As I mentioned in my Fall 2025 Mid-Season Report, I deeply regret not doing episode reviews for Touring After the Apocalypse. Rather than do those fully, I’ve decided to take an alternate approach and explore all the little visual details which provide clues in each episode about how the apocalypse happened. This installment focuses on episode 7: “Tsukuba.”
The first shot comes near the episode’s beginning, which appears to show National Route 16 as it crosses the Ohori River near Kashiwa. That’s by far the most abandoned cars we’ve seen yet, which raises the question of what happened to suddenly that the cars would all be stopped like that but not catastrophically damaged.:
The next curious shot, from around the 4 minute mark, shows a jeliner crashed (and still partly submerged) in the river, though it looks to be largely intact. That’s particularly odd:
Just a few seconds later, at the 4:!8 mark, we have some trashed robots. The remains of a humanoid one can be seen partly under the car at the left, while on the right are what look like the remains of doglike robots. (More of those can be seen in another shot a few seconds later as Yoko and Airi pass through the area.)
At 7:28 we have a big hole in the ground that’s filled in with water mostly covering ruined buildings. A severed pipe in one shot suggests some kind of catastrophic calamity, but it happened enough ahead of the overall calamity that it was able to be fenced off. So what is it vaguely familiar to Yoko?
The next oddity comes at the 8:13 mark. That sure looks like a defunct tank on the left side of the screenshot partly under the greenery.
At the 8:39 mark is this Robot Zone sign flanked by remnants of a humanoid robot. The text informs the reader that they’re entering an experimental area where robots are active and cautions the reader not to approach the robots. The damage around here suggests that either someone didn’t listen or the robots went amuck for other reasons:
Just a few seconds later, at the 8:57 mark, we see what appears to be the arm and legs of a Gundam-sized bipedal robot sticking out of a pond. (A nighttime view of this comes at 18:40.) Apparently they had gotten pretty far along in robot development:
The nature of the facility, and why it was set up to be accessible only by a phone booth elevator, feels more like a nod to spy movies, but the most important detail in this sequence of scenes is Yoko’s health scan. There’s been speculation that Yoko isn’t human, but in this shot of the monitor at the 13:50 mark, those numbers sure look pretty standard for a healthy teenager. (The top number is probably heart rate, then below it oxygen saturation and blood pressure, then below that probably CO2 output and respiration rate.) Not sure about the part below the graph with the “L” (presumably Left) and “R” (presumably right) bars.
And what’s up with all these weirdly-colored guinea pigs at the 14:09 mark? I feel like we’ve seen them before:
At the 15:52 mark we have an oddly specific formation of light in the sky, with faint suggestions that they may be connected. Something like this was visible in an earlier episode, too:
Starting at the 20:20 mark we have the moving light in the sky. Yoko assumes it’s a satellite, and she could be right. That it appears just as Yoko is wondering about where “Big Sis” is seems much too suspicious on timing to be a coincidence:
Right after that, Airi explains that a space colony and lunar base were built before the catastrophe happened and work had at least begun on an orbital elevator:
Did those have something to do with the catastrophe? There was a scar visible on the moon a couple of episodes back, so the possibility that the scar was where the lunar base was, and some kind of apocalyptic event happened there, can’t be ruled out.
What does this all add up to? That’s still unclear, and teasing us with details that suggest something but don’t fully add up is par the course. That the research facility remains intact and functional (but still apparently abandoned) when nothing else does is a head-scratcher, though, and that it reminds both Yoko and Airi of their shelter probably isn’t a trivial detail.
Episode 7 was maybe the most loaded episode since the first one with little visual clues, so I felt it warranted special attention. Going forward, I’ll do a full report like this for each episode if there’s a lot to look at and every 2-3 episode when the pickings are thinner.
With most of the season’s series now having aired at least their sixth episode, it’s time to take a look at what series have and haven’t been working so far this season.
For the past eight seasons, I’ve followed enough titles to warrant splitting this activity into two or more parts. This season, though, is arguably the weakest to come along in some time, so I decided this was the ideal time to scale back a bit. Some series I would normally have pushed to keep up with in most other seasons (Spy x Family, My Best Friend’s Little Sister Has It In For Me, Chitose in the Ramune Bottle, among others) I simply didn’t bother to with this one. As a result, I’m only current on 17 series this season – my lowest count in at least a couple of years – and so will be doing this activity in a single installment this time. There are a handful of others that I may eventually get caught up on; I will address them in the seasonal wrap-up piece if that happens.
Of the series I am caught up on, all but one (Isekai Quartet 3, which I am episode-reviewing separately) are covered here. Despite few stand-outs, this season has offered a number of mild to significant surprises on both qualitative storytelling and plot twist fronts, as you’ll see below.
A Wild Last Boss Has Appeared!
Rating So Far: B-
This is one of the mild surprises so far this season. It looked at first like it was just going to be a pretty standard story about a gamer inhabiting his OP character at a point a couple of hundred years down the timeline of his game, a la In the Land of Leadale. However, despite taking a fairly standard “round up the original minions” approach, it’s gone in some more interesting directions than just pure power-gaming. In particular, the series has taken a sharp look at how deeply the actions of Lufas and the Seven Heroes have affected this setting long-term, including the disposition of her former minions. It’s also brought up the notion that a character still existing from the original game persists but doesn’t seem to be a player anymore, and the most recent episode has thrown out the intriguing notion that Lufas may have also existed independently of her player. So if the player’s soul inhabits the current Lufas, where is the original’s soul? Was the player controlling her like a puppet when playing the game? In other words, this series is actually trying to explore its base concept more, which is why its grade and priority status is on the rise.
Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon
Rating so Far: C
For all of the faults and repugnance of Redo of Healer, it at least didn’t shy from the irony that its protagonist, by getting so wrapped up in his revenge scheme, wasn’t really any better than the people he was inflicting vengeance upon. However, this series wants to sidestep that irony by having Light still be a fundamentally good guy while also having him thirst for vengeance, and that creates a tonal dissonance in his character which leaves him unsatisfying in either aspect. The series also makes its villains cartoonishly evil so there’s no moral ambiguity about Light punishing them, and oh yes, let’s not forget how it skips over Light becoming stronger and assembling his power so he can advance straight from him being a nobody to an ultimate bad-ass (and thus we have little to no idea on who his key servants are). The series actually doesn’t look bad, and Light’s interactions with the junior adventurers in recent episodes have been more appreciable, so I can’t entirely say that this one is a waste of time. However, it’s not a series I can recommend at this point.
Dad is a Hero, Mom is a Spirit, I’m a Reincarnator
Rating So Far: B
This one has been a more significant surprise. Its title primes the series to be just another OP protagonist romp, but that isn’t at all the way it has played out. Instead, we are getting a remarkably political story where titular protagonist Ellen’s father, Rovel, is a virtual co-protagonist trying to navigate a relationship with the Royal Family of his former home kingdom in such a way that his daughter is not unduly exposed to them. And, as the most recent episode shows, there’s good reason for that, since the Royal Family bears a curse related to their ancestor’s past misdeeds towards spirits – a curse that they’re not even aware that they suffer from since the misdeeds have been lost to history. In other words, the current king may be manipulative and scheming but he’s not actually evil. There are some other interesting world-building aspects in play here, too, such as how the purity or falsehood of marriage vows carries real weight in this setting or how a festival persists without anyone remembering the reason it exists. And while the series regularly has its goofy, cute moments, it’s also capable of a startling level of intensity, as episode 6 in particular showcases. For a series not advertised as being plot-dense, it is becoming remarkably meaty.
Dusk Beyond the End of the World
Rating So Far: C+
I had high hopes for this one after episode 0, but it has struggled to deliver so far, with its artistic quality also taking a nosedive in recent episodes. (This screenshot is a prime example.) It does harbor some interesting ideas, such has how this whole “LC” business seems artificially-designed to subsume the inherent limitations of marriage, how OWEL seems curiously devoted to information control, and how and why Akira ended up in the future like this, and at least the series finally gets around to partially explaining the big events which led to the current state of affairs. Amoru is also a neat character design and Yokurata seems like a worthy addition to the core group. However, it also suffers from some over-the-top villains and beating certain points to death, and a permissive attitude towards incest may not set well with some viewers. Still holding out hope that this one will amount to something more, but it no longer has the shining promise that it did early on.
Let This Grieving Soul Retire s2
Rating So Far: B
I’m tempted just to say “more of the same” here and leave it at that, because that’s a good way to sum up this season so far. It’s definitely not a bad thing, either. The series maintains its sense of quirky fun as Krai and his party unwittingly put Arnold and his party through hell as they attempt to follow him on a trip to some hot springs. There’s also Cave People, bandits with a stupid organizational name, and a dragon or two involved and Krai once again somehow muddles through it all with everyone misinterpreting his actions. As a bonus, the remaining members of Grieving Souls who haven’t appeared yet in the current timeline – giant Ansem, witch Lucia, and swordsman Luke – finally make their entrance, too. This series may never be a priority view for me, but it never fails to entertain.
May I Ask For One Final Thing?
Rating: A-
This one IS a priority view, though; in fact, it’s far and away my favorite of the season, to the point that I’ve probably watched each episode at least three times now. Scarlet makes for an outstanding heroine, one who’s adorable in a completely different way than others, and is easily a contender for Character of the Year honors; there’s something quite satisfying, even cathartic, about the way she administers savage beatdowns while otherwise maintaining a perfectly elegant demeanor. She also has great supporting help in the wonderfully perverse Prince Julius, who finds her endlessly entertaining but, unlike his younger brother, is no fool. There’s even an ongoing plot involving Terrenezza and a surprise revelation about this being a stealth isekai series, too! (Only in this case the protagonist isn’t the one from another world.) Complementing this are good character and background designs, occasionally-sharp animation, and arguably the season’s best OP and one of its best EDs. There’s a lot to like here even if you aren’t normally into inherently violent fare, so it gets my highest recommendation at the midway point.
Let’s also not forget that the series has a truly outstanding simuldub. In particular, Morgan Lauré is giving one of the year’s best dub performances as Scarlet and Reagan Murdock is a delight as Julius.
Hero Without A Class: Who Even Needs Skills?
Rating: D
Nearly every season there’s at least one series where I ask myself each week why I’m bothering to continue watching it, and this season it’s this one. The problem actually isn’t the concept, as exploring how a person operating adjacent to an RPG-style System rather than as part of it can still duplicate many of the same effects is a fascinating notion ripe with all sorts of possibilities for exploration. However, this series is barely interested in doing any of that. It’s instead playing out as a completely bog-standard OP Protagonist story, one which is further saddled with one of the dullest protagonists (personality-wise) to come along in quite some time. It then further shoots itself in the foot by ditching the sexy female companions for a gaggle of kids that are essentially becoming groupies as they marvel at all of the ridiculous things Arel can do. There was some potential here, but the series is wasting it.
My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero’s
Rating So Far: C+
On the downside, the premise, plot, and general construction of the series feels like a mishmash of elements ripped off from Arifureta and Failure Frame, neither of which is a dazzling example of RPG-inspired fantasy storytelling themselves. And on those fronts it’s doing absolutely nothing special. What it does have in its favor is distinctly better-than-average visuals and animation, with its triumph being the design of the sexy female elf companion/potential love interest for our protagonist. It also has an unusually strong musical score. That makes the series watchable, but I still wouldn’t expect much from it.
Pass the Monster Meat, Milady!
Rating So Far: B
Delicious in Dungeon incontrovertibly proved that a fantasy foodie series about killing monsters and them cooking them is a workable concept. While this series takes a rather different angle on it, the concept still works nearly as well. Melphiera and Aristide make for a delightful central couple as eccentric nobles who don’t fit well with (and are derided by) others but are a perfect match for each other. I’m particularly impressed by how firm the foundations of their relationship are (both bring skills which strongly complement the other) and how practical their engagement will be – and for that matter, that the series doesn’t piddle around for a long time and gets them engaged by the end of episode 4. Both are lookers in their own way, but this relationship won’t be just about looks. I am curious to see what direction the series is going to go now that the central relationship has been established, but there have been hints that Melphiera’s research could eventually prove life-saving for Aristide, too. This is a neat series that’s always fun to watch.
Ranma ½ s2
Rating So Far: B
This one could also mostly be described as “more of the same.” The exact specifics may change from episode to episode but it’s still the same spirited shenanigans, whether it’s Shampoo’s grandmother showing up to give Ranma fits (and become a staple character), Mousse stepping into the picture, or the (dreaded by some) debut of Happosai, the series’ resident horny old man, who’s still thoroughly obnoxious despite being tone down some from the earlier adaptation. Let’s also not forget about stupidity like the Martial Arts Delivery Competition, which only this series could make seem sensible. Mileage will vary on Happosai, but otherwise this season offers plenty enough fun to warrant keeping up with it.
Shabake
Rating So Far: B+
This supernaturally-tinged period piece is never a priority view for me, yet I still keep coming back to it every week because of how impressively it delivers on its little details. It’s one of the better-looking and better-animated series of the season despite its more understated color scheme, and it certainly has some of the season’s best character design work, but the real joy of watching it is in marveling at all of the little things, whether it’s building or clothing design, how medicine is packaged, or even how the artistry on a dividing screen changes to reflect the current demeanor of the spirit within. It also spins a compelling mystery involving a craftsman’s murder and smoothly integrates in its supernatural aspects without being flashy about it. Give this one a chance and it may surprise you.
Tales of Wedding Rings 2
Rating So Far: C+
With Sato’s harem now fully assembled (including tag-along Morion, Hime’s younger sister), this season’s episodes have focused mostly on team and relationship-building and delving more into the history of the Abyss King and his opposite number, the Ring King. This has included dredging up some details which make the whole thing sound a bit more fishy than the standard “oppose the Demon Lord scenario.” Some of the ladies – especially Hime and Granary – also get substantial focus on personal development. The series hasn’t forgotten that fan service is one of its key components, with the OP and most of the episodes finding some excuse for nudity, though it still shies from outright sex despite strong implications that everyone would be stronger for it. Hardly a spectacular series, but it continues to deliver on what it promises.
The Banished Court Magician Aims to be the Strongest
Rating So Far: C+
I want to dismiss this one as just another bottomfeeder in the “banished from the hero’s party” vein, and indeed, it does feature a banished character who’s far more competent than the prince who banished him gives him credit for. Most of what’s aired so far even plays out as utterly standard RPG-influenced adventuring, too. However, the series does have occasional strong points that elevate it a little. Once is the strategy which goes into defeating a floor boss in episode 4; the other is Alec’s confrontation with Regulus, the prince who arrogantly dismissed him for being a commoner, in episode 5. Regulus’ struggle to overcome his prejudice and acknowledge that he may have made a mistake with Alec is some unusually fine writing for a series like this. If the second half of the series can produce more results like that then it may rise above the level of being disposable, forgettable fare.
The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess
Rating So Far: B-
I still like the premise here about a woman being reincarnated into (or perhaps trapped in?) a world of her own devising, where she suffers all the consequences of what her adolescent flights of fancy wrought. The most recent episode has also offered some fresh possibilities as the story starts to stray into territory that protagonist Konoha doesn’t remember so well and into having Konoha suffer more direct consequences of writing Iana as a widely-known villainess. On the downside, the series is overdoing her obsession with potential death flags. Tearmoon Empire showed an example of how a series can do that without going too overkill (and even then it was still a little obnoxious at times), so I’d like to see that aspect toned down a bit. And despite certain sharp character designs, the overall artistic and technical effort isn’t strong. Still, the series does have one of the season’s Best OPs in the rap-infused “Black Flame” and has consistently proven to be a mostly-fun diversion.
This Monster Wants to Eat Me
Rating So Far: B
Boy, this is not a series you want to watch when you’re in a funk, as this is one of the most morose narratives to come along in quite some time. Hinako is sympathetic as a girl suffering from extreme survivor’s guilt; she wants to die to rejoin the family she tragically lost (how that happened is finally revealed, as are hints about the physical as well as emotional scars that linger), but can’t bring herself to commit suicide because she feels a voice has told her to live on. (But whose?) Her drifting has caught her in a tug-of-war of wills between two girls: one who’s a mermaid who says she wants to eventually eat her (but is going to protect her from other supernatural creatures until Hinako is ripe enough) and another who purely wants to befriend her and is trying to avoid wanting to eat her – and, in one of the least surprising revelations of the season, she’s not human, either. In addition to what I’m told is a fairly accurate depiction of depression, the series is laced with all kinds of yuri vibes, coming from a similar angle to the eroticism inherent in many vampire stories. How literal vs. figurative mermaid Shiori’s intentions are is debatable, but she and friend Miko look like they’re going to make excellent foils in the kinda-sorta love triangle with Hinako. Not a series for everyone, but worth a look.
Touring After the Apocalypse
Rating So Far: A-
This was always going to be an anticipated show, but the big surprise is how prominent its mystery aspect is. In fact, my biggest regret of the season is that I didn’t go ahead and review this one weekly to thoroughly explore that, as every episode so far has brought up plenty to comment about and speculate on. It also satisfying manages to be cute, melancholy, and even occasionally harrowing all in turn (and sometimes at the same time). I’m not going to say more about it right now because I am almost certainly going to do a full series review at the end, but if you do decide to check it out, be forewarned that it’s not casual viewing (there are sometimes significant details in the background, for instance) and the ED shouldn’t be skipped, since it updates every episode.
That’s it for now. Aside from the regular episode reviews, watch for a second installment of isekai/audiobook recommendations shortly before Thanksgiving.
This episode features the debut of a supporting character who, in retrospect, has been conspicuously absent from this eccentric mix: Motoyasu Kitamura, the Spear Hero from The Rising of the Shield Hero setting. And more so than most other characters in this setting, his behavior here requires some explanation.
Based on both behavioral and visual cues (including the feathers he’s wearing and the design of his spear’s head), Motoyasu comes from sometime after the halfway point of Shield Hero‘s third season. He’s been drawn to Filo since that franchise’s first season, but he became enraptured with her to the point of wanting to marry her due to her essentially (and mostly unwittingly) rescuing him from some psychological trauma early in s3. That same trauma (which involved being ruthlessly betrayed by another female character) also led to him calling Raphtalia a “raccoon-pig” and showing a delusional level of disdain towards other women besides Filo, while also referring to Naofumi as “father” since he sees Naofumi as a potential father-in-law. (And yes, that means that he’s a complete idiot.) All of those factors are in play here throughout this episode. Given that he’s been running around the countryside with only birdlike filolials for companions for the latter half of s3 and most of s4, him being relegated to class 3 with Yunyun seems like an appropriate fit.
The most inspired joke involving him, though, is how he does acknowledge Albedo as an “angel” because, like Filo, she has wings and an ahoge (i.e. cowlick). In Filo’s case that’s actually a special mark which denotes her as the heir apparent to the queen of her race, and as leader of the Floor Guardians of Nazarick and wife-wannabe for Ains, Albedo is essentially a queen-in-waiting, too, so the writers really thought through this joke. (The irony of a succubus being happy to be referred to as angel isn’t lost on Ains, at least.) Tanya gets dragged into this because she also has an ahoge and does technically have “wings” as well (her Silver Wings Assault Badge, which does have a wing motif). Motoyasu’s first escape from the pen by blowing a hole in its roof is also another deep series reference, since it duplicates a scene during s3 where he blows a hole in the roof of a building.
That’s not the limit of the deep references in this episode, either. Re:Zero‘s butler William looks pensive when Hamsuke describes Motoyasu as Naofumi’s son, which is a partial reference to scenes in s4 of his series involving his trouble relationship with his own son. At the end of last episode, Rem mentioned feeling sleepy, which could be a reference to how she’s been comatose for nearly all of her series’ second season and all of its third. (She’s also shown sleeping in one of the stills in the closer.) In this episode she reinforces that reference by mentioning how her “head’s been cloudy for a long time” but then goes on to mention that “it’s about to clear up.” Is this, perhaps, a foreshadowing of Re:Zero‘s upcoming s4? That would tend to reinforce Ains’ theory from back in episode 1. The state Julius is in at the end of Re:Zero s3 may also be connected to why he’s popping his head out of the curtained-off bed in the nurse’s office.
A few other interesting observations as well:
In hte class 1 scene, they look like they’re having music class. Is this meant to be the class 1 version of the music performance by class 2 in the opener?
Cid is actually present in the Class 1 scene, sitting at the piano, but you have to look closely because the piano mostly obscures him. That’s a reference both to how he’s trying to be inconspicuous and him canonically playing the piano in his source series.
Speaking of the opener, Motoyasu now has a brief appearance in it, too. (He wasn’t in Yunyun’s OP shot in previous episodes.)
In the hall scene with Ains, Tanya, and Albedo, there are multiple postings on the wall behind them. One features the KONOSUBA merchant (who has previously popped up in earlier seasons) advertising for part-time help, while another is a newspaper article about the Zombie Pasta incident, and a third is a calligraphy poster which seems to translate as “impact force.” Not sure about the significance of that one.
Darkness is a known freak, and Shalltear has a screw or two loose herself, but they may have found a new compatriot in The Eminence in Shadow‘s Epsilon, who is the Seven Shadows member arguably most intent on specifically seducing Cid/Shadow.
Overall, this episode is the deepest one yet this season in terms of how far it goes with its assorted callbacks and references, but it also doesn’t disappoint on the fun hijinks with its newcomer. That’s exactly the way this series works best.
In some senses this episode is a disappointment, since the crew from The Eminence in Shadow doesn’t appear at all. That, however, is more than made up for by the utter disaster that a Home Economics class on cooking turns into, and I have to give particular credit to the series for the novel way it creates such a disaster.
If a class activity is going to go utterly awry, there’s no better person to lead it among the school’s staff than the little-used Wiz, a KONOSUBA recurring character who had a couple of appearances in s2 as the school’s nurse. This is also an ironic choice since she’s actually every bit as undead as Ains is (she’s a lich), but irony is the lifeblood of this series so it’s all good. In her source world she also has a reputation for being largely incompetent as a magic shopkeeper (Vanir, the masked fellow, tries hard to rein her in as Wiz’s assistant), partly because she tends to overdo things and partly because she has a tendency to accidentally foist cursed items on customers. Both foibles are clearly in play here.
Naturally we get the normal mixes of eccentric personalities at each cooking station, but unlike many similar episode in other series, this one is less about the process of cooking and more about the results. Hence the real action doesn’t happen until everyone sits down to eat. The pasta being so fresh that it’s literally alive was a pretty funny joke to begin with, as was the way various characters don’t let any sentiment about it being alive get in their way of cooking it. The true coup de grace, though, is the follow-up joke that the once-living pasta is now zombie pasta, and that it animates to form hostile zombie pasta monsters which must be fought (or in Aqua’s case, fled from). In a setting where undead are part of the class, this actually seems quite fitting.
Laced throughout this are a few jokes which require more extensive knowledge of the source material. Tanya complaining early on about “drowning in pasta” once again is a reference to the Saga of Tanya the Evil OVA episode Operation Desert Pasta released in 2021, the franchise’s only light-hearted endeavor, which had the 203rd Aerial Battalion stuck in desert warfare and having their raids for food supplies mistaken for grand tactical plans as they went around gathering ingredients to make pasta – a lot of pasta. Lt. Serebryakov is also notorious for an appetite that isn’t hindered by any circumstance, so her being tempted to eat the collapsed zombie pasta at the end is completely in character. Aqua fleeing from undead is a specific reference to one incident from KONOSUBA s2 where she’s chased by a horde of undead in a dungeon (although I think this was a recurring joke, IIRC).
The other knock on this episode is that it seemed much more reliant on voiced-over still images than normal, although this was partly balanced out by a few cases of background animation. On the balance, though, it didn’t lack for fun quotient.
If there was any doubt after last episode that Shadow and his underlings would perfectly blend in with the established oddball crew, this episode should allay those concerns, at least in the case of Cid/Shadow. (The Seven Shadows don’t appear at all, nor does anyone else from Class 1.) And like last episode, Kazuma seems to be the one most in tune with what Shadow is actually doing.
That’s the big irony which forms the backbone of this episode. In his original isekai, Cid/Shadow acted with no more thought than what would seem cool and fitting for his very chunibyo aesthetic and self-narration, but his actions were always interpreted by others as being much more multilayered and mysterious. The grand joke here is that the exact same thing is happening in class 2. The most rational and brainy members of the whole class (Tanya and Demiurge) are convinced that there’s depth to Shadow and pooh-pooh Kazuma when Kazuma tries to insist otherwise, but Kazuma understands better than probably anyone what chunibyo looks like; sadly for all involved, people are so used to his ideas not being helpful that they can’t recognize that they should listen to him this time. (Especially after he spotted an individual last episode that no one else noticed!) Ainz also genuinely picks up on this (he showed in the movie that he clearly understands chunibyo behavior, and his immediate reaction to Shadow addressing him could be interpreted as disbelief that Shadow is obviously posing); he just doesn’t openly admit it because he – unlike Kazuma – has an image to maintain. Also not too surprising the Subaru also seems to be picking up on that, though it’s a bit odder that he doesn’t more openly back up Kazuma, since he does some posing himself.
The other irony here is that at least a few people people in this setting are recognizing Shadow’s behavior for what it is, when no one in his own setting does. Would not be surprised if this spins into a whole series of jokes going forward.
Compared to this, what’s advertised as the episode’s main focus – teaming students up to grow morning glories – is almost an afterthought. It does at least allow for the inter-series character interactions on which this series thrives, like Aura and Garfiel’s entirely differing philosophies bouncing off each other or Aura getting teamed up with possibly the worst possible group of the lot when it comes to growing things. Ram’s exchange with Tanya here about how to shirk doing anything is also amusing, and it’s interesting that Ram is the first one to pick up on Shadow’s presence this time. Also keep an eye on what Puck is doing in the background, as he seems to be hanging out with different individuals or groups at different times. (This trend actually started much earlier in the franchise, but since he doesn’t pop up every episode, we have to take what we can get on his appearances.)
In all, this makes for a solid but unspectacular episode.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of the 2022 Chainsaw Man series is that protagonist Denji is never portrayed as having a normal human experience. He never went to school and never had friends or any of the the other things most kids take for granted. At heart he’s a creature of instinct, much closer to the demons he fights than to regular humanity, which just amplifies the raging hormones resulting from him being a teenage boy. That Denji is like this is a central theme in this movie, which is a direct sequel to the TV series. Of course, he could also just have his brain currently residing in his pants.
One consequence of this during the series is that Makima was able to quite firmly win him over just by being nice to him and providing three meals a day. Here she even goes out on a date with him, which mostly involves the two of them going to a succession of movies over the course of a day. (Why exactly Makima would do this is a bit unclear, but the viewpoint is always Denji’s, and he probably wouldn’t care if she had an ulterior motive.) He is so completely taken with her that he believes that no other woman could tempt him. But that’s exactly what happens when he meets Reze, a girl his own age who shelters with him during a rainstorm. She seems to like him and even flirt with him, and hanging out with her is definitely fun, leaving Denji confused about who he actually wants to try to be with. But this is a setting where demons are real and Chainsaw’s heart is a highly-sought-after prize among them, and they will definitely intrude on Denji’s budding new relationship.
On the storytelling front, Denji’s date with Makima sets up a later excellent contrast between Denji’s two potential love interests. Makima is a calm, mature woman with very controlled emotions, whereas Reze is very expressive and has a youthful energy and enthusiasm. (And unlike Power, who’s also closer to Denji’s age, she’s not crazy or bloodthirsty.) Denji’s internal struggle over which approach he’s more attracted to provides a surprisingly compelling emotional core for the story; the experience being torn between two entirely different kinds of attraction is a very common one and arguably the most human Denji is at this point. The downside to this emphasis is that it comes at the expense of most of the rest of the supporting cast. Aki and Angel get some attention as a team-up, with Aki having a hard time dealing with Angel’s laziness and death wish, but any development there is practically an afterthought. Power, meanwhile, is entirely absent except at the beginning and near the end, and the movie does hurt a little for that.
But this is, first and foremost, an action-centered franchise, and once the Bomb Demon shows up and starts wreaking havoc, the action elements take over fully and start delivering hard. The prolonged action sequences which make up most of the movie’s second half are eye-popping spectacles which rank among studio MAPPA’s finest and most ambitious animation efforts to date. They are full of grand, continuously-flowing choreography peppered with vibrant explosions and the kind of dynamic, camera-shifting movement titles like DAN DA DAN are known for. The scale of these scenes shouldn’t be overlooked, either; these were clearly planned specifically with a big screen in mind, and that is the ideal way to watch this movie. It will, I think, not have quite the impact on even a fairly large TV screen or monitor.
At around 100 minutes, this would have take nearly five full episodes to play out in series form, but given the flow of events (and especially the grand Chainsaw/Bomb battle, which has to be experienced continuously to fully appreciate), releasing it in movie form was the right call. I saw the movie subtitled so I can’t comment on the English dub, and a 3D version is also avaiable.
If you’re a franchise fan, seeing this one in the theater is a must.
From left: Eminence’s Eta and Delta, Overlord’s Lupusregina Beta and CZ2128 Delta
Rating: B
If episode 1 was the tease of the arrival of the Eminence in Shadow crew then episode 2 is that series’ formal introduction to the Isekai Quartet sphere. Specifically, Cid and the Seven Shadows all join class 1, which prior to this point had consisted of the Shield Hero trio and the secondary characters from Overlord and Re:Zero. This sets up a situation primed for naming chaos, since the secondary Overlord characters in question are the Pleiades (i.e., the combat maid squad of Nazarick), and six of them have the first six Greek letters in their names (Yuri Alpha, Lupusregina Beta, Narberal Gamma, CZ2128 Delta, Solution Epsilon, and Entoma Vasilissa Zeta), while all seven of the Seven Shadows are named only by the first seven Greek letters when not using aliases. Of course, the writers do not miss the golden opportunity to exploit this by drawing comparisons/contrasts between like-named characters.
And as with other pairings of series in the franchise, some of the fun is seeing which characters align with each other. In this case, the two Alphas, as team leaders, are both the most responsible and sensible members of their respective teams. Beyond them, Eminence‘s Delta definitely aligns with Overlord‘s Beta as the aggressive idiots of their respective groups (although this characteristic seems more pronounced here for Lupsregina than in her home anime series), while Eta and Overlord‘s Delta also seem to be on the same wavelength. The two Epsilons having a brief conversation was to be expected, since the Overlord version is a slime, while the Eminence version has the most masterful control over her slime suit; that both of them literally have busts made mostly or entirely of slime is a joke which has to come up at some point. (For those not familiar with The Eminence in Shadow, their body suits are made of magical slime, and the slightly-built, very self-conscious Epsilon has put considerable effort into mastering realistic bounce for the slime enhancement to her assets.) Eminence‘s Beta and Gamma only get a line each, but there are other characters in other series that each of them would better bounce off of, so their turns will presumably come later. The commonality on both sides is that members of each groups got their names from people they venerate, so getting around the overlapping name issue won’t be easy. Honestly, I kinda feel sorry for Naofumi.
And of course the writing isn’t going to pass up an opportunity to work in Cid Kagenou/Shadow’s quirks. He’s worked diligently to be Background Character A in his source series, so playing that aspect up to the point that he’s virtually invisible when in the classroom or walking by other characters could make for a great running joke. (Curious that Kazuma did notice him, though.) Him finding Ainz being referred to as the “ruler of darkness” being cool would be completely in-character for him, and even reading Don Quixote in class kinda fits with his delusional state, too.
And what would an Eminence introduction be without Shadow getting to combine his signature “I am atomic” spell with one of Megumin’s Explosion spells? The intersection of the two creating fireworks seems about right. I also chuckled at how everyone knew the end of the school day had come from the skies darkening as Megumin preps and fires her daily spell.
Also deserving of comment here is the animation effort. While the art style may seem simplified, there is a fair amount of background animation in this episode. Particular attention seems to be paid to Eminence‘s Zeta twitching her animal ears (for those not familiar with Eminence, the Seven Shadows are all either elves or Beastkin), to the point that this could become a running joke.
When will Cid find a music room with a piano? Will the Tuna King restaurant from the Eminence setting make an appearance? These are jokes I’m expecting to see. But while this may not have been one of the franchise’s funniest episodes, it’s still a pretty solid introduction for the new team.
To be clear, season 3 of this crossover wonder is a direct sequel to the movie ~Another World~ rather than season 2. While you don’t necessarily have to have seen the movie first to be able to follow along here, it is strongly recommended, as references to what happens in the movie are broadly made in this first episode.
Rather than begin with the addition of the franchise’s well-advertised newcomers, the first episode instead opens with cameos from an entirely different series: Lista (Ristarte) and Seiya from Cautious Hero: The Hero is Overpowered but Overly Cautious. Some kind of appearance was expected, as that series’ original novelist, Light Tuchihi, has been credited for “original work collaboration” on this new season. Their actions are fitting for the dynamics of their franchise but I’m still a bit surprised to see it represented here, as I was not under the impression that their franchise was anywhere near on the same popularity level as the other five (soon to be six) involved. The manner of their relatively brief appearances indicates that they won’t be recurring, though.
The bulk of the main part of the episode consists of various interactions from assorted cast members, with the writing once again doing a commendable job of getting just about everyone involved to some degree. Somehow a random round of sumo matches to determine who’s stronger than whom breaks out, with the feature match winding up being Re:Zero‘s Garfiel vs. Overlord‘s Albedo. (And poor Weiss; in his setting, he is possibly Tanya’s strongest subordinate, but he’s nowhere near on the level of some of the literal monsters in other groups.) There’s also a brief, inexplicable scene of William, the butler from Re:Zero, having tea with Overlord’s Hamsuke and Death Knight.
But for all the normal antics, there is a curiously serious part to this episode, in the form of Ains’ conversation with Roswaal about how they might not be originals and are being influenced by what their originals do, but that could also go both ways. It’s an intriguing bit of meta, and I am now very curious to see if that becomes a recurring theme this season. Roswaal’s statements near the end, after Ains leaves his office, about how powerful individuals from the various component settings aren’t going to have their way with this world, is also quite interesting, as it suggests that there may be a purpose to all of this beyond just a silly excuse for a cross-over. But it’s also possible I’m reading too much into this.
At least the newcomer finally appears at the end of the episode, though his Seven Shadows do not yet seem to be in two. His whole “chunibyo is actually real” shtick should fit in quite well with the others, so I’m very curious to see what kind of chaos their addition can generate. Looks like we’ll see next week.
In the kingdom of Ridill, the seven preeminent mages are known as the Seven Sages. Each of the seven has a title reflective of their specialty: the Barrier Mage, The Star-Seer Witch, the Witch of Thorns, and so forth. Of them, the most extraordinary is also the youngest: Monica Everett, called the Silent Witch because of her unprecedented mastery of incantation-free spellcasting. Though capable enough in magic that even one of her peers refers to her as a “monster,” she’s actually an extremely anxious and timid girl whose development of silent casting was her solution to getting around having to chant in front of others. Because of her specialty and few knowing her face, she gets cajoled into becoming the secret bodyguard for Felix, the kingdom’s second prince, and that means attending the prestigious Serendia Academy boarding school to go undercover as a ordinary, low-ranking noble student. Despite her shyness, Monica is able to develop a few friends and confidants as she deals both with assorted threats and a prince who’s far less oblivious, and far more amused by her antics, than initially expected.
So goes the premise for this 13 episode (14 if recap episode 9.5 is included) adaptation of the first three light novels from author Matsuri Isora, which aired during the Summer 2025 season. Though hardly one of the season’s flashiest titles, it still ranked among the season’s best and most entertaining series and was a personal favorite despite some stiff competition. It accomplished this by taking a somewhat unusual approach for recent entries in the fantasy genre: rather than making Monica an up-and-coming talent or emphasizing how powerful she is, the writing made her supremely vulnerable, the kind of person who can get the job done when really needed but is a complete mess otherwise.
The angle of having a cripplingly socially awkward protagonist is hardly a new one in anime (see Bocchi the Rock, among others), but pulling that off requires walking a tightrope. The character must be sympathetic without seeming too pathetic and any humor involving that awkwardness has to be tempered so that it doesn’t seem mean. Thankfully, this is the realm where Secrets stands strongest. Laughs at Monica’s foibles are most commonly sympathetic ones, and she’s hardly the only source of humor; Ryn, the spirit familiar who serves as the maid and messenger for the Barrier Mage, is also a particular delight with her stone-faced sardonic wit, and other characters have their moments, too. The humor also excels at its timing; jokes never get in the way of the flow of other events and never run too long.
The story isn’t just light-hearted frivolity, though. While its crises rarely approach the potentially calamitous level of scenes involving the dragons in episode 1, the story does have serious threads about plots against the prince, embezzlement, mana run amok, potential friends who feel forced by circumstances to resort to drastic action, poisoning, and dealing with past emotional trauma. The social elements aren’t forgotten, either; one of the girls who ultimately befriends Monica in her school identity is dogged by other noble girls looking down on her for being nouveau riche, for instance, and social standing frequently plays into events in other ways, too.
The heart of the series is, of course, Monica, a slight, mousy (or perhaps squirrely, since she’s sometimes compared to one) girl who’s enormously timid about most things but can flip into analytical or even passionate modes when either of her twin loves of magic and mathematics are involved. Flashbacks reveal that emotional trauma involving family, a former school friend, and severe bullying helped make her this way, and moments where Monica seems a slave to those influences are heartbreaking. Contrarily, little moments throughout where friends and associates help coax a bit more confidence out of her prove eminently satisfying. Moments where she must overcome challenges with some combination of math and magic also convincingly show that she doesn’t deserve her Seven Sages standing just because of her silent spellcasting.
While Monica can carry the series on her own, she doesn’t have to, as she’s surrounded by a solid supporting cast. Nero, her talking cat familiar, provides the most direct emotional support with his reassuring paw pats, and the aforementioned Ryn is a delight as a comedy straight woman. (Things get especially amusing when Nero and Ryn team up in human forms later in the series.) Isabel, the daughter of a Count, has entirely too much fun playing up being a villainess as part of Monica’s cover story (and her maid/accomplice has clearly bought into her mistress’s efforts, too!), though Isabel also makes it quite clear that her unquestionable loyalty is to Monica for having saved both her personally and her realm in general from the dragons in episode 1. Each of the boys on the student council shows themselves to be at least a little more than the stereotypical pretty boys as they interact with Monica (though the other girl on the student council, Bridget, is given little to do beyond make occasional observations on other council members), and both Casey (a horse-loving friend with a big secret) and Claudia (a raven-haired beauty who stands as a blunt voice of reason but also has her quirks) make big contributions in the middle and later stages of the series. And we can’t forget Louis, the Barrier Mage, and his predilection to “bully the strong.”
Among the supporting cast, Prince Felix deserves special mention, as his presence and behavior elevates the series. He can smoothly transition between being kind, playful, and harshly judgmental all while maintaining a soft voice and gentle smile but he’s also quite sharp; he’s well aware of where he stands politically and how people perceive him and uses that to his advantage. Though he suspects Monica may not be what she appears, he seems to take an interest in her for other reasons. She amuses him, yes (one of the series’ funniest scenes is one where he feeds cookies to a nearly-passed-out Monica) and he certainly recognizes and appreciates her mathematical talents, but there are also hints that he sympathizes with her, too, and wants to help her the same way a senior once helped him. He also seems fascinated by how his normal charms don’t work on Monica. Many of the series’ best non-magic-use scenes involve the two directly interacting, even though romantic tension is more wishful thinking than intended.
The series’ charms aren’t just limited to the writing. Beyond the spectacular scene near the end of the first episode, dramatic visual displays of magic are limited and of a generally smaller scope than many other magic school series, yet they sacrifice little on the impression that they make; this isn’t at all a battle series, and those go in expecting the scene in episode 1 to be a staple may be disappointed. The artistic effort led by Studio Gokumi makes efficient use of the more eventful scenes it does have, though, and supports them well with sharp, detailed background art and distinctive character designs (especially Monica’s makeover in the last quarter) which vary just enough from common archetypes to not feel like retreads. It also handles its SD comedy moments effectively and occasionally gives Monica some great facial expressions. Musical support is strong as well, with the score expertly evoking whatever emotions the scene requires, whether it be dramatic, comedic, or sorrowful; this is one worthy of listening to as a separate OST. Opener “Feel” by hitsujibungaku (who also did the great closer for the second season of Osihi ni Ko) also perfectly matches the feel of the series both audibly and visually. Gentler and more wistful closer “mild days” by the same band also fits well but makes much less of a visual impression.
The series also has a complete English dub at this point. While it’s not flawless – there are a handful of places where slightly awkward pauses are used to assist in aligning with lip flaps – the casting choices and performances are generally solid, especially the little-used Harrison Xu as Prince Felix and Brenna Larsen as the maid/familiar Ryn. (She also voices Bridget.)
Nothing has been announced at this point about a second season, but there are still enough more novels for a couple more seasons and enough potential plot threads left open to provide a good lead-in to more, so I dearly hope additional animation is coming. The series seems to have been a solid performer based on Crunchyroll any MyAnimeList rankings, coming in near the top end of the middle tier (in the same vicinity as The Water Mage) so popularity sufficient to warrant more is there, and it’s certainly deserving on a qualitative level. With high merits on many fronts, it easily deserves to be considered among its season’s best titles.
Now that the Summer 2025 season is fully over and all of the series I’ve been following are either ending or going on hiatus, it’s time to look at how the series I followed finished out.
Because of the high volume of titles, covering every one of them here would make this post cumbersome. Hence I am only including those titles for which I have updated my grade since the Mid-Season Reports and/or have additional commentary to offer. Also, I won’t be including Secret of the Silent Witch here, since I intend to give that series a full, independent write-up after its last episode airs on (presumably) 10/3.
Summer Mid-Season Report part 1 titles which will not be covered here include DAN DA DAN, New Saga, Private Tutor to the Duke’s Daughter, and Reborn as a Vending Machine 2. Please refer to the linked article for my impressions on those.
Summer Mid-Season Report part 2 titles which will not be covered here include Scooped Up By an S-Ranked Adventurer; The Rising of the Shield Hero s4; Uglymug, Epicfighter; and Witch Watch. Please refer to the linked article for my impressions on those.
BEST OF SEASON: Clevatess
Overall Rating: A-
Honestly, I don’t have a whole lot to add on this one, so I’m including it mostly to just encourage people again to watch it. The series stays true to its nature as classic old-school fantasy through to the end of this season and along the way delivers a number of flashy and beautifully-designed battles, too, along with some seriously gross graphic content. It also raises big mysteries about the ancient history of the setting and why things are the way they are now, and I always appreciate that in any series. This is top-tier fantasy animation. It is getting a sequel, and I’m a bit ambivalent over the suggestion that this one might be taking a “magic school” path, but I’ve enjoyed the characters and setting so far, so I’ll give it a chance. Kudos also again for the stellar English simuldub, especially Katie Wetch as Alicia and Celeste Perez as Nell/Nelluru.
OTHER TITLES
Betrothed to My Sister’s Ex
Overall Rating: C+
This one has some interesting twists in the late stages; it’s not every day you see a major plot development and pivotal conflict in an anime series hinge on literacy (or the lack thereof). The twist involving what happened to Anastasia was actually far less surprising, since it had been telegraphed to a degree, though it was still interesting in the way that it was neither entirely an accident nor entirely planned, but instead more a case of adapting a rough plan to the circumstances. (Anastasia’s motives also make her a more rounded character than I was initially expecting, even given that I recognized right away that she wasn’t part of the villainy towards Marie.) The happy, lovey-dovey ending leans on the saccharine side but it’s still quite satisfying, especially for Anastasia.
Call of the Night s2
Overall Season Rating: A-
The first season of Call of the Night was a strong effort with a unique appeal, but this second season, taken as a whole, may be even stronger. It explores points about both vampires in general and Nazuna’s origins in particular that have been neglected so far, while also delivering a semi-uniting plot in the anti-vampire endeavors of the detective Anko, who turns out to be a far more interesting character than she might have appeared to be at first. What drove her to go on assault against the vampires, and how this involves Nazuna (even though Nazuna isn’t technically responsible for it) makes for a strong character arc, and it gives us a surprisingly robust running battle scene in the season’s 10th episode, too. This season also reveals that the story is far more gay (or, more specifically, yuri) than it initially appears to be, and rather than being lurid (as, arguably, There’s No Freaking Way leans towards), it makes sense here. Ending the last episode with the original closer was also neat. This one joins Clevatess, Rascal,Darling, and maybe DAN DA DAN as one of the top five series of the season.
Kaiju No. 8
Overall Season Rating: B
Who cares if you’re being formulaic if you execute that formula well? That’s what the latter part of this season comes down to for Kafka and the Defense Force around him. On the downside, spreading the focus so thin limits the focus on great character Kafka, but it does give other characters chances to shine, and they show that beautifully as No. 9 makes his move in the last two episodes. The later episodes also give the series a much-needed Mina/Kafka introspection and shows, for the first time, where her real feelings lie. Other particular highlights include Kikoru getting to wearing the same suit her mother wore and Hoshina’s odd relationship with No. 10 (as shown above). All of that buoys up some weaker content in the center of the season. The season ends on a major cliffhanger, so I’ll definitely be back for the inevitable continuation.
My Dress-Up Darlings2
Overall Season Rating: A-
Glamor girls in anime might be admirable, but you’d rarely call one truly adorable. And yet somehow this series has accomplished that feat beautifully with Marin. We’ve seen plenty of anime girls go crazy over trying to figure out how to admit that they love a male character, but there’s just something charmingly sweet about how Marin first comes to realize that she’s in love with Wakana and then tries to work up the nerve to confess to him. Meanwhile, all sorts of other interesting characters are afoot as the series cycles through various cosplays scenarios, including the gleefully gruesome group “Coffin” cosplay, and Wakana gets a fair amount of character growth, too. The series was a delight to watch and easily one of the top five series this season.
Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus
Overall Season Rating: A-
This may be far from the flashiest series this season, but if any other series had better character writing, I didn’t see it. I’ve always loved how this franchise takes ordinary human foibles and transforms them with understated supernatural spins, and we see plenty of opportunities for that in the overarching (and apparently not completely resolved!) mystery about who singer Touko Kirishima really is. The breadth of franchise familiarity necessary to completely understand everything is also impressive; I plan to rewatch the movies before rewatching this series again, and may give the franchise a full write-up once I’ve done so. Anchoring it all is one of the neatest relationship in all of anime: the couple of Mai and Sakuta, which is rarely at the forefront of events in this part of the series but is never completely pushed into the background, either. A follow-up movie that will adapt the last two novels in the franchise is coming, and I will definitely be back for it.
Sword of the Demon Hunter
Overall Rating: B
Despite some solid writing, I sadly have to lower my grade on this one because the artistic issues which develop in the later parts of the series simply can’t be ignored. The end of the series, which felt more like the end of an arc than a seasonal stopping point, was also a bit unsatisfying, even if it was a neat story which was foreshadowed by a random comment made in 2009 several episodes back. (In fact, the sword master demon’s appearance in modern day was also foreshadowed in a background scene late in the series’ first half.) While I would have liked to see more of the story in 2009, the series makes excellent use of recurring cast members in the 1800s and in drawing connections to modern day. Still, this feels like only part of a much, much bigger story, one that is nowhere near conclusion as the series ends. I’d love to see more animation on this one, but was the series successful enough to warrant that? MAL’s rankings suggest that the series was only moderately popular rather than a hit. I guess we’ll see going forward.
Summer Pockets
Overall Rating: B
For better or worse, this series stays true to the spirit and rhythm of Key adaptations through to its last scene. That means that its last five or so episodes are its strongest and most emotional content, though this isn’t anywhere near the intense tearjerker that some of its predecessors were. (Not for lack of trying, though!) While the story may have been a painfully slow burn at times, its finale shows that there was a point to all of it, that everything really was building towards something (i.e., Umi’s story), and that the name of the series has a very specific symbolic meaning within the context of the series. I wouldn’t necessarily say that everything is satisfyingly resolved in your end, and how you react to the series’ last quarter will depend heavily on how much you can become invested in Shiroha being the Main Girl (and especially how Umi’s part supports that), but the story largely achieves what it set out to do, even if that wasn’t done in a splashy fashion.
The Water Magician
Overall Rating: B-
While criticism about the series’ lackadaisical pacing isn’t without merit, the series shows in its second half that it can deliver in its big moments. The duel between Ryo and the Inferno Mage in episode 12 was as scintillating a battle as his duel with the akuma in the first half, and his test match against Sera was no slouch, either. Seeing Ryo seriously pissed off for a change in the former case was a real treat, too, as is Sera in general; she’s probably my favorite supporting character from any series this season. (The way she smiles has a lot to do with it, but it’s also her energy and her very balanced character design. Every scene with her and Ryo hanging out together just feels natural, too.) On the downside, the series’ efforts to showcase other characters, too, limits Ryo’s participation at times. This was a pretty successful series, so it seems likely to get a sequel. I’ll definitely be back if it does.
There’s No Freaking Way I’ll Be Your Lover! Unless. . .
Overall Rating: B
As expected, the season ends with three of the four girls in Renako’s friend group now firmly in her harem (whether she wants it that way or not). However, the shift in the main conflict going from the more antagonistic Satsuki-Mai rivalry to a Mai-Ajisai rivalry is an interesting twist, and Renako having been attracted to Ajisai all along (whether she admits it or not) only complicates things further. Mai comes off as a bit more sympathetic in the end, but it’s hard not to root for Renako to ultimately hook up with Ajisai instead. All of this plays out in a mostly-delightful succession of romantic comedy scenarios, complete with continuing light doses of fan service. A movie sequel, which I’ve been led to believe will finally focus on the fourth girl (who’s been almost entirely absent for the past few episodes), has been announced, so the fun isn’t over yet.
Turkey! Time To Strike
Overall Rating: B+
I have to respect this series some for having the moxie to pull off the stunts that it does. The way that bowling is forced into each episode of this time-travel series – even to the extent of making it a major crisis and plot point! – practically becomes a running joke, but somehow the series makes it work. It pulls off a number of slick tricks, including recasting the OP for one episode with the bowling team member’s Sengoku-era counterparts and delivering a truly jaw-dropping final twist that, in retrospect, had been hinted at all along due to concealing who voices a certain role, and it does all of this while taking a serious look at each of the girls and their backstories and concerns. And I can’t fault the series for making Mai an obvious lefty, either! This was a real surprise which ended up being way better than just a silly series with a stunner of a founding gimmick.
Welcome to the Outcast Restaurant
Overall Rating: C
And, honestly, this rating might even be too high, as the series takes a distinct nosedive in its second half as it tries to explore a bigger but also very formulaic plot. It also tries too hard to make its battle component work with its cooking component. The only minor upside is the bath scene which confirms which confirms that Vivia may be effeminate, but is actually a guy and not a woman pretending to be a guy. Not really sure where the story could go next, either. This was ultimately one of the season’s most forgettable series.
Except for the aforementioned Secret of the Silent Witch review, that’s all for this season. Be sure to check out the Fall 2025 Preview Guide if you haven’t already.
USA Anime 