Thursday, July 11, 2019

Anime of Spring 2019, Ranked

Listed below are all the anime series that aired last spring season – new, returning, and carryovers – that I followed, enumerated in ascending order of how much I enjoyed them.  Obviously, old anime I decided to catch up with during this period don’t count, and I also didn’t include the anime I dropped after watching just their respective pilots.  In addition, with regards to the new shows I picked up, it’s worth noting how their rankings at the end of the season differ from how they were initially ranked based on my first impressions.

Magmel of the Sea Blue
Click here for my full review.

Why the Hell Are You Here, Teacher?!
Click here for my full review.

Magi’s Grandson
Click here for my full review.

Fruits Basket
It slid down from its top position, not necessarily because it got bad, but it just got a bit too shojo for my tastes.  Still, it has definitely hit me right in the feels a couple of times, and thus, I’ll probably watch it till the end – if not till the end of the series, then at least the end of its first season, which is spilling over to this summer season.

Carole & Tuesday
I was on the fence about this at first; it wasn’t one of the new series I picked up at the start of the season.  But when I learned that it’s being directed by legend Shinichirō Watanabe, I quickly jumped into it.  And I’m glad I did, for if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have encountered the greatest song ever made – “Galactic Mermaid” by the Mermaid Sisters.

All in all, so far, it’s probably the weakest Watanabe anime I’ve seen, but it’s still pretty good.  Besides, it’s still ongoing, so that notion may possibly change in the end.

Demon Slayer: Blade of Demon Destruction
It’s a fresh, kickass shonen that only gets better by the episode.  And to think I considered dropping this after the pilot (thankfully, I still decided to watch the second episode, which finally got me hooked).  However, since it’s carrying on to the summer season, I’m a bit doubtful it will be able to compete against the new season’s crop of strong, new shonen anime series.

Dororo
Click here for my full review.

One-Punch Man Season 2
The much anticipated second season was a disappointment in a sense, as it was undeniably a significant step down – especially in terms of animation and direction – from its masterpiece of a debut season.  Nevertheless, it was still highly entertaining.

Isekai Quartet
Click here for my full review.

The Rising of the Shield Hero
Click here for my full review.

Aggretsuko Season 2
Its debut season was brilliant, but its sophomore season effortlessly topped it.  If this Netflix anime continues being as terrific, hilarious, relatable, poignant, and intelligent as its first two seasons (plus one Christmas special) have been, it’s on its way to becoming a modern classic.  Highly recommended!

Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2
Yep, despite the ridiculous detail of being a “season 3 part 2” instead of a sensible “season 4”, it was without question my favorite anime of the season.  Seriously, Attack on Titan has never been better, and it baffles me that it hasn’t gotten more hype.

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