Hawks’ maneuvering behind the scenes with villains like Twice, but this episode was almost entirely logistics and buildup to the coming confrontation. It was nice to actually see some of the other heroes get a moment, especially bunny girl Mirko, who has been teased since last season. I’m excited to see how next week’s episode will go, since it’s supposed to feature her. – Leah
– You can watch My Hero Academia on Crunchyroll and Hulu.
Overlord
The episode starts nicely with Mare encouraging himself with some silent support of some minions to destroy the capital and make sure no one escapes. We see the very few remnants of humanity being wiped out without much resistance. The main focus of the episode is on Princess Renner and her knight Climb. Climb is the stereotypical loyal knight and is even commented on by Ainz as being what a normal protagonist in a story would be. I liked the time they spent on him as he increasingly tries to get stronger and braver. However, the one who really steals the spotlight is Renner. From early on in the series she is a character that doesn’t appear as she seems. Her one brother, who appeared to be scheming, is shown to instead have been possibly a good ruler. On the outside she is a kind, gentle, and caring royal; instead is a shown to be quite dark on the inside. She is willing to sacrifice any and everything to get her happy ending with Climb. She collaborates with Ainz and plays Climb to continue to be with her. The part after Climb’s battle reveals what she had received in exchange for the kingdom. While nothing drastic I like her new design. One issue I’ve had with the series is the CGI at times is kind of weak, and yet the scene they do with Renner and her song and dance is done very well. The song is something that I believe is not from the novel, but it is fitting and works well in my opinion. I liked this season more than I did the previous one, and I’m excited for the coming movie. – Walter
– You can watch Overlord on Crunchyroll.
Housing Complex C
By chance I caught a new series premiere on Toonami last night. I heard only a little about it previously, and thought it would be worth a try. Set on the small island of Kurosaki, it follows the residents of a somewhat rough looking housing complex. A majority of them are older, with the exception of one young girl named Kimi. More come to reside there, including another girl named Yuri along with her parents, and a group of foreign workers coming for the fishing industry. The episode starts with the girls being chased, along with a flashback to the past on the island: both of which I’m sure we’ll learn more about later. The series starts with a lot of questions and glimpses of what’s to come, such as how one of the older residents catches sight of something out toward the cliffs. A couple things get established such as a storeroom at the complex and a little known people and culture that originally lived on the island. We get the idea at least one of the older elderly residents knows more than he’s saying at the time. Kimi is an energetic curious girl that all the other residents dote on. There is also a feeling of something up with her also, such as her scenes talking in her apartment. We see some suspicion on the foreign workers too. Around this time strange things also appear to be happening.
One thing that I can say interests me about this is that we can see some Lovecraftian elements and references in it. The drawings of one of the characters more or less shows the influence, not to mention the “optical illusions” seen by some of the characters. The series did catch my attention and I am curious to see how it continues. I’m curious to see how much of the Lovecraft stuff is brought in, and want to see how things descend to madness. – Walter
– Housing Complex C will be available on HBO Max.
Anime of the Past
Mob Psycho 100
I mentioned last year that The Vision of Escaflowne is my favorite anime series of all time. Well, Mob Psycho 100 is an incredibly close second, and with the third season airing this month, I figured now was the perfect time to give it another rewatch. It’s hard to put into words how much I love this show. People far more capable than I have lauded the show’s bombastic, energizing animation, rightly praising the mixed-media approach that provides one of the most unique presentations since Mononoke. The oil on glass used for ghosts and the first ending still makes my jaw drop. But more than the technical prowess of the animation, what really sets the show apart for me are the characters. Mob and Reigen’s relationship is phenomenal, and Reigen himself is one of the best characters in the entire medium. He isn’t a good person, but he still manages to do good things, and it gives him a depth that a lot of other characters lack. He’s a lying, manipulative conman who takes advantage of a young boy’s trust to build his own reputation, but he also instills in Mob a strong moral compass, a sense of weight and responsibility around his telekinesis, and a desire for Mob to improve himself in ways that have no bearing on his psychic abilities. In a show that explicitly calls out the use of children as soldiers and charges adults to be responsible caretakers, Reigen is a really compelling double-standard. Reigen telling Mob it’s okay to run away still gives me chills. Mob’s personal growth is also relatable, especially to anyone who’s had social awkwardness, and his drive to improve himself and step out of Reigen’s shadow was one of the highlights of season two. I love his faith in others, I love his determination. He just wants to live a normal life and be like everyone else, and I feel like that’s something a lot of people can understand. Season three’s preview had me on the edge of my seat, and I cannot wait to see where Mob and Reigen will end up by its conclusion. – Leah
– You can watch Mob Psycho 100 on Crunchyroll.
What anime are you watching? Let us know in the comments!
You can read previous Week in Anime entries here!
