Hyakushou Kizoku S3 \u2013 7-9<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/starcrossedanime.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Hyakushou-Kizoku-35.1-300x169.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/starcrossedanime.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Hyakushou-Kizoku-37.1-300x169.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\nWooper:<\/b><\/span> Last month I speculated about the possibility of Hyakushou Kizoku running out of material, since new chapters are published only sporadically, but the strength of these episodes makes me think I needn\u2019t have worried. The first of the three was good for a couple laughs, as Hiromu Arakawa\u2019s bovine avatar grinded her teeth about the frequency of agricultural theft, but things really ramped up in episode 8 (36 overall), where she dove into farm romance. The script\u2019s list of increasingly strange but still plausible quirks at farmer\u2019s weddings had me smiling the whole way through, from rushing to finish daily chores just hours before the ceremony to a bouquet toss featuring vegetables rather than flowers. There was also a shoujo manga parody toward the start that I thought might extend beyond the title card, Hoshiiro Girldrop style \u2013 and speaking of parodies, Initial D got a pair of references in episode 9, which was about road blockages, of all things. There were obvious ones like herds of escaped cattle, of course, but some accidents also had knock-on effects, such as an overturned manure spreader resulting in obstructive overgrowth a year after the fact. No matter how tight your turn radius, you can\u2019t beat the combination of Mother Nature and fertilizer!<\/p>\nStar Wars Visions S3 \u2013 4-6<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/starcrossedanime.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Star-Wars-Visions-S3-5.1-300x169.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/starcrossedanime.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Star-Wars-Visions-S3-6.1-300x169.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\nThat\u2019s more like it. Two of these three episodes were winners, in my estimation, though the one I liked the most (number 5, \u201cYuko\u2019s Treasure\u201d) probably didn\u2019t appeal much to real Star Wars heads. Its youthful visual style gave it a sense of whimsy that helped offset the light horror of its story, about a young orphan targeted by pirates for his departed parents\u2019 wealth. Eventually the plot took us underground, where a sixteen-legged cave monster might have scared the shit out of any children in the audience, if not for the kid-friendliness of the short\u2019s design work. Though the improbability of the ending held Yuko\u2019s episode back from greatness, its solid animation, cool use of sand speeders, and adventurous soundtrack (love me some dulcimer<\/span><\/a>) made it my favorite of the season so far.<\/p>\nLike Yuko\u2019s Treasure, \u201cThe Lost Ones\u201d was also by Kinema Citrus, being a sequel to their entry from the first volume. I remember liking that episode (titled \u201cThe Village Bride\u201d), but this new one felt more like a midseason finale rather than a direct continuation, diving into the protagonist\u2019s relationship with her Jedi-turned-Sith master and inventing a whole cast of characters that had nothing to do with the first installment. They were environmentalists working to prevent carbonite leakages on planets ravaged by the Empire\u2019s mining operation, which is a great concept, but their link to the main character ran deeper than we were permitted to see given the short runtime. Still, there were highlights here, especially the meticulously-drawn lightsaber fight between the heroine and the hair-raising use of a Gregorian chorus.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Bounty Hunters\u201d (number 4) was my least favorite, despite its solid production. The lighting was nicely handled during all phases of the day, and if my eyes didn\u2019t deceive me, it used traditional animation even for a massive destroyer droid that easily could have been rendered with 3DCG. The writing was dull, though, centering on a bounty hunter named Sevn with a heart of gold who predictably betrayed her client, an evil CEO who was secretly off his rocker. As an orphan, Sevn was sure to double cross her boss as soon as she saw a hologram recording of a once-happy family torn apart by his taste for child slaves. No shade on anybody who preferred this one over the others, but when it comes to anime anthologies, I\u2019m looking for something a little more removed from the beaten path.<\/p>\n
Ganglion \u2013 7-9<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/starcrossedanime.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Ganglion-OP.1-300x169.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/starcrossedanime.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Ganglion-8.1-300x169.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\nAfter the cliffhanger from episode 6, where Isobe showed up at the apartment of the invincible Hopeman, I figured he would ask his enemy to take the fall so he could impress his son for a change. Instead, the reason for his visit was incidental to the show\u2019s true purpose in arranging it: to reveal that his sister-in-law had shacked up with Hopeman. The resulting reversal in their dynamic was amusing, but it also had some bite to it \u2013 the two men tried to hash things out over some beers at the series\u2019 usual oden stand, but Isobe\u2019s professional resentment of his younger adversary soured the attempt. I got the sense that, regardless of who wears the hero\u2019s mask, Isobe\u2019s dissatisfaction with his job itself is the real root of his bitterness. This was sort of confirmed in episode 9, where he internally wished death on his hypochondriac boss during another of their organization\u2019s schemes, and later flung himself fruitlessly into battle with Hopeman yet again, even after his prospective brother-in-law offered to call off their duel. Sometimes people embroil themselves in the worst aspects of a job they hate because they feel they shouldn\u2019t leave \u2013 if Ganglion has any broader message, it may be to avoid that line of thinking (we\u2019ll see whether I\u2019m entirely off the mark once the last three episodes roll around).<\/p>\n
Fujimoto Tatsuki 17-26 \u2013 4-6<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/starcrossedanime.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Fujimoto-Tatsuki-17-26-4.1-300x169.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/starcrossedanime.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Fujimoto-Tatsuka-17-26-6.1-300x169.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\nThe first of these three episodes, \u201cShikaku,\u201d was a delirious dive into our desire for novelty, centering on an assassin whose antics amused her employer-slash-target (Yugeru) so much that he renounced his death wish and dedicated his life to her. Despite the construction of that sentence, it\u2019s the eponymous assassin who was initially struck with Cupid\u2019s arrow, and the episode really laid it on thick in one fanservice-heavy scene that Makima fans are sure to enjoy, as Shikaku is her spitting image. One of the things I liked most about this episode was its use of vampire tropes (the aforementioned employer was just such a ghoul) not for aesthetics, but to shape the characters\u2019 motivations. Due to Yugeru\u2019s millennia-long life, he unconsciously yearned for new experiences, and Shikaku was so far off her rocker that she provided just that. Underneath the gore and (mild) sexuality, there was something universal here that a lot of anime with antisocial characters fail to communicate.<\/p>\n
Episode 5 pivoted from vampires to mermaids, but it fell into the trap I referenced just above, playing up the look of its mythical creatures and telling a far more superficial tale about their non-human traits. Its primary goal seemed to be to showcase the mermaids\u2019 cuteness, giving them sailor suits and the sort of wide-eyed mannerisms typical of anime love interests. The story revolved around a neglected teenage boy whose half-mermaid parentage allowed him to play an underwater piano for extended periods of time, but the music he produced was ultimately just a tool for the script to surround him with fish-tailed admirers. Despite plenty of opportunities to showcase sea life and scenery, \u201cMermaid Rhapsody\u201d was merely comparable to a competently produced TV episode, which is especially glum news given that this director\/studio combo also handled episode 7 (which I\u2019ll review in a couple weeks). Hopefully this one will be the anthology\u2019s low point, rather than their other entry.<\/p>\n
\u201cWoke Up as a Girl Syndrome\u201d was 17-26\u2019s shortest installment yet, but it used its time effectively, packing its storyboard full of quirks like living PA system speakers, lips with a literal zipper attached, and a bullying scene where the tormentors\u2019 faces were gradually drawn onto a CD (which led straight into a facetiously upbeat needle drop). These and other such bits of flair made the episode\u2019s premise less strange by contrast, and gave it an energy that helped carry it through some of its more awkward moments (including a bit of sexual aggression that fizzled out almost as soon as it began). The plot was of course shaped by questions about the protagonist\u2019s sexual and gender identity, but it also focused on the reactions of two other characters close to him, including his girlfriend, which I thought tied the whole thing together despite the 11 minute run time. Great use of color, too, which I\u2019m too green to even begin unpacking (see what I did there?).<\/p>\n
Pokemon Concierge \u2013 7<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/starcrossedanime.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Pokemon-Concierge-7.1-300x169.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/starcrossedanime.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Hyakushou-Kizoku-35.1.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\nWooper:<\/b><\/span> Last month I speculated about the possibility of Hyakushou Kizoku running out of material, since new chapters are published only sporadically, but the strength of these episodes makes me think I needn\u2019t have worried. The first of the three was good for a couple laughs, as Hiromu Arakawa\u2019s bovine avatar grinded her teeth about the frequency of agricultural theft, but things really ramped up in episode 8 (36 overall), where she dove into farm romance. The script\u2019s list of increasingly strange but still plausible quirks at farmer\u2019s weddings had me smiling the whole way through, from rushing to finish daily chores just hours before the ceremony to a bouquet toss featuring vegetables rather than flowers. There was also a shoujo manga parody toward the start that I thought might extend beyond the title card, Hoshiiro Girldrop style \u2013 and speaking of parodies, Initial D got a pair of references in episode 9, which was about road blockages, of all things. There were obvious ones like herds of escaped cattle, of course, but some accidents also had knock-on effects, such as an overturned manure spreader resulting in obstructive overgrowth a year after the fact. No matter how tight your turn radius, you can\u2019t beat the combination of Mother Nature and fertilizer!<\/p>\n That\u2019s more like it. Two of these three episodes were winners, in my estimation, though the one I liked the most (number 5, \u201cYuko\u2019s Treasure\u201d) probably didn\u2019t appeal much to real Star Wars heads. Its youthful visual style gave it a sense of whimsy that helped offset the light horror of its story, about a young orphan targeted by pirates for his departed parents\u2019 wealth. Eventually the plot took us underground, where a sixteen-legged cave monster might have scared the shit out of any children in the audience, if not for the kid-friendliness of the short\u2019s design work. Though the improbability of the ending held Yuko\u2019s episode back from greatness, its solid animation, cool use of sand speeders, and adventurous soundtrack (love me some dulcimer<\/span><\/a>) made it my favorite of the season so far.<\/p>\n Like Yuko\u2019s Treasure, \u201cThe Lost Ones\u201d was also by Kinema Citrus, being a sequel to their entry from the first volume. I remember liking that episode (titled \u201cThe Village Bride\u201d), but this new one felt more like a midseason finale rather than a direct continuation, diving into the protagonist\u2019s relationship with her Jedi-turned-Sith master and inventing a whole cast of characters that had nothing to do with the first installment. They were environmentalists working to prevent carbonite leakages on planets ravaged by the Empire\u2019s mining operation, which is a great concept, but their link to the main character ran deeper than we were permitted to see given the short runtime. Still, there were highlights here, especially the meticulously-drawn lightsaber fight between the heroine and the hair-raising use of a Gregorian chorus.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Bounty Hunters\u201d (number 4) was my least favorite, despite its solid production. The lighting was nicely handled during all phases of the day, and if my eyes didn\u2019t deceive me, it used traditional animation even for a massive destroyer droid that easily could have been rendered with 3DCG. The writing was dull, though, centering on a bounty hunter named Sevn with a heart of gold who predictably betrayed her client, an evil CEO who was secretly off his rocker. As an orphan, Sevn was sure to double cross her boss as soon as she saw a hologram recording of a once-happy family torn apart by his taste for child slaves. No shade on anybody who preferred this one over the others, but when it comes to anime anthologies, I\u2019m looking for something a little more removed from the beaten path.<\/p>\n After the cliffhanger from episode 6, where Isobe showed up at the apartment of the invincible Hopeman, I figured he would ask his enemy to take the fall so he could impress his son for a change. Instead, the reason for his visit was incidental to the show\u2019s true purpose in arranging it: to reveal that his sister-in-law had shacked up with Hopeman. The resulting reversal in their dynamic was amusing, but it also had some bite to it \u2013 the two men tried to hash things out over some beers at the series\u2019 usual oden stand, but Isobe\u2019s professional resentment of his younger adversary soured the attempt. I got the sense that, regardless of who wears the hero\u2019s mask, Isobe\u2019s dissatisfaction with his job itself is the real root of his bitterness. This was sort of confirmed in episode 9, where he internally wished death on his hypochondriac boss during another of their organization\u2019s schemes, and later flung himself fruitlessly into battle with Hopeman yet again, even after his prospective brother-in-law offered to call off their duel. Sometimes people embroil themselves in the worst aspects of a job they hate because they feel they shouldn\u2019t leave \u2013 if Ganglion has any broader message, it may be to avoid that line of thinking (we\u2019ll see whether I\u2019m entirely off the mark once the last three episodes roll around).<\/p>\n The first of these three episodes, \u201cShikaku,\u201d was a delirious dive into our desire for novelty, centering on an assassin whose antics amused her employer-slash-target (Yugeru) so much that he renounced his death wish and dedicated his life to her. Despite the construction of that sentence, it\u2019s the eponymous assassin who was initially struck with Cupid\u2019s arrow, and the episode really laid it on thick in one fanservice-heavy scene that Makima fans are sure to enjoy, as Shikaku is her spitting image. One of the things I liked most about this episode was its use of vampire tropes (the aforementioned employer was just such a ghoul) not for aesthetics, but to shape the characters\u2019 motivations. Due to Yugeru\u2019s millennia-long life, he unconsciously yearned for new experiences, and Shikaku was so far off her rocker that she provided just that. Underneath the gore and (mild) sexuality, there was something universal here that a lot of anime with antisocial characters fail to communicate.<\/p>\n Episode 5 pivoted from vampires to mermaids, but it fell into the trap I referenced just above, playing up the look of its mythical creatures and telling a far more superficial tale about their non-human traits. Its primary goal seemed to be to showcase the mermaids\u2019 cuteness, giving them sailor suits and the sort of wide-eyed mannerisms typical of anime love interests. The story revolved around a neglected teenage boy whose half-mermaid parentage allowed him to play an underwater piano for extended periods of time, but the music he produced was ultimately just a tool for the script to surround him with fish-tailed admirers. Despite plenty of opportunities to showcase sea life and scenery, \u201cMermaid Rhapsody\u201d was merely comparable to a competently produced TV episode, which is especially glum news given that this director\/studio combo also handled episode 7 (which I\u2019ll review in a couple weeks). Hopefully this one will be the anthology\u2019s low point, rather than their other entry.<\/p>\n \u201cWoke Up as a Girl Syndrome\u201d was 17-26\u2019s shortest installment yet, but it used its time effectively, packing its storyboard full of quirks like living PA system speakers, lips with a literal zipper attached, and a bullying scene where the tormentors\u2019 faces were gradually drawn onto a CD (which led straight into a facetiously upbeat needle drop). These and other such bits of flair made the episode\u2019s premise less strange by contrast, and gave it an energy that helped carry it through some of its more awkward moments (including a bit of sexual aggression that fizzled out almost as soon as it began). The plot was of course shaped by questions about the protagonist\u2019s sexual and gender identity, but it also focused on the reactions of two other characters close to him, including his girlfriend, which I thought tied the whole thing together despite the 11 minute run time. Great use of color, too, which I\u2019m too green to even begin unpacking (see what I did there?).<\/p>\nStar Wars Visions S3 \u2013 4-6<\/h2>\n
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\nGanglion \u2013 7-9<\/h2>\n
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\nFujimoto Tatsuki 17-26 \u2013 4-6<\/h2>\n
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\nPokemon Concierge \u2013 7<\/h2>\n
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n