This season is WEAK Sauce

Wow. I finally come out and say it, but this season has been pretty weak. Aside from continuing shows like DRRR, everything that has come out this season has been weak in different ways. Let me dissect everything with the Dragon Slayer Sword from Berserk.

1. Weak plot full of characters with excuses that we’re supposed to sympathize with.

Ex. ANGEL BEAT, of course!

Oh OK, so I’m supposed to believe that Naoi’s background would make him a dictator. Oh sure, like there’s such a strong connection that I can’t miss. Oh sure. I mean, I should’ve seen seem it coming a mile away…Well, I was told that, yeah, my guess wasn’t too far off, you know, a neglect father, no mother, being ignored. Oh, what’s new? Even though I missed the specifics, I got most of it down before I even watched the episode. But there’s a strong lack of a convicting turning point from his childhood to present.

So what? At the end of the day, he’s healed in one episode, and joins the SSS. He even takes part in a comic relief scene. Oh fuckin’ brilliancy. What could’ve been a potential touching and powerful struggle not to mention the extension of serious drama gets cut short. So what do we get at the end of the episode? Another angel. Of course.

2. Convenient appearance of villain that triggers awakening – but no set up.

Ex. Daimaou, OF COURSE!

God, I really like this show, with all the cute girls and an interesting plot about a really nice person who’s always misunderstood. But yeah, this guy just kicks too much ass, all the time, every episode. OK fine, no urgency, no worries. That’s OK. A lot of today’s anime watchers just can’t take a good story, because a good story always involves some kind of pain. Fine. Then don’t do the hero thing! Don’t all of the sudden make his sidekick into someone who was injected with story material fit for a protagonist. It’s distracting. Handled right, of course, stories like two best friends turn against each other are classics. They are wonderful for good story telling. But Hiroshi’s been pretty much just your regular comic relief. He hasn’t shown any promise as the antagonist until THE LAST EPISODE? When all of the sudden, those of us who are shrewd realized that he was the Brave? The Hero? Like the hero VS the Demon King thing? REALLY?

God, just don’t do it out of nowhere!

3. Whacky humor for whacky humor’s sake.

Ex. Arakawa Under the Bridge

Look, maybe it’s cultural difference, maybe it’s because I’m mostly for well-timed slapstick and punchlines, I just can’t make myself liking this. Sure, it’s got humor, sure, Sawashiro Miyuki’s Maria is way-harsh and hilirious, but the show does senseless things just for the sake of making them senseless. The underlying concept critically examine self-reliance VS selfishness, being independent VS being independent so much that you close off yourself, and “does every kindness have a price?” If I’m rambling that’s because the show rambles on and adds more wacky characters that are supposed to make fun of certain stereotypes, but it’s such a uber-champloo or mish-mash of too many things that it’s quite disorienting.

Good grief, maybe all these people need to get over it.

4. Please, stop repeating yourself, we get it. You’ve wasted your life and it sucks.

Ex. Tatami Galaxy.

Oh I’ve been there. In fact, half of the time I feel like I’ve wasted my life. My life has been a utter failure when compared against the classic definition of success. Oh I get it all right. That said, does the show have to repeat itself over and over and over again? It’s the same person, meeting nearly the same people, and repeating his failure all over again. What is this, Greek Hell? Not! It’s a Japanese anime! And it’s taking too long to get to the point! I know that’s done on purpose but please stop. Torturing for the sake of torturing isn’t that interesting unless you’re sadistic, and I refuse to be tormented any longer.

Riiiiight…So there are Greek Hell elements here and I’m supposed to get it…ooooohhhhhh suuuurrre.

5. He can be a stalker as long as he’s a bishonen and saves the girl all the time.

Ex. Kaicho wa Maido sama, OF COURRRRRSE!

Oh boy, this is a classic definition of reinforcing a negative stereotype about women – they think you’re harrassing them because you’re ugly looking, but when you’re hot, they like it and don’t complain (which may be true anyway). Hell shit, if I were 6″5′, blond, lean and good looking, I can probably get away with serial rape! Or at least serial stalking, as Usui has done. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s shoujo. Yeah well fuck it, stalking is stalking. Negative stereotype reinforcement is stereotype reinforcement – unless of course, it’s not a NEGATIVE stereotype, it’s what women do instinctly – then in that case, I congretulate the author for the manga and the creator of the show. You guys (girls) have got it down to a T. Fucking brilliant.

And Misaki thinks that other student president is well-mannered and good looking. Oh how easy! All too easy…(hiss, think Darth Vader).

Of course, I must be way off.

6. Act spoiled! It’s OK! You’re a cute rich girl and even the rich is suffering!

Ex. Mayoi Neko Overrun

Like hell. Umenomori is so spoiled she’s incredibly annoying. However, the worse part is that…NOBODY cared that the purple haired cat girl is … A CATGIRL! I thought this is supposed to be a pretty normal slice of life but shit, they totally blew that out of window with the last episode. I get it, really I do. It’s a crazy show that begs you to throw common sense out of window. I do enjoy that. That said, what didya mean, even the rich people feels pain sometimes? Of course they don’t! That’s why the world sucks and yet they are still prospering! Fuck it, I’m 13 trillion percent certain that no rich people in the history of mankind had a heart and cared for people’s sufferings. But seriously, watching shows like this and Princess Lover, one seriously wonder if the creators throught it through before they slapped the trait of “loneliness” onto any rich girl who’s super cute, and asked us to just accept it as it is. Brilliant.

Oh, once again, I’m way off, I’m sure.

Big facepalm for me today. Big one.

Next time: what I consider as bright points of this season. Yes, there are some.

Author: Ray

I'm a hardcore Anime Fan and I'm proud of it. I know so many things and I've acquired so much knowledge you wouldn't believe. But my love is anime. I've been drifting in this world for so long that I don't even know what an anchor means. I've seen so many shows that I've lost count. The only thing I'm sure of myself is that I care for the lowly and disenfranchised. I hate the rich and powerful and I love what I do, or what I can do. I like anime and I don't mind watching different types of shows. I have experience in different types of Japanese animation. I would be called an "expert" in a bizzaro world. One day, I'd like to start a revolution. I love the US, pizza, beer, sashimi, Chinese food, and steak. But I love freshly baked bread more than a well-aged steak. In reality, if I were born Japanese I'd be a real, hardcore Otaku. I love to love and I can hate strongly. I'm passionate in nature and I don't mind shedding tears. I can be reached at rayyhum777 at animediet. My Twitter is rayyhum777 at twitter.

16 thoughts on “This season is WEAK Sauce

  1. Saraiya Goyou (House of Five Leaves) may be a masterpiece, in my opinion. Outstanding through five episodes, anyway.

    1. Ah. You’ve found one of my favorite shows this season. Favorite as in has actual strong merits in character development without heavy melodrama but with good dramatic points.

  2. How many time will I say this.. PROTIP: EVERY ANIME SEASON SUCKS BALLS. So all your these complain will just be the same EVERY FUCKING SEASON.

    1. O K. It’s a rant. Have fun with it. If anime sucks every season for you, don’t watch!
      Protip = lol

    1. Excellent choice. I have to admit, Rainbow is a great show and I did watch two episodes of it – it’s just that it’s quite poignant and emotionally, I haven’t been able to watch a show like that for years. That said. from what I have seen, it’s gripping; it’s emotionally honest and intense; it tells good stories without melodrama and the characters earn sympathy without forcing anything. Good call.

      1. What I meant was that it’s so realistically painful that I just couldn’t bear to watch it. But for anyone who can appreciate it, it’s a great choice!

  3. It’s pretty lame, but still a step above last season for me. Like you say, we’ve still got Durarara, FMA, and Five Leaves. There’s also Giant Killing, which isn’t bad at all for a football anime. Honestly though, my expectations were so low that to have found this many shows was a win, and Daimaou and Tatami still hold my interest as well.

    Last season only had Durarara, FMA, and Bantorra.. I suppose I could stretch and include Nodame or Hanamaru, but when BakaTest was a high-water mark for most people you know the season was weakersauce. I’ll have to be sure to catch your rant for next season, since the lineup is looking pretty.. special 🙂

    1. Thanks, mate. You know, I forgot about Giant Killing. The only problem I have with it is that the miracle/reckless coaching strategy thing has been done plenty of times (I could be wrong) and football (soccer) isn’t my thing – I suck at it! XD

      I’ll still watch Daimaou because of all the awesome fan service. It’s just that character development discrepency doesn’t go well with me.

      Durarara is from last season so I didn’t count it this season. Good thing you caught Bantorra, too. That was a really good show with such in depth character development and a well-connected back story thread. As for BakaTest – OK, I liked it because it fits my taste precisely because it had good timing and Otaku-catering jokes. But yeah, it was a turn off your brain and eat it show. I can be quite shallow…MOst of the time! XD

      It seems like we’ve had a couple of seasons of weak sauce…feel free to disagree.

  4. I don’t like Kaicho wa maid, but I’m curious about girl’s psychology, so I watch it anyway. Yeah, so true, if a guy looks like Fabio, it’s not a rape. It’s “mutually pleasurable rough sex.” Gone With The Wind was criticized by feminists for the “rape” scene, but the majority of women who saw the movie found it “erotically exciting.” The world is unfair. But we got 2-D world, and have moe.

    Yeah, this season, there is no anime that I feel I need to catch up every episode. except for Drrr and Koihime Musou.

    1. Fabio is old now but the stereotype itself is often true. I’ve been told repeatedly by my male friends and co-workers so.

      There is no saving of the general population. They can’t get through the kokoro no kabe 心の壁.

      You could try to catch up to K-On!!

      1. I actually like angel beats. I agree that the naoi plot could have been better, but by and large it’s a good show with a good plot and the rare ability to switch between side splitting comedy and tearjerking emotional power. Most of the excuses do work, and the characters do evolve quite nicely and are well rounded.

      2. The show isn’t really bad or awful by any means. It has some flaws but a lot of strengths. I haven’t found it side-splittingly funny. As for the emotional quotient, by watching a Key show I had to adjust to the fact that there would be heaps of melodrama. Overall, however, it’s a good show in a rather lackluster season.

        Lastly, I’m mostly intrigued by the concept.

  5. I have to defend Kaichou Wa Maid Sama. The show isn’t saying its ok to stalk if you’re cute. It would be a whole different level if Usui harmed her in any way. But he hasn’t, and in a previous episode had the chance to take advantage of her when she was hypnotized but he didn’t. He actually loves this woman, and that’s why he does what he does, he protects her because she is constantly putting herself in risky situations, so someone’s gotta take care of her. And the only reason he’s considered a stalker in Misa Chan’s eyes is because she doesn’t really know if he loves her or not, she’s in denial.

    But it doesn’t hurt that he’s the coolest character EVER!!!! Wish there was an Usui in real life.

    1. I totally respect that. But as a guy, I would be more careful not to show up around a gal too often. It is true that Misa-chan keeps getting into dangerous situations and yeah, it’s pretty awesome that Usui is Tuxedo Kamen. But sometimes it’s way too convenient that it’s a little creepy. That said, I suppose Usui has strong ethics and that add points to the show.

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