Fall is probably my least favorite season to write wrap-ups like this because between the holidays and loose ends that need to be tied up in my own life, I still need to compile my EOY rankings. Luckily, I was proactive enough to finish my list of best girls of 2023 as well as update my list of best girls of all-time, the latter of which you can find on my AniList and MAL profiles. I also revealed my top 10 anime of 2023 (no sequels) along with three honorable mentions.
Anyway, in this post I’ll be covering eight seasonals I watched and completed this past fall, which does not include Frieren and Dog Signal as those shows are still in-progress.
Sequels
Girlfriend, Girlfriend (Season 2) (SynergySP)
Plot: 6/10 - This season would’ve been a lot better if it didn’t take itself so seriously. I just couldn’t comprehend Naoya’s conversations with Nagisa and Saki Saki at the summer festival with him trying to rationalize his two timing and prove he loves them both equally. That compounded with the re-introduction of Mirika and her antics made the plot extremely frustrating. I wasn’t a fan of her instigation and provocation of Shino at all to the point where she actively makes fun of her in the final episode. An absolute trashy character. It wasn’t all bad though. Rie Takahashi is such a good voice actress being able to bring Shino’s emotions to the forefront. The internal monologues were powerful, and I loved how much backstory and character growth she received. She was easily my favorite character after season 1, so more screen time for Shino was greatly appreciated. However, I’m a bit conflicted on how her arc concluded with her doing a complete 180 on the idea of allowing Saki Saki to two-time and “catch the stupid” from her. I suppose the only alternative would be to write her out of the story completely, but that’s obviously not gonna happen. Honestly, one of the reasons why I picked up season 2 in the first place was because I was promised more Shino; I’m not sure if I wanna watch her struggle from the sidelines helping Naoya make his girlfriends happy in a potential third season.
Characters
Protagonists: 7/10 - If Shino didn’t have as strong of a character arc, this would’ve been a 6. She does a lot of the heavy lifting for this category with Saki Saki providing some support. Mirika counterbalances these two with how despicable she is. Nagisa didn’t really do much at all this season, so I’m neutral on her.
Supporting Cast: 5/10 - They simply didn’t exist, so I’m assigning this a neutral rating.
Genre: 6/10 - There are definitely better harem rom-com anime to watch, but when the humor in this show hits, it hits hard.
Art/Animation/Design: 7/10 - Pretty standard across the board. The funniest parts of the show received the most attention and detail with how detailed the character expressions were.
Music: 8/10 - This is probably the most underrated aspect of the show. The OP was super catchy and way better than season 1 while the ED was sung by ClariS, who you might recognize as the duo that sung the OP for Lycoris Recoil.
Final Score: 6.25 > 6
Would I recommend? If you’re a fan of harem rom-coms and don’t mind a little bit of drama, you might like Girlfriend, Girlfriend. Big emphasis on “might” because the way you feel about Mirika will definitely influence how you feel about the show overall. That being said, there are a lot more harem rom-coms I’d recommend before this one, including another harem rom-com that aired this season.
SPY x FAMILY (Season 2) (Wit Studio, Cloverworks)
Plot: 10/10 - One of my biggest criticisms of season 1 of Spy x Family was the lack of Yor and her involvement with the plot. We never really got to see her in action in her job as an assassin since most of the focus went towards developing Loid and Anya. A ton of manga readers were looking forward to the second season as it would most likely feature this “cruise arc," which heavily focuses on Yor. I bought into this hype, and it absolutely delivered. The character development, the animation, the music - everything was perfect. And it wasn’t like Loid and Anya were left out of the story completely; we got to see them deepen their father-daughter relationship, something I don’t recall happening too often in the first season. It was basically a winning situation for our main three. And to cap things off, we even got to see Bond in the spotlight working side-by-side with Loid! I couldn’t ask for anything else out of this season.
Characters
Protagonists: 10/10 - Like I already mentioned, I think Loid, Yor, Anya, and even Bond got the right amount of screen time and development given the events of season 1. There’s not much to criticize here - only praise for the way Yor’s character arc was handled.
Supporting Cast: 7/10 - I actually really liked Garden, the organization Yor is affiliated with. So much so that I was shocked when the Director was taken out in the final battle against the Swordsman. I also really liked Olka as she was the one who made Yor think about why she’s still working as an assassin. Though her role was quite minor, her impact on Yor will surely last throughout the upcoming CODE: WHITE movie and hopefully a third season. I also really liked the episodes dedicated to Becky and Yuri; they’re so unhinged, and I loved every second of it.
Genre: 9/10 - One of the best shows that deals with espionage and politics while also managing to balance slice of life and family elements really well.
Art/Animation/Design: 10/10 - Episodes 8 and 9 are peak. Enough said.
Music: 7/10 - The OP and ED were a bit lacking and never really reached the catchiness of those from the first season. But the use of insert songs this season was really good. I think there were three in total, and I loved how they were used in the overall story.
Final Score: 9.35 > 9
Would I recommend? 1000% yes! I’ll always recommend Spy x Family to anyone who’s new to anime because there’s a little something for everyone in it. Whether it’s the slice of life elements, comedy, or action involving Loid/Yor, I’m sure folks will be able to say they liked one specific part of the show.
Originals
Wataoshi: I'm in Love with the Villainess (Platinum Vision)
“Rei Ohashi is a burned-out office worker by day but otome game heroine Rae Taylor by night. After her long workdays, Rei immerses herself in the world of her favorite dating sim, Revolution, as a student at Bauer Kingdom's prestigious Royal Academy. Instead of focusing on the male love interests, Rei obsesses over the romantic rival: the game's villainess, Claire François. One evening, however, Rei's exhaustion catches up with her and she passes away.
When Rei opens her eyes again, she finds herself reincarnated as Rae and in the presence of her beloved Claire. Given this miraculous opportunity, she wastes no time declaring her love for the golden-haired villainess and her endearing attempts at bullying. Winning Claire's heart is no easy feat, especially as the game persistently throws the three male leads at Rae - but she has no intention of allowing the dating sim logic to come between her and the one she truly loves.”
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Plot: 9/10 - This one flew under my radar in the pre-season for reasons unknown, which is strange considering I’ve been chasing a decent girls love/yuri anime ever since Bloom Into You. Adachi and Shimamura was ok, but it was always too afraid to commit to anything. And I’ve already been burned once this season by another show that was yuri bait, so you could imagine how apprehensive I felt about adding this one to my weekly watchlist. But as I was scrolling through TikTok one night, I watched a clip from the third episode of the dub, which featured a very nuanced and unusually mature conversation about same-sex relationships and homosexuality. If you don’t watch a lot of anime, let me tell you right now that that is not common. Like at all. I was so struck by this that I had to see what was up. And boy was I taken for a ride. Unlike other yuri shows, Wataoshi straightforwardly addresses Rae's sexuality without ambiguity, offering a refreshing take on the genre.
The narrative skillfully portrays the progression of the relationship between Rae Taylor (our isekai’d protagonist) and Claire Francois (aka the villainess) from an unrequited crush, to friends, and ultimately to lovers, delivering a pure and logical romance that captivates the audience. The world building, specifically the exploration of the commoner/noble divide, adds depth to the story, with Rae being a commoner and facing challenges in her relationship with Claire, a noble.
Characters
Protagonists: 10/10 - I was really invested in Rae and Claire given their pasts and beliefs as well as the character transformations they go through. Rae is convinced that if she can suppress her feelings for Claire, it’s what will make Claire the most happy (knowing she can’t be with Claire within the confines of the game). But with the introduction of Manaria (who I’ll talk more about in a bit), she’s forced to confront these feelings head on and realize they’re worth fighting for. As for Claire, she's introduced as someone who holds discriminatory views towards commoners. However, as the series progresses, she undergoes a gradual transformation. What I find particularly impressive is how the anime portrays Claire’s cognitive dissonance, revealing her changing perspective on commoners. Unlike typical character arcs, Claire's shifting attitudes are presented in a very realistic manner. She slowly accepts Rae into her inner circle, but she still holds a prejudiced perspective against commoners who aren’t Rae. This nuanced approach adds a layer of realism and immersion to Claire's character, making her feel more human and relatable. It’s very minor, but this small detail in her development makes her stand out in a positive way. Also, she’s a really good tsundere.
Supporting Cast: 7/10 - Manaria does a lot of the heavy lifting for this category. Had it not been for her, I probably would’ve assigned this a 6. Before Manaria, I wasn’t particularly invested in any other characters besides Rae and Claire. The three princes had something going for each of them but not enough to get me to care about them (which I suppose makes sense considering this is akin to Rae’s approach to the game). Lene’s character was doing really well until well…you’ll get there. Not her fault by any means, but one thing’s for sure: I was not expecting that sort of plot twist. Going back to Manaria, she plays devil’s advocate with both Rae and Claire, forcing them to stop idling and, for lack of a better term, get them to f**k already! Some people might think her methods are a bit extreme (especially with Rae), but I think it was a necessary wake-up call for both of them to acknowledge that their feelings are valid.
Genre: 9/10 - I still think Bloom Into You approached romance better than Wataoshi, but Wataoshi is definitely up there next to it given what it’s brought to the table. And to be fair, the bar for girls love/yuri isn’t hard to clear given how much yuri bait there is out there.
Art/Animation/Design: 7/10 - While the animation isn’t extraordinary, it’s more than sufficient for the action scenes involving fights against monsters or sparring between students, contributing to a solid overall production. The character designs also aren’t anything to write home about, but considering the world of this show takes place within a visual novel I can overlook the genericity of our beloved characters.
Music: 7/10 - Soundtrack was surprisingly good. OP and ED were also quite catchy.
Final Score: 8.8 > 9
Would I recommend? If you’re looking for girls love/yuri anime, I’d suggest watching Bloom Into You first since I still think that’s the “blueprint” for this genre. But if you’re more of a rom-com fan, you’ll enjoy Wataoshi a lot more. It’s not as dramatic as Bloom Into You, but it knows when to take itself seriously amidst the humor of it all.
SHY (Season 1) (8bit)
“Just as the planet approached its third World War, individuals with superpowers appeared from around the globe to maintain peace. They became the symbols of their respective nations, striving to limit crime and bring evildoers to justice. Teenage heroine Teru "Shy" Momijiyama is Japan's representative in the world of heroes. When a mysterious threat called Amarariruku emerges, Shy must work together with her fellow heroes to stop them at all costs.”
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Plot: 7/10 - I think the one aspect this season was lacking in was proper world building. It’s obvious that this show is character-driven, and while there’s nothing necessarily wrong with that the arcs that Teru and Pepesha go through rang hollow. How was this worldwide hero organization formed? How were they chosen? Is there no regulation or oversight? I also wasn’t too big a fan of the explanation for their powers. These heroes just came out of nowhere because they believed in themselves hard enough? I don’t buy it. I’m not asking for an info/lore dump but just enough to keep us viewers informed about why things are happening. A character arc like Pepesha’s would’ve been better once the world had been established, which it never really was.
Another gripe I had was with Amarariruku. I still don’t understand what their (and Stigma’s) goals are. Make the world more friendly for children? Why do they despise heroes so much? Where are these kids from? So many unanswered questions. Don’t get me wrong: this group felt pretty intimidating. I just wish I knew what exactly they were fighting for. That’s another thing: the difference in power between the members of Amarariruku and the heroes was unexpectedly large. I’ll cut Teru some slack in her fight against a possessed Koishikawa since that episode was meant to demonstrate her lack of experience. But I wasn’t expecting Pepesha to get her ass kicked by Tzveta let alone twice in one season.
Other than the questionable pacing, this was surprisingly good for a generic-looking superhero anime.
Characters
Protagonists: 8/10 - Teru’s character arc throughout this season was really good. The only thing that’s holding me back from giving her a perfect 10 is that it didn’t take up the entire season. I thought the lessons she learned in rescuing Koishikawa twice and sparring with Stardust were really valuable, and she applied those lessons well in helping Pepesha fight off Tzveta. I wish I could say the same for Kufufu, but for some reason, Teru kept falling for her tricks? Odd, but oh well.
Supporting Cast: 7/10 - Like I mentioned earlier, Pepesha does a lot of the heavy lifting for this category. Episodes 8-12 are dedicated entirely to fleshing out her character and backstory, which is great because I already liked Pepesha to begin with. However, that comes at the expense of crucial worldbuilding and less focus on our protagonist Teru/Shy. I feel like if something like what Pepesha went through happened to Teru instead, I wouldn’t have minded it as much. Stardust and Lady Black were cool too. As extreme as his methods were, I think Stardust really lit a fire (no pun intended) under Teru that was the wake-up call she needed to become a stronger hero. The episode with Lady Black was very wholesome.
Genre: 6/10 - As far as superhero shows go, Shy is definitely high up there. But I’ve watched better henshin and anime involving superpowers, and those shows had a decent amount of world building.
Art/Animation/Design: 7/10 - Nothing really special here, but the character designs and some of the sequences involving Amarariruku looked nice.
Music: 4/10 - OP never really caught on to me, and I skipped the ED most of the time.
Final Score: 6.85 > 7
Would I recommend? Probably not. Not to anyone new to anime nor experienced since I don’t think Shy is doing anything groundbreaking in the genres it’s a part of. If you want to watch something in the henshin or superpower departments, I recommend watching Date A Live, Love After World Domination, or Tensura. Season 2 has already been confirmed, but I’m still undecided on whether or not I want to continue this franchise.
Kimizero (ENGI)
“Ryuto Kashima is a gloomy high schooler. As part of a punishment game, he was forced to confess to Runa Shirakawa, a girl from the top of the school caste who was admired by everyone.
They ended up going out for the unexpected reason of ‘Err, I'm free now so...’ but Ryuto ends up following and eavesdropping on Runa being confessed to by a handsome soccer club member, and Runa bringing Ryuto, whom she had just begun dating, to her own room as a matter of course.
They have different friends and ways to have fun, and they are different in almost every way. Nonetheless, they begin to relate with each other after being surprised by their differences every day and accepting them.”
[Source: MAL News]
Plot: 7/10 - I would’ve felt more confident in giving this an 8 if there was more accountability for Maria. I don’t see how in just a few episodes Maria can go from absolutely hating her sister and wanting to destroy her life to becoming a half-decent person. It just doesn’t add up. She’s the reason why a rift forms between Runa and Ryuto in the latter half of the season, yet we never see an honest conversation between her and Runa as sisters. That emotional scene of Runa and Ryuto not wanting to break up in the park? It should’ve been replaced with Runa and Maria making up with Maria doing most of the apologizing. Other than that, I loved Ryuto and Runa. If this gets a second season, I will be there. Heck, I might even pick up the manga in spite of this blemish to the plot.
Characters
Protagonists: 8/10 - At the risk of making him sound like a self-insert, I can relate to Ryuto a lot given his interests and lack of dating history. And while I’m not saying fiction can be a reflection of real life, it is kinda nice to see how two people coming from complete opposite worlds can make a relationship work. The naivety these two share when it comes to relationships make for very cute and wholesome moments that I couldn’t get enough of. However, I do have a criticism for both Ryuto and Runa. Ryuto is just way too nice, especially after he confronted Maria about why she pretended to be her sister. She rejected you in middle school, man! You have every right to be upset with her! As for Runa, while I get she has some trauma after being in so many empty relationships, I don’t get how she can lose so much faith in Ryuto after he sides with Maria and her festival poster. Y’all have been dating for how long, and this is what draws you apart from each other?
Supporting Cast: 6/10 - For a show that places a lot of emphasis on the main characters’ relationship (especially given how different they are), I was surprised there was even room to fit in the supporting cast. I thought Nicole’s character arc with her reuniting with her ex Sekiya was nice and sweet up until he dumped her again and then ran back to him in the last episode saying she’ll wait for him until his exams are over. I thought she deserved a lot better. Maybe not someone like Nishi given how they didn’t have much chemistry but literally anyone else. As for Akari, I totally get her shutting down Ijichi’s confession, but to change her tune right after he lost some weight felt a bit scummy to me, especially with how she seemingly puts looks at the top of her list of most desirable qualities in a partner. Yes, she might acknowledge her hypocrisy, but that doesn’t make it any less egregious.
Genre: 8/10 - You can probably find better romance anime that connect on a more emotional level, but if we’re comparing this show specifically with other fluffy romances (e.g., Tonikawa). I definitely rate it highly among them.
Art/Animation/Design: 7/10 - For a show made by ENGI, Kimizero was surprisingly well-made. I was especially impressed by Runa, Nicole, and Akari’s character designs.
Music: 7/10 - The OP and ED were good. I don’t think I ever skipped the OP, and I rarely skipped the ED.
Final Score: 7.3 > 7
Would I recommend? I actually would recommend Kimizero if someone was looking for a romance anime where the main couple is already together or get together early on. It’s not perfect, and while I do have issues with how certain conflicts were handled, I liked how sweet and fluffy it was. I eat that stuff up for breakfast. Also, watching this show made me realize that I will legitimately watch any romance anime no matter how bad it is if it features a gyaru as one of the main characters. The Marin Effect is 100% real.
Protocol: Rain (Quad)
“Shun Tokinoya is a second-year high school student who lives with his mother and younger sister. After his father was killed in an accident and his sister was injured, he quit the game he loved and now works at an esports café called "FOX ONE." He spends all of his time studying and working part-time, while also socializing with his childhood gaming buddies. Suddenly, he discovers that "FOX ONE" is deeply in debt. Shun and his friends hope to win the "Xaxerion Championship" and the prize money in order to repay their debts. Shun returns to the world of online games, where he is confronted by Explosion-kun, who used to play the game with him.”
[Source: MAL News]
Plot: 3/10 - Holy shit. It’s actually impressive how badly this show fumbled the bag of what otherwise sounds like an intriguing concept. There are a lot of issues I had with the show, so I’m gonna break them down into bullet points:
If the goal of Xaxerion is to win 7 rounds, why are teams switching sides after round 5? Shouldn’t they be switching after round 6? Valorant’s competitive game mode is MR13, so if a team wins all the rounds in one half they only need one more to win the game. Also, why isn’t there overtime in Xaxerion? That would’ve been much more intense than watching Rox and Shun whiff all their shots in a 1v1 to decide the game.
For some reason, this show has a weird obsession with showing characters naked. This mf Rox out here drinking his curry while scheming in front of his nine (?) monitors.
This anime does nothing to make me believe that they were able to mount a second comeback against Sleeping Owl. I’ll chalk it up to beginner’s luck the first time around, but don’t give me Mio showing signs of mobility and Yu suggesting “running it down” as reasons to why Team Fox One are able qualify for the pro league.
What was that cliffhanger ending at the end of episode 10? What was Mio holding?
The love triangle between Nozomi, Yu, and Shun is so weird. There are scenes where we see Nozomi and Yu acknowledge their feelings through internal monologues, but we never see how Shun feels about either of them. It’s like the writers were afraid to commit fully to the romantic subplot and shifted their focus to Shun’s unhealthy relationship with Mio.
The biggest gripe I have with the plot: Shun never finds out who Explosion-kun really is even as we the viewers know it’s Yu the entire time. You’d think this would be a major turning point in the plot, especially with how the synopsis is written. But nope! Only hinted at, never actually pulling the trigger on what could’ve been spicier drama.
Characters
Protagonists: 5/10 - I’m gonna be honest: I never really understood the conflict between Mio and Shun. Maybe something is wrong with Mio psychologically, but I don’t know why she was ok with Shun staking his relationship with her on this one match and then regretting her decision while watching it. Did she actually go to rehab because Shun won? The more the show focused on this conflict, the less I liked Mio. As for Shun’s teammates, Yu and Nozomi got a decent amount of character development, but we don’t get anything from Akito or Daneko. Anytime Akito was on-screen, he was always (a) fawning over Mio, (b) complaining about other teams/wanting to get stronger, or (c) acting frustrated when he got killed in-game. The only thing Daneko was good for was his “nya” catchphrases in-game, which got old real quick.
Supporting Cast: 4/10 - First and foremost, Nozomi’s dad SUCKS as a coach. How was this man able to manage a pro team before Shun and friends came along? How does he not coach them on basic callouts and help anti-strat other teams? Why does Seshiru, a fan of Team Fox One, need to come in as the new head coach? He’s an actual embarrassment, and all he does is complain about the debt he’s in. Rox - this man is way too edgy. He came off as a complete creep and weirdo who’s supposed to be Shun’s rival, but this man was living in Shun’s head rent free filling it up with nonsense. He thinks he can diagnose Mio after taking one psychology course in college (which he dropped out of)? Uh huh. Sure, buddy.
Genre: 3/10 - Seeing that this is legitimately the only anime I’ve seen that features esports, the bar has been set fairly low. But compared to other shows involving video games in general, there are a ton of shows that are leagues better than this one.
Art/Animation/Design: 3/10 - The most egregious part of the anime is definitely the Xaxerion gameplay, which looks like it was made in a week using Unreal Engine. The designs aren’t anything unique, and the art style is quite flat. I think the worst part of the AAD was the fact that it couldn’t be bothered to make its own assets and blatantly copied the map designs for Split (from Valorant) and Dust 2 (from CS). If that doesn’t scream lazy, I don’t know what does.
Music: 7/10 - The OP and ED were surprisingly decent - one of the very few highlights from this show.
Final Score: 3.7 > 4
Would I recommend? Hell no. It’s clear that the writing team watched Masters Tokyo as part of the 2023 Valorant Champions Tour and thought the plot could write itself. But a lot of it ends up being spaghetti thrown at a wall, hoping something would stick. I would’ve enjoyed this show a lot more if Yu was Shun’s rival and then discovered they used to play together. From there, you could properly develop Yu’s struggle between maintaining her image as an actress and avid gamer plus better integrate the love triangle between her, Nozomi, and Shun. Heck, even if this anime didn’t do that and instead broke down the business of esports ala CGDCT, I would’ve been satisfied.
As a fan of both anime and esports, I’m deeply disappointed and worried that this abomination will discourage future attempts at integrating esports into a proper anime.
Hyakkano: The 100 Girlfriends (Bibury Animation Studios)
“Rentaro Aijo has it all: looks, intelligence, athletic skill, and popularity with peers and mentors alike. Unfortunately, none of these qualities help Rentaro with his love life. On the day of his middle school graduation, he is once again turned down by a girl he confesses to, earning his one-hundredth rejection in a row. Down on his luck, he goes to a matchmaking shrine and wishes to finally get a girlfriend in high school.
When the god of the shrine suddenly appears before him, Rentaro is told he will meet an astronomical total of one hundred soulmates in high school. Though Rentaro initially does not take this foretelling seriously, his doubts disappear when, on the first day of school, he meets two of these soulmates - Hakari Hanazono and Karane Inda - who both confess to him. With fated encounters and love confessions galore, Rentaro's life is about to get a lot more exciting.”
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Plot: 8/10 - With a show that’s presumably going to introduce all 100 girlfriends, you’ll likely wonder what the pacing might shape up to be. I’m glad to report that Hyakkano excels in this regard. The first five girlfriends each receive adequate screen time and character development to make me care about them, even if they’re the embodiment of a certain -dere archetype. The show is a complete parody of the harem rom-com genre, dialing the humor and ridiculousness up to 11. It hardly takes itself seriously as Rentaro slowly catches these girlfriends like Pokémon. The anime is pretty tame up until Kusuri’s introduction in episode 7, and then things gets real spicy by episode 10. While there isn’t necessarily an end goal for this anime, it still has the fundamental elements of a good story that make the show easy to follow and enjoy the ride.
Characters
Protagonists: 9/10 - In order, my list of best girls goes Nano > Hakari > Kusuri > Karane > Shizuka. I love kuuderes, so Nano being at the top doesn’t surprise me. My opinion of Hakari rose positively in the last four episodes; without this arc, I think she would’ve ranked below Kusuri. I would’ve rated Kusuri higher if she was in her normal senpai form more often. The loli form wasn’t it for me. Karane is second to last mainly because I didn’t like Shizuka much and is why this category is a 9. I thought her introduction was good, but as the show went on, her gag of using her audiobook to communicate got old really quickly. I mean, there’s no way a single audiobook is managing to get her through 90% of her daily conversations. Rentaro has to be transcribing multiple books for this to work. And I know I’m supposed to suspend any and all disbelief while watching this show, but this was something I just couldn’t overlook. Don’t get me wrong: danderes are great (e.g., Komi-san); it’s just that the gag Shizuka’s character is based on didn’t quite work for me personally.
Supporting Cast: 7/10 - There were really only two supporting characters in the show, and they are the demonic vice principal who might’ve traumatized me and Hahari. I’m giving this category a 7 since that’s the average of how much I liked the two characters individually. I won’t lie: I was not expecting Rentaro to bag a virgin MILF as one of his girlfriends, but man has my respect for him shot up significantly after this mini arc. Out of the six girlfriends Rentaro currently has, Hahari might be up there along with Nano as my favorites.
Genre: 10/10 - This legitimately might be the peak of the harem rom-com genre. It was laugh-out-loud funny, all the jokes and gags were hilarious, and there was even a sprinkle of breaking the fourth wall. One recurring gag that caught me off-guard was Karane and Hakari’s suppressed love for each other that manifested itself when they were turned into kiss zombies by Kusuri’s drug. I thought that was the last we’d see of them together, but nope! The finale episode had them macking on each other in their sleep as they fantasized about Rentaro.
Art/Animation/Design: 10/10 - Bibury struck this one out of the park. The character expressions, absurd anime physics, and comical moments were all really well done. Their work on the second season of Quintessential Quintuplets was really solid, so I’m glad they were able to prove themselves capable a second time around.
Music: 7/10 - The OP and ED were pretty catchy, and I never skipped them. I also really liked the special ED for episode 11, which was a nice touch to an already bonkers episode.
Final Score: 8.55 > 9
Would I recommend? If you’ve never watched a harem rom-com before, I’d advise you to watch some of the more “normal” ones to ease into the genre to better appreciate the amazingness that is Hyakkano. I seriously do think this is the peak for the genre, so it’s best to save the best for last so to speak. Some titles I recommend watching before this one include High School DxD, Quintessential Quintuplets, and Saekano.
Stardust Telepath (Studio Gokumi)
“Since childhood, 15-year-old Umika Konohoshi has been fascinated by aliens, hoping to one day voyage to outer space and befriend them. Unfortunately, this fixation has caused her peers to label her as odd, intensifying her struggle with severe social anxiety. Nevertheless, Umika's passion for the extraterrestrial persists, and she deeply believes that her true purpose is outside the confines of Earth.
On her first day of high school, Umika's wish of meeting an alien seems to have finally come true when she encounters Yuu Akeuchi - a classmate who claims to have crash-landed on Earth with no recollections of her past. Umika tries to seize this opportunity to make friends with Yuu, but her lack of confidence hinders her. Sensing Umika's distress, Yuu suddenly uses a strange power to delve deep into her mind, thus sparking a friendship that may just help Umika reach her dreams.”
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Plot: 7/10 - This one turned out to be quite an oddball, but it got better as the series unfolded. Following the success of Bocchi the Rock, I suddenly became interested in female protagonists with social anxiety. Hence why I picked up SHY and Stardust Telepath. The series starts off slow, laying the groundwork for the second half, which gains momentum with real-life applications of the protagonists’ hobby: building model rockets. Themes of teamwork, conflict resolution, and resilience emerge, elevating the storyline. However, the slow start might deter some viewers. The second half introduces engaging storylines, especially when the protagonists discover competitions involving model rockets. Ok, so if this show is about a group of girls sharing a hobby, this will surely be a CGDCT anime, right? Yes and no. The girls start out as a hobby group, not an official club, so they’re basically working with what they got. Their first competition ends in failure, and the last third of the show explores how each of the girls deals with it and how they plan to move on.
Characters
Protagonists: 7/10 - Umika stands out as one of the most anxious anime characters in recent memory (alongside Bocchi), undergoing significant growth by the season's end. Her group mates, Yuu, Haruno, and Raimon, contribute to her development. Notably, Yuu lacks depth compared to the rest. All we know is that she’s an amnesiac alien from outer space, but we get no real answers or progress made towards getting her back home. Haruno's carefree and optimistic nature balances the group, while Raimon's harsh yet welcome criticism adds diversity. Personally, I liked Raimon the most despite the criticism she received on r/anime; she was the most relatable, and I saw a lot of myself in her based on how she reacted to certain situations.
Supporting Cast: 6/10 - Supporting characters like Umika's younger sister Honami and homeroom teacher Emihara lack substantial development. Akizuki has some decent moments in the middle of the series and might be the only supporting character worth praising.
Genre: 5/10 - This is a decent CGDCT series as long as you don't expect to gain much knowledge about constructing model rockets. There are some informational nuggets throughout, but the build process isn’t the focus of the show. Despite being labeled as a girls love series in the pre-season, it leans more towards slice of life/school themes. Yuu’s odekopathy is the extent to which the main four are physically affectionate with each other, which is a shame because I was excited by the prospect of watching two girls love shows in one season.
Art/Animation/Design: 8/10 - I was pretty neutral on the AAD for Kinmoza (another CGDCT anime Gokumi has produced), but what the studio does here is crisp and consistent, with special mention to Umika's vibrant hair color. Backgrounds, while not a focal point, serve their purpose.
This show also produced one of my favorite stills from the entire season:
Music: 6/10 - The sound doesn't particularly stand out but fits the series well. Both the OP and ED are suitable, and the voice acting is commendable.
Final Score: 6.5 > 7
Would I recommend? Not really. If you’ve watched all the “good” CGDCT and girls love/yuri shows, definitely give this one a chance. But before you do, I recommend watching Bocchi the Rock, A Place Further than the Universe, and New Game first as your foray into CGDCT. For girls love/yuri, Bloom Into You, Wataoshi, and Adachi and Shimamura are all good shows to start.
The Backlog
My Little Monster (Brain’s Base)
“Shizuku Mizutani is apathetic toward her classmates, only caring about her grades. However, her cold view of life begins to change when she meets Haru Yoshida, a violent troublemaker who stopped attending class after getting into a fight early in the school year. He is not much different from her, though - he too understands little about human nature and does not have any friends. Much to Shizuku's surprise, he proclaims that she will be his friend and immediately confesses his feelings toward her upon meeting her.
Because of her lack of friends and social interaction, Shizuku has a hard time understanding her relationship with Haru. But slowly, their friendship begins to progress, and she discovers that there is more to Haru than violence. She begins to develop feelings for him, but is unsure what kind of emotions she is experiencing. Together, Shizuku and Haru explore the true nature of their relationship and emotions.”
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Plot: 6/10 - I was really excited to dive into this show, hoping for a satisfying rom-com as the genre begins to run dry for me. However, it fell into the all-too-familiar trap of concluding at what felt like the midpoint of the series. The narrative revolves around Shizuku and Haru, socially awkward in their own right and initially friendless due to their unconventional personalities. Their upfront and candid nature in the first half was a highlight for me, but as the series progressed, the second half left much to be desired in terms of character development. The central theme of "opposites attract" defines the chemistry between Shizuku, a studious individual aiming for good grades, and Haru, a semi-delinquent with a penchant for entertainment and occasional fights. The addition of Natsume and Sasayan to the group adds depth and contributes to the comedic elements, forming a quirky ensemble.
While the series started strong with Shizuku and Haru confessing their love early on, the romantic plotline took a disappointing turn. Instead of progressing, it felt like the characters regressed, becoming passive and uncertain about their relationship. The biggest letdown was the ending, which felt abrupt and incomplete. It seemed like the series got cut off halfway through a 24-episode run, leaving a desire for a second season that will likely never come.
Characters
Protagonists: 7/10 - Between Shizuku and Haru, I definitely liked Shizuku a lot more. But as the series progressed, Haru started to grow on me. Individually, I think they’re good characters. I just wasn’t really a fan of the “will they, won’t they” of it all.
Supporting Cast: 7/10 - They were good for the most part with stand out characters including Natsume, Yamaken, and Oshima. I thought the romantic suplot between Natsume and Mi-chan was interesting; it’s a little unfortunate that it was cut short/was inconclusive. Yamaken and Oshima are similar in that they both have crushes on our protagonists, and their character arcs expose them to why their crushes are good fits for each other. Thinking about it more, I actually really liked the subplots of this anime - perhaps even more than our protagonists’ story. It’s a shame that the last episode ends so abruptly as there’s still so much potential left over.
Genre: 6/10 - I think if you’re a fan of slice of life shows that take place at school, you’ll come away liking this one. Because I went in with the expectation of a rom-com (which it’s tagged as on MAL), I was slightly disappointed. However, I can see how this show might be appealing to others.
Art/Animation/Design: 7/10 - Considering it came out in 2012, the animation and artwork hold up well. The main cast display a range of amusing expressions, and the attention to detail is quite noticeable.
Music: 5/10 - The OP and ED were meh. I skipped them both maybe half of the time depending on my mood.
Final Score: 6.3 > 6
Would I recommend? Eh, probably not. If you decide to pick this one up, it’s best approached without high expectations for a grand love story. While the romantic development may be lacking, the anime excels in delivering laughs and a genuinely happy atmosphere. If you can overlook the incomplete narrative, it's a feel-good anime worth considering.
Final Words and Looking Ahead
2023 left me with mixed feelings about the anime scene. With an average rating of 7.24, it surprisingly stands as my third "worst" anime year among those where I watched 10 or more titles. While notable releases like Oshi no Ko, Insomniacs After School, and The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten graced the year, there were also disappointments like Protocol: Rain, Kizuna no Allele, and The Dreaming Boy is a Realist. I averaged 8.5 shows per season this year, which is pretty substantial. In 2024, I want to be more selective when it comes to the titles I choose to watch in a given season. I want to spend more time working on other hobbies including producing video content, working out consistently, and studying the Japanese and Korean languages. Working a full-time job this year has made me realize that we actually don’t have a lot of time in our days, so how we choose to spend those precious hours after work and on weekends is crucial.
I still have leftover shows from summer 2023 that I still want to watch, including 16bit Sensation, MagiRevo, and the third season of Rent-A-Girlfriend (sunk-cost fallacy). Then again, my plan to watch list is already massive; I’d probably have to skip an entire anime season if I want to make a dent in it.
As I write this blog post, I’m home in New Jersey for the holidays and travel back to Wisconsin on New Year’s Day. Once I return, I’m hopping straight back into editing to finish my post-Japan trip wrap-up video that I’ve been meaning to upload to my YouTube channel. In that video, you’ll get to hear about the stuff that didn’t make it into the vlogs/social media, some things I wish I did, some advice I have for people who want to visit Japan some day, and my future travel plans as they relate to Japan! I also show off all the souvenirs I bought (spoiler: it’s a lot). I anticipate this video being a long one, so make sure you’re subscribed to my channel!
If you’ve watched or end up watching any of the shows I reviewed, let me know on social media! I’m always down to talk anime, and I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts. Until next season! See ya!