Kuujira no Kora was Sajou ni Utau is really good at conveying an interesting setting. It has a lot of promise so far. I have no idea where the story is going, which could be a good or bad sign. So far though, I'm leaning strongly towards good. If they can keep this up, it's bound to be the kind of anime that's famous for decades. Well, assuming it gets seen in the first place, which isn't a given since there's no simulcast and that's sort of a standard these days. But apparently it's on Netflix so maybe that helps? I don't really know their system.
Osake wa Fuufu ni Natte Kara is a good short if you want something cute to teach you new drinks to mix.
Is kind of on-the-nose but it's a fun little mockery of certain incest-oriented shows. And yet it seems like it's also potentially a serious slice of life about working young men; it's comedic but the comedy is just about kids in their 20s screwing around. And then there's a significant section on a riddle. So I'm not sure what kind of show this is.
Omiai Aite wa Oshiego, Tsuyoki na, Mondaiji is pretty much just porn.
Black Clover seems like typical shounen so far. Potential to be big, but with one episode, it hasn't done anything yet. I'm seeing tropes played straight and excessive voice acting from the MC. If it doesn't subvert expectations, I won't recommend it highly. That said, it's probably the show that will be hot to make fun of this season, if Dies Irae doesn't surpass it in that.
Ousama game is melodramatic deathfest. The kind of thing that we see fairly often and it plays out pretty much the same each time. From the first episode alone, I wouldn't say it's a particularly excellent example of the genre. Since one episode isn't enough to extrapolate much, I asked manga readers if the series is as shit as it seemed, and responses varied from "yes" to "it's shittier".
Urahara has a nice aesthetic. Pastels, crayon-brush lines and fabric textures. Some unconventional cuts in the videography. Very artsy. Not yet sure if the substance lives up to the style. Speaking of western popularity, this show won't be getting high viewership numbers. But a discerning individual might give it a shot. I was impressed in the first few minutes, but found it to be at once frenetic and slow over time, and as such I grew weary of it before the first episode ended. Seems like a show would have been better on a 12 minute timescale than 24.
Konohana Kitan is very cute. It makes your heart happy to watch, so if that's what you need, watch it. On the other hand, it's set in a hotel/bathhouse so if you hate nudity, that may throw you off. It's not sexualized so far but I already got some shoujo ai type vibes off of it, so it may veer into light yuri territory. You can bet there'll be fans who assure you it already has. As far as content, there is some substance to it but anyway it's cute, so the rest is just details.
Just Because is very slow-paced, but unlike Urahara, it's not that the time is empty; even when it's moments of silence between characters, it feels better used than that. If you want a peaceful and mellow show, it's a good way to spend 20 minutes.
Dies Irae is tremendously overwrought. But then, what do you expect from a show about magical nazis? So far there doesn't seem to be any clear plot, but the first episode doesn't really match the description that's gone around to the various sites, so I suspect it's sort of a prelude/background.
Kino no Tabe is a comfy anime which promises to have social commentary. It seems to me like a serious contender for anime of the season so far (but we'll see how the adaptation of Mahoutsukai no Yome plays out). It does have some CG though, and if you're into fandom stuff there'll likely be arguments about whether the main character is trans, since she uses boku and the subs are translating gender-neutral pronouns as male for some reason. Leaving aside that ticking time bomb, and complaints from fans of the 2003 version about differences, the show itself is great. Even a bad guy type character who served as an object lesson was treated with human dignity, which give me great hopes that it'll live up to itself in its portrayal of societies.
Two Car is cute and cheerful. The aesthetic doesn't stand out, and I found the pacing a bit off; the intro dragged on for six minutes before the MCs spoke. But when they did, they were endearing, which forgives a lot of sins. I also found the way the first episode was cut to be really effective at introducing characters in a relaxed way while simultaneously having action. In other words, the pacing improved. This is the Tamura Masafumi's second show as a director (he debuted in that role with Ange Vierge) and for a fresh director, it looks great. The comedy's a bit hit or miss for me, but anyway it's the kind of show that makes you smile and go "ah, youth".
Blend-S seemed like it would be simple and cute but then there was cat balls and an evil glare and then there was a boy and a weird cut with stars and it's all over the place and that's before the OP. It's super comfy and the comedy is great and the main character is cute and has a great VA. If you like that sort of thing, it might be the best show of the season.
Infini-T Force is ugly as sin and cheesy as a tourist trap in Wisconsin. But I found the story to actually be kind of intriguing. The over-the-top "cool" characters portrayed a "so bad it's good" feel so it could definitely be enjoyable even if you're not in the 10-14 demographic that it feels like it was shot for.
Ancient Magus Bride has top-tier subject material and great sound design. This is the only one this season where I'm familiar with the original material, so my appraisal may be harsher for that reason. I thought the intro was too explicit about motivations and revealed far too much far too quickly. Maybe my expectations were too high but I don't think it'll live up to its potential. That's not to say it won't be good in its own right, the source material guarantees that at least the story will be good.
Net-juu no Susume is a super comfy show. I feel like these mini-reviews are revealing my preferences a lot, but it's a cute show with a nice little romance to it so far. I can already see some of the plot points coming a mile away, but it doesn't matter.
In Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou, somehow starving and holding a little girl at gunpoint for food feels cute and comfy. The atmosphere is great and it's a pleasant sort of melancholy the whole way through.
Sengoku Night Blood is perhaps the most typically shoujo thing around right now. It's a romance with a self-insert MC set in a historical period but all the historical figures are attractive vampires and werewolves. Honestly that should tell you pretty much everything you need to know.