Appare-Ranman begins with a genius engineer and a modern-day samurai decide to enter the Trans-America race after drifting from Japan to the US. If they can win, the prize money can get them back home. It’s a long way from LA to New York and they have to compete against rivals and the elements to make it to the end first.
Positives
I liked the animation in the opening car scene. It gave me something to look forward to since the episode slows down a lot after that event. It looks perfectly passable by anime standards and there was nothing overtly problematic. If it embraces the concept it could be a lot of fun.
Negatives
The show doesn’t really fit my aesthetic. In contrast to the start of the show, it feels like it’s going nowhere fast. The main character’s design is a bit of a mess overall and might take some time to get used to. Could be good but I’m leaning less so at the moment.
Summary
If Appare-Ranman could just skip to the race a bit faster I might be able to get behind it. As things stand now though, the show left me disinterested and empty. I can’t recommend it yet but if it sounds interesting to you, don’t let me stand in your way. Hopefully, we get to that race soon and things stay fun from there. Only time will tell how high stakes this show will get but I’m not holding my breath.
I plan to watch the first episode of every new show that is coming out this season. If you want to know what to watch, and what to stay away from, follow this series.