But this season seems... different.  Now that most shows are at least four episodes in, I'm fairly sure about what's what, and there's three series I'm definitely watching, another that I'm going to at least pay attention to, not to mention not one but two new Fate/Nasuverse shows!  So What's Wonderduck Watching?  Click "more" for... well...

Violet Evergarden, or "KyoAni loves us and wants us to be happy.  Except for the main character."

When Kyoto Animation decides to flex its artwork muscles, there's no other studio that can even approach their quality.  There's more flexing going on here than you'll find at any three bodybuilding competitions.  Based on the only Grand Prize winner in the eight years of KyoAni's own media competition, they're pulling out all the stops for this one.  

It hasn't shown an ounce of melodrama yet, nor much of a sense of humor to be honest.  Doesn't matter.  While it's not likely to rank above the first season of Hibike! Euphonium in my personal KyoAni favorites list, it sure might equal it... for totally different reasons.  Even if it doesn't reach that lofty goal, it's still going to be wonderful to look at.

Citrus, or "She's in love with her sister... it's kinda complicated."

What Violet Evergarden lacks in melodrama, Citrus supplies in mass amounts.  One of the better yuri manga series out there these days, it was probably the very best choice to make into an anime, just because of the story.  Once you get past the initial awkwardness ("they aren't really sisters."), it becomes a rather cute love story.  With, admittedly, a few over-the-top problems thrown in their path.

How the show handles those will make or break it.  Me, I'm along for the ride whether it gets it right (in which case the show will be good) or not (in which case the train wreck will be epic).  I want them to get it right though... I have a sinking suspicion that if Citrus isn't popular, we'll never see Bloom Into You made into a series once there's more than four volumes released, and that would be a crying shame.  The animation is acceptable... neither good nor bad.  The voice acting matches what I've heard in my head while reading the manga, which is a good thing.  And it seems like the show intends to make Harumin as epic as she was in the books.  That's a win.

Koi wa Ameagari no Youni, or "She loves her boss... literally."

While the whole "young girl gets a crush on older man" thing seems to be fairly common in stories, there's not been all that many... well, anything... that turns it into The Plot.  And even fewer than that handle it seriously.  "After The Rain" is one of those few... and is managing to do it without the squick level going through the roof.  From what I've gathered, it never will, at least during the parts we'll be seeing in the anime.  The artwork is... oldschool.  In fact, it's not the type I usually like at all.  The fact is, there's really only one reason I'm going to be watching this.

He's 45 years old, and he actually acts like it.  That's practically unheard of in anime, and I cannot think of any series that made a 45 year old man a main character and played it seriously.  Bonus points for him not being a teacher.  He runs a restaurant, she works there part-time.  A realistic scenario.  It remains to be seen if it stays that way or gets creepy, of course, but so far so good.  I can't shake the feeling that this show is targeting us older fans... "catching up to its audience," so to speak.  I mean, I'm about to turn 50, it's really quite nice to see a realistic depiction of someone my age in the media I love so much... as long as it doesn't get creepy.  Or if it does, it's all from her side.

Emiya-san Chi no Kyou no Gohan, or "Saber loves food, and is adorable while eating."

In the Fate universe, masters summon servants to battle and to kill in the name of obtaining the Holy Grail.  Depending on which storyline you're watching, anybody can die, usually messily, and even those that don't are changed forever.  And then there's this show.  It's what you get when you cross Fate/Stay Night with Shokugeki no Soma, the combat cooking anime.  Except without any of the combat, and more cooking.  Call it Unlimited Blade Woks.  And y'know what?  It's nice to see these characters, all of whom we've come to know as people over the years and however many series, finally get to kick back and not kill each other... or indeed, even acknowledge those other shows at all.  Instead of Lancer, Cú Chulainn, we get Lancer, fishmonger, flirt, and lover of beer.  

And as I mentioned before, Saber is adorable when she's eating.  That right there is worth the price of admission.  Yes, it's kind of a goofy concept for a show, but hey: it's monthly, it's about 20 minutes long, it's not going to overstay its welcome.  Gotta appreciate that.

Yuru Camp, or "Rin is love.  Rin is life.  Rin is camping."

No great surprise here, I've already written about this show and gushed about it then. It's just gotten better as the show has progressed.  While Pinky hasn't quite calmed down, she's more tolerable than she was, and that's pushed Yuru Camp from "really quite good" to "really quite remarkable" status.  Heck, it's the only show I'm "drop-everything-it's-on" awaiting each week. It's exactly what this Wonderduck needs in his life right now.

So what about you guys, what are you watching that I'm missing?

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