Thank you for visiting Anime Rants with Mono (7Mononoke). Keeping up with 10 or 11 different series is a lot, but I’m also enjoying it. The series covered in this post are: Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf, Twilight out of Focus, Senpai is an Otokonoko, Bye Bye Earth, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 3, My Deer Friend Nokotan, Suicide Squad Isekai, Yatagarasu, Sakuna of Rice and Ruin, and Tower of God season 2. These episodes were released in the week of July 15th through 21st.
Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf
Episode 16: Night of the Festival and Misaligned Gear
Episode Rating: 8/10
Most of this episode was fairly light-hearted and fun, especially with the festival. However, the ending was painful to watch due to Holo’s grief at hearing about the destruction of Yoitsu. She assumed all the worst possible things about Lawrence, none of which were true. She cried and cried, feeling so alone. Thinking she was lied to and betrayed by Lawrence, Holo is planning to run away to Amarti, who swore to pay off her debt and ask her to marry him. Lawrence feels powerless. To be continued.
Twilight Out of Focus
Episode 3: Our Feelings aren’t Always Pretty
Episode Rating: 8/10
This episode was very warm and heartfelt. Hisashi and Mao are officially together, telling each other they love each other and spending time on physical affection. They also finished the movie shoot on a positive note. I had mixed feelings about the sex scene. First of all, I was glad it wasn’t graphic, but more delicate and romantic. Nevertheless, these are young teenager characters, so it made me feel a bit uncomfortable to watch. I did, however, enjoy seeing them bond and talk together after.
The positive side of things is that we’re seeing less censoring in this series than usual for a standard BL anime. That could be considered progress – showing intimately gay moments on screen. Still, I could have personally done without the sex scene. I’m still enjoying the story and characters immensely. The plot seems to be moving very fast, so I suspect it will be divided into three separate story arcs, with each arc of 3-4 episodes focusing on a different BL couple. We’ll see if I’m right.
Senpai is an Otokonoko
Episode 3: Goodbye, Me
Episode Rating: 9/10
Though it was hard to watch early on, this episode was terrific thanks to the progressive conclusion. After being emotionally manipulated by his insane mother, Makoto decided to quit dressing like a girl and pretend not to like cute things. We also saw in a flashback that, despite the insanity of Makoto’s mother, their father was actually reasonable. It was him who set up Makoto at a school where they could dress as a girl. Back in the present, Ryuuji accepted Makoto’s decision, but Aoi didn’t buy the lie.
Makoto went to the dance party in a suit after throwing away their dress and high heels. But when they tried to throw away Aoi’s handkerchief, they finally realized they couldn’t go through with this. Aoi and Makoto met on the beach, after Aoi ran after a dump-truck to save Makoto’s high heels. Makoto admitted that they’d been lying. Aoi was happy to have her old senpai back. The two switched clothes so Makoto could wear the blue dress. Together, they danced on the beach. This ending was so beautiful it made me a little teary-eyed.
Bye Bye, Earth
Episode 2: Wherefore in the Earthshine
Episode Rating: 8/10
I enjoyed this episode quite a bit, mostly because I like the character of Belle and the story themes of being out of place and longing to find truth and acceptance. But there were also a few elements that weren’t so great. The Army of Insatiable Emptiness didn’t look very impressive in terms of visuals. I also don’t understand how it works yet. There has been some world-building about Schwert Land and the royal city, but the exposition was not well-blended into the story.
In addition to some of those weaknesses, it was weird that Belle took a bath with the rabbit child. I guess that’s a cultural thing, sharing a bath with young children. But it still looked weird. Anyway, I like the ending song and visuals a little bit more than the opening, but both are fairly good. The music is great so far. The priest-king with two faces was very eerie, but I liked him and his lore. On a final note, it seems that in this world, swords “grow” and are cultivated like plants instead of being forged. Interesting.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Season 3
Episode 15: Audience
Episode Rating: 8/10
I’m not a fan of Milim, or at least her character design, as it is clearly pandering to those who sexualize children’s bodies in anime. Luckily, Milim’s part in the episode was short. She captured four dragons for the dungeon. Everything else in this installment was entertaining. Rimuru had a three-day audience with the people of Jura, and I loved seeing the different creatures. That includes the Bovoids, Equinoids, Dryads, and Elves.
The three brothers who came to fight and train under Rimuru were not interesting to me, but it was great to see them soundly beaten by Shion. Speaking of the Kijin and her strength, I hope this season isn’t leading up to some stupid plot twist that would turn Shion against Rimuru. I feel like the plot might be setting this up, but I can’t imagine a context in which it makes sense. Shion is insanely loyal to Rimuru. So, hopefully I’m wrong about that speculation.
My Deer Friend Nokotan
Episode 3: Enrollment Hiccup
Episode Rating: 7/10
This episode wasn’t quite as funny as the previous two. The skits during the first half of the episode were humorous, what with the deer from the zoo coming to visit the club. The introduction of Meme Bashome was also fairly amusing, but again, less so than the content of prior installments. Anko’s disgusting siscon stuff kept annoying me. I don’t find that funny or entertaining, personally. Still, it was a good episode overall, and I’m glad the Deer Club now has two new members: Bashome and Anko.
Suicide Squad Isekai
Episode 6
Episode Rating: 7/10
Though it was boring at several points, I enjoyed this episode as a whole. The suicide squad was soundly defeated after engaging in battle with the Enchantress and the Thinker. They reported back to the castle, only to have the Queen order their execution. Fione and Cecil decided to give the other-worlders one more chance, breaking them out of prison. The backstory and slow character development of Fione has been mildly interesting. I’m also intrigued by Enchantress, since she clearly prevented the bullets from killing Deadshot and the others during the battle.
Yatagarasu: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master
Episode 14: The Taboo Elixir
Episode Rating: 7/10
The Crown Prince visits Yukiya in Taruhi, pretending to be a royal attendant. He is searching for clues about a taboo elixir, AKA a drug, which has been in circulation recently. It’s a terrible drug which turns its users mad after only a few doses. The user will also be stuck in raven form, violently attacking others. Yukiya and the Prince check several towns around Taruhi for clues. In one tiny village, they discover an ape-like monster who is eating Yatagarasu people. To be continued.
It’s great to have Yatagarasu back after a two-week break. The art style has really grown on me, so I love looking at it now. Yukiya and the Prince are both great characters. Watching them interact is so entertaining. I also love the world of the Yatagarasu and want to learn more about it.
Whisper Me a Love Song
Episode 11 was delayed until further notice
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin
Episode 3: Rice Planting Song
Episode Rating: 7/10
I’m enjoying this show a lot so far despite the fact that I’ve never played the game. I love a pretty, peaceful show that features farming, light fantasy, and creative art. That being said, this episode was slightly less enjoyable than optimal due to the predictable nature of it. For example, it’s easy to tell when Tauemon is going to comically mess everything up. I’m tired of Myrthe always ruining the food, too. However, regardless of predictable humor and repetitive character gags, I loved seeing everyone work together at the end. Let’s grow some rice!
Tower of God Season 2
Episode 3: The Trustworthy Room
Episode Rating: 7/10
Those who are reasonably friendly to each other – like Wangnan, Goseng, Miseng, and Nia – spend some relaxing together and playing cards. It’s clear that the silver-haired man (Akraptor) is concerned about the little girl, Miseng. Just when everyone was trying to sleep, an alarm goes off and a message comes through the remote controls left in each room. It’s a message from Love, who is giving another test. He explains the rules of the game, which is called “The Trustworthy Room.” It’s a teamwork and strategy game.
While most of the test takers work out their alliances, Viole goes straight to Love to challenge him. Love offers a special test to Viole, which he fails. Viole will now have to choose seven companions despite his desire to work alone. This episode was entertaining, but nothing amazing. The characters and their interactions are a little too on-the-nose. The music is incredible, but it’s too epic to match the events of the episode, which I’m not yet heavily invested in. Still, I like most of these characters.
~Thanks for reading~
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That is definitely a baboon monster on Yatagarasu, and I would very much like to know where the heck it came from and what it’s doing here? The first thing I can think of is that it somehow comes from some other nation where people turn into giant baboons instead of giant crows and maybe it’s gone insane like the crows are now, and for the same reason. Of course, we have no knowledge of any outside nations and this seems simply more ravenously predatory than mindlessly crazy, so that’s two holes in the theory already. As for this strange drug, a paper-thin allusion to opium and the like, they did quite well making me suspicious of this “physician” the moment he showed up on screen. I have to wonder what is wrong with such people, who can so easily lie to ensnare people before they even begin to suspect that they are being destroyed. I have to wonder what this man’s motives are, in particular. He seems far too calculating to be sowing such chaos on a whim, so what does he hope to gain, or what cause does he hope to advance, by creating fear and unrest?
I’m enjoying Sakuna as well. Everything was set up so well for the scene where they’re all working together properly, singing as they plant the rice. Until then, I was getting pretty annoyed with the boy who was doing nothing but complaining, especially. He redeemed himself a bit with the hoe and by joining in on the work planting rice.
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