I decided to try something new for this post. Every season, I comment on what anime I’m looking forward to. While I plan to keep doing this, I realized that it’s not the most informative.
After thinking about it, I decided it may be worth effectively updating the list. There’s always a few series that surprise me with how good they are, or are way worse than I initially anticipated. So, to give everyone the best information I can provide, I’ll go through my thoughts on this season now, at roughly the halfway point in the season.
Highly Recommended
Kubo-san wa Mob wo Yurusanai (Tuesdays on HiDive)
Yeah, this wasn’t on my list, technically, because it started airing in winter. But, after a hiatus, it’s back! This is a really sweet romcom, and I’m excited to see the conclusion of this anime.
Tonikaku Kawaii, 2nd Season (Fridays on Crunchyroll)
This one probably doesn’t come as any surprise. If you watched season 1, the humor and romance are basically the same. Really enjoying it, and we seem to be getting some progression in their relationship (albeit slowly).
Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Bakuen wo (Wednesdays on Crunchyroll)
The magic is quite spectacular. The comedy is pretty good, only enhanced by the story and myriad of characters. If you liked Konosuba, or love Megumin and Yunyun (Yunyun might actually be the unsung star here), definitely check it out.
Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru (Saturdays on Crunchyroll)
This has some really cute moments, and I’ve laughed quite a bit with the jokes. The balance between the beautiful art and the cartoony comedy moments is really enjoyable. Also, for anyone who’s played an MMORPG, you’ll probably get even more out of it. I know I have.
Isekai de Cheat Skill wo Te ni Shita Ore wa, Genjitsu Sekai wo mo Musou Suru: Level Up wa Jinsei wo Kaeta (Mondays on Crunchyroll)
Maybe a guilty pleasure of mine, but I still enjoy this series. The art and animation is a bit of a mixed bag, but in the weirdest ways. Close-ups on characters seem super detailed, which is great, but then it’ll have some bad CGI for fight scenes. But not every fight. Heck, not even every combatant. Literally just the main character, for parts of action sequences. It’s so weird. The story isn’t going to blow your mind either and could even be called campy, but if you don’t take it too seriously, it’s fun.
Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia (Mondays on HiDive)
This one is a must watch in my book if you have any interest in romance. May be one of the best anime this season. The pace is pretty slow, and there’s nothing serious going on here (I say that, but there’s hints of some drama coming. Hope it doesn’t make for a bittersweet end!), but it’s just so enjoyable. It gives me the same feelings that Yofukashi no Uta did a few seasons ago. Oh, and beautiful scenery. Just another thing to remind me of it. I swear, HiDive gets hold of some really good anime.
Niehime to Kemono no Ou (Wednesdays on Crunchyroll)
This one is panning out almost exactly like I expected it to. I’d put it in the same category as things like Koukyuu no Karasu or Sugar Apple Fairy Tale. It has its touching, cute moments contrasted with its serious moments. And, like the two I just mentioned, it will probably go unnoticed by most of the community. Sigh.
Megami no Café Terrace (Fridays on Crunchyroll)
Really enjoying this one. The fanservice moments are pretty toned down compared to some. The romance is a bit ambiguous, which isn’t surprising given the harem aspect of it. That being said, all of the characters are petty likeable. The male lead is also surprisingly good, despite his attitude early on. I like the moments of emotion he exhibits when his grandmother is brought up. Either way, pretty solid series this season.
Jijou wo Shiranai Tenkousei ga Guigui Kuru (Sundays on Crunchyroll)
I’ve lost count of how many cute moments this series has. The art style is really simplistic, but it’s well worth watching. The more sullen moments are also good, and deliver on what they’re trying to accomplish. Overall, one of the gems this season.
Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu (Saturdays on HiDive)
Guess the hype was worth it. This one has had some incredible moments. I enjoy the cuteness and humor a lot. In terms of intelligence, she’s a bit of a brick, but still very endearing. And, despite his brooding-ness, the male lead is a super good guy. So yeah, worth a watch if you like romance.
Kanojo ga Koushaku-tei ni Itta Riyuu (Mondays on Crunchyroll)
Once again, similarly to Boku no Kokoro, this one is actually really good. I hadn’t started it until a week or two ago, but I caught up in one sitting. The story is interesting and there’s a lot of intrigue, of both the romantic and plot variety. Worth a watch, for sure.
Kaminaki Sekai no Kami-sama Katsudou (Wednesdays on Crunchyroll)
KamiKatsu is… weird. Very weird. Like, I can’t tell if it’s good or not. Chances are, you’ve seen some of the hilariously bad CGI. It definitely exists, but there are times where it seems so out of place that I wonder if they’re doing it intentionally. That aside, though, the world and story are very interesting, and the cast is really solid. The jokes are what stand out most, and they come hard and fast, apologizing to no one and smacking you upside the head. All I can say is, the series is an experience, and I can’t really put it into words. Just wish our male lead wasn’t so stoic on the romance front.
Moderately Recommended
Isekai Shoukan wa Nidome desu (Saturdays on Crunchyroll)
If you like isekai power fantasy, this should be up your alley. As a fan of these, I’m enjoying it. Granted, I’ve been reading the manga for a while now, so I already know what’s going on.
Otonari no Ginga (Saturdays on Crunchyroll)
A Galaxy Next Door is fairly cute and romantic, but some of the character interactions are kind of mediocre. The premise also doesn’t play that big of a role in it thus far, but I’m curious what’ll happen later.
Yuusha ga Shinda! (Thursdays on Crunchyroll)
Heh. Yeah. This one’s an interesting one. The story isn’t as bad as I remembered, but also isn’t super good. I love the girls, and the guy isn’t as bad as he seems (though he can still be insufferable sometimes). If anything, it gave me a greater appreciation of thighs and stockings. Well, more so than I had already. And the OP is annoyingly catchy. I’ve probably listened to it like 100 times… Either way, I’d recommend this more than I thought in my first post.
Isekai One Turn Kill Nee-san: Ane Douhan no Isekai Seikatsu Hajimemashita (Fridays on Crunchyroll)
Another one that’s good, but I can tell won’t jive with every isekai fan. It really is a fun series, but I can’t tell if the story will go anywhere. The story is almost nonexistent, and feels a bit slice of life-esque. That being said, his sister’s pretty hot and has quite a character design. If you’re a degenerate like me, it’s pretty enjoyable. I really dig the ED too, but the animation and the song. Not as much as Yuusha ga Shinda!, but still good.
Kawaisugi Crisis (Fridays on HiDive)
Well, as the name implies, it’s far too cute for its own good. Not in the traditional sense, but as a cat owner it hits a lot of familiar notes. The humor is really good, and the rest is just super chill. I’d consider this one of those anime that’ll heal your soul. Or, at least that’s the vibe I’m getting. Still a fun watch.
Take or Leave It
Tensei Kizoku no Isekai Boukenroku: Jichou wo Shiranai Kamigami no Shito (Sundays on Crunchyroll)
As I expected, this one’s pretty mediocre. It’s not bad, and there’s clearly a story going on, based on what the gods were saying, but thus far it’s just been the main character flexing his insane power. Man’s also gathering wives like a madman. Too bad he’s like ten.
Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni 2 (Mondays on Crunchyroll)
About what I expected from this series. It’s one of those kind of bland isekai power fantasy series, but with a smartphone. This being said, I saw a comment that it’s really more of a slice of life isekai series, so none of the drama or plot build ups are really a main focus. When looking at it through this lens, it does make the series feel better overall. I still like that it goes with the true harem route, and all the girls are great, if a bit shallow due to lack of screen time. There’s some funny moments with them too, so yeah, into the take or leave it category.
So there you have it. My thoughts on the anime I was recommending at the start of the season. I did leave a couple off, as I haven’t started watching them so it wasn’t really my place to comment. But yeah, go watch some of these outstanding anime.