Spring 2025 is, if nothing else, a big anime season. There are a lot of shows, and by recent standards a relatively small percentage of them are LN adaptations. If anything I would say CGDCT seems to have regained the upper hand from isekai for one season at least. But overall, while the season is trending about as I expected (middling) there was at least a large pool of candidates from which an unexpected sleeper might emerge. And a couple of them have, though each have some yellow flags attached to them.
As in the preview, I’m covering a lot of series here based simply on the size of the schedule. And as I noted in the preview it’s kind of an hourglass-shaped affair. A few big titles at the top (the core four, as I’ve come to refer to them), not much in the “very good” range, and a big swathe of titles below that contending for a spot. I’ve had seasons where I struggled to find candidates for the Patron Pick ballot, and a couple where it’s been a challenge to whittle it down. This one is definitely the latter.
Given how much weight this season is going to have to carry in the year-end reckoning (a certainty given the tenor of series announcements in late 2024) I certainly hope the cour four manage to remain the pillars, and a couple of the field emerge as true gems. As I said we do have a couple of early breakouts, but apart from one I’m still skeptical that they’re going to be able to close the deal. I’m also really missing sports and romcom, which are lightly represented in series that are relevant to my interests. Mystery is the trending genre if there is one, but on the whole I’m not that impressed with the quality of the field there.
Onward, then, to Spring 2025:
The Elite
None
Outstanding
Kowloon Generic Romance
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: A-
Comments: Certainly, the premiere would have landed Kowloon Generic Romance in the “Elite” tier. The episodes since have not quite been on that level but still outstanding. The Sword of Damocles hanging over this series is it’s one-cour length, given that the manga is not only ongoing, but 15 volumes. It is concluding soon so we may get mangaka Mayzuki Jun’s intended ending – but even if that happens the story is going to be facing serious cuts. And that’s a shame, because its three main elements – romcom, world-building, and sci-fi mystery – are all good enough to carry a series on their own.
Kuroshitsuji: Midori no Majo-hen
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: A-
Comments: Kuroshitsuji has become one of the most consistent franchises in anime. There have been few misses the last couple of seasons, and Midori no Majo-hen is off to a similarly excellent start. The second episode was probably the funniest in the entire series run, and the premise seems like another perfect fit for the characters and mythology. To her credit, that’s something Toboso-sensei is clearly very good at identifying. This is shaping up as one of the series’ darkest arcs, and hinting that we may see some exploration of the mystery surrounding Ciel’s (Ciels’?) past.
Vigilante: Boku no Hero Academia Illegals
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: A-
Comments: For me Illegals does pretty much everything you could ask a spinoff series to do. It honors the spirit of the parent series without mimicking it. It explores themes established by HeroAca but not deeply explored, focusing as it does on the grey areas in the spaces between her and villain society. It’s a damn good manga, and with Bones animating you know the anime is going to do justice to the source material.
Very Good
Apocalypse Hotel
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: B+
Comments: There’s absolutely no question that Apocalypse Hotel has been the biggest surprise of the season thus far. The premise is not wholly original but certainly clever, and the execution has been outstanding. There are elements of old Gainax here and it’s telling how many influences I’ve already mentioned in three episode posts – Yuasa, YKK, Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita, Uchouten Kazoku. Every episode has fleshed out the narrative more, and the added bonus of Miki Shinichirou delivering an absolutely epic performance certainly doesn’t hurt. You never know how it’s going to go with originals but so far, so good.
Aharen-san wa Hakarenai Season 2
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: B+
Comments: If I’m honest, the season premiere of Aharen-san was kind of a whiff, a letdown after so much time away. Almost no Raidou – and thus Raidou and Aharen together – and half the episode devoted to a new secondary character. A poor choice for a season premiere, but things have improved since then. When it’s right, this show’s charm factor is off the charts and it delivers a huge number of laughs per episode. I never expected to see the adaptation concluded, so I can live with a few clunkers.
Anne Shirley
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: B
Comments: Though I don’t have much exposure to this material in any of its myriad incarnations, I know its reputation is almost certainly well-earned. So far I would describe this adaptation as pretty much “fine”. It looks pleasant enough in a Ghibli-lite sort of way, and the direction is more than competent. That said it’s hammering through the material at a blistering pace, and even for a newbie like me it’s obvious where some emotional heft is lost as a result. Certainly a pleasant watch which brings no shame to the source material.
Worthwhile
Zatsu Tabi: That’s Journey
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: B-
Comments: As much as I loved the premiere of Zatsu Tabi, I always felt like it was destined to be a one-off. While it’s clearly been established that this show is capable of being something more, it looks to be mainly a CGDCT and “healing” exercise, which radically limits its upside. Solo travel is just better – both for personal growth and for anime. I don’t think we’re going to see much more of it from Zatsu Tabi, sadly.
Uchuujin MuuMuu
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: B-
Comments: In a season without Apocalypse Hotel, Me and the Alien MuMu might be the weirdest show airing. But in a totally different way. This manga adaptation is quirky, whimsical, and distinctly odd in terms of narrative structure. More than perhaps anyone else the music of Kuricorder Quartet vibes with a very particular sort of show, and it fits perfectly with this one. Between the cat stuff, the social anxiety, and the tech geekery the whole experience is quite a fascinating one.
Moonrise
Episodes Watched: 5
Grade: B-
Comments: I quite liked the first couple episodes of Moonrise, but it’s not quite as engaging since. Wit is certainly delivering on the visuals, and there are some interesting hard sci-fi and space opera elements to it. But original series (especially longer ones) by writers without a successful track record with them are always a crapshoot. I find it pretty unlikely the story is going to hold together for 18 episodes but for now, I’m still watching.
Ballpark de Tsukamaete!
Episodes Watched: 4
Grade: B-
Comments: In a season otherwise bereft of sports series relevant to my interests, Ballpark de Tsukamaete! is providing an engaging experience. It’s an episodic show – three short chapters per episode – and as a result it can be hit-and-miss. But the baseball stuff is pretty authentic, most of the characters are enjoyable, and it managed to work in a plug for Chicago pizza.
Witch Watch
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: B-
Comments: As big a fan as I am of Shinohara Kenta’s Kanata no Astra, I’ve never really vibed with anything else of his. That included the chapters of Witch Watch I sampled, so my expectations going into this adaptation were distinctly modest. But The first episodes were surprisingly funny and surprisingly charming, broadly following the “two loveable idiots” romcom template. Episode 3 was less successful but I’m at least open to seeing where it goes from here.
Shoushimin Series 2nd Season
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: B-
Comments: Overall I would definitely say this season of Shoushimin Series has been a step up for me. Takahiro’s straightforward earnestness has made a nice contrast with the rest of the cast, even as it’s obvious he’s totally being played by Yuki. Meanwhile Jougorou patiently waits off to the side, going through the motion with his triple-timing new “girlfriend”, as a Holmes and Moriarty vibe develops between he and Osanai. It’s more fun the second go around, and we certainly know Yonezawa Honobu is capable of writing smart material.
Still Watching
Shin Samurai-den Yaiba
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: C+
Comments: I keep seeing a hybrid of Ranma 1/2 and Dragonball when I look at Yaiba (though you could obviously throw some Conan in there too). It’s Wit so you know it’s going to look great and have excellent action sequences (it does). The story and characters? A mixed bag for me – Yaiba himself comes off as kind of a dickhead, but he’s basically feral and when you look at his dad, I guess it’s understandable.
Sentai Daishikkaku 2nd Season
Episodes Watched: 2
Grade: C+
Comments: I’m way behind on Go Go Loser Ranger, but based just on one episode my overall take is about the same. It’s sneaky interesting, explores some challenging themes, and features a bravura lead performance by Kobayashi Yuusuke. Nothing brilliant or anything but a solidly entertaining watch I tend to forget about when I shouldn’t.
Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: C+
Comments: The Dinner Table Detective started off pretty strongly for me – the premiere had a nice old Hollywood zaniness to it. But it hasn’t particularly worn well. The mysteries aren’t too gripping but that’s more or less the norm for these sorts of series. I’m not laughing as much as I was, though, and that’s a bad sign this early in the game.
Lazarus
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: C
Comments: Of all the criticisms I can level against a show, “boring” might be the most damning. You try not to grade on a curve – how would I feel about this series if Watanabe Shinichirou weren’t directing it? That’s impossible to do, but I think I’d probably still find it pretty lifeless and derivative. Boilerplate premise and characters who are more types than actual people, not a great combination and one that sadly gives the impression that Watanabe is once again kind of mailing it in.
Kidou Senshi Gundam: GQuuuuuuX
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: C
Comments: Maybe slightly less boring than Lazarus but more cynical and irritating. I admit I’m not a huge Gundam fan to begin with but it’s depressing to see the franchise in the state it’s in. And that would be true if this series didn’t have the full flower of Gainax’ glory days running it. Maybe this season represents a passing of the torch in anime, but if so you sure hate to see it going down this way.
Chuuzenji-sensei Mononoke Kougiroku: Sensei ga Nazo wo Hodoite Shimau kara.
Episodes Watched: 2
Grade: C
Comments: Another detective story that isn’t really clicking for me, this one set at a Tokyo high school in 1948. There’s a good pedigree here with the source novels of Natsuhiko Kyougoku (Mouryou no Hako), and the second episode was a little better than the first. But on balance it’s not clicking for me yet, and the weird supernatural twist with Enokizu seems somewhat out of place.
Summer Pockets
Episodes Watched: 3
Grade: C
Comments: Key going through the motions here so far. There have been a few amusing moments but I’ve seen nothing from Summer Pockets to make me believe it’s anything but B-grade Key material.
Dropped:
Kijin Gentoushou, Your Forma, Saikyou no Ousama, Nidome no Jinsei wa Nani wo Suru?, Rock wa Lady no Tashinami deshite
Here, then, is this season’s blogging prospectus:
Monday:
Definitely Blogging: Aharen-san wa Hakarenai Season 2, Vigilante: Boku no Hero Academia Illegals
On the Bubble: Zatsu Tabi: That’s Journey
Tuesday:
Definitely Blogging: Apocalypse Hotel
On the Bubble: Ballpark de Tsukamaete!
Wednesday:
On the Bubble: Uchuujin MuuMuu
Thursday:
None
Friday:
Definitely Blogging: Kusuriya no Hitorigoto 2nd Season
Saturday:
Definitely Blogging: Kowloon Generic Romance, Kuroshitsuji: Midori no Majo-hen
On the Bubble: Anne Shirley, Shin Samurai-den Yaiba
Sunday:
On the Bubble: Witch Watch, Shoushimin Series 2nd Season
Manga: Otoyomegatari, Hunter X Hunter (Hiatus)
Watching For Now: Moonrise, Sentai Daishikkaku 2nd Season, Lazarus, Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de, Kidou Senshi Gundam: GQuuuuuuX, Chuuzenji-sensei Mononoke Kougiroku: Sensei ga Nazo wo Hodoite Shimau kara., Summer Pockets
Patron Pick Ballot: Ballpark de Tsukamaete!, Shin Samurai-den Yaiba, Witch Watch, Zatsu Tabi: That’s Journey, Uchuujin MuuMuu, Anne Shirley
One more thing before I wrap. A special thanks to everyone who supports LiA financially – you’re the reason the site is still going. The “LiA Bespoke” commissions program is officially open and has proved to be a great addition to LiA, so please check it out.
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