The second season of Shinryaku!? Ika Musume retained the same charming, soothing, and above all amusing themes from the first season.  But unlike the first season which needed to build its world, mold its characters, and establish central themes, this anime had a foundation already completed and went from there, almost like a baton was passed from season one to season two for it to complete what was started.  And now that the second season has concluded, let’s evaluate how the continuation of Ika Musume performed.

If the goal of the first season was to introduce the zany cast of Ika Musume and form bonds between the characters, then the objective of the second season was to develop those bonds and extend them further than what the first season could’ve ever hoped for.  And that’s exactly what the second season delivered, not only between Ika Musume and all her friends but with other characters, too, but only to a minor degree.  We saw Ika Musume spend more time individually with characters for skits, especially with Kiyomi and her friends, rather than go on exploration adventures or get caught up in the wacky antics of some other character.  While the first half of the season catered to these skits, much like the end of the first season, the second half fixated on developing Ika Musume’s relationships with her friends.  We saw the creation of the Invasion Club with Kiyomi, some time spent with Takeru and his friends, appreciations from Ayumi and her father, and even some bonding with Chizuru.  Consider that goal accomplished.

What about the other side?  How was individual character development handled through the second season?  Well, comparing it to the first season, we can definitely say this is an area that dropped off.  While this sequel saw Ika Musume and friends build, strengthen, and test their relationships, all the characters failed to grow out of their initial stages as characters and remained as silly or gimmicky as when they were first drawn.  Besides Ika Musume who had several scenes which reflected her thoughts, presented the squid with some conflict, and generally showed character growth (otherwise used for gags), everyone else made marginal gains (or none at all) in this department and unfortunately as it is, you can’t use Ika Musume’s personal development as a cover for the lack thereof with everyone else.  I’d even make the argument that Sanae has declined as a character as all she has been used for recently is receiving a swift tentacle to the face and delighting in that agonizing pleasure.  As it pains me to type this, this is an area where the sequel squandered its opportunities and proved unsuccessful.  But to make things happily again, I won’t say anything that negative about Ika Musume during the rest of this post.

If Ika Musume is the heart of her own anime, then the humor, jokes, and gags are the muscles which give the anime almighty power.  The comedy in Ika Musume is its strength and the driving force behind each scene, skit, episode, and the entire series as a whole.  If the mission for this second season was to make us laugh, then we’d laugh at that mission since its way below the level of something like Ika Musume.  Something more challenging would be to compare it to the comedy during the first season and see how this stacks up.  Although I’ll definitely say that the comedy in the first season was largely better than the second, the difference is minimal so they end up being pretty equal with each other.  And considering the first season had dibs on all the good skits, I was worried about the material remaining for the second season and thought this would be the B-list after the A-list was used last year.  Considering that handicap and how well it performed, the goal for the comedy in Ika Musume passes with a satisfactory score.

Trailing behind the laughs in Ika Musume are all the touching and endearing scenes that light a gentle fire beneath our hearts and warm it ever so lovingly.  Yes, all those heartwarming moment is another key idea in Ika Musume with the constant reminder we are watching an outsider learning our cultures, customs, and oddities and is eagerly learning about them, participating in them, and generally wanting to have fun.  Just watching that is enough for me and that’s not even including the skits that try to leave your heart in a better place than when the skit started.  The second season had more meaningful and memorable moments that melted our hearts, such as when Ika Musume realize her shipwreck made it to the ocean (episode 4), when Ika Musume tried to hide the fact she broke Takeru’s RC car (episode 5), or when Ika Musume brought Kiyomi’s friends over to her home when she was ill to allow her to participate in their activities (episode 7 and my personal favorite).  Did I forget to mention mini Ika Musume or the finale, too?  Those would fall into this category, too, boosting it to be one of the best aspects of the show now.  Without a doubt, this area excelled beyond any of our imaginations.

Of course, this could keep going with relentless other categories but these were the main areas I focused on as the season aired.  I wanted to see Ika Musume bond with the entire cast and bring out their characters more than what we initially saw, to laugh wholeheartedly during each skit, and have a nice, warm, touching moment each episode.  Can’t say I was disappointed with any of that besides the characters emerging from their cocoons and growing before our eyes.  There really is no point in even evaluating the story (there is none), the setting (the snow episode was wonderfully executed though), the artwork (up to personal preference), or the music (up to personal preference) for an anime like this, but it can be done if you thought they were essential to your enjoyment.  Actually, I’d like to continue and hit every aspect but it’s about time I start wrapping things up and getting toward the conclusion.

In the end, the second season of Ika Musume performed well and turned out to be one of the better sequels of this past year in anime (placing second).  And while the anime did not match the same score as the first season, this sequel matched the original in countless respects and even surpassed it in a few.  Most importantly, it preserved the same atmosphere, charisma, and style of entertainment that made the first season such an enjoyable, energetic, and humorous anime.  You will be missed again, Shinryaku! Ika Musume, but let’s pray it’s not for long.

I’m glad I am able to allot enough time to return to this anime and give it one final episodic post before it was too late.  It really bummed me out having to drop the anime from my regular posting schedule when midterms and group presentations picked up and I kept falling behind on watching anime, writing anime, and generally staying up way to late and not getting enough sleep for school.  Dropping Ika Musume from posting schedule didn’t really change much of anything but it was one less thing to do and I could put the anime off to a later time when I could relax and enjoy it.  If anyone was following this anime regularly on my blog then I want to take this final moment to apologize for cutting it without warning and left it untouched for about three weeks before integrating it into my weekly reviews.  Hope you don’t have a squidding problem about it!

This week: my thoughts on a possible ending to Future Diary, some possible fun with the mystery in Another, and a rather unexpected but welcome surprise with Rinne no Lagrange.

Another (Episode 5) – Thought I don’t believe this is happening, wouldn’t it be great if Misaki’s explanations or advice during the episode turned out to be lies or misinformation regarding the urban legend?  I’d be impressed if the anime managed to pull something of that magnitude off, offering variations in the stories to confuse the audience while masking the truth and causing the curse to be prolonged.  I’ve yet to fully invest myself in that idea, however, since it seems rather elaborate to deceive the audience when it’s still retaining most of the information from us regarding the whole curse.  Still, I’m not going to dismiss the idea, especially if Misaki turns out to be a ghost.  If that’s true, then her versions of the stories should be different than the rest of the students since she still believes herself to be living.

Brave 10 (Episode 6) – There has always been a since of silliness and fun throughout Brave 10 but this episode fully embraced that mantra and made for easily the best episode yet.  Each member of the cast has their own distinct personality that fits in nicely with one or two of the other characters which leads to fine chemistry and delightful comedy.  This episode never really focused on anything serious, a pleasant change for this series, so it was able to fully explore what the cast can do when they’re all together and on a mini-vacation.  Can’t say I like every character in Brave 10 but they all had their bright moments in this episode.

Chihayafuru (Episode 18) – With Taichi facing off against Nichida for the B title and Kana and Tsutomu looking to advance to the C rank, the matches between friends has become rather intense and significant.  But are matches against friends with so much on the line more stressful?  Is there more competition between the two now that there is a singular goal to obtain or do these matches still retain some form of fun and friendship between them?  Give the situation these characters are in and their personalities, it would be logical to assume it’s more toward the latter.  Just because they’re facing off against another club member, I doubt any of the characters are trying any harder to beat their friends than they were in previous matches.  I would assume that both the winner and loser would experience a moment of sadness over the final result but come together to celebrate the champion of their class and watch as they advance to the next rank.  The friendship between the characters in Chihayafuru is strong and these matches will be a rigid test to see how durable these bonds are.

Future Diary (Mirai Nikki) (Episode 18) – Although Future Diary’s manga is over and the finale is well known to those who’ve read the manga, I’ve managed to remain spoiler-free throughout the whole anime.  That accomplishment is not the point of this post but it does help serve as an introduction; here’s one of my thoughts on how Future Diary might end.  One of my thoughts is that Yuki is imagining the whole thing, that the whole diary tournament is all within his complex head.  We’ve seen how powerful his imagination is, coming up with Deus Ex Machina and Mur Mur and interacting with them like regular friends once he returned from school.  So why not a few more characters and some intense situations to make his boring, normal life more interesting and exciting?  Also, all the events of the tournament have set focus on Yuki as the main target rather than any of the other diary users despite they being easier targets from time to time.  Plus, wouldn’t it be a fun twist to see Yuki actually be more psycho than Yuno?  If the anime could pull that ending off, I’d love it, but I doubt we’ll get a finale along those lines.  Still, it’s kind of fun to theorize how the ending might happen given that I have no knowledge of future events and I’m sure those who already know the final outcomes are probably entertained by my ideas knowing they had similar thoughts when they were trekking through the manga at around this point.  Please, if you have something to say in the comments section, avoid spoilers for those of us who have yet to see the ending.

Mouretsu Pirates (Bodacious Space Pirates) (Episode 6) – Many anime can have fun within itself but it takes a certain something to make the audience have fun with you.  Mouretsu Pirates did just that and much more in this episode by having a wild adventure and amusing episode after several serious and sci-fi filled ones.  Not to say were was a complete absence of these elements but they were merely supporting the entertainment value this episode had to offer.  The pirate raid of the cruise liner was performed to perfection, both by characters and producers.  The whole scene was full of positive energy, excitement, and above all, fun.  Hell, even the people being robbed of their valuables were laughing and enjoying the swordfights and whatnot.  It might’ve been a hefty ticket (I’m assuming it’s analogous to watching a live performance or something like what they have on modern cruises) to pay for such a privilege but they certainly loved every minute of it.  And from what it sounds like, everyone watching the anime had the same reaction, too.  Great job with the piracy Mouretsu Pirates!

Persona 4 the Animation (Episode 18) – Persona 4 seems to be able to do everything well, whether it be comedy, mystery, adventure, friendship, and now heartwarming moments.  Persona 4 has to be one of the most versatile anime out there seeing as it’s able to dabble in every genre imaginable and do a satisfying job with each.  The episode did feel a bit overemotional and dramatized at times (the mother’s death/Nanako at the preschool was a bit much for me) but the message remained clear and was communicated effectively, helping repairing the bond between Nanako and Dojima and creating a new family in which each other is loved and respected.  What’s even more impressive is that the previous episode had nothing to do with this heartwarming story but was rather all about action, adventure, and friendship.  And the next episode looks like it won’t continue off this theme as well and rather go back to being one of the best comedies out there.  It’s amazing what Persona 4 is able to do and how it can quickly transition from one to another without missing a beat.

Rinne no Lagrange (Episode 6) – Rinne no Lagrange has been full of surprises ranging from the characters to the music to the story and in almost every facet of the anime.  But perhaps the most surprising and impressive is the number of wallpaper worthy scenery shots out there.  This episode featured an absolutely gorgeous shot with the sun emerging over the concavity of the cloud-covered Earth when Madoka and Lan were flying into the stratosphere.  Stunning!  And in the previous episode, there was an angled shot from Villagiulio’s perspective of the tranquil ocean and tropical skies with the sea station off-center.  Beautiful!  And those are just my favorites, there are numerous other shots that have been simply amazing to look at and would make great wallpaper material.  The art in Rinne no Lagrange, both the character designs, environment, and mecha, is easily the best I’ve seen from a Xebec TV anime.  Might be because it’s a collaboration with Production I.G but the anime has a distinct Xebec feel, so that’s why they’re getting the credit here.

This week: though it wasn’t the finale I was hoping for, I am satisfied with the ending to Tasogare Otome x Amnesia, the tale of a hero in Tsuritama, questions about planning and waste in Lupin III: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna, and my biggest gripe with the Players in Zetman.

Zetman (Episode 12) – Though many aspects of the whole Players/Human angle of the series has bothered me, there have been none greater than the mere disappearance of morals and logic that begets the Players when they revert back to their grotesque form.  Despite the fact that they retain human communication and social comprehension, aspects essential and acquired from modern human culture, they are able to go on hideous and brutal rampages in which their goal is to not only heartlessly eviscerate every human in sight but to bring an end to all mankind.  So how is it that they’re able to pick and choose which human attributes to lose when they revert to Players and which ones they preserve?  Why not go the full distance and imitate the savage beasts they become and lose all sense of speech, pattern recognition, and bipedal kinetics?  Or do they still have that sense of morals but they choose to ignore them based on their new forms?  Whatever the reason, it has been a bother for me the entire series and a facet of Zetman I fail to understand or appreciate.

Tsuritama (Episode 11) – While many anime play along the lines of a heroic tale featuring a character overcome obstacles, grow as an individual, and accomplish the seemingly impossible responsibility, very few portray it as well as Tsuritama has.  The whole story of Yuki from beginning to now has presented the trademarks and progressions of what makes a hero story a hero story.  We’ve seen Yuki evolve from a timid and asocial lad into the only force able to save Enoshima and perhaps the globe from an indescribable alien menace.  Not only that, but the entire cast around Yuki has grown, too, and each has played a necessary role in the anime to assist Yuki in becoming who he is right now.  With the climax at hand, we’ve already seen the hero face adversity and uncertainty and, with the only method of capturing the swimming behemoth now ruined, it’s up to our protagonist to take the final step and become the hero that this anime is based on.  How exciting!

Tasogare Otome x Amnesia (Episode 12 [Finale]) – A tragic parting and lonesome ending is the ideal outcome I wished for the finale of Dusk Maiden of Amnesia.  And while those steps were taken, they were not the actual ending of the anime which saw the newly completed Yuuko return to the school to continue her budding romance with Teiichi seemingly forever (or probably until Teiichi graduates).  While I am a bid disturbed that the producers backed down at the thought of a heartbreaking and demoralizing ending, intimidated by the imagined pressure of not concluding this anime with a happy ending, I am satisfied that they portrayed it for a few minutes before caving in and bringing Yuuko back for the final scene.  Why am I content with this ending even though it’s the opposite tone and outcome of what I originally desired?  Well, perhaps seeing the lovers be rewarded after never really being together for the entire series won me over in the end.  Maybe it’s the fact that I knew all along there’d be a jovial ending where everyone was together after the recent episodes that toyed around with the themes of loss and disappearance.  Or maybe, just maybe, deep down inside I wanted to see my bitterness taste defeat and see a romance that I secretly wanted to watch finally get to that gratifying stage.  Well, regardless of the reasons, I am rather satisfied with the ending to Tasogare Otome x Amnesia, even though it wasn’t the ending I desired while I watched this anime.

Space Brothers (Episode 13) – With the series constantly switching between every character’s perspective now, helping solidified the characters who are necessarily brothers, we’re able to understand and appreciate the diversity in candidates that Mutta is matched against, that JAXA is evaluating, and that we’re watching.  By hearing their thoughts, realizing their motives, and seeing how their perspectives are wildly different among each other and each mission, we can see how challenging and subjective this evaluation and selection process is.  What it also does is strengthen the cast and the characters that we’re paired with for the duration of this training session.  The series has become quite rewarding in recent episodes with this wonderful change in perspective as it has taken the spotlight away from Mutta overcoming ‘Challenge-of-the-Week” and made it “The-Story-of-How-Mutta-Becomes-an-Astronaut”.

Mouretsu Pirates (Episode 25) – Even if you told me straightforwardly that Mouretsu Pirates is moments away from the series climax, I would not believe you, not even for a second.  Despite the position in the story and how many episodes remain (one), the series has done nothing to establish any sense of energy in the series to make it feel like a climax.  These past few episodes have done nothing to generate any excitement, drama, or tension for the ending of this series.  Instead, we’re watching a few rogue pirates get their arms hurt after pulling their weapons on some distinguished pirate-murderers and everyone eat fancy food served by giant clones of some sort.  There’s also been shopping, vacationing, and even a cut-back to some schoolgirls having a picnic on a grassy hillside.  Without any space combat, extreme character emotion, or even any drama or action between the cast, Mouretsu Pirates is making an ending as forgettable and disappointing as possible.  While the recipe is present to make this series finish with an impressive story about Marika and her crew, we’re stuck debating about what it is to be a pirate for characters who never existed two episodes ago and have had no more than a minute of screentime throughout the entire series.  And with the foreshadowing present in these past few episodes, the imminent finale I expect will be the anime equivalent to the series walking the plank into shark infested waters.  Ugh, this second season has been nothing more than a catastrophe.

Medaka Box (Episode 12 [Finale]) – Medaka Box saved its best episode for last with this anime original episode specifically written to conclude this anime.  And that original and dedicated story is what allowed this to be the best of this animated series.  Rather than trying to tell a flawed story of a manga in the midst of its identity crisis, the finale to the Medaka Box anime was able to narrate a simple tale of what Medaka meant to the student council while allowing them to take center-stage without being overshadowed or secondary to Medaka.  NisiOisiN had the benefit of writing this episode specifically for the anime meaning he was able to use his insight and knowledge from how the manga was received and appreciated, and able to tailor this episode to conclude the anime in the best possible way.  Having an episode without Medaka but be able Medaka really made for a charming and innovative ending that featured probably the best scripting and storytelling of the entire series.  Rather than being tied to a story and required to adhere to the mandates of penning a manga, NisiOisiN was able to write freely on the subject and content of this anime finale and was able to author a wonderful story for which to end the anime.  Erm… well, I guess the anime isn’t over but, for this first season finale, this was the best episode.  The anime will return in a future season as it has been given the green-light for another run.  I can only wish there will be more anime original content given that this episode turned out to be my favorite.

Lupin III: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna (Episode 12) – So, was the entire purpose of Glaucus Park to confront and capture Fujiko?  This owl-centric amusement park certainly required quite a bit of time, money, and energy to design, erect, and furnish.  And considering all the events that happened perfectly and in the proper sequential order, there must’ve been impeccable planning and execution for all this to happen.  And for what, just to bring a girl back to her papa?  Just imagine had one factor, just one simple factor been off, how this whole orchestrated event would have collapsed and been one of the biggest wastes in the history of mankind?  Still, even if it is successful, everything about this whole operation has been a huge waste.  What is the purpose for all these psychological traumas and experiments that were performed on Fujiko?  What has been gained in these proceedings and events?  There really needs to be some sense of logic, rationale, or explanation at the end of this series for me to truly enjoy and value this anime since, given how strange and bizarre it has been thus far, I fail to understand why everything has happened the way it’s happened or really what the hell is going on.  Guess we’ll find out when the finale airs and concludes this story in the Lupin universe.

Hyouka (Episode 10) – Whenever watching a mystery anime like Hyouka, there’s always that feeling of paying attention and playing along with the story and trying to solve the mystery along with the cast.  And for those still playing the game at the end of the mystery (assuming you haven’t lost interest or ragequitted after getting some clues and facts wrong), there’s no greater reward than solving the mystery before the cast does and feeling superior to their intellect and abilities.  That euphoric aspect of mysteries has always been an attractive aspect of the series to me, especially when the mysteries are at a level that’s challenging but not impossible and presented in a way that allows the audience to solve the problem along with the cast rather than having it end with them reading ahead in the script and telling us the answer.  Hyouka has done a fantastic job in regards to this style of presentation and storytelling and has made it one of the better mystery animes around.  Also, I feel the need to say that I got the answer before Houtarou this week since it was my thoughts on the movie after watching the previous episode.  Though it looks like there might be a change or modification in the next episode, I still received that euphoric feeling after seeing Houtarou successfully pitch my idea for the murder mystery in this anime.

In an era where ambiguous and open-ended finales are the norm, an unspoken prayer for the chance of a fiscally-successful sequel in the unforeseen future, an anime receiving proper and satisfying closure has become an rare indulgence.  Conclusions such as these leave the audience with a sense of gratification and completeness, as we like to believe we just watched the tale of a beautiful story rather than 12 half-hour segments of some manga/light novel advertisement that cuts off at whatever rushed or broken point seemed to be the best in the pre-planning stages.  No, what Sakamichi no Apollon was able to do with its story, its characters, and its themes is truly refreshing and rewarding.  It’s a shame not every anime can end the way Apollon did.

What made the finale to Sakamichi no Apollon so enjoyable and fulfilling is that it was accomplished the task of finishing its main story with a genuine and heartwarming ending.  The first half provided the conclusion to the immediate story with the three characters parting ways after being unable to handle their emotions around each other anymore and the slow disintegration of their friendship.  But as the epilogue would show, those feelings were heavy but fleeting and our familiar cast all longed for a reunion where they’d be able to rekindle their neglected friendship and start anew.  With the story finishing on this heartfelt reunion, complete with another spontaneous jazz session on drums and organ, we were able see the story go from their initial meeting, their budding friendship, the tensions and difficulties of teenage life, and their eventual parting before this an uplifting reunion.  Any moment before or after these points would have left the series incomplete or unfinished, meaning that this moment is the most ideal point for which Apollon to end.

Moreover, the finale was able to match the emotions the audience was feeling at this time as well as address its desires and satisfy our curiosities.  Reaching a point where Sentarou had deserted his home, we knew the relationship between Kaoru and Ritsuko was numbered, especially considering their plans for the future were contradictory.  It’s almost as if the series knew we were prepared to see the trio of friends be broken apart with each character going their separate ways and leading their own lives.  But our curiosities would question what happens next in their lives and if they would reunite, a question that is not always satisfied whenever an anime ends.  The epilogue began in the second half, thankfully, and we were able to see the lives of our familiar cast as we followed Kaoru’s investigation for Sentarou.  What was able to do beyond answer our queries was it ended the anime on a high note and gave us one final and quite delightful jazz session for which Kaoru and Sentarou could properly reunite with each other.  And with Ritsuko meeting those two now fully-grown men, all that remains is whatever our imagination dictates.

The finale for Sakamichi no Apollon was downright outstanding considering what it was able to do in wrapping up the story, placing its characters in the perfect positioning, closing its themes, and answering all of our questions.  Without anything more to add to the story, the romances, or the jazz, or even to the characters themselves, we’re able to enjoy an episode where everything comes together.  Though far from perfect, there are still some questions left unanswered, Sakamichi no Apollon has achieved that level of what we desire in an anime finale, something of a model which we hope other anime emulate.  If only more anime were able to end the way Apollon did, then perhaps the end of each season would be more memorable, rewarding, and satisfying rather than a mix between that and varying levels of frustration, surprise, and disappointment.

In the epilogue, we were able to see the current lives and occupations of virtually everyone.  Kaoru had recently graduated medical school and was a resident at an urban hospital.  Sentarou had become a priest at a Catholic church and tended to the orphans who found their way to that secluded isle.  We saw that Yukari is already a few months pregnant, carrying the child that she and Jun will raise together.  We even saw Seiji and Shigetora realize their dreams when one became a famous television personality and the other earned a job working with their passion of trains.  But what about Ritsuko?  Besides seeing her walk up the road and smiling at the newly reunited Kaoru and Sentarou, we never really saw what happened to her following her years in college and what she’s done with her life.  Did she eventually become a teacher or did something else tickle her fancy?  Where does she live now?  And does she keep in touch with anyone else besides Yukari?  I almost wish the show didn’t end at that point or at least showed us a little more of Ritsuko’s life, such as her finding that photo and traveling to Sentarou’s new home.  I almost felt we saw more of everyone else but her in this ending.  The only one who never got any screentime here was Jun but, from what we understand, he’s already found a new job and has a baby on the way.  And for such a central character, you figure the epilogue would show a bit more on Ritsuko than a better haircut and that refreshing smile.  But then, I suppose, that’s what our imagination is for.  Either that or maybe the manga has a more detailed conclusion.  You know… that might be worth checking out.

Considering that I watch over 50 anime each year, ranging roughly between 12 to 26 episodes each, you’d figure it might be difficult for me to choose my favorite episode of the year when there’s nearly a thousand to choose from.  However, from the moment I finished episode 18 of the Sengoku Collection, I knew which one it would be this year.  No episode of any other anime comes even remotely close to the profoundness, merit and brilliance of this episode of Sengoku Collection.  It stands alone at the summit of anime excellence, an episode comprised of a spectacular art style, influential and engrossing characters, the haunting absence of music, and a simple, modest story shown to us through ingenious directing to tie it all together and create an inspiring, illustrious episode that has become one of my favorite episodes of all time.

Although I’d love to relive my thoughts, emotions and mindset immediately following the episode, I was able to capture the moment in my Week 5 Anime Review from this past Summer.  It stated:

Sengoku Collection (Episode 18) – It isn’t often that you can finish an episode, digest the material a bit, let your emotions return to normal, and still declare what you just watched was the best episode of any anime for the entire year.  Yet, here we are, in the aftermath of Sengoku Collection 18, and I’m not afraid to call this the best episode of any anime for the entire 2012 year.  In perhaps the ~400 episodes of anime watched thus far, nothing really comes close to what this episode was able to do.  If you don’t watch or are considering watching the anime, I cannot recommend this anime enough.  It does have some lesser episodes and even a few misses, but to ignore it otherwise would be a crime given how outstanding it is at times with this episode being the pinnacle of success for the series.  If you have watched it, you know just how magnificent this episode was.  It might not be your favorite or even anywhere close, but for me, this is hands-down the best episode of anime I have watched in well over a year of anime.  Thank you, Sengoku Collection.

What stands out to me about this passage is that, even though I unreasonably and hysterically gush all over the episode, it might be an understatement considering the perspective was taken a few days after having watched it.  Perhaps at that time, words failed to convey how I truly felt, how I was truly influenced by this episode, which is why I have nothing immediately following the episode.  What little records remain of my conversation with friends and fans that reside in my memory (and on Twitter) is that the episode drew immediate raves from the fans of the franchise and inspired many others to pick up the series to watch it themselves.  You hardly ever see anything like it for one episode of an anime.  That’s just how powerful this episode was.

Surprisingly, what made the episode so exceptional, so outstanding, and so beloved for me is that it was a simple story told successfully and dazzlingly through its directing.  It was an episode where cinematography mattered, where the initial shots of the scenes established the mood and situation through gorgeously crafted urban environments that were filled with the unharmonious music of the hustle and bustle of the city.  Shots continued to reinforce scenes of isolation and sadness through positioning and focus and, as the episode progressed, evolved to show happiness and hope.  The camera played an valuable in this episode, helping sway emotions through the underused techniques of cinematography in anime.  And of course, the absence of music throughout the episode leaves a memorable impression, often opting for silence to set the mood rather than artificial songs piped in through elsewhere.  The pacing and storytelling were also brilliant.  Not a single scene was wasted with each holding some meaning in narrating the tale of Yoshitsugu.  Every shot played a part in illustrating her story to us.  And the way the episode progressed felt entirely appropriate, never rushing too quickly or hanging around for too long in each stage of the story.  As a result, the story of the episode was communicated to us flawlessly.  And all these aspects share one thing in common; they all can be attributed to the directing in this episode.  So while there may be anime out there with better art and animation, more interesting or intricate characters, or a more heartwarming or tragic story, there are few that are able to take a simple story of friendship and hope, and communicate it to us with such effectiveness in its storytelling ability that it instantly becomes a fan favorite and perhaps one of the best episodes of any anime that I have watched in recent years.

And though the episode aired months ago and the anime ended last season, I continue to recommend this episode and this anime to anyone and everyone.  The fact that so many people rave about it with glowing enthusiasm speaks volumes of what a magnificent episode it is.  And since the anime is largely episodic in nature, one doesn’t need to pass through 17 episodes prior just to arrive at this one.  However, I wouldn’t recommend starting at 18 and going from there.  I’d definitely recommend watching a few of the earlier episodes first, some of the best of the series even before jumping straight into this masterpiece.  In fact, there are a couple of episode guides out there that breakdown each episode in terms of priority and quality, too, in case time is a factor.  If not, then I don’t know what else can be done to convince people to watch this episode, enjoy it, and share in the experience that I did.  Yes, to share in the experience that was my favorite anime out of the entire year and quite possibly my favorite of the past few years, too.  Yes, looking at it like this, this might not be one of the most memorable moments of 2012 but in my entire anime life.  Yeah, this episode is that special.

It seems as though the spirited and cheerful Airi, the shining, sunny personality we knew and loved, is no longer with us in Robotics;Notes.  And though it seems like a cruel and heartless event to occur in the series, essentially the death of a character with her artificial intelligence being lost to digital nothingness, it does serve an ultimate purpose in the series from this point going forward.  That is to say, her character has fulfilled her duties and her intended purpose and now, is no longer necessary.

Exactly what duty and what purpose Airi served is still rather unclear but her bright, smiling personally allowed her to connect with and integrate socially with Kai and his friends of the Robotics Club, allowed them access to Sister Centipede which had been an central role in the story, and had her own touching backstory of being the projection of a young, feeble girl surviving only through stasis.  With those pieces having been completed and with no other obligations remaining for her character to fulfill, the end of Airi’s story became an electronic tragedy with her amusing personality now lost after the Iru-O system reboot.

Although it does seem a bit unnecessary for her character to be gone now, it does serve a way to reinforce her character and helps make her story somewhat more significant or expressive.  Had she reappeared following the Iru-O reboot and was seen laughing and playing around, her final moments on Christmas Eve with the snow and the kiss would seem less… meaningful.  Not only that but had her character continued to exist in the series, it’s questionable what role she would play or what capacity she would fill.  While one of the most pleasant and enjoyable characters of the series, I have trouble finding additional screentime for Airi from this point onward considering that the story has been escalating lately and that there is a limited time for which to cover the remainder of the story and finish its ongoing storylines.  And for fans of Airi, such as myself, there is hope remaining that we may indeed see her return since it seems as though her storyline is still incomplete.

As you may recall, the story of digital Airi may indeed be a pass-off to the original Airi, the young girl resting peacefully in a stasis tube, waiting until society can develop a cure for her painful chronic illness.  It does seem likely that we will see Airi return to Robotics;Notes but in the form of flesh and blood.  It may not be until the finale or the epilogue do we see the return of this silver-haired lass, but it does seem increasingly likely that Airi will make a return to Robotics;Notes before the final frame has aired.  So while it may indeed be a sad turn-of-events to realize that Airi is gone, it is somewhat reassuring that her story, her final purpose in this anime, was able to introduce to Kai and to us the human Airi, in hopes that the original version of her can be saved and live her life in happiness and sunshine as our digital Airi did.

One dire question I have that will probably never be answered is regarding the electricity in Kimijima’s abandoned home that ran the stasis tube for Airi.  With the building abandoned for roughly four years since the time of his death, Airi has been in a deep sleep in his basement this whole time, consuming what I’d expect to be quite a chunk of electricity with seemingly no one to foot the bill.  It seems rather odd that the electricity, a substantial amount of it too, would continue to this abandoned house without anyone paying for it.  I suppose there could be some other possible explanation for this, such as another payer is funding the survival of Airi (and thus, knows about her in the basement) or that the Kimijima foresaw his demise and paid the electrical company some large sum of money before his death to ensure Airi could continue to live until whenever.  Either way, it seems strange that this abandoned building would be given so much electricity without any flags being raised or any questions being asked.  Oh well, guess it’s not really important or anything.

This week: thoughts on why the antagonists of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure are so brilliant, why the arrival of Juju has significantly improved Sasami-san@Ganbaranai, rationalizing that the Dark Faction in Senran Kagura is more kindhearted than the good guys, and the balanced use of success and failure in Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo.

Best episode of the week: Maoyuu Maou Yuusha

Anime trending up this week: Sasami-san@Ganbaranai

Anime trending down this week: Shin Sekai Yori

Zetsuen no Tempest (Episode 20)

With the sudden return of time travel, the Aika we’ve seen and heard so much about in flashbacks and memories is finally able to assert herself as a dynamic and functional character now that Hakaze has returned to a time when Aika was still flesh and blood.  These developments bode well for the series since Aika has been continuous built up as a pivotal and influential character throughout and now, with these next few episodes, we can why everyone keeps talking about her and why the story continues to revolve around her death after 20 strong episodes.  And considering what else she has revealed at the end of the episode, it’ll be nothing short of fascinating and remarkable to see how everything plays out.  My thoughts on how she’ll died in the past and how she will eventually die again?  Suicide.  Wouldn’t that be a woefully anticlimactic ending if it turns out that Aika killed herself, especially since Mahiro and Yoshino were never prepared for that outcome and it’d completely nullify the entire revenge angle of the plot.  Or maybe we’ll see Hakaze lie since she’ll be the only one to know for sure.  Either way, the ending is shaping up nicely for Tempest and I’m excited to see where it goes from here.

Tamako Market (Episode 8)

Without a doubt, Kanna is my favorite character in Tamako Market and two of my favorite scenes have been her talking about fixing the broken locker next to hers and now, her presenting that special bird house that she built specifically for ‘Mister’.  It’s at that moment when I realized how much better Tamako Market would be if it were about Kanna going around and building random things and fixing broken stuff for people around the market.  Could you imagine all the hilarious adventures and the rewarding education experiences that would beget a series like that?  You know, Tamako would mention something like a freezer being broken and Kanna, getting all inspired and whatnot would go out and look at it, research the topic and then go out and fix it.  Like, holy shit, that would be awesome and not just because Kanna is now the main character and gets more screentime than everyone else.  Like, it would actually relate more to the market and its vendors than already shown in Tamako Market and it would allow the cast to expand much further than just being flat characters.  I mean, Tamako Market doesn’t really have a plot anyway… I mean, it’s been the exact same since the Dera was first introduced and nothing has happened regarding that in the past 8 episodes, so… why not invest all your time and money in obviously the best character and just show Kanna do what she likes for 24 minutes a week?

Space Brothers (Episode 47)

When Amanti Patel saw the future of Nanba Mutta, she gasped in shock at whatever horror she saw.  Given that this is a ‘realistic’ astronaut/space anime, you figure that some cliché disaster will happen where astronauts will die.  In this case, we’re specifically talking about Hibito here, being Mutta’s brother and one of the stars of this anime.  Not only that but the theme of death has been present throughout and there have been hints that something bad will happen sometime in this series.  So yeah, after gathering all these clues and processing the information, you figure that Amanti foresaw a disaster in which Hibito dies somehow.  My friend and I were brainstorming various ideas of how this event might occur in the anime.  Our best answer?  Hibito drives into that same moon crevasse and dies there.  You know, I actually hope that one happens.

Shin Sekai Yori (Episode 22)

The Tsukuba branch of the National Assembly Library, mirror terminal number 008, a solar-powered autonomous mobile archive, model T-SP-SPTA-6000 is super cute.  I mean unbelievably cute.  I mean, just look at it, it’s an adorable, little walking record of useful information and is potentially the most essential device to the survival of mankind.  Unlike all those other mobile libraries we saw throughout Shin Sekai Yori, this one appears to be modeled as a baby archive, perhaps for the purpose of transportation since it seems Saki is able to carry it without any encumbrance.  But beyond that, it’s appearance comes across as delightful.  It’s a little pudgy with those short, stubby paws and those cute, lil ears and that giant X on its snout.  It’s like totally the opposite of this horrific and frightening situation; it’s a cute, little creature accompanying Saki and friends on their journey to save humanity.  Not only that but with all the monsters and dangerous creatures in Tokyo, it really contrasts well since it’s non-threatening and surprisingly normal-looking compared to anticoagulant slugs and other terrifying insects.  And, because I’ve already seen episode 23 by the time of this post (I’m just really slow at writing and unmotivated which is why everything is always late), I have to say that Tsukuba Library 008 is adorable there too, especially when its sitting on its own seat in the sub and surviving dangerous attacks and riding around in Saki’s backpack.  You know, it just might be my favorite thing in Shin Sekai Yori, especially since this most recent story arc has been a little underwhelming compared to the previous two.

Senran Kagura (Episode 9)

Although the Dark Faction is portrayed as the villains or the ‘evil’ ninjas in this series, they actually seem to be more kindly, outgoing and accepting than the Light Faction.  Yes, this is related to the policy that they accept any aspiring child to become the next greatest Super Ninja (and even their members too, at least outside of battle).  To exemplify how it shows that the Serpent Academy is more responsive and nicer than the Hanzou Academy is that it accepted Homura and Yomi as students.  Although Homura has an acceptable pedigree to be a student for the Light Faction, her having killed a person barred her from ever being accepted and the only path that remained was through the Dark Faction.  Yomi’s story is much more polarizing: since she grew up in impoverished conditions, she was unable to join the Light Faction.  Even though she seeks to change the world to improve the lives of the poorest people, the Light Faction would not take her.  Instead, the only path for her was through the Dark Faction and joining the ranks of the Serpent Academy.  Yeah, you could even argue that Hikage and Mirai joining the Dark Faction are not necessarily because they’re ‘evil’ or that they want to be villains but that it was their only choice.  Although the names of the two sides are Light and Dark, the morality and practices between each are shades of grey and naming system characterizes them improperly.  Rather, it feels more just to have it be divided between Hanzou and Serpent since there is less prejudice in those names than the black and white issue of Dark versus Light.

Sasami-san@Ganbaranai (Episode 8)

Juju, Sasami’s mother, is perhaps the most fascinating character in Sasami-san@Ganbaranai, simply because of how she impacts Sasami and continues to play a role even though she passed on before the start of the series.  Not only that but her position in the temple as head shrine maiden, the position that Sasami was intended to assume prior to the beginning of the series, is also a fundamental concept to the series, its direction and ultimately what defines Sasami’s character, transitioning her from a motivated child to a lazy teenager.  I can’t help but feel that with the addition of Juju that Sasami-san significantly improved, both in terms of story progression, character development and even in the realm of comedy, too.  I hope that she continues to make her presence known throughout the series since she seems to be a driving force in this anime as it moves forward.  However, seeing her take on the role of antagonist while still being loved and cherished by Sasami, might make things a bit difficult if we want a happy ending for both.  Still, you figure something will be within reach, especially since you figure Sasami’s character will change between now and the finale.

Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo (Episode 20)

The use of success and failure in Sakurasou has been rather balanced in the anime with characters finding success in certain areas (Shiina starting her own manga, Sorata continuing with his video game concept, etc.) and others finding failure elsewhere (Nanami getting her rejection letter, Yuuko failing the entrance exam, etc.).  Not only that but the theme has been employed constantly and consistently in regards to the romance too, which can be especially rewarding in some cases and downright painful in others (I’m looking at you, Rita).  Whatever the reason and wherever the instance, it seems that there’s an even chance of success or failure for the characters here.  Given the track record this anime has throughout the past 20 episodes, you figure that there’ll be some good luck and bad luck distributed throughout the next few episodes.  Just who’s fortunate and who’s unlucky still remains to be seen, though, but that should be more than enough to keep the audience interested in these final remaining episodes.

Pscyho-Pass (Episode 19)

The whole concept of characters taking action to keep their Psycho-Pass within the predefined limits and applying psychotherapy to individuals at risk reminds me of how healthcare providers try to keep their patients under certain real world limits.  For example, whenever Ginoza is being interviewed by that specialist and they’re trying to reduce his Pyscho-Pass number, I can’t help but recall how similar that is to a provider counseling a patient on lowering their blood pressure, their blood glucose or their lipids.  In fact, it’s probably portrayed that way to draw that parallel: that health in this anime is measured primarily by someone’s Psycho-Pass numeration.  I wouldn’t be surprised if these counseling sessions are derived from actual medical practice since they do share a few seminaries on their own, but there is enough difference between the two that they are separate.  Still, whatever the origin or the meaning, I can’t help but think of these examinations and dialogue as representations of real world medical practice applied to Psycho-Pass.

Maoyuu Maou Yuusha (Episode 9)

What a magnificent, impressive, inspiring and heartening speech by Maid Ane (Older Sister Maid) after being unjustly arrested, bound, flogged and humiliated in front of the country and the people she loved.  With such a rousing and moving demonstration, there’s no doubt that she motivated everyone around her, including Onna Kishi (Female Knight) and Fuyu no Ouji (Winter Prince) who stepped up to save her from being tried and executed before the church.  That was all great, but… you can’t help but wonder what would’ve happened had the church never organized that gathering in order to make an example of her and her heresy.  Had they taken the carriage to the back of the church and removed her without any public exhibition, there’d be no crowd, no speech, no inspiring moments for our secondary characters to act upon and no intervention by them to save her.  In fact, had the church done this, they would have taken Maou out of the country without any incident.  Of course, Yuusha would have shown up eventually to save her, so the outcomes are still the same with or without the speech.  But had things progressed a little differently, it would have been far less eventful (and far more successful) than what we saw with Maid Ane expressing herself to the citizens of her country.

Little Busters! (Episode 21)

Why couldn’t someone just walk in on Riki painting that chocolate mixture onto a semi-naked Kud?  I mean, that’s probably the closest we’ll get to a sex scene and it was in the middle of a courtyard and I’d love to see them try to worm their way outta that one.  It’d be hilarious.  I’d love it.  And I’m sure you’d all love it, too.

Kotoura-san (Episode 8)

The eighth episode of Kotoura-san offered a clear glimpse of what Kotoura-san might be if Haruka never possessed psychic powers.  The results are largely unremarkable but it does confirm that beneath the rather shallow gimmick that is Haruka’s problem, the anime is pretty much a no-thrills, no-laughs derivative high school slice-of-life anime.  Really, the anime doesn’t offer anything beyond using Haruka’s psychic powers in some innovative ways and the anime really doesn’t offer much in the way of that anymore.  The remainder of the cast proves to be ineffective when the spotlight or any amount of weight of the story is passed their way, so the whole anime really depends on Haruka and how her story develops.  That’s not to say that Haruka’s psychic abilities alone save the anime but it’s doing a damn good job of supporting it thus far.  Unfortunately, with my patients crumbling and the plot developments appearing more and more lame, I can’t help but wonder if there’ll be something else to save this anime from this unfortunate, deteriorating slide.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (Episode 21)

Whether we’re talking about Dio Brando, Cars, Wham or any of the other future antagonists in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, they all share one thing in common: well… besides that they’re all villains… but that they’re all satisfying villains.  Each of these characters possess attributes that make them unique, fun or awesome in some way that makes watching them enjoyable and what makes watching them be defeating a rewarding and worthwhile experience.  Perhaps this is due to the exceptional use of their charisma and their personalities?  Or maybe this is credited to how awesome and over-the-top the series is to begin with and that these characters fit the description so well.  Or maybe it’s because I always enjoy villainous characters and just happen to find the backstory and development for these characters to be among the better in the realm of anime.  Well, for whatever reason, the various antagonists in JJBA are all very satisfying as characters and a solid reason for why JoJo’s has been so fantastic and magnificent as an anime.

Chihayafuru 2 (Episode 8)

Seeing a variety of foreigners from an international school play karuta is a vivid reminder of how many sports are expanding internationally.  At the timing of this post, the World Baseball Classic is ongoing with 16 countries represented, attempting to show their best to the world.  The NFL is bringing American football to Canada and Britain with hints of establishing a permanent team in London (possibly the Jaguars).  American college sports are looking to expand their brand and names internationally too (Notre Dame and Navy in Dublin), with west coast universities looking to become more prominent in Asian countries, which would in turn attract more international students.  And let’s not forget established and popular international sporting events too, like the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, which enjoy success around the globe.  With increased access, communications and the sharing of information (like news or videos), sports have found a way to grow in various spots around the world where there was only fragmented or limited interest before.  And it seems that it’s the same for competitive karuta too, though in the anime, it seems to be in its infancy considering the five players were studying in Japan.  But who knows, maybe Chihayafuru is bringing awareness of karuta to fans overseas and might fascinate some fans, causing them to seek out more information, find others who share the same interests and establish some karuta clubs outside of Japan.  If not, at the very least, this episode serves as a reminder of how sports are expanding globally, especially with the advent of and access to the internet.

This week: a refreshing and genuine semi-romance in Silver Spoon, understanding why Yura has always been alone and why she strains her friendships in Stella Jogakuin Koutouka C3-bu, why both the new and old characters are making Tamayura ~more aggressive~ much more fun, and frustration with the lack of character development in Gatchaman Crowds.

Best episode of the week: Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya

Anime trending up this week: Tamayura ~more aggressive~

Anime trending down this week: Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou

Tamayura ~more aggressive~ (Episode 7)

Really, the handful of new characters in Tamayura ~more aggressive~ are what’s making this sequel much more enjoyable than the anime franchise has ever been before.  And though I touched on this topic in an earlier review, it has become increasingly apparent in recent episodes that the characters are what’s making this anime great.  Kanae, Shimokamiyama, and now Tomo have all been spectacular additions to this new series in the Tamayura series, each adding some well-seasoned amusement and wholehearted purpose while their characters are on screen.  With this episode specifically, Tomo really provided the spark that made it both fun and meaningful.  Furthermore, Tamayura is using its old, minor characters in expanded roles now, which has helped revitalize and rejuvenate their characters and the series as a whole.  Chihiro, Shihomi and Saymoi have all seen their roles developed in this new season and each has had a significant impact on Fu’s character, much more than what was seen earlier in the franchise.  Seeing these characters have an influence on the series shows a strength in the overall writing and how the story is using these characters around Fu, not just as background characters for comedy. The only characters who really haven’t done too much in this sequel are the big four in this series: Fu, Kaoru, Norie and Maon.  Besides Fu, none of the characters have really changed or impacted the series by themselves, though it’s fair to say that none has really had the opportunity thus far.  Still, their characters are almost exactly the same as they were in Tamayura ~hitotose~, so there hasn’t been much excitement with them, at least not right now.  And I guess I shouldn’t be too angry with this pattern of development since it’s meant a lot less of Kou and Komachi, both being the bane of Tamayura in my frank opinion.  But instead, seeing these new characters and some of the background characters stepping up has really paid off for this season of Tamayura.  These new characters have done most of the muscle work to lift the anime out of mediocrity and carry it to new heights.

Stella Jogakuin Koutouka C3-bu (Episode 7)

Considering that one of the biggest, if not the biggest, storylines in C3-bu is Yura’s struggle to make and maintain friendships or just stable relationships, then you can’t help but want to slap some sense into Yura and show her that her excessive and obsessive actions are what’s leading her down a path of isolation and loneliness.  Sure, you can see it in Yura’s eyes (or maybe in the fact that she cut her hair to that cute tomboy style) that she’s determined to be the best damn airsoft/survival game player that’s ever lived.  But for what purpose and for what cost?  It’s pretty clear that Yura wants the Stella Girl’s Academy C3 Club to be the best in all Japan, likely as a way of saying thanks to Sono and the other club members for accepting her, building her up and treating her like an equal.  It’s about the first time that Yura had friends she could rely and depend on and doing this is just her way of saying thanks.  Too bad Yura isn’t experienced enough to realize that her ‘thanks’ or leadership is putting off the very friends she loves and cares about.  And unfortunately for Yura, it’s straining her friendship with her only circle of friends.  It’s really quite sad to see this for Yura’s character since it’s so clear how much she loves everyone else in the C3 Club and how much they love her back.  I’m guessing it’ll be up to Sono to bring her back to her senses and force her to realize what she’s been doing wrong.  Maybe then it’ll finally dawn on Yura that the reason she’s been alone for most of her life is because of this very reason and maybe, just maybe she’ll finally solve that problem that’s plagued her for her whole life.  Or at least that’s how I want C3-bu to end.

Silver Spoon (Episode 6)

It’s rare to see this kind of romance in anime; the one between Yugo and Aki.  It’s one where the two characters share mutual feelings for each other but it’s able to progress without the constant blushing, embarrassment, misunderstandings, fanservice or inane comedy that beleaguers virtually every romance anime in a high school setting.  The fact is, the semi-romance in Silver Spoon is quite mature in that the characters act like adults rather than silly anime tropes.  Not only is it refreshingly enjoyable but it’s also quite appropriate given the themes and story of Silver Spoon with Yugo leaving home to live his own life.  Having an ecchi harem of five different scantily-dressed schoolgirls hovering over his dick would completely undermine his character and his story as would a head-bangingly dull romance between Yugo and Aki where the two never advance past the hand-holding stage while all their friends try like oxen to make the romance advance.  It’s just… nice to have a romance like this in Silver Spoon.  And though I’m not particularly a big fan of romance in anime or the romance genre in general, this is something I can be a fan of.  Hopefully the series can continue to build off this sensible storyline since it seems to be my favorite aspect about Silver Spoon.

Shingeki no Kyojin (Episode 19)

It’s kinda cute how little everyone cares about studying or researching the titans besides Zoe.  Like, I’m sure everyone else is curious and eager to learn about the titans as much as they can if not for the fact that it could eventually lead to the solution that would save mankind… but nobody really cares about it except for Zoe.  Everybody is out doing their own thing, thinking about killing whatever titans get in their way… and then there’s Zoe.  It’s just cute how much she cares about this stuff and how it consumes her life to the point of obsession.  And to be honest, her science experiments are pretty cute, too.  Sticking Eren in a dry well and having him explode into a titan so they could monitor him in case he goes berserk?  The little chibi Zoe in her imagination reflects that very charm in her surprisingly unique character.  Not only that but go back to her previous experiments on the other titans and how much she cared about them.  It’s really quite amazing at how abnormal or spectacular her character is.  And even though I’ve mentioned it before when first analyzing her character, I think Zoe is easily my favorite in Attack on Titan.

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 7)

Until time travel is going to be a well-defined science, it’s always going to be rather ambiguous and unclear when implemented in stories, literature and of course anime.  If not for the very fact that it’s theoretically impossible right now, it’s for the fact that authors and writers can only analyze and include a certain limited set of facts and information before devolving a proper story into a low-quality textbook on the theory of time.  So seeing Monogatari take a stab at this topic with a rather humorous approach felt somewhat refreshing and entertaining, much like this sequel has been in the Monogatari franchise.  With most of the dialogue being a mix between stereotypical anime convoluted dialogue and stereotypical anime-style parody humor, this time on the theme of time travel rather than some popular anime, it came to be pretty uplifting and fun, if not for the fact that it sideswiped the issue of ambiguous time travel but poked fun at it with Shinobu being the main culprit.  So I applaud Monogatari for that.  By taking a moment to identify the potential flaws and subsequently making fun of its storytelling mechanics, Monogatari was able to sidestep a potential pitfall and turn it around into a positive.  So good job for doing that, Shaft.

Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou (Episode 7)

This episode is the calm before the storm.  Not only was it very uncharacteristic for Gen’ei wo Kakeru Taiyou (being happy and cheerful), but it’s pretty clear that something bad is going to happen and happen soon.  In fact, they probably could’ve shown a still frame for 24-minutes saying “I hope you enjoyed the first half because the rest of this series is gonna be dark” and communicated the same message.  Guess we’ll find out how dark this anime gets with only five episodes remaining.

Gatchaman Crowds (Episode 6)

It’s shocking that an anime of this quality and admiration has only had character growth for one, maybe two characters.  You’d figure that for all the attention, acclaim and love that Gatchaman Crowds is receiving that it’d do more than develop Rui’s character and perhaps arguably Utsutsu’s, too.  But Hajime has never really been challenged nor has her character significantly changed.  Not that I’m complaining since I like her but I would’ve expected to learn more about her, her personality and seen her face a situation where she’s forced to do more than act genki like she always does.  Sugane’s character has changed minimally, as a byproduct of Hajime and Joe, but the most progress he’s made has been moving from the forefront to the background.  Honestly, Utsutsu is the only Gatchaman that’s seen genuine growth throughout the series and even then it’s been rather limited or unclear.  We’ve seen her become more open as a character but it’s never really been the focus besides a few select scenes.  From a developmental and maturity standpoint, Rui is miles ahead of everyone else in terms of his character and his story, so it’s not so much an issue with the writers writing good character but just choosing to ignore the main cast through the first half of the series.  Maybe it’ll pick up soon with Hajime or the others in this series but I wouldn’t hold my breath at this point.

This week: giving Tamayura ~more aggressive~ a chance and it being a success, the benefits of changing perspectives in Monogatari Series Second Season, issues with execution in writing and content in Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou, and building up for a great and grand finale for Danganronpa.

Best episode of the week: Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui!

Anime trending up this week: Danganronpa

Anime trending down this week: Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou

Uchouten Kazoku (Episode 12)

Throughout Uchouten Kazoku, from the start until now, we’ve taken a magnifying glass to the deficiencies of each of the brothers. The eldest, Yaichirou, is the most responsible but crackles easily under the slightest hint of pressure; Yajirou has lost his ability to transform and resides as a frog living in the bottom of a well; Yashirou is timid and incapable and unable to do much in the way of anything useful, even having trouble keeping his tail hidden when transformed as a human; and lastly is our protagonist, Yasaburou whole had idiocy running through his veins.  But, with the twelfth episode of Uchouten Kazoku, we’ve seen these characters overcome their faults and flaws.  Yaichirou is running for Nise-emon, a position which demands composure through constant stress, Yajirou has left his depression in the well, along with his inability to transform, Yashirou has proven indispensable and displayed foresight in rescuing his family and Yasaburou, while still the idiot, is doing what he can to restore peace and order to his family and tanuki society.  All that remains now is one episode for the family to each do their part to finally restore their family honor and place in tanuki society.  Given what we saw of them at the beginning of this series, you wouldn’t have even given them a chance… but now?  Well, let’s just see how things play out, shall we?

Tamayura ~more aggressive~ (Episode 12 [Finale])

My my, how an anime series can change over 12 simple episodes.  When Tamayura ~hitotose~ ended back in 2011, I found the series to be mild and lackluster, partially to blame on the characters, the writing and the plain art style among other factors.  After finishing the first TV series of Tamayura, I thought I was done with the series.  With Tamayura ~more aggressive~, I thought the series deserved an episode, just to see how the series was.  And after one episode… I noticed the series had changed significantly.  Rather than episodes feeling empty, there was a sense of genuine emotion and growth to the series.  There were actually meaningful development happening to the characters.  And the addition of new cast members helped change the dynamic and focus of the series while also forcing some of the weaker, less desirable characters (*cough* *cough* Kou and Komachi) into the background.  And as the anime developed, the stories and dialogue began to felt more thoughtful or reflective.  The series had improved and to a significant degree, too.  And after 12 episodes, I have to admit that Tamayura ~more aggressive~ has been one of the most enjoyable anime of the year.  The series still has a number of flaws to address but it corrected enough for the series to be a success compared to the first TV anime.  It just goes to show how much can change after 12 episodes of an anime… and how much can change after giving a series another chance.

Stella Jogakuin Koutouka C3-bu (Episode 12)

Although having fun has always been a theme in C3-bu, the series was never really fun to watch.  Sure, some episodes were more enjoyable or entertaining than others, but the focus of the series was almost always serious, bouncing around from Yura seeking acceptance to Yura having crazy delusions to Yura being obsessive over airsoft and then finally, Yura being lost.  Fortunately, with Yura finding acceptance again, the series was able to enjoy itself with amusement, silliness and, above all, fun.  Not only was the theme of the entire episode devoted to having fun with all her friends but the animation, storytelling and characters were able to partake in the fun, too.  The animation featured numerous shots of cute chibi characters, childish expressions and cartoony motions to give the visual element of the episode some fun.  The writing of this episode, particularly in the way of the dialogue and episode development, also showcased its fun by completely ignoring Yura’s obsessive behavior and forgetting all the trouble and conflict experienced in previous episodes.  And the characters were always laughing, smiling or having a good time, a stark contrast to what we’ve seen as soon as one episode ago.  And it could not have come at a more perfect time too, with the climax of the series being in episode 11 and C3-bu in need of a reward for its characters and its audience.  This episode was, undeniably, an incredible and extraordinary way to cap Yura’s story, documenting all her struggles and triumphs, and ending it with this troubled, lonely girl smiling among friends.

Silver Spoon (Episode 11 [Finale])

The story of Silver Spoon begins with Yugo leaving home, or more appropriately, leaving his parents.  And throughout the series, Yugo wasn’t afraid to let us know that his parents were the reason for his independence, often displaying signs of anger or annoyance at the slightest mention of their existence.  And the same could be said for Shingo too, Yugo’s older brother, who also left home to explore what interests him.  And although he doesn’t lose his temper when thinking about his parents, you can tell there’s a certain level of frustration in his voice.  So why this irritation?  Why this disconnect?  What is it about their parents, particularly their father, that caused the two brothers to hate them so?  It’s really a topic that has defined the series but has yet to be explored or even addressed thus far.  After 11 episodes, you figured there’d be something about the parents that revealed them to be evil corporation leaders or aliens destroying the earth or something.  But no, we just got a stereotypical anime dad reading a paper and disappointed about bacon or something.  Seriously, that’s it.  And given the material we’ve seen thus far, the mother doesn’t seem all that bad, especially after trying to get a hold of Yugo who wouldn’t return her calls.  I really had hoped that there’d be some development in regards to the parents sometime this series, but really… we were given nothing to work with.  So what is it about their parents that caused Yugo to run away from home?  I suppose we’ll have to wait until the second season which will begin in Winter 2014.  Until then, all we have is a few choice scenes and our speculation… which, when combined with dissatisfaction and disappointment, is a dangerous recipe for an anime.

Shingeki no Kyojin (Episode 24)

So, who exactly is Eren’s dentist?  Because when taking into account the setting and technology in the anime, I’m curious as to how Eren got his teeth so sharp that he’s able to bit through his hand.  I mean, whenever you look at Eren bite himself in hopes of transforming into a titan, he always draws blood.  And he makes it look effortless, too.  Now go ahead, try biting your own hand.  Give it a few tries.  What happens?  Yeah, no geysers or torrents of blood, gushing out from the meekest of nibbles.  So what does this say about Eren?  His teeth must be like daggers or something.  And considering the lack of modern technology and healthcare, how does Eren maintain his teeth to such a high degree?  Honestly, these mysteries are much more interesting than the origin of the other titans, the walls or this whole silly war, right?  If I were in Attack on Titan, I’d be going crazy over Eren’s teeth, probably to an even greater degree than Zoe over anything titan.

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 12)

With the Nadeko Medusa arc instigating in this episode, this marks the second story in Monogatari Series where the perspective is told from someone other than Araragi.  Like with Nekomonogatari: Shiro, which followed the story through the eyes of Tsubasa, Nadeko Medusa is narrated by the heroine of the story, with this being Sengoku’s chance to be the main character.  With this change of perspective, Monogatari Series has allowed the anime to expand beyond the space located below his ahoge and venture into the minds of other familiar cast members.  Not only has it rejuvenated the series in terms of this new perspective, but it highlights the differences in their personalities to present various styles to storytelling and interpersonal relationships between other characters.  As a result, we saw a friendship flourish between Tsubasa and Senjougahara.  We also saw Tsubasa earn some introspection through speaking with Episode and Izuko Gaen.  And we saw Tsubasa overcome her struggles on her own though she still needed a little help in the end.  So what this mean for Nadeko?  Will we see the same level of intimacy and development as we saw with Tsubasa?  One can certainly hope so, although we should take into account that Nadeko is much less outgoing than Tsubasa and that her oddity has a different effect on her.  But the opportunity is there for her character to grow exponentially during this Medusa arc.  I certainly hope it follows a similar style to Tsubasa’s character, especially since Nadeko is currently my least favorite character in the Monogatari franchise.

Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou (Episode 12)

Unfortunately for Genei Taiyou, it suffers from the same disease that makes lots of anime mediocre: it has some interesting ideas but can’t properly execute them.  That is to say, I do enjoy the style, the themes and the ideas behind this anime but I can particularly care for them with unintelligent writing, unimaginative content and clichéd twists.  It’s as if someone explained to the producers what Puella Magi Madoka Magica was about while neglecting to mention the writing, the dialogue and the complexity that made the series so paramount and celebrated.  I don’t mind that Genei Taiyou had so many similar ties in with Madoka but the differences in the storytelling are astronomical.  Whereas Madoka was able to derive genuine emotions from its characters and express it clearly with the audience, Genei Taiyou has characters talking about their emotions.  Always show, don’t tell in anime.  And the resolutions and subsequent character growth felt challenging, earned and rewarded in Madoka.  In Genei Taiyou, it seemed to occur regardless of effort and often felt misplaced or arbitrary, such as Ginka reappearing because why the hell not?  And although it’s largely unfair to compare Genei Taiyou with Madoka, it feels appropriate since the two share similar themes, settings and motifs.  It’s unfortunate that Genei Taiyou doesn’t share what made Madoka outstanding, the execution and performance it was able to achieve with its writing and directing.  Still, that isn’t to say Genei Taiyou wasn’t enjoyable as an anime, just that it could’ve and should’ve been much, much better.

Danganronpa the Animation (Episode 12)

Monokuma unlocked all the doors of Hope’s Peak Academy?  Why doesn’t everyone just leave?

No, but seriously, Danganronpa is shaping up nicely with its final two episodes, a finale that’s due to answer all the mysteries and lingering questions of Danganronpa.  And with all the unexpected twists and shocking revelations in this anime, I find myself enjoying Danganronpa like never before.  After questioning the series and feeling somewhat disappointed, the anime is beginning to deliver what I had hoped for all along with this final Classroom Trial.  And I must say, the synthesis and presentation of all this information is certainly making me happy.  With that said, I’m beginning to appreciate all that’s happened in Danganronpa and I’m beginning to understand why the franchise has been so popular since its release in 2010.  If the series finale answers all my questions and proves to be as entertaining as this episode, I can see this moving up my rankings when the season concludes…

…oops, it concluded last week?  I guess it’s about time to move onto Autumn 2013 now, isn’t it?

This week: an analysis of Mako’s character in KILL la KILL, developing the racist schoolgirls into characters in Nagi no Asukara, enjoying the level of detail in the setting of Samurai Flamenco, and pretty much hating the Galileo aspects of Galilei Donna.

Best episode of the week: KILL la KILL

Anime trending up this week: Nagi no Asukara

Anime trending down this week: Magi: The Kingdom of Magic (S2)

BlazBlue: Alter Memory (Episode 3)

Perhaps the most damning or damaging aspect of BlazBlue: Alter Memory, at least from the perspective of newcomers to the franchise, is that the setting is still an esoteric enigma.  The anime has done little or nothing to explain who the characters are, what these organizations are doing, where the story is located and what they have in relation to each other.  The story just goes on choo-chooing ahead without a care in the world for the audience, a confused mass who are left trying to piece together a puzzle with the pieces locked behind closed doors.  I’m beginning to wonder if there was a prerequisite course before watching this anime that consisted of playing the game and beating it with every character, but even then, I figure you’d still have no clue at what’s going on with the lack of exposition and explanation going on.  This anime is slowly becoming a mess, so hopefully the fighting picks up so that I can ignore these mounting deficiencies.

Coppelion (Episode 4)

The fact that Coppelion takes itself seriously is the best thing going for it.  Having the characters, and the anime itself really, straight-face the entire countdown sequence, from knowing that the old man had EXACTLY 10 minutes to live, with a timer no less (and let’s disregard age, weight, exposure, other acute or chronic medical conditions, etc. that would obviously change the 10 minute window) and shooting him with the medicine when the girls themselves have no timer or stopwatch to know when the times up, was nothing short of brilliant.  Like, just doing that gives Coppelion me a reason to watch it.  And let’s not forget the other classic moments of this episode, like shooting down a stealth bomber with a single surface-to-air missile, the high speed chase through a golf store for 1 minute (to be fair, the store was probably 1-2km long), and the phony emotional overkill.  Although Coppelion doesn’t intend itself to be a hilarious anime, I can’t help but find myself laughing at this more than any other anime this season.  As long as Coppelion can continue to be a beautifully drawn trainwreck of an anime, I’ll have a reason to keep watching it.

Freezing Vibration (Episode 4)

Shifting the focus away from Satellizer and Kazuya and toward Elizabeth and Amelia has taken Freezing’s story in an enticing new direction.  While the first season was adequate in its story, taken from the perspective of Kazuya and Satellizer, the sequel has branched off to form something new and exciting without starting anew.  The plot of Freezing Vibration certainly draws from the original and from Satellizer’s character, especially since it was her data that was used for the Mark IV experiment, but it’s the major characters in this story arc which is what make it interesting.  Had it been Satellizer and Kazuya spearheading the storyline, it may have been decent and interesting but their characters would feel like those shounen heroes who do everything to fix every little problem no matter their relation to it.  With this storyline on Elizabeth and Amelia, it has shown the importance of this E-Pandora project to people besides the main protagonists.  Furthermore, it’s shown through the eyes of characters who have a more significant struggle or conflict with the project than Satellizer or Kazuya.  In fact, by taking this sequel in a new direction with all these new characters have aided in making Freezing one of the better sequels I’ve seen in an anime, in terms of improvement over the original.  I figure as this story continues, the perspectives will blur as Satellizer is making herself more important in these recent episodes, but for the time being, I love the new direction Freezing Vibration is taking.

Galilei Donna (Episode 3)

If Galilei Donna wasn’t revolving around Galileo Galilei like the Earth revolves around the Sun and asserted its own independence in its story away from this historical figure, then I’d wager a bet that this anime would be better.  Really, the whole aspect of Galileo Galilei as a central theme seems decent but it doesn’t really carry any significant weight in the anime nor have a dire impact that makes it meaningful.  To put it plainly, it’s inconsequential that there’s anything to do about Galileo in this anime.  Why not choose Leonardo da Vinci or Alexander the Great or Ghengis Khan or King Arthur?  At this point, it seems arbitrary that there’s anything related to Galileo in this anime.  You could make an argument about Hozuki’s engineering but, unless Galileo was a blackbelt in karate, I don’t see how Kazuki’s specialties relate at all to this theme.  And this whole ‘Galileo’s Secret Treasure’ plot reeks of a horrible Hollywood screenplay, further illustrated by throwing in evil organizations and sky pirates to make the anime slightly less boring but much more off-topic.  And to make it even worse, now there’s some sorta magic behind everything, too.  Ugh.  Maybe trying to ignore or overlook these distinctive ‘Galileo’ details will make the anime slightly better but the story is hardly the selling point of this anime.

Gingitsune (Episode 4)

The addition of Satoru Kamio isn’t exactly what Gingitsune needed.  Sure, it was necessary to establish a male presence in this anime beyond Gintarou but, by introducing a quiet, introverted and completely featureless male lead to counter Makoto’s character, I feel that Gingitsune has performed subtraction by addition.  Satoru’s character is completely underwhelming and boring, a tedious collection of anime clichés like dead parents, unfriendly foster parents and a supernatural ability that paint his character as unremarkable as black text on a white background.  And Haru’s no better either.  Haru’s character immediately undermines the role of Heralds in Gingitsune, turning the respected and revered position into a childish mockery of something sacred.  While Gintarou is calm, calculated and intelligent, Haru is a whiny brat who shows his immaturity through harassing his new caregivers and ignoring his best friend’s wishes.  What should’ve been a boon for the series with the addition of a new successor and a new herald has instead has been a bust.  It’s going to take some time for the series to recover from this event, especially if it detracts or distracts from the excellent chemistry that we saw between Makoto and Gintarou.

KILL la KILL (Episode 4)

What would Kill La Kill be like with Mako?  I shudder to think of what the series would be like, but after watching the fourth episode of this phenomenal anime, I’d like to entertain the thought for a moment.  Imagine if this anime were entirely Ryuuko on her own.  Well, maybe not entirely on her own since Senketsu goes wherever Ryuuko goes, but it’s not like he’s always conscious or always speaks.  The story would remain virtually the same provided that Mako and her family provide shelter for Ryuuko and that Ryuuko has saved Mako a couple times though those sequences are largely inconsequential to the overall plot.  Ryuuko would probably do fine without Mako’s character too, though you’d have to wonder how long she could go alone… even though you figure she likes her current persona, calling herself Ryuuko, Kantou Vagabond and Guitar Case Drifter at one point.  So really, what does Mako add to Kill La Kill?  Well, the obvious answer would be the comedy which Mako provides a constant, pleasant level throughout.  Her delightful presence makes Kill La Kill a comedy anime whenever she’s around, much more than the dramatic, climatic, ecchi masterpiece that it is when she’s in the background.  But is that it?  Is Mako only there for the laughs?  Is she really that empty of a character?

What I find when analyzing her character is that the real value of Mako’s character is that she provides the charm in Kill La Kill.  It’s her endearing, personal nature, her constant friendliness and support that makes Mako an essential aspect of Kill La Kill.  No one else comes close to providing this charm and innocence to what is otherwise an indecent anime.  And to compound this, she’s also essential in how she aids Ryuuko.  Her presence is the only encouragement Ryuuko has in Kill La Kill, something that is indispensable, something only a character like her can provide.  This is where you find the most value in Mako’s character and where she finds her role in the story and to Ryuuko’s character.  To imagine Kill La Kill without Mako would be incomplete.  It would be impossible.  And even in a crude, clowning episode like this, entirely humorous with striped panties, nosebleeds and nonsense, Mako continues to make her key presence felt and continues to make herself a meaningful and fundamental character in Kill La Kill.  That is exactly what we should see in Mako’s character… if only we weren’t laughing so hard at her zany behaviors.

Kyousogiga (TV) (Episode 3)

Though we’ve only seen The Four Divines for a couple of seconds on a digital video screen, I want more of them.  They don’t seem like the most interesting or remarkable characters in this crazy franchise but they look like a quartet of characters that are fun, entertaining and a wonderful addition to any comedic scene.  Hopefully Shouko’s request for help from this is just a simple teaser of what to expect since those four characters look to be a positive addition to an outstanding anime.

Magi: The Kingdom of Magi (S2) (Episode 4)

Why can’t heroes just say “no”?  Why can’t they stick to their original plans and continue on their predetermined journey?  Why do they stop at every town, abandon all their plans and help solve every problem that present itself on their way?  Like, I just want to see someone do that once… just once is all I’m asking for.  Why are they stopping here at this dank, dreary village to save a handful of children when there are bigger fish to fry, like maybe addressing that war going on in Magnostadt or figuring out what Judal is up to?  Then again, introducing logic to a shounen anime like Magi might make too much sense.

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 17)

Please, no more recraps.  Please, use these limited opportunities to animate more of the Monogatari series instead of reusing old footage in various capacities to retell stories that we already watched.  And I don’t care if it’s mainly stills and low-quality animation like the original Nadeko arc in Bakemonogatari, I just want more fresh material from the Monogatari franchise.  So please, no more recraps.

Nagi no Asukara (Episode 4)

Although I am enjoying a majority of the cast in Nagi no Asukara, I believe the two racist gradeschoolers are my favorite characters.  Miuna and Sayu were originally two characters who provided a change-of-pace in the first couple episodes, providing instant humor when they’d unsuccessfully bully the underwater folk, especially with their adorable and unintimidating appearances.  However, with the fourth episode shedding some light on the familial situation for Miuna (complex relationship with family-friend Akari) and Sayu’s own struggles (depending on Miuna for support), these two comedic characters have quickly shown considerable depth and purpose beyond berating Hikari and friends.  Having these simple background characters connect to everyone else in the intricate relationship web not only strengthens the series overall, especially in terms of developing this story beyond a simple tale of ‘forbidden love’, but shows how the two distinct societies separated by the sea are inseparable from each other.  Miura’s character illustrates this point alone, not to mention how her character connects with five others, too.  However, beyond these points, the two little girls are still the funniest characters in the anime and that alone is enough for me to like them the best.  Giving them a sincere backstory and providing sufficient context to the story is just a nice, little bonus to go with these two sweet, enjoyable characters.

Samurai Flamenco (Episode 3)

The physical setting of Samurai Flamenco is rather unadorned and lackluster; a modern, urban Japan without superpowers, superheroes or the supernatural.  However, Samurai Flamenco has one of my favorite settings this season due to the elaborate and thorough details documented in every hero show that Hazama recites.  Not only are these details vitally important to the story and the characters but the complexity of these hero shows and how they relate and seem to build off each other provides a uniquely stimulating setting to Samurai Flamenco beyond its physical environment.  Sure, there might not be monsters or youkai or aliens or anything to differentiate it from the overabundance of modern, urban Japanese settings but the thought and detail put into the hero shows in Samurai Flamenco makes up for any deficiencies that may or may not be observed.  It may not be the most interesting or the sexiest setting this season but the attention to detail and the thoughtful use of the setting in Samurai Flamenco makes it one of my favorites.

Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta (Episode 3)

So how exactly do these two dimensions work together?  According to the explanation we were given in this episode, the physical environments of the two worlds are the same but the living beings in each cannot interact with each other.  But what does that entail for buildings?  Does one character building a home in one dimension mean the others see floating boards flying around and nails hammering themselves in?  What about weather?  Does the weather in one dimension match the other?  And what about food?  If someone is eating something, does that mean food magically disappears in the other?  I’m really at a loss for how these two intertwined dimensions work with each other when we’re given no context or experience to understand how they work or how these people know these dimensions work like this.  What I would like to see to address this issue is for the characters (or even one) to visit the other dimension to better understand what it’s like and how the two depend on each other.  However, considering that no one has ever crossed from the youkai dimension into the human one doesn’t bode well for what I’d like to see, so maybe we’ll get a walkie-talkie or radio or something later on.

This week: Kaiki’s internal conflict and searching for his truth in Monogatari Series Second Season, severely disappointed with Samurai Flamenco, why the family drama is much better than the romance in Nagi no Asukara, and the underappreciated, yet fascinating mecha in Galilei Donna.

Best episode of the week: Monogatari Series: Second Season

Anime trending up this week: Kyousogiga (TV)

Anime trending down this week: Samurai Flamenco

Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta (Episode 7)

Yozakura Quartet has had its ups and downs this season, thanks in part to some fascinating episodes early and some tedious ones of late.  However, there has been one aspect that has remained consistent throughout, and it continues to be one of the genuine strengths of the series.  The comedy in Yozakura Quartet doesn’t always take center-stage or the spotlight in every scene but its ubiquitous presence in the series always makes room for smiles or laughs, even when the series is straight-faced or serious.  The fact that the comedy isn’t subjected to ups and downs means that the humor and entertainment in this anime is anchored at an adequate level; it’s something we can expect going in to every episode… and that’s something extremely valuable for a series that has inconsistencies, or spikes and valleys, like Yozakura Quartet.

Samurai Flamenco (Episode 7)

Of course, we all expect Guillotine Gorilla to be a part of some stunt or trick or twist or scheme, likely orchestrated by the main antagonist of the series, Akira Konno, and the chief of police.  The event was obviously planned and coordinated by the entire staff of police and, without Gotou’s or Hazama’s knowledge, it lead to our masked hero to be cornered by the spatial projection of the source of all evil.  I mean, the transformation, the gorilla, the damage and deaths, and the evil specter of evil, King Torture, are all likely some flashy effects and scientific wizardry concocted by the only person still obsessed with Samurai Flamenco.  Think about it… who, other than another superhero fanboy, would know exactly what to do to antagonize a masked hero fanboy like Samurai Flamenco?  Right?  It’s got to be him.  Who else would know to do all this, to this level of detail, and to pull off this stunt without Hazama or Gotou catching wind?  What just occurred what almost too perfect.  But then that means… it wasn’t perfect.  In fact, it’s pretty far from perfect to me.

To me, I felt like the series took a completely wrong turn with this move.  Why did the series try to play this event out as a serious event?  Why did this anime try to portray everything that happened, as incredibly stupid and asinine as it was, as something that actually occurred?  I don’t get it.  Is the series trying to take a nosedive?  Is it trying to shed its realism and go all bananas?  And if, for whatever miniscule chance this is all real, then what the hell is this series trying to accomplish?  Consider myself unamused by what just occurred in Samurai Flamenco, for taking the series in the complete opposite direction of where I wanted the series to go.  Nevertheless, consider myself also deeply intrigued because I’m absorbed in what just happened and excited to see what will happen next.  I may not be happy with what’s going on in Samurai Flamenco but I’m certainly engrossed enough to learn about everything that just happened.

Nagi no Asukara (Episode 8)

The dynamics of the family drama in Nagi no Asukara, that is Akari’s decision to leave her family in Shioshishio and reside with Itaru and Miuna on the surface, is easily the more interesting aspect of the series than the love pentagon developing between the five school-age kids.  Romantic relationships in schools between budding adolescents is a tired, tired genre for me, and what Nagi no Asukara is offering with its stereotypical anime cast is nothing to get me excited or interested.  And while the drama related to the families isn’t anything spectacular, I find myself captivated by the events that have transpired and the drives the characters have.  To me, the most significant growth and development in this series has occurred between Akari and Miuna, especially Miuna.  Watch these two characters come together has easily been my favorite aspect of Nagi no Asukara and I’m pleased to see this story continue through the middle of the series and remain a feature throughout.  I realize that the romance will eventually take over toward the latter half of the series considering the anime spends a disproportionate time on that subject, so I can’t help but wonder if my interest in this anime will wane when such a transition occurs.  I suppose now I should just enjoy what the series is providing me in terms of the familiar and societal drama and then try to enjoy the romance when the series decides it’s time to sink.

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 21)

Kaiki is probably the greatest character in the Monogatari franchise.  Not only is his cruel personality and strict demeanor ideal for a villain, fitting the theme of Monogatari like a curse to a middle school girl, but his dry humor, harsh temperament and brimming self-confidence make his clashing nature a delight to witness.  Whether it is with Senjougahara, Araragi or even himself (the scene with the bathroom mirrors), Kaiki’s dialogue is simultaneously both turbulent and perceptive, showcasing his contempt for others while adhering to his own personal philosophy and system of logic.  He is a remarkable character who rationalizes his selfishness and malevolence in a steadfast way that is impossible for anyone to convince him otherwise.

So to see Kaiki there, sitting alone before the bathroom mirrors, searching for a reason to accept Senjougahara’s job is quite jarring and conflicting to what we’ve already established Kaiki’s character to be.  It wasn’t so much that Kaiki was trying to convince himself to take the job, since we already know that to be impossible.  Rather, he had already convinced himself to take it when listening to Senjougahara’s story.  Instead, what we saw was Kaiki attempting to rationalize his decision with himself.  Now that’s something I find fascinating.  What I saw with Kaiki’s monologue is a character that chose to do something that is against his existence; he accepted Senjougahara’s job despite it conflicting with everything he stands for.  As a result, he forced himself into seclusion and searched for every possible motivation for him to take the job, dismissing everything obvious and, in doing so, found the most arbitrary and distinct detail and used it to fit his rationale.  It isn’t that Kaiki is doing this for Kanbaru.  Rather, Kaiki is doing this for himself with Kanbaru as the only explanation to fit his character.  But why is Kaiki doing this for himself when it goes against him unwavering personality?  That is something I’d love to find out and I pray we find out with this story arc.  I’d love for Monogatari Series Second Season to explore his character in depth and rationalize his character, especially since we’ve already seen one contradiction in his character already.  If there is any time to do such a detailed examination and analysis of Kaiki, the time is now in Hitagi End.

Magi: The Kingdom of Magi (S2) (Episode 8)

I’m glad Aladdin’s adventures in Magnostadt (which I’ve always wanted to call Mangostand and will henceforth do so) were only episode long.  Why?  It’s not that I didn’t find myself enjoying the episode or that I found its placement in the series to be incorrect or insignificant, but that one episode was the right amount of time used to tell such a story.  Anything less would not have been enough and anything more would have been too much.  The story was complete, able to do everything it wanted to in the time allotted.  And the episode wasn’t boring or tedious either; rather, it was actually pretty amusing with a constant emphasis on comedy and humor (and fanservice) throughout.  And I actually liked the city of Mangostand, though the setting was notably underdeveloped in just this one episode.  Still, I’m content with what we saw and what was achieved in this one episode, and I hope the pattern continues for Alibaba and Morgiana next.

Little Busters! Refrain (Episode 8)

Seeing Riki lead Rin around has been a common staple for Little Busters! since the beginning of the anime.  You’d often see Riki lend a hand, figuratively of course, to help Rin venture outside of her comfort zone and help her disperse her shyness.  But now, with the series in an alternative timeline or dimension or whatever, things have been reset, and all of Riki’s progress with Rin has been seemingly lost.  So, what do you expect Riki to do now that Rin has reverted back to her introverted state?  He’s lending a hand again… but this time, literally.  To see Riki lead Rin around by holding her hand is something completely new in this timeline.  And while I’m probably the least invested in romance in the history of anime fandom, I think it’s really, really, really, adorable.  In fact, seeing the couple go between places with Riki holding Rin’s hand has easily become my favorite aspect of this anime now that several of my favorite characters are AWOL.  I can only hope this minor detail continues to the end of the series, though I have my reservations on how far it will continue as the Little Busters circle grows in subsequent episodes.

Kyousogiga (TV) (Episode 6)

The Alice in Wonderland motifs in Kyousogiga have always made me smile.  The tributes, the details, the minutiae… all these little tidbits and elements have helped infuse a sense of meaning and miracle into the innovative and imaginative narrative that is Kyousogiga.  But now, with the story embarking on a different path, or at least one that doesn’t seem to rely too heavily on Lewis Carroll’s novel, I find myself smiling even more.  Why?  Because what Kyousogiga is doing now is establishing its own story, now with its own originality and creativity.  To see the series expand in such a fashion and to find its own direction, after using so many parallels from Alice in Wonderland, is something I can’t help but appreciate.  It really makes me happy when an anime is able to assert its independence like this after incorporating various characteristics and features from other stories.  And with Kyousogiga now instituting its own chronicles, I can’t help but excited to see where this new, original journey takes us.

KILL la KILL (Episode 8)

Something that Ira Gamagoori said in this episode shook me a bit.  Although we consider Satsuki and the Four Divas to be evil antagonists, oppressing the students under totalitarian rule, he did state that he’s there to help the students of Honnouji Academy, even when his sworn enemies, Ryuuko and Mako, were stuck on the side of the road with a broken-down scooter.  And that got me to thinking… what is the perspective of KILL la KILL like from everyone other than Ryuuko?  Although the established opinion in this anime is that Satsuki and the Four Divas are evil, I wonder how much good they provide to the other students or to the school in general.  Then again, while characters like Nonon and Houka interact coldly with their fellow students, Ira and Uzu are seen among their peers and often are helping them in one way or the other.  It’s kinda funny to see these dual personas with these villainous characters, but it’s something I appreciate in an anime of this style.  I always appreciate it when villains are shown to have good or virtuous sides instead of being insane characters who are obsessed with destruction, world domination or something that lacks depth or is not relatable.  So to hear Ira say those words to Ryuuko and to follow through with his actions really helps me realize how much I enjoy these characters in KILL la KILL.  I can only hope they continue to play a significant role after Ryuuko beats them to a pulp in the Naturals Election.

Gingitsune (Episode 8)

Since Gingitsune is a highly religious anime, I appreciate it taking the time to move away from the heavenly heralds and show us the story of a man going through hell.  Or, that is to say, I thought watching Yoshizumi escorting three high school girls through the mall for hours was the very demarcation of hell, or at the very least, one of them.  Not only must the whole experience been tedious and frustrating and maddening, but to have him have a crush on one of the girls must’ve made the whole experience even worse.  Ugh, watching her walk around, looking at clothes and being indecisive about ties must’ve been the worst day of his life… especially since it was on his day off, too.  I feel for Yoshizumi as a character; that must’ve been rough.  I can only hope he gets fired or ends his misery by resigning shortly hereafter.

Galilei Donna (Episode 7)

The mecha in Galilei Donna are both underutilized and underappreciated.  With the anime revolving around some soon-to-be disappointing treasure and the related hunt with arbitrary clues and artifacts and guides, I can’t help but realize that virtually every episode has had a mecha play a significant role in some way.  Whether it’s Hozuki’s flying airship, Galileo, Hozuki’s robotic suit that helped liberate her sisters from prison, the vast array of enemy fighters, or even Hozuki’s bike/bazooka from the opening scene… the diversity and application of mecha in this anime is outstanding.  But why are these fantastic aspects so unacknowledged?  While I do attribute a large part of this to the setting, a future where these remarkable and mesmerizing machines are nothing more than everyday gadgets to the characters, I don’t understand why the characters don’t pay more attention to these things.  Then again, there have been several times where the characters comment on the usefulness of the mecha or their curiosities of Grande Rosso or whatever, so maybe I’m just late to the party in realizing how amazing the mecha are in Galilei Donna.

Freezing Vibration (Episode 8)

One of the main reasons why I heavily criticize fanservice in most anime is because it always feels forced or contrived.  The way it’s portrayed or the way it’s depicted just never feels right.  In Freezing, sometimes the fanservice feels like this (probably whenever Kazuya is around), but most of the time I like it or appreciate it.  To me, the fanservice in Freezing feels natural.  You don’t have too many awkward zooms or characters blushing or girls flashing their panties when they don’t want them too… nor do you have the guys with bloody noses, the creepy otaku stereotypes who obsess over these girls and that dreadful comedy where the girls punch the guys in comedic fashion (I swear, those punches do more damage to me than to any guy they hit).  But no, in Freezing, you have girls unashamed of these details and who walk around naked or in various states of undress throughout.  Here, the fanservice feels normal or natural, and this lack of attention or focus is why I find Freezing to be one of the better ecchi anime out there.

Coppelion (Episode 8)

Who authorized the Coppelion project?  Or more specifically, who decided it was a good idea to give superhuman strength or electrical powers to the clones of a serial killer?  Couldn’t someone have spent a minute or two researching their candidates and realize that some all of the things they were doing was a bad idea?  Then again, couldn’t the people making this anime have done the same thing?  Seriously, GoHands could’ve been making a sequel to K or something instead of this garbage.

A couple weeks ago: wondering which side to root for in KILL la KILL, examining the biggest problem in Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta, curious decisions made about Kumin in Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! Ren, and enjoying Hoozuki no Reitetsu for its aesthetics.

Best episode of the week: KILL la KILL

Anime trending up this week: Nagi no Asukara

Anime trending down this week: Wizard Barristers – Benmashi Cecil

Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! Ren (Episode 5)

Even though this episode focused on Kumin and her theme, there was relatively little to no character development for Kumin since it focused on the silly napping club instead of giving her character the opportunity to mature.  Most of the time character episodes resolve a problem or reveal a new trait for which the character can evolve, but this episode did nothing for Kumin.  Although it was cute and fun, it’s somewhat of a missed opportunity, especially since Kumin is the least developed of the main characters in Chuunibyou.

Hamatora (Episode 5)

Is it bad that my favorite episode of this series was a comedy/fanservice(?) one unrelated to the main story except for the end?  It probably doesn’t bode well for an anime that takes itself seriously, like Hamatora, but it is for me since it leaves a positive impression on me and gives me hope that the comedy will resurface again in the series… and hopefully with the same results.

Hoozuki no Reitetsu (Episode 5)

I don’t believe I have ever watched an anime just for its aesthetics (don’t lie, Avv), but the aesthetics and visual appeal seem to be the main reason why I’m continuing to watch Hoozuki.  I am less than impressed with the characters, the story, the comedy and the setting, but the style and presentation are so unique and distinctive that I find myself enjoying most of the episodes because of it.

Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha (Episode 4)

With the romance between Inari and Kouji being somewhat straightforward and effortless, I find myself turning to the relationships between the Inari and her three best friends, Keiko, Chika and Akemi, to be the most interesting aspect of this anime.  Not only is this storyline desirable since it already presents conflict but Inari’s neutral perspective will require her to play peacekeeper between these three girls and I’m curious how she’ll go about to preserve these friendships and help resolve the resentment that emanates from Chika (and anything else that arises as a result).

KILL la KILL (Episode 17)

With Satsuki revealing her intentions to overthrow the Life Fibers, we now have two factions against the big, bad evil organization at the heart of KILL la KILL.  But which side is better?  Or rather, are we projected to begin to root for Satsuki and her ideals now that we know she’s fighting against evil or are we supposed to side only with Ryuuko and Nudist Beach?  It’ll be interesting to see how these sides evolve as the finale draws closer, but hopefully Ryuuko and Satsuki never join forces since they are natural born enemies.

Magi: The Kingdom of Magi (S2) (Episode 18)

There are two ways that each side could’ve won the war for Magnostadt.  Reim should have turned the war into one of attrition and stalled Magnostadt’s armies until it began to drain its resources, specifically its magoi and then go from there (yes, I know, easier said than done).  For Magnostadt, they should’ve used their barriers in creative ways and used it to pinch the army between two barriers and focused on the real fighters thereafter.  Sure, it takes a while to generate a barrier, but they could’ve used a series of weaker barriers until they could produce another impenetrable barrier on the opposite side of the army to trap them.

Nagi no Asukara (Episode 18)

I always love to see a familiar setting change, whether it be through growth, destruction or something simple like a change in seasons with ice and snow covering the sleepy hillside village of Shioshishio.  Of course, I have a favorite among the diversity of changes and winter/snow/silence is always one of my favorites, especially since Shioshisho is already unique and unusual in that it’s an underwater town.

Nobunagun (Episode 5)

Nobunagun really needed someone like Galileo.  She has quickly become the best part of this anime thanks to her contagious personality, her energetic comedy and her cute and compelling emotions and expressions.  With everyone else in the anime, save for Shio, one level of boring or another, it’s refreshing to see someone like Galileo pop up, bring some vitality and make the anime fun again.

Noragami (Episode 5)

Even though it’s the same joke over and over, I will never get tired of Hiyori’s soul leaving her body in Noragami.  Not only are these scenes some of the most amusing in Noragami, due to Hiyori’s reactions, but that they also signify a change in the series when Hiyori goes from the normal, boring world into one that can interact with the supernatural.  These moments possess a duality, with one being comedy and the other signifying that the series will soon have some action or development of sorts.

Samurai Flamenco (Episode 16)

You realize that the only thing left for Samurai Flamenco is to go into space now.  And to be honest, I’m actually kinda looking forward to seeing what this anime will be like in space once we get there. (Note: this was written before seeing the preview for episode 18.)

Space Dandy (Episode 5)

Even though Kana Hanazawa is one of my favorite voice actresses, I was actually disappointed to hear her voicing the little, lost alien in this episode of Space Dandy.  Maybe it’s a bit of oversaturation or that I associate that voice with too many other characters already, but it just didn’t feel all that special to me.  That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy her work in this episode, just that I think I would’ve enjoyed it better had this role been played by a new or upcoming voice actress than one who is at the top of the industry.

Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta (Episode 5)

The one major flaw with Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta is its artwork and prime example would be the overly simplified swim trunks for all the guys.  While the girls’ swimsuits were decent at best (you figure animators would draw the girls better than the guys), the swim trunks were all flat, monotone, and artificial.  At times, it even resembled the feeble efforts of Cartoon Network to censor the nudity in shows like Dragon Ball Z or Outlaw Star by drawing shorts and things over the naked character’s bodies.  I never thought I’d see the quality of artwork drop that low in an anime before but it certainly has with Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta.

Wizard Barristers – Benmashi Cecil (Episode 4)

If wizards like Koromo can perform divinations, then why don’t they utilize this phenomena in their investigations, trials and even preventing crimes from occurring?  I suppose if that were the case, then everything about the magic court would be broken, but it does beg the question of why to include it for one scene when it would be useful in every case that comes to the Butterfly Law Offices.

Last week, if you still remember: understanding that Ping Pong the Animation is not a happy anime, what made this episode the best episode of Akuma no Riddle, detailing a game in which everyone would beat Sora and Shiro from No Game No Life and a super easy way of solving every mystery dungeon in Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin.

Best episode of the week: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders

Anime trending up this week: Akuma no Riddle

Anime trending down this week: Mangaka-san to Assistant-san to

Akuma no Riddle (Episode 7)

What made this episode of Akuma no Riddle the best in the series (to date) was not the menacing time-bomb, the cryptic scavenger hunt, Suzu’s fascinating backstory or seeing all the girls in swimsuits. No, these pieces certainly helped, but what made this episode better from all the previous ones was the completely different dynamic. Rather than having nothing but backstory for the first half of the episode, then isolating Tokaku, Haru and the unlucky assassin for second part, this episode incorporated the entire cast the entire time and made the deadly assassin game the majority of the episode. By involving the cast in the event this time, the other girls were allowed to spectate and commentate on Tokaku and Haru playing Suzu’s deadly game rather than being non-existent like every other episode. The assassin-classmates were involved in this episode to a significant degree, adding a fresh and diverse feel to this episode and providing humor, nervousness and energy to the episode that would otherwise be difficult for the three primary characters. Sure, the other girls have been involved in previous episodes, but nothing to this level and never when someone was trying to assassinate Haru. Involving the cast like this made this episode the most enjoyable thus far and I hope to see future episode incorporate the cast like this during more of these events. That and more swimsuits, please.

Hitsugi no Chaika (Episode 6)

Frederica should be around more. Not only is she the first character in Hitsugi no Chaika to possess an amusing and delightful personality, but she’s also arguably the strongest fighter in Chaika’s gang of misfits. She has the ability to fly, making travel or escape much easier, and is the only one around to question whether Chaika, Tooru and Akari are doing the right thing or not. Having her around would make the adventures of Chaika much easier, too, especially with her ability to transform herself into anything she wants, whether it be another human, a cat, or her natural dragoon form. But really, think about having her disguise herself as someone important and steal the remains every time. It’d be too easy, really. And maybe that’s why we don’t see her around as much. Perhaps having Frederica around all the time would make the anime too easy (it wouldn’t be fun to watch Frederica do everything) or too dumb (if Frederica were around too much and wasn’t doing anything, she’d be underutilized). So maybe having Frederica pop in and out is the best use of her overpowered character in this anime. Then again, she still should be around more since she’s the only fun character in this anime.

Isshuukan Friends (Episode 6)

It’s a shame parents aren’t around more often in anime since mothers are frequently the best characters in the shows they appear in. For example, Kaori’s mother, Shiho Fujimiya, fits this archetype very well, being compassionate to her daughter and charitable to her new friends. Her benevolent personality shined brightly and she was able to have a positive effect and lasting impression on Yuuki, Shougo and Saki. Furthermore, she was able to disclose valuable information about Kaori to Yuuki in hopes that he continues to make her daughter’s life better. She already knows very well about how he has positively influenced Kaori’s life through encouragement and persistence and wants to help him continue by helping him understand more about her daughter and her special condition. And let’s not forget Shiho’s tender and gentle smile. Her genuine affection and honest devotion make her one of the best characters in this anime, if not the best, and I can only hope we continue to see her character in this anime as the series continues.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (Episode 7)

Jotaro’s catchphrase of ‘yare yare daze’ can be translated and understood a number of different ways. It’s an expression of mild exhaustion, irritation, or disappointment and can even be used to express relief, similar to a sigh. When translating it into words, it can come out as ‘give me a break…’ or ‘how annoying…’ or even ‘good grief…’. All are correct… but some are more sensible than others. ‘Good grief…’, for example, is the unmistakable catchphrase of Charlie Brown, so by translating ‘yare yare daze’ as ‘good grief…’, we have the unintended consequences of seeing bits of Charlie Brown in Jotaro. Then again, there are potential issues with the other translations, too. If Jotaro’s catchphrase were ‘give me a break…’, we might expect him to break out into Kit Kat’s famous jingle. And constantly reading ‘how annoying…’ would get pretty annoying, too, you know? And just replacing ‘yare yare daze’ with *sigh* would be slightly awkward too, because Jotaro sighs a lot already, sometimes right before saying ‘yare yare daze’ (imagine that, two *sighs* in a row). So really, there is no exact or true translation for ‘yare yare daze’, especially when many of the translations for this expression have established uses or fame in English already. However, if you wanted to use a translation that was free from those potential issues, then something like ‘what a pain…’ would probably be the best.

No Game No Life (Episode 6)

The games are flawed in No Game No Life. Like, severely flawed. But rather than document the inconsistencies and arbitrary developments in the game this week, like I did with the review for last week, I will find another topic that relates to this episode. Specifically, what game could you choose and have an easy time beating Sora and Shiro?

Considering what we know, of their impressive supremacy and unbeaten streak, you’d figure it’d be nearly impossible to find a game where you’d have any type of advantage over them. In fact, the anime portrays them as unbeatable in all types of games and, after what we’ve seen, it seems to be true. But really, it’s quite simple to think of a game where you could be Sora and Shiro, and I’m sure anyone who has thought about this question for a little bit has a few ideas. To me, the simplest game to easily beat them in would be a foot race. It could be 100 meters, 400 meters, a mile or anything. Given that the two are hardcore otaku who never venture outside and spend all day sitting around, the idea of a simple foot race as a game is one where the median population would hold the advantage over Sora and Shiro. Additionally, it’s difficult to cheat or hold different interpretations to subjective rules in track, so there’s little they can do with their intellect and knowledge to gain advantage. Or if you wanted, you could really choose any sport or anything with considerable physical activity to win. The reason why we’ve seen Sora and Shiro be undefeated in No Game No Life is that all the games they’ve played have had zero to minimal physical involvement. And even if they know the ideal way to throw a discus, to shot a basketball, to hit a baseball, to do the front crawl or how to sprint, their bodies would be unable to handle the demand and victory would be guaranteed for the opposing party. Of course, the anime loves to introduce silly gimmicks to these games, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see something similar occur in this anime if sports are introduced. Still, the easiest way to beat Sora and Shiro, and probably the greatest chance of success too, would be to race them.

Ping Pong the Animation (Episode 6)

This episode of Ping Pong was particularly happy – unusually happy, even – watching everyone spend their time around Christmas differently and enjoying it in their own unique ways. The cheerful mood was augmented by the jovial music and laughter, and the absence of table tennis matches helped aid in this special atmosphere. However, the attitude and humor of this episode made me realize that most episode of Ping Pong aren’t happy ones. This episode was such a dramatic shift from the norm that I began to realize what the rest of the series was about. Rather than being a story of growth and happiness and accomplishment, the series is quite the opposite with most of the anime concentrating and focusing on the stress, disillusion and melancholy associated with playing competitive ping pong. I suppose it shouldn’t be terribly surprising considering the content and developments of the previous episode, but I never consciously thought that this was a dark or depressing anime. I came to the conclusion early on that this anime was realistic but never to the point that it was an unhappy one. However, after watching a happy episode and realizing how well it contrasts the rest of the series, I can’t help but figure that this anime is supposed to be some level of depressing. However, considering how powerful and outstanding the anime is, I wouldn’t have it any other way. It was refreshing to have an episode like this change the pace of the anime and offer some new perspective, like a one week vacation. However, the best elements of this anime are related to the competitiveness born through the table tennis matches. I can’t wait until the next episode when the anime returns to what it does best.

Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin (Episode 6)

You know what’d make every puzzle in Nanana simple and effortless? Using a rope and grappling hook. Imagine that. Throw the grappling hook to the other side, tie the other end to something and just climb across. Ta-dah! Puzzle completed without having to waste time or energy thinking or doing anything. Oh, what’s this? A geyser puzzle with hot water and pillars that move around and spray water up your skirts? How will we get through this? Rope and grappling hook. Or what about this weird desk room with trap floors and whatnot. Rope and grappling hook. Or any other treasures that we’re bound to see. Again, rope and grappling hook. I mean, seriously, why not?

A long, long, long time ago, whenever these episodes aired: explaining why Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin doesn’t need a villain, why the lives of Sora and Shiro are worse now than before in No Game No Life, thoughts on why the relationship between Tokaku and Haru isn’t a romance in Akuma no Riddle, and using variations in cinematography to keep the reaction shots interesting in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders.

Best episode of the week: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders

Anime trending up this week: Isshuukan Friends

Anime trending down this week: Hitsugi no Chaika

Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii (Episode 8)

One aspect of the romance in Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii that appeals greatly to me are the fights between Nike and Livi. To me, genuine character growth is born through conflict, so seeing these two lovers quarrel yet remain together is a huge positive for this anime. Many times, romances in anime are simple and tame stories, often beginning with love-at-first-sight, progressing to countless misunderstandings and then ending the anime before anything exciting happens. The romance in Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii circumnavigates this tired formula by forcing Nike and Livi together through an arranged marriage. The two are unnatural for each other and have been forced to work through their differences in order for the marriage to work. Nothing about their relationship has been easy. Nike and Livi have had to work to create the relationship that they have now. And as a result of this effort and sacrifice, the two have an honest romance that has been more than entertaining to watch. Because of the fights between these two, Nike and Livi have become better people and have developed a true romance between each other. It’s because of all this hard work that has made the romance in Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii one of the best attributes of this anime.

Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin (Episode 8)

Ryuugajou Nanananananananana no Maizoukin doesn’t need a villain. From the beginning of the series up until this episode, Nanana described the story of a generic high school boy laboring to live a life on his own and attempting to help his new ghostly friend move on by solving her mysterious murder. The anime concerned itself with Juugo’s internal conflicts with his father and his gang, Matsuri, as he explored ruins, collected treasures and made friends with the wacky residents of Nanae Island. But now, with the arrival of a generic high school boy villain, the perspective of the series has shifted and gone from one centered around Juugo’s growth as a person to stopping this evil dude from finding random treasures. The focus is now completely different than the beginning of the series with only a handful of episodes left to go. And while the series will be clever and tie this back to Juugo and Nanana’s death, it isn’t necessarily the path the anime should go this late into the series. There are still plenty of potential left for Juugo and the other cast members, not to mention a handful of other ruins that we’ll never explore or material we’re now missing. It’s rather odd that they suddenly thrust a character like Ikusaba into the series when he doesn’t really add any value. It might just be my opinion, but I think adding Ikusaba in at this stage of the anime is a costly mistake.

Ping Pong the Animation (Episode 8)

Ping Pong the Animation has some of the most striking and outstanding visuals of the season. The tournament matches are gorgeous in terms of their animation, their cinematography and the overall directing. However, the topic of this review is the visual style and how Ping Pong utilizes techniques that are rarely seen in anime. Among the most obvious are the pencil lines used to denote contours, depth and shadows. It’s a style not exclusive to Ping Pong but one that Ping Pong uses remarkably well, especially with how it complements motion during scenes of extensive animation. It’s minimal but it’s highly effective. One style that is exclusive to Ping Pong, at least to me, is the heavy pencil shading shows in the lower-left screenshot. It’s an outstanding effect; a simple, yet bold shadow that enhances the moment we witness Hoshino’s trickery and aggressive return. It’s profound in how it supplements that shot and it is distinctive to Ping Pong’s unique style of art and animation. The cinematography is exceptional too, utilizing split screens more than any other anime I have ever seen. Likely a tribute to the manga and its panels, the split-screens are able to illustrate all the essential movements of a table-tennis match while simultaneously communicating the thoughts and emotions of the players and the spectators. The visuals of Ping Pong are brilliant and are truly innovative when compared to the standard anime these days. It’s thanks to this visual style that helps Ping Pong stand out from the rest… or rather, stand above the rest.

No Game No Life (Episode 8)

Although No Game No Life is one of the more entertaining anime of the season, the lives of Sora and Shiro aren’t particularly fun. While it’s true they don’t have to worry about food or shelter or interesting games to play, most of their time is devoted to learning about their world, studying the unusual races, and trying to identify all the different ways to win the various games they’ll play. It’s not like their old lives, where they resided in a small, cramped room all day and played various games merely for fun. Here, it’s actual work. Everything that Sora and Shiro are doing are related to these games and winning in general, but they’re putting a lot more effort into these games than ever before, especially with so much more at stake. Because of that, I can’t help but think that the lives of Sora and Shiro are actually worse off than they were before. Sure, it’s more exciting and thrilling and a nice change of pace, but considering the extra amount of work and stress that’s now a significant part of their lives, I’d have to say that their lives are worse now after being transported to this world.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (Episode 9)

If there’s one thing you can predict from JoJo’s, it’s that it is unpredictable. And because the anime is unpredictable, with all its various twists and turns, you can expect there will be a number of reactions shots in every episode. And while reactions shots are an integral and essential aspect of JoJo’s, the frequency of these shots and the lack of significant changes in emotion or context mean they’re more likely to grow stale or boring or mundane than anything else. That’s where the creative expertise is most necessary and quite apparent in JoJo’s. By utilizing differing camera angles, a massive variety of colors and some unique effects, JoJo’s is able to diversify these similar shots to make each distinctive and unique. In actuality, all these are all shots of character’s face looking surprised. But in reality, these are all idiosyncratic and all unique. Each one of these shots looks and feels different from the rest. And as a result of this artistic merit, the numerous and often overabundant reaction shots in JoJo’s never feel tiring or overused. It’s a wonderful method of diversifying shots through simple techniques that manages to have a powerful effect on the anime in the long run.

Isshuukan Friends (Episode 8)

Watching Kaori’s memory slowly recover and her life steadily improve makes Isshuukan Friends one of the more heartwarming and encouraging anime of the year. However, what if Kaori’s memory never developed and the series was stuck with her forgetting everyone at the beginning of every week, like in the first few episodes. What’s nice is that we’re able to see Kaori improve as the series progresses, but how would things be different if her memories remained the same as they did at the beginning of the series. How would it affect Yuuki? And how would it affect Shougo and Saki, too? It would be a different direction to take the story and the anime in, and it’s something worth thinking about since that’s how the story began. However, it’s probably best to see Kaori’s character mature and develop in the series in a way to move the series forward. With only a limited number of episodes and a story to tell, it’s for the best to see the series move in the way we are seeing. Nevertheless, I’d still like to see what’d happen in a story where Kaori’s memory never improved.

Hitsugi no Chaika (Episode 8)

What are the limitations of magic in this world? From what we’ve seen so far, magic is able to be utilized for a number of pertinent activities, from driving a vehicle to operating a gun (casting spells) to even mundane tasks, like cooking or communication. But what else can magic be used for? We know that magic fuel is readily bought and sold in common marketplaces, despite it being a precious material derived from the memories of living beings (but hey, let’s use it for fireworks!) We’ve also seen it able to control weapons that can fly through the air and also used to cause explosions that would destroy military defenses. We’ve also seen it used for a number of other odd things, too, like with the valley of fog. So really, what are the drawbacks of magic in this world if it can be seemingly used for everything and is able to be bought and sold without the memories problem that happened to Chaika?

Akuma no Riddle (Episode 9)

For two characters who spend every moment with each other, he relationship between Tokaku and Haru hasn’t been very romantic. The two are essentially a couple, but Tokaku and Haru don’t display any genuine or honest affection toward each other. There doesn’t seem to be any love or romance or sexual attraction between the two either. Hell, it’s almost hard to call them friends given Tokaku’s cold personality and hindered social skills, but Haru makes up for more than that with her bright, outgoing personality. Still, the two don’t even hold hands or look passionately into each other’s eyes. It’s more like the two are business associates than anything else. However, there’s still quite a bit of content left in the series and things can change quickly, especially since the two have been together for the entire series. It will be interesting to see what happens to the relationship now with the series approaching its finale, especially with the mystery of Haru’s character still in the dark.

This post reviews: Joker Game, Sousei no Onmyouji, Bungou Stray Dogs, Anne Happy, Koutetsujou no Kabaneri, Sakamoto desu ga?, and Shounen Maid.

I am not sure when Part 4 of the Spring 2016 First Impressions series will be published since a number of shows still haven’t aired.  I am debating whether I to post it without covering a couple of shows or whether I should wait and post it when the final show is out.  And given that I am planning on changing my writing format for this season, I’m not sure if or when I’ll ever get around to writing my thoughts on some of these late, late shows.

Watching:

Joker Game

My first admiration with Joker Game begins with its ability to fine-tune its tension and to manipulate its suspense.  Scenes that seem certain are revealed to be deceptions, relationships that seem genuine are dishonest, and the promise of drama, espionage and mystery are already paying off in just one episode.  To build off that first point, my second admiration with Joker Game is its setting and aesthetics.  As Joker Game is an espionage anime, and one set in urban Japan in 1937, there needs to be an astute level of detail in the setting to really capture the moment and atmosphere of the period.  But beyond the clothes, architecture, and technology, Joker Game captures the political and social feel of Japan just after the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War.  Not only that, but I adore the use of lighting and shadows in Joker Game.  Given the setting, it is understandable that Joker Game is dark, but it’s the use of light and shadows that has me enchanted.  It aids in the visuals and style of the series and helps complement the earthy, wooden tones that the anime utilizes well.  And though I could continue with my respect for this series, I do, actually, have some reservations.  For one, I do worry about the spies as characters.  I am fully aware they won’t have any backstories for which to base their roles on, as they are spies, but I am curious how or if they will develop and potentially turn against each other.  Joker Game may not necessarily be character-driven, but espionage stories depend heavily on the spies themselves as characters.  That isn’t to say that there is anything wrong with what happened in the first episode, but it is uncertain at this point.  Still, Joker Game has been one of the most delightful and impressive new anime this season, and one that I am eager to continue for the rest of this spring.

Anne Happy (Unhappy Go Lucky!)

And now for an endearing, colorful, and heartwarming anime about cute girls with terrible, dreadful, abysmal luck.  Anne Happy is a charming comedy/slice-of-life anime that matches my individuality well.  When evaluating a slice-of-life anime, I look for enjoyable, engaging characters that work well together.  Anne Happy certainly demonstrated that with its first episode, presenting the five main girls with deeper dives into An and Ruri.  And when judging a comedy, I don’t necessarily need to smile or laugh right away, as it is the potential and scenario of the anime that often result in the best humor.  I will admit I was a bit disappointed with the humor in this episode – mild at best – but it was the visuals of Anne Happy that wins out for me.  It may have been a while, but I will remind you again that Shin Oonuma is my favorite anime director.  Not only does he have an amazing talent to improve upon the source material for an anime adaptation, but his use of light, color, and chibi character really compliments the characters and comedy of Anne Happy.  I particularly enjoy the uplifting pastel palette of the anime, one that gives the impression of fortune and good luck which contrasts well with the girls’ misfortune and bad luck.  Simply, Anne Happy had an enjoyable first episode, and it has brilliant visuals.  I’m not expecting this to be near the top for Spring 2016, but I am expecting to be somewhat lucky by picking up Anne Happy this season.  Then again, it might also be bad luck considering that they introduced a mascot character at the end of episode 1…

Koutestsujou no Kabaneri (Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress)

Given that Shingeki no Kyojin and Koutetsujou no Kabaneri share the same director, studio, and primary staff, it shouldn’t be surprising that Iron Fortress will be viewed as the little brother to the titanic blockbuster that was Attack on Titan.  In fact, Iron Fortress has earned itself the nickname ‘Attack on Trains’ given the unprecedented number of similarities between the two.  And while this may seem like a negative to many, viewing the anime as derivative or a copycat, I am actually thrilled and excited to see it parallel Titan in so many ways.  The main reason why I am delighted is that Koutetsujou no Kabaneri is an original anime, not an adaptation, and will allow Tetsurou Araki and his staff to experiment on a series with creativity, origination, and imagination that was otherwise limited with Shingeki no Kyojin.  Iron Fortress is the payoff for such a masterful and magnificent job with Attack on Titan, and I am eager to see what they will attempt to do with their own story in their own hands.

Of course, many of the elements of Kabaneri are the same as Titan, but that is more a positive than a negative to me.  With that in mind, we already understand and appreciate a number of aspects of the anime, such as the astonishing fight sequences, the dystopian and dehumanized setting, and the bold and thorough art and animation.  Really, what’s not to like with a series such as this, especially if you were a fan of Shingeki no Kyojin or anything with steampunk technology or gigantic trains that run over hordes and hordes of zombies every day?  Koutetsujou no Kabaneri should be one of the most impressive anime of the season and one of the most spellbinding, too.

Sakamoto desu ga?

The PV for Sakamoto desu ga? was promising, an encouraging video with snazzy, jazz tunes playing over a flamboyant highschooler posing and flying around and doing all sorts of ‘cool’ things.  But, as is often the case with anime, you have to wait until the first episode or two to really know what you’re getting yourself into.  And, with Sakamoto desu ga?, you’re getting easily one of the best comedies of the year.  It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the humor of this series (hint: it was the bird skit) and I am sincerely interested to see where this bizarre comedy will go next.  The other elements of the anime, such as the characters, art, story, sound, blah blah blah, don’t really matter when the comedy and humor is this good.  And fortunately for us, the characters, art, story, sound, and even the blah blah blah are all great, too.  Sakamoto desu ga? is already a strong choice for Spring 2016, and I am expecting the series to continue on this positive trajectory.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, allow yourself to be charmed and swayed by Sakamoto.

Undecided:

Bungou Stray Dogs

Ok, before I begin, why did they call it a ‘man-eating tiger’ when the tiger never killed or ate any people?  Am I the only one that caught that inconsistency?

Anyway, Bungou Stray Dogs is a problematic anime for me because while it technically passes the basics for keeping an anime, I never really found myself enjoying it at any point in the first episode.  Stray Dogs certainly has the visuals to be a watchable anime, given its design, direction, color and lighting, not to mention great animation that complements the humor and the action.  Too bad the humor is banal and bland.  The animation tries so damn hard to make the scenes funny but you can’t make the audience laugh when the jokes are just… awful.  And considering that fact, I don’t think I’ll want to keep it given that I don’t see the comedy ever improving in this anime.  However, given that Bungou Stray Dogs is here, I am willing to give it another episode since the ending introduced three new main characters and there is a faint hope that they can replace the three that ate up most of the screentime in this episode.  I am leaning on dropping it, but I’m feeling benevolent and am curious where the series will go with its superpowers and detective story elements.

Dropped:

Sousei no Onmyouji (Twin Star Exorcists)

Sousei no Onmyouji is a decent anime, but it doesn’t have the intangibles to keep it, especially in light of all the other anime airing in Spring 2016.  Whereas Twin Star Exorcists bedazzles with its gorgeous art and exquisite fighting, perhaps one of the better examples this season, the core of the anime feels incredibly weak and generic.  The most incompatible aspect of Sousei no Onmyouji is its characters, where Rokuro and Benio mix like oil and water.  Separate those two parts and you’re left with pretty decent characters, but not together like this.  It just doesn’t work for me and the story and scenario don’t help either.  And according to my notes following the episode, there was only 1 good joke, but I can’t even remember it now which shows how much of an impression it left on me.  Overall, the first episode was underwhelming, uninspired, and clichéd.  And with so many other shows outperforming this in week 1, this is an easy choice to drop it now.

Shounen Maid

I, uh… I wasn’t expecting this to be 24 minutes.  I also wasn’t expecting a story and characters with backstories or anything.  I probably should’ve done more research on this anime and prepared myself accordingly, but I was expecting a simple, short comedy instead of a full-length TV anime.  I found myself bored and tedious about halfway through and didn’t even finish the first episode.  If this were 3 or 5 or even 10 minutes per episode, I’d be willing to give this a try, but there is no way I could sit through a full season of 24-minute episodes of this, especially when I couldn’t even complete one 24-minute episode.