{"id":48569,"date":"2022-10-22T22:28:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-23T05:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anitrendz.net\/news\/?p=48569"},"modified":"2024-10-17T01:26:52","modified_gmt":"2024-10-17T08:26:52","slug":"anibitez-fall-2022-anime-first-impressions-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anitrendz.net\/news\/2022\/10\/22\/anibitez-fall-2022-anime-first-impressions-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"AniBitez Fall 2022: Anime First Impressions Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As the autumn leaves begin to fall, another season of anime opens up with brand new shows and stunning sequels. Get cozy while watching girls do some cute DIY in Do It Yourself!!<\/em> and be inspired to step out of your comfort zone, or be dazzled by the latest entry of the Gundam Franchise with an adorkable protagonist in a mobile suit. The choice is yours to make, but hear us out before you commit this Fall Season 2022! More to come in our AniBitez Fall 2022 Part 2!<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Akiba Maid War<\/b>: <\/span>Maid cafes are serious business<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
\u00a9\u300c\u30a2\u30ad\u30d0\u51a5\u9014\u6226\u4e89\u300d\u88fd\u4f5c\u59d4\u54e1\u4f1a<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s 1999 in Akihabara, and 17-year-old Nagomi Wahira has begun her dream life as a maid at the Ton Tokoton maid cafe \u2014 or so she thinks. On her first day at work, Wahira discovers that her boss owes protection money, that rival maids have cruel sides, and that the 35-year-old Ranko Mannen, another Ton Tokoton newcomer, has no issues gunning down people without breaking her poker face. Despite its cheerful and colorful surface, the maid cafe industry turns out to be a world of crime, cruelty, and violence.<\/span><\/p>\n

Given the title and the tone of its promotional material, I wasn\u2019t surprised that this original anime would be more than a \u201cnormal\u201d experience. That still didn\u2019t prepare me for its premiere, which begins with a shocking murder and ends with a deliciously irreverent shoot-out that has a cute pop song playing over the brutally one-sided slaughter. It\u2019s an incredibly memorable introduction but also a potential double-edged sword. As entertaining as the second and third episodes are, they are a lot more subdued in comparison, and I spent a lot of the time recalling Episode 1\u2019s climax and wondering if the rest of the show will ever match its insanity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Plus, the maid characters, who are supposed to be the stars of the show, are a little dull right now outside of a few individual moments. There\u2019s certainly room for this to change, but as of the third episode, the amusingly irresponsible and shameless Ton Tokoton manager is the only character I look forward to watching. I\u2019ll be following Nagomi\u2019s maid cafe career till the end, but I hope it didn\u2019t reach its peak in the first episode.<\/span><\/p>\n

By: Melvyn<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Blue Lock<\/b>:<\/span> There\u2019s no \u201cI\u201d in team, but there is one in Striker!<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/h4>\n
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\u00a9\u91d1\u57ce\u5b97\u5e78\u30fb\u30ce\u6751\u512a\u4ecb\u30fb\u8b1b\u8ac7\u793e\uff0f\u300c\u30d6\u30eb\u30fc\u30ed\u30c3\u30af\u300d\u88fd\u4f5c\u59d4\u54e1\u4f1a<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If I had a nickel for every time a soccer-related anime in the last 6 months had the word \u201cblue\u201d in the title (<\/span>Ao Ashi<\/span><\/i>), I\u2019d have two nickels. <\/span>Blue Lock <\/span><\/i>is an intense but refreshing take on the sports genre that pits 300 of the top soccer strikers to compete for a spot on Japan\u2019s national soccer team. The show challenges the value of teamwork by contending that against the realities of becoming a professional athlete. <\/span>Blue Lock<\/span><\/i> shows that to compete at the highest levels of the sport, athletes must embrace their ego-centric \u201ctype-x\u201d nature to become the ultimate scorer.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Yoichi Isagi finds himself selected by the \u201cBlue Lock\u201d program along with 299 other prospective strikers and living in essentially a soccer prison facility designed to develop the next superstar striker\/psychopath. This facility probably has more in common with <\/span>Squid Game<\/span><\/i> than soccer and is designed as a battle royale where failure will end a prospective player\u2019s soccer aspirations forever. The show\u2019s intense tone stems from the participants essentially fighting for their soccer lives in the program designed to showcase a participant\u2019s true nature. Isagi\u2019s relationships with his assigned teammates are strained because they\u2019re ultimately competitors who could try anything to claim that single spot for themselves.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

By focusing on brutal competition instead of loyalty and teamwork, <\/span>Blue Lock <\/span><\/i>is quickly becoming one of my top shows this season with its unique take dramatizing the real-world sports talent grind. I just hope that this facility can afford a few sports psychologists for these insane teenage athletes.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

By: Nico<\/span><\/p>\n

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Bocchi the Rock!<\/b>:<\/span> The life of a socially anxious guitarist<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/h4>\n
\"\"
\u00a9\u306f\u307e\u3058\u3042\u304d\uff0f\u82b3\u6587\u793e\u30fb\u30a2\u30cb\u30d7\u30ec\u30c3\u30af\u30b9<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Right now, <\/span>Bocchi the Rock! <\/span><\/i>is hands down my favorite anime of the Fall 2022 season. It\u2019s a comedy about a skilled but socially anxious teenage guitarist named Hitori Gotoh, who inadvertently joins a band led by the cheerful Nijika Ichiji. Much of the humor comes from the absurd real and imagined situations that are derived from our protagonist\u2019s anxiety. What I didn\u2019t expect was how strong they would be both in concept \u2014 committing seppuku with a guitar was not on my bingo card \u2014 and delivery.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s hardly novel for anime to feature changes in character art and aesthetics for comedic purposes, but I was nevertheless smitten by <\/span>Bocchi the Rock!<\/span><\/i>\u2019s visual variety \u2014 live-action is used at some points \u2014 and their impactful execution. A skit in the second episode had me in stitches due to the way it deformed Hitori\u2019s design. The visual creativity and boldness are a gem, although other elements like the sharp dialogue and <\/span>Yoshino Aoyama<\/b>\u2019s performance as Hitori, who sounds like a poor tormented soul instead of a typical cute anime girl,<\/span> also contribute greatly to the humor.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The visual impressiveness isn\u2019t limited to the comedic scenes. Beyond the photorealistic backgrounds, which ground <\/span>the<\/span> show without offsetting the eccentric elements, there are shots that convey a strong sense of space and a good amount of impressive character animation. I was<\/span> genuinely stunned<\/span><\/a> by some of the movements in the show.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

So far, <\/span>Bocchi the Rock! <\/span><\/i>is hitting all the right notes, and I hope it maintains its streak until the last episode.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

By: Melvyn<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Do It Yourself!!<\/b>: <\/span>One PUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!!!!<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/h4>\n
\"\"
\u00a9IMAGO\uff0favex pictures\u30fbDIY!!\u88fd\u4f5c\u59d4\u54e1\u4f1a<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I have a soft spot for DIY home projects. Some of my fondest memories are watching episodes of <\/span>This Old House<\/span><\/i> with my dad as a kid, taking woodshop classes in middle school, and putting up drywall as part of a community service project. I think learning how to make something yourself is a valuable skill that helps one appreciate the work that goes into the things they use in their everyday lives. This also seems to be the thesis of <\/span>Do It Yourself!!<\/span><\/i> where conveniently named high school girl Yua Serufu and her friends in the titular club work on their projects, relationships, and personal development.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Cute girls doing cute things is an anime genre with a long and distinguished history. However, I\u2019ve never encountered one like <\/span>Do It Yourself!!<\/span><\/i>. The anime encapsulates the enthusiasm of pursuing an activity like <\/span>Laid-Back Camp<\/span><\/i> and features a cast of characters with more variety than a bag of trail mix, all with art and animation reminiscent of <\/span>Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!<\/span><\/i>. The show\u2019s singular pun might wear out its welcome by the end of the season, but a bad dad joke never stopped me from enjoying a good show.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

My one hope is that the show does spend a little bit more time focusing on the finer details of carpentry, since I anticipate that <\/span>Do It Yourself!!<\/span><\/i> will instill a passion for creation in the same way that <\/span>Laid-Back Camp<\/span><\/i> inspired people to explore the outdoors.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

By: James<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury<\/b>:<\/span> Gundam with corporations, duels, and yuri<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/h4>\n
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\u00a9 SOTSU\u30fbSUNRISE\u30fbMBS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This Gundam series takes place in the new Ad Stella setting, which, aside from familiar Earthling and space people tensions, features dynastic corporations and a space colony-like school run by the powerful Benerit Group where mobile suit duels are used to settle matters of \u201cmoney, authority, apologies… even marriage partners.\u201d The top duelist gets to be betrothed to Miorine Rembran, the daughter of Benerit leader Delling. Miorine is understandably displeased with her father, but luckily for her, the meek transfer student Suletta Mercury and her powerful Aerial mobile suit may give her the power to defy him. Meanwhile, Suletta\u2019s mother is plotting against Delling.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s an interesting setting, with room for plenty of interesting inter-student relationships and corporate power play. The first three episodes have delivered quite a bit of the latter, but it hasn\u2019t sold me on the main characters yet. Suletta is cute but has a lot of compelling information limited (at the moment) to a<\/span> short story<\/span><\/a>, and although I like Miorine\u2019s feisty nature and grouchiness, hearing her state her rebellious intentions over and over makes her feel one-note.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m fairly certain that the leads will improve in time, and hopefully, the third episode\u2019s ending signifies a break from conflict and introduce some needed fleshing-out of the school and supporting characters. What I\u2019m less sure about are the production values\u2019 future. The 2D mecha action is entertaining and supported by an epic score but feels less polished than <\/span>the <\/span>Prologue<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u2019s. Meanwhile, the talking scenes are showing visible cracks even at this early stage. It\u2019s nice to have a Gundam series with a female lead, yuri pairing (which seems to be evolving into a bi-harem), and corporate maneuvering, but I\u2019m worried about how the show will look by the time the second cour begins next April.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

By: Melvyn<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

SPY x FAMILY Part 2<\/b>: <\/span>Everyone\u2019s favorite anime family makes a grand return<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/h4>\n
\"\"
\u00a9\u9060\u85e4\u9054\u54c9\uff0f\u96c6\u82f1\u793e\u30fbSPY\u00d7FAMILY\u88fd\u4f5c\u59d4\u54e1\u4f1a<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fans of <\/span>SPY x FAMILY<\/span><\/i> will be thrilled to return to the world of Ostania as the series returns for a second cour. Loid, Yor, and Anya Forger are all back to their usual antics as a deep-cover operative, seductive assassin, and smug telepathic while still trying to blend into society as a normal, functional family. They are soon thrown back into the action, however, when they find themselves tackling an unknown terrorist threat, uncovering the top-secret \u201cProject Apple,\u201d and living with Bond, a bowtie-wearing dog who can see into the future.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

SPY x FAMILY Part 2<\/span><\/i> is a blast to watch because like the first cour, the show knows how to have fun even when it needs to be serious. There is an optimal balance of action scenes and wholesome moments, and many of the serious or intense situations are interrupted by slap-stick comedy, usually in the form of Anya making over-the top expressions or Yor just being Yor. This makes the show interesting, as it ensures viewers are constantly engaged and get to see multiple dimensions of each character. Tanezaki Atsumi<\/strong>, Hayami Saori<\/strong>, and Eguchi Takuya<\/strong> all reprise their roles as the Forger family, and do a stellar job of capturing each of their quirks.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

So far, <\/span>SPY x FAMILY Part 2 <\/span><\/i>is definitely off to a strong start. As someone who hasn\u2019t read the manga before, I am looking forward to seeing the Forgers continue growing together and how they deal with the next international conflict they will inevitably find themselves involved with.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

By: Matthew<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Urusei Yatsura (2022)<\/b>:<\/span> A classic chaotic comedy returns!<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/h4>\n
\"\"
\u00a9\u9ad8\u6a4b\u7559\u7f8e\u5b50\u30fb\u5c0f\u5b66\u9928\uff0f\u30a2\u30cb\u30e1\u300c\u3046\u308b\u661f\u3084\u3064\u3089\u300d\u88fd\u4f5c\u59d4\u54e1\u4f1a<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 80s classic returns with a reboot that captures the spirit of the original with some modern upgrades. Oni aliens have invaded Earth, and after inadvertently thwarting their invasion, our \u201chero\u201d Ataru now has to ward off the oni princess Lum, who mistakenly believes that she is engaged to him. Ataru must somehow balance these constant misunderstandings between Lum and his girlfriend Shinobu in a string of hilarious encounters. Funnily enough, Ataru is voiced by <\/span>Hiroshi Kamiya<\/b>, who seems to now be typecast as the lecherous scumbag (Araragi from <\/span>Bakemonogatari<\/span><\/i>, Shinji Matou from <\/span>Fate\/Stay Night<\/span><\/i>).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

While other shows like the <\/span>Osomatsu-san <\/span><\/i>reboot adds a modern spin, <\/span>Urusei Yatsura<\/span><\/i> stays firmly in the 80s and is following its established material so far. The new production team adds many amusing visual gags, amplifying the show\u2019s chaotic nature to parodies of frustrating rom-com tropes, like when Lum unleashes a storm on the town to prevent Ataru and Shinobu from seeing each other, but the star-crossed lovers end up doing so anyway. The humor plays on the drama shifts from being incredibly devoted to Ataru to the point where she would marry him even though he was about to become a literal hermit, but then immediately wants nothing to do with him upon seeing Lum and believing that he had gotten engaged to the oni princess behind her back. The show is sprinkled with trope-breaking scenes like this, and Ataru\u2019s relationship troubles and hilariously awful parents combine to create a comfortable, reliable comedy.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

As a fan of the original, I\u2019m definitely happy to revisit such a classic. Definitely do not sleep on the OP \u2014 it is one of the catchiest this season for both the song and visuals.<\/span><\/p>\n

By: Nico<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Stay tuned for the next part of the Fall 2022 Anibitez!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the autumn leaves begin to fall, another season of anime opens up with brand new shows and stunning sequels. Get cozy while watching girls do some cute DIY in Do It Yourself!! and be inspired to step out of your comfort zone, or be dazzled by the latest entry of the Gundam Franchise with an adorkable protagonist in a mobile suit. The choice is yours to make, but hear us out before you commit this Fall Season 2022! More to come in our AniBitez Fall 2022 Part 2!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":48570,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1053,397],"tags":[4809,290,3174,2008,2249,3433,3943],"class_list":["post-48569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-feature","category-reviews","tag-akiba-maid-war","tag-anibitez","tag-blue-lock","tag-bocchi-the-rock","tag-do-it-yourself","tag-mobile-suit-gundam-the-witch-from-mercury","tag-urusei-yatsura"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/anitrendz.net\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Anibitez-Fall-2022-Part-1.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8n4QV-cDn","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/anitrendz.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48569"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/anitrendz.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/anitrendz.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anitrendz.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anitrendz.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48569"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/anitrendz.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48569\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48606,"href":"https:\/\/anitrendz.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48569\/revisions\/48606"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anitrendz.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48570"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/anitrendz.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anitrendz.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/anitrendz.net\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}