“Oh, look, it started snowing again just as I finished clearing the turnaround so I don’t have to back the car downhill 75 feet!”

(today’s 3 inches were accurately forecast, but still annoying)

Literal Dream Girl Elf Waifu, episode 1

“Welcome to buy-the-bluray fan-service, Tsundere Elf-chan”.

Yes, there’s a title drop. Yes, there’s nudity, blushing, pouting, and mostly-futile efforts to keep herself covered. The credits promise more. Yes, Our Dreamwalking Hero is grown-up enough to hold down a steady job, but still young enough not to point out to His Dreamy Dream Girl that she’s stark naked on all fours with her tits swaying in front of him; she has to figure that out on her own. And, yes, he deliberately dressed his 100-year-old elf partner in premium lace lingerie and a schoolgirl outfit.

Note that this is not a slave-waifu scenario where she’s now trapped in Japan. She can go home at any time… by falling asleep while he’s touching her. So, y’know, no pressure.

Verdict: my expectations consist of light rays, steam, conveniently-obscuring objects, food porn, tourist porn, and an inconclusive romance (they start dating in book 6!).

(fan-art? yeah, not so much)

The Apothecary Diaries 2, episode 1

Ah, that’s what I’ve been waiting for! This season hits the ground running, correctly assuming that anyone watching does not need a lengthy recap. There’s all sorts of stuff bubbling up in the background, but one of the most significant events of the entire series is finally on screen: Maomao finds a kitten. (okay, technically the adorable young princess finds it, but it has to be cleaned up and nursed back to health before she can be allowed to touch it)

Maomao gets ruthlessly teased about not being a cat person despite her name, leading to a conversation with Jinshi where he begins to understand certain things. By comparison, Maomao getting caught smuggling in porn to sell to the concubines is trivia.

Verdict: more, please, but I could do without ever hearing the ED song again. I actually like the OP song, but the animation that accompanies it seems too modern and spoilery.

(I’ll need to restock on relevant pics for this show…)

Hammer Of The Guild Gal, episode 1

In which Fear The Cute Ones takes a level in Foul-Mouthed Badass. This episode pretty much sets up everything that you’ll see all season: super-powered shouty heroine working the guild counter and walloping boss monsters to escape overtime, twintailed junior guild gal who adores her mysterious alter-ego, first-rank party leader whose attempts to recruit her are about 50% sexual harassment, laid-back mage and cuddly little healer gal who fill out his party, scorned loser adventurer who’ll “show them all”, sinister masked figure in dark alley, and a fiercely thickening plot. Also a light touch of buy-the-bluray, but we’ll see how that pans out.

And I’m not kidding about the cuteness. The ED would make a good dessert topping.

Verdict: I know what I’m getting into here, even with the occasional need for earplugs.

(no fan-art worth mentioning yet; this is official from the light novels, I think)

One more new show to try out this season: A-Rank Adventure Harem. Fingers not necessarily crossed, but at least crossing-adjacent.

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