The Seasonal Summer Anime Beach Episode! (Part 1) - Renegade Animation #33
Tonight, on a MASSIVE episode of Renegade Animation, The Animation Guru and Captain Kaye plow through half of the newest anime shows to hit in the past year.
Hey all, THE DIRECTOR here! And boy, am I sure happy to give you guys probably the biggest episode that we’ve got to offer with our Animation podcast. How big is it? THIS ISN’T EVEN THE WHOLE THING!
That’s right, our animation amigos have gone through the WHOLE Anime season so far, and still plan on giving you guys the rest real soon! For now, if you’re like me (that is to say… not well versed in the world of anime) and have been looking for a place to start? Well, our Captain and Guru have some pickings and regardless of whether or not you agree with them, maybe these will be a nice jumping off point!
Well, let’s go ahead and kick it over to the Captain himself! Strap in… because there’s a lot!
The Detective is Already Dead (Funimation) (First episode readily available)
“Aaaaaaaaaaand right away we’re starting with a light novel adaptation. The animation is fine, if not a little generic with its character designs, and the title suggests a more intriguing premise than what we were given. Instead, you could boil down all of my problems with this series to the main protagonist being just the worst. He’s another classic example of an anime protagonist who’s a blackhole of personality, which makes it extremely difficult to engage in anything that’s going on. Oh, and this snorefest has absolutely no reason to have an hour-long premier!” - Captain Kaye
Night Head 2041 (Crunchyroll)
“Admittedly, Night Head 2041 doesn’t have the most original sci-fi premise, but I think I’m invested just enough for the janky 3D animation to genuinely bother me. Perhaps not quite to the extent of Ex-Arm, but being better than Ex-Arm isn’t a high bar to clear. Anyway, if you’re into sci-fi cult classics like Scanners or Equilibrium, and can get past all the jank, there’s a good chance you’ll find something to enjoy. Trigger warning for episode 3, which involves a handful of references to suicide.” - Captain Kaye
Peach Boy Riverside (Crunchyroll) (First ep readily available)
“Look, I don’t know whose bright idea it was to air this series completely out of order, but it’s really dumb, and only leads to audiences getting confused. Thank God I knew this ahead of time, and started the first few episodes in the CORRECT order. Weird broadcasting aside, I’m interested in this story, particularly the conflict between humans and oni. It’s a dark fantasy that thankfully doesn’t get too bogged down by the usual ‘dark and edgy’ tropes we’ve seen a little too much of in recent years. I’m looking forward to seeing this one through to the end.” - Captain Kaye
Re-Main (Funimation) (First ep readily available)
“Look, It’s Mappa, saying this has ‘great animation’ would be like saying applesauce tastes like apples. That being said, I can kind of appreciate how Minato’s memory loss is an intriguing ‘yes, and…’ element to what would have been a par for the course sports anime. Where I struggle is the shifting tone, because sometimes the memory loss is played for laughs, while other times it’s the main dramatic conflict. But I am genuinely invested in these characters, therefore I’m invested in the series.” - Captain Kaye
The Case Study of Vanitas (Funimation) (First episode is readily available)
“We have the winner of the seasonal anime dub sweepstakes, and based on the first two episodes that are available, I fucking LOVE The Case Study of Vanitas! As it turns out, supernatural steampunk dark fantasy happens to be one of my low key favorite subgenres, and this even works as a kinda-sorta buddy comedy as well. If this show doesn’t turn Zeno Robinson into a household name, then I don’t know what will. The dynamic he shares with both Stephen Fu as Noé and Ian Sinclair as Dante is wonderfully chaotic, supported by some of the funniest visual gags in a series that’s mostly played straight. This is a series I definitely plan to keep up with weekly!” - Captain Kaye
Kageki Shojo!! (Funimation) (First ep readily available)
“It feels like this series was tailor-made for both musical theater nerds and Idol fans, but that’s not the only reason why this show is as great as it is! The animation looks gorgeous, the ensemble cast is filled with a wide variety of unique personalities, but it wasn’t until episode 3 that the show really leaned into GREAT territory. Content warning, but this is when we really get to explore Ai Narata’s trauma, starting with her abusive childhood as the daughter of a highly sought after actress, which led directly to getting ‘canceled’ at a fan event for calling a guy a creep. I love how unafraid Kageki Shojo!! Is to explore the dark side of the entertainment industry, and I wish more shows in this genre would have honest discussions like this.” - Captain Kaye
Sonny Boy (Funimation) (First ep readily available)
“If nothing else, I commend this series for trying something new. It’s one of those gonzo sci-fi premises that forces you to pay close attention to what’s going on, or else it’s easy to get lost or confused. From what I understand, a handful of students at this high school have powers, while others don’t, and each episode takes place in a different ‘This World?’ Don’t feel bad if you struggle to comprehend everything as you watch it for the first time, as it could take multiple viewings to truly appreciate everything.” - Captain Kaye
Girlfriend, Girlfriend (Crunchyroll) (First episode is available)
“Everything that works about this series is also what makes it terrible from an ‘objective’ perspective. The tone is completely unhinged to the point where every character is written at an eleven, and the performances of the seiyuu amplifies the humor to that level. However, that just makes the attempts at sincerity fall flat, since there’s seldom a redeeming quality to any of them. Girlfriend, Girlfriend is the definition of a guilty pleasure, and if you’re into this level of insanity, then this should be right up your alley.” - Captain Kaye
Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan (Funimation) (First episode is readily available)
“There’s just something very unique about this anime, and it’s that sharp dissonance between that wholesome public access children’s television program personality and their real world baggage that seeps into every broadcast. It’s a pitch black comedy, and I absolutely love it. On the one hand, these characters are all varying degrees of pathetic, so there’s enjoyment in laughing at their expense. However, as someone who’s roughly in the same age range, it can also get a little too real.” - Captain Kaye
The Aquatope on White Sand (Crunchyroll) (First ep out)
“Well this was quite the change of pace from the last anime I watched, and I mean that in a good way. The Aquatope on White Sand is an original slice of life anime that’s practically perfect, at least that’s my opinion of the first three episodes so far. There’s just something pleasant about this setting, and the animation (especially when it involves water) is incredible. This very well might be one of the best series I’ve seen this summer if it maintains this quality throughout the season.” - Captain Kaye
Aw, and just when things were starting to turn around! Well, tune in to the second part of our anime beach episode to hear about the rest of the series’ they discuss! Will there be some amazing stories we haven’t seen yet? Or absolute garbage fires? Keep an eye out for the next episode — and special thanks to Cameron for editing this episode!
