Doctorkev’s Thoughts on the Summer 2023 Anime Season: Sequels/Ongoing Shows
After covering this otherwise fairly light season’s new shows yesterday, today we’re looking at some very big sequels. There’s a few I’ve deliberately avoided, however — especially Rent-A-Girlfriend Season 3. I suffered through two whole seasons of wheel-spinning plot paralysis caused by the most irritating protagonist in the history of anime, and can’t take any more. Bleach: 1000-Year Blood War is back for its second cour on Disney+/Hulu, but I’ve never seen a single episode of the original so now isn’t the time to start. Bastard!! Heavy Metal Dark Fantasy is back for its second season on Netflix, but I gave up on the first after a handful of episodes — it’s just not my scene. Finally, Bungo Stray Dogs returns for its fifth season, and it remains on my Eternal Backlog of Shame. Maybe one day I’ll start from the first season. Anyway, there are plenty of other shows I am watching, so let’s get to it!
Horimiya — The Missing Pieces — 7 of 13 episodes, Saturdays
Romantic/slice of life comedy/drama Horimiya was one of the best shows of 2021… up until the final few episodes where the focus shifted from the main couple to the extended cast, none of whom had been properly introduced or fleshed out. This change fell completely flat for me as the show had done little to demonstrate who any of these characters were nor why I should care about them.
It turns out there was a reason for this — in the rush to adapt all the way to the source manga’s conclusion, many less plot-crucial chapters were skipped over, causing significant narrative issues. With Horimiya proving (perhaps unexpectedly?) popular, the show has been renewed for a second season that isn’t a sequel, but a strange “interquel”, where the initially skipped chapters and supporting characters get a chance to shine.
By nature this means that Missing Pieces is bitty in structure and scattershot in focus, though the director has made an effort to group chapters together at least thematically, and sometimes there are small nods to continuity between them. It’s not as consistent and satisfactory a viewing experience as the first half of the original season, however it is effortlessly charming and funny. It makes me wish that the original season had been granted a full 26-episode order, rather than this slightly unsatisfactory out-of-order attempt to rectify past mistakes.
I expect the best way to watch the entire Horimiya anime will be to wait until the whole of Missing Pieces is done and look for an “optimal viewing order list” that inserts these extra chapters into the correct places for character development. Anyway, regardless of the circumstances, I’m glad this exists, and I welcome the chance to spend more time with one of the most well-rounded and (slightly twistedly) humorous casts in all of romcom anime.
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 — 5 of 23 episodes, Thursdays (on 3-week hiatus)
It’s back! The huge shonen anime hit of 2020’s first season and 2021’s spectacular prequel movie returns with a second season from terminally overworked studio MAPPA. Now directed by Shota Goshozono, any concerns he wouldn’t be able to match the spectacle conjured by his predecessor Sunghoo Park have been suitable put to rest by the strength of this initial 5-episode prequel arc. Yes, this is the second prequel arc in a row following the end of the first season. The Hidden Inventory arc takes place even before the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 movie, and explains the origin of prominent villain and previous Jujutsu High student and sorceror Suguru Geto.
As to be expected, the animation quality during the action sequences are of spectacular movie-quality, with whirling bodies continually in motion, evoking an unparalleled sense of dynamic movement. The sheer power of the visuals remind me of why I love anime so much — nothing else looks like this. When anime is done properly, with love and skill, it becomes almost transcendent, and parts of Jujutsu Kaisen approach that unearthly level.
It helps that blue-eyed pretty-boy Satoru Gojo makes for an attractive and engaging lead in this arc, despite the fact he’s usually more of a supporting character. His friendship/rivalry with Geto is close — so it’s even more tragic when they inevitably become bitter enemies. Jujutsu Kaisen has never been a show to shy away from brutal plot twists and horrific shocks, and Hidden Inventory contains more than its fair share of these, so effective because of the strength of its character-building. It’s a shame its on hiatus again until August 31st, when it will return to begin the hotly anticipated Shibuya Incident arc.
Mushoku Tensei Season 2 — 7 of 13 episodes, Sundays
It seems like it’s been such a long wait since we saw the first season of this incredibly compelling and beautifully-produced fantasy/coming of age anime back in 2021. Now, almost two years later it has returned, and everything has changed for defiantly problematic protagonist Rudeus Greyrat. Unceremoniously dumped by his first love following the loss of their virginity together at the end of last season, Rudeus wanders the lands heartbroken and depressed, in search of the remaining missing members of his broken family.
It’s an unusual show that explores extended emotional trauma and its physical ramifications (such as erectile dysfunction) in one scene, while prominently featuring incongruous underpants worship in the next. That bizarre tonal whiplash extends to not just the actions of Rudeus, but also his supporting characters. Busty adventurer Elinalise claims to suffer from a curse that forces her to have sex with random men on a daily basis, and this is often mined for humour, when in fact it’s kind of horrifying. The most recent episode also, much to my dismay, tackles the issue of slavery in what could amount to a disturbingly sub-Shield Hero offensive and tone-deaf way. I don’t yet know where this storyline is going, but so far the justification for Rudeus’ creepy friend Zenoba acquiring a young child female slave is… gross at best.
Long-term Mushoku Tensei watchers will know that this is a show that both giveth and taketh away — with one hand it offers surprisingly insightful psychological drama, while with the other it snatches that away to revel in the most base of human desires. Such prurient subject matter unfortunately (and rightly) turns off so many potential viewers that I do have to question the motivation of the author and his editors at times. It’s like sitting down to dine at a table full of delicious food while being forced to pinch one’s nose to avoid inhaling the stench from the bucketful of rancid faeces placed in the centre of the dining table. I can stomach it for now, but I wouldn’t judge anyone who dropped the show in disgust.
The Devil is a Part-timer Season 2 part 2 — 6 of 12 episodes, Thursdays
Initially I thought this was a third season, but apparently it’s the second cour of last Summer’s second season. I think when we’re getting to a year between 12-episode chunks, we’d be just as well calling them separate seasons. Unfortunately, this continuation keeps the same studio and staff as last year’s episodes, which means this remains a significant step down from 2013’s superior first season.
The animation looks flat and cheap, the direction is staid, and although the characters and their interactions remain fairly engaging, it’s clear that the spark is long gone. Although it’s a mundane Earthbound slice-of-life comedy, the first season still managed to bring the spectacle up a notch or two when supernatural events demanded it. Now, even the presence of angels and demons elicit about as much excitement as a boardroom meeting of a mid-size cardboard manufacturing company. The underlying plot lacks any kind of urgency.
I still care about what happens to the characters, but such an apparently low-effort, low-budget adaptation is starting to sap my motivation to continue. No wonder hardly anyone else seems to be watching. What a shame.
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Season 2 — 6 of 12 episodes, Fridays
After a single season break (and a brutal cliffhanger), this interesting shojo novel adaptation continues. There’s something about the way the show looks that I adore — whether it’s the gorgeous colour palette or the delicate character designs, everything exudes a glow of warm, sparkly fantasy. Underneath that pretty exterior lurks a deep, meaningful story of one woman’s struggle against the unfair constraints of a controlling patriarchal society that attempts not only to keep women in their place, but also enslaves and mutilates sentient fairies.
Most of the men are shitty in some way — either deliberately, or because they’ve never questioned their place in society. Protagonist Anne Halford bravely rails against prejudice and cruelty, supported by her freed fairy friend/lover Challe. Anne is a skilled craftswoman and despite being recognised at the highest level as a “Silver Sugar Master”, that doesn’t mean her battle for equality is over. Challenged at every turn not just by unthinking men, skeptical bosses or even the cruelty and pettiness of other women, she keeps getting knocked down but always gets up again. I definitely recommend it to those who don’t mind a slower-paced, character-based kind of fantasy.
The Duke of Death and His Maid Season 2 — 6 of 12 episodes, Sundays
Despite its ultra-janky CGI look, I absolutely adored the first season of this fantasy romantic comedy back in 2021. Unfortunately this second season looks no better, but at least it maintains the same playful and slightly burlesque charm that won my heart.
Cursed by a witch to bring death to any living creature or plant he touches, the titular Duke continues to pine for his beautiful (and mutually besotted) maid Alice. Although she still frequently teases him with her body, that’s now far from the focus as the main plot really begins to ramp up from this point forward. I’ve read much of the manga, and at the current pace it will definitely need a third season to do the full story justice.
With an ever-widening cast of weirdos, frequent musical interludes (one every episode so far!), and the promise of timey-wimey magical complications to come, courtesy of odd-looking male witch Zain, I expect the show to only improve as it progresses. So far it has never lost sight of its origin as a goofy comedy, despite its increasing descent into sinister drama and pathos. Such a tonal balancing act is skillful and entertaining, almost sufficient to counterbalance the truly abysmal presentation.
Tonikawa High School Days — 3 of 4 episodes, fortnightly
Similarly to the previously-mentioned Horimiya — The Missing Pieces, this short 4-episode OVA season of Tonikawa adapts manga chapters that fit chronologically somewhere in season 2, but were presumably skipped to allow the season to find a natural stopping point. Oddly, episodes are released fortnightly rather than weekly, for reasons I cannot decipher.
The conceit tying these four episodes together is that male main character Nasa is asked by his former teacher to provide special lessons in computer coding at her new job — at a girls’ school. Wacky hijnks ensue, especially as wife Tsukasa is perturbed by the idea of her young husband being surrounded by wild teenage girls. It’s basically just more Tonikawa, and it’s as gently amusing as usual. The schoolgirls are predictably excited by the presence of a new male teacher, and some of the characters introduced in these episodes presumably will have some importance for future plot developments. Tonikawa remains fun but lightweight, disposable fluff.
NieR Automata ver 1.1 — episodes 9–12 of 12
Glory to Mankind! Finally, the concluding third of this anime adaptation of one of my all-time favourite games has dropped onto Crunchyroll, all at once. I wish the season hadn’t been so cursed by production difficulties, but they got there in the end. Four months late is better than nothing, right? And they announced production of a second season, which is fantastic news as they’ve only covered a fraction of the complete story.
What I really appreciated about this anime was its willingness to deviate from the game — not just to incorporate elements from associated stage shows and manga, but to do entire non-filler anime-original episodes and change up some of the game’s biggest events. Some characters that died previously survived, and vice versa. Such changes hint at yet further deranged unpredictability to follow in the subsequent season.
None of these changes would matter if the strong emotional core hadn’t been maintained, but I’m glad to report it has been. The relationship between sad androids 2B and 9S is the beating mechanical heart of NieR Automata, and I defy you to watch this and not feel at least slightly moved by the conclusion. I warn you that the ending to the second season is likely to rip your heart out and stamp on it repeatedly. Unless Yoko Taro, that mad bastard, decides to change things up and provide a happy ending not steeped in existentialist despair. Stranger things have happened.
Thanks for reading! I’ll be back as usual at the end of the season for a postmortem assessment. Hopefully by then I’ll be able to cover the recent The Quintessential Quintuplets~ OVA that was released theatrically in Japan on July 14th, but should be heading to streaming on September 9th. It’s similar to Horimiya — The Missing Pieces and Tonikawa High School Days in that they’ve gone back to animate previously skipped manga chapters. I’m not sure how to feel about this trend…
