Welcome all, again. As I watch another viewing season wind down, I am very grateful for the quality and diversity of the programming that was offered this time around. Face it–this season kind of spoiled us. As a reviewer, however, there is some sadness in realizing the reviews that I won’t have a chance to write. So please allow me to at least re-cap and recommend a few noteworthy shows before a new viewing season ensues…

(1) Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? (Or, Familia Myth.) Admittedly, when I first read the synopsis of this series, I thought it sounded pretty stupid. A healthy, able-bodied young man willingly goes into a dungeon daily in order to fight monsters, make a name for himself, and maybe even chase some skirts. My first problem was: who would do this willingly? Then there’s the whole issue of letting the pretty girls distract you from important stuff like self-preservation. After all, a simpler and more plausible scenario would probably be waiting for all of the other guys to go into the dungeon, then chatting up the girls left at home. But I clearly missed the point! This is a fun show, with lots more to explore than just a dungeon. In particular, the relationship between our hero Bell Cranel and his patron goddess Hestia is both endearing and unassailable, with each being devoted to the other to the point of complete self-sacrifice. (And in their world, sacrifice is no vague, lofty ideal!) This is more of a show about adventure than an adventure show, but that’s all right. Magic, romance, and humor are still a winning combination!

(2) Hello!! KINMOZA. The girls are back in a second season of blonde hair and home-stay! Shino, Alice, Yoko, Aya, and Karen are causing more mayhem and international misunderstanding as we follow their second year in high school. The new school year brings new characters into the mix, but also sees our five protagonists split into different classes (oh, no!). And although the Engrish is no longer so pronounced, the show remains just as sugary. But that’s what we like, right? That, and the looming questions: Will Alice ever grow? Will Shino ever learn English–any English? And will Yoko ever take a hint and finally just swat Aya on the…?

(3) Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma. Another cooking series! And a complete departure from the last one, too. Unlike Gourmet Girl Graffiti, which focused upon preparing home-cooked meals for people loved by the cook, this series is set in a culinary academy and follows the career of a student who loves cooking as a creative process. Our protagonist Soma comes from a family-owned restaurant wherein his father taught him to not just cook, but to prepare whole meals built around the expectations of the customer. But his father suddenly closes the restaurant and enrolls Soma in a prestigious culinary school populated largely by students from affluent and influential families, people who disdain his working-class background. So, how will Soma cope with this hostile environment, especially after being partnered with a student who is just one failed assignment away from expulsion? Why, with skill, talent, and just the slightest superiority complex! Go ahead and suffer through the tentacle rape references in the first few episodes–the series quickly outgrows this unfortunate joke. But do pay attention to the food preparation, as recipes used in the show–and the manga itself–are contributed by chef (and model) Yuki Morisaki. This clever show can be enjoyed by all, but will be savored especially by those who live in their kitchens!

(4) Re-Kan! Amami sees dead people… and also speaks with them, becoming a conduit between worlds. All of which sounds pretty impressive unless you are Amami, who simply sees people longing for companionship and understanding, be they living or deceased. Indeed, to her eyes there is little difference between the two, save the inability of the deceased to speak directly with the living. And so, having inherited from her (deceased) mother the abilities of a medium, Amami does what she can to ease the pain of isolation felt by the ghosts whom she encounters, conveying messages to their loved ones but also often befriending them herself. She is thus the darling of the local spirits, although her paranormal inclinations tend to draw unwanted attention from living folks, who often seem rather spooked by her. But with the staunch support of her [living] friends and father, Amami continues her compassionate involvement in the lives and afterlives of those who need her gift.

So there’s a brief look at four shows that I absolutely loved this season, but just didn’t have the opportunity to review here. (And I still didn’t even get to Wish Upon the Pleiades or ETOTAMA.) This was a great season, so now let’s hope for comparable quality to come!