As fans may recall, 2022 was a stacked year for anime. Despite the high number of hits that graced screens that year, Lycoris Recoil stood out among the pack. Its charm, action, and deep character growth pulled viewers in and crafted a story that fans couldn’t get enough of.
Now, three years later, a limited series of short stories is coming to the AniplexUSA YouTube account. Starting Wednesday, April 16, and running for six weeks, Lycoris Recoil: Friends are Thieves of Time will let fans see what the daily life of the workers at Cafe LycoReco is like. But what does that entail? I don’t know. But here’s what I want to get from Production A-1 this time around.
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First and foremost, we must have an episode devoted to Game Night. The LycoReco tradition was made a big deal about during the series’ original run, and we need to see how the characters deal with the trials and tribulations of card draws and dice rolls. Is Mizuki someone who rages quits when luck turns against her? How many chores does Chisato bet with Takina on, only to lose intentionally because she feels bad when it looks like Takina will get stuck with them? These are just some of the questions that come to mind.
Holidays, game nights, and conventions should take precedence in Lycoris Recoil.
Another potential fun story would be seeing the crew go to a vendor’s convention. They would have way too much fun checking out new devices for the kitchen. Mika could be shown as a shrewd haggler, and Mizuki would probably have a reputation as a terror to any good-looking vendor as she stalks the aisles looking for love. And perhaps Takina and Chisato would quietly slip away to foil some ill-conceived attack on the proceedings.
And what about holidays? I think we can all agree that Chisato is the kind of person to go all out on the festival days. Whether something specific like Christmas or just a summer fireworks festival that sees the yukatas brought out, a holiday is a must-see. And, if they wanted to hit fans in the feels, perhaps they could give Takina a moment with Chisato where she opens up about how special X day is. With how close Chisato came to dying at the end of season one, Takina may not have thought she’d get to share this kind of moment with her. Humor and heart could be combined. It’s what made Lycoris Recoil great in the first place.
Finally, an episode that takes place on the anniversary of LycoReco’s opening would be great. A couple of stories about Mika and Chisato when they first started would be great, and perhaps we’d learn how Mizuki managed to drift into their orbit. It would be a great way to build the history of the setting, letting fans learn more about where some of the key characters come from as they await whatever will come next for Lycoris Recoil.
So many moments, so little time! The possibilities are endless.
These concepts stand out to me for how they could explore and reintroduce the characters. It’s been three years since the crew at Cafe LycoReco was seen. Blending moments specific to them, like game night, with more general situations would be a great way to refamiliarize and deepen their personalities. Restabilizing interactions, running jokes, and pet peeves through these moments would be the perfect vehicle for re-endearing the audience to the long-absent characters.
However, with such a fun and personality-filled cast, the possibilities for Lycoris Recoil: Friends are Thieves of Time are truly endless. They could probably spend the entire series just painting Cafe LycoReco, and it would be a joy to watch. And honestly, that makes the possibilities of what’s to come all the more exciting, it almost feels like we can’t lose.
Lycoris Recoil: Friends are Thieves of Time will air on the AniplexUSA YouTube account starting Wednesday, April 16th, and airing each week thereafter for six weeks.
