Slime-Killing Witch 2, episode 4

Another member of the first season’s extended family returns and learns of last week’s mysterious character introduction, triggering a gold rush on Best Gal Beelzebub’s land. This forced the character designer to come up with dozens of new witches, which is never a bad thing. Our Most Wanted Legal Loli joins the cast and dispenses her wisdom in return for protection from being carved into tiny pieces and turned into snake-oil pills.

Verdict: the platonic harem grows again, this time literally. And we get a nutritious side dish of Beelzebub’s Whipped Witches, which could be a totally different show.

Bumpkin & Harem, episode 4

Wow, they really spent a lot of time painting that griffon. Even more than they spent drawing that triumphant ass-shot of the redhead. Pity we didn’t get to enjoy it longer, not that I’ll complain about her well-exposed tits filling the screen; that top must be reinforced with some serious magic to hold together during her acrobatics. I do have some questions about the choreography of the fight, though, as well as that whole “running on lava” thing. And the hanging-on-for-dear-life flight scene. And the way momentum is not really a thing in this universe.

With Our Misunderstood Hero’s sword broken in the fight, Strong But Tiny Haremette #2 takes him to her favorite blacksmith, where he tells her she needs to grip something longer and thicker; later, he gives her a few private lessons. Of course Thirsty McWhiteHair blew off work and tagged along, and for more fun, they were met by SweetCheeks O’RedHair, who insisted on taking care of his sword personally.

Finally, we get our first glimpse of Blue-Haired Fiery Gal #5, who looks a little light in the chest for a haremette, and we’ve already got a Legal Loli. More of her next week, it seems.

Related, I skimmed the previews of the translated light novels, and it seems he never gets anywhere with His Frisky Former Students, despite their obvious interest and their service-friendly fashion sense. He does go out on a date with an age-appropriate teacher at the magic school at one point.

Verdict: it doesn’t look like there’s much chance of getting the gals to a beach or hot-springs resort, but they do love their close-ups.

(Toxico is unrelated, Best Girl)

A-Rank Adventure Harem, episode 15

This episode was brought to you by The Principle of Conservation Of Assholes, in which assholes cannot be created or destroyed, simply transformed into other, worse assholes. Seriously, can these people write a villain who doesn’t stand around monologing while licking things? I mean, I can’t complain about Random Spear-Carrier Miniskirt Witch getting wrapped up in tentacles, that’s just good clean fun, but Our New Party Of Assholes is all about the licking, and they’re not even putting up enough of a fight to earn it. Sure, Our Adventure Gals run away a bit frantically before turning the tables, but the fight choreography is… not good, even after the assholes are replaced by Undead King Twirler. Only the mild fan-service saves it from being completely wretched.

Worse, after the exposition-heavy semifinals are over and hugs are delivered (with the promise of Special Catgirl Nene Time after it’s all over), Our Harem Hero suddenly realizes, based on no evidence that’s been shared with the audience, that The Golden McGuffin that they need to destroy to save the world is none other than… Original Asshole Party Leader!

Which, metaphysically speaking, means that everything bad that ever happened to one of the many worlds ruined by Golden McGuffin A-Rank Asshole is actually Yuke’s fault for cursing him with immortal suffering. Just sayin’.

Verdict: my brain really hurts now. They’d better make up for this with some major bath scenes, with Our Little Blonde Titty-Witch included, or I’m done.

(cat-ears leak worse than haircolor and elf-ears)

Unrelated, Shattered Space ain’t worth it at half-price

Bethesda delivered some major DLC for Skyrim and Fallout 4, but Starfield? Nah, it’s crap. A shitload of infodumps about the snake-cult-in-space faction that’s just been a bunch of mooks to shoot up to now, and we end up actually learning very little about their history and culture. But we spend way too much time sitting through conversations to get those scraps.

In a lot of ways, it reminds me of the least-entertaining part of Fallout 4‘s Far Harbor, in which Boss Synth tries to convince you that you’re not a real human either, and you’re not allowed to give any answers that flatly contradict his bullshit. It also feels quite derivative of two core quest chains in the base Starfield game.

I got this for $15 through the MS Company Store, and I feel like they charged $10 too much.

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