Shiguang Dailiren: Yingdu Pian

Story and Characters:
Link Click is back, this time around with the Bridon Arc. After the banger that was s2 in 2023, the show has returned, although in a slightly different manner. This arc is a prequel, as it takes place 3 years before the events of s1. This makes sense as we saw Cheng Xiaoshi die right at the end of s2. Now we are seeing what happens when Lu Guang made that decision to return to the beginning and try and save him. We see Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang meeting up for the first time, without their powers, and Qiao Ling is also ... here. We also saw Lu Guang discover his powers towards the end of ep 1, which was a nice detail. Additionally, a photo of Cheng Xiaoshi's parents showed up at the photo studio one day. This is when the two decided to go to Bridon together to track down this clue and find out some more crucial info about Cheng's parents. Obviously they will meet some important people (both new and reoccuring) there, such as Xia Fei and Liu Xiao. The season started a little slow (to be fair every season does) with Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang going to an anime convention and whatnot. However, it quickly picks up from there and we quickly get hooked. Now, this season is sadly only going to be 6 eps long which is twice as short as previous seasons. I'm not quite sure how they will wrap everything up as there are currently quite a few unanswered questions but we will have to wait and see.

Score: 10/10

Animation: As always the animation in this show is stellar. The backgrounds are very detailed and standout. Even the simplest scenes that showcase daily life have the utmost passion and soul poured into them. The few fight scenes we got so far also look extremely clean and smooth, Although a different studio is working on this season compared to the first two seasons, a lot of the core staff are the same which of course includes the director and original creator, Haoling Li.

Score: 10/10

OST: The music in this show has always been phenomenal. While not its strongest element, it is also in my opinion not the most important element in a show. Either way, the soundtrack is straight fire and I've been listening to it on spotify nonstop. Highly suggest that you do the same.

Score: 9.5/10

OP & ED:

The op and ed for the season are both incredible, even if they are the weakest ones so far in my opinion. Now, the first time I heard the op, I'll be honest, I wasn't a huge fan. However, listening to it again, it has really started to grow on me as it carries this melancholic and nostalgic feel to it. When watching the op, you can't help but ponder "man, these characters look so innocent here, they look like they're having so much fun and making the most out of their youth." It's almost the ideal "what-if" scenario, a cruel reminder of how brutal this show can be, as its never this easy and oftentimes characters are forced to make very difficult decisions on the spot. And if you really dig deep into the lyrics, notice how the op is called "The Eye". "Even if I'm trapped in a rewind. Rewinding right in front of the eye." This is clearly in reference to how destiny is predetermined, and no matter how many times they try and go back in time to change the past, the outcome will always be the same. The song really has an emotional feel, which I appreciate when listening to music and paired with excellent visuals, this is by far my favorite OP of the season. The ED is also incredible. The song is really good, and the visuals, while simple, really stand out. Bai Sha JAWS and Liu Zhang both cooked.

OP score: 9.5/10
ED score: 9/10

The Voice Acting also remains S tier, I personally love how the cast get fully invested in each one of their roles, you can tell they really love their jobs.

Voice Acting: 9.5/10

Overall, this show remains incredible and while it may be too early to judge it, I think if all goes well, and if it keeps up this quality until the final few eps, Link Click will keep its title as a masterpiece in the time travel genre.

Overall Score: 9.6/10