Isekai Quartet 3

Isekai Quartet, the 3rd Round of the Knights' Table - The Quartet gets bigger, and so does its cast, but does it get better from here on out? It is said that fantasy is the gateway to escape from realism, and in the state of our depressing In-Real-Life world, that is more so the case, where the virtual can provide the entertainment that we crave. And in the words that can best be described as such by Dr. Seuss: "I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living; fantasy with comedy makes for a comical drive at the seams. Andfor 6 years now, we've had the blessing to enjoy the anime adaptation of The Avengers in the form of Isekai Quartet, Kadokawa's answer to the "IP crossover of the century" entry since Spring 2019, and the franchise has continued to amass its reputation slowly but surely, that no matter how long it may feel like we've not had a chibi series like this, it's always dependent on the series that's in Kadokawa's lineup that's worth the addition into its rather comedy-centric wacky premise that's all plot, but with a purpose. Before I start this review proper, take note that you must have watched the movie that was released back in June 2022, as it serves as a sequel of sorts. But honestly, coming from someone who has enjoyed the mainline series, you can choose to skip the movie entirely, as it's only canon to the franchise and doesn't really add much other than its own unique plot. But back to Season 3, the newest addition being The Eminence in Shadow with Cid "Shadow" Kagenou and the ladies of Shadow Garden, it feels as if we're back to Winter 2020 again when the newcomers back then were represented by The Rising of the Shield Hero's Naofumi and Cautious Hero with Seiya, though the latter group with Ristarte just making a quick cameo in their chibi forms before disappearing into the moonlight is quite honestly a mistake, as I think that the addition of both of them would make for more silly antics on top of the 4 series' mainstays with Kazuma Sato, Subaru Natsuki, Ains Goal Oown, and Tanya von Degurechaff. Regardless, with Cid and Shadow Garden making their long-awaited appearance for the newest season, I have to say that they're exactly acting as intended, being in the new environment that continues to operate like a mysterious ghost team, and that the only difference between their main series and Isekai Quartet is the amount of exposure they're given. But for some reason, or more like intention-wise, the newest members of the Isekai Quartet world...are somehow given even less attention. That's not to say that the Eminence members are downgraded to just cameos; they do contribute to the significance of the school's wacky premise when appropriate, but for the most part, other than Cid's "I Am Atomic" signature alongside the Shadow Garden ladies doing their shtick, there doesn't seem to be a coherent side story for them, since their main priority is to be hiding in the shadows. What you will make of that is entirely up to your thinking. Otherwise, it's a good comeback from almost 6 years apart with Season 2 and executes just as well as its earlier seasonal brethren. Studio PuYUKAI is the only studio best known for their chibi series, and it's no exception that the chibi uniqueness is what makes the series truly stand out. And as a league together, Season 3's OP song (to me) is definitely better and much more coherent than the mess that was Season 2. Alongside Konomi Suzuki and Kashitaro Ito's duet ED, which is also good, you have quite the experience on the docks, for 3rd time's the charm. It definitely shows that coming off from Season 2, which I thought was far weaker than the premiere season that it followed up with, Season 3 is once again back to the quality that I would expect for a chibi short series like Isekai Quartet that's fun and easy to digest if you don't have a lot of time on your hands. That said, while I still think that Season 1 is and will forever be the pinnacle of the series, it's not just how you start, but how you end that determines the goodness when everything is said and done. "Good, but not great" still sums up a good fantasy time for a chibi crossover series that continues to honour its roots in a fun, comedic way.