My Anime Crossed-off List for 2020: A New Format

Another year, another anime crossed-off post, amirite? This year my list comes a bit early because gotta strike the iron while it still hot, man. After almost three years, I knew it can be tiring if I keep using the same format over and over again. Hence, this post is born. Today I'm going to talk about a couple of anime I had watch this year while abandoning the last year format. Sorry, I couldn't make it an even "ten" (unforeseeable technical problems). But, don't worry... Despite this post being a simplified version, it that doesn't mean that we can't still have some fun... ~

So, are you guys ready? Here we go!

1.) Konosuba (Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo) S01-02

KonoSuba 
Picture courtesy of Google

To me, watching an anime is like waiting for a passing season. Sometimes it comes a bit early, other times I don't even notice. This year, it comes in the mid of July 2020. After being kinda of out of the loop for the most of early 2020, I finally decides to give My Animelist a little boost. And like it reads my mind, Youtube recommendation shoot this baby straight up. I watch a couple of clips on Konosuba, decided that I like what I see, and found it available on Netflix for two full season. Anyway, long story short, I watch this anime (the OP and ED song included), so here's my 2 cents on it.

Pros:

• Nice drawing
• Interesting premise (boy dies and wake up in a game where he can level up as an adventurer)
• Gender equality
• Good OP and ED songs

Cons:

• Tons of fan-service for male fans (sidekick with big tiddies everywhere)
• Annoying sidekicks (I'm looking at you, Aqua)
• Scattered story line (I don't quite get it even after 7 episodes in)
• Ecchi male protagonist (not really my cup of tea)
• Unclear mission by the male protagonist (at least to me)

So that's a few list to keep this post going. Personally, Konosuba is not really that bad, but it wasn't great either. Too many fan service (which reminds me of Blood Lad a little) and lacks of growth experienced by the main protagonist (Kazuma Sato). I mean, I get it that it was supposed to built his character or something, but you don't easily lose what you just got just because a couple of annoying side characters (Aqua, Megumin, Darkness, or all of them). I mean Kazuma, you're the leader of the flock, right? So, keep them bitches in line... Sheesh.

There wasn't an anime such as Konosuba that makes me mad and wanted to rip my hair off. Like, really. Every new episode I was hoping for a change, not much - just enough so Kazuma doesn't have to suffer anymore. But looks like I'm on a ride for an endless failure loops created by these useless side characters. Seriously, so much potential getting squandered by tiddies and lame ecchi jokes that doesn't fly with me. But, luckily I like Kazuma Sato. He may be a pervert, but his attitude towards his sidekicks are noteworthy to talk home about. 

So, my final verdict with Konosuba is 6.8/10. Don't ask me why. I just told you all about it.

2.) Is It Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? S01-02

Is It Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
Picture courtesy of Google

Okey, second anime on my list now... Next we have 'Is it Wrong to...... bla bla bla....Dungeon!". I'm too tired to write it, but you got my point ;)  I found it among other anime list on Netflix. Seriously, *Neffy is killing it with their anime recommendation these days. Unlike Konosuba that have pretty good (despite pervy) male protoganist Kazuma, Dungeon have a tamed protaganist by the name of Bell Cranel (ak. a Little Rookie). Not to shit on this guy too much, but his bland personality probably made seaweed soup taste like a goddamn caviar (er, say whut now?). Lol. Anyway, Bell here is accompanied by his Goddesses, Hestia and together they live in a rundown old church all by themselves. Well, I'm not gonna give you too many details, but basically the episodes are filled with a lot of adventure and Bell making friends and acquiring new members to join his (Hestia) Familia. So, what so great about this anime anyway? Let's take a look down the list shall we?

Pros:

• Mildly tamed male protagonist (Bell Cranel)
• Tiddies are there (of course), but not to make up the whole story (think it as a cameo kind of thing)
• Not entirely hopeless side characters (I love Hestia, she's the best!)
• Contained story line (every episodes serves a purpose to lift up our young Argonaut, Bell)
•  A lot cameo by other Olympian God and Goddesses (i.e: Apollo, Loki, Hermes)

Cons:

• Weak male protagonist (Bell Cranel)
• Too little spotlight between Bell and his Goddesses, Hestia (all the screen time goes to him fighting monsters or saving other people with his new comrades)
• Slow burn love between Bell and Ais Wallenstein (his love interest)
• Love triangle are not fully developed yet (at least in the anime adaptation)

You know what they say.... All is fair in love and war. But, for somewhat reason - there wasn't enough time for Bell and Hestia to really explore their feelings or whatever the animator tries to insinuate (it looks more like one-sided love on Hestia side, but I could be wrong). Anyways, despite of the slow-burn feel this anime seems to provide, that doesn't make it a bad anime. In fact, I kinda look forward and feel giddy on my toes for the next episode. It's quite rare for me to feel that way when I'm watching anime (I'm not an easy person to be pleased because I'm jaded) these days, so great job Dungeon! 

So, my final verdict with this anime is 8.0/10. That high, huh? Only because it have everything I wanted and what its lacking is not too obvious and probably can be improved. 

note: * Neffy: my nickname for Netflix.

3.) Plunderer

Plunderer
Image courtesy of Google

Third anime now. This one is called 'Plunderer'. It's released on June 2020 and boy, I wasn't expecting it to be 24 episodes! (that's rare, even by 2020 standard as anime that I watch normally span around 13 episode or less). So, what so good about Plunderer that I can tell you? Plenty. But first, let me tell you how did I found this anime in the first place. One word, baby: Youtube. Saw some snippets from this anime in there and just like that - I'm sold. This anime actually falls under ecchi genre (like the theme of today's post), but the allocated time for it makes me applauded the creator of this series so much (I'm looking at you, Highschool DxD). 

Anyways, Plunderer basically tells a story about a girl named Hina who are in search for the Red Baron (Licht Bach; the guy on the top). In the world where they lives in, a (counting) system had been put into place. Anyone who have a higher count than others are free to order anyone with a lower count. It certainly a flawed system, but their world is built around that and things had stayed peaceful for the last 300 years because of it. Enter Licht Bach, a town loser who didn't look like much at first, but later turns out hold a very important role in this new world arrangement. Anyway, I'm not going to tell you everything there's to know about this anime, but here's my 2 cent about it:

Pros:

• Great storyline (makes you wanna know more and more) and phantomable plot twist
• Great drawing and art style (at least in the Manga)
• Multi-dimensional main character (Licht Bach)

Cons:

• Uneven quality level for anime adaptation
• Forward (shameless) female protagonist (Hina)
• Too many layer of plot twist can make audience feels like they being duped into waiting something more (endless of plot twist and plenty of reveal throughout the end of each episode)

Honestly, I really like Plunderer. It has been a long time since an anime makes me feel excited to watch the next episode. Even Dungeon (above) doesn't exactly makes me feel this way. Because it's so addictive, I have to control myself to only 5 episodes per day. So far there's only 24 episodes from this show till date so I been keeping up with the manga as I am dying to know what's going to happen next in the series. Seriously, despite of what others might say and the rating it received at MAL (My Animelist), I think this anime is one of the best show I had seen in a while and for that I'm giving it 8/10 rating. It's an honest rating from the bottom of my heart, so don't judge me for that. 

4.) Beastar (18)

Beastars
Image credit from Google

I guess one of the most unexpected find this year would have to be this anime: 'Beastars'. It was released back on December last year (2019) and I seen it hanging around my Netflix recommendation for some time now, but never care enough to go ahead and watch it. I just finished 'Plunderer' and was looking for new anime to watch and suddenly - this come up. So, I decided to watch it and here's my verdict.

Beastars is not an anime that I typically favors. Sure, I seen those Disney cartoon, Zootopia not so long ago and Robin Hood when I was little, but that's as far as my interest in anthropomorphic animals goes. Then, I proceed to watch Beastars and my opinion about it would never be the same again. To be honest, I don't hate this anime in particular, but there's several oddities that I would like to point out just because....

Not only this anime is about a bunch of animals acting like human - they have a physical body like a human too! I know Disney kinda did that with Zootopia, but that one was tamed and I actually quite enjoy the storyline. This one however... left with with a bunch of mixed feelings. I always considered bunny is the cutest animal ever, but not after watching this anime. The mangaka kinda diminished that for me a bit (by putting a fake b00bies on bunny, like seriously gurl - not cool). And not only that... they always showcases... s*x amongst animals that made me feel so uncomfortable while I was watching it. I guess this is why bestiality was never on the table for me. I stick to soft regular p0rn and vanilla stuff, thank you very much.

So, what so good or bad about this anime anyway? Well, I tell you;

Pros:

• Good storyline (a cultural divide between herbivore and carnivore - yeah, I kinda dig that)
• Great anime, average manga (as far as the drawing goes)
• Written by a woman mangaka (I'm not so much of a feminist, but this is rare even to see thesedays)
• Interesting and memorable characters: Legosi - fox, Haru - bunny, Louis - red deer that are different from what we expected of them. Example for that would be;

1.  Legosi, a fox is timid and non-confrontational. This usually not the case with foxes. It's in their nature to always be aggressive and strong.
2. Haru, the bunny seems cute and innocent at first, but she is actually hypersexual. Well, I guess we know now where they got the expression;' like two rabbits in heat' comes from.
3. Louis, the red deer is essentially a prey. However, he's strong and confident character that most people vouches him to be the next 'Beastar' (a rank given only to an animal who have a great talent, service and notoriety) despite of what he is. His reputation made every animal rooting for him that even Legosi respected him.

Cons:

• Animal s*x makes me feel SUPER uncomfortable
• The stakes gets higher and higher which eventually made me feel uneasy.

To be honest, it's not like I hate Beastar. It's just that some of its adult scene makes me feel... weird.  Still, I manage to finished the 12 episodes in just a day so that should show you that this show doesn't suck too much. So, with that being said, I'm also giving this anime a 7.8/10 rating.

5.) Mob Psycho 100 (S01)

Mob Psycho 100
Image credit from Google

Sadly, something come up in 2020 that doesn't allow me to finish a lot of anime I had set-out to watch (nah, Corona got nothing to do with it). Right after I finished watching Mob Psycho 100 is actually the time when I started doing my home improvement projects, so there goes my plan down the drain. However, I will still talk about the last anime I had watch this year which is this anime right here. Well, to be frank - from the surface it doesn't look like much. With an background character-looking protagonist named Shigeo Kagayama ak.a 'Mob' and his average-looking friends and family; I'm not even sure if I'm going to continue watching this series. But, then after 3 episodes - it finally hits me... If I just forget about the average-looking characters for a bit, this series is actually pretty awesome!

So, let me start by telling you what 'Mob Psycho 100' is all about. We got Mob, a middle-school boy who is a powerful esper with immense psychic power. Just like Queen Elsa from Frozen, Mob here is constantly fighting with himself especially when it comes to ways to suppress his power. After earning himself a mentor (the guy one the left picture), Mob thinks that he now can learn on how to control it, but little did he knows that his 'mentor' ak.a Reigen Arataka is not really an esper, but rather a con-man pretending to be a self-proclaimed psychic. Mob already troubled personal life is about to turn more chaotic, as his power continues to grow and he have to fight with an organized espers by the name of 'Claw' to protect those who are dear to him. More good information about this anime down below;

Pros:

• A Heroes Journey. Mob growing pains can be likened to Naruto, Hunter x Hunter, and Boku Hero Academia.
• A well-rounded male protoganist (Mob)
• Great storyline and character development.
• Family values and friendships are main core in this anime.

Cons:

• Unappealing character (at first), but you soon realize that the story toppled that in the second.
• Bad news for anime watcher who like to 'judge the book by its cover'. They might miss out on this gem.

So, with that being said and done - I guess that's it guys for my anime crossed-off list for 2020. It's already July 2020, so might do my next anime cross-list in 2021. As always, please look forward to it. Thank you for reading this entry and see you next time. Jya-nee.

Yours Truly,

Mimi Said