Squid Girl Specials

 

After watching Eiko leave the house mini Squid girl goes back to her bed. However, she finds that a second Squid Girl dressed in black with a black squid hat has stolen her spot in it. In order to take back her property they fight using weapons like colored pencils, rubber bands, and toy trucks. After the Squid Girl dressed in black falls out the window, Squid girl saves her using her tentacles. They make up by eating shrimp chips together and wave good bye as the Squid Girl dressed in black goes back to the ocean.

It was cool to see the Squid Girl Specials because both of them were episodes about tiny squid girl. These only popped up about once per season, so I enjoyed the additonal content. While the last episode does have a beach scene, I would say that the episodes were pretty wholesome overall. If you enjoyed the main series, I would definitely suggest giving the specials a try.

My Hero Academia: I am a hero too

Eri goes to see Deku to congratulate him on his comeback as a hero, however, he isn't in the Teacher's Office at U.A. High. She is met by Eraser Head, Present Mic, and All Might. After letting her know that Deku has gone home, they turn on the TV which plays a news channel talking about how Deku has risen in the Hero Rankings and how his presence continues to be a positive influence on others. Before she leaves, the teachers mention that Deku will be at Eri's debut concert and that she can congratulate him then. The episode then shows the concert that Eri is performing with her band and the citizens and Heroes who are watching and listening.

My Hero Academia: I am a hero too was great. Even though this special was only 6 minutes long, it still was able to bring tears to my eyes as Eri sang. My Hero Academia is one of a few anime that holds a special place in my heart. I didn't mention this in my previous reviews, but when I finished My Hero Academia Season 8 I had the thought that I will never be able to view other anime the same way again. This special reminded me of how much My Hero Academia has impacted me the last two months. If you have finished all 8 seasons along with the My Hero Academia: More episode, I would definitely suggest giving this a try as well.  

Bananya: At-Home Party

A Mom, Dad, and child all get transported to another world and are reincarnated as Bananya. One of the Bananya's is sad because they have lost the sparkly beads that sit atop their favorite teddy bear's bow. So the various Bananya go on a journey to find the young Bananya's lost beads. They meet many bananya that help them along the way. Watch as they journey both land and sea to recover what's lost.

Bananya: At-Home Party is a special episode celebrating the 10th anniversary of Bananya's release. honestly it was super fun to see. I was surprised to see a bananya actually talking, since in the previous three seasons all they said was "Nya". The language was clean, and there were no lewd scenes. While I wouldn't call this a masterpiece, it is oddly relaxing. If you enjoyed the first three seasons of Bananya, I would definitely suggest giving this special episode a try.

Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun Specials

The Drama club is having a summer training at the beach. They invite Nozaki-kun and his friends to come along. Meanwhile Wakamatsu is concerned about Kashima since he saw her with Seo at the summer festival. Luckily Nozaki clears up his concerns before they head to the beach. Nozaki believes the beach will provide wonderful opportunities for his Manga. However, the beach is so crowded that it's hard to see anything like guys trying to pick up girls, and even if it did happen they are too far away to hear anything. So Chiyo, Mikoto, and Nozaki use their imagination to voice over situations they see before them.

Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun Specials was pretty hilarious. Even though the episodes are only three minutes long, I still found myself laughing at the unexpected events that happen. The majority of the episodes take place at the beach, so if you don't like swimsuit episodes in anime, you're probably better off skipping this one. However, if you enjoyed the main season, I would definitely suggest giving the special episodes a try.

The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess: Yomi, Jealousy, and a Birthday / Iana and Sol's Feverish Day

Yomi's birthday is coming up and Iana wants to get him a gift that will really mean something. She sees an ad for an omnipotence potion, and goes to the store. However, the store doesn't have set hours, so everytime she goes, the store is closed. One rainy day a boy she had previously met shows up at the Magnolia estate and tells her that the store is opened. With luck Iana is able to arrive before the store closes and obtain a gift for Yomi.

To be honest I actually liked this episode better than the actual series. I did enjoy the series of course, but not as much as other anime that follow the reincarnated as a villainess trope. There isn't any lewd scenes or foul language. It's just a fun episode that takes place outside the normal storyline. Thanks to that you get to see different sides of Sol, Iana, and Yomi that don't really appear in the main anime. I would definitely suggest giving it a watch. 

Kaiju No.8: Hoshina's Day Off

The Majority of the 3rd Division has the day off. After realizing that he doesn't actually know how to spend a day off, Reno is approached by vice captain Hoshina. Hoshina tells Reno that he is busy, but on the next day off he'll show him how to spend your day off right. After Hoshina leaves, Reno is approached by Iharu Furuhashi who becomes curious about what the vice captain could be doing, but assumes he's meeting with a lady. Reno doesn't believe that, so they make a bet and follow him throughout the day to see what he's doing. Will they be able to stay hidden, or will Vice Captain Hoshina catch them before the bet is settled?

Kaiju No. 8: Hoshina's Day Off was pretty fun to watch. While its not important to the story, I enjoyed learing more about what type of people the 3rd Division are like personally by seeing how each one spends their free time. The language was clean and there was no fan service. If you enjoyed Season 1, I would suggest giving Hoshina's Day Off a Watch. 

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War -Stairway to Adulthood-

The Student Council of Shuuchin Academy is back. Chika Fujiwara wants to play a prank on Kaguya for her birthday. She suggests that Miyuki pretend to be her boyfriend. But seeing as how He and Kaguya just started dating he turns down the idea. She then proceeds to suggest the same thing but with Yuu Ishigami. The mood completely changes when she tells Miko that her and Ishigami are dating. Later Miyuki and Kaguya have their first voice call which ends up going till five in the morning, leaving both of them sleep deprived.

The specials for Kaguya-sama were pretty fun to watch. The title makes it sound like an ecchi anime, but the only questionable thing that happens is some kissing between Miyuki and Kaguya. There is a shower scene but all you see is Kaguya's silhouette. You do see Miyuki Shirogane shirtless in the bath for a second, but its pretty forgettable. Overall it was fun and made me want to rewatch the series. I would definitely suggest it if you enjoyed the seasons and movie that came before these specials.  

High School DxD BorN Specials

Akeno and Rias fight over who can get more attention from Issei. Rias does a private tutor role play and Akeno does a wife role play. Koneko while healing Issei from his Juggernaut Drive transformation, confesses her feelings for him. Xenovia, Asia, and Irina compare their battle underwear to see who has the best. Grayfia in a drunken state washes Issei's back before he gets into the bath. Rossweisse helps tutor Issei for a make up test.

The Specials were pretty fun to watch. I wish that the episodes were longer though. Each episode was only three minutes long. While I think the specials were great, they do have a lot of fan service. So if you don't like Ecchi anime you should avoid it. But if you enjoy High School DxD, then I would totally recommend it.

High School DxD Specials

The Occult Research Club decides to take a short trip to the beach. Akeno helps Issei train both mentally and magically. Meanwhile Koneko drinks tea that Rias put a spell on, which changes her personality. Issei learns how to use his new dress-break ability and is eager to give Akeno and Rias a demonstration. After losing a competition the Student Council makes Udon for the Occult Research Club. Asia Wants to act more like a demon after seeing the way Issei acts at school. However, her good nature prevents her from making any drastic changes.

These Specials aren't part of the main story, but they were fun to watch. I especially enjoyed Koneko adopting a perverted personality which contradicts her usual serious attitude. theres fan service in every episode such as swimsuits, a shower scene, panty shots, and exploding clothes. But its kind of expected not just because its High School DxD, but because it's a Special. OVA's and Specials typically have fan service even for non ecchi shows. If you enjoyed Season 1 you might give the season 1 specials a try.

Sekirei Special

When Kusano doesn't feel like she is being accepted as one of Minato's wives she says she wants to join the shopping races with Tsukiumi and Musubi. However, rather than going straight there she goes the wrong direction. After Musubi redirects Kusano, Kusano gets sidetracked by a cat. After using the cat to get to the store Kusano forgets what she is actually shopping for. So rather than it being a race, it becomes an experience that draws Kusano, Musubi, and Tsukiumi closer together.

Kusano's first errand was better than I was expecting. It was fun to see how Musubi and Tsukiumi help Kusano. I had honestly thought that the three of them would go straight to the store. Surprisingly, this episode didn't have fan service for the majority of it. There is a bath scene at the very end though. Overall it was pretty wholesome. If you liked Sekirei  Season 1, I would definitely suggest giving this Special episode a try.

To Love Ru Darkness 2 Specials

Nemesis has awakened the Darkness within Yami-chan. However, instead of turning her into the ultimate weapon, a bug turned her into the ultimate pervert. Now all she desires is to become one with Rito who she sees as the most shameless man there is. Though becoming one would mean killing him. With this knowledge Mea, Nana, and Momo come up with a plan to turn Yami back. Unfortunately, it relies heavily on Rito, who is clumsy. Will Rito be able to turn Yami back?

While specials from series aren't typically needed to watch, I felt like To Love Ru Darkness 2 Specials are important since they carry on the story that To Love Ru Darkness 2 left unfinished. If you enjoyed the To Love Ru Season 4 finale I would definitely suggest watching this. However, just like the other To Love Ru content, it is full of fan service. 

Black Butler: His Butler, Performer

Ciel hires an acting troupe to perform hamlit for a group of orphans. However, when the actors are unable to make it to England, Ciel and his friends end up playing the parts of the different characters with Sebastian's help. Will Ciel be able to satisfy the crowd with only three days to prepare?

I liked Black Butler: His Butler, Performer more than I thought I would. Hamlet bears a lot of similarity to Ciel's own life which made the play interesting to watch. If you enjoyed the first season, I would suggest giving this special episode a try.

Shomin Sample Specials

Miyuki Kujou answers questions sent in by viewers, animators, and characters within the show. Karen, Aika, Hakua, Reiko, and kimito all try and climb up a hill nearby. Kimito introduces the group to things they haven't heard of like yakitori and Jenga. 

The Shomin Sample Specials were pretty interesting. Shomin Sample is one of those animes that I forget about, but when I see clips I come to enjoy it more and more. The fan service was kept pretty light for the specials. You do see Miyuki Kujou in a swimsuit, as well as glimpses of the girls panties as they run, but if you aren't paying close attention you might not even notice it. All in all it was pretty fun to watch, but if you haven't seen the main series you may not get some of the jokes that are told. If you enjoyed the main series I suggest giving the special episodes a try.

Keijo!!!!!!!! Specials

Nozomi Kaminashi, Sayaka Miyata, Kazane Aoba, and Non Togoguchi do an instructional video about Keijo and what it takes in order to make it. In order to compete in Keijo not only do you need to train relentlessly, but you also have to make it into one of the Keijo training academies. There is a test in order to get in. You move your body in a figure eight position and you are graded based on how many times you can do this in a three minute period. If you do well on this part, the rest is easy.

Watching the Keijo Specials was fun. I had forgotten a lot about this show. But watching the specials made me remember how much I enjoyed it. The majority of the specials are clean, but there is an episode that takes place inside of a bathhouse. If you enjoyed the main series you should give the specials a try.

Gabriel Dropout Specials

After winning tickets to a hot springs inn, Satania, Gabriel, Vignette, and Raphiel travel by train to get there. While everyone packed light since they are only staying one night, Satania brought a large suitcase with her. Vignette, Gabriel, and Raphiel assume that she's excited to go to the hot springs, however, Satania has an evil deed planned that is sure to ruin Gabriel's day. After that the four girls meet a slightly blind girl while they are walking in the park. They soon learn that she is scheduled to have surgery in hopes of getting her eyesight back. While they wait for the operation day Satania, Gabriel, Vignette, and Raphiel each visit her individually and try to do what they can to help her.  

Gabriel Dropout Specials were more interesting than I thought they would be. It's been almost two years since I saw this one so I don't really remember the plot. Luckily you don't need to have any knowledge of the plot to enjoy these two special episodes. There is a Hot springs episode, but it is censored. If you want something interesting to watch while you don't know what else to watch, give these a try.

Seton Academy: Join the Pack! Special

When Yena is about to go to the boys outdoor hotspring he is invited by Hitomi to join her at the girls hot springs. Thinking it would just be the two of them he agrees. However, it turns out that everybody but Jin decided to show up. In an attempt to avoid everybody, Yena keeps a considerable distance from them. That is until Team Ex shows up as well. Seeing them get overly close with Hitomi strikes a nerve and a fight breaks out between Anne and Yena.

Seton Academy: Join the Pack! Special was nothing special really. It played out like most Hot Spring scenes you see in anime. It was fun to see the characters again after not watching the series for so long. It goes without saying that the entire episode is ecchi since it takes place in a Hot Spring. The episode isn't really important to the story so if you decide not to watch it, you won't be missing out on any important information. 

DearS: Is It A Golden Ball?

After being things at the market Miu gets her first raffle ticket. After spinning the wheel faster than anybody else and breaking the base of the machine she gets the first place prize. After getting a ticket to a nearby hot spring resort for up to four people Miu thinks first of her host family. Unfortunately they are going to be away the day of the trip, so Miu invites Takeya, Ren, and Nanako to go with her. Once they arrive they learn that the resort is much bigger than they expected. However, trouble arises when Nia follows them to capture Ren and their teacher Mitsuka Yoshimine puts her lack of morals on full display by intentionally using the mens bath instead of the women's. Will this truly be a relaxing break for Takeya?

DearS: Is It A Golden Ball? actually made me laugh. Rens innocence about the way things are in society make for some pretty funny situations. However, this episode is far more ecchi than your average hot springs episode. Mysterious mist can only do so much. So if you are the type to avoid anything ecchi I would suggest skipping over this one. 

Plus-Sized Elf Specials

Akiho takes Naoe and his otherworldly clients to a beach trip on a deserted island. Though what was supposed to be a relaxing getaway turns into a chaotic nightmare when a Kraken shows up. It starts with a few pranks like burying the girls up to their necks in the sand and flipping over the floating boards the elfs were using. After multiple failed attempts to get the group off the island it confronts them directly. While it is a challenge for the giants Oga & Hitome, it leaves after Gonda uses her dragon breath on it.

Plus-Sized Elf Specials were better than I was expecting. I think since the main series consists mostly of exercise sequences that is kind of what I thought would happen. However, there was absolutely no exercise in it. That made it probably better than the story of the main series. There is still fan service, but that is kind of expected for a beach episode. If you enjoyed the characters from the regular series I would definitely suggest giving the specials a try. 

Anime de Training! XX Specials

The Girls are back with all new exercises to walk you through. Asami does weightlifting, Eri does the wall sit, Shizuna does jump rope, Shion does sit ups, Yuu does back extensions, and Sakura ends with wide squats. Just like the previous videos they go at a pace that is easy to follow along to. 

Anime de Training! XX Specials were interesting. If you don't do the exercises, it is also a great way to learn how to count to one hundred in Japanese. Also just a forewarning if you don't like fan service, the longer they exercise the more transparent their clothing becomes. It's weird and unneeded, but for some reason thats how the videos were made. Anyway if you have seen either their main series or the first season specials you know wether or not this is for you.  

Anime de Training! EX Specials

Shion, Eri, Asami, Yuu, and Shizuno are back for more exercises. Each girl helps you through a 100 reps of a different exercise. Asami demonstrates how to do sit ups, Eri helps with pushups, Shizuno demonstrates how to do back extensions, Shion helps count squats, and Yuu demonstrates how to do back kicks. Each girl counts at a slow and steady pace making it easy to follow.

Anime de Training! EX Specials were pretty similar to the main series. The animation stays clean for the most part but you do see Eri's panties in the second episode as well as Shizuno's cleavage in the third. Besides that it is pretty much the same as any workout video.