🧣Anime Academia Treatise #2: Breath of the Icy Blizzard(Winter 2023)

The academia suspends its hiatus with the latest volume of its treatise that scrutinizes the manifestations of Winter 2023.

Warning: Mild spoilers ahead!

👑 Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka IV: Fuka Shou — Yakusai-hen (Is it Wrong to Pick Up Girls in A Dungeon Season 4 Part 2)

“Gap moe crowns the undisputed best girl”

Status: Completed

Episodes: 11/11

“Something tells me that the Deep Floors won’t be kind enough to let us both escape with our lives. And eventually, the time will come when a sacrifice will have to be made.” — Ryuu Lion

Welcome to Season 4: ’tis the season of despair where everyone is at 1HP, barely keeping their limbs together and fighting monsters ten times stronger than the ones who whooped their arses on the Middle Floors. I can’t think of any other lucrative premise to get you invested in this show. Take it from your senpai who dropped this series around Season 3 but returned as soon as he saw Ryuu being in the spotlight of the Season 4 trailer. This iteration of the show keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout its run.

The stakes are undoubtedly higher than ever before. You have Bell and Ryuu traversing the Deep Floors in an incapacitated state and falling prey to the cruel nature of the dungeon. Each battle with a monster deprives them of their scanty vitality and they have to efficiently strategize to escape from their pursuers. On the other hand, Bell’s team goes up against an unexpected floor boss summoned by the dungeon and learns to persevere in the absence of their hero. What could possibly be more entertaining than the main characters relentlessly chipping away at monsters while suppressing their insurmountable despair as they seek to avert their impending doom?

The highlight of this season was definitely the interactions between Bell and Ryuu as they venture within the Deep Floors of the dungeon. Both are quick to realize that they need to leverage their resources, namely Bell’s strength and Ryuu’s knowledge, which are indispensable for survival. The eerie atmosphere of the Deep Floors and blood-stained limbs of our characters constantly seek to remind the precariousness of the situation. Amidst all of this, Bell helps Ryuu overcomes her trauma in a brief moment of respite and they share an intimate moment that provides a sharp contrast to their perilous predicament. The skin-contact scene in Episode 10 was very well directed: it didn’t strike as crude but was full of warmth and emotion. We see Ryuu develop and lose her cold shell as she accepts and forgives herself for her past when Bell appreciates the ‘justice’ inside her. And her catching feelings were pure bliss….her cute, blushing face is stuck in my head to this day. With all the hints and progress this season. Ryuu better be endgame or I assure you, the dungeon will be the last thing that Bell will have to worry about….

❤️‍🔥 Tensei Ōjo to Tensai Reijō no Mahō Kakumei (The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady)

“Principle of Polarity Inversion”

Status: Completed

Episodes: 12/12

“A country that denies what is better and clings only to tradition may have a glorious past but it has no future. Hence, there’s no option but to destroy it all at once, right?” — Algard Von Palettia

What’s this? A show based in an aristocratic setting about two girls that try to reform a kingdom. Meh, mid. It’s probably that conventional plot where they’re vying for the throne in a bloodstained conflict with the other nobles and wi-….…WHAT?! They’re GaY?! Ehehehehehe🤤…….

It’s 2023 and we finally have a show that balances the elements of fantasy and yuri well. For those of you with divergent opinions, allow me to inform you that Chisato x Takina is unconfirmed and Suletta x Miorine is technically science fiction. The story is set in a medieval fantasy kingdom, where the nobles distinguish themselves from the commoners by wielding magic and are somehow cordial to the fact that their upcoming queen has a girlfriend. Despite the orthodox ideals embraced by this country, you can’t help but commend their stance on LGBT rights. We follow Anis, a deviant noble who loves yuri as much as you do and is at risk of being branded as a heretic due to her inability to use magic, and Euphylia, her hot and genius girlfriend who has trained to rule alongside the upcoming ruler of the kingdom.

The cinematography and fight choreography of this show is exceptional and colorful. Now, I don’t condone kidnapping but Anis sweeping Euphyllia off her feet and departing into the starry night sky is one of the most beautiful scenes I’ve seen in anime. Who needs a knight in shining armor when you’ve got a waifu on a broom, right? Somehow, even the narration manages to complement the colorful shots and I find a whirlpool of emotions raging within me when the narrator foreshadows our protagonists’ journey as they shine on screen. The plot progresses at a reasonable pace, with an exposition of Anis’s unrequited love for magic, her ambition to share magic with the common masses, and the prevailing circumstances that hinder her from achieving her goal. She has a perceptive way with words to convey but mostly has to resort to her energy blasts to persuade, be it for crushing her brother’s tyrannical ideals or confronting her girlfriend’s convictions. We traverse a gradient of emotions when we watch our antagonist get corrupted as he laments his powerlessness to protect his loved ones or when the usually reserved Euphyllia asserts herself on a flustered Anis in bed. The blossoming relationship between the two as they interact and work together is the cherry on top of this magnificent tale. With Euphyllia’s sacrifice and Anis’s reinstatement of magicology in the final episodes, it is evident that their revolution is just beginning.

🌸Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko! (Tomo-chan is a Girl!)

“Pals before gals”

Status: Completed

Episodes: 13/13

“Stop fooling around and approach me seriously. If you do that, I’ll shoot you down with a smile.” — Gundou Misuzu

The woes of unreciprocated love. Being friend-zoned has been demoted as our protagonist Aizawa Tomo attempts to venture out of a more perilous territory: the BROzone. As a jovial and boisterous tomboy, Tomo labors to make her childhood friend Junichirou Kubota, aka her dense crush, recognize her feminine charms and become romantically interested in her.

This show handles progression very well. Within the span of a single season, we see our main characters grow closer and become more aware of the relationship that they have with each other. The concept of how people are willing to embrace change for the one they cherish and the challenges involved in that process is transparent. Tomo, who is oblivious to her own rizz and appeal, is trying to become more girly in hopes of having her crush look her way. Nicknamed the “lady-killer”, a simple wall-slam or smile from her has every juvenile female in the vicinity questioning her sexuality. Meanwhile, Jun is trying to come to terms with how his feelings for Tomo aren’t simply admiration and respect and how their changing relationship will affect the dynamic that they have now.

Now this show wouldn’t be complete without Gundou Misuzu and Carol Olston, two of Tomo’s best friends who are invested in her love life out of concern and for their own entertainment. Yea, just like your real friends but without the “concern” bit. Misuzu is the highlight of this show: her ferociousness and intensity when she is dealing with bullies or her firmness and indifference when she rejects proposals from our very own “Kirito-sama” is phenomenal. One glare and a tinge of her dark aura are enough to bring anyone to their knees and make my day. I always look forward to any scene in which Jun and Misuzu are together because it’s super refreshing to see two childhood friends who emanate pure malice against each other. Carol is the airheaded girl whose capricious nature keeps you exhilarated for her next appearance. In fact, she’s so unpredictable that you’d never have guessed she’s in love with her own cou-……anyway, this tomboy tale was definitely one of the most intriguing and funny highlights of Winter 2023.

🥪 Otonari no Tenshi-sama ni Itsunomanika Dame Ningen ni Sareteita Ken (The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten)

“More than a married couple but not lovers”

Status: Completed

Episodes: 12/12

“At this rate, it’d be weird if I didn’t fall for her” — Amane Fujimiya

This show just hurts. Mentally. Emotionally. And spiritually. It’s been classified under the “romance” genre but it’d be more precise to call it unadulterated terror due to the wounds it has inflicted on my consciousness. For me, Tenshi-sama is like that figment of torment that parents can use against their offspring to keep them in check. “You better finish those green veggies on that plate by the time I get back or I’ll make you watch an episode of Tenshi-sama”, they mumble with patronizing grins as they watch their helpless targets writhe in agony.

To be honest, I was actually quite excited for this show. I even watched the premiere as soon as it came out. However, as time went on, it became painfully transparent about the type of audience it was trying to target. For some context, we have our two leads: Amane Fujimiya, the withdrawn loner with long hair bangs and visible eyes which is the only feature that prevents him from appearing as a hentai protagonist, and Mahiru Shiina, an impeccable and popular angel who is probably your sole reason for watching this show and is capable of competing with the ferocious cooks on Shokugeki no Soma. Designating the blossoming relationship between these as a “slow burn” is an understatement as I fully expected to finish my excursion to Mars and stay in Musk’s space hotel before these two would even consider holding hands. The storyline is devoid of any elements that make for a smooth progression: mystery, drama, or suspense. As such, it relies solely on the interactions between Amane and Mahiru to have any meaning at all. Again, it fails in this aspect. I could have a conversation with you about how green grass is or why the letter “x” is the standard in your algebra classes and you’d be more entertained than the monotonous and bland exchanges our leads share. Then, why will you stick around till the 12th episode? Because the author used the most orthodox, but effective weapon in his arsenal to subdue your judgement: a cute waifu that pouts and blushes at the camera every so often.

So, should you watch this show? Absolutely. Just so that you can realize that you shouldn’t have and that there’s always something out there that can make you bring you a new low. Maybe you’re on a camping trip in the mountains and can’t do the “test of courage”, so you decide to binge this show with your friends to see who can hold out the longest. Otherwise, there’s always that one kid who needs a bit of disciplining…..