If I were to quiz you on what Acetobacter aceti does, would you remember what we learned from Moyashimon?  What about Aspergillus sojae?  Instead, what if I provided a picture of one of our characterized microbe friends, or perhaps a short video clip demonstrating its voice and personality?  Would you remember then?

The fact that we continue to see these distinguished microbes in combination with their name, processes, and effects is done purposefully.  It allows us to link everything together so we can expand our microbial knowledge which is the central theme of Moyashimon Returns.  Microbiology is a vast, complex, and difficult science, so by having the microbes illustrated in this manner, in junction with their role in the anime, we can understand what’s happening in Moyashimon Returns better and we can understand and appreciate it more.  This is why we continue to see the microbes in this exemplified manner, even when Sawaki is not even present despite the fact he’s the only one who can see the microbes in this way.

Imagine, instead, a Moyashimon without all these cuddly characterized microbes floating around the environment.  The anime would still have the same characters, same events, same everything, except the microbes were depicted by tiny, amorphous unicellular organisms.  Visually, you’d be unable to differentiate them in this manner unless the characters presently discussed them or if the animators were generous enough to provide a nametag.  Though the anime would be closer to the real world in this approach, it would cause confusion by its ambiguity.  The fact that these microbes are given specific shapes, attributes, and personalities allows us to immediately recognize and distinguish the microbes that we see.  Though we understand that only Sawaki can see them in this form, the anime presents most examples of microbes like this to us so that we can differentiate our prokaryotes from our eukaryotes and so on and so forth.

The visual aids that are these humanoid microbes go beyond simply helping us recognize each microbe, too.  An additional effect of these characters is that it helps us connect fundamental concepts of Moyashimon together in the form of an image.  Thus far, including the first season, we’ve covered many models of fermentation, brewing, and other microbial processes.  Each time one of these examples is used, we usually have the relevant microbes involved, both shown visually along with their name, and then have everything explained so that we understand what’s happening.  By merging everything together at one time, we can understand the events happening in Moyashimon Returns better as well as see how the microbiology affects the situation or makes it entirely possible.  Even without Sawaki present, the anime chooses to visualize the microbes in this way for this reason.  If we can see the microbes and get their names and learn about the process, we can understand and retain this information better than without these pieces.  Simply speaking, Moyashimon realizes how valuable the characterize microbes are for teaching moments like these and uses them to enrich the Moyashimon experience.

Now, the nature of this anime is not to build us a foundation of microbial knowledge for which to impress collegiate professors (though I’m sure they’d be delighted to hear your interest in microbiology and immediately sign you up to start autoclaving petri dishes).  Moyashimon Returns doesn’t expect us to know the functions of microbes simply name or even a picture like the quiz in the introduction proposed.  Instead, the subject of this post is to bring attention to why the anime continues to show the microbes in this fashion and suggest how it helps us recognize themes, processes, and other occurrences in the anime.  The quiz was there to simply highlight the role of how the visual representation of microbes affects Moyashimon.

These microbes are visual aids to us, characters to help us differentiate between the overabundance of microbes and to link various essential concepts together.  Beyond that, the characters have other features, too, such as being the adorable mascots of the series and the personal friends of Sawaki.  Their roles are multifunctional and fundamental to Moyashimon.  And in order to appreciate these characters for what they mean to Moyashimon, the microbes are given these appearances for which to visualize, improve, and enhance Moyashimon as an anime.  The next time you see a microbe, remember how important its current form is to the anime.

Hazuki Oikawa, arguably the lead female in the series, has seen her role expanded in this young second season of Moyashimon.  Whereas her role in the first season was important, Oikawa has seen more of a central role around Sawaki and been given the most screentime of any character thus far.  Her position in the anime is significant, too, and she has a positive personality which steadily advances dialogue and scenes.  Her romantic interests with Sawaki are also a reason why she’s seen an augmented role this season, though that hasn’t really been a point of significant interest or time thus far.  And this increase in time has had an effect on the rest of the cast, too, seeing their prominence and screen-time reduced as a direct result.  Hasegawa, Kaoru, and Takuma have all had minimal roles in these first two episodes despite being three of the most dominant characters by this point in the first season.  It will be interesting to see how this dynamic shifts as the season progresses, whether it will continue more in Oikawa’s favor or allow the others a chance to play their parts in the story.  Judging by the opening sequence and the developments in this episode, I suppose we’ll learn more about Hasegawa’s role in the anime shortly, but at whose expense?  I suppose we shall find out.

The results of intoxication are a diverse variety.  Every person responds to alcoholic beverages differently with the consequences ranging from a jovial drunken ruckus, to an impatient, irrational hot-head, to even a quiet, sedating stupor.  The portrayal of drunkenness in media recognizes these states but goes a step further and casts them through various lenses to illustrate it as either positive, negative, humorous, or however it wants us to interpret this inebriated behavior.  Given the content and characters in Moyashimon Returns, examples of intoxication have been used and reused time and time again for numerous purposes and with extensively different outcomes.  How do these states of drunkenness and their portrayals figure into the grand plan of Moyashimon Returns?

Within the fourth episode of Moyashimon Returns were three examples where drunkenness: when Sawaki suggested Hasegawa go out for drinks with Misato and Kawahama, when Mutou returned to campus plastered, and when those kids were getting faced in Aya’s bar.  Each scene used the topic of intoxication differently, portraying each case uniquely depending on the characters and context for broadly different results.  Though all three examples end up being the jovial drunken ruckus-type alluded to before, the depiction of each example is what’s significant here.  How Moyashimon uses its drunkenness as a theme in its storytelling is rather quite interesting.

The first example used in this episode was a rather quick reference to a scene from the first season when Hasegawa got a bit too tipsy with her alcohol.  After Sawaki suggested that Hasegawa repair her friendship with Misato and Kamahawa over a few drinks, Hasegawa does what she always does around the thought of her consuming alcohol and reminded Sawaki of her regrettable nature when intoxicated.  Not only was this scene used to help show a difference in Hasegawa’s personality and separating herself from her friends as she was in the process of leaving the university, but it was also a reference to her view on alcohol which is rather unique among the cast.  Though a drunken Hasegawa was comedy gold in the first season, she always paints it as a regrettable behavior on her part and does her best to stay away from any alcohol.  She isn’t shy about it, bringing it up at every given chance to drink booze, but she certainly isn’t proud of her past behavior.  She’s the only one who does this as everyone else (who isn’t a minor) is eager to take a drink of whatever alcohol is present.  This character trait of Hasegawa shows some personal restraint on her part, portraying her view of intoxication as undesirable and embarrassing whereas everyone else is fine with a few cold ones.  Though her behavior while under the influence of alcohol was illustrated as a humorous adventure, her actions otherwise regarding alcohol are stern and serious.  That is, this instance was used as a reminder of the hilarity before but showcases her steadfast stance against alcohol and how she regrets her behavior when she’s drunk.

The next example, however, is quite the opposite with Mutou returning to campus as an absolute wreck with half a bottle of sake stuck on her finger.  Though the scene was ultimately important with Hasegawa disappearing from campus and her being handed the letter of withdrawal, Mutou’s drunkenness was shown entirely for comic purposes.  As one of her most distinguishable character traits, Mutou is often shown blitzed after a few too many drinks, though it’s never shown to be a problem for her character. In fact, she’s become a joke itself with the onlookers saying ‘Oh look, that silly Mutou is drunk again!’ and going on with their lives as she stumbled and struggled to make it to school in that erratic walking pattern of hers.  Furthermore, when Mutou was talking with Hasegawa’s father, her cheerful, drunken demeanor played into another quick joke before the scene got to the point and removed Haruka from school.  Like the drunken Hasegawa of last season, Mutou’s portrayal of intoxication was largely comical and positive, used to make the scene amusing and lighthearted.  Her character is often shown with this positive interpretation of drunkenness, so it’s not abnormal to see her like this, and she, herself, has a positive outlook on alcohol as well, eager to get smashed whenever she has the chance.  It isn’t a bad thing that there were no negative consequences or effects of her drunkenness, especially since it was used for laughs, but it is worth noting that her behavior quickly sobered up when she finally noticed Haruka was in the car being driven away.  Removing that comic bit from Mutou’s character really solidified the scene as something critical to the anime, so that absence of drunkenness is also significant to point out as another portrayal of drunkenness.

The final example of drunkenness in this episode of Moyashimon was the few college-aged guys getting loaded in Aya’s bar.  True, there was another couple already into a few drinks at that point, but the disturbance caused by the guys put the intoxication in a much more serious and realistic tone than the Hasegawa and Mutou examples.  The contrast here is that these guys were not played for laughs or amusement, but as an example of how people ideally respond to conflicts and problems.  Though the ultimate angle on this example was negative, it felt like a realistic trio of rowdy frat guys getting way too much alcohol at their favorite dive.  There was also a sense of conflict arising with all the noise they were causing and when they shattered a few glasses and attempted to shift the blame on their uncomfortable chair.  It wasn’t until the manager politely informed them about the destruction to his bar and their health did they decide to leave the establishment in a way familiar to anyone when watching drunk people trying to take care of drunk people.  Though the point of this scene wasn’t about being drunk, drunkenness was used as a means to structure the scene for which Aya and Oikawa to benefit from.  It cast the drunken guys in a realistic manner, showing the negative consequences of being sober around a bunch of shitfaced kids and them causing trouble to themselves and everyone else around them.  It didn’t have any specific times when it tried to be overtly humorous or demonizing of alcohol, but just used it in a way for the intoxication to cause a problem for which the manager to resolve.  It didn’t need any special filters or angles, this portrayal of drunkenness felt genuine and realistic and was all that was needed to make the scene function properly.

So, considering all these examples, what does it mean for Moyashimon to use intoxication to such a varying degree?  For one, considering that alcohol is such an essential theme in Moyashimon, it’s only natural for characters to be intoxicated from time to time.  And considering how the anime has a strong comical angle to it and uses humor well with its cast, it’s understandable to see drunkenness depicted in a positive and amusing way, though Hasegawa might disagree with that.  When the anime wants to return to being serious, especially when considering true character development or its story, the amusing drunkenness usually disappears to help reinforce the importance of what we’re watching.  Either that or the drunkenness becomes the problem and is used as a means to further the serious nature of the scene.  If there are examples where alcohol is used in a negative means to construct a humorous scene (like Mutou missing an exam because she slept in too late) or used in a positive light for a serious scene (Mutou giving someone inspirational advice while drunk), I cannot think of any.  Generally speaking, it seems that whenever the anime is humorous, the series glorifies alcohol a bit, and when it wants to be serious, it either demonizes it or attempts to construct it as realistic as possible.  As the series continues, we can expect to see our cast drunk again and again as they enjoy the fruits of their labors, so it will be interesting to see if these portrayals of drunkenness change or if they retain this dichotomy of positive/humorous and negative/serious.

It seems with Hasegawa being taken on a vacation by her partner from the arranged marriage, the series will be transitioning over to France as indicated by the opening credits.  Not only will the series somehow force the characters to track down Hasegawa and attempt to bring her back, but there’s bound to be numerous examples of how fermentation and the applications of microbiology differ in Europe compared to that of Japan.  Not only will the species of microbes be different on the other side of the globe, but so too will be their processes, giving the series a chance to compare the similarities between all uses of fermentation and brewing but to also contrast each and see why we have so many alcoholic and fermented products.  Expect the number of educational examples to make a significant rise in this upcoming arc, as well as the number of new cuisine eaten, especially since Professor Itsuki was in the mood for some cheese with his wine.  You should also expect to see the amount of drunkenness rise, too.  As for the story, who knows, though it will be interesting to see how and why everyone gets to go to France and what they do when they get there besides track down Hasegawa and attempt to bring her back to her familiar life in Professor Itsuki’s lab.

Is it just me or are the microbes that follow Sawaki around just, like, rude dicks to him or something?

The various beings of the Aspergillus oryzae and the Aspergillus sojae species never seem to leave Sawaki’s side and are abundant in whatever environment he is in.  Given Sawaki’s history, his family runs a successful yeast shop, it comes as no surprise to see he has a resilient relationship with his microbiological buddies.  But is it amiable?  Friendly?  Even pleasant or polite?  No, the microbes that pose as Sawaki’s ‘invisible’ friends are actually quite the opposite, ranging from rude to disparaging to even malicious and generally all-around negative.

Perhaps it’s best to illustrate this idea with a few examples, specifically from the seventh episode.  A prime example was when Sawaki was preparing his suitcase before departing for Paris.  The microbes floating around his bedroom, a mixture of the two aforementioned species, began pestering Sawaki about forgoing miso and soy sauce for a handful of days.  Trying to prove his worth, Sawaki denied the prospect of bringing the byproducts of these yeast with him across the globe, a reasonable argument given the time and distance involved with his trip.  But the fungi would have none of this and resorted to belittling Sawaki, an all too familiar approach as evident from previous encounters with these malicious microbes.  In previous episodes, we’ve seen them pressure Sawaki into disclosing his secret to Oikawa and generally making jokes at Sawaki’s expense.  Though their friendship has endured, these microbes are still being dicks to him.  What’s amusing is how these two species of yeast different from the ones being researched (and abandoned) by Hasegawa.

The idea for this topic came based on the interactions we’ve seen from the selected and studied yeasts that Hasegawa has stored in the test tubes at her desk.  These trapped, and likely starving yeasts, are concerned about Hasegawa despite not being able to communicate to her.  They desire to see their owner return, to perform more studies on each other, and see how well they’re developing in her absence.  These microbes show a weakened and depressing emotion regarding the disappearance of Hasegawa, something that’d never be seen with those self-centered Aspergillus fungi.  Instead, these microbes showed compassion and attachment to their human friend and even sought help on trying to return her back home.  This mutual relationship between Hasegawa and her experimental yeast, compared to that of Sawaki and his molds, showcase a diversity and extreme variability in relationships between humans and microbes.

So why is it that the entire genus of Aspergillus fungi treat Sawaki so poorly despite their durable friendship?  Perhaps the reason is because these yeasts are naturally like this, as seen by the various clips when the microbes were being disciplined by a drill sergeant before they began fermentation.  Furthermore, it’s not like they’re intending to be mean, often acting in the best interests of Sawaki, looking out for his well-being in a rather underhanded way.  Or maybe, because of the nature of their relationship and Sawaki’s lack of assertiveness, the microbes have fulfilled the role of mentor and supervisor to Sawaki, concerning themselves of him and his life and how they’d be of assistance.  In their style of helping Sawaki is dominated by a ‘tough love’ approach where they expect him to advance based on his own merit and motivations.  But whatever the reason, these microbes could still be friendlier and more pleasant around Sawaki.  He often appears unhappy and sometimes angry at how his microbial friends are treating him, so it’s no wonder why he loses his ability to see microbes from time to time.

Seeing the various glimpses and activities of a tourist in Paris reminds me of my quick stay in the city back in 2002.  From the cuisine, to the sights, to the architecture, and even to the atmosphere, memories of my stay in Paris came hastily rushing back.  As I was watching Sawaki, Misato, and Kawahama enjoy their first meal in France, I immediately recalled the same, eating a large steak with hundreds of French fries in a café in the shadow of the Arc de Triomphe (and the television indoors was showing sumo wrestling, go figure the Japan connection there).  I remember planning out times and visits to see the various museums (I guess I’m more a Misato than Kawahama) and using the subway, the Paris Metro, to travel around the metropolis.  It’s a rather outstanding job Moyashimon did of showcasing the tourist lifestyle in the great City of Light, leading me to have a mix of emotions of both longing for a return to Paris, relation to the activities and interactions in the anime, and enjoyment for watching an anime that knows how to make me smile.  Well done, Moyashimon Returns, well done indeed.

The setting of an anime is visually expressed through the various architectures and environments.  Magi has featured a number of diverse physical settings thus far and has done well communicating these to us through its use of dazzling and detailed backgrounds and sceneries.

Through these first seven episodes, Magi has seen its characters visit the sun-scorched desert kingdom of Qishan, the Kouga settlement in the sweeping highlands, and Balbadd, the picturesque port city laying restless on the ocean’s edge.  Beyond these locations, we’ve also seen the majestic and mysterious interior of the Amon Dungeon and the foreboding thieves’ hideaway on the highway between Qishan and Balbadd.  The adventures of Aladdin and his friends have allowed us to discover only a mere fraction of this expansive world but, from what we’ve seen, the setting of this anime is rich and diverse in its specific locations.  And one of the ways this is conveyed to us is visually, through the varied backgrounds and environments that the characters explore.

The geographies and cultures of each city and region are primarily shown through the vivid artwork of Magi, often showing meticulous detail in the aspects of architecture, vegetation, and various other specifics.  Although some of these choice settings appear to be similar or even the same, each has illustrated enough to show how each is individualized and unique.  For example, the sandstone structures of Qishan and Balbadd might blur their distinctiveness but the two cities are quite different; Qishan shows square, stonework buildings topped with either a domed- or flat-roof whereas Balbadd features more brick façades, angled-roofs, and exterior pillars.  The floras in each setting are wildly different, too, ranging from an arid desert, to calm grasslands, to a thriving, vibrant wilderness.  And while there has been little time spent on the plant-life in this anime, the background vegetation does help indicate the climate and help pinpoint the specific cultures of the world that Magi is based on.  It’s the same with the food, too, which helps reinforce the themes and ideas of each culture in each setting, too.  And the clothing and interior décor are no different, too.  Every visual aspect of the anime plays some part in helping to identify and enrich the setting of Magi.  And with many more settings to go, these details are certain to change except with respect to the quality and detail they are given by the animators of Magi.  With such comprehensive and careful detail placed into these aspects of the setting of Magi, each new setting from here on out is certain to be engrossing and enjoyable.

It is our understanding that Sinbad got drunk (could smell the alcohol on him) and passed out in the shade of some palm trees on his journey back to Balbadd.  However, when he awoke from his drunken slumber, he seemed to be completely sober and surprisingly rational.  He wasn’t suffering from any hangover nor did he wake-up drunk; he was perfectly normal or what’s considered normal for Sinbad.  Now I know the anime doesn’t want to spend time having a drunk and naked Sinbad wandering around, but couldn’t there have been some transition so that we see Sinbad somewhat drunk?  I mean, the evidence is there in what the thieves smelled off him but, come on, if he were drunk enough to pass out, at least show some more of that.  Or perhaps he was like that for hours before me managed to run into Aladdin and Morgiana?  That’d be my guess since no one is really pleasant or smiling after waking up from blacking out.  Still, I would’ve liked to see Sinbad drunk (drunk and not naked, oh please spare me), so hopefully this isn’t the last time something like this happens.

This week: questions about who the real big bad in Psycho-Pass could be, some thoughts on why I continue to watch Little Busters!, social cliques in character pairings in Senran Kagura, and some earth-shattering omissions in Maoyuu Maou Yuusha.

As I do at the midpoint in every season, I reverse the order of anime in this list, so that’s being done in this post.

Best episode of the week: Chihayafuru 2

Anime trending up this week: Sasami-san@Ganbaranai

Anime trending down this week: Kotoura-san

Zetsuen no Tempest (Episode 18)

So, who do you root for in this anime?  Given the progression and recent developments in Zetsuen no Tempest, the various factions have seemingly merged and the difference between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ has faded into varying shades of grey depending on your perspective.  What was once a story with two clear sides going against each other, Tempest now features a rather complex network of partnerships that barely reflects the relationships from the first half of this anime.  Furthermore, the stances and motivations for these characters have changed, too.  If you were rooting for a specific character or a certain side during the first half, you may not necessarily be choosing the same now given how different they are and how the situations have changed.  The difference and disparity between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ in Tempest has blurred to the point where they’re almost indistinguishable now and, provided the variety of perspectives and opinions of the audience, it’s become rather abstruse to choose a definite side or character to root for in this anime.  Actually, I really appreciate that in an anime like this and find that the way the story is evolving to be beneficial to how Tempest wants to narrate its story.

Tamako Market (Episode 6)

There are a number of distinct and individual personalities in Tamako Market.  You have characters like Tamako, Anko, Kanna, Shiori, and Dera all having strong, developed and definable personalities.  Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the shopkeepers and vendors of Tamako Market.  Instead, the various merchants and store owners of Tamako Market share a collective group personality which happened to be the focus of this episode.  Although each character within this specific group has their own appearance and separate personality, these characters share a surprising number of similar qualities and characteristics to form this ‘shopkeeper group mentality’.  Not only did they all share the same worries about the haunted house and share in the same gags throughout this episode, but this entire season has shown these characters share the same enthusiasm for the common marketplace, all be friendly and welcoming to Tamako and her friends and partake in certain defined roles in conversations or jokes (usually being straight-man or an onlooker with a funny reaction).  In fact, it seems as though the shopkeepers are a specific personality in this anime that just rotates between a number of replacement characters depending on what shop the girls happen to be in front of.  It’s as if the anime sees these various characters for one specific role like we see for Tamako or Dera or Kanna.  Because of that and because of the sixth episode of Tamako Market, we can consider all the shopkeepers in Tamako Market as one personality comprised of a bunch of similar characters.

Space Brothers (Episode 45)

Receiving the uniform is always a huge deal.  Although Mutta successfully passed a rigorous series of tests and exams through JAXA, enough to be hired on as an astronaut, no one would realize it or recognize him just through his appearance alone.  However, by putting on the special blue jumpsuit provided by JAXA, anyone who looks at him and his uniform will immediately recognize his new occupation and his recent accomplishments.  That’s why obtaining the uniform is so rewarding and so cherished; it’s how other people see you and how they recognize you.  And now for Mutta, people will finally recognize him as an astronaut almost immediately (or so we hope).

Shin Sekai Yori (Episode 20)

During the scene where Saki was blown up into the sky and falling to the Earth below, I found it odd that the entire valley was covered with farmlands that were all plots of green with some grasslands and forests out in the distance before the small mountains.  In fact, the only thing that wasn’t green besides the river and the irrigation canals were the lone field of sunflowers in a secluded corner of the valley.  And though the fields were divided by simple dirt roads, there was not real clear organization to the crops being grown or even clear indications to what crops were being grown.  Although I imagine their cantus is enough to plow and plant and irrigate, I’m now increasingly curious about their agriculture practices, what crops they’re growing and what foods the characters eat.  And only now did I realize how little we’ve seen the characters eat, especially compared to other anime where you see character snacking or eating meals or going to restaurants and whatnot.  It’s rather surprising how little we’ve seen in the way of food in this anime but, after gazing at these green landscapes and simplified farmlands, it’s pretty clear that this anime doesn’t seem too concerned with food or its physical setting considering how lazy these landscapes were.

And for what it’s worth, I’m imagining all those fields were growing mint.  So they have several tons of mint every year for no reason.  Well, mint and sunflower seeds.  Yup, that’s their nutrition in Shin Sekai Yori.

Senran Kagura (Episode 7)

Although the main protagonist cast of Senran Kagura is only five girls, they seem to have developed into specific cliques.  What this means is that we often see the girls in specific pairings or groups.  Two of the most obvious are Ikaruga and Katsuragi and of course, Yagyuu and Hibari.  There are some variations between them and with the other characters but the anime does not seem to concern itself with making the characters interact with everyone and making the group feel as one.  Although Asuka does converse and talk to all the characters, you never see Katsuragi talk to Hibari nor do you see Ikaruga start a conversation with Yagyuu or vice versa.  And given that there are only five characters, it seems incredibly strange and unlikely that the characters would be paired off and seemingly segregated from each other but that’s an unfortunate reality with Senran Kagura.  I almost wish that we saw the character groupings switched in this episode with the Ikaruga/Katsuragi pairing and Yagyuu/Hibari pairing broken and flipped so that way we’d see genuinely new character bonding and development in this anime.  In fact, you see that with the cast of villainous characters who seem to function more as a group of five rather than a group of two, two and Asuka.  But on the flip side, the pairings as they are currently are logical and appropriate, and they probably are better than just randomly mixing characters together just to see what they’re like.  Still, I’d love to see the character pairings mismatched for some time just to see how they interact with each other, especially since I want to see how the other girls would respond to Hibari’s constant dependency and timid nature.

Sasami-san@Ganbaranai (Episode 6)

Wanna know why this was the best episode of Sasami-san@Ganbaranai?  Yup, it’s because there was no brother character.  By removing the incestuous, aggravating and worthless brother character, Sasami-san immensely improved as an anime.  Hopefully the anime learns from its success and effectively reduces his role to… well, in a perfect world, to nothing.  Too bad we know that won’t happen but, yeah, might as well enjoy Sasami-san when it’s at its best right now.

Pscyho-Pass (Episode 17)

With the revelation that the Sibyl System is a mass collection of various brains functioning in sync to immediately observe, judge and control the population, you have to wonder if that’s a system in control of these brains that overruns everything.  What we’ve seen of the Sibyl System in a throng of brains in their own individual containers being moved and connected to various computers to interface with the world and run the Sibyl System as form of a legal justice system.  But what runs the computer?  Who decides which brains to use for which purposes?  Or maybe, who designed the machine so that it would function the way it does?  I really wonder about the collection of brains being the ultimate top in Psycho-Pass given how the system is employed and that the machine ultimately dictates which brains go where and which ones do what.  I’d love for it to turn out that someone is controlling the machine for their own purposes or that the machine has a mind of its own and runs the Sibyl System according to its own sense of justice but it doesn’t seem that Psycho-Pass is heading down that path.  Oh, wouldn’t it be grand for there to be another bad guy above this level like a super computer or another villain of some sort?  Better yet, have the guy running the Sibyl System computer system be someone viewed as ‘good’ or ‘ethical’ to be the ultimate antagonist of the series.  Now that would be an appetizing and satisfying twist for the end.

Maoyuu Maou Yuusha (Episode 7)

The earthquake scene in the seventh episode of Maoyuu Maou Yuusha was absolutely unanticipated and inconceivable.  No, not because of what it was but because of what it wasn’t.  How could Maoyuu have an earthquake and not dedicate one full scene or even a single shot to Maou’s boobs bouncing all over the place?  I mean this is a golden opportunity for her breasts to jiggle again and you didn’t show it off during the earthquake scene?  This is a mistake of seismic proportions.  You have to wonder whose fault this is.  My world has been shaken by this one motion on Maoyuu’s part; you couldn’t even predict this from happening, and just when I was getting some good vibrations from this anime, too!  Well, maybe it’s for the best that this anime didn’t dedicate a scene (or knowing Maoyuu, scenes) to some unnecessary shaking, but man… giant earthquake… massive boobs… I wonder if they realize the magnitude of this oversight.  And sorry for all the puns, they made this episode review kind of a disaster.

Little Busters! (Episode 19)

Although I complain and complain and continue to complain about Little Busters!, I continue to watch and enjoy the anime for one simple reason: the girls.  Well, that and there are a few other things, but I keep finding myself enjoying the episodes of Little Busters! thanks to its cast of amiable and amusing characters, their comedy and when they get together to have fun and play baseball.  You know, if the anime weren’t so concerned with its shoddy, half-hearted drama, the anime would be pretty fun as a pure comedy and a pretty decent anime overall.  In fact, due to the time and budget constraints on this adaptation, the comedy has been the best aspect of this series since it has been uncompromised throughout.  The girls are shown to be much better and much more enjoyable through the comedy scenes than through their drama scenes.  And because of that, I continue to watch Little Busters! and enjoy it as best I can.

Kotoura-san (Episode 6)

You know, since Haruka has no control over her mind-reading, psychic powers, shouldn’t she be constantly bombarded with thoughts at any public place?  Like, shouldn’t she be hearing the unceasing voices of hundreds of students when she goes to school every weekday?  And on the weekends, whenever she goes to a store or crowded public space, shouldn’t there be a constant noise in her head from all the voices going on and on and on about whatever is on their minds?  Unless Haruka has developed the ability to tune everyone else out, I have trouble imagining how or why she’s only able to read the minds of her friends and only at select times, too.  Not only that but is there a range or any specifics on how to read other people’s minds?  I think we’ve already established that she doesn’t need to look at them but she always needs to be near them but at what distance?  And since proximity seems to be factor in reading minds, you really have to wonder about how she managers herself in crowded areas with tons of people broadcasting their minds to her brain.  Well, maybe there’ll be an explanation later but I kinda wonder if she’s like Yukuhashi from Medaka Box Abnormal or a similar character.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (Episode 19)

So falling for 5 seconds equates to 3 minutes of fighting, thoughts and dialogue in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure?  Well, I suppose that this is necessary considering all the development and action that occurred during that situation, but it just seems hilarious considering that it is given a time limit and then goes over it by about four thousand percent.  Then again, it’s not like JoJo’s is the only offender when it comes to this rule considering that just about every action or fighting anime does the same, especially since it’s just bending the rules of physics to perform its primary function: to tell a story.  I mean, the whole purpose of JoJo’s or any anime or any show for that matter is to tell a story, so when placed in situations like these, it’s perfectly alright for time to be distorted for the situation to be fully and, most importantly, properly explained.  Still, it is hilarious that so much time occurred in the anime when in reality, only five seconds of time was supposed to pass.

Chihayafuru 2 (Episode 6)

The comments that appear above the characters, just those quick little messages that pop up near the sides of their heads, is a lovely touch in Chihayafuru that helps explain or reinforce a character’s reaction in a subtle but humorous way.  The choice of message can be diverse from something simple, like showing a character mildly irritated with some accompanying silent words or complex enough to explain a character’s motivations which remain mysterious to the other character or counterintuitive given the recent dialogue or the character’s personality.  Either way, the comments that appear with these characters is a wonderful inclusion to the anime because it has a purpose and is also entertaining.

This week: why I’m not buying the ‘death’ scene in Kakumeiki Valvrave and what leads me to believe so, some recommendations for Yamane on how to properly use a syringe in Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge, questioning the geographies, organizations and structures of cities in Shingeki no Kyojin, Suisei no Gargantia, and To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S, and some additional thoughts on the setting in anime.

Best episode of the week: Shingeki no Kyojin

Anime trending up this week: Hataraku Maou-sama!

Anime trending down this week: Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Bride

Chihayafuru 2 (Episode 14)

Considering that the team tournament and individual tournaments are only a day apart, you really have to question how fatigue, both mental and physical, will play a role for competitors who play in both.  Consider players like Chihaya and Megumu who both play in several games on the day of the team competitions versus Shinobu who gets to relax all day and prepare for the individual matches the following day.  You really have to think players who aren’t in the team competition are at a significant advantage, especially since we see fatigue setting in for the cast of Chihayafuru after 3 or 4 or 5 matches compared to the distinct possibility of playing 10 matches in the span of 30 or so hours.  With this substantial handicap placed against Chihaya and Megumu, I don’t predict that they’ll go very far or perform very well when the individual tournament begins, but it will be nonetheless be interesting to see how they perform regardless of fatigue or other factors.

Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge (Episode 2)

Someone needs to take Yamane’s ‘death syringe’ away from her until she learns some proper syringe and needle etiquette.  For starters, I hope she switches out her needles after every poke in order to reduce the risk of blood-borne pathogens, like hepatitis or HIV, from infecting her friends or introducing bacteria to sterile sites and causing cellulitis or sepsis.  Not only that but changing the needle out after every injection will prevent the tip from deforming, which certainly isn’t pleasant.  And what’s with her injecting people in the neck and forearm?  That certainly isn’t safe or the preferred method of injecting someone.  Considering the needle she’s using, at least go for the deltoid muscle.  Like, you really have to wonder if anyone taught her how to handle the Killing Goods that she inherited or if she just picked them up and began injecting everyone with everything she could find.  And another thing, how exactly is she getting ahold of these medications?  Not necessarily concerned about the financing which is probably astronomical for a mere teenager but how does she hold the licensing to purchase these drugs, especially the sleeping on that she administered to Iwai and Kiri?  But whatever, it’s just dumb fun and mindless action, and trying to answer these questions usually means killing the fun and action itself, so let’s not go there, especially since those two are the best aspects of this anime so far.

Devil Survivor 2 the Animation (Episode 2)

Yellow and blue seem to be dominating colors for Devil Survivor 2, present as saturating overtones throughout the entire episode.  Really, if you go back and just scan through the episode, you’ll notice how much of a presence yellow, and to a lesser extent blue, has in Devil Survivor 2.  Thinking back to the other Atlus anime that aired last year, Persona 4, that one also had a very powerful presence of yellow throughout it, too.  In fact, it is almost overwhelming at times the amount of color that Persona 4 and Devil Survivor 2 uses in some situations.  From here, the question becomes, what significance do the colors yellow and blue play in Devil Survivor 2 or why use these colors to this extent in the first place?  There doesn’t seem to be any clues or any hints as to why yellow and blue play a predominate role in Devil Survivor 2, but it should be interesting to find out if the subject is ever explained or explored.

Hataraku Maou-sama! (Episode 2)

Okay, be honest, did anyone else try to make ‘Black Pepper Fries’ after watching Maou-sama?  I’m not sure if there’s a secret recipe at MgRonald with a dozen or so ‘secret spices’ or if they’re pretty much normal French fries with black pepper sprinkled all over them, but I tried this myself soon after finishing the first and during the second episode of Maou-sama.  Rather than ransack my spice rack and experiment with whatever I had, I sprinkled some coarse black pepper over a full-serving of fries and at them alongside my viewing of the second episode.  I must say that eating my version of Black Pepper Fries was a delicious treat while watching this delightful anime and I’m considering making this a habit for at least the next few episodes (or until they come out with a new type of French fries to serve at MgRonald).  If you’re curious yourself, I highly recommend trying it yourself, especially since it’s relevantly simple to prepare for something so yummy.

Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Bride (Episode 2)

You really have to feel bad for the forgotten characters of Hyakka Ryouran: Matabei, Hanzou and Kanetsugu.  Not only are these characters destined to be in the background of every fight, mainly because the series hates them and won’t let them become Master Samurai, but they’re destined to be in the background of every episode, too.  Every time there is an event or story going on in the anime, it revolves around Yukimura or Sen or Muneakira or Juubei or someone other than the three forgotten characters.  Instead, they’re stuck doing support jobs like helping these main characters with the least amount of screentime possible.  And when the situation arises that a new Master Samurai must be crowned, a silly monkey suddenly appears, gets an entire episode to itself (!!) and serendipitously becomes a Master Samurai for no justifiable reason.  Yeah, after helping out with everything for an entire season, the series just passes Matabei and Hanzou over and gives everything to a new character that never put in any work or effort.  Yeah, so much for being a bodyguard and friend to both Yukimura and Sen for all these years.  And let’s not forget Kanetsugu, the best character of this series; she deserves a power-up and an episode to herself, too.  Well, based on the preview for episode 3, we might just get that with a Kanetsugu-themed episode coming up next.  Hopefully the series doesn’t find a new way to screw us out of something good.

Kakumeiki Valvrave (Episode 1)

Quite a bit happened in the first episode of Valvrave, but one scene sticks out in particular for me as being the most significant and meaningful.  When we saw Shouko run from her group to help a pedestrian stuck in a car, we witnessed her death when an energy beam landed right beside her and blasted the whole area into nothing more than a silent, smoldering crater.  Yeah, so we can close the book on her character now, right?  Well, that’s where I want to say that Valvrave is wrong and that it only appears that Shouko is dead.  Sure, we saw the whole explosion and whatnot, but there are enough details present to suggest that she’s still alive and will make a return to Valvrave.  The first point is that we never saw her body.  It could be that the energy beam that killed her also vaporized her body but not finding a body after a death scene is always a flag that they might return later.  Another point specific to that scene is that the energy beam landed next to her, not on top of her.  This might be significant in that someone else (the passenger in the car) may have shielded her and protected her as her body was flung from the site of the explosion.  Furthermore, we know that Shouko is an important character to our protagonist, Haruto, so it makes sense to bring her back for whatever reason later on in the series.  Those three points alone are generally enough for most shows to have a character to reappear after a ‘fake death scene’, but Valvrave introduced one more concept that reinforces my idea that Shouko will return and that is the whole system of losing one’s humanity.

As we saw with Haruto at the end of the first episode, people who operate Valvrave reject their human life and become some sort of superhuman vampire-thingy that can survive what would surely kill any normal human being.  And seeing that the Valvrave mobile suit was underneath the school the whole time, what’s not to say that Shouko was a test subject and lost her humanity like Haruto?  Given how we only learned of this concept after Shouko’s ‘death’, I believe that she had gone through the same process once before and that we never thought that she could survive a blast through such a means since we never knew such a means existed until after the ending credits rolled.  Not only that but having Shouko survive through such a means plays well with the other three points listed previously.  Given that and everything else that we saw in this first episode, I have a strong reason to believe that Shouko is not dead in Valvrave and that we’ll be seeing her at some grandiose and magnificent time near the end of the first season, probably killing superhuman Haruto because she’s a villain or something and then having us wait 3 months between the two seasons of Valvrave.  Remember, you heard it here first!

Shingeki no Kyojin (Episode 2)

Having such a densely populated area located on the outer-most region of the walls is a terrible idea.  Even if this area were the slums or a township of disadvantaged or impoverished people, it doesn’t make sense for a settlement of such a size to be located near such immediate danger, even if the titans were unable to invade for over a century.  Not only that, but it doesn’t make sense for a village of such wealth (considering the appearance and structure of the buildings) to be located in such an area.  It’s not like being located on the edge of the walled empire provides an advantage to trade or resources or agriculture or anything.  I could understand if it were a military outpost to keep a watch for the titans and to maintain a milita, but it looks more like an urban city than a citadel.  And after taking a quick look at the population geography of the nation of humans, it doesn’t seem that there are really any densely populated areas around this specific hamlet, instead with most of the people choosing to live within the center-most walls and concentrating around that area.  So as to why the humans choose to build such a compressed and urban settlement right next to the least defensible area in the empire is beyond me.

Suisei no Gargantia (Episode 2)

Considering that the surface of the Earth is covered entirely with water and that mankind lives atop floating flotillas, you can’t help but wonder where the source of fuel comes from that power these seafaring vessels.  I’d like to assume that these ships are powered by some sort of renewable energy source, like solar power, because that would make sense given the extreme lack of resources that these humans face, but the structure and shape and just the general feel of these ships screams out to me that they utilize some type of fossil fuel like oil or coal or something.  Then again, you don’t see smoke billowing out of these ships and you already know that coal or oil or natural gas are probably impossible to harvest now, so it’s probably not anything analogous to what we use now.  But still, seeing these retrofitted steel behemoths and roaming the oceans, you can’t help but wonder what sort of dated fuel source they’re using, even if it’s something like solar power or wind power or something like that.  Either way, I’m curious to see more about the technology of Gargantia, how it impacts the lives of its crew and its citizens and how the people live sailing around the globe in this nomadic lifestyle.

To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S (Episode 1)

Who exactly thought that Academy City would be a good idea?  Okay, first things first, how does a city with over 1.8 million students, 80% of the total population, support itself considering how overburdened the adult workforce must be.  Not only do these students need to be kept in schools and academies of various sizes and structures, each having their own staff and faculty, but then you have to employ all the various shops and groceries and other commercial businesses in the city, not to mention government, police, healthcare, transportation and utilities, with the remaining population.  I don’t think Academy City could support any form of industry within its borders, including light industry.  Unless there is a massive population of commuters living in the suburbs not included in that population statistic, I don’t see how Academy City functions.  Furthermore, who’d send their kids to school there considering how dangerous and targeted the city is?  I’m not sure how far away the rest of civilization is but I’d worry about sending my 12 or 13 year-old kid there for the next decade of their life.  You have all these punks and hooligans causing trouble every single day, various organizations trying to take over or destroy the city and immature brats running around with ESP powers that could pose danger to anyone that looks at them the wrong way.  Now it makes sense why they have to enlist students as an ancillary police force.  And what happens when you graduate?  Do you get booted out of the city or are you forced to find a job there?  Are there places of higher education within Academy City, like universities or specialized schools or places for job training?  Just how strict is Academy City on its population policy so that it maintains a student population of 80% of the total city?  Oh, and one other major issue is that of taxation and how exactly the city is funded.  Considering how wealthy, clean and structured the city is, I assume that every one of the 1.8 million students are paying out their asses in board, tuition and taxes to stay at these private schools in Academy City.  You have to assume that the net flow in wealth coming into the city is well into the tens of billions based on the USD.  Really, the society of Academy City is intriguing to me, trying to understand how such a city is structured and how it functions.

As you can tell by the last three subjects on the last three anime, I have an undying fascination with the setting of anime with a particular interest in the geography of cites, especially in those that are similar or wildly different than the real world.  Unfortunately for me, these questions are hardly ever examined and, less frequently, answered.  But then again, maybe that’s the reason why I enjoy thinking about these subjects so often and why I look for the solutions on my own.  Either way, I always find myself enchanted with the various settings of all the anime I watch and I hope these questions and thoughts provoke or inspire you to think critically about the diversity of settings in all the anime you watch.

This week: thinking ahead on how the weather could be used as a means of conflict in Suisei no Gargantia, weighing in on two fascinating story mechanics in Kakumeiki Valvrave, the fantastic use of voices in Chihayafuru 2, and examining the personalities of Emi in Hataraku Maou-sama! and Misaka in To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S.

Best episode of the week: Shingeki no Kyojin

Anime trending up this week: Kakumeiki Valvrave

Anime trending down this week: Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge

Chihayafuru 2 (Episode 15)

Sound is essential to every anime.  Whether it’s in relation to the music, the voice acting, the ambiance or whatever, sound is a vital aspect to every anime.  In Chihayafuru however, the voices of the various karuta readers shows an even greater capacity in how the use of sound plays an imperative role in this anime.  As we already know per the rules of karuta, once the first sound of the poem begins, the players are free to swing their arms and aim their fingertips to the corresponding card.  With the rules of karuta structured like this, we find a great deal of significance placed on the readers in every match, often times amplified when Chihaya or another player pounces at the first syllable.  However, in this finals match, we’re treated to Yamashiro Kyouko, a grade 7 certified reader, which is pretty much the very best of the best.  For her character, not only does she need to be a talented voice actress but also one that understands and enunciates as a professional karuta reader does.  Not only that, but to have the impact that her character has and for her voice to have that imposing yet impassioning effect, she needs to be better than all the other karuta readers before her.  With this in mind, we can find a new form of appreciation in the karuta reader and in Kyouko’s voice.  In addition to that, it’s worth noting that the other karuta readers deserve recognition too, since each has had to learn the system and rhythm and pronunciation to be karuta readers in this anime, even the ones that turned out to be ‘bad’ readers since they had to learn how to do it properly and how they would flub it up.  Hopefully now, with the sudden appearance of Yamashiro Kyouko, there is a newfound appreciation of karuta readers and how the use of character voices plays a fundamental role in Chihayafuru.

Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge (Episode 3)

Let’s face it; we knew the fights in Crime Edge were going to be bad.  When the deadly weapons that the characters use to ‘kill’ each other are a pair of scissors, a syringe and a sledgehammer (I notice a pattern…), you figure that the fights are going to be a disappointing if not dismal.  And yes, this is before you factor in Kiri’s superhuman speed that materialized out of nowhere, like even the story wasn’t aware it was going to happen and wasn’t sure where the episode was going with it.  But the worst part about the fight in the third episode of Dansai Bunri no Crime Edge is how the opponent, the Sledgehammer of Crushing Disintegration, never had his character explained.  In fact, during the fight, he never spoke a single word.  Now I realize that people love to complain about how things aren’t realistic when characters say their names and explain their motives during fights, but there are a couple of reasons why we see it so often in stories like these.  First, this isn’t real life, this is an anime, so let your logic run loose and forgotten while you enjoy (or try to enjoy) this show.  Second, it’s an effective method of storytelling despite being clichéd and corny in nature.  Yeah, people don’t tell each other their secret plans and all that in real life but it’s the one chance the character had to elaborate on himself, explain why he appeared now and why this fight is necessary and to help relate his situation back to Kiri’s own as an Author.  Really, the decision to leave this first real opponent in the dark is a poor decision on Crime Edge, especially since there was amble room to explain what happens to an Author without an Instead and what the Author’s wish was that could tie back into the pain and obsession the Authors must endure.  But no, instead, we have a missed opportunity here for Crime Edge.  Without a doubt, this is the principal reason on why I found this fight to be a severe disappointment.

Devil Survivor 2 the Animation (Episode 3)

Is it just me or does it seem like everyone has pointy, elf-like ears in Devil Survivor 2?  At first, I thought it was just Makoto who had tipped ears like that, but in the third episode, you also see it’s prominent in Keita’s appearance as well.  After scanning back through the episode, there are instances where you see it in others too, like Daichi and Io.  So do these characters have legitimately pointy-ears or is there something else going on that’s causing it to only appear so?  Well, given its inconsistency with other characters, and the fact that doesn’t appear to be another race of humanoids in Devil Survivor 2, I figure that this is an impression or effect that I have with this particular character design or art style.  The way the ears are drawn here just seem to be pulled upward or inward, in a fashion that leaves them looking pointier than other, rounder anime ears.  Looking back at some of the summons, especially Lilim who has genuine pointy ears, it becomes clearer that this is merely an effect of the character designs or art style on certain humans.  So yeah, there doesn’t seem to be any significance on the shape of the ears in Devil Survivor 2 besides being slightly different than what we see as the norm in other anime.

Haiyore! Nyaruko-san W (Episode 3)

Why are there even fights in Nyaruko-san?  Unlike most other fighting anime, Nyaruko-san doesn’t have an emphasis on fights or even have a system that configures and organizes power levels, fighting styles, strengths and weaknesses or anything to that nature.  It’s just, ‘there’s gonna be a fight, let’s power up and win’.  It’s not like the characters train or anything to become stronger or better.  It’s not like the enemies are stronger and that there is some challenge or reward in these fights.  They’re just plot devices used to end these story arcs.  Really, Nyaruko-san would be significantly better without these fights and if they just replaced them with jokes.  And yes, I realize that the majority of these fights are comprised of comedic material and that they’re used in a way to set-up for other jokes, but this time could be managed better to include more jokes or better jokes that relate to the story arc and the characters.  To be, the fights in Nyaruko-san are always unsatisfying and disappointing and I hope that the series begins to steer away from them and use its time better, especially if it can include more comedy.

Hataraku Maou-sama! (Episode 3)

In the first three episodes, Emi has come across as a tsundere bitch who hates everyone and everything.  You’d think as a Hero of the human race, she would be a kinder, gentler soul with empathy and compassion etched firmly in her heart.  In reality… she’s exactly that: Emi is actually a thoughtful, caring, and kindhearted girl to everyone that isn’t Sadao or his underlings.  Pretty much every time we’ve seen Emi thus far is when she’s around her mortal enemy, Sadao, and so she reacts in a way that’s vicious, intense and hateful.  However, when she’s around other humans, the people that she herself is trying to protect and save, she shows her truer self which is one of a caring and benevolent nature.  Although you figure she exploded in front of Chiho out of pure jealousy, you could also see it as her concern of a human falling in love with Sadao, only to be stolen away, tortured and murdered by the Demon Lord himself.  Because of the way Maou-sama is directed and given the way the story has progressed, we never really see much of Emi by herself or when she’s around other humans and not pre-occupied with Sadao.  Given what we’ve learned about her character in the past and how she acts around humans in our world, we can ascertain that Emi is actually a compassionate and loving girl who just happens to be passionate or extreme in her feelings toward the world’s greatest enemy.  She really is a sweet person and I hope that we see more of this side of her soon.

Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Bride (Episode 3)

Sorry Kanetsugu but your competition of finding the #1 maid at the dojo is doomed for failure right from the very start.  There can’t be anyone who’s more maid than Hanzou because her character is always a maid.  Sure, right now, everyone is working as a maid in the maid café but these are only costumes worn by the girls to provide a better experience for their customers.  None of these girls are actually maids, they’re only pretending to be.  That is except for Hanzou who’s genuinely a maid and a samurai.  So by trying to hold a competition among the girls to find the #1 is completely asinine when you already have a character who is full-time maid in this series.  And when the plot device that is the maid café dries up eventually, Hanzou will be the only who’s still being a maid in this series since that’s what her character and her costume dictates.  After all that, do you really have to question who the #1 maid is in Hyakka Ryouran?  I think not.

Kakumeiki Valvrave (Episode 2)

I can’t figure out which is more intriguing in Valvrave thus far, the whole death/survival/vampirism mechanics going on that allow Haruto to live or the enchanted, supernatural powers that energize and operate the aptly named mecha, Valvrave.  Although both components are inevitably linked to each other, the two are being used to very different degrees in the anime and have fundamentally different roles in the story at this point.  To me, the whole aspect of Haruto’s bite-and-control-someone-else mechanics are more interesting since it can have a wide variety of applications in the story while also being unique in nature.  I’m curious to see how the anime employs this fascinating concept further, especially since I can see it being used for dumb, goofy stuff that Sunrise always likes to do with its stories.  The Valvrave system is the less interesting aspect to me simply because we always find these mobile suits powered with special mechanics that make them the strongest in the series.  Although I am interesting in discovering the source of the light, the operating system that requires the pilot to reject their humanity and the superpowered God-mode, I just find this to be the same old story as we see in any generic mecha anime.  Hopefully there’ll be something there that makes the mobile armor in Valvrave interesting but I can’t say that it captivates me like the life-and-death mechanics going on with Haruto’s character right now.

And yeah, I’m delighted to learn that Shouko is still alive after everyone was crying and complaining about her ‘death’ in the first episode.  Sure, it didn’t surprise me as much because I predicted it would happen after the events of the first episode, but I’m happy either way that she’s back in the series again after a brief absence.

Shingeki no Kyojin (Episode 3)

Given how crazy and fanatical some anime fans are, I seriously wonder if more potatoes will be consumed in Japan, solely because of Sasha’s character and her love of potatoes.  If you remember last week, I tried making my own black pepper fries after watching Hataraku Maou-sama!, and now I’m in the mood for some baked potatoes after watching this episode of Attack on Titan.  I can’t help but wonder if other anime fans around Japan are craving potatoes too, now that we have an endearing, delightful character who loves them and loves eating them.  I guess we should keep our eyes focused on the streets of Akihabara first to see if otaku and anime fans alike are developing a taste for potatoes, especially if any place starts some promotional or Attack on Titan-themed entrees where potatoes are the prominent feature.  And yeah, you can tell I’m really hungry at the time I wrote this piece.

Suisei no Gargantia (Episode 3)

Although the first three episodes of Gargantia have been relatively turbulent, the weather and the seas have been calm and clear.  Every episode thus far has shown brilliant blue skies above and a peaceful aquamarine ocean below for our heroes to travel on and travel through.  But how long will this tranquil excursion last provided that we know how forceful and terrifying the weather can be?  And seeing as that everyone in Gargantia lives atop this seafaring flotilla and knowing that Red’s mecha is built for space warfare and is not necessarily tailored to Earth, you figure that at some time in the future, stormy waters await our protagonists.  I believe that in some episode soon, a hurricane or a tropical storm of some sort will encroach upon this civilization that lives aboard these floating vessels and in these maritime cities.  And when this happens, I believe the humans will be faced with some extraordinary but remarkable challenges.  I’m not sure how the stormy weather will affect Red’s mecha or Chamber’s performance, but the combination of wind and rain will certainly play some role.  As for the cities themselves, you have to think that any powerful hurricane has the chance to capsize or sink these cities, especially depending on the size of the waves or the speed of the gusts.  If that were to happen, try to imagine how that would impact all the characters and how it would change the composition of their fragile civilization.  I’m already interested to see how these characters will perform against this vengeful and violent form nature rather than continuing stories against other humans or an alien species, especially since there seems to be an environmental message embedded in the story of Gargantia.  If it turns out to be true and there is some human versus nature sequence in Gargantia where the weather plays a vital role in the story, you know I’ll be excited and overjoyed.

To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S (Episode 2)

How do you define Misaka’s personality in Railgun?  In Index, it’s easy to define Misaka’s personality since she is the standard tsundere archetype, especially around Touma.  But in Railgun, the character dynamics are altered and her relationships are predominately with Kuroko, Uiharu and Saten.  Not only that but Misaka’s role in Railgun is unlike that of her role in Index with her being both the protagonist and hero here in Railgun.  As a result, Misaka acts differently between the two anime if only slightly.  But given this change, it’s nearly impossible to define her as a tsundere in Railgun since Touma plays a minimal role here and we hardly ever see her switch back and forth between the tsuntsun and deredere.  So how do you define Misaka in Railgun?  I’m perplexed by this issue and curious to see what others thing but the more I think about it, I suppose that Misaka fits the hero archetype in Railgun better than anything else.  Although she does match well with a number of different archetypes, she doesn’t fit one perfectly like she did in Index.  In fact, she’s a bit more plain and ordinary in Railgun compared to Index too, but Misaka is featured better as a character in Railgun and is able to do more as a character, too.  So just what exactly is Misaka in Railgun?  Maybe after another 24 episodes, I’ll have a better idea.

This post reviews: Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaete mo Omaera ga Warui!, Silver Spoon, Gatchaman Crowds, Choujigen Game Neptune the Animation and Fate⁄Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya.

Just a quick note before beginning with the aforementioned anime, I’ve decided to keep Gen’ei wo Kakeru Taiyou which was previously cited as undecided.  The second episode showed enough promise and growth to justify keeping it, despite the fact that it does have some questionable issues and is largely mediocre.  Still, the anime has proved to be entertaining, so even if there are issues with the story or the emotions, it still is worthwhile to watch.

Watching:

Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaete mo Omaera ga Warui! (No Matter How I Look At It, It’s Your Guys’ Fault I’m Unpopular!)

Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaete mo Omaera ga Warui!, which shall be effectively and thankfully shorted to Watamote from here onwards, is one of those few comedy anime that excels at more than just comedy.  Often times, comedy anime are sufficient to produce laughter and amusement, but suffer in other categories like characters, story, art and animation or whatever.  Watamote however, as shown through its first episode, proves that it won’t have an issue with these aspects, but rather, uses them to its advantage in its comedy.  The main character, Tomoko, has a unique combination of social anxiety and narcissism that constantly puts her in hilarious situations.  Thanks in part to her awkward and shy behaviors; the visual aspect of the anime is fraught with uncomfortable situations and responses by Tomoko which usually end in laughter.  And thanks in part to her bold and analytical internal monologues, which combine beautifully with how she acts; she’s able to add comical commentary throughout all her misadventures, effectively doubling the fun and entertainment of every scene.  As a character that will be leading and carrying this anime, having someone as strong as Tomoko is essential.  As for the story, there’s enough variety as misfortune in Tomoko’s life to keep the anime feeling fresh and funny.  Thankfully, the anime doesn’t really try to analyze Tomoko’s social anxiety or her behavior, so any growth in her character should feel genuine among all the comedy.  And the art and animation in Watamote is a wonderful display of excellence.  No doubt, director Shin Oonuma (ef – a tale of memories, Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu, Tasogare Otome x Amensia) knows how to spice scenes up with unique, unparalleled illustrations to keep the anime visually appealing and he’s doing the same with Watamote.  And all this without even really mentioning the comedy which is among the best all year.  Watamote is definitely a keeper for the Summer and one that I highly recommend to anyone, even if they aren’t even remotely interested.

Silver Spoon (Gin no Saji)

Is there an obligation that anime set at an agricultural school are required to be educational?  Silver Spoon debuts as an anime about a young, naïve city kid finding himself in rural Hokkaido at an agricultural school simply because he wanted to get away from his parents and this was the only school that offered dorms.  Unfortunately for him, he had no idea what he was getting himself into.  Silver Spoon offers a distinctive approach to the typical school anime by focusing on agriculture, teamwork and providing tidbits of actual education through its story and characters.  And while this does mirror Moyashimon on multiple fronts, it doesn’t focus intently on microbes, fermenting and brewing which gives it an entirely different focus and a seemingly unique approach.  I don’t have much of a problem with the cast besides that the main character, Yugo, who is supposed to be educated but acts dumb and dense when things slightly ‘agricultural’.  That and I don’t understand why we aren’t getting more of Aki who’s clearly the best character, but that’s another issue altogether.  I do enjoy the story by taking place at an agricultural school, especially after Moyashimon 2 left me feeling disappointed and unsatisfied last year.  The comedy and humor is present but not entirely effective, but that figures to change once we’re more familiarized with the cast, their personalities and the quirks that will eventually drive the humor in this show.  The first episode wasn’t anything spectacular but it did show that the anime has all the right tools and materials to build a fun, educational and valuable show with enough potential to be one of the best this season.  It’s a keeper.

Gatchaman Crowds

What a fantastic show, Gatchaman Crowds.  Thanks almost entirely due to its lead, Hajime Ichinose, the first episode of Gatchaman Crowds was a delightful blend of hilarity, vitality, action and excitement that left me impressed.  Hajime is an instant hit, with her Energizer Bunny-level of energy and her unmatched enthusiasm, she’s just fun to watch, even during infodump scenes or otherwise ordinary dialogue.  If this one episode proved anything to me is that this show is worth watching for Hajime alone.  But thankfully, Gatchaman Crowds has more than just that.  The cast thus far is extremely positive outside of Hajime, especially with Sugane being able to carry the plot thus far and Utsutsu providing the eye-candy by wearing her underwear (called swimsuit but that’s clearly not a swimsuit) casually around teammates.  The mascot character of the series, Paiman, was the one character I was worried about, but being voiced by Aya Hinaro really reduced my fears about this character, especially since I think of her character now as Haruhi Suzumiya but less crazy.  The plot has that typical Gatchaman feel to it with the theme of defending the planet from aliens, but it seems to hold promise of going in a different direction with a number of villainous characters featured in the opening animation.  And while on the subject of Gatchaman, the number of motifs and references to the original are a pleasant touch, highlighting this show’s inspiration without being too obvious or blunt about the subject.  What’s really enjoyable about the art and animation is its use of colors and motion, especially during the scenes with 3D models moving and fighting.  Overall, the anime is impressive and inspiring and an early favorite of mine.  I’m excited to see where this anime goes, especially with a main character like Hajime leading the way.

Fate⁄Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya

So, just a bit of forewarning, I’ve never watched or read or even researched anything from the Fate/Stay Night universe, so I’m coming into this series without knowing really any more than the names “Saber” and “Rin”.  That being said, I found Prisma Illya to be easy to follow for an outsider like me and enjoyable to watch despite the fact that our lead heroine, Illya, was naked for half the episode.  The show is a humorous take on the whole magical girl genre but with the characters of Fate/Stay Night, giving the show a clever and amusing premise that makes it more appealing than your typical, non-franchise magical girl show.  The comedy was genuinely funny, which is a promise for future episodes, and the dynamic of the series seems to be earnest, though this first episode was primarily used to introduce the characters and setting and show how it’s different from the original materials.  The one thing I’m a little concerned about was the high amounts of loli fanservice in this first episode, but I figure not every episode will have an extended bath scene like this one did, or even things like pantyshots, moving forward.  I don’t have much to say about the characters or story at this point, besides that I do find them mild positives thus far, but the humor and setting are enough alone to warrant me keeping this anime for the future.

Undecided:

Choujigen Game Neptune the Animation (Hyperdimension Neptunia)

I came into expecting Hyperdimension Neptunia to have nothing in the way of intelligent characters, a paramount plot, cerebral writing or anything that’d make it a quality anime that I typically prefer.  I did come in expecting to see cute and exciting girls have fun with each other in amusing situations and for there to be fights in battle suits that dazzled the audience.  So with that heading into the anime and no knowledge prior of the games or franchise, I came out feeling entirely mixed with this first episode.  While I did enjoy the adorable characters and the visuals of this series, I felt somewhat disappointed by the humor in the series save for the Yuu Kobayashi joke at the very end (which actually was the funniest thing all season, go figure).  The battles were even worse, probably the most damning aspect of the anime, with minimal amounts of animation and action that could’ve been easily replaced by still frames of the girls in various poses and accomplished the same goal.  The characters aren’t exactly dumb but they don’t feel all that intelligent or rational either, instead being basic anime archetypes at this point.  The writing and dialogue was rather simple and basic, to the point where it felt almost elementary, and it didn’t really go into depth in the characters, story or setting leading me to believe it’ll be mainly fanservice for the fans of Neptunia.  But still, I came in expecting most of this, so it doesn’t really surprise me that Neptunia is here for mainly cute girls and fun.  I want to keep the anime around if it doesn’t try to develop a serious plot where the girls will save Gamindustri from destruction (although you know that that’s what’s going to happen) and is instead all about fun and humor.  I’ll probably end up keeping the show around for the absolutely lovely character designs but don’t expect me to enjoy it all that much if the series stagnates or fails to improve.

Dropped:

Nothing here, which means that this concludes my thoughts and reviews for the first episodes of this Summer’s anime.  All that remains now is to transition back into the traditional style of Weekly Reviews for a majority of these anime.  So until then, enjoy all these new, wonderful anime this season!

During whichever week this belongs to: complaints on the detective/mystery work in Danganronpa, how Index continues to undermine Misaka’s character in To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S, excitement over distinguishing Fu’s character in Tamayura ~more aggressive~, and a slight but refreshing and welcome change in Monogatari Series Second Season.

Best episode of the week: Monogatari Series Second Season

Anime trending up this week: Tamayura ~more aggressive~

Anime trending down this week: To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S

Danganronpa the Animation (Episode 2)

Although I don’t have much in the way of complaints with Danganronpa thus far, I do feel the need to voice my disappointment with how the anime is handling the material between the murder and the trial.  In the game, this time is intended for the player to create a foundation before going into the trial: to hunt for clues, to gather evidence and to begin to construct an idea about who the murderer might be based on how they interpret the material before them.  This process allows the player to understand the case before them.  In the anime, it’s pretty much glossed over with a quick montage of characters finding items for less than a minute and off to the trial!  I figured that translating this material from the game to the anime would be difficult, but I never thought it’d be painful or meaningless like this.  Instead of creating value or meaning behind the items picked up, the anime just gifted them to us without requiring or stimulating any thought or perception.  Rather than actually letting us connect the dots, the material was literally thrown at us.  It’s like the anime wanted to avoid this perceived down time and tried to minimalize it as much as possible.

And since I never like it when someone complains about something without offering their opinion on what would make it better, my thoughts on the matter could go in either two directions to improve this aspect of Danganronpa.  First, the one I’d prefer of the two, would be to show the characters searching for clues but to not explicitly show the items being picked up.  Since the anime wanted to gloss over this section quickly, why not have Makoto standing over a dead body, make a remark about some evidence without stating it explicitly and then move on, only to finally present it during the trial.  In this situation, the anime isn’t teasing us or giving it to us effortlessly but instead, puts the sleuthing solely on the characters rather than the viewers.  The second option would be to spend more time on the detective side of the story; to have the characters talk and think through the evidence they’re gathering and attempting to build a case before the trial.  In this situation, it uses the characters and the evidence together to help guide the viewer in the murder mystery.  Either of this changes would shift the perspective of the detective work and the mystery significantly, clarifying the issue of how the audience is supposed to perceive their role in the murder mysteries of Danganronpa.  Right now, the material between the murder and the trial is handled awkwardly in Danganronpa, giving us a minimal amount of detective experience and a quick overview of the evidence about a minute before heading to the trial.  It could be significantly improved with a little more care, so hopefully the anime will learn from its mistakes and go in one of these directions in future episodes.

Gatchaman Crowds (Episode 1)

Is it a bra and panties or just some fancy, frilly two-piece swimsuit?  The clothing choice for Utsutsu in Gatchaman Crowds is definitely the eye-candy of the series, but rather than enjoying her for her shameless sex appeal, I find myself curious about what exactly she’s wearing.  Given just the appearance of her clothes, the shape, style, cut and color, I originally thought she was walking around comfortably in her underwear.  However, when Hajime meets Utsutsu, she comments on her clothes and calls it a swimsuit.  Now correct me if I’m wrong, but you usually don’t see a garter paired with a bikini, nor is it common to see a bow on a top.  Then again, it’s not like it’s impossible given the variety of styles of clothes seen in anime, especially for one like Gatchaman Crowds.  Perhaps the only way to answer this question, underwear versus swimwear, would be if the series was kind enough to focus on Utsutsu more and provide more of her in terms of screentime and detail.  I’m sure I’m not the only one who would appreciate such a change, even after we settle the whole bra and panties versus bikini paradox.

Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou (Episode 2)

One thing I don’t get about the new school in Gen’ei wo Kakeru Taiyou is… why is there a new school?  The entire student body of Sephiro Fiore, the combat unit of tarot card using magical girls covering as a school for lolis with disproportionate heads, is an astonishing 6 students, which increases to 9 if you include the trio of Tendou sisters (but let’s not include them, shall we?).  What’s the point of this school exactly, especially if all they’re doing is taking the same classes as regular students with nothing in the way of training for combat?  Why not have these various girls attend their regular schools and call them together when there’s an emergency or something?  It doesn’t make much sense to set up an entire school for half a dozen students, especially when their courses are perfectly normal like music, PE, and chemistry.  It doesn’t seem like the girls are doing anything special there than besides building their own chemistry together, but couldn’t they be doing this as an after-school activity or some special club?  Or better yet, Sephiro Fiore should integrate combat, tactics and magical girl history into their curriculum, alongside the likes of mathematics and literature.  Regardless, I do enjoy the aesthetics of their school more than the cookie-cutter designs of Japanese schools and it does have a dormitory for the girls to live in, so it’s not like I completely hate the new setting of Gen’ei wo Kakeru Taiyou, I just question its purpose as a school for these girls.

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 2)

Unlike the previous anime in this franchise, an impressive collecting spanning Bakemonogatari, Nisemonogatari and Nekomonogatari, this new season of Monogatari has been devoid of its protagonist, Koyomi Araragi, and given the series a refreshing change of perspective that bodes well for the series moving forward.  Whereas the previous three series repeated the pattern of Koyomi aiding a female character with her particular quarks, a pattern that was growing weary and tired after such frequent and constant use, Monogatari Series offers the series through a different perspective in that we’re seeing what happens when Araragi isn’t around.  That’s where I find the charm and enthusiasm in this new anime.  Rather than having Araragi bike around town and talk to various girls in one-on-one conversations, we’re seeing the story through the eyes of the affect girl and seeing how she lives with her problem.  It’s a fascinating turn of events and one that I wish had occurred earlier in the series since it changes the dynamic of the characters and the storytelling to a much greater degree than anything that Araragi could do on his own.  I hope to see the eventual problem with Tsubasa resolved without any aid or appearance by Araragi but I can’t say that Senjougahara has been much in the way of help besides providing a roof over her head and so much needed friendship that has crossed the yuri line on several occasions.  Oh, and that’s the other thing… even without Araragi around, the series still manages to retain its renowned sex appeal with a stimulating shower scene, some suggestive sleeping poses and the return of Senjougahara’s school supplies panties.  I’ve got to admit, this season of Monogatari is off to an incredible start.

Shingeki no Kyojin (Episode 14)

The series of walls that surround the human civilization in Attack on Titan has been referenced multiple times as a marker to denote wealth and especially safety.  But with the fourteenth episode of Titan, does it also signify a difference in time periods?  You’d always hear about how people would want in the Wall Sina, the innermost fortification, since it offered the most safety… but maybe there’s more to it than that.  After a few scenes, showing of the city within the deepest walls, you notice how very different this society is from those inside Wall Rose and Wall Maria.  First, and probably the most noticeable, is probably the clothes, with people wearing suits, top hats and bowties.  Compare that to the tunics and trousers worn by the citizens outside of Wall Sina, and you notice a stark difference in clothing patterns that spans several hundred years, from Middle Ages to the 19^th Century.  If there was anything to reiterate the gap of wealth between the two, this would be it, but it does hint at a more advanced society, too.  Another major difference between the two is that the people inside Wall Sina were looking at newspapers whereas the others were reading a notice in a village square.  Although it doesn’t say anything about the difference in education, it does highlight the difference in wealth again and that the people inside of Wall Sina are more advanced than their counterparts.  One more aspect that might denote a difference in the time periods between the two is the horse-drawn carriage.  Virtually everywhere else in Titan, have we seen crude wagons and wagonettes used but here, within the wall of Wall Sina, did we actually see a large, stylish, painted carriage.  Again, this may just be another sign of the wealth behind the walls, but it does show yet another difference in the technology between the two sides.  Of course, the idea that the people behind Wall Sina are in a different time period than everyone else was merely in jest, but there are enough instances of a difference in technology, culture and society to believe that the one within Wall Sina is more advanced than those outside of it.  I doubt that there’s any meaningful reason as to why there is such a blatant difference between the two beside wealth, but it might be interesting to see what happens if these are all hints toward a greater conspiracy going on.

Silver Spoon (Episode 1)

Say, what about fishing?  Or more better yet, what’s the deal with the lack of ichthyology in Silver Spoon?  We know that Ooezo Agricultural High School is renowned for its curriculum involving livestock, especially since the anime has primarily focused on horses, cows, and chickens with crops being second and everything else third, but what does this rural, agriculture school offer in the realm of fishery studies?  You’d figure that since Japan consumes some of the highest amounts of seafood in the world that an agricultural school like this would house a department or offer courses in aquatic and fishery sciences.  Then again, with the school situated in the middle of Hokkaido, the question becomes, where would you teach these kids about fish and fishing?  I suppose a school near a body of water would make the most sense, probably one on the coast as to teach techniques and science about properly fishing the oceans, so maybe there’s a sister school or a satellite campus where students can learn about that food industry.  Still, I’m surprised that there hasn’t been any mention of fish or fishing at this school, especially since they seem to eat it during breakfast alongside the eggs that they harvest during class.  It might be a niche interest here in rural Hokkaido and an afterthought to these students, but I hope to see some fishing (especially how it contrasts farm life) here in Silver Spoon.

Tamayura ~more aggressive~ (Episode 2)

One of the issues I had with Tamayura ~hitotose~, the series prior to this one, is that Fu’s character never really established her own identity as an individual.  Instead, it always felt like she was just the figurehead of the quartet that was Fu, Kaoru, Norie and Maon.  With the new season establishing the photo club as a fundamental subject that highlights the ‘more aggressive’ theme, there’s hope that Fu will begin to distance her character from her friends.  Not only will this help differentiate her character from the others and put her in a position for her character to grow but it will also provide new opportunities for her to expand and understand her love for photography beyond snapping photos during excursions and hikes with friends.  It’s rather amazing how just a few episodes into this new season that Tamayura has begun to address the issues that I had previously with ~hitotose~.  All that needs to happen for this to be the perfect sequel will be if Kou and Komachi can mysteriously disappear and never be mentioned again (although I’d gladly settle for just Kou if the opportunity presented itself).

To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S (Episode 14)

Although my memories of this Sisters Arc in To Aru Majutsu no Index tend to be positive or favorable, I can’t help find myself irritated and distressed at it now after going through so many episodes of To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S.  The main reason for this change of heart is solely based on how the writing and storytelling of Index undermines and belittles the Misaka we’ve grown to know in Railgun.  A major reason why this problem exists is because Index was written well before Railgun was and, as a result, Railgun is required to revisit the writing of Index in order to recap this story arc.  However, between the time that Index was written to the time that Railgun began the story again, we’ve seen Misaka’s character grow and develop independently of Index’s variables and become a remarkable protagonist on her own.  We’ve grown to understand her personality and her motivations, how she responds to various stimuli and seen her power grow from a simple manipulation of electricity into stupidly overpowered feats of imagination.  But now, after all that growth and maturity, Misaka’s character was stunted, reduced and retarded.  Her powers were meaningless in Index as compared to Railgun.  Seriously, she was able to hack into some of the most impenetrable security networks in Academy City and now we have to expect that she can’t operate or control a simple vending machine?  And don’t get me started on her personality and dialogue toward Touma now after seeing her through about 30 episodes of Railgun.  Really, I appreciate the fact that Railgun is going back to revisit this arc and explore it through Misaka’s perspective.  Really, I absolutely love the idea to show this story again but through the eyes of the other protagonist and show how it affects her and integrates into her character.  The main issue I have with this is that, at this point in Index’s story, Misaka was still in her infacy and everything that she did was experimental to see where her character would end up.  Now that her character has fully matured and became well defined, it feels stupid and silly to force her to revert back to this infancy stage for the sake of completing this story arc.  Now I can only hope that this Sisters Arc ends rather quickly and that the series can return back to what Railgun is supposed to be: Misaka kicking ass and taking names.

Uchouten Kazoku (Episode 2)

The mother of the Shimogamo family, simply referred to as ‘Mother’ by her children and ‘Prince’ by her fellow billiards buddies, is an outstanding specimen of a character if I’ve ever seen one.  Her flamboyant personality is charming and sophisticated.  Her choice in clothing not only matches but enhances and accents that personality perfectly.  Her style and her presentation is engaging and entertaining.  And her look is simultaneously both beautiful and handsome.  And all that without mentioning how she’s a caring single-mother for her four luckless sons, can transform into an adorable red-furred tanuki and is scared of thunder and lightning.  I typically don’t obsess about characters like this right off the bat in a new series (okay, I’m lying, I do this all the time), but the Mother in Uchouten Kazoku is such a fantastic and fabulous and flashy character, that I love how she contrast everyone else in this series by punching it up with fun and amusement without becoming silly or losing her meaning in the series.  I’m looking forward to whatever role she plays in the series moving forward, not only from an entertainment perspective but from a story perspective, too, particularly if she plays a pivotal role in the lives of her four sons moving forward.

This week: being fanservicey but not being a fanservice anime with Stella Jogakuin Koutouka C3-bu, finally satisfying my curiosities in Shingeki no Kyojin, theories on why I can tolerate the melodrama in Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou, and a simple suggestion to make Uchouten Kazoku even better.

Best episode of the week: Monogatari Series Second Season

Anime trending up this week: Shingeki no Kyojin

Anime trending down this week: To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S

Gatchaman Crowds (Episode 4)

I’ve always been a fan of Mamoru Miyano’s voice acting (Light from Death Note, Takuto from Star Driver, Taichi from Chihayafuru, Masaomi from Durarara!!) and having him voice the alien, Berg-Katze, in Gatchaman Crowds is an absolute treat.  Not only for me but apparently for Mamoru, too.  Just listening to his playful voice, often uncontrolled or untamed in the best way, you can tell he’s having a wonderful time voicing this mysterious, flamboyant and extravagant antagonist.  His voice acting has been specular and has helped aid Berg-Katze’s character to appear more crazy and dangerous than any action he’s taken thus far.  Mamoru’s talent really matches this role considering his range and use of vocals, and he’s been a perfect fit for Berg-Katze in this revival of the Gatchaman series.  And best of all, you can tell from the way he’s voicing Berg-Katze that Mamoru is loving every minute of this performance.  I’m always happy whenever a seiyuu goes above and beyond with their presentation of a character but it’s even better when you know they’re enjoying it as much as I am.

Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou (Episode 5)

Thick and sappy melodrama is often a turn-off for me, particularly when a show tries its damnedest to play it as entirely serious and profound when, in reality, it comes off as something ridiculous and is often chided as a result.  So while Gen’ei wo Kakeru Taiyou has thick, sappy melodrama, why do I not mind it or even enjoy it in parts?  Perhaps one reason for my tolerance of this style of storytelling is because that there’s some actual authenticity to this drama when characters die.  There’s no bullshit in Genei Taiyou when a character dies and everyone forgets about them.  So from that angle, I can understand why some of the drama is so hard on some of the characters, especially when they try to hard to prevent it and come up empty-handed.  The other might be that I’m not as emotionally invested in the characters or story in Genei Taiyou as I have been with other anime.  That’s not to say that I’m not enjoying this anime, considering it’s probably my candidate for the best surprise of the season, but more of a byproduct of me enjoying the anime for entirely different reasons than the characters and their depressing stories.  That’s not to say I don’t share some of their emotions when they’re sad at the death of a friend or father figure, as was the case with this episode, but more that magnitude is entirely different.  Maybe if I were more emotionally invested in the series and then it tried to pull this melodrama on me, then I’d be more disappointed, but I don’t think the series has done really anything wrong despite resorting to melodrama in almost every episode.  Or maybe I’m just more tolerant of it in general?  Who knows.  Either way, this is one of the first times I’ve been able to endure melodrama to this degree without wanting to bash my head on the corner of my desk or drop the series completely.  Hopefully Genei Taiyou manages to stay this way until the end…

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 5)

If there’s one consistency to Monogatari, whether Bake, Nise, Neko or this, it’s that the final episodes in these mini-story arcs are always a favorite.  Just the way each episode manages its climax, its emotions, its subtleties and its satisfying conclusions; every ending throughout the series is a gem to watch.  Really, what more can I say after the conclusion to Nekomonogatari: Shiro?  Maybe that I want to watch it all over again with a better understanding to everything in the story?  If I had the time (and you know I don’t, considering how late these posts always are), I’d leap at the opportunity (as well as tackling my ever-growing backlog, too).

Shingeki no Kyojin (Episode 17)

As I mentioned thirteen episodes ago, questioning the limitations of the steampunk technology (the 3D-maneuver gears) that the humans rely upon to defend the titans, what would happen if there were no trees or walls around to use when fighting the titans?  Well, now we have our answer with our heroes out and about in the great wide open, with not much in the way of trees or buildings to use when needed to defend or fight against a titan.  Not only does it change the entire dynamic of the series with the characters needing to reinvent other ways to combat these titans but it also provides us with the opportunity to see just how valuable these walls and building are considering how these elite soldiers are largely ineffective without them around.  So with the series moving into this change of setting and entirely different landscape, it should be fun to see what happens next.

Silver Spoon (Episode 4)

If the fourth episode of Silver Spoon is accurate, I feel bad for the farmers of Hokkaido.  For so many of those students to miss out on freshly-made or gourmet or even just cheap, hot pizza, you can’t help but feel bad for them.  Even here, driving through dinky, dusty rural towns of a couple thousand people, there’s always a couple pizza places.  And hell, isn’t Ooezo Agricultural High School situated in a decent-sized city in Hokkaido?  Why can’t the students just visit a local pizza joint after clubs are over but before curfew?  I don’t know, maybe Japan just hates pizza, but judging from the reactions of the students, it couldn’t be further from the truth.  Or maybe it’s just not as Americanized as I expected it to be with pizza being a significant aspect of their regular diet.  Well, if it were up to the students, it probably would be.  Heh, wouldn’t be surprised to see one of the students do something with pizza whenever this manga/anime is over.

Stella Jogakuin Koutouka C3-bu (Episode 5)

C3-bu actually has quite a bit of fanservice, especially with this beach episode with the girls all in their bikinis and using two bikini tops as flags, but it doesn’t feel like a fanservice anime like so many others.  Perhaps it’s because C3-bu has the restraint to prevent the show from diving into the “ecchi territory” where there’s bouncing boobs, upskirts and panties, and sexually-suggestive situations.  In fact, C3-bu has had none of it, with the most fanservicey material being girls bathing in a hot springs a couple episodes back.  And while that still is considered ecchi to some, it’s pretty much the mainstream for late-night anime now.  Maybe the series drew a line that the animators dare not cross, akin to what happened with Girls und Panzer (though it did have frequent bathing and I did catch a couple upskirts in that anime).  Still, whatever C3-bu is doing, it knows that it doesn’t want to be labeled as an ecchi anime though it is pushing the envelope with episodes like this.  Nevertheless, I don’t think the series will do much more than this, especially since we’ve already checked off the hot springs episode and beach episode already.

Tamayura ~more aggressive~ (Episode 5)

Considering how much Kaoru, Norie, Maon, Kanae and pretty much everyone else devotes their time and attention to Fu, you can’t help but wonder why Fu doesn’t return the favor and spend all her time helping out and obsessing about her friends.  Like, when was the last time Fu planned a hike to a special area to inspire Kaoru and her love of scents?  Or what about Fu gathered everyone else together to help encourage Norie with her cooking?  And has Fu really ever helped Maon decide what she wants to pursue since she’s always undecided about what she wants to do?  Nope and no to all three.  Instead, it’s all about Fu.  And no, I don’t mean to say that Fu is selfish or avaricious but she clearly doesn’t care about her friends as much as they care about her.  Or if she does, she never goes to the same lengths to show it.  If there’s one thing I’d love to see, it’d be for Fu to do all the behind-the-scenes things to help one of her friends to return the favor that everyone has done for her.  Too bad I don’t think anything like that will happen, at least not in Tamayura ~more aggressive~.

Uchouten Kazoku (Episode 5)

If there’s one suggestion I’d like to make to Uchouten Kazoku to make it immensely better than it already is, it would be to have the Shimogamo family to spend more time as tanukis and less as imitation humans.  For one, it would help reinforce their characters are a small, simple and vulnerable family of tanukis that’s suffered and struggled since the death of their father.  Another reason why I’d prefer this change is that it would further contrast the difference between them and the humans that they’re so afraid of.  And finally, the real and only reason why I wanted to write this mini-review for episode 5… they’re just so damn cute.  I absolutely love how adorable these little creatures are and almost feel jaded at times when they’re human throughout the whole episode.  If we saw the Shimogamo family at home conversing and arguing at tanukis… oh God, imagine how cute that’d be.  Imagine how much everyone would love it, especially if they fought and wrestled, too.  So yeah, the more the characters are in the tanuki form, the better.  Much, much better.

This week: appreciating the use of color and lighting in Monogatari Series Second Season, thoughts on the specific location of human settlement in Shingeki no Kyojin, how Sonora’s addition shifts the character dynamics of Stella Jogakuin Koutouka C3-bu, and ideas on how to improve upon the detective/mystery carousel which is Danganronpa.

Best episode of the week: Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou

Anime trending up this week: Shingeki no Kyojin

Anime trending down this week: Servant x Service

Uchouten Kazoku (Episode 9)

So how exactly does tanuki society work?  Like, not just the election of Nise-emon but what Nise-emon does.  Besides misguided and empty respect, what does this position entail that makes it so coveted?  Or hell, what does anyone else for that matter, too?  Do any of these tanuki have jobs?  Who makes money?  And how do they afford to live in these homes, let alone feed and clothe their families?  It really isn’t clear besides the fact that they’re all sorta mooches who run around Kyoto with superficial problems on their mind (besides being killed and eaten on New Year’s Day).  Either way, I don’t really see how this type of society is sustainable or even stable considering how no one seems to do anything.  And considering that the series is almost at its climax, I doubt we’ll ever really see anything that describes the setting beyond what we’ve already seen.  Kinda sad since I find their little tanuki society to be one of the more remarkable aspects of this anime.

Tamayura ~more aggressive~ (Episode 9)

Finally!  FINALLY!!  …some conflict in Tamayura.  Here I was, sitting there and watching Tamayura this season and thinking that there’d never be any sort of conflict in this anime.  Ever.  How everyone would always love Fu’s photographs and how everyone would be nice to each other and smiling or joking around.  Then comes this old businessman who doesn’t give a shit what anyone else thinks and isn’t afraid to give his honest and critical opinion on Fu’s work, even if it hurts the fragile feelings of others around him.  I love it.  I love it, not because it made Kanae cry and all the other girls feel uncomfortable but because Fu took his words and his advice and his opinion.  I love it because it showed Fu’s resilience to such criticism and her attitude to her audience.  And I love it because it finally felt like Fu’s character was growing as a result of an external source.  It was the first time anyone or anything has challenged Fu and, by seeing her response to something that the anime intended to be harsh, I felt she handled it extremely well.  As a character, Fu should be exposed to these kinds of people who will help push her or pull her on various aspects of her photography, to try new things and to see how she likes them.  What was given to Fu in this episode was the opportunity to respond to honest criticism and to improve upon her photography as a result.  And although she ultimately decided to retain her old style and take photos with her father’s old camera, she was able to use this challenge as a means to understand what she wants from her photography, which is perhaps more important to her than becoming a better photographer overall.  And all this from just one bit of conflict derived from a differing opinion.  I love it and it shouldn’t be surprising that this is probably my favorite episode of all of Tamayura.

Stella Jogakuin Koutouka C3-bu (Episode 9)

Having Sonora back in C3-bu really changes the dynamic of the series.  Why?  Because without Sonora, Yura was the only strong character in the series and the anime revolved itself around her.  Now with Sonora returning to the series, her presence will challenge Yura for this dynamic and the two forces will compete against each other.  What this means is that Yura is no longer unopposed in C3-bu.  Sonora has the command, respect and presence to step up to Yura and to direct the other characters around her.  And since Yura has gone all militaristic and hard-ass on everyone, it’ll be easier for Sonora to show her force and have everyone gravitate back toward her character with her sense of understanding and having fun.  Of course, considering the strength of Yura’s character, it likely won’t be a quick and easy process, but at least the dynamic of the series will change now that Sonora is out of the hospital and back with her friends in the C3 club.

Silver Spoon (Episode 8)

I don’t get these food looking good/tasting bad jokes in anime. How do they cook things wrong but make it look great?  I mean, unless the quality of the food was bad to begin with, how do they make these dishes so wrong?  Shouldn’t the food be burned or blackened or raw or frozen or discolored otherwise?  And even if the spices or flavoring is off, like when they mess up and use salt instead of sugar and vice versa, it’s not like it’s the worst thing ever.  I guess I just don’t understand that joke.  Or maybe I just want variation on it.  Since cooking jokes are a dime a dozen in anime, maybe it’s just reached that threshold where I don’t find it funny anymore.  Then again, I don’t think I’ve ever found that joke funny to begin with.  But don’t get me started on those jokes where the food looks bad and then the character tastes it and it’s amazing.  Now those jokes, I absolutely love. Can’t get enough of them.  They’re anime gold.  Really, the pinnacle of Japanese anime.

Haha, just kidding.  No, they both suck.  Like, really suck.  Cooking jokes in anime are literally the worst.

Shingeki no Kyojin (Episode 21)

I’ve always been curious about the geography and location of the human domain in Attack on Titan; the last remaining realm of safety encircled behind these gargantuan trio of walls.  Why here?  Why was this designed at the safe zone?  Who coordinated these walls and for what purpose did they design them to include or exclude?  What is the significance of this forest or the mountains or why not extend it or constrict it in certain areas as a result?  Little by little, we’re able to piece together various tidbits and aspects of the setting of Titan and the world of Titan with every passing expedition.  Seeing these landscapes does help paint a better picture of what this world is like and why certain people live in the areas they do.  Not only that but with Eren’s goal of exploring the world as an objective of his at the beginning of the anime, there’s certainly hope it will be accomplished and that he’ll be able to explore the world.  I share that romanticism too, wanting to see what’s beyond those towering walls.  Wouldn’t that be something to end the series with?  I know I’d love it if that were the ultimate goal of Shingeki no Kyojin.

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 9)

Art, animation, style, color and presentation are just various components of the mesmerizing and enchanting aesthetics of Monogatari.  The franchise has always had a way with its visuals to entice the eyes of its viewers.  And the way the anime is staged, through distinctive cinematography and directing, the series is able to stay fresh, bizarre and unique.  Of particular note is the use of color, lighting and how the contrast seen here helped to enhance the story of Monogatari.  Now I don’t claim to know all the technical details beyond why I like it so much, but I’ve always had a thing for anime where color and lighting play significant roles in the visual style and help impact or influence the anime in whatever capacity possible.  With the ninth episode of Monogatari, the contrast in color and lighting at the shrine, with its various visits throughout the episodes and in different time periods, helped differentiate each and every visit.  With this visit in particular, the pale, cold colors of Araragi and Shinobu helped express their emotions of concern and surprise.  This contrasted nicely against the foreboding blood red background, not only to transition the scene to night to further express the gloom of their situation but to also express danger or warning.  It isn’t anything particularly powerful or noticeable but it’s a gorgeous, charming touch that I can’t help but enjoy from this anime.  Then again, what don’t I enjoy from Monogatari?

Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou (Episode 9)

The story of Luna, one a fragile girl with a troubled, lamentable past, has always been sad.  Her character has always been sensitive and emotional and her connection and attraction to Akari has always been a prominent feature of her character.  She was always compassionate and sympathetic, being there for Akari when she joined and listening to her when she claimed to hear the inner voices of the Daemonia.  So to see her character taken advantage of like this, especially after the heartbreaking demise of one of her best friends, you can’t help but feel sad.  Sure, it’s a bit melodramatic on how everything played out but it doesn’t change the fact that her character was vulnerable and she was exploited.  Her loneliness, timidness and regret will now go unattended and unresolved.  It’s sad to see that her character was never able to overcome these challenges and that her strengths were turned into her greatest weakness as a character.  I can only hope that there’s some resolution with Luna, especially since Ginka was able to have some solution and purpose for her character last episode.  However, I’m not sure what will happen to her now that she’s turned into a demonic, naked werewolf girl but hopefully we’ll see her character concluded after going through so much over the course of the anime.

Danganronpa the Animation (Episode 9)

Two things that’d make Danganronpa better would be if the main character, Makoto Naegi, were actually targeted or killed in a murder and the series continued without him.  The other would be if he actually planned out and committed a murder, either earning his freedom or earning his execution.  Of course, neither of these would be true to the game of which this anime is adapted on, so there’s no chance of that, but just think of how much more interesting and stimulating or exciting it’d be than compared to just playing detective every episode.  Hell, if there was some action and excitement in this anime, then just think of how much better it’d be.  I’d welcome any capacity of fighting in this anime.  Not only that but watching Makoto try to plan the perfect murder, all the details about choosing the right characters and getting everything right or wrong in the murder process… now that’d be fun to watch.  As for Danganronpa now, it’s the fourth time around the merry-go-round and I think we’ve seen just about all this series will have to offer.

This week: social commentary on social media in Gatchaman Crowds, questioning the ability of transformation in Uchouten Kazoku, realizing how Tamayura ~more aggressive~ is beginning to feel more like Aria and wondering what else Monogatari Series Second Season could’ve done with an older Hachikuji.

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

Anime trending up this week: Stella Jogakuin Koutouka C3-bu

Anime trending down this week: Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya

Uchouten Kazoku (Episode 10)

Transformations are integral to a tanuki; something as inseparable to them as wings are to a bird or Cheetos are to a D&D session.  To tanukis, the ability of transformation is what allows them to walk around Kyoto without any human or tengu suspecting otherwise.  It even allows them the ability to hide or escape in times of danger.  So why doesn’t anyone in the Shimogamo family use their intrinsic ability to escape from these cages?  Why are they unable to do a simple transformation when they’ve been ‘transformed’ (as humans) for the entire series?  Are these cages made of Seastone or something?  Or maybe they’re submitting to their death, eager to be boiled in a hot pot for humans to dine upon?  Or maybe they’re just stupid?  Whatever it is, it feels inconsistent with the rest of the series.  I really don’t see the reason why these cages are able to imprison them, especially since we’ve seen others transform into objects as small as frogs or a wallet which would easily squeeze through the bars and allow for escape.  Well, maybe there’s something going on that wasn’t explained or hasn’t been explained yet?  There’s got to be because it doesn’t make any sense otherwise. So whatever it is, I’m curious to learn what the ‘kryptonite’ is for tanukis, something that prevents even the greatest of tanukis from using the greatest of their abilities.

Tamayura ~more aggressive~ (Episode 10)

Considering that the original creator of Tamayura is Junichi Satou, director of Aira, one of my all-time favorite anime series, it shouldn’t be surprising that this anime has some of the same vibes and feelings as Aria.  However, I never really felt that way with the OVA or first season of Tamayura.  So now, when I’m watching Tamayura ~more aggressive~, I’m surprised to note that this season feels a lot more like Aria than anything previous for Tamayura.  I’m not sure what changed or happened but there’s that sense of calm, comfort, maturity and humor.  There’s that sense of characters are not only living but growing upward and outward, too.  And then there’s that sense episodes that are extremely well written, hitting everything I want to see in an episode in terms of storytelling, character development and series theme.  Of course, it isn’t at the level of Aria nor will it ever will be, but this season of Tamayura reminds me more of Aria than just about any other anime I’ve watched since.

Stella Jogakuin Koutouka C3-bu (Episode 10)

Although I continue to reiterate my fascination with Yura’s character in most of my C3-bu posts, I can’t help but pass up the opportunity to go over the joy and delight I have when seeing the complete contrast of Yura’s character to everyone else.  Even with a change of venue, now under the direct care of airsoft/survival game legend and enthusiast Rin, Yura is still unhappy with her situation and much more obsessed than her new teammates.  It consumes her.  And even when given the chance to befriend her new teammates, Yura focused on herself and her winning instead.  Her obsession consumes her so much, it’s just so intriguing and entertaining to watch.  And to expand on that, it’s even more fun to see what Yura was at the beginning of the series.  Her character development has never been pretty, especially considering her various hardships and social anxiety, but it’s certainly more fascinating than the stereotypical anime protagonist who continues to improve without much in the way of setbacks.  And it’s a couple thousand times better than just an anime about a club of girls doing stuff together.  Really, I love Yura’s character.  It’s the most mesmerizing part of C3-bu and really the only reason why it’s one of my favorite anime this season.  You could even say I’m obsessed about Yura’s obsessions.  And as such, I just hope the ending doesn’t mess everything up for this anime by tearing down everything that’s been built up for Yura’s character, beginning with a blank slate and turning her into one of the most complex characters of the season.

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 10)

The brief visit with the teenage Hachikuji is the very definition of the word ‘tease’.  For only a few minutes and a couple dozen lines, we finally saw what Hachikuji would be like if she was given the opportunity to grow up.  But it was over before it started.  It was just a cameo, an appearance.  It was the ultimate tease since seeing her grow into an adult was basically the point of this story arc and of this timeline.  But alas, it was not meant to be.  Then again… what would we have done with an older Hachikuji?  For one, this Hachikuji wouldn’t have the same memories or personality as the loli ghost version that we’re so familiar with.  Furthermore, it’s not like this anime would’ve stayed in this timeline considering the desolate and declined state it was in.  And if we saw her for more than what we did, what would she have done for the story or the series as a whole?  What would you do with Hachikuji?  What could you do with Hachikuji?  Really, as much as I dislike the fact that we only saw this Hachikuji for a little more than the interval between blinks, I have to admit that her appearance in this episode of Monogatari was very meaningful and applicable despite being unfulfilling.  And I guess a quick cameo like that is a nod to the fans of the franchise who wanted to see her like this, especially since you could easily remove this encounter from the story and leave the legend of an older Hachijuki unresolved.  Man, just think of how unsatisfying that would be.

Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou (Episode 10)

I don’t have much to write about this episode, except that Luna is much hotter now than she was before.  Who knew transforming a girl into a naked half-werewolf demon girl would be so awesome?  Additionally, her character’s personality is much more proactive and aggressive, something that draws more attention and action to her character than before when she was the secluded background character that had a somewhat disturbing crush on Akari.  The only bad thing about this new, hotter werewolf Luna is that she won’t be around for too much longer considering that her only outcomes now are being saved and reverting back to normal or just simply dying.  And we both know that no one wants either of those outcomes, right?

Gatchaman Crowds (Episode 9)

The influence that social media has on Gatchaman Crowds is obvious.  Not only is it ubiquitous throughout the story with Galax and Crowds but it even pops up in areas of character development and as a primary means of communication.  It’s apparent that this anime couldn’t or wouldn’t exist 4-5 years ago when social media was still in its infancy and growing considerably.  Now that it has developed and become an everyday component of our lives, whether we would like it or not, it feels appropriate that Gatchaman Crowds could deliver such insightful and entertaining material regarding social media.  And it’s also very apparent that this anime is a form of direct commentary on social media too, showing its portrayal in various ways to highlights its positives, its negatives, its promise and its limitations.  It’s fascinating to see this commentary too, since it does take a look at one of the futures of social media rather than taking an existing platform (like Twitter in Valvrave or NicoNico in literally every anime ever) and incorporating it as a simple and often overlooked component.  I can only wonder what the final message will be regarding social media in Gatchaman Crowds since, to me, it’s the focal point of this anime more than anything else that we’ve seen.  So considering that, you figure the message will be perceptive and reflective and, above all, meaningful to the audience.

Danganronpa the Animation (Episode 10)

Although this completely goes against the story of Danganronpa, I wish the entire cast of characters were still around.  Now that the series has dwindled down to a mere handful of characters, I’ve started to realize how much I miss some of the other characters that existed in earlier episodes.  I keep wondering, “If so-and-so were around, how would the series be?  How would they impact Danganronpa?”  It’s too bad we’ll never know how things would be different, but considering that this anime is a murder-mystery and that it exists solely to kill off its cast, I suppose I really can’t complain; it’s just wasn’t meant to be with Danganronpa.  Then again, maybe this is something an OVA of sorts could solve…

This week: how Stella Jogakuin Koutou-ka C3-bu is really an anime analogy of drugs, thoughts on the origins of the walls in Shingeki no Kyojin, the weakness of friendships in Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou and the adorable tanukis of Uchouten Kazoku.

Best episode of the week: Stella Jogakuin Koutou-ka C3-bu

Anime trending up this week: Love Lab

Anime trending down this week: Gatchaman Crowds

Uchouten Kazoku (Episode 11)

The art and animation in Uchouten Kazoku has always been a favorite aspect of mine; the way the backgrounds are illustrated with intricate details in the lighting and subtle movements to the abundance of motion and fluidity in the animation.  However, what I find underappreciated or overlooked is the art of the tanukis.  With their cartoonish and sometimes silly look, the tanukis of Uchouten Kazoku feel slightly out of place compared to the rest of the visuals of this anime.  Nonetheless, the tanuki art style is another favorite of mine for a number of reasons.  First is that, though they’re all tanukis, each one has their own individual appearance that is traced back to their standard human form.  It not only gives each character a much needed distinction while in animal form but also helps keep characters consistent between their appearances.  Second is the four suites motif on the bellies of the four sons.  You have little patches of off-color fur in the shapes of spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs on these tanukis.  It doesn’t mean much in the way of symbolism unless you’re trying to draw tangents to each character but it is a lovely motif for each son to have.  But perhaps the most notable and imperative aspect about the tanuki art style is that they’re all cute.  Even with all this familial and societal drama going on, not to mention the constant threat of being boiled alive and eaten, the tanukis are all still incredibly cute creatures.  And isn’t that the most important thing to have in an anime, having cute characters?  Well, if it isn’t, then I’m watching Uchouten Kazoku for all the wrong reasons.

Tamayura ~more aggressive~ (Episode 11)

Even though this episode of Tamayura ~more aggressive~ was unquestionably the most heartwarming, encouraging, inspiring and emotional episodes of the entire franchise… I still can’t get over how short their skirts are.  Like, I know pretty much every anime has schoolgirls in incredibly short miniskirts… but this isn’t like most anime.  Tamayura is supposed to be a healing anime, not an ecchi anime.  It’s supposed to be aimed at a wider audience.  So why do the skirts struggle to reach the girls’ fingertips?  I mean, shouldn’t the skirts be down around the knees instead of arriving just short of their mid-thighs?  Or has anime become so universally fanservicey that every girl in every anime wears a miniskirt that does enough to just cover their panties? (Or in many cases, doesn’t even do that.)  That’s not to say I’m complaining about it, especially knowing my history with anime… it’s just that it doesn’t seem appropriate in an anime of this style and this caliber.

Stella Jogakuin Koutouka C3-bu (Episode 11)

So, does anyone else think C3-bu is an analogy of drugs?  Think about it for a second, and it all becomes clear.  It would explain all of Yura’s obsessions and delusions, how they all seem to be realistic and how they compassed her life at the beginning of the series onward.  The drug analogy would also works with the finer details about airsoft, too.  It started out innocent with Yura joining the group with the club’s intent of getting her addicted.  After her first ‘hit’ (getting hit with a pellet… or taking a hit OF DRUGS), she was hooked.  And let’s not forget those little pellets look like small pills, too.  And since that moment, airsoft (OR DRUGS) took over Yura’s life, turning every aspect of it into her obsession.  It would also explain why she went to hang out with a bad crowd, looking to get her fix with her former enemies when her former friends were unable to satisfy her anymore.  And the airsoft guns?  Why, those represent guns of course, further demonstrating the violence and carnage associated with drug culture.  So you see, C3-bu has really been an anime analogy of drugs this entire time.  It’s too perfect not to be.  Now all that remains is Yura to find herself in rehab of some sort and come out clean or something to complete the anime.

Silver Spoon (Episode 10)

I blame Silver Spoon for the 10 pounds I’ve gained since I started watching this anime.  Every episode makes the food they’re eating look so delicious, I can’t help myself but go out and buy some bacon or pizzas or cheeses or whatever.  I mean, how could you not when the entire anime is about delicious food and the animals that provide them to us?  Oh well, at least we’re getting a 3-month break in the series for me to lose some weight.  Now, all I need to do is find some exercise anime that isn’t Issho ni Training (Training With Hinako).

Shingeki no Kyojin (Episode 23)

The idea that a select few have the ability to transform themselves into titans is integral and fundamental to Attack on Titan.  Not only does it give the setting a direction for which to explore but it helps mystify the struggle of humanity given these undermining spies bent on eradicating humanity.  However, from this idea comes a tangent in regards to the struggle the titans are having in wiping out mankind: the walls.  The walls Maria, Rose and Sina have kept titans out for more than a century and, even after Maria was breached, have been enough to safeguard humanity after their most recent assaults.  But what exactly is the origin of these walls?  How were they able to construct such colossal and broad walls during a time when humanity was quickly becoming extinct from titans attacking?  It’s very peculiar, especially since some people treat the walls as goddesses that save them from certain death.  My thoughts on the issue?  That these walls were originally people, too.  Maybe not people named Maria, Rose and Sina but that the walls are also the byproduct of human transformation.  My thoughts are that, at the time of the titans attacking were experiments that were able to transform people into titans and people into anti-titans or the three walls that we see standing currently.  There must’ve been some conflict going on but that caused the two sides to split and ultimately began the struggle that we see before us, titans versus walls.

Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou (Episode 11)

Like every anime ever, the theme of friendship is prominent and studied in Gen’ei wo Kakeru Taiyou.  Unfortunately for the girls in Genei Taiyou, the friendship shared between the girls has been revealed to be incredibly fickle.  Although they spent most of the series together as a team of four (living together, learning together, eating together and fighting together), all that was needed to dissolve the bonds of friendship were some simple persuasions by one shady character.  Seira taking that knife against Daemonia Luna is just one example but so too is Akari’s sacrifice to go with Cerebrum.  Hell, you could even throw in Luna’s mistakes that led her to her demise at the hands of Cerebrum as another fault in the theme of friendship in Genei Taiyou.  Whatever the reason, the relationships between the girls has been largely superficial, often due to underlying conflicts or incompatible personalities.  It’s rather interesting to see an anime of this theme and this style to have such a degree of hardships in relation to its relationships, but I feel that the anime will have a very anime ending and that everything will be wiped clean, forgotten, and lead to the girls being best friends again without much in the way of intelligence, action or audience satisfaction.  Of course, we shouldn’t expect anything like that from the writing or storytelling of Genei Taiyou given what’s happened throughout the entire series.

Danganronpa the Animation (Episode 11)

Why couldn’t more of Danganronpa be in the same style as those execution scenes?  You know, the scenes where the art style shifts so dramatically that it looks as though we’re watching an entirely different anime?  Why couldn’t we have that more than a select few times?  I know, I know, it’d lessen the impact felt during these scenes where an unlucky cast member makes their final appearance but wouldn’t the anime just look better as a result?  I get that the anime is being adapted from a game and so the visual styles are matched accurately, but why not spice up the detective scenes or classroom trials with an improved style of animation?  Well, I suppose I shouldn’t complain too much since the normal visual style of Danganronpa is actually pretty fun, with its smooth character designs and brilliant use of colors, but still… that animation style is quite unique and fun to watch.  You almost feel a slight bit cheated knowing that you’ll only get to see it a half dozen times throughout the course of this anime.  Then again, I guess we should be lucky we got to see it at all.

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?

To reiterate just how influential and significant the social aspects of Sakura-Con 2013 were on me this year, Day 11 of my 12 Days of Anime is reserved for a continuation on this theme but on a much broader and open scale.  Following the massive social event that was Sakura-Con, several local bloggers and internet personalities decided to form a cohort, of sorts, and meet at various times in Seattle as a means of maintaining our camaraderie.  What resulted was more than simple get-togethers with food and friends but a new medium of exchanging ideas on anime and getting to know people and their opinions that would otherwise be impossible on the internet alone.  What resulted were not only numerous enjoyable experiences but some of the best memories of 2013 in regards to anime.

Besides Sakura-Con, there were four instances where I met with other bloggers or internet personalities this year.  The events largely revolved around meeting at a restaurant, having a meal and then lingering at a place or wandering around.  So while these events don’t necessarily sound all that special, it was the content and conversations of these meetings that had a lasting impact on me.  No, it wasn’t that we talked about our opinions on various anime or some of our favorite moments or shared unknown, unheralded anime with each other.  Although those were major factors in making these events memorable, it was the style of the forum.  Rather, it was talking about anime in an intimate setting with people that ultimately stood out for me.  It was the emotions and expressions of people that added a whole new level to discussing anime that made these experiences one of the most treasured of 2013.

It isn’t that this is a means to usurp the role of the internet or Twitter or Skype when discussing various features and events in anime but a means to supplement it in a format unobtainable from the internet.  There’s just something special about seeing and hearing people laugh or get excited or become irritate when talking about various anime.  Furthermore, there’s something special about learning more about people and their tastes in anime when hearing them speak about than just reading some black and white text.  There isn’t a lengthy delays between communications either nor is there a chance for someone to pause, back up and rewrite what they’re thinking or feeling.  It’s a format of discussing anime that is largely foreign to me since the main outlet I have is this blog.  I could count on my thumbs the number of people I could discuss with anime before this, but now this number has expanded greatly.  This year has been special to me in how it’s augmented and expanded my social networks with other anime bloggers and internet personalities.  And thanks to these little get-togethers, I now have several fond anime memories of 2013.

Last week: the reasons why Inari will have phenomenal character development in Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha, the diversity of applications and meaning of a catgirl’s tail in Noragami, how Vice President’s Dog is replacing Pork Bowl’s role in Silver Spoon S2, and appreciating the many comical references in Hoozuki no Reitetsu.

Best episode of the week: KILL la KILL

Anime trending up this week: Hoozuki no Reitetsu

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

Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! Ren (Episode 2)

I’m sure people have wondered this many times before, but with the second season of Chuunibyou premiering, I figured it’d be worth revisiting.  Imagine how difficult and annoying it must for Rikka to wear that eye patch all day every day.  Sure, she’s cute for wearing it, but from a practical standpoint, it must be problematic for her to lose about 40% of her vision and be completely blind on her right side.  It also makes ordinary activates unnecessarily demanding, too, like checking for traffic when crossing a busy street or tracking a fast moving object.  Additionally, I’m surprised the anime doesn’t play off this character trait more often, such as sneaking up to Rikka from her right side and surprising her or even something as simple as always tapping her on her right shoulder.  Then again, the novelty of the eye patch wore off back in the first season, so it’s probably fair that they’re not returning to the well too many times for one joke.  Still, it’s one of the most distinguishable aspects of Chuunibyou, which is why it’s worth revisiting at the start of this new season.

Hamatora (Episode 2)

So, is everyone poor or is it just Nice?  The reason being is that all the poor jokes revolve around him and only him while all the other characters seem to be immune to being cheap (unless you count Hajime, too).  Maybe the other characters are also poor but not as poor?  Or maybe it’s a character trait of Nice that we’re supposed to sympathize with him or that we can relate to him?  Or maybe it’s his only joke since all those instances are meant to be humorous and not a critical analysis of his monetary habits?  Well, whatever it is, it’s pretty lame and doesn’t seem to amount to anything.

Hoozuki no Reitetsu (Episode 2)

The visual references in Hoozuki no Reitetsu are outstanding in how they supplement the humor in this budding anime.  Whether it’s Lum Invader from Urusei Yatsura appearing during the tiger-patterned underwear segment, the image of Cloud (Final Fantasy VII) and others during the calm, stoic, Japanese-stereotype analogy or even the Phillips CD-i Luigi (dressed in Mario’s colors) in the background of the Italian song explaination, Hoozuki no Reitetsu has done an exceptional job with its visual humor through subtle but amazing references.  The comedy exploded in this episode thanks to some better writing and funnier scenarios but the perceptive pop-culture references took the humor to an even higher level.  If this anime keeps up with these little tidbits and cameos, then this might grow into one of my favorite for this season.

Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha (Episode 1)

Inari’s character has magnificent potential as a character to grow and mature.  Not only do I foresee her having some of the finest and most remarkable character development of the season, but even having a chance to be my favorite new character of Winter 2014 as a result.  But this potential is not due to her shapeshifting/transformation ability or what that entails of her adventures.  No, why I believe she’ll have the best character growth of the season is because of her current state.  Right now, Inari is incredibly flawed as a character with her shy, timid, pessimistic crybaby self.  She’s pretty much an empty canvas or a blank slate.  But she’ll more than that.  Her happy, cheerful and innocent self are the bright, passionate colors that turn this white canvas into a beautiful portrait of Inari’s true character.  It just so happens that the shapeshifting/transformation ability will be a tool to aid in this process, but it’s what Inari is now that will dictate the breadth and extend of her growth.  It will be delightful to see just how much Inari has grown when the final episode rolls around and we can compare and contrast her character from this episode to that.

KILL la KILL (Episode 14)

It’s amazing how Ryuuko looks good in everything she wears and how everything she wears is unique to her character.  Whether it was her original school uniform from when she transferred, to her irreplaceable Senketsu (all versions), to her hand-me-down pajamas, to her striped underwear and now to her sexy gym uniform (which for some reason has sweatpants and not buruma), Ryuuko always looks impressive and stands out from the cast.  There’s always that style, personality and sex-appeal to everything she wears, and it’s always unique and distinguishable, too.  Even with something as common as her gym uniform, there’s a little bit of Ryuuko to it.  With her giant Senketsu scarf around her neck, her yellow shaded sunglasses on and her sexy midriff showing thanks to a short shirt and her typical suspenders, you can tell this outfit was made for Ryuuko and Ryuuko only.  For a anime that puts such emphasis and importance into clothing and sex-appeal, KILL la KILL does a phenomenal job with all of Ryuuko’s outfits.

Magi: The Kingdom of Magic (S2) (Episode 14)

It’s always fun to see characters enjoy the simpler things in life.  Whether it was Titus enjoying the ordinary lives of townsfolk or Marga impressed with the fake city, the episode was full of heartwarming moments seeing the characters find pleasures and delights in stuff we might take for granted.  It really instills some personality and humanistic qualities to the characters and the anime, especially since the series is often idealized or romantic in its adventures and battles.  It’s a nice touch for any anime but it had a stronger effect in Magi thanks to its lack of these qualities of late.

Noragami (Episode 2)

Often times, a catgirl’s tail is nothing more than a little piece of fanservice that wiggles around to hypnotize the eyes of its captivated audience.  For Noragami, the Hiyori’s cat tail does that… and a whole lot more.  With the story of her character’s soul slipping in and out of her body, her cat tail is a symbol of her lifeline that connects her soul to her body when she’s in these out-of-body experiences.  It’s a sign that she hasn’t died yet, but it provides us with the symbol to differentiate between human Hiyori and spiritual Hiyori (along with a hilarious joke each time).  Furthermore, the cat tail does well to reflect Hiyori’s personality.  Rather than having something generic like a rope/string or a ghostly shadow, the cat tail represents energy, passion, inquisitiveness and playfulness.  Likewise, the tail can be used to augment her current emotions, such as being an angry cat tail, shocked cat tail, or sad cat tail.  And on top of all that, if Hiyori loses her cat tail, her soul will be disconnected from her body for good.  It’s rather amazing, all the importance and significance they have crammed into that traditional piece of fanservice, but it’s a success for Noragami.  Hiyori’s cat tail is one of the best aspects of Noragami for what it’s able to do to the story and to her character.  Now if only everyone in this anime had cat tails…

Samurai Flamenco (Episode 13)

The only thing that’ll save Samurai Flamenco for me is if Hazama wakes up in an alley somewhere and realizes this that everything in this anime was in his head.  He’ll realize he’s homeless, suffering from psychosis and that everyone he’s talked to is someone on the street (his modeling agent, Sumi Ishihara) or from television (Jouji Kaname) or advertisements (Mari Maya and the other idols).  A bonus would be that Gotou is actually a police officer who helps him from time to time and talks to him when he’s harassing people and causing trouble in the streets ‘in the name of justice’.  Otherwise, what’s the point of watching this bad, bad parody?

Silver Spoon S2 (Episode 2)

Pork Bowl was arguably the most significant and influential character in the first season of Silver Spoon.  After all, no character grew and matured as much as Pork Bowl did, outpacing the character development of Hachiken and everyone else combined, and S1 did culminated at the point where the other characters killed him and ate his flesh.  Definitely a first in anime where all the minor characters kill and eat the most important one… but I digress.  Perhaps the most important thing that Pork Bowl did was create a role where his cuteness and charm would sooth the hearts of the audience and grew to be a dependable character in the cast.  However, with his inevitable trip to the slaughterhouse, a void was created that needed to be filled with something small, cute and cuddly.  Enter Vice President’s Dog, the new and improved ‘Pork Bowl’ for S2 of Silver Spoon.  Not only will this adorable puppy dog fill the cuteness void created by Pork Bowl but it will likely remain its diminutive size and, more importantly, not end up being eaten by the cast.  Vice President’s Dog is the permanent replacement for Pork Bowl and probably a better one, too, in terms of its potential.  While Pork Bowl served as a source for cuteness (second only to Mikage) and provided the only touching story of S1, Vice President’s Dog possesses a semi-humanistic personality in how it reacts, response and performs with the cast around it.  It’s able to function as more of a character than Pork Bowl ever could and fulfills the role of the cute, cuddly mascot character of the series.  No whether Vice President’s Dog will have the same impact on the series as Pork Bowl did will remain to be seen but I feel comfortable with this young pup stepping in for the role of Silver Spoon’s #1 animal character.

Space Dandy (Episode 2)

The bad cook/bad food trope in anime is a tired stereotype that… actually, you know what… I enjoyed the bad looking food in this episode of Space Dandy.  The first and probably the most important aspect for me enjoying this old cliché is that the visual gag was played straight this time and the bizarre foods tasted as wide and diverse a range as their appearances.  It wasn’t that dichotomy of ‘this is the worst thing ever’ or ‘this is the best thing ever’ but the responses were actual critiques or opinions on the food being eaten.  Wow, imagine that, some originality in an anime joke.  Furthermore, the appearances of the ‘bad’ foods weren’t really all that bad.  Instead, each bowl was a new palette of colors and textures that brought out a new feeling with each ramen.  Each looked different from the other and, although most were unappetizing, I must say that each was visually interesting.  I’m not sure if I can chalk this up to being in the same realm as all the other bad cook/bad food tropes in anime since it different than anything before it… but if not, then this will be the first time I appreciated this joke in an anime.

Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta (Episode 2)

Perhaps the best aspect of the romance in Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta is that there are no conflicts, misunderstandings or love triangles.  Without any of those three aspects to annoy, irritate or frustrate me, I’m actually enjoying the romantic aspects between Kal and Claire.  That being said, Ariel’s lack of jealousy is a major contributor to why I’m enjoying the anime, even bringing me to the point where I’m delighted to see her supportive of Kal and Claire despite her close relationship to Kal.  If the anime can continue like this with a genuine and innocent (and doomed) romance, this will probably end up as one of my favorite romance animes of all-time.  Then again, given my history with romance anime, that bar is set pretty low.

Wizard Barristers – Benmashi Cecil (Episode 1)

The character designs of Wizard Barristers is impressive, from their broad, overall appearance to the minor details and quirks that are unique to these characters.  Starting with the broad, you have delightful character designs like Cecil, Quinn and Natsuna who all fit into different styles that reflect and express their personalities.  These general appearances do well in establishing character traits and personalities early, especially between Cecil’s naïve and outgoing personality, Quinn’s professional and business nature, and Natsuna’s mature and formal disposition.  On the other end of the spectrum are all the character details that help distinguish the characters further.  For Seseri, you have his wildly swirly blue hair and prevailing yellow eyes.  For Ageha, you have her butterfly thingies in her hair.  And for Nanajinyi, Cecil’s frog familiar, you have… everything about it.  Just the visual representation of every character is remarkable when you have the chance to weigh everything and analyze every bit and detail.  There is an unquestionable amount of effort put into these characters and they’ve been brilliant in this anime thus far.  I can’t help but wonder what other amazing character designs we’ll see later on when the series advances passed this first story arc.

This week: how the subject of ‘change’ has resulted in no change or progress with Nagi no Asukara, why the disappointing fights mean a disappointing anime overall with Nobunagun,  the pleasant but subtle details of food in Wizard Barristers – Benmashi Cecil, and why zombie Dandy is smarter than regular Dandy in Space Dandy.

Best episode of the week: Space Dandy

Anime trending up this week: Noragami

Anime trending down this week: Sekai Seifuku – Bouryaku no Zvezda

Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! Ren (Episode 4)

What’s fun about the comedy in Chuunibyou Ren is that there are some characters you feel bad for and there are others you don’t.  Usually in comedies, there’s only one tsukkomi/‘straight’ character while the rest are loony or goofy or insane.  Or you have one boke/‘funny’ guy who takes over all the humor at the expense of the other characters.  But with Chuunibyou Ren, you have a pair of tsukkomi (who even play off each other from time to time) and pretty much an equal amount of humor from the boke characters, like Rikka, Demomori and Kumin.  The result is a well-balanced comedy act that never tires a topic or character out or depends solely on someone’s crazy antics.  Rather, the chemistry and relationships in Chuunibyou are ideal as they are, which is a strength of the writing for an anime like this.  Furthermore, Satone’s brief appearances have had an amusing effect too, particularly when Rikka is fluttered and flustered over her behaviors around Yuuta.  And considering that the comedy is my favorite aspect of Chuunibyou S1, I’m thrilled to see the humor and entertainment remain delighting in Chuunibyou Ren.

Hamatora (Episode 4)

So let me get this straight.  Pretty much everyone with superpowers in Hamatora are either lazy, underemployed detectives that struggle to even make a penny or are criminals?  The only exception to this rule is that Honey and Three seem to do freelance work and Ratio who is a doctor, but you wonder how people with such extraordinary powers and brilliant minds would find themselves in such a situation.  Take Nice as a perfect example with his Sonic Minimum, and think about all the possible careers he could pursue.  He would be a phenomenal first responder, whether it be in the field of police, firefighting or EMS (emergency medical services) and use his ability to save lives.  If he really wanted to be a PI, he could do that as a side job considering he spends most of his day worrying about his uninhabited wallet.  Murasaki could find himself a handsome position in construction or something similar considering his ability.  And Honey, with her ability to see into the future, would make a killing playing the stock market or at a casino or anywhere really.  So why all these characters aren’t wealthy and successful is beyond me.  Then again, I often forget that I think about these things much more than the original authors do, so maybe the anime is intended to be about PIs with superpowers and nothing more.

Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha (Episode 3)

Well, that was unexpected.  Considering the novelty and sacredness of Inari’s transformation ability, who would’ve guessed we’d see another shapeshifter as soon as the beginning of episode 3?  What’s more, who would’ve thought we’d see someone transform into Inari and use her body to hit on girls, peep on girls changing and cause great embarrassment to Inari.  We had already prepared ourselves for Inari to transform into other people and use her ability to change, reshape or simply affect the lives of others but I never expected to see someone turn themselves into Inari.  And to top it off, the scene was both hilarious, a perfect opportunity to capitalize on an unexpected twist with genuinely funny comedy at the expense of our protagonist, Inari.  What an outstanding sequence that was.  And to finish the episode with Inari beginning to understand and appreciate the power that Uka bestowed upon her gave the episode some meaning and progress to go along with the amusement and entertainment from the first half.  The more of this anime I see, the more impressed I am with Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha.

KILL la KILL (Episode 16)

Isn’t it amusing, or maybe even amazing, that the fight between Ryuuko and Satsuki traces its origins back to when Ryuuko’s father, Isshin, rebelled against Satsuki’s mother, Ragyuou and the Life Fibers?  Although the motives are different, it was Isshin’s departure and subsequent research against Life Fibers that drew the interest of Nui who, under Ragyou, assassinated Isshin.  It was with that murder that drove Ryuuko to find her father’s killer which eventually led her to Satsuki in search of information.  And with Satsuki knowing the identity of the murderer, it began a secondary fight between the Matois and Kiryuuins that outclasses and outmatches the first.  Or it could be a transition, with the fight falling down one generation with Isshin no longer able to stand up against the Kiryuuin family.  So as we gear up and get ready for the School Festival arc, it’s worth noting the relationship between Ryuuko and Satsuki is an intertwined and complex bond that began when their parents began to oppose each other.  Or that is to say, it’s their destiny to finish the fight that their parents started.

Nagi no Asukara (Episode 17)

Although I’m still enamored with the whole time skip, especially with the fact that some characters aged 5 years and two of the male leads did not, I find myself growing weary and becoming apathetic over the whole subject of ‘change’.  Yeah, I understand that ‘change’ was a significant subject in the first half of Nagi no Asukara with the main quartet wanting to stay together and enjoy their lives without change but bringing it up at every opportunity has really stagnated the series in this second season.  Rather than moving the story along, pushing the characters forward and forcing them to develop further, Nagi no Asukara seems content to focus on the past with each episode and how some characters have changed and how others haven’t.  And while that’s fine for an episode or two, it seems to be the sole subject these past three episodes without any significant progress besides Miuna’s pleasant surprise.  I hope that with Kaname’s awakening that the series will finally begin to move forward, but I’m concerned that it’ll be his turn to overanalyze his perception of change for the next three episodes.  Or until he decides to assault Tsumugu for living with Chisaki for five years because you know that’ll happen eventually.

Nobunagun (Episode 4)

What’s lacking in Nobunagun are the fights.  The series features a good lead character, a decent secondary cast, a suitable scenario for an anime and a distinct array of superpowers based on historical figures.  So based on that, the anime sounds alright.  But with that said, you realize that with a story like this and different combat abilities that the fights are an integral component to the success of the anime.  And that’s where you realize Nobunagun is a disappointment.  There have only been two fights (three if you count the montage training session) in Nobunagun and neither have been impressive.  The action has been portrayed poorly, often with Shio firing away at opponents with little to no movement or creativity.  There’s nothing exciting about watching someone sit in one place and fire away at an opponent.  There needs to be some movement, some engagement to be interesting.  Additionally, all the monsters are dead in one hit.  And while that’s ideal when playing a video game, it makes for a poor story.  Why not have the monsters take damage, fight back and create a struggle.  It isn’t very interesting when all you have is an opponent that just flies in a hurricane and drops eggs.  There’s really no danger or exhilaration to be gained when your opponent is as harmless as garbage bag in a windstorm that might spill its contents.  Really, Nobunagun needs to improve significantly on its fights and those previous assertions are measures for which to monitor progress and improvement.

Noragami (Episode 4)

What I find most endearing about Noragami is its charming and engaging comedy.  Although most anime contain some elements or traces of comedy, Noragami uses it predominantly in its downtime or anytime the anime is moving slowly.  Not only does it mitigate these disadvantages inherent with any story, but it turns these scenes into advantages with some entertainment value to go along with its character building or storytelling.  It turns something simple like meeting Kofuku into something enjoyable and makes the whole sequence with Yuusuke (the guy jumping off the tall, tall building) into easily the funniest scene this entire anime season.  Really, not even the dedicated comedy anime can compete with that gold.  It really adds a whole new layer to everything going on in Noragami, especially when it’s incorporated into events like these that would otherwise be mundane or boring without this intense infusion of fun.  And while I do expect the comedy to drop as the anime progresses and moves toward its climax, I feel reassured that the comedy is an integral part to Noragami and won’t disappear or diminish any time soon.  And considering how phenomenal the comedy has been, this bodes well for Noragami to be one of the top anime of the season depending on how the story turns out.

Silver Spoon S2 (Episode 4)

When did Silver Spoon become a sports anime?  Although the new season is rather young, it seems the only major topics presented in this sequel are baseball and equestrian events.  And with this episode’s focus entirely on the Equestrian Club’s first competition, it’s about time to highlight this significant change in content within Silver Spoon.  I would’ve figured that these two subjects would be spread a little more evenly throughout, but I do suppose the series is at a time when Spring has arrive, the Hokkaido snows have thawed and everyone is excited to do something fun outdoors.  But this used to be an anime about an agricultural school and Yugo developing in such a unique setting.  Then again, the baseball and equestrian teams are related to the school, so it’s not so much that this isn’t a school anime, but it’s less about agriculture and lessons and more about fastballs and finish lines.  Then again again, this is probably what agricultural schools focus on when they’re not busy learning about animal husbandry and business economics.  Without much in the way of entertainment and activities in these rural communities, maybe it is sports that keep them entertained during their free-time.  Still, Silver Spoon has transitioned into a sports anime from a school anime rather suddenly.  And it’s not like I’m complaining since sports anime are typically better than school anime.  That and I’m enjoying these episodes more than the normal school ones.

Space Dandy (Episode 4)

Did anyone else notice that Zombie Dandy got all the brains?  No, no, I’m not talking about Zombie Dandy eating brains or anything stereotypical like that but rather that he became smarter as a zombie.  Think about it.  Dandy isn’t known for his cunning and clever nature and hardly takes care of himself or others.  But when he became a zombie, his life began to change… in more ways than one.  He began to question the emptiness in his purpose and sought out help from others.  The Dandy we’ve grown to know and love would never do either of those things, unless of course it involved Boobies or boobies.  And his answer was rather insightful, especially for a character that lacks emotion and discernible, coherent speech patterns.  Zombie Dandy began to take care of himself better, especially when switching from meat to yogurt.  He even found a better way to make money than his current methods and enjoyed his life with his friends rather than being selfish and greedy and keeping it all to himself.  Furthermore, Dandy didn’t get himself killed while he was a zombie, which is certainly a first for this series.  And when you add all these details up, there’s no question that Zombie Dandy is smarter and more resourceful than regular Dandy.  Kinda makes you feel bad for the guy when you realize that the best times in his life were when he was a mindless zombie…

Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta (Episode 4)

Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta has relied heavily on flashbacks as a means of explaining and exploring the characters through their rich backstories, and this is an underrated method of storytelling that I extremely, extremely adore.  Flashbacks like these have their advantages and disadvantages with the disadvantages mainly being attributed to breaking up the continuity of the series and being somewhat distracting.  However, with The Pilot’s Love Song, these flashbacks are incorporated at slow moments where it’s appropriate for the characters to explain something.  And with any visual media… “show, don’t tell”.  Pilot’s Love Song does exactly that with showing us these stories rather than having a character read some lines and show some slow pans across character faces.  It’s a beautiful method of storytelling and is being utilized to its advantages.  Furthermore the flashbacks in Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta have really helped explore the complexity and depth these characters possess without requiring them to prove it in the present.  It fits the setting and storytelling to have these traits and qualities explored through flashbacks instead of trying to unite details of their past with events in the present.  It’s not like we need to prove Karl had a traumatic childhood by showing him become upset when hearing how his country was overthrown and his parents killed… and when presented with that opportunity, we witnessed the resolve and pressure he’s under by laughing it off, only to observe these sequences at a later point during a flashback.  Really, Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta has a gorgeous and engaging method of storytelling which is why the anime is one of my favorite this season.  As long as this continues and the story develops appropriate, I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends with the second highest grade of the season (obviously behind KILL la KILL).

Wizard Barristers – Benmashi Cecil (Episode 3)

Food is always interesting in anime and seems to be a particularly omnipresent in Wizard Barristers.  Whether it’s Moyo’s absurd appetite, Nanajinyi cooking dinner for Cecil (and let’s not forget his sexy lunch complete with naked anime babe), or the characters chit-chatting over lunch in a restaurant or tea in the office, the episodes always seem to revolve around food in one way or another.  I believe every episode has had at least two meal/snack times with this one reaching as high as six.  That’s quite a bit more food/drinks than you see in most other anime… and it’s a welcome change for anime with Wizard Barristers taking this unique approach.  It’s always nice to see the characters do something when they’re talking and munching away on food is always a good option to use.  The food doesn’t have to take the focus of the scene or be the subject of discussion (unless you’re eating with Moyo), but it’s an activity for the characters to do that beats walking and talking, sitting at school desk and talking or riding in a car/on a bike/on a train/etc. and talking.  And it’s not like this minor detail is anything imperative or essential besides a joke or two, but it’s a pleasant detail to include nonetheless.

This week: how the cinematography aided in the visually magnificent episode plant planet of Space Dandy, thoughts on the resolution of Gotou’s girlfriend in Samurai Flamenco, remembering the first half of Magi, and trying to make sense of what Manaka lost in Nagi no Asukara.

Best episode of the week: KILL la KILL

Anime trending up this week: Noragami

Anime trending down this week: Hamatora

Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta (Episode 9)

What makes Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta one of my favorite anime of the season was aptly demonstrated in the ninth episode regarding the romance.  Not only did we witness substantial and meaningful progress in terms of the relationship between Kal and Claire (first kiss is always an important milestone), but we witnessed the schism between the two when they realized the identity of each other.  Furthermore, this radical event was saved for the middle of the episode, not the end, meaning we were able to see the immediate aftermath and how it impacted the characters around them.  The flow here was not interrupted by an inconvenient one-week break, which means we could live in the moment of the break-up, utilizing that event to strengthen the aftermath that followed.  Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta exhibits some superior storytelling methods to complement its beautiful story and this episode is a perfect example.

Space Dandy (Episode 9)

Obviously what stood out with this episode were the brilliant use of vivid colors and extreme use of vibrant and conspicuous animation.  You could tell the animators had a fun time with this episode.  But what stands out to me with episode 9 of Space Dandy was the cinematography, a detail that played a vital role in the visual presentation of this episode that may have gone unnoticed to many fans of the franchise.  The episode utilized a number of wide shots to help establish the fantasy environment on the planet of plants, helping us see all the colors and weirdness of this world.  It helped paint a scenery that appeared both psychedelic and peaceful.  Besides the wide shots were many tight shots of Dandy, showing his facial expressions through that wonderful animation.  These close-ups were what demonstrated the illustrious animation of this episode, putting more life into Dandy than what we usually see.  Furthermore, there were plenty of interesting uses of light and angles, though nothing out of the ordinary for Space Dandy.  Still, it was a phenomenal episode to watch, thanks primarily to the use of color and animation.  However, it’s worth noting the importance that cinematography played in helping aid these two aesthetic aspects.

Silver Spoon S2 (Episode 8)

Since Moyashimon and Silver Spoon are both educational and intelligent agricultural anime, I feel the two will always be compared to each other.  The purpose of bringing up Moyashimon now is that I want to compare and contrast the informative sections where science lessons would dominate the scene.  In this episode of Silver Spoon, we witnessed a lesson in cheesemaking.  And while the scene accomplished its goal of educating us about the process of manufacturing cheese, the scene felt very out-of-place and felt substandard for Silver Spoon.  The scene did provide frequent breaks where the students would demonstrate their learning (a positive since it provides a different perspective on the lesson) but most of the time it was unfunny comedy that did not add to the scene besides its runtime.  It felt very educational but it also felt very school-like in how it was presented with the teacher dominating the scene.  Whereas in Moyashimon, many of the educational or enlightening tidbits were presented rather straightforward without interrupting gags.  The educational sessions also felt flowed better in the series, linking together projects or concepts for the characters rather than just being “hey, let’s make cheese now!” like in Silver Spoon.  Or more bluntly, what I enjoyed about the educational aspects in Moyashimon were that they felt more integral to the series and the education was utilized by the characters better.  Here, it felt random and arbitrary to include the cheesemaking now, especially since the character haven’t used that knowledge since.  Then again, I wrote about my positive impressions with the use of education in Moyashimon, so I might be a little bias on the subject matter here.  Nevertheless, I enjoyed the educational sections in Moyashimon much more than I do with Silver Spoon.

Samurai Flamenco (Episode 19)

Although I was expecting something grander and more spectacular with the whole girlfriend scenario, I must say I’m happy with the current developments in terms of Gotou’s character.  While I was expecting Gotou’s girlfriend to be some extreme super-boss or a character we already knew (say that Jouji was crossdressing the whole time), I am happy with seeing the delusions of his character knowing already how delusional Hazama is.  It’s a conclusion that I was not anticipating or even aware might happen, but it fits tremendously well with the themes and events of the series.

Noragami (Episode 9)

We already know what Yato and Yukine think of Hiyori, but what about all the other gods and shinki we’ve met?  What do they think about a human whose soul disconnects from her body periodically?  Furthermore, Hiyori seems pretty unique since we have yet to see or hear of any other human who does this.  And on top of that, I wonder what they think about a human wondering around with Yato, a god who seems to be considered a loser by most everyone.  I could keep going on these questions, especially in regards to her personality, interest in Yato and Yukine and what she plans on doing when she’s back to normal… but it’s best to stop here.  I’m rather surprised that someone else hasn’t decided to take it upon themselves to query Hiyori about her situation and taken it upon themselves to help her with this situation.  Then again, maybe they know something I don’t and are choosing to stay away from our cute, cat-tailed protagonist.  Still, I wonder what everyone thinks of this rather exceptional character.

Nagi no Asukara (Episode 22)

I’m not quite sure what to think about the ability ‘to fall in love’ and how that explains everything we’ve seen with Manaka since she has awaken from her deep slumber.  Does the fact that these memories that are now forgotten were signs that she was falling in love with Hikari (example of falling in love)?  Does her lack of fascination with Tsumugu now mean she was in love with him (example of continuing her crush)?  And if Uroko’s definition of ‘falling in love’ means her crush with Tsumugu is broken, what about her relationship with Chisaki (Manaka loves her friends)?  I’m really struggling with the idea that Manaka can no longer fall in love or, as it seems now ‘to never love again’, and what we’ve seen of her character.  Additionally, I’m not sure what taking away this ability does for the sea god.  It seems very arbitrary as of right now… but as long as it proves useful or fruitful to the story, I suppose I can’t complain.  It’ll be interesting to see how this mechanic is used in the final episodes of Nagi no Asukara and what this means for the intertwined web of romance for the main cast of characters.

Magi: The Kingdom of Magic (S2) (Episode 21)

Given the complete dependence on elemental magic, Djinn Equips and Metal Vessels lately, Magi feels like two completely different series with the recent reappearance of djinn.  Really, from the time before Ugo left to now feels like two completely different series with one focusing on the djinn and this latter one on magic.  Seeing this blue-skinned, pointy-earred and colossal magical-beings certainly reminds me of the beginning of Magi when Aladdin relied solely on Ugo instead of his own inherent magic abilities.  Only now that we see Leraje, Kouha Ren’s djinn, do I even remember the first half of Magi, something I have forgotten given how different the series has become.  And now that I’m thinking back to the first season and everything that’s occurred since then, I have to admit that Magi has changed radically since its start in Qishan.  I’m not sure which half of the series I prefer since both have their strengths and weaknesses… but if I have to choose, it’d be the first half since that’s when Morgiana was a character and not a missing person.  Seriously, why did they have to make her disappear like that?

KILL la KILL (Episode 21)

Although great animation is usually demonstrated by fluid motion, abundant details or zooming, panning, spinning cinematography, I find Nui’s animation in KILL la KILL to be some of the best based on its simplicity and on her character.  What makes Nui’s animation outstanding is that it’s so wildly different than anyone else, employing individual pieces rotating, shifting, transforming and moving on their own.  She never moves like a normal character, fitting considering who she really is.  And when she’s in battle and moving like this, it makes her dodging seem effortless and that she’s much stronger than everyone else she fights.  The fact that she moves like this, continues to move like this and is the only character to move like this makes her animation surprisingly distinctive and charming.  It also adds an element of humor and intimidation to this psychotic villain, making her character cuter and more annoying than she would be otherwise.  Nui’s animation is surprisingly simple and innovative, but it is something that would only work in an anime that’s in the style and presentation for something like KILL la KILL.

Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha (Episode 8)

The gods in Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha are a bit too silly.  In most anime, gods are given humanistic qualities and personalities and often like human things like anime, video games and foods like apples or sweets.  But the gods in Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha are much more than that.  Unlike shows like Noragami, Nekogami Yaoyorozu, Kamisama Kiss, Sasami-san@Ganbaranai, Gingitsune or even Spice and Wolf, none of the gods do anything important in Inari.  They all seem to be aimless and unemployed, choosing to relax, have fun and do whatever they want.  They don’t seem to be listening to prayers or fighting evil or making the world a better place.  Instead, all they do is play around and have fun.  On top of that, they often have somewhat-crazy to crazy personalities, making them prime targets for comedy.  In fact, they go as far to make it seem like these characters aren’t actually gods since there’s nothing dignified or refined or revered about these characters.  Perhaps it’s best to surmise that it’s a really interesting and strange dynamic, the deities in Inari.  While they don’t seem to act or behave like gods at all, they are all fairly interesting characters that fit well with the comedy and story of Inari.  Still, I’d like to see the gods actually demonstrate their powers for god and the prosperity of their followers rather than playing video games, chasing after girls or generally being lazy.

Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! Ren (Episode 9)

It shouldn’t be surprising that the two most mature characters are the two most distant to Rikka and her cohort of delusional friends.  Touka and Kuzuha are two of the most interesting characters to watch since neither of them buy into the whole ‘chuunibyou’ world that everyone else does and they continue to reinforce a serious tone whenever confronted with these crazy antics.  Furthermore, the two are not only anchors in realism but work to make the other characters around them better people.  What makes Touka and Kuzuha two of my favorite characters is that they don’t assimilate with Rikka and her chuunibyou but still want to help her and her friends with their real-world issues.  The two are remarkable characters in this regard and makes me wish we had more time with them in this second season.  Nevertheless, it was nice to see both of them in this episode.

This week: why conflict is the best thing to happen in Isshuukan Friends, not being distracted to the real story in in Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin, appreciating character developing for a strong, independent female lead in Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii, and some differences between marathoning Mushishi and watching Mushishi Zoku Shou weekly.

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

Anime trending up this week: Isshuukan Friends

Anime trending down this week: Akuma no Riddle

Akuma no Riddle (Episode 4)

Will anything important ever happen during school in Akuma no Riddle? For an anime that spends about half its time in the classroom, not much happens. Virtually everything that moves the story along or is remotely exciting happens outside the classroom, whether it be in the dorms or wherever someone wants Haru to be murdered. I can only imagine that the school scenes are used as downtime between these scenes because the anime would be too exciting otherwise. But, I suppose that half this anime is about Haru and she is keen on making friends and graduating from her class, so there’s some meaning there to her character. It’s just everyone else is apathetic or indifferent to school that it makes these scenes so tedious. Then again, there was a bit of backstory on Kouko’s character in the classroom with this episode, so it isn’t a total waste. Still, Akuma no Riddle would be much, much more without these classroom scenes.

Captain Earth (Episode 4)

One of these days I should try eating human flesh because aliens (and monsters) are always saying that humans are the most delightful and succulent source of nutrition in the vastness of space… and I’m wondering if we’re missing out on something here. Then again, the real topic of this post is in regards to how Amara and Moco, the tag-team duo of the KILL-T-GANG, survived for so long without delicious, delicious human flesh? What did they eat before venturing to Earth and how did they survive for so long without earthlings? And to continue off that point, how do they know that humans are the most perfect food in the solar system? Have they even tried Italian food yet? Anyway, the point here is that it’s rather silly to have aliens comment about eating humans when they have little to no experience with humans, especially eating them. I would be more likely to accept this argument as true (and enjoy it much, much more) if the invasion had already occurred and they had devoured half of mankind. Learning about eating people after that would be something that the series could use to strengthen its villains and the story, but for two aliens to claim that humans are filet mignon without even a lick or a bite into anyone undermines the whole purpose of these villains. Then again, this is hardly the most prominent problem with Captain Earth at this point.

Hitsugi no Chaika (Episode 3)

I am struggling to understand the purpose of Akari’s character. Through three episodes, her single accomplishment is that she’s been a third wheel to Chaika’s adventure. But really, what has she done that Chaika or Tooru couldn’t already do on their own? In fact, if you completely removed her character, the anime would be the exact same. Akari has had no impact or influence on Hitsugi no Chaika. Not even a little. She’s just there. She just exists and follows her brother and Chaika around. Really, what is the purpose of her character and why does she exist now? I usually don’t have issues with characters who have minimal impact on an anime or are meaningful for comic relief or fanservice, but Akari has done nothing for three episodes now and is one of the most prominent characters being shown quite frequently. I figure that there’ll be a time where her character is important or significant in some way, but for now, she has no meaning or purpose, besides being the biggest third wheel in anime.

Isshuukan Friends (Episode 3)

I’m thrilled to see conflict in this lighthearted anime since conflict is exactly what this anime needed. Without conflict and without problems that arise, this anime would stagnate, grow stale and grow boring. But with conflict, thanks primarily to Shougo’s character, we’ll see the characters grow from this event and for them to mature as human beings. Instead of the anime being simply nice and boring every episode, Isshuukan Friends is moving along its story and its characters through meaningful interactions. Had Shougo acted the same as Yuuki, then the anime would have done nothing new. Instead, Shougo confronted Yuuki about Kaori and her condition and challenged him to view her through his perspective instead of his own. It pushed the characters in such a way that they had to react to this conflict. And as a result, we saw the characters become something more than when the episode started. I can only hope there continues to be conflict in every episode since that is exactly what this needs to continue to improve. It’s already one of the better anime this season and a simple conflict every episode will continue to help its characters, it story and its overall product, grow.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (Episode 4)

Not only was Joseph Joestar the best protagonist in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure but he continues to be the best all-around character thanks to his brazen and flashy personality. He easily has the best presence of anyone so far in this season of JJBA, both in terms of his dynamic with the other characters and how his comedy is portrayed. It’s actually amazing to think but his character has actually improved from the last arc to this one, which is saying something since he was phenomenal as the lead character in Battle Tendency. It’s promising to see him again in Stardust Crusaders since his personality contrasts so sharply with Jotaro’s and the two complement each other by making up for the other’s weaknesses. However, given how much we’ve seen of Joseph already, I’m not sure if he’ll continue to improve as a character or if this is the pinnacle of his success as a character. However, if that’s the case, he’s leveling off at the right place and is certain to make this season of JJBA an unforgettable one.

Mushishi Zoku Shou (Episode 4)

Unlike every other anime airing this season, I find it odd to watch Mushishi only once a week since I marathoned the series prior to the second season beginning earlier this month. During that golden week, I would watch numerous episode of Mushishi together and the end of one would mean the beginning of the next. Now, each episode stands alone for a seven-day period and I dare not wait for these shows to pile up since every episode is an individual masterpiece. So with this new season of Mushishi, I found that I am watching the series different than I did before and I have much more time to digest the episodes each week than after six or seven or eight at a time. I’ve found new aspects and details to appreciate with the series and can enjoy it for a longer duration of time, yet the downside is that I know each viewing is limited to half-an-hour instead of several hours at a time. There’s now that sense of hunger at the end of each Mushishi episode, wanting to skip ahead to next week’s episode and watch it right after. Then again, I doubt that’s any different with any other anime that’s as remarkable as this one. Probably not, but it’s interesting to see how stark of a difference there is between marathoning an anime and watching it week-to-week, especially of an anime with such extraordinary quality as this one.

No Game No Life (Episode 3)

Watching Sora and Shiro play real world games in No Game No Life would be interesting but not as interesting as playing games with magic, made-up rules and chaos. Here, we’re able to see the characters go beyond strategy and employ emotion, personality and humor into these events to turn these common games into something more. And while I wasn’t expecting anything to the degree of this new game of chess (I was expecting cheating to various degrees), I found something new to look forward to with each new game in each new episode. So instead of watching people play checkers or slot or something normal, we can now expect Sora and Shiro to play crazy checkers or silly slots. It certainly livens up the setting and scenarios in No Game No Life, which is quickly becoming a pleasant surprise this season.

Ping Pong the Animation (Episode 3)

I often don’t comment on the music in anime, so the few choice times where I do mention it, you can tell it left a favorable impression on me. There were actually three noteworthy songs that stood out to me in the third episode of Ping Pong; the first being the melody that used ping pong balls as a rhythm, the second being a techno song during Kong’s first match and Tsukimoto’s humming at the end. Each had their own brilliance to it, with the ping pong ball song being beautiful, the techno song augmenting the visuals and the humming song carrying importance and implication. Each song displayed its own unique value to the episode and helped improved many different aspects of the episode as a result. It often takes quite a bit for a song to impress me in an anime, so for Ping Pong to do it three times in one episode, is nothing short of astonishing. Even though we’re still in the first month of the season, I think I’ve found my favorite sounding anime of the season with Ping Pong.

Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin (Episode 3)

What I’m enjoying the most about Nanana isn’t so much the adventures, the puzzles and the treasures but how the series presented Nanana’s death, the role of her character and how the series is trying to move our attention away from her and toward these fun, little scenarios. To me, the series would not have presented the importance of Nanana’s character and her murder if it weren’t the central storyline of this anime, yet everything since then has been a diversion or distraction to take our mind off Nanana’s character and her death and LOOK, SHINY TREASURES AND CGI ANIMATION. You aren’t fooling me, anime, and you aren’t fooling anyone who’s curious about how this all points back to Nanana and her death. And considering the magnitude and imagination employed in Nanana, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Nanana’s ghost be a hoax or the phantasm of a magical treasure device. I mean, after all, who’s putting these treasures all throughout Nanae Island? Really, there’s a mystery presented in this anime that goes beyond searching for treasure. While the episodes present entertaining or amusing puzzles for the characters to play around with, the real puzzle is presented to the audience to understand what’s going on with Nanana’s character, the treasures and everything in Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin.

Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii (Episode 4)

Strong female lead characters always bode well for an anime, and Princess Nike is one of the best at what she does. Rather than being a cute, innocent moe girl who goes to school, enjoys time with friends and fights monsters/aliens/whatever with magic or superpowers, Nike is an active, energetic, passionate and outgoing young lady who isn’t afraid to defy those around her, challenge authority and be a strong, independent woman. And because of that, it’s amazing to see her in the role she’s in and how she’s changing as a person. Whereas before, as princess of the Principality of Rain, where she was free to do what she wanted, now she’s the fiancé of the Sun King and is adapting to a life where her role will no longer be the tomboy that she currently is and into something more regal and royal and regulated. So while the anime continues to focus directly on how Livius I is changing as a king, it’s also an examination of how Nike is changing, too. However, Nike still possesses that strong, independent personality and won’t be remodeled overnight. Unlike many characters who have a weak will or multiple flaws, Nike has a defined and refined personality that is able to resist simple or straightforward character development. Her stubbornness and tomboyish nature aren’t going to fade away quickly, if at all, so it’ll be interesting to see what other traits of her personality evolve as she continues to live in the Sun Kingdom. And even as she changes, she’ll still continue to be the tough, reliable protagonist that will lead this anime to new heights. You can think of it more as adding details or touching-up a project that is in its final stages. Or at least, that’s how I view how the series is trying to improve and distinguish Nike’s character. A strong female lead is always appreciated in anime, but one that matures and grows as a character too, is something truly special.

Last week: examining why Momoka dominates the comedy in Sabagebu!, a justification for why the educational segments in Yama no Susume Second Season are so enjoyable, enjoying the use of parallels in Zankyou no Terror and not understanding Japanese calligraphy at all in Barakamon.

Best episode of the week: Aldnoah.Zero

Anime trending up this week: Barakamon

Anime trending down this week: Captain Earth

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 2)

Akame is black. Leone is yellow. Mine is pink. Lubbock is green. Sheele is purple. Bulat is silver. And Tatsumi is boring brown. It’s a good thing that Tatsumi isn’t black or green or purple or something because otherwise, he wouldn’t have a position in Night Raid. Hey, maybe the only reason they offered him a position is because they had an opening for ‘brown’.

But seriously, the choice of colors in Akame ga Kill! has certainly been interesting, if not slightly remarkable. For starters, the main characters of Night Raid are virtually defined by their distinctive hair colors. Not only do they each have their own primary color, but their wardrobes match their hair color, too, with coats and dresses and gloves matching the owner’s hair color. It certainly makes it easy to learn who the characters are and how to differentiate between them, especially since these colors align with their personalities to a certain degree. However, while it is terrific way to start an anime, helping the audience adjust to and learn who the characters are, it is also a step in the direction of shallow character development and can even lead these vibrant and color-coordinated assassins to be one-dimensional. As the characters mature and develop over the course of the series, watching appearances change would to help symbolize growth, especially if they begin to shed their colors and don different outfits or even different hair colors. However, for a shounen fighting anime like Akame ga Kill!, there’s a sinking feeling that these characters will remain like this for quite some time, especially the secondary characters. I do appreciate the anime starting us off with a colorful cast to help us learn who everyone is, especially when there are 8 new characters to introduce, but this plan could also backfire on the anime if Akame ga Kill! fails to develop each of them properly.

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 2)

You can tell that Gen Urobuchi is being nice – or maybe he’s trying to lull us into a false sense of security – with this second episode of Aldnoah.Zero. Yes, there’s already been an ‘innocent’ death or two (or maybe two million) thus far, but there could have been plenty more if Urobuchi wanted it. Provided that we’re only two episodes in and that the action didn’t really start until this episode, there has been ample opportunity for Urobuchi to have disposed of an entire cast of throwaway characters. To date, only the unfortunate Okisuke has departed us, but it easily could’ve been more. For example, there easily could have been one or two during Rayet’s rescue mission. The end result of the scene was for Rayet to survive and escape, but she could’ve been coupled with some other nameless, faceless and unfortunate cast members to make her rescue more intense and dramatic. Additionally, Yuki could also have been killed (or another nameless character in her spot depending on how essential Yuki is to the plot moving forward) as early as this episode, too. In what would’ve been a tragic turn of events, she would have easily died had her mecha been too large to fit in the tunnel during the chase sequence. Imagine what would’ve happened to Inaho and the others if the head of Yuki’s mecha hit the top of the tunnel and she was stranded outside, all alone? There easily could’ve been more deaths in this second episode if Urobuchi desired it, but the casualty list is relatively small if we’re only counting characters that had faces and lines. But maybe that’s what Urobuchi wants and this is part of his plan to lull us into thinking the cast is safe. Perhaps this low death-count is just an outlier for what will happen later on in the series and that Aldnoah.Zero will be his most heartbreaking anime yet. Or maybe… just maybe he’s trying to trick us into thinking he’s doing that, when in reality, there won’t be many deaths in Aldnoah.Zero after all. After all, it’s certainly a possible explanation after watching this episode. Then again, there’s evidence it could go the other way, too…

Barakamon (Episode 2)

To me, calligraphy has always been synonymous with elegant and harmonious writing. Whenever I think of calligraphy, my mind conjures an image of an olde English lettering with defined and artistic characters that were gracefully crafted with magnificent and clear pen strokes. And if I continue to dwell on the subject, I begin to think of different writing styles with creative twists and loops and other motifs and even to some that incorporate various colors, textures and patterns into the script. So whenever I watch Barakamon focus on Japanese calligraphy, an art where creativity and passion define quality, I find myself a bit perplexed. Although Seishuu’s works are filled with emotion, the characters appear messy and chaotic, and this is something that’s completely contrary to what I am accustomed to whenever I evaluate calligraphy. There’s this definite difference between Western calligraphy and Japanese calligraphy that has developed itself into a barrier to me, something that’s preventing me from fully understanding and fully appreciating the art and culture that is Japanese calligraphy. And it’s not like a switch that turns on and off. Though I do see some artistic merit in Seishuu’s work, I feel as though I’m not on the level as everyone else in Barakamon. Whereas Seishuu and the others might drive themselves insane over a 13-stroke kanji for ‘comfort’, I find myself thinking, “ok… that’s nice… he wrote ‘comfort’ and now there’s paint everywhere”. To me, I just don’t get it, but as I continue to watch Barakamon, perhaps I’ll begin to develop my own appreciation for Japanese calligraphy. I guess you could say, after writing a post on the subject of Japanese calligraphy, I am already off to a decent start.

Captain Earth (Episode 15)

There has yet to be a good fight in Captain Earth and there probably will never be one. The mecha battle at the end of episode 15 was a clear offender of shounen fight syndrome, an unimaginative pattern of predictable events that is the epitome of horrendous writing, and the series of fights on Earth that began back in episode 8 unfortunately peaked in episode 8 when Taichi battled Zin. With episode 16 hinting at a return to space combat, easily the worst kind of battles in Captain Earth, I am beginning to think we’ll never see a good fight in this mecha anime. Although the battle animation is respectable during these action sequences, nothing about the battles is memorable nor are they exciting or interesting to watch. A significant reason is that there is no weight or suspense with these battles. You know that if Taichi loses or whatever, that the Earth is dead. Well, with 10 episodes to go, you know they’re not going to lose… and if they do, you know there’s Teppei is going to teleport in to save the day or Hana will summon her superpower Blume to blast away whatever. It’s dumb. And unfortunately, it has resulted in lame battle after lame battle. Really, Captain Earth has a multitude of forgivable mistakes… but for a mecha anime to never feature a single memorable fight is one that cannot be ignored. Fortunately for Captain Earth, it has 10 more chances to change my opinion, but given the track record of the series thus far, I wouldn’t bet on it.

Glasslip (Episode 2)

With P.A. Works, there’s always a male transfer student and there’s a good chance that he’ll be the main character, too (except, of course, when he isn’t). In Angel Beats!, you had Yuzuru. With Another, there was Kouichi. Tari Tari was a little different, but you still had Wein who was definitely important. And in Nagi no Asukara, you had both Hikari and Kaname. Now, with Glasslip, we have Kakeru, a male transfer student who is certainly making his presence felt after just a few simple conversations. I’m not sure if this is pure coincidence or a sign that P.A. Works has an unhealthy thing for male transfer students (6 characters in their last 8 anime), but it is something worth mentioning given the uncanny frequency in which male transfer students play a leading role in a P.A. Works anime.

Hanayamata (Episode 1)

How often do you see fireworks paired together with cherry blossoms? The majority of fireworks in anime are featured during the summer months, often coinciding with matsuri or summer festivals. However, in the first episode of Hanayamata when Hana is mesmerizing Naru with her charm, you can clearly see fanciful fireworks in the night sky alongside cherry trees in full bloom. And since we know the anime is starting at the beginning of a school year in Japan, we can pinpoint the time to be the first week of April. From what we know about basic biology and Japanese culture, April matches up well with the blooming cherry trees… but what about the fireworks? Well, unlike the United States where fireworks are used on only two occasions, fireworks are used around the year in Japan to celebrate local and national festivals. And while most of these festivals happen during the summer, it’s not uncommon for fireworks to be on display in other months, too. It is rare, but it is not impossible. And considering the significance of that scene at the shrine, maybe the added scarcity of the fireworks helped captivate Naru that much further. After all, the entire scene was enchanting, and the fireworks helped add a delightful accent given their colorful and fascinating appearance.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (Episode 15)

The character dynamic in Stardust Crusaders is somewhat bewildering. At times, you’re aware that Jotaro, Joseph, Kakyouin and Polnareff are all together. At other times, it seems like it’s just Polnareff. Or it’s just Jotaro. And while this is appropriate most of the time, especially whenever the characters are isolated, it still doesn’t explain why some characters seem to disappear. For example, in this episode, Joseph and Kakyouin were forgotten until the very end. In Singapore, Avdol, Joseph and Kakyouin hardly did anything. And when Joseph was struggling with the Empress, we hardly saw Jotaro or Kakyouin. It’s not so much a complaint of the series or the storytelling but more an observation that the series focuses so intensely on these characters that the others fall into the background. It feels fragmented. It doesn’t feel like they’re all traveling together and that it’s all one unified story. Right now, these monster-of-the-week episodes feel like a series of separate stories that utilize each character independently of the last; we really haven’t seen many stories where the cast members need to cooperate with each other. However, that’s the way the story is told right now in JJBA and a result of having so many Stands and so many different fighting styles. Fortunately, the pattern was broken with the sixteenth episode, so this doesn’t seem to be too much of an issue right now nor do I envision it to be one once the Stardust Crusaders reach Egypt.

Persona 4 the Golden Animation (Episode 1)

Who was the person that looked at Persona 4 and thought, “you know what, this isn’t anime enough. We need to make this more anime.” Because, really, I have no other explanation for them to add in a tsundere character and to add in someone voiced by Kana Hanazawa. But hey, at least they saved time and energy and made it one person. Still, I thought Persona 4 was pretty anime already but, after just one episode, you can tell that it is nothing compared to Persona 4 the Golden Animation.

Rokujouma no Shinryaku!? (Episode 1)

Oh right, all these girls are appearing in Satomi’s apartment only after he fell through the floor and landed in that magical shrine. So that’s what they’re all after, right, something about the power he inherited then? After all, Satomi couldn’t see Sanae in his apartment until after that event (you could see her reflecting in the window when Satomi was on the phone) and it was after that point when we first saw Yurika spy on him when he was walking to school. Maybe all these girls aren’t so much interested in Satomi’s apartment as they are in him and the power he inherited from that underground shrine. Then again, there has only been one episode, and there’s plenty more to explore once the actual story begins in the next episode.

Sabagebu! (Episode 2)

Momoka is a truly remarkable protagonist. Thanks to her arrogant and violent personality, Momoka dominates the comedy in Sabagebu!, and she easily stands out as the star of this anime. It is because of her heartless and unforgiving nature that she’s able to stand apart from her peers and contrast them to create this lasting impression. For example, Momoka straight-up punching Urara in the morning is one scene where Momoka made a simple moment a memorable one. Additionally, Momoka gunning down her friends after they surrendered during their playful contest was another instance where Momoka shines her brightest as a character. And that’s not to say the other characters don’t have their moments, too; Mio and her zealous passion toward survival games is easily second. Mio has had a number of unforgettable moments in the anime thus far, but she doesn’t dominate the anime like Momoka. And considering how often I’ve found myself laughing at Mio’s jokes, it speaks volumes of Momoka’s character. The other three members of the survival game club haven’t made much of an impact, and the only other character remaining is the narrator, a faceless voice who has had some amusing moments but is clearly third behind Momoka and Mio. To put it plainly, this anime would be nothing without Momoka. She is certainly the most valuable aspect of Sabagebu! and simply one of the most fascinating protagonists in anime this season.

Space Dandy Season 2 (Episode 2)

Although many of the attributes of Space Dandy could be defined as ‘extraordinary’, I believe the label does best to describe the creativity in this anime. Yes, though the animation, the characters and the humor are all extraordinary too, it is the creativity in Space Dandy that drives every episode and unites the series as a whole. Just look at the diversity between each episode, from the aliens, to the planets, to the stories and even to the emotion and feeling present in every episode. It’s the creativity in each episode that provides the charm, excitement and adventure to Space Dandy. And it is because of this creativity that has allowed Space Dandy to thrive as an entertaining anime. Furthermore, the creativity does more than just influence the settings and the stories. Every aspect about this anime, including the animation, the characters and the humor, all originate from this creativity, and all the inspiration and innovation in Space Dandy is derived from this ingenuity. It is thanks to this extraordinary and remarkable creativity that has made Space Dandy such a fun and unique anime to watch.

Sword Art Online II (Episode 2)

When, if ever, has Sword Art Online focused this much on a character not named Kirito? While the first season of SAO focused squarely on Kirito and his adventures in two virtual MMOs, the second episode of SAO 2 took a completely novel perspective as we followed Shino’s character, Sinon, around in Gun Gale Online. The episode primarily focused on her adventures as a hired gun with a pretty snazzy and rare sniper rifle. From this episode, we were able to establish some understanding of GGO and were provided valuable insight into Shino before she ever meet Kirito. It seems to me that with this episode, we’re able to establish a better baseline for Shino’s character and that this sequel to SAO is treating her character better than any other female character. Of course, with 22 episodes remaining, there’s quite a bit that will change between now and then. However, I am encouraged by this episode for stepping away from Kirito and providing us with a glimpse of a character outside his extensive social network. Of course, this dynamic is bound to change once Kirito makes contact with Shino, but at least we know the anime is trying something different with this season as compared to season one. Hopefully we’ll receive this insight later on with the other female characters too, especially if Kirito and Shino are the only ones in GGO and Asuna and the others are staying in ALO.

Tokyo Ghoul (Episode 2)

Tokyo Ghoul has attempted to define the parameters of a ghoul’s diet with this second episode. In case you weren’t paying attention to all the foods that Ken vomited in the past two episodes, I’ll save you some time and list you the food that won’t cause him to vomit: human flesh and coffee. So all these ghouls, every day, all they do is eat human flesh and coffee? Apparently that’s it or what we’re told to believe. But what is it about human flesh and coffee that they’re able to consume? What makes human flesh different from beef or chicken or… maybe even something more similar to humans like chimpanzee or gorilla? What is it about the composition of protein that causes ghouls to reject similar meats in favor or human tissue? And what about coffee makes it unique, too? What about similar beverages, such as cola or tea? Or what about a beverage that is consistent with the contents and composition of human flesh? You know, have a drink that has some protein, some fat, some carbs and electrolytes in it? I am really curious at what ghouls can and can’t eat now, especially since the series spent so much time explaining this topic to us and providing so much detail. I truly doubt the series will ever reach a level of discourse that satisfies my knowledge but I do feel confident that we’ll address this point again in the future, especially after covering the topic extensively in these first two episodes. But until then, I’m going to ponder some of the other possible things a ghoul could eat or drink.

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 1)

One of my favorite aspects of Yama no Susume is also one of the most endearing and charming, and they are the educational tidbits present in every episode. Seeing as the anime’s story revolves around introducing Aoi to the world of hiking, camping and mountaineering, it makes sense to have moments where the other girls help explain new portions of this hobby to her. For example, this episode was the first time we saw Aoi set up a tent, an essential component for whenever she goes camping for the first time. Additionally, the episode focused on preparing curry, going step-by-step and even revealing some secret ingredients. And while these segments are not the most exciting or even educational to some, they do provide an honest and sincere angle to the anime. The anime genuinely wants to see Aoi develop as a hiker, as a camper and as a mountaineer and the anime is spending a significant portion of its content on explaining these essentials to her. And as a result, the anime feels very real and very engaging. One thing that would put this quality over the top for me would be to see Aoi utilize this knowledge in later episodes, such as where to set her tent up so that the pegs can be driven into the ground properly or how to maintain a tent in a storm. Of course, with 24 episodes in this season, it might be a while before we see Aoi and the others on any important mountain.

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 1)

The parallels demonstrated in this episode of Zankyou no Terror provide optimism that this anime will be one of the most expressive, meaningful and perceptive anime of the year. What do I mean by the parallels? Well, one of the most obvious ones was between Lisa at the pool and Lisa jumping down to Touji. The first scene at the pool showed Lisa reluctant to follow her ‘friends’ commands and jump into the school swimming pool fully dressed. What this scene demonstrated was that Lisa was unhappy with her current relationships, that she felt she didn’t belong and that she was bullied as a result. She could change this all if she jumped, meaning that she’d commit to these friendships and become a part of their clique. Fast-forward to the end of the first episode where the scenes are similar but the situations are completely different. Here, Lisa is also unhappy with her situation but has the opportunity to jump and join with Arata and Touji. And because of how she noted Touji’s warm and Arata’s cool, Lisa decided to jump, meaning that she was committing her life to join up with Nine and Twelve. Moreover, there are parallels elsewhere in the anime too, with some of the more apparent being the symbolism of the terrorism and another being social hierarchy, specifically in how Arata and Touji are social outcasts and want to remain social outcasts. Because of these various details, I have found reassured hope in this anime and the writing that it offers. I am hoping to see the anime expand on these established lines as well as generate new parallels within itself and to the modern world.