Fall 2024 Mid-Season Report, part 1

Week 7 of the Fall ’24 season marks the season’s official midway point, so let’s take a look at how some of the series airing this season are doing.

Like with the past three seasons, I am keeping up with a massive number of series this season (23 to be exact), so I am once again splitting this endeavor into two parts to keep it from being too cumbersome a read. The titles in this part are the ones that I am following which have reached episode 7 by 11/15/24. Next week’s installment will cover tittles that are hitting episode 7 or (in a few cases) 6 in the period of 11/15-11/21. And no, DanMachi will not be covered in either of these pieces since it is getting separate episode reviews.

So without further ado. . .

2.5 Dimensional Seduction

Rating So Far: B-

This series is at its best when emphasizing the different motivations for cosplaying and the way that relationships can build through cosplaying, and both of those factors are strongly evident this season as Nonoa becomes a cast regular, Mikarin returns to more active participation, and final girl Aria (the blonde who’s the redhead in the shot above) enters the stage. The love triangle dynamic created by Mikarin’s return is less effective (partly because she’s the only one who seems to be aware that there is a love triangle), but Aria compensates for that as a young woman seeking to cosplay to show love for her divorced father’s manga and hope to get his attention by becoming famous in the cosplay scene. Her more extroverted personality also fills the last gap in the group’s personality dynamic. Though Okamura is mostly reduced to the role of a supporting character by this point, he still makes important contributions, too. The somewhat flat coloring and unremarkable artistic effort still hamper this one some, but if anything its appeal as a story may be growing as it progresses.

365 Days To The Wedding

Rating So Far: B

Fake romance stories share one thing in common with real romances: how much you want to see the couple together is the single most important factor to the series’ success. That’s by far the biggest plus this series offers, as Takuya and Rika absolutely belong together: they both have similar levels of attractiveness, they both have similar levels of social awkwardness (though in somewhat different ways), and they both fit a gap in each others’ lives. The seven episodes so far all put them in situations to test whether their relationship can become more than just a fake engagement, including a surprisingly sober episode about a coworker and his family being shaken up by his wife unexpectedly seeking a divorce. Credit also goes to the staff for making the most of what feels like a relatively limited animation budget, and it’s hard not to appreciate a story focused on potential romance between two adults in the anime landscape. It may be one of the season’s more low-key offerings, but it’s a delight nonetheless.

DAN DA DAN

Rating So Far: A-

And we go from the season’s most low-key title straight to its most brazen. While I would not number this one among my favorite titles of the season, there are legitimate reasons why it’s both a critical darling and the most popular title of the season, even over former megalith Re:Zero. For starters, it’s arguably the most ambitiously and dynamically animated series of the entire year. While I prefer the prettier visual aesthetic of the animation used in Frieren or The Apothecary Diaries, neither of them has anywhere near the energy or sense of motion that this one does, and boy, does the storytelling provide ample opportunities to show that off! The appeal of the series goes well beyond just that, though. Okarun and Momo make a fabulous central duo (in addition to Momo being a great character on her own), Momo’s hot grandmother is a lively and unique supporting character, and even the villain “Turbo Granny” is tolerable now that she’s relegated to being a plushie. Episode 7 also surprised with a heartbreakingly poignant backstory explaining how the second major antagonist came to be the ghost Acrobatic Silky and linked to secondary girl Aira. Let’s not forget that it has one of the year’s best OPs, either, and its ED also isn’t shabby.

Good-Bye, Dragon Life

Rating So Far: C+

For the most part this has been a very run-of-the-mill pure reincarnation tale, in this case involving a former dragon reborn as a human man but with many of his draconic powers still intact. The main difference-maker has been the presence of the young-adult lamia Celina, though an encounter that protagonist Dolan had with a literal goddess he knew in his dragon life was also interesting. The move to a battle-heavy scenario in the last couple of episodes has been less effective, partly because Dolan, for all his power, just isn’t that interesting to watch in a fight. The portrayal of elves in this setting has also been thoroughly underwhelming (especially compared to how much attention is given to how Celina moves), and the world-building in general is a weak point. Offsetting that somewhat is a capable female magic knight who doesn’t (at least yet!) seem romantically interested in Dolan. This one is definitely watchable, and doesn’t look bad artistically (though the animation quality is less robust), but it is only borderline for being decent in a qualitative sense.

I’ll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History

Rating So Far: B+

I almost rated this one a notch higher, but a 7th episode where the titular character was mostly absent as part of a curious way to handle a time jump holds the series back some, even if that episode did serve its purpose (i.e., to give a full outside perspective on what’s transpiring). Beyond that, this is easily my favorite new series of the season, with Alicia making for the ideal spunky villainess-wannabe, with the twist that most of her efforts to be a villain wouldn’t actually be considered true villainy by objective viewers, but rather a level of pragmatic “tough love” that captures positive attention she doesn’t intend to get. The angle of Alicia serving as a break on the runaway idealism of heroine Liz, and Alicia getting into danger because she’s not getting sucked into Liz’s almost cult-like following, is also interesting (even if not completely original).

Let This Grieving Soul Retire

Rating So Far: B-

I wavered on rating this one this high, but ultimately leaned towards the generous side because I find the fundamental concept to be that amusing: Krai leads the the land’s most powerful adventuring group, and his every decision is regarded with respect and awe and in the most favorable possible light, but he’s painfully aware that he’s by far the least of his compatriots when it comes to monstrous talent (he can only get by with seeming powerful because he uses a ton of magic items) and so is always seeking ways to minimize what he has to do, whether it be foisting management duties on subordinates or getting clan underlings to do investigations for him. His only real talent is being able to manage his exceedingly eccentric childhood friends, but after seeing how some of them act, that group needs a stable pragmatist at its core, and the other members seem to recognize that even if Krai doesn’t himself. Much like with Mia in Tearmoon Empire, seeing Krai get way more credit than he wants or deserves, even as he tries to dodge having to do anything, is endlessly entertaining.

Loner Life in Another World

Rating So Far: C

This group isekai series has a lot of factors stacked against it: some of the season’s weakest artistic and technical merits, over-reliance on the game aspects, little that’s interestingly different going on, and hardly anyone but the MC and an emergent antagonist among the students being allowed to be both creative and effective with their powers. Despite that, I can’t bring myself to hate the series and am still watching it. Haruka’s commitment to the loner role helps fends off potential harem elements, and that the Class Rep snagged one of the most potent abilities mostly to keep anyone else from abusing it is also a neat touch. It’s my lowest performer of the season so far, but not the series I’m following that I’m least enthusiastic about.

Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc.

Rating So Far: B

I love the concept here: magical girls are adult women doing a job for a specialized business (or, in some cases, specialized departments of more regular businesses), and the different ways this can be done are examined through the eyes of the newest employee at a magical girl start-up. The execution of the concept has been solid, too, as protagonist Kana has gotten to witness magical girls that are aggressive, elegant, or businesslike working for companies that focus on aesthetics, improvisation, or efficiency, as well as experiencing the very tech-like nature of this form of magic. The most recent episode has even raised hints of a bigger plot involving the “Kaii,” which serve as the threat necessitating magical girls, possibly evolving into something more dangerous. The series looks pretty good (if a bit flat) and has a likable diversity in its cast, including at least one who seems to have a loaded backstory. This may not be top-tier entertainment for this season, but it has proven to be a reliable performer so far.

Mecha-Ude

Rating So Far: C+

The strongest thing this series has going for it is its almost manic, Studio Trigger-styled action pieces featuring the titular aliens and the hosts they have “derized” with to feed off of their host’s “Arbitrium” (whatever that is). The problem is that the series depends too much on that element, leaving other aspects anywhere from partly to wholly unsatisfying. Some of the specific blame for this is pacing that is, at times, frenetic, especially in the most recent episode. I am also not a fan of the very angular art and character design styles, and a muddled plot and a bunch of characters I don’t care about don’t help. I’m giving this a halfway decent rating out of respect for the action sequences, but this is the title closest to the cut line of all the titles this season that I’ve watched to the halfway point or beyond.

Re:Zero s3

Rating So Far: B+

Most of the core cast members (sans Ram and Rem) have gathered in Watergate City, along with all of the Royal Selection candidates, and four Archbishops of the Witch’s Cult (previously-introduced Greed and Gluttony and newly-introduced Wrath and Lust) and their minions are there, too. Add in a new bard character and a whole lotta mayhem is going down – in other words, par for the course for the franchise. I am less than thrilled about Beatrice being sidelined partway into the season (though she still has importance as something the Witch’s Cult is seeking), but Emilia remaining active despite effectively becoming a prisoner helps offset that, and that is one hell of a speech that Subaru gives in episode 7 (57 overall). This isn’t the franchise’s strongest run of episodes, but the series still doesn’t disappoint.

Sword Art Online: Gun Gale Online s2

Rating: B

Prior to seeing episode 7, I was going to say that the twist which resulted in the formation of the BTRY team during Squad Jam 3 was the most disappointing of the season (if not the year), as it killed the full-blown LLENN/Pitohui team-up that was promised at the beginning of the season. The second big twist near the end of episode 7 has forced me to re-evaluate that thought, however, as the episode’s very last scene offers up the possibility of an even more interesting scenario, and earlier scenes offer up the suggestion that something of concern might be going on in the real world, too. All of the tops a season that has, so far, entirely consisted of one long in-game battle, but at least there’s been enough antics with all the different groups involved to maintain interest. This spin-off has never indicated that it isn’t meant to mostly be about lengthy online battle scenarios, but I still feel like there’s at least some room here for more plot beyond just the games (unlike Shangri-La Frontier, where the plot is in the game), and the lack of that is why I can’t rate this one higher.

That’s it for part 1! Nearly all of the titles feeding into part 2 air over the weekend or early in the week, so part 2 should be posted late on 11/20/24.