At this point in time, the Winter seasonal shows have either wrapped up or are airing their finale this week. So, I wanted to hear your thoughts on shows you watched this season. Shows you liked, disliked, were surprised by, disappointed by? Let those opinions rip!
Like always, this thread can also be used for general discussions, recommendations, and questions. So, if you haven’t been watching any seasonal shows, but instead want to talk about the finer points of Fushigi Yuugi, that is fine too.
As always, remember to be mindful of spoilers. If you want to know more about how to handle spoilers in this community, check the guide here (also linked in the sidebar).
I am going to try to find time to watch Apothecary soon. I have only heard great things. If I have some more time, I am interested in Shangri-La Frontier as well.
I jumped into watching Apothecary Diaries quite late in the game (I was at an out-of-town trip and had nothing to do, so I decided to watch a few episodes). I didn’t really expect much out of it, just that it not a huge waste of time. I ended up pleasantly surprised. The writing is decent, if not good. There were some parts that I think would stretch my suspension of disbelief, as well as some deus-ex-machina that pushes the story along (and I suppose would make way more sense as more of the material is adapted to anime). However, the way these plot points are developed is surprisingly good. I found myself strung watching one episode after the other.
Shangri-La Frontier, as the other commenter said, is a bit a niche thing. The shonen action is quite decent, but I am more into the worldbuilding aspect of it, and it is surprisingly decent. I also approached this series with no expectations whatsoever, and ended up pleasantly surprised.
Apothecary is a must watch if you like detective mystery stories. And the anime adaptation is outstanding. I liked it better than the LN which is , lets say, rare for me.
Shangri-La on the other hand… If you are in the market for some hype shounen action then better watch Solo Leveling. It’s better and more hype. Shangri-La on the other hand has a super cute bunny character (as in Alice in Wonderland White Rabbit type and not an anthropomorphized playboy bunny) that gives it bonus points.