Winter 2018 was a good season for anime. We got the blockbuster animes such as Violet Evergarden, Darling in the Franxx, and Overlord. We got a good dose of cute girls doing cute things such as Sora yori mo Tooi Basho (A Place Further than the Universe), and Yuru Camp (Laid-Back Camp). We got some underrated gems that flew under the radar this season and we also got ones that just fell flat and disappointed. Lets take a look:

Worst Anime of Winter 2018

Anime: Citrus

Genre: Drama, Romance, School, Shoujo Ai

Studio: Passione

Introduction

Citrus was the worst anime of winter 2018.  Based off a popular manga series of the same name, Citrus is a Shoujo and romance anime that takes place within a school setting. It tell us a story of what would happen if you not only find yourself welcoming in a stepsister into your family from your mothers new marriage but also the actions that can happen if you were to fall in love with the stepsister that you just welcomed into your family.

Thoughts

I don’t usually watch this type of anime but I was intrigued after reading the summary and decided to give it a chance. The first episode or two were fine. It did a nice job of introducing the two main characters Yuzu and Mei and the setting. Soon after, everything fell apart.

The pacing was too fast and the show did a horrible job of handling the romance between Yuzu and Mei. There were scenes of what was essentially sexual assault presented as just two sisters fighting. There were scenes of non-consensual groping. The characters are very surface-level and the other supporting characters are not even worth mentioning.

Conclusion

If you are fan of anime with taboo themes and and never ending fan-service, then Citrus is the anime for you.

 Most Disappointing Anime of Winter 2018

Anime: Kokkoku: Moment by Moment

Genre: Psychological, Supernatural, Drama, Mystery, Seinen

Studio: Geno Studio

Introduction

Kokkoku was my most anticipated show for the winter season. The mystery/psychological genre is my favorite genre and includes some of my favorite titles (Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, Shinsenkai Yori, and Monster). Kokkoku seemed weird, interesting, and just different. I felt that the plot was ambitious and definitely worth checking out.

Kokkoku, an anime adaptation of a manga created by Seita Horio, is a story about Juri, a woman who one day got a call from kidnappers that kidnapped his brother and her nephew.  She decides to go and set them free alone. Fortunately, Her grandfather stops her from doing a mistake. Here we are introduced to the “Stone” that is capable of stopping time. After some discussion, they decide to stop time. Unfortunately, when they reach the place were they have Juri’s brother and her nephew, they found out that they aren’t the only ones capable of moving while time is stopped, this is also where the “herald” appears, an omnipresent being that serves as an overseer of “Statis” (this is how the stopped world is called), this herald holds the power to instantly kill someone who is threatening the life of the “Stopped” (This is what the people that isn’t moving is called) with a single blow of its hands.

Thoughts

Where did Kokkoku go wrong? One of the key problems was very slow pacing. Most of the time it was devoted to chasing, running, teleporting, pushing bad guys back to reality, showing a bit of their backgrounds and some info dumping about the stasis. There are so many unnecessary events and it would’ve been better to focus on certain elements of the plot.

The Yukawa family dynamic shoud’ve been developed further. There is nothing to them beyond the frustrating fights and annoying personalities.

The alternative world “Stasis” could have been explored even better. The quantum break or time stops world was intriguing but it was not executed properly. The serious plot holes prevents you from being totally immersed in the anime when the story is so unbelievable. Mediocre execution is a common theme in Kokkoku. The superpower element was also poorly executed. By the end of the series, the villain was very overpowered and the series eventually suffered from a Deux Machina like ending.

Conclusion

Kokkuko was very ambitious but sadly disappointed and fell a little flat. As a mystery anime, it was moderately successful at keeping you guessing. Despite’s its flaws, I still enjoyed it. If you want a nice change of pace from the usual stuff, I recommend Kokkoku.

 Most Underrated Anime of Winter 2018

Anime: Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san (Teasing Master Takagi-san)

Genre: Romance, Comedy, School, Slice of Life, Shounen

Studio: Shin-Ei Animation

Introduction

Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san was the most underrated anime of winter 2018. I was not expecting to enjoy this anime as much as I did.

Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san is a romantic-comedy with two very simple but playful characters. The main protagonist, 12-year-old Nishikata, is constantly being teased by a girl in his class who secretly has feelings for him, skilled teaser and Takagi-san, who is entertained only by embarrassing him every day.

Thoughts

I really enjoyed the show’s super witty dialogue/humor and the lovable innocent characters. For anyone who has been infatuated with a crush, Teasing Master Takagi-san is a reflection of romantic endeavors manifesting themselves on a grand scale.

 Nishitaka is always thinking of ways to stump and perplex Takagi, either by concocting a complex scheme to use on her or by solving the problems she gives him. Every challenge Nishitaka tackles, every obstacle he confronts, makes for a very satisfying watch. With each issue that arises, the solution to them is never what you’d anticipate.

Underneath the games and facades, It is clear that Nishitaka and Takagi really like each other. The supporting characters, however, are pretty dull. Nishitaka and Takagi’s classmates don’t possess the same charm.

Conclusion

Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san is a very good show. Watching Nishitaka and Takagi develop more and more into expressing their feelings for one another, while supporting each other along the way, is easily the highlight of the show. The couple’s bond is so heartwarming, nuanced, inspiring. Anyone looking for a well done light-hearted rom-com should check this out.

Best Anime of Winter 2018

Anime: Violet Evergarden

Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Slice of Life

Studio: Kyoto Animation

Introduction

Violet Evergarden was the best anime this winter season. It was the most heavily anticipated and I think it lived up to the hype for the most part. The light novel series earned the grand prize from the Fifth Kyoto Animation in the novel category.

Written by Kana Akatsuki, Violet Evergarden is a story about Auto Memory Dolls. They are dolls are made by Dr. Orland, a scientist who used them to assist his wife in writing novels. However, these dolls were also rented out to others for service. The main plot revolves around an Auto Memory Doll named Violet Evergarden as she tries to discover her purpose in life.

Thoughts

Violet Evergarden production was spectacular as expected from Kyoto Animation. The character design was great. The background design was detailed and striking.

Characters such as Hodgins and Cattleya were nice characters, even though they were a tad undeveloped. I really enjoyed Violet’s personal growth over the course of the show.

The drama was overblown at times but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Conclusion

Violet Evergarden was the best anime this season. I was impressed by it’s grand approach and production. Violet’s slow growth as she interacted and helped people on her journey were the best moments of the show.