City the Animation
Short Synopsis: Silly people do silly things in a silly town (while looking amazing).
Amun: I have never seen Nichijou, nor do I really know anything about it, so I came into City blind. As Lenlo says below, this looks absolutely fantastic. Like wow, that opening shot through the rain is some of the nicest animation I’ve seen this season (and we have some seasonal heavy hitters with Tensei and Dandadan). The short form sketches work pretty well, with some common characters and themes being developed. I must say some humor is lost on me, but occasionally the slapstick (especially the slow mo of getting hit in the face with a cork) did make me belly laugh, so mission accomplished! This is definitely a “vibes” show, so as long as it stays lighthearted with a joke landing here and there, I’ll probably stick with it.
Potential: 65%
Lenlo: The most visually impressive thing this season probably, it looks incredible, but I actively detest both its and Nichijou’s style of comedy. There’s nothing funny in here for me. But if you enjoyed Nichijou, this will probably be an Anime of the Season contender for you. It looks that good.
Tougen Anki
Short Synopsis: A boy with oni blood seeks revenge for the Agency that killed his father.
Mario: And at the final run, we have one of the most action-packed anime (alongside Gachiakuta) of this season. That fact, along with the fact that it airs on Netflix, means that it could reach a mass audience out there and become a modest hit. But what about the actual show’s quality? Well, based on the first episode, it’s a narrow road. Tougen Anki aims to be another shounen with violence and an “edgy” protagonist, but the big issue is that the MC himself isn’t just edgy – he’s unlikable from start to finish. He gets expelled from school the first time we meet him, where he’s in the process of insulting everyone around him, his (non-blood related) father included. What happens afterward is just a poor excuse for him having a “goal” for himself and knowing who he really is. We can see the fate of his father coming from miles away, and everything else the show has done so far has been done before more effectively in other shounen series. For example, it doesn’t surprise me one bit that in the end he gets knocked out by a fellow oni and will be put into a group of oni teenagers his age. I’d take the randomness of City the Animation anytime over this predictable plot.
Potential: 20%
Solo Camping for Two
Short Synopsis: An aspiring camper harasses a more experienced outdoorsman until he agrees to accompany her on her next camping trip.
Wooper: I’m afraid we’re ending First Impressions season on a bit of a fart with Solo Camping for Two (Futari Solo Camp), but at least the stench won’t linger, since it’s a show about the outdoors. You’ll have to forgive the dad joke – I figured it was somewhat appropriate, given that the protagonist here is an adult man (Gen), which was the main reason I wanted to check out this show to begin with. Turns out his relative maturity was wasted on this premiere, since all he did was get nagged repeatedly by its only other character, an accident-prone young woman (Shizuku) with a knack for shedding her skirt. I didn’t exactly enjoy the way the episode opened, with Gen internally monologuing about his love for camping alone, but soon after Shizuku showed up and started begging to join his party of one, I began to long for those halcyon opening minutes. The visuals aren’t anything to write home about, either, which isn’t a good look for an anime meant to celebrate the great outdoors. Instead, the only celebration happening here is mine, at never having to write about this sub-middling show ever again.
Potential: 10%
The post Summer 2025 Impressions: City the Animation, Tougen Anki, Solo Camping for Two appeared first on Star Crossed Anime.
