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:
Akiba Maid War
We learn that there’s an annual maid festival to celebrate their services and violence. With Creatureland being the only group left, things look good; however, the head of the Nagi group wants a specific cafe to win an event at the festival and strict guidelines are given out. Of course for the Oinky Doink cafe, things don’t go well. The manager, keeping in character, loses the guidelines and the maids never hear of the rules. While it’s all the same group, the Oinky Doink maids are given a terrible spot, less than attractive goods to sell, and are treated terribly by the other maids. In the hierarchy, they at the bottom. The manager doesn’t even show up and just fishes where she reflects on her life and her failures. One of the reoccurring background characters whose one of Ranko’s regulars gets some lines in. I can’t guess the direction of much in this show, but seeing someone actually interested in Ranko is nice. The maids are motivated and decide to go for the win and, with some of the least violence in the show, pull it off; though after an execution, we can see that things are going to get bad. It’s not hard to see what the next big conflict will be, but I hope there’s some more lighter stuff beforehand. – Walter
– You can watch Akiba Maid War on HIDIVE.
Urusei Yatsura
Lum finally officially joins Ataru’s high school class, rather than just float around behind him while he attends, and Ataru feels a way about it. His classmates are all thrilled, of course, even if their teacher had to be strongarmed into teaching his first alien. (Lum’s imposing father has that way on people.) As it turns out, Lum isn’t the only transfer student coming to this high school, as a new girl named Ran has started attending classes, too. She’s in a different room than Ataru and Lum, but catches our lustful protagonist’s eye during a sports event. Ran is shy, demure, and very popular – and also an old friend of Lum’s. She came to Earth to find Lum, but not exactly for the reason our oni princess thinks. Turns out, Lum once got engaged to another man who Ran had a huge crush on, and Ran has never forgiven her. So now she’s on Earth to steal Ataru from Lum. Shenanigans ensue. The creative situations our cast continue to find themselves in are truly fantastic, especially when they give us adorable outfits like Lum’s jumper above. I want more! – Leah
– You can watch Urusei Yatsura on HIDIVE.
Bocchi the Rock!
Summer break comes and a Bocchi who loves staying at home is filled with disappointment. The break is about to end and she hasn’t spent time hanging out with her band mates. There’s quite a bit of Bocchi suffering this episode. The others realize that they haven’t invited her out and they head out for some memories. There are a lot of good moments, such as the unintentional insult thrown at Bocchi by her sister. I also liked the part where Bocchi finally met some party people she frequently thinks about. It was a good episode and the hint at what’s coming next will be interesting. – Walter
– You can watch Bocchi the Rock! on Crunchyroll.
Mob Psycho 100 III
Mob has loved Tsubomi-chan since they were small children in elementary school. He’s always been working up the courage to ask her out once they finish their entrance exams, but now it turns out she’s moving at the end of this semester, and he’s running out of time. He’s also up against every other guy in the school, since Tsubomi-chan is the top idol at Salt Middle School. At first Mob turns to his friends, Reigen, and Serizawa for advice on how to get Tsubomi-chan’s attention and ask her out, but in the end he ends up simply calling her house and asking to talk to her after school at the old park they would frequent as kids. The difference in confidence between the Shigeo of now and the Shigeo at the beginning of the show is striking, and I found his one-sided phone conversation with Tsubomi-chan honestly really affecting and endearing. The shot composition as he works his way through the house trying to downplay his nervousness was gorgeous. Even past enemies help him out as he walks confidently to their meeting place. It’s just too bad Truck-kun has to go and make an appearance. I honestly did not know how the final arc of Mob Psycho was going to go, but it has me enthralled and rooting for Mob to succeed like nothing before has. The stakes are his dreams. Fight, Mob! Fight! – Leah
– You can watch Mob Psycho 100 on Crunchyroll.
SPY x Family
It’s the most high-stakes game of illegal underground tennis ever! Twilight and Nightfall enter the tournament as part of a mission to obtain a painting once owned by a high-profile spy. This painting could hold a clue to the location of a super-secret dossier that has particularly damaging information on both Westalis and Ostania, so the pair have to get it at all costs. Nightfall enters them into the tennis tournament since the winner can request any piece of art from the organizer’s collection – and he just so happens to have this painting. This is also a chance for her to have the world see her and Twilight as a couple, and she couldn’t be happier. Usually I don’t like the jealous/overbearing woman trope, but Nightfall pairs so perfectly with Yuri that I don’t even mind. Her actress’ line delivery is also absolutely impeccable, and the code switching between serious spy and flirty teen is comedic gold. Twilight’s misunderstanding of her intentions only adds a nice layer to the whole setup. (I also really love the asides between Yor and Anya here, where Yor is honestly considering murdering her rival and Anya is doing everything in her power to cheer her mom up. They’re cute and great little slices of character moments.) At any rate, Nightfall’s plan goes a little haywire when the underground tennis racket turns into a subplot from a Yakuza game and they find themselves drugged and facing off against the organizer’s children using high-tech, motor-powered gear. The floor is also booby-trapped. What are two legendary spies to do? We’ll find out next episode! – Leah
– You can watch SPY x Family on Crunchyroll.
Chainsaw Man
Things have taken a turn for the worse for Division IV. After Denji and Himeno work out their relationship status following her failed attempt at bedding him, things are actually starting to look up for once. Himeno will help Denji get with Makima, and Denji will help Himeno get with Hayakawa. It’s a win-win. The world doesn’t want to do them any favors, however, as the yakuza rear their ugly heads once again, this time with their focus on taking out everyone Denji loves. They begin with Makima and some of her bodyguards while they’re traveling to Kyoto. Denji and the others are out eating ramen when a man starts shit-talking the food and talking about how his grandfather used to spoil him rotten with the dirty money he got from being a yakuza. Turns out that grandfather was Denji’s previous handler who gave himself over to the Zombie Devil in Episode 1, and the grandson is out for revenge. He shoots Denji in the forehead and then survives Hayakawa’s attack using the Fox Devil. Turns out this dude isn’t dissimilar to Denji at all, and transforms into a devil with swords coming out of his arms and face. We finally get to see what the sword Hayakawa has does that Himeno wouldn’t let him use fighting the Infinity Devil, but even that doesn’t work, because another woman shows up and revives our Sword Devil. Himeno calls on the Ghost Devil to save the day, but things don’t ever work out well for outcasts. I was honestly surprised to see where this episode went. I didn’t expect things to ramp up to 11 that fast, but I feel like we’re about to see what makes Makima the head of Division IV, as well, so I’m excited for the next episode. – Leah
– You can watch Chainsaw Man on Crunchyroll.
What anime are you watching? Let us know in the comments!
You can read previous Week in Anime entries here!
