The hosts bring winter season to a close by reviewing the newest entry in the massive Fate franchise (with an appropriately massive title): Fate/Grand Order -Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia-. As usual they also talk about the shows they gave the axe in the Chop ‘n’ Drop and their personal favorites in Best of the Season.

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Chop ‘n’ Drop (1:42)

Review:

Fate/Grand Order -Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia- (13:14)

Best of the Season (1:13:48)

 

Related Links:

ANN – This Week in Anime: Is F/GO: Babylonia Anime as Popular as its Mobile Game?

Crunchyroll: The Ultimate Fate Series Beginner’s Guide

Crunchyroll: All You Need to Know for Fate/Grand Order Babylonia

Crunchyroll: From Mesopotamia to Mesoamerica: The Real History Behind Fate/Grand Order: Babylonia’s Heroic Spirits

Sakuga Blog: Fate Grand Order Production Notes

 

CC starts off the episode by investigating why the eandearing characters of the otherworldly procedural In/Spectre can’t save its lackluster plot. Then John wraps up the show by explaining why Phantasy Star Online 2: Episode Oracle stands head and shoulders above most other video game adaptions.

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Reviews:

In/Spectre (1:31)

Phantasy Star Online 2: Episode Oracle (27:32)

Related Links:

ANN – This Week in Anime: Who Inspects the IN/SPECTRE?

Crunchyroll: In/Spectre is the GOAT at Shaking Up the Conventions of Mystery Anime

Crunchyroll: The Most Powerful Weapons in In/Spectre are WORDS

Crunchyroll: Why In/Spectre’s Kotoko Would Be the Perfect Lawyer

Crunchyroll: The Monsters of In/Spectre Are Everywhere, Even on the Internet

The gang unleashes the full force of their combined detective powers and tries to unearth the secret answer of why ID: Invaded fails to follow up on its promising setup. After that, they join a big Golem dad and his little human daughter in Somali and the Forest Spirit, on a life-changing journey that is about to test and strengthen the bonds of this unlikely family.

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Reviews:

ID: Invaded (1:41)

Somali and the Forest Spirit (47:51)

Related Links:

ANN – This Week in Anime: Is ID: Invaded High Concept or Just High?

Crunchyroll: Miss The Mandalorian? Watch Somali and the Forest Spirit

Crunchyroll: Somali and Other Great Anime About the Family We Choose

 

CC starts off this episode by saying a few words in memory of Zac Bertschy, the former executive editor of editorial content for Anime News Network, who recently passed away. Then John compares the two Anime adaptions of the light novel series Sorcerous Stabber Orphen and explains which version is worth your time. After that CC wraps up the show by reviewing Keep your Hands of Eizouken and talking about how the series managed to perfectly capture the creative process behind Anime production.

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News:

RIP Zac Bertschy (1:20)

Reviews:

Sorcerous Stabber Orphen (13:25)

Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! (56:30)

Related Links:

ANN: Zac Bertschy – In Memoriam

ANN: ANNCast

ANN: Sorcerous Stabber Orphen Review

ANN: Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! Reviews

ANN – This Week in Anime: Why We Can’t Keep Our Hands Off Eizouken

Crunchyroll: Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! Is a Love Letter to Anime

Crunchyroll: How Eizouken Embodies the Messy Thrill of Storytelling!

Crunchyroll: How Eizouken Embodies the Messy Thrill of Storytelling! (Part Two)

Crunchyroll: Nothing But Respect For Our New Anime Queen, Eizouken’s Sayaka Kanamori

Crunchyroll: Imagination Running Wild: Eizouken and the Pursuit of Creation

Crunchyroll: Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken’s Solutions to Finding Creativity in Rough Times

Crunchyroll: Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!’s Look into the Heartfelt Moments of Animation Inspiration

Sakuga Blog: Keep your hands of Eizouken! Production Notes

Anime Feminist: The Gloriously Goofy, Geeky Girls of Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!

John and CC return with full force to bring you some Anime-powered solace in these trying times. First they take a look at all the spring season premieres and talk about how the Covid-19 pandemic affected some of the new shows in the Sneak Peek. After that they get reacquainted with the gang from UA High School and discuss the ups and downs of the 4th season of one of their favorite shonen series: My Hero Academia.

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Sneak Peek: (2:56)

Wave, Listen to Me! (4:59)

Tower of God (10:54)

Tamayomi: The Baseball Girls (15:38)

Sakura Wars the Animation (20:43)

Listeners (23:57)

Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens (28:59)

Gleipnir (33:38)

Arte (36:52)

The Millionaire Detective – Balance: UNLIMITED (42:31)

Kakushigoto (45:55)

Digimon Adventure: (50:29)

Sing “Yesterday” for Me (54:09)

Appare-Ranman! (57:45)

Gal & Dino (1:02:02)

Princess Connect! Re:Dive (1:06:19)

Fruits Basket – Season 2 (1:12:15)

Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: The Fifth Plate (1:13:22)

BNA: Brand New Animal (1:16:40)

Review:

My Hero Academia – Season 4 (1:31:00)

Related Links:

Wikipedia: Production of anime series delayed or suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic

ANN – This Week in Anime: Has My Hero Academia Taken Its Darkest Turn?

ANN – This Week in Anime: MHA’s Heroes Put it All on the Line in Overhaul Arc

Anime Feminist: My Hero Academia Shows Us How To Write Damsels (And Dudes) In Distress

Fanbyte: My Hero Academia and the Problem of the Supercop

Hey Everyone,

 

we’ll be on hiatus until further notice due to medical reasons.

We will return as soon as possible.

Hope to talk to you soon!

 

~ CC

Before saying goodbye for a while, the hosts wrap things up with an early jam packed season finale. First they discuss the recent Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2020 and highlight some of the winners, snubs and headscratchers from the selection. After a quick visit to the Chop ‘n’ Drop they then review the final series from Fall Season 2019 in the form of the feral high school drama Beastars. Last but not least they give out their own recurring award: Best of the Season.

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News:

The Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2020 (1:32)

Chop ‘n’ Drop (1:36:19)

Review:

Beastars (1:46:00)

Best of the Season (3:01:20)

Related Links:

Crunchyroll: The Anime Awards

Crunchyroll: Winners of the 2020 Anime Awards

Stop Motion Magazine: Beastars -by Dwarf Studios

Sakuga Blog: BEASTARS – Traditionally Excellent Modernity

The ABF gang has returned to cool you down and then heat you right back up. First CC follows the investigators from Babylon to unearth the many horrifying secrets that lurk in the shadows of a mayoral election. Then the hosts unleash their burning shonen hearts once again and join the colorful firefighting crew from company 8 to extinguish a plethora of infernal opponents in Fire Force.

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Reviews:

Babylon (1:30)

Fire Force (53:02)

 

Related Links:

ANN – This Week in Anime: Babylon Has a Whore Complex

Mother’s Basement: Babylon – Thriller Anime at its Finest

ANN – This Week in Anime: Is Fire Force Worth Watching?

Crunchyroll: Meet the Staff of the Upcoming Fire Force Anime!

Crunchyroll: Five Highlights of the Fire Force Anime’s Thrilling Debut!

Sakuga Blog: Fire Force – The Backstory Of A Dazzling Production

Sakuga Blog: Fire Force Production Notes 01

The hosts take turns on this episode and tackle three widely different shows. CC goes first and explains why the mix of tennis action and family drama in Stars Align is a winning combination. After that, John returns to the world of Granblue Fantasy and highlights some of the ups and downs in the second season of this popular cross media franchise. CC then wraps up the show by travelling 3700 years into the future and witnessing the rebirth of human civilization through the power of science and by the hands of Dr. Stone.

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Reviews:

Stars Align (1:32)

Granblue Fantasy the Animation – Season 2 (33:46)

Dr. Stone (1:05:21)

 

Related Links:

Sakuga Blog: Hoshiai no Sora / Stars Align: A Story About Corporate Betrayal, But Also A Lot More

ANN: Stars Align Director Kazuki Akane Promises Sequel In Some Form

ANN: Stars Align ED Animation Allegedly Copies Dance Choreography Without Permission

Stars Align Production Committee Apologizes For Copying Dance Choreography Without Permission

ANN – This Week in Anime: Could Stars Align Be This Season’s Ace Anime Series?

ANN – This Week in Anime: Stars Align is Here and It’s Hella Queer

ANN – This Week in Anime: Dr. Stone Breaks the Mold of Shonen Jump Adventure

ANN – This Week in Anime: Why Dr. Stone’s Village Arc is The Best Yet

Crunchyroll: Behind the Scenes of Dr. STONE | The Making of an Anime

Crunchyroll – INTERVIEW: How Dr. STONE’s Director Created a World of Science

Crunchyroll: Dr. STONE’s Most Unusual Hero in History

Crunchyroll: Dr. Stone Proves That Every Good Anime Villain Needs A Good Anime Henchman

Crunchyroll – INTERVIEW: Dr. STONE Creators Reveal the Secrets Behind Their Painstaking Research

Mother’s Basement: What’s so Great About Dr. Stone – Bill Nye the Apocalypse Guy

John and CC kick off the new Anime season as usual, by giving a nod to all the icy fresh premieres from Winter 2020 they did check out. After that they wrap up the episode by discussing one of the most promising manga-to-anime adaptions in recent years: Vinland Saga.

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Sneak Peek: (1:52)

Seton Academy: Welcome to the Pack & A Destructive God Sits Next to Me (3:17)

Oda Cinnamon Nobunaga (6:23)

Hatena Illusion (9:14)

Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story (11:55)

Dorohedoro (14:48)

Sorcerous Stabber Orphen (15:41)

Somali and the Forest Spirit (17:16)

Darwin’s Game (18:52)

Asteroid in Love (22:59)

Pet (25:09)

A Certain Scientific Railgun T (27:13)

Dorohedoro (29:54)

ID: INVADED (35:09)

In/Spectre (42:54)

Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! (45:10)

ROOM CAMP (50:20)

Somali and the Forest Spirit (53:10)

Sorcerous Stabber Orphen (57:02)

Haikyu!! To The Top (1:02:42)

Review:

Vinland Saga (1:08:17)

Related Links:

ANN – This Week in Anime: Vinland Saga is the Must-Watch Epic of the Season

ANN – This Week in Anime: The Fog of War Thickens in Vinland Saga

Gigguk: Stop Sleeping on Vinland Saga.