I’m pleased to see the return of Beastars to Netflix. I think a season two was always likely given the breakout success of season one, but that doesn’t mean the sequel will be any good.

I’ll tell you what I think in just a bit, just below, but if you’re watching, why don’t you share a spoiler-free opinion? Is it as good as season one?

The same invitation also applies to the other shows covered in this collection of mini-reviews and to any other discoveries you’ve made. In part, Irregular Reconnaissance is a way to keep track of Geek Native’s recommendations but also as a scouting coordinator (the comments box at the bottom) for fellow geeks to gain credit by checking out shows early and calling hit or miss on them.

The format Irregular Reconnaissance anime reviews use is to tell you which anime is being reviewed, which episodes, then a few paragraphs of opinion (rather than plot), where the show can be watched and a terse summary.

You don’t need to do that. Avoid spoilers and use whichever approach works best for you.

Beastars

Season 2, 1 to 4

This is weird. Beastars season 2 feels precisely like Beastars, but nothing like Beastars.

I think I know what’s going on. Beastars season 1 slowly tugs at layers of the onion. It gets darker and more corrupt with each layer down. Now we know that darkness is there; Beastars doesn’t pretend otherwise.

So, yeah, we’re back at campus. We introduce a scary and insecure security guard who has a brilliant reason for never seeing them previously. It’s a genius bit of writing and character design.

And we’re back into the seedy underbelly of beast-person society too. Our would-be heroes are either deeply troubled or naively unaware. I think that it’s, and I think it took me an episode or two to get it.

Once I did, I started to enjoy this anime much more. I was getting worried.

Status: Good.
Where: Netflix

The Seven Deadly Sins

Dragon’s Judgement 4 to 6

Fine, fine; every group of heroes needs a big baddie to fight. We’re approaching the likely end of the show. It makes sense. So what’s happening here is that big villains appear out of wherever the writers can justify it.

It’s probably more enjoyable if you’re surprised by this and consider it a plot twist. I suspect if you’re an Irregular Reconnaissance reader, then you’re experienced enough to see it coming because of the dramatic need and can be forgiven for an eye roll.

But roll those eyes, and then roll with it. The Seven Deadly Sins is still high-octane fun.

Status: Good
Where: Netflix

BOFURI: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense

Episodes 7 to 12

As a recap, I watched this in English as a bold experiment. I grew used to the chipper American accents, but it’s not the same; it changes the tone.

Why did I stick with dubs over subs? I was able to watch and enjoy BOFURI while multi-tasking or while tired. In that respect, this experiment was an overwhelming success!

I had loads of fun. It was fun watching this friendly noob do well. It was pleasant seeing gamers pull together just to play the game and do well as a result. That’s not to say BOFURI doesn’t have clever bits, but they’re not very hidden.

For example, our hero maxes her defence so she won’t get hurt. What’s the series boss called? Payne, or Pain, Paine, however, it’s spelt (I didn’t see due to the lack of subtitles) – it’s both a typical PC name in an MMO and thematically appropriate.

I’d recommend BOFURI as both a starter anime and one for old grumps like me.

Status: Good, cheese fun.
Where: Funimation.

To Your Eternity

Episode 7 to 12

I’m not sure who exactly is on their way to eternity in To Your Eternity unless, as I suspect the case, eternity is a euphemism for death.

Since the show starts with an apparently immortal creature, our magic pebble, I had guessed we’d be following it for an eternity. We did for a bit, but the pace of time has slowed down dramatically.

Now even our would-be immortal seems to be in mortal jeopardy. Does that add any more spice to the show? I’m not sure, but it does mean the game of guessing which of the exciting characters the magic pebble meets will die and become a new incarnation of pebble gets a new level. You can also now imagine whether these victims die due to human evil or their proximity to the pebble wars.

Don’t let me sound too sarcastic; despite these games, To Your Eternity still tells stories that I rarely see in anime and tells them well.

Status: Good
Where: Crunchyroll

Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro

Episodes 8 to 12

I happily watched to the end, and I don’t know why. Nothing happens. It’s the same wafer-thin concept (the bully actually fancies the victim) told again and again.

Okay, the cast of bullying girls slowly and inexplicably grows. Do they attract one another like magnets? Or is it a case of circling vultures over a tired person on the verge of collapse?

You might watch and hope Nagatoro herself doesn’t become a victim of bullying, but surely that just reflects poorly on her current behaviour and our apparent tolerance of it?

Or am I overthinking this and being far too sensitive? Does she actually ever stand up for senpai when it matters?

Status: Just below average.
Where: Crunchyroll

Seen anything terrible recently? Watched anything great? Share your discoveries in the comments below.

Welcome to Geek Native’s not entirely regular look at a batch of episodic anime.

In this column, you should expect some short reviews on ongoing anime that you can watch over a streaming platform like Netflix or Sony’s Funimation.

Reviews without spoilers mean talking about shows and plots in general terms, about whether things are working out, about animation quality, the pace, the tempo, illustrations, relationships and even occasionally the soundtrack.

Keep up to date with the series, and the added context will help with insight. Perhaps I dislike everything you like; if so, switch my recommendations around.

Most importantly, spoiler-free recommendations are welcome. Found an anime, old or new, that people should know about, then use the comments at the bottom of the blog to let us know.

Resident Evil

Episodes 1 to 4

Better than I feared, not as good as I had hoped but at least it wasn’t another “survive the zombie hoard” story.

Resident Evil was pretty gruesome at times, especially right at the start before it had set any expectations of gore level. It’s also a great example of how far CGI-style animation has come; it was like four sets of incredible cut-scenes.

You don’t need to know anything about Resident Evil to enjoy this anime, but the more you know and forgive, the better it is. How so? There are “returning” characters and many references to the greater mythology of the long-running series.

Very lightly, if Resident Evil isn’t about many people trying to survive a zombie outbreak, what is it about? It’s about the aftermath of a zombie outbreak and the human corruption that will inevitably follow. It’s about becoming a monster to fight monsters. It’s about the ends justify the means. I know; nothing remarkable there, but it holds the story together, and the only surprises you expect from a ResEvi title are jump scares.

Status: Good.
Where: Netflix

Tokyo Revengers

Episodes 10 to 14

Not only better than I feared but as good as I had hoped; this anime keeps on surprising me.

It looked like it was going to peak and plateau, but there are 24 episodes scheduled, so we still have a lot of timeline fixing to do. What’s even better is that the nemesis, whomever they turn out to be, seems incredibly clever and adaptable.

Our hero is neither clever and barely responsive, but it works. It’s dangerous territory as I often get nothing but frustration from main characters who just moan, whine and make the situation worse for themselves. In this case, when things get worse, it’s because of action, not inaction.

Tokyo Revengers has a weakness, though. I just don’t buy the bonds of friendship and loyalty that exist between the characters. They’re either inexplicably strong, often presenting as honour among thieves (there is none), or mysteriously vanish in time for the dramatic reveal, on repeat.

Status: Good
Where: Crunchyroll

Combatants Will Be Dispatched!

Episodes 6 to 9

I’m not convinced there was a plan. I think there was an idea that got commissioned, and then filler content was made later. In the latest episode, the so-called evil agent says something like, “Oh, the mission. I forgot about it”.

Clearly! I’m not even sure I knew there was a mission.

The whole episode was pointless unless you count one creepy upskirt. And I’m beginning to fear that’s true.

However, there are signs of some sort of arc in the background. Some transparent threads of hope could be pulled taut in the final episodes to reveal a slyly woven tapestry of drama. I’m torn between dumping the show now or letting those last episodes have my time.

Any thoughts? Let me know, spoiler-free, in the comments below.

Status: Struggling, and falling.
Where: Funimation

BOFURI: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense

Episode 4 to 6

My brave experiment was watching BOFURI in English, it still sounds weird, but I’m enjoying the series!

The premise is that a newbie “broke” a tremendous virtual reality by accidentally mix-maxing her defence stats in ways the programmers didn’t predict. Now they move to release patches and close exploits.

In the meantime, our newbie, Maple, is just out to have fun. And it’s fun to watch, wholesome, and still with plenty of combat action. These girls know how to fight, and that team is growing as we move into Guild territory.

You’ll know this already, but sometimes the way to win at a game is to have more stamina for it than anyone else. Find your zen and avoid rage quits. There’s no sign of rage quitting here, but Maple’s growing Guild are finding their zen and passing it on to us.

Status: Good
Where: Funimation

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

Episodes 202 to 204

I know! I know! I’m falling behind. That’s not a surprise. I guess the surprise is at how well Boruto and co are holding my attention this far in; the formula, whatever it is, works.

Also, surprising is the boss fight we’re getting. I thought it would come later, but it makes sense now. I imagine what the audiences are getting is the chance to compare power levels to see just how much threat the heroes are in.

In this column, I wondered whether Combatants Will Be Dispatched! was weaving threads that would be pulled together later. In this section of the collection of mini-reviews, we find an example of a show that does this very well. It’s all about foreshadowing and managing expectations.

We just need to invent more ways to explain what’s going to the audience than have the characters explain to each other what is going on, especially to their rival in a fight.

Status: Good.
Where: Crunchyroll

Seen anything terrible recently? Watched anything great? Share your discoveries in the comments below.

Anime reviews delivered in a batch! Spoiler-free, episodic catch-ups with titles new and old.

The catch? Well, as the name of the column suggests, these anime reviews are irregular – they’re ready when they’re ready.

But some parts of the column are reasonably regular. I always like to solicit your own opinion and recommendations for shows to watch, especially as the streaming platforms are doing what they’re doing just now with online expos to give us the lowdown on the coming season.

There’s generally five or so, sometimes more but not in this case, shows in the write-up and typically at least three episodes being considered at once.

As we conclude each mini-review, it’s the rule that we can sum things up in just a word or two. Is it an average show? Or worse? Do we need to say more? It’s not an out of 10 ratings, that’s a bit clunky for us (especially when so few shows get 5/10), but it’s a to-the-point summary. Geography allowing, you’ll find a link to where you can legally stream it too.

The Seven Deadly Sins

Dragon’s Judgement, 1 to 3

Ah, straight back into the action. There’s something warm and reassuring at watching friendly demons and vile angels go to battle. That’s to say, this far into The Seven Deadly Sins, we know the Sins are the goodies and the Commandments, the baddies.

We also know they all have their own backstories with twists, turns, flaws and plenty of baggage.

But to hell with that, let’s jump into the fighting. It’s needed to; we’ve already spent an entire series on the build-up to this (is it the?) final showdown.

I feel the results are pretty much a foregone conclusion and have no problem with that. However, and it pleases me to say, there’s just a niggling suspicion that there might be a final twist or dramatic end over the horizon.

Status: Good.
Where: Netflix

Godzilla Singular Point

Episodes 5 to 12

We were told it would be different, and it is, but familiar too. A game I started to play is “Is that Godzilla?”

Trust me, we know when the giant kaiju finally arrives, and it’s perfectly in keeping with Godzilla shows for the lizard to be late to the scene.

Godzilla stories often reflect societal concerns of the day. Nuclear fallout was the start of it, and we’ve seen plenty of variations since then. What do you think the problems of today are? At least, what were the concerns when Singular Point was being written?

With clouds of red dust floating around the world in Singular Point, is that a biohazard? The good news is that you can enjoy Godzilla Singular Point without wondering about any of that.

If you need some sort of reflection at the end, too, don’t worry; you’ll get a narrated one.

Status: Better than average
Where: Netflix

Record of Ragnarok

Episodes 10 to 12

Pulled in some countries, as Geek Native foreshadowed, the Record of Ragnarok shows desperate humans from throughout history battling with gods for the survival of the species.

Sometimes those are gods from contemporary cultures and religions today, hence the show being yanked from some geographies.

However, we don’t get to a Ragnarok. We don’t even get halfway through all the matches. That was expected, even made clear from the start. However, that’s because the fights last for many episodes and not because Record of Ragnarok has anything else to give us.

It’s possible to a series of fights and have some plot as the likes of Baki and Tower of God have shown. I predict Record of Ragnarok will get more episodes, but I’m less confident we’ll get much more plot.

Status: Average
Where: Netflix

BOFURI: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense

Episode 1 to 3

I’m trying something new, and I don’t care if you hate me for it. I’m watching BOFURI in English.

Why? I’m swamped in real life and need to multi-task to get through everything, but I still need my anime escape. I picked BOFURI as a show that would hopefully not need 100% of my attention, and to make that possible made sure I can at least give it 100% of my ears.

It works! I’m really enjoying the story and slowly getting used to peppy American accents. There’s a difference between the earnest charisma of Japanese voice actors and American pep, but it’s hard to explain.

BOFURI is about escapism (which I need), breaking a computer game, and then riding the waves as the devs release patches to keep up (which I find hilarious).

It’s a simple concept; a total newbie puts all her stats into defence and makes it work. She can barely walk, but it works.

Status: Good
Where: Funimation

Moriarty the Patriot

Episodes 21 to 23

I’m glad I watched Moriarty the Patriot, and in the final washup, it gets a “Good” status, but the ending feels a bit rushed.

Despite all these episodes, it’s almost as if the ending came sooner than the writer expected. The tempo is of sudden escalations. While the characters can say, “this is all too my man”, I have to ask, “was it?” because it feels as if third-party involvement was divisive.

Yes, that’s the third party that I said previously felt shoe-horned in. I also said Moriarty wasn’t being very proactive with it. Perhaps my radar was a little off; I certainly dismissed the faction, but not in a good way.

However, it’s worth stressing that the idea is fantastic, and its execution is pretty good too. Worth a watch, especially if laser robot catgirls aren’t your jam.

Status: Good.
Where: Netflix

Seen anything terrible recently? Watched anything great? Share your discoveries in the comments below.

I’m enjoying how Netflix’s series release dates don’t directly map on to Sony’s Crunchyroll and Funimation.

It means there are new shows like Godzilla and Ragnarok to watch on one platform while we move towards the end of story arcs on the other.

In this Irregular Reconnaissance: Anime, as with previous, you’ll come with me as we catch up with the vibe from these shows. There won’t be spoilers, not planned ones, but just the occasional reference of implication. What actually happens in these episodes will remain mysterious.

Don’t read too much into the order of the five animes and their mini-reviews. Roughly speaking, the newer titles are on the top as they’re more likely to have a more significant number of people curious about them. However, the reviews on the more established shows are better informed and safer predictions as to whether the series is worth your time.

Godzilla Singular Point

Episodes 1 to 4

We were promised something different for Godzilla Singular Point, and we’ve got it. The catch? The show still feels like a Godzilla story.

One of the tricks, I think, is familiar sounds. The music says Godzilla to me.

What’s different is the approach. We’ve investigators and scientists reacting when a small swarm of monsters appears and then deals with itself in mysterious circumstances. Not the first time to have academics leading the charge in Godzilla, but this troupe all feel unorthodox.

Oh, and there’s a chatty dog-themed AI. See, different.

There’s also Jet Jaguar, who looks like a beer barrel given robotic arms and legs. In fact, that might be what happened.

It still feels like too early to tell, and, er, I’m four episodes on! I guess that means they’re keeping it fresh!

Status: Average
Where: Netflix

Record of Ragnarok

Episodes 4 to 9

In defence of Record of Ragnarok, they’re making the fights unpredictable, although some twists are signposted through their build-up.

As a neutral statement, it’s clear we’re not going to get much in the way of conclusion, and a second series is needed, hoped for or planned. At nine episodes in, we’re just starting the third fight. There are 13 lined up, so even if we stop when either the gods or humans have won seven, there’s a lot more combat to come.

In criticism, my hopes that the involvement of the valkyrie might weave in some plot are beginning to fade. Are we really just going to get backstories woven in with fight scenes?

Status: Average
Where: Netflix

Moriarty the Patriot

Episodes 18 to 20

Moriarty still has my attention, and it’s still worth watching, but I think it’s taken a bit of a clumsy twist.

It feels like to prolong the Sherlock vs Moriarty drama that they’ve shoe-horned in a third faction. Whereas there are now people for the Lord of crime to deal with in a somewhat more proactive way, it feels odd that all these talented brains and fighters turn out to be readily available.

Don’t get me wrong; the new pieces on the chessboard of the British Empire are interesting in their own right. More importantly, the set-ups, betrayals and dark drama keep my attention.

I’m still going to recommend the show. I guess it’s a bit like listening to good music while on hold on the phone. It’s not about the quality of the tunes; it’s that we’re on hold.

Status: Average.
Where: Crunchyroll

Zombie Land Saga

Season 2 (Revenge), Episode 10 to 12

Brutal? Funny? I’m trying to work out how the ending of Zombie Land Saga Revenge ends just there.

We’d been doing the build-up to the future by going backwards in time through character histories. We know the fate of the whole Saga region is up for grabs.

Meanwhile, the zombie idols have their own destiny to deal with. Can they get back on track with enough success to make amends for the failed show?

It’s looking good for a while. Wholesome, friendly and fun. And there we stay for a chunk of time. Watch to the end. The very end.

Status: Average
Where: Crunchyroll

So I’m a Spider, So What?

Episodes 21 to 23

Episode 23 isn’t the end of the series, but 24 has been delayed for an unspecified time.

Events in this strangely fun anime had simply been escalating in power level, and now we’re at the inevitable battle. It’s not unrealistic to have the winners and losers decided here, but we don’t.

I’m enjoying the show, but I think we’ve lost some of the survivalism of the first episodes. It’s now much closer to a Naruto or even perhaps Dragon Ball in the earlier days as super-powered warriors duke it out.

What happens next depends on fights, not a clever survival strategy. And we literarily have a whole cast of characters standing in a line and watching various personal duels. There’s also an unexpected set of fighters that might throw the entire mythos up in the air.

I’ve not read ahead, but I see two roads for the anime to go, and both might work. There could be more power escalation until we hit that Dragon Ball Z style and are fighting with planet blasting powers. Or, we get to a similar level of energy but weave a path of politics and strategy to survive it.

Status: Still good.
Where: Good

Seen anything terrible recently? Watched anything great? Share your discoveries in the comments below.

It’s time for another irregular (although recently it’s been semi-regular) reconnaissance report from the world of anime.

What’s worth watching? What’s best skipped entirely? What gets better in time, and what fades away? These are the questions that you can help readers with by sharing your own mini-review in the comments below.

One thing, though, one crucial thing. Irregular Reconnaissance avoids spoilers. Think of these as initial scout reports; we just see the shape and direction of things, not the details.

The five anime reviews you’ll find here take the approach of sharing in broad strokes what the anime is trying to do and whether it’s doing it. We can answer whether the plot came together without getting into the details of the plot itself.

Each of these anime reviews then boils down to just two things; should you watch it (a rating in as few words as possible) and how you can do that (likely a link to a streaming platform).

Record of Ragnarok

Episodes 1 to 3

Right, I’ve seen reports of manga fans not rating Record of Ragnarok and some patchy animation scenes. I’m only three episodes in, don’t know the original, but I am happy to defend the anime so far.

It’s a fighting anime. If you expected much more than god versus human matches, and if the show carries on in the same format, then I think you’ll be disappointed. But why would you expect that?

The animation has been okay. Sure, we don’t have wonderfully illustrated rainstorms, the natural dance of crops against the wind, but characters move realistically, look complete and pack energy.

In particular, the facial expressions on Zeus and Brunhilde are brilliant.

Storywise, we can’t possibly get thirteen detailed fights. We’ve spent three episodes on the first, and we’re not done yet—a Chinese champion, of sorts, for humanity.

We, humankind, would have been doomed had it not been for the delightfully manipulative Brunhilde. She’s the eldest of the Valkyrie, half-human, half-god. I would never turn my back on Brunhilde.

However, because of Brunhilde, I think we’ll get an actual story and maybe even surprises from Record of Ragnarok. I’m absolutely looking forward to the next episode.

Status: Average
Where: Netflix

Trese

Episodes 1 to 3

While the media attention has been on Record of Ragnarok, the best anime from Netflix to pop on the Irregular Reconnaissance report this week is the Philippine folklore-inspired adventures of Trese.

She’s cool.

This is a mature show. Yes, it’s a police procedural and a literal monster of the week, but these are monsters blessed with history and good for gamers to learn about. It’s not for kids. Episodes with their 18 ratings earn them without any debate.

Alexandra Trese is a cop who has inherited her father’s legacy of policing the supernatural and how it interacts with the human world. If the police think a crime was committed by something unnatural, then Trese gets the call.

We find out why and how Trese has this responsibility through flashbacks interwoven with the monster of the week format.

Status: Good
Where: Good

Seven Knights Revolution: Hero Successor

Episodes 9 to 12

I’m glad I stuck with Seven Knights Revolution and found out Nemo’s secret identity.

It’s been a struggle at times, and this is mainly due to the anime not deciding whether it was a “magic friends at school together overcoming challenges” or a “dark show about the burden of legacy and betrayal”. I think it was trying to be two things in one.

Spot the irony. The characters in Seven Knights Revolution are literarily two things in one; the heroes of the past and today’s youngsters. The former we meet less often but are far more interesting.

I’m a World of Darkness fan. I would have gone full dark with the show.

Status: Average.
Where: Crunchyroll

To Your Eternity

Episode 6 to 8

At the start of To Your Eternity, I speculated just how compelling having a magic pebble as the main character would be. It quickly became clear that the narrative is the pebble travels, and the people it meets are the points of interest.

It works well, but there’s a catch. The pebble tends to take on the physical appearance of the dead.

Therefore, the game that To Your Eternity plays is to guess which of these exciting people are soon to become ex-people and die.

It’s not always a straightforward answer, so encounters aren’t always pre-spoiled by the premise. Which is good.

What’s even better is that the short story format works very well with some really engaging characters and delightful parables.

Status: Good
Where: Crunchyroll

B: The Beginning

Season 2 , Episodes 4 to 6

Oh, that’s it!

If season 1 of B: The Beginning felt like two different stories stitched together, then season 2 feels like half a story. I wonder if they could have distributed these better or whether season 2 was an unexpected gift to the writers.

It’s not as if season 2 is without resolution. It’s just not The Resolution. The story advances, we learn more about the characters, and perhaps more importantly, we’re drawn further into the growing mythos.

Mythos, I think, is the right word. The characters are increasingly angelic or demonic in appearance, and the entangling web reaches deeper into the human world than we might suspect.

I’m rating B: The Beginning as “Average”, but I feel more invested in the collective as a whole.

Status: Average.
Where: Netflix

Seen anything terrible recently? Watched anything great? Share your discoveries in the comments below.

How’s your anime watching been this week? There certainly seems to be no shortage of good shows out now, and Netflix has promised so many more during their Geeked Week event.

If you need any more evidence that anime is going mainstream, then look no further than New Line pushing through and prioritising The War of the Rohirrim. That’s a Middle-earth anime heading to the cinema screen, set 250 years or so before the events in Lord of the Rings, and may well overlap with awareness of Amazon’s hugely expensive live-action series.

We don’t yet have any visuals for The War of the Rohirrim, but we look forward to the teasers before the trailers appear. Geek Native posts about one anime trailer a day, spacing them out as not to flood the site, and if you’re interested in keeping an eye on them, then the anime category and accompanying RSS feed is probably the best bet.

That’s the anime news. In this Irregular Reconnaissance, we’re doing mini-reviews for some episodic shows out now.

Moriarty the Patriot

Episodes 15 to 17

That’s an amusing way to incorporate Irene Alder into the show. Moriarty the Patriot will, I suspect, find a tension between the what-if of “Moriarty as a vigilante patriot” as a feasible idea and the curveball plots that anime and manga cherishes. So, far, so good.

There’s also tension here between the “murder a week” concept and structure and the desire to scratch away at a larger plot. One solution to that is to stretch episodes over two or more. By and large, I think it works well, but it also slows things down. An event an episode sets a specific tempo, and at times Moriarty does feel a little slow.

The third balancing act comes from the relationship between Sherlock and Moriarty. Are we just watching two people who are broadly pushing in the same direction? There’s a lot of focus on Holmes in this second half of the season, but he’s reactive only. There’s no drive here, and that’s a risk to take with a decrease in the pace of progress.

Overall, I think Moriarty the Patriot has found a balance that works. The reveal at the end of episode 17 suggests that there might be something that binds Holmes and the Moriarty gang together.

Status: Average
Where: Funimation

So I’m a Spider, So What?

Episodes 17 to 20

Spider continues to be a whole world of fun. Part of the enjoyment comes from silent speculation on just how much they’re messing us around with the timeline.

We suspect a bit of that is happening, right, since one character told of an encounter with “the nightmare” as if it was not recent past. We also know that people reincarnated back into different timelines, with one still being a young child now.

What’s certain is that the power levels of the series are rocking up as we deal with demon lords, dragon bosses and now potential interference from the third party behind the scenes. But, just how high is this going to go? The clues, I think, are in the nomenclature of legends the human characters refer to.

I look forward to more!

Status: Good
Where: Crunchyroll

Tokyo Revengers

Episodes 7 to 9

At times I forget entirely that Tokyo Revengers is a time-travelling show. The drama of the past gets so good, so quickly and so convincingly, that I happily focus on that and forget the bigger picture.

Tokyo Revengers should take that as a huge success. It means the past can be changed.

As a story, Tokyo Revengers then rolls with the consequences of changing the timeline. It does so intelligently and sometimes darkly.

Takemichi is a thoroughly flawed hero, but he steps up when he needs to, and the show is resisting the urge to give him only successes. What happens in Revengers isn’t always the best results for the kinder characters. However, since the series also explores the consequences of changes, even a tiny nudge towards “better” can be crucial. Just as imperfections can be devesting to the future.

Status: Good.
Where: Crunchyroll

86 EIGHTY-SIX

Episode 6 to 9

86 could well have ended on episode 9, which is called “Goodbye”. If it had done so then, the anime would have been surprising, brutal and a darkly accurate commentary on society today.

There’s a lot more to come as it happens, but only two episodes before the season break.

The not-a-secret is that the drones one side in a conflict uses aren’t drones but outcasts from a homogeneous society. No one cares; in fact, they’re happy with the situation. The Status Quo Warriors are the villains here, but they’re not alone. The tank-crab pilots, our heroes, have battlefield enemies to confront.

In the first few episodes, I honestly worried that 86 EIGHTY-SIX was going to be a letdown. I’m pleased to say that it’s slowly, but persistently, clawing its way upwards in my estimations. My expectations, cast away so quickly, are being replaced with a growing interest in exactly whether (and how) the doomed situation might change.

You do have to wonder whether a group of highly militant outcasts, stuck in a fight or die scenario, have any other route in life than a violent one when it comes to attaining equality (or just anything better than they currently have). So if 86 is a dark reflection on today’s real-life society, what does that forecast for us?

Status: Average
Where: Crunchyroll

Zombie Land Saga

Season 2 (Revenge), Episodes 5 to 9

Zombie Land Saga may just have taken a surprising twist. Sort-of-surprising, anyway.

I had begun to fear that the structure of season two, Revenge, would merely be fall-from-grace -> plucky each-character-in-turn episodes -> dramatic recovery in time for the deserved feel-good moment.

Maybe that will be the broad structure, but I no longer think it’ll be such a straight line as other events, other portentous backstories, will have an influence.

The show’s premise, of an all zombie group of idols working their way to the big time, has been accepted—the how and why of it all politely handwaved away as unnecessary to the day’s drama. However, the recent focus on specific characters, especially their backstories, has been to subvert this.

It’s been a good sort of undermining, and it’s given me a renewed interest in the series!

Status: Average.
Where: Crunchyroll

Seen anything terrible recently? Watched anything great? Share your discoveries in the comments below.

It’s pretty positive news in this issue of the anime review column Irregular Reconnaissance with one of the tracked shows getting an upgrade from “below average” to “average”.

As the name makes clear, the column doesn’t have a regular schedule, and the anime featured in it varies from week to week, but right at the bottom, you’ll always be able to find each show tagged by name as a quick way to find all of Geek Native’s coverage on that show. Even if that’s just other Irregular Reconnaissance review reports, you’ll be able to see if a series has faded or gotten better over time.

Calling out shows that are improving or sadly fading is what to expect from the summaries, hopefully saving you all those clicks. What you won’t get here are spoilers. These are views based on general observations, principles, thoughts and reactions, and not so much in plot analysis.

You can join in as well. Which anime would you recommend people avoid or add to their queue? Let us know in the comment box below.

Combatants Will Be Dispatched

Episodes 4 to 6

I gave Combatants Will Be Dispatched a below-average rating in its last appearance on Irregular Reconnaissance. In this column, I’m upgrading to average.

Why? Well, it’s open about what it is. A barely-likeable hero, presumably designed to appeal to socially awkward viewers (but clearly not working for this socially awkward viewer), gets sent to take over an alien world.

In that alien fantasy of a world, he meets cute girls and gets to consensually molest them to earn and spend Evil Points. He uses Evil Points to be heroic, thus trapping him in a paradox forever.

It is what it is.

On the plus side, one of the harem girls is in a wheelchair, and I think they’ve (so far) not made a big thing about it. She’s sexy, quirky and fun. While Combatants Will Be Dispatched is fan-service, it has that going for it.

Status: Average
Where: Funimation

B: The Beginning

Season 2, Episodes 1 to 3

I last wrote about B: The Beginning in IR #45. That was about two years ago, but as Season 2 of B: The Beginning airs on Netflix, it feels like a longer gap than that.

What had happened? Well, without spoilers, the series starts off with police escalating a serial murderer, and viewers know something supernatural is afoot.

It escalates from there, but not at a steady pace, in spits and spurts. It gets so high, so dramatic, that I’m surprised there’s a sequel. I think that’s why I had to do a mental inventory of the plot points before I could settle back into Season 2.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Season 2 moves quickly to check some of these towering heights. There’s a plot-blocker put on the supernatural solution and another one on the clever-police-work solution. It’s a reset of sorts, but with the stakes higher than where Season 1 started.

I’m three episodes in and already coming around. In part, these opening scenes slyly remind you of what happened, tell a story with immediate concerns wherein you don’t actually need to know what happened before, and pushes on regardless.

Status: Average
Where: Netflix

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

Episodes 196 to 201

Pleasingly, Boruto’s plot seems to be flirting with the idea of healing some of the rough edges that haunt Naruto’s own storyline.

Again, no spoilers, but Naruto finishes by introducing a critical new central character after many hundreds of episodes, and audiences clearly have far less of an emotional attachment to them.

Boruto’s own story begins years later but picking up as the ripples from Naruto’s climactic encounters finally catch up. We then seem to push that aside after an arc to deal with the threat of Karma.

The Karma are the new all-sinister and all-powerful secret group of ninja. While the last few episodes have been leading up to the dramatic fight between Boruto and Delta, one of the Karma, there’s just a vision or two that points backwards. We’re reminded of the big bads from yesteryear.

Imagine a story that comes together over decades of real-life publications.

Status: Good.
Where: Crunchyroll

Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro

Episode 5 to 7

In a good way, we’re not quite at upgrade level with this one. Previously in the column, I had said Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro was “Average, leaning up to good”. That pressure is still there, but if we hold good to a high level (say 4 stars out of 5), then Nagatoro has more to do.

However, it’s great that we’re here. My opening thoughts on the show worried that it could quickly become an apology or even a justification and glamorisation of bulling. I think that risk is fading.

Very quickly, we see that Nagatoro is being mean because she’s wrestling with her feelings for Senpai. There’s also a contrast between her and the other girls who bully for fun and inclusion from their peers. In fact, you could easily make the case that Nagatoro is only still bullying because she now fears rejection.

Status: Average
Where: Crunchyroll

Joran The Princess of Snow and Blood

Episodes 6 to 9

Joran The Princess of Blood and Snow makes me feel guilty. It’s a beautiful and clever anime. The writing is creative, the plot patient and sly, and the characters complex and compelling.

And yet… time and time again, I find myself suddenly thinking, “Wait… I’ve missed a thing”. Sometimes it really is my fault. I let my attention fade even as the anime gracefully slides back from an action scene into the almost nostalgic visions of a Japan-that-could-be. At times, it’s because the show is being clever again and is slyly subverting the established undertones.

I’m a bitter and cynical man. It’s easy for me to become resentful and frustrated when there’s an annoying speck in an otherwise perfect concoction. I refuse, so far, to let that happen with the Princess of Blood and Snow.

I can’t imagine watching it twice, not yet, not even to pick up on the complete mastery of the script. I am determined to watch it at least once.

Status: Good.
Where: Crunchyroll

Seen anything remarkable recently? Watched anything rubbish? Share your discoveries in the comments below.

Irregular Reconnaissance is a Geek Native column that typically tracks episodic anime.

It’s often the case, but not always, dealing with fairly recent releases. As we’ll see here, some oldies get a mention too.

It’s almost always the case, but not always that we’re covering series. In this Irregular Reconnaissance, we’ve Demon Slayer: Mugen Train. It’s not the first time we’ve had a movie in the column, but given the incredibly unusual rare circumstances of cinema screens only now beginning to open up after a pandemic shut down life for a year, I thought it was worth a mention!

As usual, whether it’s a collection of episodes or a two-hour feature-length blockbuster, Irregular Reconnaissance wants to avoid spoilers and to solicit your own discoveries.

Without giving anything away, what should we be watching? Let us know in the comments below.

Demon Slayer: Mugen Train

117 minutes

Heard about Demon Slayer: Mugen Train and wondering whether it’s worth going to the cinema for? Despite theatres still being in the wake of the lockdown and the stubborn refusal of the germs to recede, this anime is breaking commercial records.

I took the risk and went. It was worth wearing a mask for two hours, and hopefully, I’ve not caught anything my double-vaccinations can’t defend against.

I don’t think you need to know anything about anime to enjoy the film. Yes, it drops you in the deep end, but the key fact is a guy with earrings and the shrunken remains of his sister in a box on his back, with his weirdo friends, are sent to investigate a haunted train.

The plot takes it from there. You might not know the significance of the character’s past, but I think the anime is still impactful. It still makes sense, well, as much as anime demon-fighting anime usually does.

If you do know Demon Slayer, then, wow. The Demon Slayers are in so much trouble. Glorious trouble. Give us more!

Status: Good
Where: Cineworld

Eden

Episodes 1 to 4

Netflix’s short series is lovely.

Eden is the story about two robots in a peaceful world without humans who find a baby girl. A human baby girl.

Except, it’s not so peaceful. A Darth Vader-like security robot boss strictly enforces the law, and robots aren’t even allowed to be curious about the supposedly extinct race that created them.

So, our brave two worker ‘bots escape from Eden, carrying their adopted daughter and go in search of a new life.

It’s the old life that refuses to fade away. Soon enough, we’re on adventures. The baby grows up into a spirited young woman. And if you don’t mind a character who constantly laughs at everything, I think Eden is a few episodes of enjoyable escapism.

Status: Good
Where: Netflix

Seven Knights Revolution: Hero Successor

Episodes 6 to 8

Honestly, is this anime mocking me? The last we talked about it, I said episode 5 showed some promise as it was hinting at darkness to come. I was hoping Seven Knights Revolution: Hero Successor would be more than school friends with superpowers.

Immediately after sharing that hope, the series then started a rollercoaster ride. For a brief while, I thought it was back into vanilla mode. Thankfully, no; touches of darkness sneak out again and again.

I don’t know if Seven Knights Revolution will ever get around to answering “Who is Nemo?” or getting into his secret. Probably. I don’t know if they’re trying to carve out a new genre. Hmm, maybe. I think there’s still time for the former, but the “let’s do something that weaves genres together” gambit doesn’t seem to be going well.

So, while I’m still watching the show, I hope it gets on with the darkness.

Status: Average.
Where: Crunchyroll

No Guns Life

Season 2, Episode 1 to 3

I’m a bit surprised No Guns Life got a second series. It was good, but far better anime have deserved one but didn’t get it. I’m afraid I don’t know much about any light novel or manga that might point to better sales as the arc develops.

I can say that the first few episodes of season 2 feel a bit like the conclusion to season 1 that we should have that. That tends to hint at a long-running arc and with writers confident the show has enough time to tell the story.

We have a noir world in which some people became cyborgs to help win a war. Now some of the people they protected have, you guessed it, developed prejudices against them. There are even terrorist groups to oppose them. People fear powers they neither possess nor understand.

If there’s a lesson in No Guns Life, then it’s the work sucks, so be the best person you can be despite it, or you’ll just become another piece of flotsam.

Status: Average
Where: Funimation

Black Lagoon

Episodes 1 to 12

Black Lagoon is a classic for a reason. While the anime is beginning to show its age a little, just in production quality, it remains a masterpiece of violent art and storytelling.

We’re dealing with mercenaries, fast ship experts who deal with smugglers, bribe officials and live in that world of sleaze. Our exposure to them is from an account, someone from our life, who ends up in theirs.

I’ve seen Black Lagoon feature lengths before, I’m sure of it. Much of season one feels familiar too. That said, I don’t ever remember watching down to actually enjoy the show? Have I seen so many clips that it all feels familiar? Or flashbacks from the features?

I just regret that I didn’t make time in my schedule to watch it earlier.

Status: Good.
Where: Netflix

Seen anything terrible recently? Watched anything great? Share your discoveries in the comments below.

Irregular Reconnaissance: Anime is a review column that takes batches of anime at a time. It’s all about speed of discovery and decision.

In this week’s article, you’ll find five, the usual number, of episodic titles currently available to stream in the UK and most places, and get spoiler-free mini-reviews.

As the name of the column makes clear, there’s no regular schedule for these reviews. They’re ready when they’re ready. Recently, Geek Native has been sharing the stills used to illustrate the column with Instagram and tagging them with #IrregularReconnaissance. If you’re a fan of the picture platform, the tag is there to follow at your convenience and is a way to get algorithmic reminders when there’s fresh content.

That other visual-first social media platform, Pinterest, has enjoyed Irregular Reconnaissance content for a lot longer, but not exclusively. If you want to keep up with the full range of anime finds on the site, then the anime magic board is the thing to follow. You’ll also get posters of upcoming releases there. That board has over 80k followers.

With the very rare plug for the blog’s social media presence done, let’s get on to the anime mini-reviews.

Castlevania

Season 4, Episodes 4 to 10

Credit where credit is due. Castlevania is really good. Long time readers will know that Irregular Reconnaissance leans towards good anime because I’m watching what I want to watch, but that upwards bias is partially moderated by how rare it is to get a “Great” rating from me.

Castlevania nearly did it.

I’m confident I could watch this series again, after a long break, of course, but that’s nearly impossible for any other anime to claim. I’m equally sure, more importantly, that this series has helped recruit new watchers.

The series started out by explaining why Dracula was angry as humanity and how dreadful his wrath is. Perhaps season 3 was unexpected because we suddenly had more story to tell. As a result, some of the new characters and their stories became interesting and compelling.

I said last time that it might be a struggle to remember that Castlevania was a computer game originally. Well, the final boss battle reminds us in a most glorious homage.

Lots of action, lots of character, superb storytelling and animation, so watch this if you can.

Status: Good, knocking on the door of a rare “Great” rating.
Where: Netflix

Moriarty the Patriot

Episodes 12 to 14

The first half of season one only just gets around to introducing Sherlock Holmes to the Moriarty story, the lord of crime. The second half picks up by introducing Irene Adler. It’s not rushed, but it is a whirlwind.

In fact, Moriarty fades into the background.

Isn’t that where he’s the most dangerous, though?

At this point in the series, the cast of characters feels about the ideal size. I’m not sure I can cope with it being any larger. We also have Mycroft Holmes to track. I think he’s a daring character to bring in because it further cements Sherlock as the connecting character with him on the scene. And this series is supposed to be a twist on Moriarty.

Okay, so that’s a concern. Here’s a plus, the recent episodes have broken the “murder of a week” that the build-up had been using to introduce the characters.

I’m not sure, not at all, where the plot is going, but I’m looking forward to finding out.

Status: Good.
Where: Funimation

Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro

Episodes 2 to 4

Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro is about a bold, laddish girl, picking on a shy and bookish guy.

In episode one, I hoped they wouldn’t forgive bullying. That fear is still lingering but is receding. I don’t think it’ll ever go away.

It’s clear that Nagatoro has a thing for the male character. Er, name? Well, um, I don’t remember… and I’m not even sure that’s a bad thing. Is he there to be memorable? Or is he just the mirror to Nagatoro’s actions and reactions?

There’s a good chance that teenage boys will be watching and learning not to be mean to the girls they fancy. At least, I hope that’s the lesson they take away.

So, I’m starting to enjoy this show a bit more, even feeling a bit guilty about doing so. I just don’t trust it not to begin zig-zagging all over the place in terms of plot or tone. I’m going to buckle up for the ride.

Status: Average, leaning up into good.
Where: Crunchyroll

I’ve Been Killing Slimes For 300 Years And Maxed Out My Level

Episode 3 to 5

Sorry, “I’ve Been Killing Slimes For 300 Years And Maxed Out My Level”, you are not terrible, but I’m spoiled for choices and pressed for time. I’m giving you up.

I suspect this anime is trying to find a sweet spot between action and wholesome relaxation. Well, as wholesome as bikini demons and buxom witches can get. It achieves neither for me, though, with too much action to be relaxing, but not enough to be interesting.

Other shows have “Monster of the Week” as a formula, 300 Years as “Friend with a Problem of the Week”. But, these friends are tired and familiar tropes which means they’re utterly replaceable, and their mild jeopardy gets no traction at all with me.

I never did get to the episode with the flying whale, as teased in the opening credits. Shame.

Status: Dull, fading into poor.
Where: Crunchyroll

86 EIGHTY-SIX

Episodes 2 to 5

There are two countries at war using armies of drones. The propaganda is that this is a humane war as no humans die. The catch? One side is lying and deploys human pilots, outcasts otherwise confined to the undocumented and largely unknown 86th district.

Episode one revealed everything that I thought would be a secret.

Since then, we’ve been weaving a web up to the real secrets and the real threat. It’s a good one.

It’s episode five that everything hinges on, with careful foreshadowing up to them. Now, at the risks of getting my hopes and expectations up again, I’m riveted and looking forward to exploring the developing plot.

I’m not going to get too attached to the exciting cast of pilots, though. I’ll be surprised if even a third survive the nightmare marching towards them.

Status: Good.
Where: Crunchyroll

Seen anything terrible recently? Watched anything great? Share your discoveries in the comments below.

Come to an end of an anime and wondering what to watch next?

Here in Irregular Reconnaissance, you’ll find a gathering of spoiler-free mini-reviews. The column takes a look at five anime, some of which are brand new, some of which are a little older than that, and shares a few paragraphs of observations.

Importantly, each mini-review ends with a word or two of a summary and a link to where you can, geographic licensing deals allowing, watch the anime.

If you’re a regular reader, then you’ll already know whether these little bites of analysis agree with your views or not. If they don’t, then flip the recommendations; trust your instinct, not mine.

Even better, if you’ve found an anime worth a mention or a warning, or if you’ve a different opinion to anything shared below, then let’s hear it in the comments.

Castlevania

Season 4, Episodes 1 to 3

Netflix has been straight with fans that this will be the last season of Castlevania, and I’m pleased. Season three set up more than it finished. I hope season four addresses those plot threads. Also, the show is ending on a high.

We’ve two different and dangerous vampire factions. Some are still loyal to Dracula, and some are looking to fill the power vacuum.

There’s also those responsible for bringing armies of monsters into the world. In fact, the devil Forgemasters have become some of the most exciting and nuanced characters. They’ve more room to grow and aren’t as firmly typecast as “monster hunters” as Trevor Belmont and Sypha Belnades are.

Caught in the middle of this, barely aware of what’s about to them, are those two; Trevor and Sypha. The wildcard, once again, becomes Alucard. Hats off to the writing team.

Status: Good.
Where: Netflix

To Your Eternity

Episodes 2 to 5

I did wonder how much of a story could be spun from a pebble. I think, a few episodes into To Your Eternity, that I’m confident of two things.

Firstly, it will be a good story, but perhaps not always a pleasant one.

Secondly, the pebble is the vehicle, and the story is about the people met as it travels.

It may well turn out that the journey is the important part, not the destination. I say that as there doesn’t seem to be any hint of a plot arc yet, no endpoint, no climax to prepare for. However, the March story lasted several episodes, and I can happily sit through a few more of those.

The only slight niggle is the pebble’s dumbness, that naive innocence that somehow does not preclude the ability to fight well. It often happens in anime and quickly gets tiring. Let’s hope the pebble learns.

Status: Good.
Where: Crunchyroll

So I’m a Spider, So What?

Episodes 13 to 16

Crunchyroll needs a better system to alerting me when there are new episodes. I nearly missed the return of the oddly charismatic isekai in about a very dangerous little white spider. In fact, was there even a mid-season break or did I just get my schedule mixed up?

In an oversaturated genre, So I’m a Spider, So What? is a breath of fresh air and manages to find new angles on old lines.

You might think it impossible to support a monster spider who occasionally gets annoyed and wipes out an adventuring party of humans. It’s not.

What these last few episodes do is weave in a bit of the world’s mythology. There’s a reason why a whole school class reincarnated in a fantasy world. The reason for that reason, though, remains a mystery.

Status: Good.
Where: Crunchyroll

No Guns Life

Episode 7 to 12

I’m glad there’s a season two, as while season one is robust and entertaining, it hints at much better things. The paths we did not walk feel like they could have been better than the route we took.

No Guns Life drops us into a private detective noir, except our hero is a strange-looking cyborg-gun.

Is he a monster? That’s the question the anime sets out to explore. As you’d expect, we discover that it’s not how you look on the outside that matters, but what you do and what motivates you to do it. At no point does No Guns Life package this observation up for you. It certainly leans lecture you about it.

I liked the first season of No Guns Life for many of the characters, especially the Revolver and medic. The young man, the character whom the audience may be supposed to relate to, to view the strange world through, is the least interesting. Perhaps season two will do more with him.

Status: Average, nudging into good.
Where: Funimation

Attack on Titan

Episodes 67 to 75

Oh, Attack on Titan, what a rollercoaster of thrill and disappointment you’ve been. I thought this was it for a horrible while, but this is the end of part one of the final season. Part two is coming.

I don’t want to give away the plot, even this far into the show, but the anime begins with monsters that look human doing gruesome things to innocent people, and then it pivots.

Many people will concede, I think, the segue stole a lot of momentum from the previously gripping ride. They changed studio. The plot took a considerable risk, and it seemed to be paying off.

Yes, now we’re dealing with monsters that look human who are doing horrible things to innocent people. Just very differently. It also feels like the plot is taking a gamble again. We’re invested in a particular set of characters at this point, and they’re the ones who are important to us.

Status: Good.
Where: Crunchyroll

Seen anything terrible recently? Watched anything great? Share your discoveries in the comments below.