Kakushigoto (2020): Final Thoughts

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Kakushigoto

Source: Anime Lab

By the end of its run Kakushigoto was an acrobatic mix of comedy, drama, and tragedy, which is an extremely difficult story to get right

And then Kakushigoto damned well stuck the landing with a near perfect dismount.

There were tears, and then there was massive laughter at the final punchline.

Spoilery meditations on a plot device: Violet Evergarden (2018) and Kakushigoto (2020)

Source: Anime Lab

The dead parent is something of a recurring trope in anime, partly because it gets the inconvenient adults out of the way of the story that the writers want to tell.

But sometimes it’s more than that. Sometimes it is the story, or a large part of it.

And, rarely, communication from beyond the grave in a mundane manner is that story.

The 8th Son? Are You Kidding Me?: First Episode(s) Impressions

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My Next Life As A Villainess, The 8th Son? Are You Kidding Me?

Source: CrunchyRoll

Ah, another anime season, another overpowered[1] Isekai harem[2] hero.

At least The 8^th Son? Are You Kidding Me? has a genuine sense of humour and some none-too-subtle commentary on what primogeniture does to the younger sons of a noble but poor family.

A former salaryman in Tokyo gets reincarnated into the body of Wendelin as a child during his second eldest brother’s wedding. Initially he thinks he’s landed in wealth because of the fabulous clothes, and the superb feast. Being the 2^nd or 3^rd son doesn’t really bother him at this point.

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom (2020): First Episode Impressions

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My Next Life As A Villainess

Source: CrunchyRoll

Young Katerina Claes is the epitome of the spoiled noble brat that you love to hate. Then she hits her head and recovers memories of her past life as an otaku playing the otome game Fortune Lover where Katerina Claes is the villainess who always ends up exiled or killed.

Oops.

Better undertake some damage control to avoid that[1].

Wave, Listen to Me (2020): First Episode Impressions

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Nami yo Kiitekure, Wave Listen to Me

Source: AnimeLab

Wave, Listen to Me[1] was definitely on the surreal side of season openers.

The opening scenes give the impression that Minare Koda is doing a radio broadcast from the woods whilst facing a brown bear before pulling back to reveal that she’s actually in a studio and the whole thing is being faked with sound effects etc.

Her style of broadcasting is this strange mix of shock jock and romantic advice[2] that left me wondering what the heck was going on here.