Geek Babble- The Big Anime Queue Purge, Part Four
I’m finally starting to see the end of this Crunchyroll anime queue purge series. The finished or removed list still has quite a few entries on it and it will take another article to finish out the list. After that I can move into unwatched recommendations. However, I’m getting ahead of myself. Today we’ll dive into more 2016 shows, though a few gems from 2015 and earlier have creeped on to the list. If you’ve missed the previous chronicling of my questionable tastes in anime make sure to read the earlier parts of this series.
Finished or Removed:
The shows in my queue that I’ve either watched to completion, dropped, or I was too slow and the streaming rights expired.
Izetta: The Last Witch– 2016 and 2017 were interesting years in dueling shows. During this time we had two shows that featured witches and magic set in Europe during World War I and World War II. For WWI we had The Saga of Tanya the Evil in 2017. In 2016 we had Izetta set during WWII. I chose to watch the latter (deciding Tanya was too similar) and wow, was it a forgettable experience. Essentially, we had good ideas wasted by a mediocre execution. Skip this one.
Thunderbolt Fantasy– Do puppet shows technically count as anime? Maybe. That said, I watched this show for a few episodes before deciding to drop it. There was absolutely nothing wrong with Thunderbolt Fantasy, except it didn’t really interest me. This fantasy series is based on a screen play penned by Gen Urobuchi, is set in ancient China, and features realistic puppets. If this appeals to you, go for it. Season two is airing for the fall 2018 season of anime.
Mob Psycho 100– The appealing factor of Mob was ONE (of One Punch Man fame) being the original creator of this series. Going into this expecting something similar to One Punch Man might have been a mistake, especially as the art style and story were very different. That said, Mob Psycho 100 had its own charm and appeal especially with our titular character in possession of awesome powers he never wanted. Recommended.
Berserk (2016)- If there’s anything Berserk fans can agree on it’s that the 2016 TV series has some terrible CGI and stiff animation. I went into new series blind, only knowing of Berserk by name. I was quickly able to piece together the back story (I.e. “The Golden Age” arc), and enjoyed the new series and the second season it received in 2017. Good story always trumps bad animation in my humble opinion. Recommended. (And since then I’ve watched all three Berserk movies, which I also recommend.)
ReLIFE– Another interesting trend happened in 2016. We had way too many series with “Re” in the title. There was ReLIFE, Re:Zero, and Rewrite, three shows that were in no way related. Out of this trio, ReLIFE was the first show I tried. What if your life was at a dead-end by your late 20s? What if someone offered you a second chance and a well-paying job? The catch? You have to live out an entire year as a senior in high school disguised as a teenager. The results are as hilarious as you might imagine. Recommended.
(It’s not in my queue because it was removed some time ago, but I also recommend Re:Zero. It’s an insane take on the “trapped in another world” genre. This show is good, take my word for it.)
BBK/BRNK– Pronounced “Bubuki Buranki,” this show made about as much sense as its title, which would be none. In fact, I barely remember this series. Something about parts of weapons with eyes that form into giant mechs, and main character Azuma Kazuki’s mother being branded a witch by an authoritarian government. The show was decently animated with CGI (unlike Berserk), but the visual style was the only noteworthy thing about BBK/BRNK. Skip this one.
Erased– This was a show with major promise and a pretty good execution that fizzled out by the end. Satoru Fujinuma is mediocre manga artist with an amazing power. He can go back in time to prevent people from dying. When his mother is murdered, he goes back nearly 20 years in time to unravel a mystery. Watching Satoru figure the mystery as a 27-year-old trapped in a 10-year-old’s body was thrilling. The final reveal and resolution were disappointing. Recommended for the thriller aspects early on.
Comet Lucifer– This is yet another forgettable show that I somehow suffered through. It aired during the 2015 fall season, if anyone cares. On the oddly named Planet Gift, some kid name Sogo meets a mysterious girl and for some reason the government is after her. Misadventures ensue, people die, there’s long-running government conspiracy, etc. Comet Lucifer faintly has Eureka Seven vibes without being as interesting. Skip this one.
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans– I’ll admit now, I skipped several Gundam releases between Gundam 00 and Iron Blooded Orphans. The show was a blast and I enjoyed the post-apocalyptic world of IBO. It was somewhere between futuristic feudalism, a fear of transhumanism, and good old-fashioned mafia dealings. Though the ending was bittersweet and realistic (the villains win), some folks got their violent just-desserts. Recommended.
God Eater– When Monster Hunter took off in Japan earlier in the decade, lots of companies had their “me too” titles. God Eater was Square Enix’s answer to Capcom’s juggernaut. I can’t speak for the games, but this show was an interesting, but ultimately forgettable ride. You’ll probably remember Ufotable’s lush animation well before any plot elements.
Charlotte– This series had everything going for it and managed to squander all of that potential. It was produced by P.A. Works (best known for Angel Beats), and featured a story best described as Angel Beats meets Code Geass. Unfortunately, too much time is spent on high school hi-jinks, and not the real story of Yu Otosaka using his super powers to forcibly steal the super powers of other people. That more exciting story is told in the final two episodes of a 13 episode show.
Look forward to the penultimate part of my queue purge next Tuesday.
Images courtesy of Random Curiosity.
About The Author
Angela
Executive Editor | Angela has had an addiction to video games and cartoons since she was young and impressionable. She enjoys writing long articles about these subjects and whatever else catches her eye. Mastodon
