Posted by OP Sequence
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OP: 「欲張り Dreamer」 (Yokubari Dreamer) by Hanae Natsuki, Tamura Yukari
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「終了のお知らせ」 (Shuuryounoushirase)
“Notice of Closure”
Last Period -Owarinaki Rasen no Monogatari- is the story of a group of Periods, who are adventurer-types who defeat creatures called spirals for money. Our story concerns the Arc End Branch #8, which is robbed, foreclosed upon, and has all of its employees headhunted save for its three most useless members. Now they’re on a quest to rebuild the branch office with the power of working for below market rates!
I wrote all that out because, even more than the preview, when you line everything up in this first episode it’s actually a pretty straight-forward setup. This despite the jargon (periods, spirals, etc) is quite pleasant, because it sets up a standard fantasy-adventure world and then quickly gets on with the silliness. Here, the main purpose of the show seems to be to jerk its main characters around and take the piss out of mobile games, which, since this is based on a mobile game, is a deliciously subversive look. All this talk about log-in bonuses and gachas got a chuckle or two from me. At least the writers seem to have a good sense of humor about this whole thing.
I think the best thing about this show is how relentlessly optimistic it is. This, despite some of the objectively unfair events that happen in this episode. Consider: the main characters’ employer is robbed, goes bankrupt in two days, no one seems to be investigating the crime, and they even get evicted and have their personal belongings repossessed even though it doesn’t seem like their employer’s bankruptcy should have anything to do with their personal effects. It actually got so over-the-top cruel at one point that it began to poison the mood, but that won’t be a problem going forward since the premise is now set up. Still, it’s one sign of the type of comedy that will happen in this series.
As for the characters themselves, I instantly liked the main four. They’re not anything special—Choco (Tamura Yukari) is deadpan and the resident fourth wall breaker; Gajeru (Murase Ayumu) is rowdy and simple; Liza (Kikuchi Mika) is sensible and serious; and Haru (Hanae Natsuki) is straightforward and a huuuuge softie—but they are likable sorts. And I guess Campanella (Ichimichi Mao) is moonlighting as the villain—or that’s her twin sister or something—but I can’t honestly say I care so far. This show’s strength is that it’s an easy watch, but that doesn’t lend itself to compelling narrative. It mostly just seems silly and fun. I’m not worried about this big betrayal.
(Though, side note: this is the kind of thing that happens in a world without banks. It’s really quite horrifying. Here’s an article/metaphor one of my favorite authors/bloggers wrote on the issue a while back, which has really stuck with me. Makes you think.)
I really got a chuckle out of Team Rocket the Wiseman quartet, because everything about them is just silly. That plus the mobile game jokes (and the cheapskate mayor, hah!) amused me enough for a first episode, though the animation is also crisp and the character designs are overdone in a fun way (though Choco’s ahoge/horn was a bit much).
So, do I suggest this anime? Sure, why not. I envision this as the kind of low-precedence show that I can turn on when I want to relax and, if I have to pause it to answer the phone or get back to work, no biggie. It doesn’t demand a ton of attention, but at least the first episode rewarded some casual attention. It’s silly, fun, and light-hearted in a bastard of a world. It’s not bad. Maybe give it a shot.
Random thoughts:
- I really liked the OP. It was really fun seeing them get better together. The ED was pretty fun too, since Wiseman is still so, so silly.
- Props to Hanae Natsuki this time, for once he’s not using the same light novel protagonist voice he uses for basically every role. He didn’t sound so obviously like himself. Good job on him!
My SECOND novel, Freelance Heroics, is available now! (Now in print!) (Also available: Firesign #1 Wage Slave Rebellion.) Sign up for my email list for updates. At stephenwgee.com, the latest post: Book 3 Progress Report.
ED Sequence
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ED: 「Wiseman Theme」 by Wiseman
End Card
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I found myself enjoying this despite ready to stop watching it.
I don’t know if I was just in the wrong mood for it or what, but this first episode really fell flat with me. The fact that the whole world is going to be crapping on our four protagonists the entire season is pretty obvious, which would be fine since I’m the guy that loves Heavy Object, but this show just takes it too far. There’s a line when a show goes from “Hah, that’s funny!” to “Wow, are they all idiots?!”, and when that line gets obliterated in Ep.1 it doesn’t feel like a good sign. Nobody is looking for the money? Nobody?! Sure, it’s obvious that Pink Girl stole it and is now using it to make sure Branch #8 never reopens by making life suck for our “heroes”(but not too much because this is probably all just an elaborate ruse to have Haru get depressed so she can scoop him up with a marriage certificate), but the theft and evictions were just so “this happened, please laugh” that it just wasn’t funny.
Wiseman could’ve saved it, but having Team Rocket win so completely in a world that’s already swamped in “Kick the Dog” is too much. That they won by gacha-luck was almost funny, but I’m worried that this means they’re always going to win, which will get old fast. Like, Ep.2-fast. I’ll watch Ep.2 because I hate bailing just because of a bad first episode and I want to know what Choco’s all about(is she even a Period?), but I had to watch a few Konosuba episodes to wash this one away.
Honestly, I could easily see not being in the mood for this episode. I pretty much was in the mood for it, but the kick the dog stuff almost poisoned the atmosphere for me too. I have a feeling that aspect is going to be way better come next episode though, because while I’m sure they’ll still catch some shit, the most patently unfair stuff (foreclosure, eviction) has already happened, so now it’ll probably just be the comedic hijinks as they do jobs for not enough money. Still gotta like that kind of comedy, but better.
Or it won’t be! I probably won’t blog a second episode, but I’ll definitely watch it to see.
That first section definitely bugged me, although it was as much from “this whole situation wouldn’t happen this way!” as from the sheer meanness of it. First, there should be guards, police, or other legal organizations they can approach regarding the theft. Second, there should be legal procedures regarding delayed payment of their bills due to extenuating circumstances beyond their control. Third, even if the second isn’t true, folks can’t go immediately from “you can’t pay your bills THIS instant at the first notice? Well, we’re taking all your property as forfeit and throwing you out on the street!” There are procedures, time permitted for payment, things like that.
Yes, these are the kind things I thought of while watching the episode. My mind took it a lot more seriously than it was intended to be taken, without question, but unfortunately that just made the whole segment just feel stupid and cruel for the sake of being stupid and cruel, rather than amusing. I had trouble getting over that for much of the rest of the episode, so I was mostly irritated by the episode rather than amused. :/
I’ll give it another try, since the girls are cute. Also I want to know what Choco’s role in this group is, beyond providing snark. She doesn’t seem to actually do anything in regards to their job.
There was a Konosuba x Last Period event in the game recently.
I’ll be watching this purely due to how cute all the characters are.
Didn’t think I was going to like this one before going in but I love how it turned out to be something that didn’t try to excuse what it was (A mobile game). One of the more enjoyable first episodes of the season so far
And here I thought the anime was about women going through menopause. lol jk