OP: “Cinematic Parade (シネマティックパレード)” by Nasuo☆
Shinigami Bocchan to Kuro Maid is definitely one of those little engine that could sort of anime. Very easy to take for granted, never the best thing airing at any given time, but always very much in possession of itself. To say this adaptation is unspectacular would certainly be accurate. It’s low-budget and CGI, after all. But this team did Hi Score Girl, and they know what they’re doing in terms of adapting a good story. The Duke of Death and His Black Maid isn’t as good as that series was, but it’s still an excellent romcom.
One of the ways the anime has found to include some “value-added” content is with the music. It’s been a consistently winning part of the first two seasons, and the third and almost surely final starts off no differently. All the OPs and EDs have been keepers (if only the episodes themselves were animated so well), and these are no exception. The mostly piano background music is consistently lovely. And we’ve gotten a ton of insert songs (some with production numbers). The wizardry school song (performed by a children’s chorus) was a hilarious addition to the mix.
I actually remember the wizardry school arc being longer in the manga, and there’s a good reason for that – it is. In fact the anime seriously powered through this arc, most likely because if indeed it’s the final, it has to blow through about 95 chapters. The first two were closer to 65—70, so that’s a pretty big increase in pacing. With Hi Score Girl this studio and staff made up the difference with an OVA, but that series was a bigger seller than this one so I think we’re simply going to be looking at a bit of a rush job. It’s doable, but it makes me a little sad because some very good material is going to wind up on the cutting room floor.
As such, the rest of the school arc is a bit of a blur. We get the kinky sempai who licks people, the mumbler, some more Caph-Ichi-sensei training montages. And let’s not forget Daleth being unmade by Walter’s unwitting chaddishness – can’t have too much of that. Daleth also notes that she’s found a magic book that will allow her to turn from witch to human (though it’s really hard, especially the final step). Which of course she wants to do so she can be with Walter, though at this point all evidence suggests that he’s unaware of her interest (and probably wouldn’t care if she were human or not anyway).
The school stuff is rushed so the narrative can accelerate the next big development in the story – the return of Sharon. Yes, the prodigal mama is back – dropped off by Daleth (who bugged out of school early) at the detached estate. No one back home is quite sure why Sharon has awakened, though it’s reasoned that it must have something to do with Sade in the past. Rob is naturally thrilled, and just as much to spring Sharon on her daughter as a surprise when Alice and Bocchan return.
Considering the context the mother-daughter reunion is played pretty low-key (Alice seems more shocked than anything), and Sharon notifies her that she’s going to go back to living at the main house, as a thanks to her “little sister” Gerbera (have we heard that name before?) for raising Alice in her stead. The bond between those two is obviously pretty tight. Before she goes to bed, however, Bocchan asks Sharon to share(on) the story of how she came to the estate, hoping it will shed some light on his curse. She does, but apart from further suggesting a link between Sade and Victor (the Duke’s grandfather) it doesn’t in any obvious way. She also drops the bomb that she has bad taste in men, and that Alice’s father left her for another woman before she was born.
This is very charming, vintage Shinigami Bocchan material. Sharon is very much a live wire and a(another) fun addition to the cast, even if her presence is more than a bit of a mystery. I would much prefer that the rest of this series was getting about 16-17 episodes rather than the 12 (13 at most) it’s likely to get, but anime that aren’t huge commercial properties don’t get the privilege of custom-tailored bespoke runtimes – for series like this, it’s straight off the rack. But I have a fair bit of faith in this team to find a way to do the remaining material justice. I always miss this series when it’s gone, and it’s great to have it back.
ED: “Étoile Memoir (エトワールメモワール)” by Alice (CV: Ayumi Mano)
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