Sasaki to Pii-čan - Season 1

Sasaki and Peeps follows the story of an overworked forty-year-old man who, one fateful day, purchases a magical bird from a store. Suddenly, he finds himself able to travel between two different worlds, accompanied by a group of underage girls who cling to him for reasons unknown. The last part may be some weird preference of the author, but considering the fact that Sasaki only has eyes for his P-chan, there's no cause for alarm or the need to call the FBI. Initially, the premise of traveling between worlds didn't strike me as particularly interesting. It immediately brought to mind at least two other anime (I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World and Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement) that, in my opinion, didn't quite succeed with a similar concept. So, I entered Sasaki and Peeps with cautious skepticism, albeit intrigued by the fact that the main roles were voiced by my favorite voice actors (Tomokazu Sugita and Aoi Yuuki). Thankfully, the extended first episode served as a strong introduction, quickly revealing the series' true essence. What unfolded was an original and captivating blend of themes. The world contains individuals with supernatural abilities, alongside wizards from a fantasy realm and magical girls from a mysterious dimension. These three distinct concepts of working with supernatural forces intersected in intriguing ways, and I was genuinely curious to see how it would all unfold. I wasn't disappointed. The series skillfully portrays how, despite the different techniques involved, the outcomes are often similar. Wizard Sasaki adeptly plays the roles of a talented esper and a "magical man," and everyone, myself included, believes in him. The transitions between worlds, the trading, and the establishment of new connections felt organic and logical. I found myself enjoying the narrative, at least in its early stages. Initially, the series felt fresh, creative, and engaging. However, as it progressed, I began to feel that it was losing momentum. Some parts seemed rushed, especially the storylines in the fantasy world, which felt somewhat incomplete. It's possible that there was excessive cutting from the original source material, leaving certain aspects underdeveloped. In the second half, I occasionally felt that the overarching story direction lacked a more solid foundation. Nevertheless, the final episode, along with the post-credit scene, managed to salvage the overall impression. The inventive confrontation and intriguing final cliffhanger reminded me of why I was drawn to the series in the beginning. Despite some stumbling blocks and the less successful storyline involving saving the merchant Marc, I'm willing to overlook these flaws. I'll give it a weaker 4 stars, landing at around 6.7/10. (24.03.2024)