Winter 2025 – Three (and sometimes four) Episodes In

Hey, I didn’t make my (in)famous pun this time, so that’s something!  Anyhow, three weeks in, it’s the traditional time to check in on this season and see where things are going.  Some shows move up, others down…

All that and more after the jump.

The shows that I’m watching are in bold, shows my wife and I are watching together are in bold italics, strikethrough marks dropped shows and (*) marks shows that are watched but not regularly reviewed.

Grisaia Phantom Trigger

Eps 1-4

This is… not what I expected from a Grisaia.  It’s a lot less dark and a lot less action oriented.  And there’s no clear hints (yet) of a larger, overarching, plot.  I am not familiar with the source game, but the anime feels a lot more like a conventional game adaptation.

And while it shares that’s genre’s weakness for too many potential waifu, it lacks a strong central character.  Though some might argue the lack of a player (viewer) insert is a good thing considering how often that trope has been misused…  I argue that it also gives a note of continuity this series badly needs.

Status:  Keeper, I guess.  There’s enough there to keep my attention even if it’s not what I thought it would be.  Who actually dislikes girls with guns? 

Especially girls willing to make terrorists actually hurt.  Good on her.

I’m Living with an Otaku NEET Kunoichi!?

NEET Kunoichi to Nazeka Dousei Hajimemashita

Yeah, I was on the fence and the second (3rd/4th) episode shoved me right off.  

Either way, still no real character development on our two leads and still introducing new side characters…  And not even an interesting side character, just another trope straight off of TV Tropes.

Actually, I’m not even sure we made it to the second half, might have dropped at the eyecatch.

Status: Dropped after 2 episodes.

Medalist

Eps 1-4

I think I understand Tsukasa’s shoutiness a bit better now…  He’s not really a loud person, but he is supremely self confident.  Justified or no?  Not really sure by the end of the third episode.  But he’s lucky in his choice of a partner.  Inori is the very opposite of supremely self confident…  But what she lacks there, she makes up for and overcomes with sheer drive and ambition.

I just wish she was a bit more than just doing this for her mother…  We know she knows the deeper truth about herself.

Two wounded people, each making the half and more of a partnership that shows great promise.  Emphasis on the promise, because after Ep 4 we’re at a cliffhanger.

Status:  Keeper.  Possible upgrade incoming.

Sorairo Utility

Episodes 1-4

The first three episodes were very solid.  We’d gotten our cast in place, and set the show’s basic conceit.  But episode four seemed to veer off a bit, into character roulette territory.  But it did manage to keep our girls on the same page and it’s obvious they’re a solid group – so it’s not as bad as it could have been.

And having been a newbie in various hobbies (even recently), Minami’s naked lust for a new toy (combined with waffling over it’s cost) is painfully familiar.

Status:  Keeper, even if the bloom is off the rose a bit.

Flower and Asura

Hana wa Saku, Shura no Gotoku

Eps 1-3

After three episodes, I have much less confidence in Flower than I did after the first.  Part of that is that’s it’s a school club show and it’s developing largely along predictable lines.  No real surprises so far or hinted at on the horizon.

The other part is more troublesome.  The readings we’re shown that are supposed to be example of what Hana is meant to aspire to simply aren’t that compelling.  They neither demand nor exhibit the range that she showed in the dramatic scene on the beach.  Or, at least not a range or vibe that I can pick up on, so it might just be me.

Nor is the range of characters introduced particularly unusual or interesting.  And I hate the style of reflexive and constant animosity typified by Anna and Shudai.  False conflicts like that strike me as lazy writing and the constant in-your-face nature gets wearying after a bit.

Status:  Downgraded to a simple Keeper.

Note: At the time of publication I have not seen episode 4!

Honey Lemon Soda

And now for something different…  Most other shows on my list are generally trending down from their first episode.  The only exceptions are Medalist and <drum roll>…  Honey Lemon Soda.

Seriously, this show continues to surprise me, especially with it’s portrayal of Ishimori.  I love how the changes she’s going through are realistic and two-steps-forward-one-step-backwards.  Nobody gets hurt that bad and rebounds instantly.  The scene where she’d already gone off to eat lunch alone was particularly striking…  And I loved Ayumi’s “oh, you’re the type I gotta tell” bit.  Followed up immediately by telling her rather than assuming that was enough.  Ishimori has really lucked into a good friend group here, and they’re honest – not just Kai’s stooges.  Not that Kia strikes me as the kind of guy who would encourage or tolerate stooges in the first place.

There is a snake in the garden though.  Mark well my words – Tomoya isn’t what he seems.  I suspect he’s discovered he has feelings for Ishimori as well.  Or, and I hope not, he’s got problem with her and is looking for an opportunity to sink the knife deep.

As for Kai himself…  He’s another figure that I’ve finally grasped why he was so shouty in the first episode.  He’s certainly got feelings for Ishimori – but he’s also tsundere as hell.  Took me a while to work that out because male tsundere aren’t that common a stereotype.  You don’t think so?  Look how gentle he was with her in the storage room.  (But don’t think too hard about how starved for affection she is that she just waited there are he bade her.  It’s too depressing.)  Doesn’t help that I think that at least some of his bravado is also from a (mistaken?) sense that he has a reputation to protect.

Status: KEEPER.  Top recommendation.

Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE

I am… not at all happy with Dr. Stone.  It feels like they’re really rushing things and I can almost see the authorial hand pushing and shoving the pieces into place.

Will it improve once we have an actual encounter with whoever just tried to kill them?  Once we again have someone outside the core group to learn about and our group to interact with?

I certainly hope so.

Status:  keeper.

UniteUp! -Uni:Birth-

Eps 1-3

-Uni:Birth- isn’t coloring far outside the lines drawn by it’s first season.  It’s a solid, if a trifle unambitious, idol drama.  And that’s OK.  Comfort food is sometimes just what you want, right?

If I had a complaint, it would be this:  The series is spending too much time on JAXX JAXX and LEGIT, and too little time on PROTOSTAR (who anchored the first season).  I just don’t feel I know the first two groups…  But that’s probably down to this being one part of larger multimedia franchise that we outside of Japan don’t have full access to.

Status:  Yeah, keeper.

The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World

Sentai Red Isekai de Boukensha ni Naru

Eps 1-3

Red Ranger is both far LOUDER and far, far BRIGHTER than shows I am normally attracted to.  It remained committed to being as absolutely in-your-face as it can possibly be, and then turning it up just another half notch.

Yet, it makes straight up LOL at least once an episode.  And oddly enough, it’s usually Yidhra (who acts like a straight man) that makes me do so.

Half of me wants to go ahead and drop it.  The other half, which I’m going to listen to despite my better judgement, points out that we should wait and see since we’ve just now gotten the full cast (as shown in the OP) in place.

Status:  Trial period extended to the mid-season gut check.

Sakamoto Days

Eps 1-3

And now, Sakamoto Days enters the phase we’ve all known was coming.  The era of the Monster-of-the-Weak.  This is not an immediate death sentence, not so long as we keep getting good bits…  This week the over-the-top rollercoaster fight scene, and campy stage(d) fight (with it’s amusing reveal) were both pretty darned good.

But it’s also one note.   And even in moderately light seasons such as this one, I only have so much patience.

Status:  Probationary keeper.  Will it last the whole two cour?

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OK, running a bit late here because I lost track of time and when all of the 3rd episode aired.  Had I been a bit more on the ball this would have been out a day or two ago.  Ah well, so it goes.

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In other anime news…  Just finished a rewatch of Ippon Again!, and I still love it to pieces.  Starting a rewatch of Flying Witch, and right in the first ep my wife noticed something we’d missed before.  Watch the scene where the mandrake is screaming – and note who in the montage hears it and who doesn’t.  Some nice foreshadowing there.

Also, tomorrow, going to see The Colors Within / Kimi no Iro

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Anyhow, that’s all I have… Over to you!  Drop a comment with your thoughts on the season so far or anything else that’s on your mind.