Hello, hello, one and all! ‘Tis I, NegativePrimes, the Curiously Dead Cat! The new season is here, and while I think we can agree that it has been a bit impoverished compared to recent seasons, there are still plenty of fun things to watch and a few intellectual tidbits to chew on. What doth the Cat recommend this time around?

This is intended to be the first of two posts looking at the series I’m watching this season. This one covers new isekai, fantasy, and sci-fi—all under the heading of “speculative fiction”. The second post will look at new series that are closer to the real world, as well as continuing series of all kinds.

Isekai/Fantasy

This is a plentiful season for isekai and other fantasy anime! How does the quality measure up this time, though?

Strongest Sage with the Weakest Crest

This is a reincarnation fantasy—though not an isekai—that is a half-step above mediocre in most ways. It’s enjoyable if you like this sort of thing, like me. I reviewed it more in-depth for Beneath the Tangles, so follow the link to hop on over and see what I thought of episode one. Episode two has not substantively altered my opinion. I’ll be watching this to see how the MC takes down the demons who have infiltrated human society.

In the Land of Leadale

Leadale is cute! The MC is a disabled woman who apparently dies in the hospital and wakes up in her favorite online game. However, it’s 200 years in the future from the time when she played, and there are hints that some drastic change occurred in that world after she stopped playing. Her relationships with her “children” (NPCs that she created in the game) and the little girl at the inn are adorable. I will be watching for more cuteness and exploration of the world, as well as a bit more of her backstory.

Life with an Ordinary Guy Who Reincarnated Into a Total Fantasy Knockout

Knockout is, again, a decently produced series with a mediocre premise. Two men die—killed by an impatient goddess of love (ok, that’s original)—and reincarnate in a fantasy world. One of them, however, is now a cute young woman. Lots of genderbent shenanigans ensue. See my longer review over at Beneath the Tangles. Watching this for the humor.

Fantasia Sango – Realm of Legends

I always enjoy seeing alternate histories, and Fantasia Sango is an alternate Three Kingdoms China plagued by monsters running amok. A man and a woman are tasked with helping destroy the monsters, and are assigned to work with two others, another man and a girl. They discover, however, that their two companions are the survivors of a previous group of monster-killers—which was destroyed by girl when she went berserk. Mildly gritty, the appeal for me is how the group does not work well together: the girl in particular has an Atlas complex (wanting to do everything by herself), and the other three have their own hangups. I’ll look forward to seeing whether or how they can work together.

The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt

Genius Prince is a poor man’s version of Realist Hero—literally. The titular prince is about to inherit a kingdom that is deeply in debt, and decides to sell it off for a quick buck or million. To do that, he decides to raise its value; to do that, he tries a bit of minimal upkeep. Coincidences lead to wild success, far beyond his imagined expectations. Note that genius has next to nothing to do with it. It’s sufficiently amusing to keep me watching.

She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man

This show would probably have a fascinating premise… if it had made clear what the premise was. Episode one suffered from some low-budget, cost-cutting measures. My friend Claire recommends forgetting episode one exists and waiting for ep two, which hopefully will kick of the story and explanation. I will, of course, be watching it because it’s an isekai.

Sci-Fi

Sabikui Bisco

MUSHROOM TERRORISM! A mysterious disease, which everyone calls “rust” for some reason, is spreading far and wide. The government blames “Mushroom terrorists”—people who carry weapons that cause gigantic mushrooms to sprout wherever they strike. The MC, a doctor who runs a poor clinic out of a house of prostitution, seems to need the contraband mushrooms for his effective medicines, however. There are backroom dealings and secret identities aplenty. What caused the rust, and who is really responsible? Tune in to find out!

Miss Kuroitsu from the Monster Development Department

What if the bad guys ran a corporation… that was more ethical and treated its employees better than most real companies? Miss Kuroitsu is a comedic critique of business practices that harm workers. It’s sort of a more positive counterpart to last year’s Dungeon of Black Company, which presented a fantasy world full of unethical businesses. Looks to be fun, and maybe insightful.

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That’s all for this time! Hope you enjoy the new season! 🙂