General Anime/Manga Discussion 15: The Beach Episode

[Aotrs Commander]

even I'm a bit puzzled at the notion that one could dislike subs so much that they're not even an option after you've already seen the two preceding seasons of the show. If that's enough to stop you, you can't be all that invested in the series.

I mean, I generally prefer subs, but if my only option for watching season 3 of Konosuba was an English dub, I'd go for it in a heartbeat.

On reason, aside from others I've mentioned before, is because changing the VO (let alone the language) is kind of a big deal. Very emphatically for me.

I didn't watch Pokémon for several years when they changed the voice actors, for example, and that was English to English.

(DBS might actually be a bit interesting, since I'm now more familair with DBZA than the "proper" VA it's going to sound a little odd, though I'm astounded, from seeing youtube clips of stuff like FighterZ, how damn close a lot of the DBZA guys and girls are.)

Also, when I bought Naruto Ultimate Ninja 5, I was so bitterly disappointed at the (surprise) lack of English VA (and this is a fighting game, something I don't play normally and thus only even got because it was a Naruto game; I'm not even sure the in-battle dialogue was even subtitled, thus rendering it completely meaningless and The Wrong Voices) that I played it once for a couple of hours and then never touched it again.

[Lethologica]

I think there's no show without a bad episode (I'd list my own exceptions but I know someone will remind me of the bad episodes in **** because I have terrible memory).
Naruto just... well... it's still fun to watch the action and comedy, most of the time.

There is no bad episode of Ping Pong, prove me wrong.

[Pendulous]

The "subs vs. dubs" debate being a humongous waste of time and spittle notwithstanding, even I'm a bit puzzled at the notion that one could dislike subs so much that they're not even an option after you've already seen the two preceding seasons of the show. If that's enough to stop you, you can't be all that invested in the series.

I mean, I generally prefer subs, but if my only option for watching season 3 of Konosuba was an English dub, I'd go for it in a heartbeat.

So it's not weird that getting used to the voices of characters over 24 episodes dissuades you from watching the rest with other voices?

Which is really weird to say, because one of the arguments people make when they hear a dub of a show they've seen is "oh, I prefer the original voices". Well, yeah, of course you do. Doesn't mean the dub is bad, you just like the voices you heard FIRST.

That said, I watched Konosuba subbed first, and the dub voices and acting are outstanding.

[Kato]

Oh no, do we really have to start one of the never ending internet debates? I'm sorry if I took the first post too seriously, but if you bring a (learning) disability into it, it sounds a bit harsh..

Also, I would love to ask you for recommendations about Netflix anime too, but then I have the problem of Germany and I don't feel like listing what we have and haven't.

[Rynjin]

So it's not weird that getting used to the voices of characters over 24 episodes dissuades you from watching the rest with other voices?

Which is really weird to say, because one of the arguments people make when they hear a dub of a show they've seen is "oh, I prefer the original voices". Well, yeah, of course you do. Doesn't mean the dub is bad, you just like the voices you heard FIRST.

That said, I watched Konosuba subbed first, and the dub voices and acting are outstanding.

*Shrugs*

It's one of those things you just have to deal with in this medium. I had to swap to subs after 100+ episodes of Naruto back in the day because the dub was too slow to release; same with Hajime no Ippo, whose 75 episode first series is dubbed, but neither of the later two series'. I'd be there with One Piece if I cared about the anime all that much, and a scattered few other shows. Partial dubs are just a fact of life.

I tend to watch newly airing shows with subs, and older shows dubbed with a few exceptions (I'm staunchly sub only when it comes to JoJo, and comedies as a general rule) where I have the option myself.

Konosuba's dub looks pretty solid, though lacks a bit of the original's charm in my opinion. Mostly because ad-libbed lines delivered as part of a script still don't have the same zing as the original impromptu lines even if the voice cast is very talented.

[BWR]

There is no bad episode of Ping Pong, prove me wrong.

There is no good episode of Ping Pong.
There.

More seriously, this is another show people went gaga over, and I cannot comprehend why. I barely made it through the first episode and dropped it halfway through the second.

[Mx.Silver]

It was. Why it matters is that some people, for reasons that are entirely beyond my comprehension (unless they are severely dyslexic), do not like subtitles.

From my experience, most of the dub-preference people I've run into are that way because they typically watch series while doing something else or as 'something to throw on in the background', which doesn't work if you can't understand the dialogue.
It's not the way I'd watch visual media, but if they're enjoying themselves, who am I to judge?

Every series has it's Great Divide and it's a shame that for Naruto it's the entire back half of it.

I think there's no show without a bad episode

I think maybe you two aren't watching the best shows you could be watching

[Lethologica]

There is no good episode of Ping Pong.
There.

More seriously, this is another show people went gaga over, and I cannot comprehend why. I barely made it through the first episode and dropped it halfway through the second.

-Absolutely nails an ethos of competition that prevails particularly in individual sports. (Very little team element, of course.)
-Tight and clever writing leaves the show stuffed with character.
-Inventive and fun (if polarizing) art style full of abstraction and implication.
-That sound design tho

It's rare for a show to be so overtly an artistic endeavor as Ping Pong and yet deliver so solidly as entertainment.

[LaZodiac]

From my experience, most of the dub-preference people I've run into are that way because they typically watch series while doing something else or as 'something to throw on in the background', which doesn't work if you can't understand the dialogue.
It's not the way I'd watch visual media, but if they're enjoying themselves, who am I to judge?






I think maybe you two aren't watching the best shows you could be watching

I'm referencing The Last Airbender with mine. We're watching the best shows we could be watching, but on the whole there are some weaker moments in every show. It's not always AS equally weak, and of course personal opinion gets into it (some people think Ember Island Players is bad for instance as well).

[Pendulous]

There is no good episode of Ping Pong.
There.

More seriously, this is another show people went gaga over, and I cannot comprehend why. I barely made it through the first episode and dropped it halfway through the second.

On that note, I do not understand the hype for Kaguya-sama this season. I barely made it one episode.

[Mx.Silver]

I'm referencing The Last Airbender with mine. We're watching the best shows we could be watching, but on the whole there are some weaker moments in every show.

I know what you're referencing. I'm saying that it's eminently possible to find shows where you wouldn't think any of the episodes are bad, and presumably you two aren't watching series that hit that mark

[Kato]

Oh there are totally shows where off the top of my head I can't think of bad episodes, but I probably just forget the bad ones. Also, bad can be a subjective turn, so we better not start arguing about bad episodes in good shows.

Also I would ask if I should make myself finish Little Witch Academia but I already know what most will tell me
I wish Netflix Germany had more shows I was nostalgic about but never finished, like inu yasha or detective Conan..

[LaZodiac]

Don't worry Kato even if they did have all the episodes of Case Closed up you'd still never finish it.

180 episodes later and they're finally ****ing dating.

[Aotrs Commander]

Steins'Gate 14-15.

Spoiler

Show

Alright, continue, show. Your explanation of localised temporal interia over alpha world lines is... adequate. There would have been better ways to do that, though. Your execution has been stayed, at least so long as you don't pull that crap again.

Well, called Suzuha being as time-traveller. Not her being Tito, though, I will tip my hat to that show.



I'm hazardiing my guesses that her father might actually be Daru (if only because it being Kyouma seems unproven). We will, I suppose see.

[LaZodiac]

Steins'Gate 14-15.

Spoiler

Show

Alright, continue, show. Your explanation of localised temporal interia over alpha world lines is... adequate. There would have been better ways to do that, though. Your execution has been stayed, at least so long as you don't pull that crap again.

Well, called Suzuha being as time-traveller. Not her being Tito, though, I will tip my hat to that show.



I'm hazardiing my guesses that her father might actually be Daru (if only because it being Kyouma seems unproven). We will, I suppose see.

Spoiler

Show

I feel like the issue you had with the plot at this point, with regards to execution of said plot, might be because of the fact that this was a visual novel. Visual Novels can go a lot faster since it's mostly just text, so you read a bunch of "And then Mayuri gets ****in' gacked" and it doesn't take that long, but to actually show that on screen in a way that makes sense takes...a lot longer.

Suzuha being a time traveler is blatently obvious. Her being the actual god damn John Titor is subtle and I really like it.

You'll seee~

[Kato]

Don't worry Kato even if they did have all the episodes of Case Closed up you'd still never finish it.

180 episodes later and they're finally ****ing dating.

I remember loving the show as a kid but while the length of the story wasn't that bad back then even (not so) little Kato got confused about how many Christmases could happen without Conan growing older. It's Simpson's level shattering my suspension of disbelief.
Also, I remember Ran / Rachel being one of my fictional childhood crushes.
Also also, wait, so she's dating Conan now or did they somehow... Improve on the antidote or something?

Steins'Gate 14-15.

Spoiler

Show

Alright, continue, show. Your explanation of localised temporal interia over alpha world lines is... adequate. There would have been better ways to do that, though. Your execution has been stayed, at least so long as you don't pull that crap again.

Well, called Suzuha being as time-traveller. Not her being Tito, though, I will tip my hat to that show.



I'm hazardiing my guesses that her father might actually be Daru (if only because it being Kyouma seems unproven). We will, I suppose see.

Yeah, Suzuha's plot is pretty well constructed. I won't talk too much about it because spoilers.
Also, it's a bit of a shame episode 13's climax overshadows Moeka's 'big moment'.

[LaZodiac]

I remember loving the show as a kid but while the length of the story wasn't that bad back then even (not so) little Kato got confused about how many Christmases could happen without Conan growing older. It's Simpson's level shattering my suspension of disbelief.
Also, I remember Ran / Rachel being one of my fictional childhood crushes.
Also also, wait, so she's dating Conan now or did they somehow... Improve on the antidote or something?



Yeah, Suzuha's plot is pretty well constructed. I won't talk too much about it because spoilers.
Also, it's a bit of a shame episode 13's climax overshadows Moeka's 'big moment'.

Yeah they improved the antidote a bit. I don't know all the details otherwise.

[Aotrs Commander]

Steins'Gate 16-17.

Spoiler

Show

Well, in the words of DBZA!Cooler someone answer that phone because I frackin; called it - Daru is Suzuha's dad.

And then this is getting a bit sad and silly.

Someone clearly needs to go forcibly manifest the worldline conceptual entity and give it a good slapping for being a right little excrement stain to everyone.

Ye gods.

Suzuha dies for no good reason (way to young, ye gods) - after not meeting her dad and Faris' Dad dies and now it looks like they have undo Ruka.

(And somehow deal with the other arse-vermin, preferably by shoving HER in front of a train several infinity times, the little frack-stain.)

The big question is how in the merry frack-baskets did Faris partially remember two world lines? That can't be just incidental...



Seriously, though, Kyouma; this is the wierdest harem anime ever...

[LaZodiac]

Steins'Gate 16-17.

Spoiler

Show

Well, in the words of DBZA!Cooler someone answer that phone because I frackin; called it - Daru is Suzuha's dad.

And then this is getting a bit sad and silly.

Someone clearly needs to go forcibly manifest the worldline conceptual entity and give it a good slapping for being a right little excrement stain to everyone.

Ye gods.

Suzuha dies for no good reason (way to young, ye gods) - after not meeting her dad and Faris' Dad dies and now it looks like they have undo Ruka.

(And somehow deal with the other arse-vermin, preferably by shoving HER in front of a train several infinity times, the little frack-stain.)

The big question is how in the merry frack-baskets did Faris partially remember two world lines? That can't be just incidental...



Seriously, though, Kyouma; this is the wierdest harem anime ever...

Spoiler

Show

The twist is that it's not a harem anime, it's a romance.

Also yeah I don't remember Faris's bit you mentioned at all beyond the sadness of having to re-kill her dad.

Also also yeah welcome to the Sad part of the series, where we have to revert eeeverything to save Mayuri. I'm headcanoning that after everything is all said and done Okarin signs Ruka up for a sexual health nurse visit so she can work out how to proceed in a less time travel-y way.

[Aotrs Commander]

Spoiler

Show

The twist is that it's not a harem anime, it's a romance.

Also yeah I don't remember Faris's bit you mentioned at all beyond the sadness of having to re-kill her dad.

Also also yeah welcome to the Sad part of the series, where we have to revert eeeverything to save Mayuri. I'm headcanoning that after everything is all said and done Okarin signs Ruka up for a sexual health nurse visit so she can work out how to proceed in a less time travel-y way.

I have a better one; it involves SERN, an angry lich with a rocket launcher and the fact that Gate XVIII works in time as well as space.



Much much later edit:

Steins;Gate 18-20

Spoiler

Show

Guh. Well, Kyouma handle the Ruka thing about as well as expected. (So did Ruka, actually. Ye gods, that was uncomfortable to watch.)

Also, again, how in the FRACK did Ruka grab previous timeline memories...?



Show.

Show.

Show.

I am not going to feel sorry for Moeka, not now or ever. I don't care how mentally unstable she is, how victimised you try to make her, at the point you go off and kill people because a text message tells you to is the point I officially not only don't care what happens to you, I start actively gunning for you, sunshine; that level of crap makes you too dangerous to be allowed to continue breathing.

(And trying to frame Kyouma physically smacking her around a rapey-like to play that up is kind of uncalled, really. She fracking WELL deserves a good punch in the freaking face, bare mimimum.)

That applies to you to, FB. You sorry little excrement stain.

Sorry, but I found those episodes kind of funny, actually, because, sucks to be you asshats. Maybe don't go around murdering people and you might, y'know, deserve not only not being urinated on when on fire, but not setting of fire in the first place?

But me feel sorry for you?

Fat chance.



The thing that makes me most annoyed thus far is that it looks like faceless SERN is going to get away without being viciously sliced into bloody ribbons in a horrible fashion.



Oh, goody, now all that needs to happen is Kurisu has to die and everything will be all better.

Great.

*covers eyeglows with hand*

*sigh*

Yeah, metaphysical manifestation of their reality?

You do know that being an incorporal metaphysical concept isn't in any way going to stop me disemboweling you with rusty spears, right?



Ohh, maybe that Homura Akemi lass has some ideas...

[Kato]

You know, Aorts, I expected you to feel more compassion for the poor minions in an organization that's just trying to rule the world. Everyone needs to make a living. Or maybe you just emphasize with the higher ups?

I think I'll really rewatch the show, just reading it has gotten me nostalgic.



Also, as a random sidenote: Food Wars is way going off the rails recently. I mean, not that there were any rails to leave but boy... I'm not sure if Toriko is the weirdest food related manga anymore.

[Aotrs Commander]

You know, Aorts, I expected you to feel more compassion for the poor minions in an organization that's just trying to rule the world. Everyone needs to make a living. Or maybe you just emphasize with the higher ups?

To answer a tongue-in-cheek question more seriously than it probably was intended...

To gain any kind of compassion (if you can ever use that word in this context as it applies to me), SERN would first have had to have had, y'know, actual villain characters - and good ones at that, like Madara Uchiha - I love that guy, he's fantastic - or Thrawn. Bare-minimum, they have to at least have some level of actual competance and some level of, well, as the saying goes, "presentation."

The ones we see have neither, though - they are basically just thugs and tools (in pretty much all definition of the word). And, as depressingly not-untypically of the even small amount of anime I have seen, aside from the two trying to gain sympathy from us, all the other bad guys are faceless and characterless. Which means I have no investment in them, so I don't give a flying frack about them except in the context provided - as faceless asshats that need to die, gurgling.



These dudes don't even rate the same level of entertainment factor as, say, the Evil Mirror-Universe Nazis in last years Arrow-verse crossover, let alone that of the Galactic Empire - hell, even the likes of Miles friggin' Mayhem of MASK has more character than "generically Evil thug" and "faceless organisation" and he's just about the least competant sort-of not-specifically-in-a-full-on-comedy I can think of.

[HMS Invincible]

Egao ep5
Show is kinda weird in that they spent time developing the princess into a tactical smart lady, but then put that plotline on hold for several episodes. Anyone else watching this?

[Silfir]

Egao ep5
Show is kinda weird in that they spent time developing the princess into a tactical smart lady, but then put that plotline on hold for several episodes. Anyone else watching this?

Spoiler: Egao no Daika

Show

Nothing weird about it - there are still seven episodes left, and Yuki was only just taught (in as gruesome a manner as possible) that it's impossible to wage war successfully while trying to save everyone. The reason she succeeded in the simulation was because she didn't feel any remorse about sacrificing the soldiers on her team in order to achieve the objective in an unorthodox way - because it was a simulation. Once she actually wages war in a pragmatic, ruthless manner commanding actual human beings, she could conceivably have that same kind of success, but I wouldn't expect that to happen until closer to the end of the show, like episode 10 or 11 or something, once she's somehow joined forces with Stella in some sort of "make it so everyone gets to smile" campaign.

Since Stella's squad is stated to be moving towards the capital - and are the kind of covert ops unit that might end up being ordered to target Yuki - I think the plotlines are about to converge. Either Yuki or Stella are going to be captured and get the opportunity to get to know the other. Or maybe not; the show has managed to catch me off guard before.

[Aotrs Commander]

Styeins;Gate

Spoiler: 21-25

Show

Normally when I say things get messy, I don't mean literally but ooh. Nasty.

The fake-out ending in episode 22, was, I hazard something maybe the game did?

Dangit, though, even the "stabs his daughter berserk crazy man" didn't even get splorched at the end.

And apparently everyone remembers stuff from the other world lines, sort of.



Still, episode 25 was defnitely needed wind-down (and, at least, to prove Kyuoma had not been too permenantly damaged by the events, fortunately). Dude is too good a supervillian (and he has the "presentation" bit down pat) to be wasted on some boring old redemption thing.



Closing thoughts, then.

I can see why Zodi and Kato spoke so highly of it. Aside from the bit in the middle that hit the maudling peddle rather way too harder than necessary, it was good, and it was clever. In the end, maybe it was Rolemaaster time-travel all along, and it just took Timelock being a bit more round-about than usual, right up until the whole "saving appearance" thing at the with faking Kurisu's death.

(Okay, WHY have I had such difficulty with the names with this show that nearl every time I've ad to wiki them to get them right? I mean, it's not like I'm that woefully familair with Japanese names, ot even wierd names in made-up lanugages, so..?)

(I mean, it managed to hold my interest and it is the sort of thing I wouldn't have watched at all if it was live-action.)

Buuut... On the same token, it's less of my cup of tea overall, so while I enjoyed it (well, most of it, anyway), it's not going to be an all-time favourite of mine of anything.

If the... Other bit? Sequel? Midquel I think I some saw something say in passing? Steins;Gate 0 pops up on Netflix, will definitely give it a nosey, though.

(Credit to the opneing theme though, that rather grew on me a great deal).



So, the blue-haired lady who appears sort-of spreadangled at the end of the credits was supposed to be whom?

Right, just one little detail to take care of, 'scuse me a sec folks...

Opp, nearly forget this.

*grabs SK-series Snbake Launcher*

Doot-de-doo...

Spoiler

Show

Hououin Kyouma exchanged baffled glances with Daru, as they watched the news report.

"And the headline news tonight. The missing staff of European Organisaition for Nuclear Research, SERN, who disappeared in mysterious circumstances two days ago have been found. Their bodies were discovered this morning inside the Large Hadron Collider, where their intestines had been pinned to the interior upper surface to spell out the words 'how's this for your one-percent divergence, you bastards.' Police have refused to comment on an ongoing investigation, though one attending officer at the scene said that the situation was 'maybe a bit gross, but probably entirely called for,' The officer could not be found for further comment.

"In other news, the body Doctor Nakabachi, who attempt to defect to Russia and went missing from his hotel room last week has finally been located. Police reports indicate he appears to have accidently disembowled himself while clipping his toenails. An attending officer, Bleakanov Baneski, filling in at the last moment due the urgent arrival of a brown envelope to the senior staff at the press conferance, addressed the world news reporters in English and said that there was 'defintely no reason at all to suspect foul play it, it was easily done, could happen to anyone, really, and no further investigation was deemed necessary' before mysteriously leaving the building."

"The hell?" Kyuoma muttered, but then Mayuri came in with a new cos-play to show them and everything was all right again.

[LaZodiac]

Styeins;Gate

Spoiler: 21-25

Show

Normally when I say things get messy, I don't mean literally but ooh. Nasty.

The fake-out ending in episode 22, was, I hazard something maybe the game did?

Dangit, though, even the "stabs his daughter berserk crazy man" didn't even get splorched at the end.

And apparently everyone remembers stuff from the other world lines, sort of.



Still, episode 25 was defnitely needed wind-down (and, at least, to prove Kyuoma had not been too permenantly damaged by the events, fortunately). Dude is too good a supervillian (and he has the "presentation" bit down pat) to be wasted on some boring old redemption thing.



Closing thoughts, then.

I can see why Zodi and Kato spoke so highly of it. Aside from the bit in the middle that hit the maudling peddle rather way too harder than necessary, it was good, and it was clever. In the end, maybe it was Rolemaaster time-travel all along, and it just took Timelock being a bit more round-about than usual, right up until the whole "saving appearance" thing at the with faking Kurisu's death.

(Okay, WHY have I had such difficulty with the names with this show that nearl every time I've ad to wiki them to get them right? I mean, it's not like I'm that woefully familair with Japanese names, ot even wierd names in made-up lanugages, so..?)

(I mean, it managed to hold my interest and it is the sort of thing I wouldn't have watched at all if it was live-action.)

Buuut... On the same token, it's less of my cup of tea overall, so while I enjoyed it (well, most of it, anyway), it's not going to be an all-time favourite of mine of anything.

If the... Other bit? Sequel? Midquel I think I some saw something say in passing? Steins;Gate 0 pops up on Netflix, will definitely give it a nosey, though.

(Credit to the opneing theme though, that rather grew on me a great deal).



So, the blue-haired lady who appears sort-of spreadangled at the end of the credits was supposed to be whom?

Right, just one little detail to take care of, 'scuse me a sec folks...

Opp, nearly forget this.

*grabs SK-series Snbake Launcher*

Doot-de-doo...

Spoiler

Show

Hououin Kyouma exchanged baffled glances with Daru, as they watched the news report.

"And the headline news tonight. The missing staff of European Organisaition for Nuclear Research, SERN, who disappeared in mysterious circumstances two days ago have been found. Their bodies were discovered this morning inside the Large Hadron Collider, where their intestines had been pinned to the interior upper surface to spell out the words 'how's this for your one-percent divergence, you bastards.' Police have refused to comment on an ongoing investigation, though one attending officer at the scene said that the situation was 'maybe a bit gross, but probably entirely called for,' The officer could not be found for further comment.

"In other news, the body Doctor Nakabachi, who attempt to defect to Russia and went missing from his hotel room last week has finally been located. Police reports indicate he appears to have accidently disembowled himself while clipping his toenails. An attending officer, Bleakanov Baneski, filling in at the last moment due the urgent arrival of a brown envelope to the senior staff at the press conferance, addressed the world news reporters in English and said that there was 'defintely no reason at all to suspect foul play it, it was easily done, could happen to anyone, really, and no further investigation was deemed necessary' before mysteriously leaving the building."

"The hell?" Kyuoma muttered, but then Mayuri came in with a new cos-play to show them and everything was all right again.

Who else in this series has blue hair other than Mayuri? It's Mayuri in the ending.

I don't know if Stein's;Gate Zero is good, but I do know there is a sequel movie that is...contentious, to some degree, but is worth watching in my opinion because it stars Christina.

There are other spin offs vaguely related, like ones that explain Mr Braun's backstory and delves more into alternate world lines, but over all you really just need to play the game now if you want more. I'm glad you liked it!

[CarpeGuitarrem]

I watched Steins;Gate Zero. I was not really impressed. The plot doesn't do much to justify itself within the presence of the series, and the tie-ins to the main series are a bit ancillary.

However, the new major character introduced is good, there's some neat fleshing out of characters, and there's some good moments for series fans.

On the other hand, parts of the series contain Daru-level pandering with some downright uncomfortable, unnecessary risqué elements. Also, the climax features some truly laughable action sequences.

[Lord Raziere]

Watched pretty much all the Mob Psycho 100 episodes out lately. wouldn't say its my favorite anime, but I like it and smartly written. the best character in that is Reigen for the sheer ballsy lies he gets away with. I mean, I kind of get Mob is the protagonist, but it doesn't feel as if he real motivated or an active force in anything so he is kind of meh.

The anime I'm watching now is World Trigger. also wouldn't exactly say its a favorite, but its written real intelligently with everything making a very consistent amount of sense, everyone being smart and reasonable in their plans and fighting tactics. it feels very sci-fi compared to most action anime, and while Trion is very hard-light particles its doesn't seem to be magic. also its a shonen anime thats more about tactics and skill than spirit, so thats interesting to see and draw inspiration from.

[Kato]

Yup, glad we could give you a decent recommendation.
Yes, it got me to watch it again, but the German dub just isn't quite as good.
And as Zodi says, the movie is... fine. I'd say the best part is the fifteen secons of Houoin talking English but that probably doesn't translate well. If you want a small additional fix.
I entirely missed Zero when it came out and haven't seen it yet. I probably will at some point but I'm not that eager.

Any idea what you will watch next?

[Silfir]

Watched pretty much all the Mob Psycho 100 episodes out lately. wouldn't say its my favorite anime, but I like it and smartly written. the best character in that is Reigen for the sheer ballsy lies he gets away with. I mean, I kind of get Mob is the protagonist, but it doesn't feel as if he real motivated or an active force in anything so he is kind of meh.

That's kind of the entire point of Mob - the show is about him trying to grow into a fully-fledged person. The moment he becomes fully self-motivated and knows what kind of active force to become is the moment the story is just about over. (Similarly, the point of One Punch Man isn't Saitama becoming stronger in order to beat successively more powerful foes; it's for him to learn to cope with the fact that he won't ever face a foe powerful enough to challenge him, and find a meaning in life beyond fighting.)

He does have an easy option available to him - to concentrate completely on his powers and become essentially a godlike being who could use force to gain pretty much anything that's possible to gain by force. But he chooses to try to live without relying on his powers, because he actually wants to make human connections, even though he is awful at it. His choice to join the physical self-improvement club instead of the paranormal club (which catches everyone by surprise) is symbolic of everything else. It's not an accident either that practically every villain he faces represents one of the ways in which Mob could be tempted to lose his humanity.