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

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

Anime trending up this week: Tamayura ~more aggressive~

Anime trending down this week: Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou

Tamayura ~more aggressive~ (Episode 7)

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

Stella Jogakuin Koutouka C3-bu (Episode 7)

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

Silver Spoon (Episode 6)

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

Shingeki no Kyojin (Episode 19)

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

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 7)

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

Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou (Episode 7)

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

Gatchaman Crowds (Episode 6)

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

This week: loving the scrutiny and struggle in Yura’s character in Stella Jogakuin Koutouka C3-bu,  recognizing Sayomi’s contributions in Tamayura ~more aggressive~, thoughts on the father’s four attributes being divided among his sons in Uchouten Kazoku, and criticizing Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou for having a death, just for the sake of having a death.

Best episode of the week: Uchouten Kazoku

Anime trending up this week: Silver Spoon

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

Uchouten Kazoku (Episode 8)

The little bit that Yasaburou added, how each son embodied a distinctive and characteristic attribute of their deceased father, was really a pleasant and impactful addition to conclude the episode.  Not only did it further explain how each child is connected to their father personally but also how he continues to live on through his four sons.  However, when comparing the four sons to their father, you can’t help but wonder if this is another example of ‘the whole is more than the sum of its parts’.  That is to say, the father was able to do more and accomplish more with these four attributes together than the four sons can do individually.  Not to say that because of his status as the leader of the entire tanuki community of Kyoto did he accomplish more but that as a person, a father and a character, he seemed more complete.  Perhaps it’s because he was able to keep these four attributes in perfect harmony within himself rather than being subjected to criticism and conflict like what we see with the brothers.  Well, whatever the reason, Yasaburou’s astute observation was a wonderful way to surmise the importance of his father’s legacy on himself and his brothers.

To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S (Episode 19)

There’s such a thing as loli and then there’s such a thing as too loli.  And this is too loli.  I had always considered the main quartet of characters in Railgun to each be young girl on their own or in their groupings, maybe borderline loli depending on the definition or usage of the term.  But now with Febri on board, I can’t help but think of these girls as young adults, acting all grown-up and responsible when taking care of this little, lost child.  And no, I don’t get this impression from what they’re doing but merely from how they look in comparison to Febri.  That is to say, Febri is so loli, she makes other lolis look like young adults.  And when you get to be that loli, that’s too loli.

Tamayura ~more aggressive~ (Episode 8)

Poor Sayomi.  Her character is frequently chastised and avoided by the main cast of Tamayura due to her eccentric behavior, reckless driving skills and her infamous hikes and adventures that are more tiring and time-consuming than writing for an anime blog.  But all Sayomi does or want to do is to share experience with her sister and her friends all the wonderful sights, sounds and smells that she’s discovered in her life.  It’s not her fault that these hikes and explorations are grueling excursions through forests and up mountains, but she’s confident the experience is worthwhile and that it’ll have a meaningful impact on anyone who finishes the trip.  It’s not like she enjoys tormenting these girls; everything she does is in good faith.  She knows that everyone will cherish the experience and be thankful that Sayomi guided them there.  But how is she repaid for all this?  Not very well.  Not very well at all.  It’s kinda sad to see this level of conflict between the two sisters in Tamayura, though you always know whatever resistance Kaoru puts up is met with submission and followed by reluctance.  Maybe Kaoru and the others should be fortunate that Sayomi spends this much time and energy on trying to impress them with sights and experiences that they would never otherwise partake in.  Now if only she were able to spend that much time and energy on learning how to be a better driver…

Stella Jogakuin Koutouka C3-bu (Episode 8)

So what is C3-bu all about?  Is it about the C3 club and their participation in airsoft tournaments and survival games?  Is it about Yura’s phantasmal fantasies that have seemingly dropped off in recent episodes?  Or is it about Yura’s flaws as a character and questioning whether she’s happier when she’s winning, praised and revered or if she’s happier being another seat at the table of friendship.  Well, to be honest, it’s probably a healthy dose of all three blended nicely together, but the recent focus on Yura’s flaws, ones that really question and challenge her character, have been exceptional for this anime and Yura as a protagonist.  Seeing these imperfects and blemishes in her character and seeing them manifest in conflict has really highlighted the drama in this anime by showcasing the conflict going on in Yura’s mind.  She wants to win.  She wants to be praised.  But she also wants to have friends, to be happy and to smile again.  And unfortunately for her, she lacks the perception to understand what she really wants and the clairvoyance to understand how to get it.  Really, seeing the deterioration of Yura’s character and her unfortunate true nature have made C3-bu a joy to watch.  I can only hope to see this continue and for there to be a resolution to this storyline since it really has become the anime, more than the airsoft and delusions combined.

Silver Spoon (Episode 7)

What’s new and spectacular for Hachiken is same old, same old for everyone else.  It’s rather amusing to see what riles up and excites Hachiken is pretty much an everyday activity or occurrence for others.  But then again, that’s expected.  Since Hachiken is from an urban setting and has never really experienced a rural or agricultural environment, all these sights must be really exciting for him.  And for a majority of the audience who has never had the chance to experience such events, the reactions must be parallels of each other through to a much lower degree (I can only hope).  It works for the anime considering that our perspective is from Hachiken’s point-of-view, but it’s just humorous to see how he’s the only one who really reacts to everything.  Then again, I’m sure the opposite would be true if you took these other students to Tokyo or some other metropolis and showed them all the neat things there, like delivery pizza in less than 30 minutes.

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 8)

The Monogatari series is pretty much a string of conversations between two characters, dialogue that composed in such a way to match two personalities together with a variety of topics and events that comes to tell a story while also being entertaining and thought provoking.  To me, the best pair in terms of comedy has to be Araragi with Shinobu.  When those two are together, when those two personalities are paired, the writing seems to excel in terms of comedy.  While other pairings match better in terms of philosophy or romance or are comprised entirely of wanton sexualization (*cough* *cough* Kanbaru), every pairing has at least some shades of comedy in it, though the styles vary depending on the situation.  Nevertheless, Araragi and Shinobu always seem to be the most entertaining and comically satisfying as compared to all the rest.  That’s not to say that the others aren’t funny as I am particular to Senjougahara, Karen and Tsukihi, but that I find myself smiling the most and laughing the most when it’s just Koyomi and that blonde vampire.  That being said, I can only hope that we see more of Araragi and Shinobu together once this story arc is concluded.

Genei wo Kakeru Taiyou (Episode 8)

*Spoilers*

It takes guts to kill a character.  And it takes even more guts to kill a pleasant, cheerful character that many people liked or enjoyed.  But it almost feels disgraceful or shameful for Genei Taiyou to kill off Ginka like that.  It almost felt as though the series was killing her off for the sake of killing her off, rather than for anything meaningful or significant to the series.  It’s like they did it because they wanted to do it, not because it fit into the story or was necessary for the story or the characters to continue.  It’s as if they realized it would be cool or awesome or it was going to make the anime better or more dramatic if its cast was murdered towards the end of the series.  And maybe it is, but I can’t help but wish that this death was done justice.  That it was done better.  That it actually carried some weight and significance beyond watching a cute girl die some horrible death.  I do understand that these deaths may play a more significant role later on the series and more on Akari’s character, but I can’t help but criticize the way it was handled in Genei Taiyou and that’s the main issue I have here with this episode.  I can only hope the series quickly learns from this lesson before Luna and Seira face the same terrifying fate.

Gatchaman Crowds (Episode 7)

Have you ever wondered what the Gatchaman would be like without Hajime?  Just how backwards or bad their little organization would be without her thinking and fixing and making everything better?  Hell, they’d probably still be messing around with MESS and have no clue about what to do with Katz.  Didn’t it take like one or two episodes for Hajime to fix the MESS mess and have the story jump over to the whole Crowds/Rui/Katz issue?  And even now, she’s pushing the story through at blazing speeds, never wasting a moment for the story to take the next step, then the next one until it’s at a full-on sprint.  And what does this say about her compatriots at the little, secret Gatchaman hideout?  I think it says that they’re just bad or lazy or stupid.  Or at least, that’s what it says to me.

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 post reviews: Gingitsune, Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta, and Non Non Biyori.

Looks like there will only be one more of these previews with the last few remaining anime covered there and then moving onto my Weekly Anime after this.  All that’ll be left after this is to decide which anime to write about each week.

Watching:

Gingitsune

The first episode of Gingitsune was a mix of positives and negatives, but the negatives were more along the lines of worrisome problems than the anime being bad.  It’s more that I have a sinking feeling that this anime will deteriorate as it continues than anything else.  The main reason why I feel this way is that there was very little excitement or energy from the cast and no real foresight on problems or conflicts to build on.  Sure, the setting is cheery with a school-age shrine maiden who can see and communicate with a messenger of the gods named Gintarou.  I like that.  And I enjoyed the honest, genuine feel of the characters and their interactions with each other.  It isn’t over-the-top or unbelievable but realistic problems where a girl gets mad at Makoto because she was hurt by her advice.  That’s great, too, brilliant even.  But it didn’t really set up anything for the long term, such a goal for Makoto or a struggle that both are needed to solve.  Instead, I wonder how long the anime will be an episodic slice of life anime like this one.  Sure, the anime might be fine, but episodic anime are largely hit-or-miss and I can see a number of misses if it’s tame or dry.  That being said, I am sufficiently intrigued by Gintarou’s character and his relationship with Makoto.  The fact that none of the previous shrine maidens had personal relationships with Gintarou is sure to set up for some wonderful development with his character and his blunt yet honest personality makes for a fantastic pairing with a stereotypical moe girl lead (thank heavens it’s not another angsty teenager or perverted idiot).  I’m looking forward to that and I’m also looking forward to how Gintarou will influence Makoto’s character, too.  The art style is lovely though the execution is somewhat sloppy at times, especially with some of the insignificant animation.  I know that’s being nitpicky but there were times when it looked off.  And that’s really the final negative I had with this anime.  Everything else was pleasant and I’m looking forward to more episodes soon.

Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta

First and foremost, did anyone else notice the seamless and fluid transitions between 2D and 3D animation in Yozakura Quartet?  The animation director (Satonobu Kikuchi) and anime studio (Nomad) turned out a marvelous performance with this episode, making the switches between 3D models and 2D drawings almost unnoticeable.  The two styles complement each other, with simple 2D character designs that parallel the 3D models and 3D characters with cel-shaded expressions that reflect appropriate anime facial expressions and movement.  I mean, if it weren’t this great, I don’t know if I’d want to keep the anime or not given how I dislike 3D modeling but this first episode really left a positive impression on me.  As for the actual content of the anime: it’s good but not great.  The setting is pretty much wonderful, an enjoyable mix of magic and monsters, chaos and action and features a mysterious cast of villains who are quite a bit more vibrant and interesting than the trio of school kids and an adorable blue-haired catgirl.  I appreciated the use of superpowers as a means of combat and the action sequences were fun, but I can’t say the same about the rest of the first episode which was best summarized as ‘meh’.  It was pretty slow at times but you figure that’d happen with the content was focused on introductions rather than fighting giant runaway goldfish.  There were frequent pantyshots spread throughout the first episode, but none where shoved in your face leading me to believe they wanted to include some panties but not to go too overboard and devolve it into a shitty ecchi anime.  It would do fine without it but I imagine there will be fanservice throughout this series because why not?  I’m excited to see where this story will go and what the characters will do but I’m not expecting anything profound to be explored here nor do I expect the characters to mature or develop into fascinating characters with sophisticated personalities or elaborate details.  In fact, I’m just hoping this anime is fun and not much else.  If it’s able to deliver that, then I know picking up Yozakura Quartet for this season will be worth my time.

Undecided:

Non Non Biyori

Non Non Biyori isn’t the comedy I expected it to be, so I need to adjust my expectations for this series to see whether I want to keep it or not.  And while Non Non Biyori had plenty of comedy moments, the jokes were just spread way too thinly throughout to keep me sufficiently entertained and the focus was entirely more slice of life than comedy, so that set me up for a bit of disappointment with this episode.  That being said, knowing this is a slice of life anime, if I adjust my expectations and what I want from this series, then I’ll have a better idea if I want to keep it or not.  That being said, I did enjoy the comedy and the slife aspects but I also found myself bored through parts the middle parts of the episode.  I just wish more happened in each episode since certain jokes had lots of dead space and dragged on longer than they should have.  At least the comedy was all based on the oddities of rural versus urban life rather than a single straight man YELLING AT EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS.  It was a rather pleasant, relaxing episode to watch and it might fill the void left by Tamayura ~more aggressive~.  I’ve always loved the rural Japanese setting and this anime is no exception.  The art style is basic but fits the bill for what the anime wants to be which is simple and fun.  And I like simple and fun, just that I was expecting a little less simple and a little more fun.  All in all, Non Non Biyori is a decent anime, just not what I expected and not what I wanted it to be.  If it continues to be enjoyable or amusing in the next couple of episodes, I’ll continue through to the end.  Otherwise, I wouldn’t lose sleep over dropping it and focusing on some other anime instead.

Dropped:

Nothing dropped from these three but I’ve scanned through pretty much everything that hasn’t been reviewed yet and given them a simple ‘no’.  It’s been pretty easy this season.

This post reviews: BlazBlue: Alter Memory, Tokyo Ravens, Galilei Donna, and Samurai Flamenco.

This is the final part in my series of my First Impressions posts on the Autumn 2013 anime season.  Anything that wasn’t reviewed in these posts was already dropped prior to the season beginning, thought I did watch a few episodes for shows that I never considered keeping.  Some were not as bad as I had originally envisioned and others were right about where I expected them to be.  However, none were good enough to justify keeping, so we’ll leave it at that.

Watching:

BlazBlue: Alter Memory

I like dumb anime, but I only like a certain type of dumb anime.  And fortunately for BlazBlue: Alter Memory, it’s that type of dumb anime that I like.  It’s one that consists of mindless entertainment in the form of crazy, over-the-top battles, a ridiculous ‘who cares?’ storyline and a cast of vibrant and amusing characters that match the wacky attitude of this anime.  And that’s it.  That’s all it needs.  All I wanted from BlazBlue was to be a silly fighting anime with frequent fights and a storyline that doesn’t oversaturate and bore the audience to sleep.  I think the show knows that the audience just wants to see people fighting each other and so far, it delivered with two adequate fights in the first episode (three if you add that little skirmish with Taokaka).  And with probably a dozen characters left to introduce, it knows it can’t skimp on the fights because otherwise fans of that one lesser character are gonna be pissed and complain.  I’m perfectly fine with the balance of the story and entertainment at this point since it can’t be just random, arbitrary fights the whole time, so hopefully it can maintain this balance until the finale and then do whatever the hell it wants.  I do have to admit the production values for this anime are rather careless (the OP sequence was made entirely out of clips from the episode… meaning they didn’t get it done on time or have no clue what the hell they’re doing) and fight sequences were shoddy.  My two worries moving forward are related to the lack of animation quality during fights and if the anime decides to spend more than a minute on the story in each episode.  If it manages to keep either aspect from becoming a problem, then BlazBlue should be one of the more entertaining anime of the season.

Galilei Donna

I’m not really sure what to think of Galilei Donna after one episodes but I like what I’m seeing from it.  The first episode decided to take the approach of making everything exciting with the entire episode comprised of chaos and action instead of matching monologue with monologue of tepid introductions and character backgrounds.  That’s not to say we didn’t receive any of that vital information but it was largely communicated through expression and action rather than the girls saying, ‘I’m a lawyer/karate champion/engineer’ and ‘we’re all sisters except we have absolutely nothing in common with each other.’  The art and animation are pleasing throughout the entire first episode and the music is already a favorite compared to the other shows this season.  There’s a lot of color and movement in this anime.  The story is more than a bit complicated at this point with the information we’re given, so I can’t say too much about it right now.  It seems suitable so far but I worry it will devolve into the sisters learning about each other and becoming close siblings and fighting this super-secret evil organization through each expertise (law, karate, robotics) and then live happily ever after.  I’m already feeling a bit nauseous after typing that out and I pray that the story won’t go down that route but it has the building blocks in place for this unfortunately familiar and formulaic story.  If that turns out to be the case, I can regret that later.  For now, Galilei Donna is a keeper.  Also, that dad is kick-ass awesome.  I hope he doesn’t die anytime soon.

Samurai Flamenco

Most of the anime that I love and cherish are fun, flashy, sexy anime with style, sparkle and flare.  Samurai Flamenco isn’t that.  The remaining anime that I love and cherish are shows with hearty and valuable “substance”, abstract concepts and ideas about various subjects that build upon each other and mature as the show progresses.  Samurai Flamenco might be that.  I don’t know what it is or when it happened but Samurai Flamenco really clicked with me in this first episode.  There’s just something about the two guys, sitting around and watching reruns of old hero shows, and exchanging thoughts and theories on justice and curry.  Maybe because I identify with the concept so well when watching anime or whatever with friends?  And the constant conflict and bickering between the two sides… somehow that’s familiar as well.  I certainly enjoy seeing the angle of the normal cop (who’s like me) argue with the irrational idealist (all my friends) whenever they get together.  It’s just so much fun to see that reflection in this anime, and I found it oddly satisfying, in almost a romantic, idealistic sorta way.  As for the anime itself, it’s not really my cup of tea.  I’ve never really been a big fan of ‘heroes’ or ‘justice’, probably because I always identify with the villains and their wacky ideals in anime as more entertaining or engaging devices.  It was like that with Lunatic in Tiger & Bunny and I hope I have the opportunity here too should the role for a villain or antagonist be required.  The art and animation weren’t really tested in this first episode without much in a way of displaying it, but it’s fine for what it wanted to do with its first episode.  I do enjoy Hazama as the helpless romantic as a driving force in this show but my favorite is Goto, the rational cop who’s trying to talk sense into Hazama will identifying his own idea of ‘heroes’ and ‘justice’.  This might not be the fun, sexy or even popular anime of the season but it might be one of the best “substance” anime of the year for me.

Undecided:

Tokyo Ravens

After watching the first episode of Tokyo Ravens, I found myself feeling a bit of ambivalence to toward the anime.  I thought I enjoyed the first episode but I also thought I was trying to force myself to like the first episode.  At times I was bored but at times I was entertained, too.  The characters are decent but none are neither great or terribly pathetic (though the main guy is somewhat pathetic at this point).  The story seems messy in its presentation in this first episode but, honestly, who’s watching this for its story?  The setting is the only thing I can take away from this episode as a certain positive since the idea of shamans battling random stuff seems cool but the execution of that aspect, not to mention a rather tame modern Japan backdrop, took away from of the glamour and excitement.  And the music that I loved from the PV was only passable rather than an exclamation point.  So in summary, I’m still really mixed about this anime.  Right now, seeing how heavy my plate is this season, I’m expecting to drop this anime after another episode but I want to give it one more shot to see if this is what I really want or if the anime can make me change my mind.  Hopefully it won’t take 24 minutes to do just that but if it does, then I can make some room if this proves to be better than the worst anime I’m watching this season.

Dropped:

Nothing dropped from this review either.  That means that this season will be quite a busy one, although that’s a byproduct of the quality anime this season and not that I’m bored and burdened with free-time.  Actually, it’s quite the opposite, but my schedule should clear up nicely when I move back home.  Hopefully then my Weekly Anime posts will come out at an appropriate (or even reasonable) time each week.

This week: newfound respect and appreciation for Nadeko in Monogatari Series Second Season, comparisons of KILL la KILL to Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann and Panty & Stocking, the mismanaged emotional aspects of Coppelion, and questioning how the profession of modeling impacts the themes of heroes and justice in Samurai Flamenco.

Best episode of the week: Kyousogiga (TV)

Anime trending up this week: Nagi no Asukara

Anime trending down this week: Little Busters!: Refrain

BlazBlue: Alter Memory (Episode 1)

My opinions on how the story should inpact BlazBlue have already been established in my preview and first impressions posts, but I can’t keep my mind off the subject knowing how much time was spent on it during the first episode.  Stories have traditionally performed poorly in fighting anime like these with a cast of characters numbering over a dozen.  Often times, these fighting anime follow a formula which, with every new episode, introduces a new character, their backstory, their relevance to the overall story and their fight.  That’s the type of pattern that lead to the disaster of Queen’s Blade.  Instead, hopefully the story of BlazBlue bounces around between characters and their connections with the story, focusing more on the fights than anything else.  Honestly, I’m hoping the story follows something along the lines of Senran Kagura, an anime which spent around 30 seconds on backstories but did enough to explain everything before moving onto the fights.  Sure, I’m hoping BlazBlue will be better than Senran Kagura, but it seems to be the benchmark for stories in fighting adaptations, so there’s some identifiable and realistic goal for this anime to reach and hopefully surpass.

Coppelion (Episode 2)

The emotions in Coppelion were the only major drawback from this second episode.  It felt as though the emotional aspect of this episode was mismanaged at several crucial moments and lead to the episode’s overall effect feeling compromised.  For example, the emotional build-up was often absent from the emotional scenes.  The mother protecting her daughter in the slanted hotel, Ibara’s speech on her purpose in life, and the impact of the two deaths all felt too strong or came on too quickly for the audience to match or sympathize with.  And, as a result, the two deaths in this episode felt cheap and ineffective.  I’m not quite sure where the blame should be assigned, whether in the story itself, the writing, the pacing or the personalities of the characters but it just felt like a wasted opportunity.  I do expect that Coppelion will be able to improve on this aspect since it was the only significant flaw in this episode, and the other areas that involved the story, writing, pacing and characters were all fine.  Maybe once it embarks on the overall story rather than this episodic content will it begin to correct itself.

Freezing Vibration (Episode 2)

Not only is the second season of Freezing already superior to the original in just about everything but the anime has even improved its aspect ratio!  It felt incredibly awkward to be watching a 4:3 anime in 2011 when the first season aired and still remains to this day to be the only anime that I’ve blogged in 4:3 ratio (check out all those old screenshots).  Now that Freezing has caught up to the rest of anime and presents itself in 16:9, it feels like a much better anime from just its display alone.  I never realized how much of an impact the difference in aspect ratios could be but with Freezing as an example, I can tell how much better 16:9 is than 4:3.

Galilei Donna (Episode 1)

How did Hozuki, the youngest character in the Ferrari family, find the time, money, fuel and weapons to construct that floating airship that we saw in the first episode?  Like, let’s just think about that for the moment… the fuel… who was going to sell her barrels of whatever to get that thing moving?  And the weapons?  Let alone that, how did she manage to construct that beautiful fish artificial intelligence and also fly the flying behemoth without any issues (I’m assuming she didn’t test it in flight before this maiden voyage)?  And all in secret, too, without anyone possibly knowing?  “Yeah, you can have this giant, underground basement hangar thingy, we’re not using it for anything.”   It’s always fun and great to see stuff like this in an anime where someone comes to the rescue in an awesome airship like this, but they always require a bit of suspension of disbelief when it happen.  But this?  It’s fine for most anime, but for Galilei Donna, how do you even begin to explain it?  Where do you start?  Unless we have some super-powered girl here who is able to build whatever she envisions just by envisioning it, then I’m not really buying it.  And as for the other older daughters whose specialties are law and karate… I’m expecting a lot more from them now after witnessing Hozuki’s heroics in episode one.

Gingitsune (Episode 2)

To start, I’m fine with Makoto being the only one to see Gintarou.  For now, it’s a great way to strengthen their bond without any other characters trying to interfere save for the father who mockingly calls out Gintarou whenever his daughter is found alone talking to herself.  However, as the series progresses, I hope other human characters are able to see Gintarou as well.  For one, it would help expand Gintarou’s character beyond Makoto and allow for his marvelous character to impact others in a direct manner.  Imagine if he’s able to do something with someone else to aid Makoto rather than doing it through her.  It would definitely expand the possibilities and potential for Gintarou’s character.  For another, what’s the point of only having one character see these spiritual entities?  It seems like there are other divine characters and mystical bodies as well, so it bodes well for this idea that others will see Gintarou eventually and interact with others besides Makoto.  But with those two points, I’d also like to reiterate that the main interactions of this series should be between Gintarou and Makoto.  I don’t want the series to open so wide that everyone is able to see and interact with Gintarou because then that lessens Makoto’s character while also dispelling the mysticism and magic in this anime.  Maybe there’ll come at time when others can understand and respect Gintarou’s character later, not like what the father is doing right now, that would be an appropriate middle ground for this anime moving forward.  I guess we’ll find out as the series progresses (or if I go scan through my 20 issues of Ultra Jump on my shelf).

Kakumeiki Valvrave (S2) (Episode 13)

Valvrave the Liberator has always been silly and had a knack for outperforming itself episode after episode in the first season.  With the sequel having restarted with this first episode, the first incredibly ridiculous detail that exposed itself (besides that entire fight to start the episode) is that information is made out of undetectable particles called ‘runes’, that runes are used to power the Valvraves and that vampire-Haruto biting people drains them of their runes and powers their mechas  …yeah, that’s what they’re going with.  I’m not sure exactly what to think right now about this convoluted explanation as to why Haruto needs to keep biting people but I guess it serves that issue that was probably brought up over the summer.  My next question for Valvrave is, what are you going to do next to top this?

KILL la KILL (Episode 2)

The two anime that Kill La Kill seems to draw a number of comparisons to are Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann and Panty & Stocking.  I understand where each comparison is derived from with a number of aspects and details in this anime drawing parallels to the others.  To me, I identify more with the TTGL crowd than the P&S one.  While the animation, art style, and comedy feel more like P&S than TTGL, I feel the characteristics of the character design, the story, the storytelling, and the setting mirror TTGL better.  But perhaps the most significant attribute of Kill La Kill is its attitude and emotions, which if compared to those other two anime are decisively in TTGL’s favor.  To me, these features are what’s dominating Kill La Kill thus far and the reason why it has become so celebrated and distinguished after only two episodes.  Its attitude and its emotions are the reason why it’s drawn such acclaim.  And to me, this is the reason why we’re even comparing it to other illustrious and notorious anime like TTGL and P&S.  Sure, it can be silly at times like Panty & Stocking but its badass, kickass, me-against-the-world, against-all-odds mentality with Ryuuko standing against everything is where I draw the most tangible comparison.  And then, of course, by sprinkling on the other details mentioned before, I feel that the TTGL scale has more weight than the P&S one.  I do hope that as Kill La Kill progresses and develops as a series, it’s able to differentiate itself more from the other anime before it and distinguish itself as an elite anime, but considering that it’s in its infancy at this point with only 2 episodes, that these comparisons are appropriate for the time being.

Kyousogiga (TV) (Episode 1)

Kyousogiga has always been a franchise with a number of loose ideas running around without any relevance to each other.  It was like that with the first OVA and even more evident with the second OVA, so I was curious to see how all these thoughts and concepts and theories would tie together when it became a television anime.  Well, it didn’t take long for the series to grab these individual ideas, tie them down and number them in order.  The first real episode of the Kyousogiga TV series did just that by providing the entire backstory of the setting and the characters with this exceptional episode.  Furthermore, it did it in that same brilliant Kyousogiga way with style, color and fun.  Not only was the episode the best of the week but it laid out the foundation for the remainder of the series and the franchise to grow up from and blossom into an extraordinary and  remarkable anime.  By featuring this episode at the beginning, I’m thrilled and delighted to see what the remainder of Kyousogiga has in store for us.

Magi S2 (Episode 2)

Whereas most fighting anime have one method of fighting, Magi features three styles that each compliment and contrast each other while all deriving from the same origin.  In Magi, you can use enchanted items as Djinn Equips to transform any human into a super-powered, element-enhanced fighter.  If that’s too much, you could always sit back and rely on elemental magics, using them in a variety of manners to fight your opponents.  Or if you’re feeling really lazy, why there is of course the summons where your lucky Djinn could do all the work for you.  And if you want to add one more, you could even consider Morgiana’s style different than the rest and show that there are four ways to fight in Magi.  Not only does this provide variety and style to the anime but these various methods of fighting help compliment the character personalities and their roles in the series.  It’s an aspect that continues to grow on me the more I see of it and, with the anime already in the heart of the series, I hope to see more diversity within these styles as the series introduces more and more enemies, villains and opponents for our heroes to fight against.

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 15)

Nadeko remains my least favorite character in the Monogatari franchise, actually making herself worse with this episode, but I’ve discovered some newfound respect for her character that allows me to enjoy her more without me actually liking her.  What I appreciate about Nadeko’s character is that she is flawed as a human, incredibly flawed at that.  You can see her struggles as a character and the stupid, regrettable decisions that she makes and her reactions, attitudes and personalities.  You can see her selfish tendencies and the internal conflicts and struggles she deals with on a constant basis.  I don’t believe that the Nadeko Medusa arc was intended for us to ‘like’ her more as a character since it’s constantly exposing her flaws and highlighting her sins, but I do believe it was designed so that we can understand her character better and her role in the Monogatari universe.  When considering this, I’ve found a new admiration, respect and even approval of Nadeko’s character.  So while I still find her to be my least favorite of all the characters from Bakemonogatari onward, I realize she has a fundamental role in the series and isn’t just some wasted space that is forgettable or was regrettable.  Actually, for what it has done, this might be the best story arc thus far in Monogatari Series Second Season.

Nagi no Asukara (Episode 2)

How is Nagi no Asukara like Non Non Biyori?  Well, there’s probably a couple hundred answers that would answer this question correctly, but the one I’m going for here is that they both have schools with only four students.  Or rather, they did have schools with only four students.  While Non Non Biyori simply increased its total to five, the underwater school in Nagi no Asukara was closed and its four students (the only four we’ve ever seen or known or heard about) relocated to the one above sea level.  So that begs the question, where there ever any other students at the school underwater or did it only have four students like Non Non Biyori?  And no, I’m not entirely serious with this post, you can tell it’s mainly for fun, but it’s an observation I made after watching both anime and realizing that the schools only had less than a handful in each.  Maybe there were others in other grades in Nagi no Asukara, but for now, I’m treating it as an underwater Non Non Biyori.

Samurai Flamenco (Episode 1)

After one episode of Samurai Flamenco, I am curious to see how the profession of being a model will impact the theme of the series.  Considering that the anime is about heroes and justice, I find the role of police officer entirely appropriate.  But model?  How does Hazama being a model impact or influence the anime in any capacity?  I suppose it does provide him with an avenue of wealth and access to time for which to be a hero, but it doesn’t have the symbolic effect that Goto’s position as a cop offers.  Maybe the symbolism here is that he’s a model and a role model, but a role model to whom?  The only thing I can think of is that being a model will make his face known to others and make him potentially identified as a weirdo when he’s eventually de-masked but… honestly, how is that going to affect him?  He’ll lose his job but his job isn’t his livelihood.  I could understand that if he wanted to be a model AND a hero how this could impact the series with any significance, but if he were to lose his job as a model because of being a hero, then he’d shrug it off, put on his tight tights and chase after drunks and litterbugs along the streets of Tokyo.  So how will Hazama’s job of being a model impact the themes of justice and heroes in Samurai Flamenco?  I honestly have no clue.

Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta (Episode 1)

Although our introductions to the villains or antagonists of Yozakura Quartet have been minimal at this point, I find myself more interested in them than the good guys.  Not only that, but I think I even like them as characters better than the good guys, too.  Now it shouldn’t be surprising for me to state that since I do enjoy villains and antagonists more than most anime fans (as this characteristic of mine has been detailed in numerous posts previously) but we’ve barely spent any time with them and they already seem more interesting.  I’m not sure whether that says that our heroes are boring as characters or the villains have more potential with their wacky costumes or strange motives, but that’s how I feel right now.  The main quartet of characters in Yozakura Quartet are decent but really average right now with little in the way to differentiate themselves from other protagonists in similar anime; you’ve got a group of middle school kids with super powers who help anyone around them.  And while the evil characters are also a bit generic too, they’ve got a bit more style and attitude to them that make them seem a little more interesting.  Whether this holds up or not remains to be seen but I do find myself looking forward to the villains in this series more than the heroes.

This week: trying to find a weakness in KILL la KILL, complaints about the endless backstories in Kyousogiga, splitting the characters to revitalize Magi: The Kingdom of Magic, and trying to figure out what’s gonna happen in Gingitsune.

Best episode of the week: KILL la KILL

Anime trending up this week: Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta

Anime trending down this week: Blazblue: Alter Memory

BlazBlue: Alter Memory (Episode 2)

After two episodes of pretty much nothing but Ragna and Noel, is now the time we begin to worry about the remaining cast of characters in BlazBlue?  Well, if the anime’s dedication to its story is any indication, yes, now is the time to start worrying.  After two episodes of virtually the same material and characters, I have a feeling that BlazBlue will continue its focus like this from start to finish and use the remainder of the cast of fighters as background characters who pop up periodically with no reason to their appearance.  How they’ll even fit everyone in is still an area of concern for me, considering that the cast of BlazBlue is extensive and only two characters have had significant screentime in the first sixth of the series.  To me, the series is taking a step in the wrong direction and I can see the anime going downhill in a hurry.  Then again, it’s typical to start off slow in a fighting adaptation like this, so hopefully we can part ways with Ragna and Noel soon and focus on everyone else.  But then again, if the preview at the end of episode 2 is any sign, looks to be more of the same from here on out.

Coppelion (Episode 3)

I don’t like the whole aspect of contamination in Coppelion.  While it’s decent for the story, creating this inaccessible and secluded deadzone, the science behind it is largely suspect.  The mention of genetically engineered ion channels indicates that the contamination is particle based, that there are chemicals floating in the air that cause toxicity in everyone but the Coppelion girls.  However, if it is particle based contamination and the chemicals are known enough to design specific ion channels to create immunity, why not provide more information to create a clearer picture?  Why stop half way and only provide a half-assed answer to probably the most stimulating question of the series?  And if it is a chemical that’s causing the contamination, why isn’t it spreading from the epicenter and dispersing to other environments?  Sure, we know that this was all caused by a meltdown at a nuclear plant but how are there still certain areas with drastically higher concentration than others (unless the source of the contamination is still leaking materials)?  And what’s this about their other superpowers too, like super-sight and super athletic abilities?  Really, the scientific information here is suspect at best for a series that seems to enjoy using science as a significant point of emphasis.  However, I don’t intend to relentless bash the use of science in this anime since the idea of genetic engineering specific to the contamination is a pleasant sci-fi idea, like how microbes develop resistance to specific antibiotics.  And I’d love for Coppelion to go the full-mile in its answer to the contamination since it would help strengthen the anime overall.  Instead, it feels like Coppelion is quitting halfway with its explanations provided in episode 3, and it’s starting to leave a negative impression on me as a result.

Freezing Vibration (Episode 3)

Freezing Vibration is a substantial improvement upon Freezing, but what aspect of this sequel is the most meaningful or responsible?  Last week, I touched upon the change in aspect ratio, going from 4:3 to 16:9 (widescreen) as a noteworthy difference but that alone does not credit the improvement seen in the story or characters.  Could it be the reduction in ecchi fanservice?  Well, the fanservice is still considerable in this series and much more than anything else I’m watching, so it can’t be that though the series has gotten better at restraining itself.    Perhaps it’s the lack of a male presen… ah, yup, that’s it.  That’s why Freezing Vibration is so much better.  Not only was Kazuya’s character a boring waste of space in the first season, his role or importance was only ordinary or unexceptional besides being the penis every girl wanted to have.  So now with Kazuya’s presence effectively reduced to 30 seconds each episode, Freezing is able to focus on its performing or accomplishing characters, ones that actually perform in the story, moving it forward and accomplish tasks, like winning fights or having important conversations with each other.  It’s like the series realized what it needed to do to get better and it’s checklist consisted of widescreen anime, reduced/better fanservice and cutting the deadweight in the series… which just so happened to be Kazuya and whatever other male characters appeared in the first season.  Now, with Freezing moving forward with only its most important characters, the anime has seen significant developments and upgrades all around.  Hopefully the anime will continue on this path beyond this story arc since this is easily the best Freezing has ever been.

Galilei Donna (Episode 2)

Although the three sisters are promoted as the main characters in Galilei Donna, it’s clear that after two episodes, it’s Hozuki… and then her older, more useless sisters.  But as the series has progressed thus far, it’s not like the other sisters, Hazuki and Kazuki, have had any opportunity to shine.  So while it feels like the youngest sister is the sole protagonist of the series, I can’t help but wonder if the series will proceed in phases, where a certain sister takes the role of ‘leader’ and the other two fit the billing of ‘leader’s suitcases who she carries around’.  That is to say, maybe as the series progresses, Hazuki’s knowledge of law will aid the sisters where Hozuki’s mechanics and Kazuki’s karate are ineffective and, at a different time, it’s Kazuki who saves the sisters by kicking ass without much in the way of help from sisters #1 and #3.  I certainly hope the series finds more use out of Hazuki and Kazuki shortly since those two seem to be rather interesting as characters themselves but they seem ineffective and unimportant through the first two episodes.  It doesn’t have to be that the series progresses in phases where the sisters rotate the role of protagonist, just that they’re able to provide some use to the series besides being Hozuki’s older sisters.

Gingitsune (Episode 3)

So what’s gonna happen in Gingitsune?  Is there going to be some sort of conflict?  Some sort of antagonist?  Will there be some evil, villainous corporation who’ll try to demolish the shrine and Makoto and Gintarou need to work together to restore everyone’s faith in religion and save the shrine?  Or what?  What exactly is the central storyline moving forward for Gingitsune?  The first three episodes of Gingitsune have been episodic in nature without much in the way of establishing or developing a main storyline.  And considering the nature and characters of this anime, it doesn’t seem like this anime is a slice-of-life series with random, fun episodes either.  You almost feel as though this anime would have a singular, major plot that progresses through these twelve episodes but there’s been nothing thus far.  It’s a glaring chunk that’s missing from this series.  And even if the series does develop a storyline in the next couple of episodes, this first quarter of the series will feel like wasted space or a missed opportunity.  Then again, maybe Gingitsune is different than most anime and will follow a less traditional route with Makoto and Gintarou.  Maybe it doesn’t need a huge story to work through and it doesn’t bill itself as a silly slice-of-life anime.  But then, if that’s not it, then what exactly is Gingitsune?  I suppose as the series advances, we’ll slowly find out.

Kakumeiki Valvrave (S2) (Episode 14)

Now that Akari’s backstory has been explained and seemingly resolved, you can’t help but question whether we will see a change in her personality and see her more sociable as a result.  After all, the origination of her social anxiety was derived from Satomi, her older brother, ignoring her when she was bullied by university officials and classmates alike.  This left her emotionally scarred and damaged mentally, which led her to being secluded and isolated from everyone but Shoko.  But now that she’s sorta/kinda resolved the outstanding issue with her brother, you figure this will spur a change in her personality or activity.  No, I don’t expect her to be outgoing and making friends and striking conversations with everyone, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see her more proactive and talking more, especially with Haruto and the other Valvrave pilots now.  Then again, that silent-girl personality is a popular archetype in anime and it’s what has led to Akari’s character gaining popularity, so why would you tarnish her character’s strength?  Maybe if there’s some happy medium that the series can offer in terms of character growth and silent-girl archetype, then hopefully that’s what’ll happen.  If not, I’m willing to part with her older personality if it allows her character to make more of a presence or significance in this series.  After all, we had plenty of episodes with her shy/quiet personality already, so why not allow her character to develop like everyone else?

KILL la KILL (Episode 3)

Does Kill La Kill have any weaknesses?  After three extremely manic, enthusiastic, spirited and sexy episodes, Kill La Kill has immediately become arguably the most dynamic and entertaining anime of the season and perhaps, even for all of 2013.  Every episode is fun, thanks to its inane comedy and ridiculous fights, and the sex appeal is excessive but somehow feels appropriate or justified.  The characters have rich, vibrant personalities and fit their roles perfectly, performing their pieces with outstanding results.  And the setting is exceptional and unique; exceptional in its style and presentation with one versus a million and its unique with these living school uniforms that are the origin of power and authority in this world.  But what about the story?  What seems to be the limiting factor in Kill La Kill thus far, the story is well established and clearly understood, but it seems to be lagging behind every other facet of the series in its rather tame and ordinary plot.  Sure, specific aspects of the story have done wonderfully, such as the writing, pacing and dialogue, but the subject of the story itself seems like a snoozer.  It’s just very average compared to everything else in the series which ranges from astonishing to brilliant to incalculable.  But to return to the original point of this review, if Kill La Kill has any weaknesses, I’d have to say no.  To call the ‘story’ a weakness would be inappropriate considering how it supports virtually every other outstanding aspect of the series.  Furthermore, the story does have exceptional writing thus far, especially with its dialogue.  And while I do consider the story to be lagging behind everything else, I do appreciate a simple story done right.  To me, Kill La Kill does not have any weaknesses or deficiencies and is pretty much perfect just the way it is.

Kyousogiga (TV) (Episode 2)

So… when are these flashbacks and backstories going to end?  Since the original OVA aired in 2011, everything since (the 2012 OVA, the OVA revisited and these first two episodes of the TV series) has been a flashback or retelling of an older story.  Where is all the new material?  Where is the series moving forward?  I can understand why the series wants to establish its history before it gets too detailed in its current story, but why did we need all this upfront?  Couldn’t the series have made some progress and done its backstory when it was needed to explain details or events?  That’s typically how most anime document their story and it’s a pattern that works wonders.  Take Mawaru Penguindrum for example and its ability to infuse a gorgeous and impressive history into an anime without needing to pause the plot for hours at a time.  What Penguindrum did was it linked everything in the present to events or situations in the past and used it to propel the story forward with reason and relevance.  In Kyousogiga, we’re given everything all at once and we can’t find its significance or relevance until… whenever (or maybe never).  However, if the preview is any indication, it seems that the series will finally move forward for the very first time, since the release of the original OVA back in 2011.  Hopefully now we can finally see this anime develop like what was promised two years ago.

Magi: The Kingdom of Magi (S2) (Episode 3)

Splitting the main trio of characters and each pursuing their own path is exactly what’s necessary for Magi to rekindle the hype, excitement and adventure that was lost long ago.  When Magi started to grow stagnant and stale during the whole Alibaba/Kassim love story in the middle of the first season, the anime lost its sense of being a journey and its adventurous enthusiasm.  The characters were content with solving socioeconomic and political issues rather than exploring dungeons, meeting fascinating djinns and learning about the world they live in.  And so, the latter half of Magi became largely mediocre and wearisome.  So with the prospect of the three main characters each going their own ways and pursuing their own goals, I have a strong feeling that Magi will relearn and re-experience its sense of exhilaration and adventure.  The characters will each be traveling to new areas of the globe, meeting new characters and learning more about themselves and others in these exciting places.  After getting a quick dose of this split in the first half of Magi S1, I’m excited to see it again though on a much bigger and grander scale.  I’m looking forward to seeing what happens to Aladdin, Alibaba and Morgiana now that each will be away from each other for an unspecified amount of time.  And when they return back together, it’ll be interesting to see how this changes affect not only themselves but the series as a whole.

Nagi no Asukara (Episode 3)

Although the rule of banishment from Shioshishio is derived from a logical and practical conundrum, the idea of enforcing banishment in this modern era seems asinine and laughable.  The whole idea of banishment stems from the lack of ena, the special material used to breathe and survive underwater, of the child between a couple from above and below the sea.  Without the ena, one of the parents and the child will need to remain on land since neither could possibly live underwater in Shioshishio.  So, instead of tearing apart the family and living it to a single-parent, Shioshishio forced the responsible party out and excommunicates them to live on the land.  But why does this underwater society need to ‘banish’ these people?  Why not allow them the possibility of returning if things don’t work out, or if they want to return to visit their family for a weekend?  The idea of banishment is certainly extreme and unjustified, especially with the notion that it effectively reduces their dwindling population.  I understand why the practice came about and I understand why it’s present with the themes of this series being on multiracial societies and their conflicts.  But being set in this modern age, I fail to understand how this unwritten rule hasn’t been altered or modified to address how the current societies operate and intermingle.  Then again, maybe it’s used to show how asinine or silly these old rules are, even when it’s the consequent from a rational and actual problem that keeps people alive and families together.  It will be interesting to see how this applies to the characters of the series, especially Manaka, moving forward.

Samurai Flamenco (Episode 2)

The addition of Mari Maya, the popular idol from Mineral Miracle Muse, is certainly intriguing because of her prospects of joining Hazama’s ‘hero’ side of the anime.  Not only that but the idea of her becoming a sidekick or a member of Hazama’s hero team is thrilling and promising.  I had wondered about there being other heroes to join Samurai Flamenco and his pursuit of justice but never figured Goto would join given his occupation as a policeman and his rationale sense of justice and society.  However, in comes Mari who seems to be somewhat obsessed with heroes, similar to Hazama; she’s obsessive enough to recognize the Red Axe song during work but not obsessive enough to be a heroic vigilante herself.  However, after watching Hazama’s interview after her shower that night, you figure it’s only time before she creates her own costume and hero and fights crime on the streets like Samurai Flamenco.  I’m already looking forward to the moment when Hazama and Mari meet up on the street in their hero costumes.  I’m also looking forward to when they discover each other’s identities, too, since that should be priceless.

Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta (Episode 2)

The characters in Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta are an exceptional strength.  Not only do each of the characters possess their own fun personality that work extremely well with each other but their appearances, whether it’s their unique costumes or their subtle youkai/beast details, are a significant reason why I enjoy this cast so much.  Yes, of course, you have the generic male lead with short, black hair and a handful of schoolgirls, but the wild assortment of costumes beyond them are wonderful.  And the cohesion between humans and youkai is a pleasant aspect that allows this series uses to its fullest advantage, allowing catgirls(satori) and ogres(oni) to walk alongside your normal, everyday humans with superpowers.  Not only that but the casual demeanor of the cast and their collective mentality bring out the fun in this series, like how Hime, Kotoha and Ao acted during their practice brawl before it almost turned ugly.  I’m not too sure what to think about the other aspects of this anime like the setting and story, but the characters are an unquestionable positive and their impact on this anime is indisputable.  But just how much of an impact they have and whether that’s enough to make up for the other aspects remains to be seen.

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

Best episode of the week: KILL la KILL

Anime trending up this week: Nagi no Asukara

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

BlazBlue: Alter Memory (Episode 3)

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

Coppelion (Episode 4)

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

Freezing Vibration (Episode 4)

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

Galilei Donna (Episode 3)

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

Gingitsune (Episode 4)

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

KILL la KILL (Episode 4)

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

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

Kyousogiga (TV) (Episode 3)

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

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

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

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 17)

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

Nagi no Asukara (Episode 4)

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

Samurai Flamenco (Episode 3)

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

Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta (Episode 3)

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

This week: why Flamenco Girl is evil in Samurai Flamenco, appreciating how Kyousogiga is reusing its material by expanding on its recaps, why the storytelling outdid the unique visuals in Monogatari Series Second Season, and questioning the schoolgirl uniform attire in Coppelion.

Best episode of the week: Monogatari Series Second Season

Anime trending up this week: Nagi no Asukara

Anime trending down this week: Galilei Donna

BlazBlue: Alter Memory (Episode 4)

Although this was expected, based solely on the cast of characters prior to the start of the anime, I want there to be more villains in BlazBlue.  Everyone is just so nice and friendly to each other, like how Taokaka wants to play with Ragna instead of fighting him, how Rachel is content watching everyone do whatever and now, most recently, with Noel talking her way out of a fight with Litchi Faye-Ling.  Those are at least 3 fights that could’ve happened in this episode alone.  These guys are all too nice and friendly to each other for a fighting anime.  Thank goodness there’s Hazama to create chaos and disorder, forcing the characters to fight each other instead of talking things over… and this gets back to why I want there to be more villains in BlazBlue: for there to be more fights.  Hopefully Relius Clover appears again soon or Jin Kisaragi finds someone because the series is going to be pretty dull unless some decent fights start up.

Coppelion (Episode 5)

Why the schoolgirl uniforms?  Why not something more… appropriate, for being a medical/rescue team?  Well, maybe appropriate isn’t the word I’m looking for since this is an anime and everyone wears school uniforms in anime… but maybe, something more professional or applicable is what I’m looking for.  Why not wear something more recognizable as a rescue worker?  Why do they need to show off some skin in those miniskirts like they are now?  Certainly those clothes aren’t ideal for running around, carrying people and trying to save the lives of those trapped in Tokyo’s nuclear epicenter.  I mean, seriously, are miniskirts the best thing to wear when running, climbing, fighting and whatnot?  And what’s not to say those blazers or skirts might get caught on some twisted metal or debris or something and get damaged?  Or what happens when it rains and their clothes get wet?  You’d figure that for a team as important as the Coppelion team is that they’d be given clothing suitable to aid in their job.  And yeah, sometimes they do switch clothes but they always revert back to the blazer and miniskirt combo.  I guess the only logical explanation is that this is an anime and schoolgirl uniforms are the only form of fanservice they’ll go for.  Still, this show used this as an opportunity to differentiate itself from the rest and try out military uniforms or something for the same level of fanservice but be more appropriate for the setting and be different than all the other “school uniform anime” out there.

Freezing Vibration (Episode 5)

I can’t tell who is worse, Elizabeth for leaking the documents to the Mably Corporation and then remaining close to her enemies or that Chevalier tortured Elizabeth and then nonchalantly placed her back amongst friends thinking this wouldn’t backfire on them.  Like, did either side really plan ahead for what might happen if things took a turn for the worse?  For example, Elizabeth should have anticipated what the backlash would be if she was discovered to have leaked crucial documents, an act of treason.  She probably should’ve left the E-Pandora facilities and returned to Japan or Britain where she’d be in touch with the Mably Corporation and away from Chevalier.  And for Chevalier, why wouldn’t they send Elizabeth back home after torturing her?  Allowing her to go back among peers, even if she was completely traumatized and couldn’t start a rebellion, is that the others around her are going to be pissed off and want to rebel against this cruel organization.  I suppose the right answer is that they both made terrible, terrible decisions but I figure Chevalier has more to lose than Elizabeth, so I’ll pick them as the worse option provided there is a rebellion and the girls fight back at the defense of Elizabeth.

Galilei Donna (Episode 4)

Galilei Donna… I want to like you, but… can you just please stop being so stupid?  Not only does the treasure hunt storyline really suck featuring a host of problems (it doesn’t make sense to search for hidden documents and obscure clues to find a treasure left by a man 500 years prior… what if this were lost or destroyed or deteriorated over time?) but the content of the show is slipping from adequate to subpar.  For example, the daughter of Herman Hans needed a special surgery for an unusual disease but no one know how to do the surgery.  So in order to address this issue, he began to create a robot to do this procedure to save her life.  But… that would mean he’d know what the surgery was in order to save her life, so why not just hire a surgeon to do it for him?  Him building that robot is what cost his daughter her life.  What a negligent parent, choosing a now-useless robot over a human girl.  And then there’s the issue of Hozuki falling, getting injured and then requiring that exact, specific robot to save her life.  That’s just an example of lazy writing.  Then there was Cicinho chasing after the girls and then fighting them and then stopping… why was that even necessary?  That’s an example of stupid writing.  And then having Herman provide the next clue by handing over the document at the end to allow the story to progress?  That’s an example of even lazier and even stupider writing.  I mean, why can’t this anime be better than it is?  I want to like this anime but it keeps lowering my expectations and I’m becoming less impressed with it after every episode.

Kakumeiki Valvrave (S2) (Episode 16)

How does ‘eating’ runes work?  Does the brain tissue revert back to a smoother state, resulting in a loss of wrinkles?  Do the synapses of memories just disappear?  Like, how do these memories, physical material in the brain, just get transferred over to a robotic machine without any appropriate connections?  I mean, in order to lose these memories in the real world, something has to happen at the site of the synapses, such as alcohol, drugs or toxins that damage and destroy the physical material there.  But in the case of Valvrave, they’re just gone? And then what’s this bullshit about how runes are to information like particles are to matter?  How does that shit work when these memories, called runes in Valvrave, are also physical matter, too?  Kind of a double standard now, Valvrave, by denoting that ‘runes’ are also physical matter and not just information.  I know, I know, I shouldn’t be applying logic or science to Valvrave because… well, it’s Valvrave… but at the very least, couldn’t it be consistent with its wacky universe?

KILL la KILL (Episode 5)

So what is the setting like beyond the walls of Honnouji Academy?  Or more appropriately, what’s the rest of Japan like (or the world like for that matter) in this overly-enthusiastic, dystopian future where the center of society is the local high school?  We already know that there’s a class system in place, based on the performance and grades of the students and that Honnouji Academy owns schools in eastern Kantou, the area where Ryuuko attended several schools before transferring to Honnouji Gakuen, and has completed a conquest of Japan except for Kansai.  It really makes me wonder what it’s like when you go far away from Honnouji Academy, such as to Hokkaido who is supposedly under Honnouji’s rule but far away from the centralized power there.  Are they like mini-Honnoujis?  Are their cities structured the same way, too?  And then what’s so special about Kansai, too?  As with any setting, I would love to see more and am happy to get whatever details I can extract, either through dialogue or other knowledge, but this show is a bit more of a tease than others considering how focused it is on Honnouji as its only physical location.  Hopefully the anime will require Ryuuko or someone else to explore beyond the walls of this insane school, but for now, I’m excited to see what I can learn through little hints like these hidden through each episode.

Kyousogiga (TV) (Episode 4)

While it has been established already that I dislike recaps, I do enjoy what Kyousogiga has done with its reinterpretations of its OVAs from last year.  That is, these last few episodes have featured repeat material from previous episodes but these new episodes expand and develop the material beyond what the OVAs previously achieved.  I actually like this.  I do like that the anime is able to take some of its material and improve upon it in a way that highlights the world and its characters better.  Although I would prefer it to be entirely all new material (a similar or parallel story rather than old/new material mixed together), there is something special about seeing old footage again but with different levels of magnification and focus on the subjects presented.  It would be something similar to an anime going back and answering questions or addressing issues that I or others had with the original material.  It’s kinda neat like that.  Too bad that some of this material is still a recap or repeat from the OVAs, but, when that’s the only knock I have on the series, you can tell I like the anime by quite a bit.

Magi: The Kingdom of Magi (S2) (Episode 5)

Although it’s impossible for me to give proper acknowledgement and merit to sakuga sequences given the format and style of this blog, I do want to take a moment to provide recognition for some of the outstanding and magnificent animation demonstrated through Magi as a series.  As compared to other anime, Magi seems to have a more frequent occurrences of gorgeous sakuga sequences and are typically employed during dramatic fighting scenes, especially with Morgiana and her impressive hand-to-hand (or rather, feet-to-face) fighting style.  So while I’m seeing my interest in the series wane, I do find myself still enjoying the art and animation in Magi thanks to sakuga sequences like those displayed in the fifth episode of this second season.  I can only hope that these sequences continue since they’re one of my favorite aspects of Magi moving forward.

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 18)

Lovely artwork but even lovelier storytelling.  While it will be the imagery of this episode that makes the headlines for being a stunning array of vibrant, detailed and spectacular visuals, it was the content of this episode that was the real treat.  Rather, I found the history of Shinobu to be extremely fascinating, opening a window into her character which is arguably the most obscure, underdeveloped (haha, boob joke) and neglected character in the Monogatari Series.  Her character has barely been the focus of any story prior, so having an episode devoted to her history was delightful.  Furthermore, how it tied in with the current storyline provided its significance and timing.  And to make things even better, it was how the story evolved with Shinobu’s character and her first servant that really speaks about her personality and her relationship with Araragi.  The episode was nothing short of special with its gorgeous scrolls overlaying Shinobu’s dialogue, but the real treasure here was the story of this episode.  And though we know the animation and art style will likely revert back to ‘normal’ Shaft, we can hope that the storytelling of Monogatari Series will continue to dazzle like it did in this episode.

Nagi no Asukara (Episode 5)

When has telling someone to “forget it” ever worked?  When has it ever resolved a conflict of any sort or made a situation better?  First off, if you’re going to tell someone to forget something, like Chisaki told Manaka after she overheard her talking about her crush on Hikari, it doesn’t mean that they’ll necessarily be able to forget it.  In the case of Manaka, how will she be able to forget that she heard who her best friend loves?  Even if she tries her hardest, you know she won’t be able to forget based on how stories are written.  And what about from Chisaki’s perspective, how will telling Manaka to forget about it make anything better for her?  Why doesn’t she address the situation with Manaka, talk things over and make a plan for how to mitigate the problem so that Manaka doesn’t make things worse.  Or better yet, since Chisaki doesn’t know how Manaka feels, why not ask for her input on this issue as well?  I mean, now that Manaka knows, you might as well take advantage of your own mistake and work to keep her on your side.  But no, she just wants Manaka to forget about it and for the issue to be dropped, though you know it won’t leave Manaka’s mind anytime soon.  And what does this say about Chisaki’s respect for Manaka?  Telling her to forget about something significant like this is pretty disrespectful to Manaka.  Why can’t she learn who her best friend loves?  Why is this a subject that’s a secret to her?  Well, whatever it is, you figure that once another character tells someone to “forget it”, it’ll blow up in their face before too long.  It’s just a matter of time before someone explodes in Nagi no Asukara.

Samurai Flamenco (Episode 4)

Flamenco Girl might be a superhero to the victims she saves and rescues but the girl behind the mask, Mari Maya, is evil.  She is pure evil.  Not like supervillain evil but a different type of evil that shows her abuse of power and how she’s a hero for all the wrong reasons.   And no, this is not from all the nut stomping she does, though you could probably tally that up to something evil too, but it’s her selfish and demanding personality that demonstrates why she’s evil.  First, she blames Hazama for ruining her debut.  She figures that if she starts fighting crime now on the streets with that somewhat sexy get-up that she’ll be labeled as a copy-cat.  And while any superhero wouldn’t mind, Mari can’t have that.  That’s her being selfish.  So her idea is to team-up with Hazama and for her to take center-stage, saving him and taking the spotlight.  That’s her being demanding.  Those aren’t personality traits you’d find on a hero; they’re what you’d find on someone evil.  And to further illustrate this point, she even claims she doesn’t understand the whole “good versus evil” aspect either… which is exactly what someone would say if they’re evil pretending to be a hero.  However, I don’t think Mari is intentionally evil or intends to be an ‘evil’ hero but that these actions are derivative of her personality as a whole.  You figure that her introduction like this as a flawed character will eventually lead to her having an epiphany where she’s able to turn her character completely around and become a hero of justice, like Samurai Flamenco.  However, I don’t expect the kicks to the balls to go away, even if she does become a proper superhero.

Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta (Episode 4)

Underage anime characters drinking alcohol and getting drunk after one or two sips is a stupid, humorless cliché.  Sure, it’s not as bad as the characters drinking juice or soda and then acting drunk, so at least Yozakura Quartet didn’t mess up that badly, but still, having the main cast of teenagers act drunk after ‘mistakenly’ drinking alcohol is a tired anime stereotype that has never been funny.  It’s just a lazy way of having the characters act stupid or silly when the authors can’t be bothered with writing something intelligent.  Why not have them willingly drink sufficient amounts of alcohol to justify getting drunk and then acting crazy?  Or why not have the characters act silly for another reason, like celebrating after a stressful or successful event?  I’m not sure if it’d justify Kotoha licking Ao’s boobs but it could do be a justification for Hime’s overeating.  Or, you could just work around the event and try to produce comedy through some other means.  I mean, virtually anything would be better than this provided Yozakura Quartet didn’t devolve into anime cooking jokes, oblivious male leads, or characters screaming every punchline.  So yeah, I guess Yozakura Quartet is better than 50% of comedy anime, even after something asinine like this.

This week: how the sexiness in KILL la KILL has lost its impact, appreciating the contrast in work between Gotou and Hazama in Samurai Flamenco, discovering a purpose for Aoi in Coppelion, and how character development and story progress made this the best episode of Magi: The Kingdom of Magic in at least 20 episodes.

Best episode of the week: KILL la KILL

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

Anime trending down this week: Coppelion

Coppelion (Episode 6)

What purpose does Aoi have in Coppelion?  If you said she has no purpose, you’d be wrong.  If you think she exists purely for comic relief, you’d also be wrong.  And if you said she exists just to be annoying, well… you’d be right, technically, but that’s not what I’m going for here.  Aoi exists to undermine everything about Coppelion.  Think about it for a second and this conflicting detail slowly becomes more apparent.  Coppelion thinks of itself as a serious anime, documenting the lives of genetically engineered schoolgirls as they explore a hazardous wasteland and try to ‘rescue’ the forgotten and neglected, only to find themselves with clashing and challenging personalities that call their very purpose and existence into question.  The setting and story are entirely serious and the anime wants us, as an audience, to take it seriously, too.  But then here comes Aoi, constantly screaming and complaining and being useless.  She isn’t funny.  She hasn’t done anything important.  And honestly, if she were dead, I think Ibara and Taeko would be better off with a bag of nuclear waste than with Aoi around.  The bumbling idiot is intended to be the comic relief of the anime but her presence undermines everything that Coppelion wants to be.  But then, it isn’t entirely fair to blame a poorly designed character in Aoi when the writing is the root of every problem in Coppelion.  Had the writers scripted Aoi’s character better, she wouldn’t feel as wasted or unnecessary or detrimental as she has been.  Had her character served any meaningful purpose in the anime, while also providing amusing comedy, then I don’t think I’d have a problem with Aoi like I do now.  Really, the writing is so abysmal in Coppelion that virtually every problem this series has can be traced back to this origin.  It’s actually somewhat entertaining to see what blunders this anime will make with each new episode.

Galilei Donna (Episode 5)

Question: how did Hozuki program Grande Rosso so well?  Or, more simply, how did she even create such a thing?  The adorable, little virtual friend aboard the flying mecha goldfish, aptly named the Galileo (like everything else in this anime) is perhaps the most astonishing and extraordinary detail the series has showcased thus far.  Yeah, yeah, the treasure hunt is lame and the mecha are pretty tame, so there really isn’t much of anything remarkable in Galilei Donna besides Grande Rosso and the perplexity and infeasibility of Hozuki building everything by herself in a short number of years.  But back to Grande Rosso, how did Hozuki program the AI to have such a charming personality?  And on top of that, it has an amazing analytics system, able to understand what’s best for the crew and even supersede its creator’s wishes.  You typically don’t see AI do that very well, especially when the creator is in tears begging it to save the lives of her friends.  It’s really fascinating to see how Grande Rosso behaves in the series and how the character is able to influence the actors around it.  You almost never see a mascot character have an impact in an anime since they’re usually there to be cute, funny and, more commonly, really damn annoying.  But Grande Rosso is different.  It almost feels like a character given what it’s been able to do.  And seeing how functional it is in battle and how endearing it is to the cast, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Grande Rosso’s role expand great than it already has.  Now, wouldn’t that be something?  Not only is Hozuki the main character, a super-genius and prodigy of Galileo but she also created a character better than the writers of the series have done with her two sisters.  Pretty soon, we’ll have to call this anime Hozuki Donna, seeing as she’s already rivaling Galileo for everything he’s done.

KILL la KILL (Episode 6)

I think, by now, Ryuuko’s exhibitionism has lost its luster.  Don’t get me wrong… sure, the protagonist of Kill La Kill is still arguably the sexiest character of the entire year, but seeing her in her Godrobe, Senketsu, doesn’t really seem all that outrageous or scanty anymore.  It’s what you expect from Kill La Kill now; that outrageousness is now the norm.  In fact, you kinda expect Ryuuko to be somewhat naked or sexualized for a majority of episodes as a result of this phenomenon.  And even when her serafuku is being washed and dried, we still got a few shots of her striped panties every now and again to remain at this high level of sexiness.  But after so much, the frequency and intensity of it all, it doesn’t seem all that extreme now.  Whether that matters at all or not remains to be seen.  Instead, the fighting has picked up considerably with the sixth episode displaying some of the best fighting seen all year, both in terms of story, drama and action.  The comedy in Kill La Kill has excelled, too, especially with the cutesy, change-of-pace episode where the two girls tried to make it to school on time.  To me, the initial appeal of the sexiness has faded in Kill La Kill and become a rather standard aspect of the series.  With that shocking feature now subdued, what remains are some rather entertaining fights and amusing comedy.  And underneath that is a budding story and promising characters who are beginning to develop and mature.  Of course, the sex appeal wasn’t the main reason why I picked up this anime, but it certainly was an exciting factor to consider.  Now with the fascination fading with every episode, I am glad to see that there’s some substance to this series to go along with the fighting and comedy that has performed so well.

Kyousogiga (TV) (Episode 5)

Kyousogiga is a cartoony anime… and that’s a good thing.  The charming nature of Kyousogiga is derived partially from its characters, its setting, its story and its style.  It’s artwork and aesthetics are simplified and colorful.  The animation and action are exaggerated and striking.  And that is even foregoing all the special moments where the art and animation combine to make a significant impact on the character or the scene.  The visual appeal of Kyousogiga is virtually unrivaled in both its delight and its passion.  The scenes are fun to watch.  The scenes are also meaningful to watch.  And although Kyousogiga seems a bit silly or simple, it works to the overall appeal of the show.  The anime wouldn’t have the same type of enchantment if it looked like every other anime.  The fact that is has these cartoony aspects helps differentiate Kyousogiga in a positive manner.  And that fact that Kyousogiga is a bit cartoony, helps make Kyousogiga Kyousogiga.

Magi: The Kingdom of Magi (S2) (Episode 6)

Well, wasn’t that something?  In what is arguably the best episode of Magi since before the Balbadd arc, we saw the resolution of an unenticing side story, the most significant development of Hakuryuu’s character and a conflict erupt between the main characters that did what I wanted all along, split the party into various groups.  Finally, the story and characters of Magi have done something significant and interesting.  Furthermore, it was fun to watch, too, seeing Hakuryuu take command of the situation without backing down or crying like a crybaby.  And to top it all off, we finally saw Hakuryuu open his heart in what was sure to be a pleasant addition to his complex character.

Really, why can’t more episodes of Magi be like this?  What’s so hard about actual progress?  By exploring Hakuryuu’s character, we effective hit a mini-climax in the story with all the characters splitting up and going their separate ways with ambivalent and conflicting emotions.  I love it.  I just hope Magi loves it, too and can continue on this upward trajectory.

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 19)

I’ve never really viewed the Monogatari franchise as a comedy, but I do find myself smiling and laughing at its humor more than many other anime in the comedy genre.  And with the last episode of Monogatari Series, I have to wonder if enough of these amusing bits in these story arcs are enough to qualify this anime as a ‘comedy’.  Considering how multivariate the series is, I really shouldn’t be surprised to see the series listed as a comedy. But along with 5 or 6 other labels, the series is hardly a true comedy like some of the other anime I’m reference earlier as comparisons to Monogatari.  Perhaps it’s my natural weakness to NisiOisiN’s writing or maybe it’s because I’m in comedy withdrawal since the end of Watamote and Love Lab.  Or maybe because this story arc is devoted more to story and writing than action and mystery like virtually all the others.  Whatever the reason or reasons, I find myself enjoying the humor of Monogatari more than ever before.  I can only hope this continues since there seems to be an emptiness where there usually is a strong comedy anime for me.  And while I don’t expect Monogatari Series to fill that void completely, I do appreciate its humor of late as an addition to an already captivating and delightful anime.

Samurai Flamenco (Episode 5)

The stark contrast between Gotou’s justice and Hazama’s justice is the most intriguing and engrossing attribute of Samurai Flamenco.  The purpose of his character, besides playing the voice of reason to Hazama’s antics, is to provide an honest disparity to Hazama’s heroics.  Whereas Hazama kicks bad guy ass, gets congratulated in the streets and is celebrated in the media, Gotou is an active duty police officer who performs boring or mundane tasks, like retrieving lost wallets, helping ordinary citizens and promoting the police in response to the weirdos dressing up in spandex and attacking people who really haven’t committed any crimes.  And of course, because Gotou is so ordinary, he isn’t kicking ass, being congratulated or celebrated for his work.  The whole examination of Gotou’s character and his work is a delight in this anime because it provides that foundation or benchmark for which to really measure and define Hazama’s character and his action.  It would be even better if we were able to spend some more time with Gotou and to see how he, as a police officer, would act in the situations that Hazama and Mari find themselves in.  For example, you could have Gotou arrive on a scene where Hazama is being beaten up and where Gotou, as a police officer, acts as the ‘hero’.  Still, what Samurai Flamenco has done thus far has been adequate for us to draw comparisons for Hazama’s extraordinary personality.  Furthermore, it will be interesting to see how these characters change over time and how each other influences their views and actions on justice.

This week: further analysis on Mako’s character, helping proving her true value in KILL la KILL, an exceptional, cunning and innovative moment in BlazBlue: Alter Memory, questioning why all scientists are crazy in anime based from Kakumeiki Valvrave (S2), and complaints of Shounen Fight Syndrome in Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta.

Best episode of the week: KILL la KILL

Anime trending up this week: Gingitsune

Anime trending down this week: Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta

Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta (Episode 6)

I haven’t complained about Shounen Fight Syndrome for quite a while, but that’s largely because it hasn’t bothered me lately.  The end to episode 6 of Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta, on the other hand, made me feel both frustrated and nauseated.  I will give it credit that it did connect the Dragon Lance, Sakanade, to Hime’s youkai background, but the whole set-up and the deus-ex-machina nature of the whole fight was pretty weak.  In fact, I might even go as far to say it ruined the episode, taking all the strategy and struggles and emotion in the fighting and turned it into an easy out without any satisfying climax or resolution.  That’s really where I find my beef with Shounen Fight Syndrome and the end to this episode of Yozakura Quartet is a fine example of why I hate this cliché in anime.

Samurai Flamenco (Episode 6)

Samurai Flamenco should be more serious.  As it stands right now, the series is 20%, maybe 25% serious and the rest is just silly and superhero-ish stuff.  And while I’m fine with that for most anime, it’s the serious aspects of Samurai Flamenco that I find I’m enjoying the most.  I find myself more enthusiastic and passionate when we’re learning Hazama’s backstory, observing the challenges and struggles in his heroic activities and how Gotou’s police work provides a real world contrast to Hazama’s superhero antics.  Not only that but the chemistry between Gotou and Hazama is ideal and balanced for the serious anime trapped inside Samurai Flamenco.  But for the most part, we’re given pretty girl idols dressing up as magical girls and stomping nuts, a battery of weapons that are all shaped like office supplies (with perfect timing and functionality, too) and a cast of silly characters who bounce in and out of the series when it has gone too long between jokes.  Why not take these moments and refine them?  Why not make this anime 60% serious or more?  Samurai Flamenco doesn’t need to be as silly or lighthearted as it is, but I don’t mind it sprinkled throughout, especially during the downtime.  Hopefully the anime can make a positive turn soon, especially with the midway point quickly approaching.  Thankfully, anime like this usually turn to focus on the serious aspects when they’re at the midpoint and at the end, so there’s hope that my desire will come true.

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 20)

Izuko Gaen is easily one of the most remarkable characters in the Monogatari Series franchise.  Not only is she a god of some sorts, she’s essentially a female NisiOisiN, a character who’s all-knowing, much like the author is.  In fact, her catchphrase is, “There is nothing I don’t know; I know everything.”  Pretty awesome, right?  But does she know why kids love Cinnamon Toast Crunch?  Hmmm?  I guess we may find ourselves in a paradox here or something if someone were to ever ask her.

Magi: The Kingdom of Magi (S2) (Episode 7)

I can’t be the only one who doesn’t like Aladdin’s fanatical and obsessive sexualization of boobies.  Although it’s been present throughout the series as a recurring ‘joke’, I feel the need to bring it up now after it’s happened for the nth time.  It’s not to say that the joke isn’t funny now (it was never been funny to begin with) but that it just seems so contrary to his personality and demeanor to others.  You always see Aladdin as a kindly, smiling and compassionate child, putting others before himself and using his skills as a Magi to better the lives of everyone around him.  But whenever there are adequately sized boobs around or anything larger, watch out because he becomes a completely different and considerably lesser character in the process.  In fact, look how quickly he and Alibaba turn on Morgiana because there were some cheap hookers in town.  Seriously, you’re going to be parting ways with her for who knows how long and those two losers decided to spend it with some floozies in a club and alienating their best friend?  Seriously, who does that?  Aladdin and Alibaba are dicks.

KILL la KILL (Episode 7)

I’ve always found Mako’s character to be one of the most remarkable aspects of Kill La Kill.  In an earlier post, I weighed her significance in the series beyond her obvious comic appeal to examine just how much of an influence she has on Ryuuko and on the anime as a whole.  And with this episode, her brilliance was demonstrated again, though maybe not in the way you think.  While the episode will be renowned for Mako’s Two-Star Ulitima (delinquent’s) Uniform, the subsequent fight, and the whole “511013” speculation, I find Mako’s actions throughout to be the most notable.  What this episode confirmed is that Mako was willing to work for Ryuuko as much, if not more, than what Ryuuko is doing for Mako.  All throughout the episode, save for a few choice moments, Mako worked diligently and tentatively for Ryuuko, laboring meticulously to improve the lives of her family and her best friend.  And although some corruption and selfishness swayed her momentarily, I think we’ve really discovered the true value of Mako’s character; not only is she the sweet, charming gal that makes us laugh and the girl that supports the loner, Ryuuko, but Mako is willing to do whatever she can to make Ryuuko a success.  We witnessed how hard she works and how serious she is when it’s her responsibility and this reinforces the idea.  It really builds off my previous analysis of Mako, not that she’s the only one on Ryuuko’s side but that she’s willing to do whatever to help out her best friend.  And considering the disadvantages of her character, I find the size of Mako’s heart to be more significant than really anything Ryuuko’s done.  Although it’s Ryuuko that will catch the headlines for her sex appeal, victories and triumphs, the only character who has really blossomed in Kill La Kill has been Mako.  And even though Ryuuko will continue to be my favorite in this delightful series, Mako is the character I respect and appreciate the most.

Kakumeiki Valvrave (S2) (Episode 18)

Why are scientists always insane (or killed) in anime?  Like, besides evil CEOs seeking world domination/destruction and yanderes, scientists are always the craziest characters in anime.  And we’re not even talking mad scientists here; we’re talking those grunts in lab coats that wear glasses and sit at computers.  But why are these people depicted as crazy?  Scientists in the real world are fairly normal (read: boring) people.  They just happen to study and explore the world around us, either building giant robots or playing God with the human genome or alien science.  And when scientists discover something new or revolutionary, they usually aren’t content with that as a final answer and will work on improving it or exploring it further.  Sure, these people are passionate and borderline obsessive, but I don’t get why scientists are always portrayed as some crazy mastermind who did something ridiculous and then became insane as a result.

Seriously now, why couldn’t Haruto’s father be a real character like a majority of the cast in Valvrave?  Why did they make him such a meaningless character?  Why couldn’t he have engaged Haruto and stood his ground against the Valvraves and the genetic manipulation of the students of Module 77.  Not only would it have strengthened the opposition and provided support for why JIOR’s military but it would’ve humanized Haruto’s father.  But no, it was probably easier to write him off as a mad scientist and then humanize him at his demise, where he’s crushed under some rubble and Haruto speaks to him then he realizes he loves his father and then there are tears and blood and Haruto must leave him and there’s an explosion and Haruto screams and cries… yeah, you know that’s gonna happen.  Sorry for the spoilers.

Gingitsune (Episode 7)

Is everyone religious in Gingitsune?  Yes, it sure seems that way.  But does everyone need to be religious in Gingitsune?  No, of course not.  Although it makes sense for the core of the anime to be about these religious characters (Makoto and Satoru) and their divine deities (Gintarou and Haru), I wish the anime would branch off, broaden out and include characters from various other backgrounds.  I was happy with Yumi’s and Hiwako’s presence initially but this interest has waned considerably with their characters only seeming to appear at shrines and temples.  I don’t mind that they dressed up as shrine maidens or that Yumi is the cousin of Shouhei, the son of a large temple, but I wish their characters were strong enough to pull the series away from just a religious setting and show how the heralds and religion impacts the characters and society.  To put it simply, I want to see the series explore the world and its characters outside these holy grounds.  Since the series has been in a shrine or on temple grounds in every episode, I think Gingitsune could really sell me on its purpose if it were able to demonstrate the herald’s impact on society by actually seeking people who have problems besides little, lost kitty cats.  Let’s hope something like this happens soon.

Coppelion (Episode 7)

So a Coppelion’s blood type changes based on their year in school?  I just… no… I mean… why… I mean, what’s the point of this bullshit explanation doing in the middle of an anime?  Couldn’t the solution have been simply, ‘Ibara needs Haruto’s blood since they’re both the only O type here’ or something?  Why did they need to do something as unscientifically and illogical as explain the need for the blood transfusion with changing blood types by year.  First, who would design such an awkward system?  What purpose does it serve?  If there was a single ‘best’ protein, why not have them all have it all the time?  Second, how do these different expressive proteins know when to switch?  Changing the blood type like that could cause a serious immune reaction that would kill the person since it would see the blood cells as foreign objects.  And if the body had already recognized a previous blood type, why couldn’t Ibara be infused by anyone in a grade lower than her?  I mean, her body should already know those proteins, so there should be zero problem donating blood to her from a type her body is compatible with.  To me, the source of this bullshit is just all awful writing in Coppelion, where the authors wanted there to be a special blood transfusion between the two but were too lethargic to put any effort into their research and made up some bullshit answer to their solution and stuck with it.  Then again, what hasn’t been bullshit in Coppelion besides the aesthetics and backgrounds?

BlazBlue: Alter Memory (Episode 6)

There have been a few flashes of brilliance and moments of glory thus far in BlazBlue: Alter Memory, but I have to admit, the whole ‘oh, someone died, let’s redo that bit again’ segment is my favorite.  I couldn’t help but find myself amused during that entire stretch.  Just seeing the series go off on a conspicuous tangent like that, then have the observers realize something was wrong and have everyone do the scene over again (complete with rewinding VCR visual effects) was just amazing.  Not only was it unexpected but the whole reversal of fate was fun to watch.  But was there something more meaningful behind this whole sequence?  Something more… astute and creative than just a funny scene watching Jin die?

It really makes me wonder if what we saw is what happens in all these fighting games… is this what happens after round 1/round 2 of a fight, when the character recovers from zero health instantly and is back to full life?  I think we may be on to something more than silly storytelling here if this whole fight/death/reset was intended to happen as we saw.  If so, then yeah, this is easily the greatest moment of glory in all the BlazBlue anime. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that’s what the studio had in mind with this whole segment.  Then again, I’m not actually in their minds, so I don’t know for sure, but I’d like to think that this is what they meant and give the series its credit for its originality and insightfulness.  And no, I never thought I’d be saying that about the BlazBlue anime, but here we are.

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

Best episode of the week: Monogatari Series: Second Season

Anime trending up this week: Kyousogiga (TV)

Anime trending down this week: Samurai Flamenco

Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta (Episode 7)

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

Samurai Flamenco (Episode 7)

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

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

Nagi no Asukara (Episode 8)

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

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 21)

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

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

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

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

Little Busters! Refrain (Episode 8)

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

Kyousogiga (TV) (Episode 6)

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

KILL la KILL (Episode 8)

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

Gingitsune (Episode 8)

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

Galilei Donna (Episode 7)

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

Freezing Vibration (Episode 8)

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

Coppelion (Episode 8)

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

This week: explaining why what we’re watching now is Samurai Flamenco “B”, the contrast in perspectives between Kaiki and Araragi in Monogatari Series Second Season, analyzing the various time periods and settings shown in Magi: The Kingdom of Magic, and recognizing why Little Busters! Refrain is performing much better than its first season.

Best episode of the week: Monogatari Series Second Season

Anime trending up this week: Gingitsune

Anime trending down this week: Galilei Donna

Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta (Episode 8)

The antagonists of Yozakura Quartet play a very meaningful role in the story of this anime.  However, one could argue that the main story of this anime, the one regarding the merging of the human dimension with the youkai one, could probably continue unabated if the villains of this series were simply omitted.  But if that were the case, the anime would be completely different and a much lesser anime than it currently is.  Why?  Well, without the villains of this anime, the series would be largely without conflict.  Without a challenge or conflict popping up every so often, the heroes of this story would continue to lollygag around, relaxing and enjoying the tranquil days of their youth by eating ramen, going to festivals, playing video games and patrolling the city while singing mindless songs.  To put it bluntly, the anime would be nothing without the villains.  It would be meaningless.  It would be pointless.  And even with the peril and uncertainty of the merging dimensions, there would be no urgency by the cast and the whole issue would likely be solved without much duress.  It’s the villains who are putting things in motion.  It’s their actions which provide a purpose and meaning to this anime.  Without them, the story and anime could survive, but it would be so incredibly weak and tepid that it wouldn’t even be worth watching.

Samurai Flamenco “B” (Episode 8 2)

Yup.  We’re not watching Samurai Flamenco anymore… we’re on the second episode of a new series, Samurai Flamenco “B”.  Or something.  Or whatever.  I’m not really good with clever names for things, so I’m giving it something as effortless as “B”.  But to be honest, it’s really quite appropriate since it has that “B” feel to it now with this cartoony action, these asinine villains and ridiculous plot that came out of nowhere and makes no sense.  Literally, these episodes are the “B” of Samurai Flamenco, and I’m refusing to treat the first half (the superior half) as the same anime as what we’re watching now.  I’m not bitter or anything (maybe not bitter, but frustrated is a good word), but there’s no other explanation for this.  It was smart and now it’s just stupid.  It had style and now it’s just stupid.  It had a theme, a resolve and a drive but now it has nothing.  The disparity is so stark between the two halves that you’d have an easier time comparing two different anime together than the first part and second part of this anime.  There was literally a schism in the series and, unfortunately for us, we’re in the “B” side of things now.  And to be frank, the “B” side sucks.  It’s like the series has started over for me with the “A” side being complete and earning high marks.  As for the “B” side… let’s just see how low this side will go.

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 22)

The contrast between Kaiki and Nadeko couldn’t be more blatant.  You have a wonderful villain, a grim, gray gentleman who is calm and calculated and doesn’t care much for anything and a naïve, jovial and irrational god-girl who is excited to meet her first believer.  And while I could continue on this simple observation that I enjoyed so much in this episode, I’d rather take a step back and look at the huge contrast between Kaiki and Araragi as protagonists.  Rather, the perspective of Monogatari is vastly different between the two.  Whereas before, with Araragi as the male lead, he plays into the personality of the girls he talks to and plays off their behaviors for jokes and trying to sound cool.  With Kaiki, he dominates the conversation with his suave and confidence.  Here, the difference is seen in how the other characters affect the protagonist which leads to different levels of friendliness, humor, and of course, sexualization.  And the sexualization of the series couldn’t be more different between the two.  When Nadeko was talking about wearing nothing but a pair of buruma (gym bloomers) and her sukumizu (school swimsuit) around Araragi, Kaiki silently commented to himself how awkward he felt… which much be incredibly awkward for Kaiki to feel awkward.  Had this been Araragi instead, you can guarantee he would’ve obsessed over it like the lolicon he is.  And it’s not just the dissimilarity in these styles either but also in how the two characters value these conversations.  Kaiki was there to obtain information and make an assessment of Nadeko and this is probably similar to how he sized up Senjougahara and Karen and all the middle school girls before him.  Araragi actually enjoys the company of the girls he’s with and is willing to listen to them, another reason why he is as popular as he is with the female cast of this series.  The differences between the two could continue further, but these are the main details on how I view these two as different.  Rather, it’s a pleasant change of pace to have Kaiki and Tsubasa take over as the leads in the Monogatari Series, allowing us to witness the series through the eyes of two brilliant characters.  These changes in perspective have gone a long way into making this sequel my favorite one in the franchise.

Magi: The Kingdom of Magi (S2) (Episode 9)

With Alibaba’s trip to the Roman Reim Empire, another vibrant detail of the setting of Magi is revealed to us.  However, with each new distinctive location comes another headache when trying to pinpoint what era of our world’s history that Magi parallels.  Although we don’t explicitly know what time period the characters are in, based on the cultural and societal details of these settings, we see Magi range from 80-200 AD (the time the Coliseum was completed till about the time Gladiator fights decline) to the Islamic Golden Age (~700 AD, when One Thousand and One Nights took place, or really where most of Magi derives its lore from) to even the most recent event with the seafaring pirates and cannons in that reflect the pirates of the 1700-1800s.  That is to say, the time period that Magi is in spans nearly 1700 years of our own history, and this is negating the indeterminate period that China Kou is in which could possibly predate Rome Reim by several hundred years.  Then again, you figure is going for a ‘Greatest Hits’ of world history with its fantasy setting, so trying to determine a specific, real time period is likely impossible.  Then again, I didn’t say it was fun trying to figure it out either.

Little Busters! Refrain (Episode 9)

Why has the second season of Little Busters! been so much better than the first?  While I do miss a majority of the female cast in Little Busters!, I can’t help but notice that the anime is noticeably better now that it’s focusing on Riki and the core of the Little Busters! group.  Although I’m a little upset that it had to come to a series reset to get to this stage, I’m gleeful that Little Busters! Refrain is now focused on its characters and making progress with each and every episode.  Nothing feels drawn out or overdramatic or emotional.  Everything feels… well, right for a change.  The significance and weight that they’re adding to the characters has gone a long way and I think this is partially due to cutting off some of the fat in the series which were the overabundance of girls competing for screentime and causing the anime as a whole to suffer.  You don’t often see an anime make a huge leap in quality and performance over the original (in fact, it’s usually the other way around for me) but Little Busters! Refrain has done just that.  After being disappointed and frustrated with the original, I’m happy to say that the sequel of Little Busters! is one of my favorite anime of this season.

KILL la KILL (Episode 9)

When thinking of an ecchi/fighting anime, clothes destruction quickly comes to mind.  After all, it’s an easy way to demonstrate both fighting and fanservice, to have the girls’ skimpy outfits become even more revealing once they begin to take damage combinded with the fact that they’re ‘showing’ the girls take damage (without resorting to blood or other violence).  But for KILL la KILL, there is only a minimal amount of clothing damage.  And when it’s infrequently performed in the series, it’s done all at once when a fighter loses a fight.  Furthermore, the clothing destruction isn’t only limited to those in sexy schoolgirl uniforms either; there’s been more clothing destruction for the guys than girls in KILL la KILL.  So is it odd that KILL la KILL is an ecchi/fighting anime unlike so many others?

Well, instead of having mindless, senseless clothing destruction like so many other ecchi/fighting anime, KILL la KILL’s system makes sense on various levels.  For one, the Kamui (Godrobes/God Clothes) are made entirely out of Life Fiber and aren’t exactly destructible like the paper-thin clothing usually given to girls in fighting anime.  And when the clothing destruction occurs, it isn’t without reason… or rather for more of a reason than showing some panties or boobs or something.  Rather, it’s a mechanism of how Ryuuko feeds Senketsu additional Life Fibers.  By stealing these from the clothes of the other Goku Uniforms, Senketsu is powering up at the expense of a little nudity and fanservice.  And to be frank, what would clothing damage do to Ryuuko or Satsuki?  I mean, their outfits are already revealing enough.  Any damage to their already scanty uniforms might reveal a toe or heel or shoulder or something.  And is that an effective way to show damage?  Or have any marginal effect on fanservice?  No, the system in place of clothes and clothing destruction for KILL la KILL makes sense.  KILL la KILL doesn’t really need any more clothing destruction than it already has, and on top of that, what we do see actually makes sense within the context of the series rather than being an excuse for easy fanservice.

Gingitsune (Episode 9)

Do the heralds in Gingtsune do much of anything?  Besides lazing around, napping and complaining, they really haven’t done much of anything.  Sure, they’ve solved a few inconveniences (or caused a few, like those monkeys), but they’re really just… useless.  Like, what is their importance to the series?  Or better yet, what is their importance to the shrines?  I’m sure Makoto would do just fine if she were a young shrine maiden without the help of Gintarou.  And the same thing for Haru.  And really, the same for any herald we’ve seen thus far.  And even if something significant happens, what capacity will they be able to help?  It’s not like their essential or anything, unless something else supernatural or divine shows up to cause a conflict.  Really, what is the purpose of their role in the series?  And although this really doesn’t detract anything from the series for me, it is something I’ve found myself curious about, especially after an episode about Haru like this.

Galilei Donna (Episode 8)

I’ve always adored personal tidbits and details in anime, ranging from character’s quirks to favorite foods to things that they hate and beyond.  In Galilei Donna, my favorite character traits are how the sisters all have specific, individual nicknames for each other.  The girls never call each other by their real names, helping reveal an interpersonal and emotional connection between the girls.  Whether it’s Hazuki calling her youngest sister ‘Hocchi’, Kazuki using ‘Hocchibi’ or Hozuki calling her older sisters ‘Haa-nee’ and ‘Kaa-nee’, the sisters of Galilei Donna add this tiny detail to demonstrate how close they are as a family and how they depend on each other.  It really doesn’t add anything to the story, but it’s a detail I can’t overlook nonetheless.  I’m always happy to see little qualities like this in anime, showing thought and effort to make the characters seem more human than just another anime stereotype.

Sakura-Con, being one of my most cherished and treasured memories of 2012, earns a spot again as the first day of my 12 Days of Anime, the annual tradition among anime bloggers recounting their 12 fondest memories of the calendar year.  Although I attended Sakura-Con in the previous year, the first time I have ever been to an anime convention, my trip this past March proved to be an even greater experience than my first visit.  While I attended fewer panels, spent less money and even spent less time at the convention hall altogether, I certainly earned more from my trip this year, largely in part due to all the people in the anime community I meet.  Thanks to them and thanks to the wonderful anime convention that was Sakura-Con 2013, this special three-day weekend in Seattle earns the opening spot in my 12 Days of Anime.

With this being my second trip to Sakura-Con, I knew what to expect.  I knew where I wanted to go, what I wanted to, what I wanted to see and was able to plan my trip accordingly.  However, most of these specifics weren’t found on any schedules or were tied to any panels or even set up for any predetermined times.  No, a major reason for my visit was to see various members of the anime community in person.  And while I only saw a handful in 2012, I went out of my way to see as many people as possible during Sakura-Con.  By the time Sakura-Con had concluded on that warm Sunday at the end of March, I had visited with no fewer than twenty-two people including fellow personalities like: 8C, Marina, Shinmaru, Inushinde, Morzas, Geassed, ToastCrust, Canon-chan, Angie, Kefit and many more (apologies if I forgot to mention anyone that wanted to be mentioned).  Seeing these people, along with a sizable group of real life friends, made the experience an unforgettable one.  Thanks to them, I was able to enjoy more of the panels I attended, but especially the time I spent outside the panels, either eating dinner or getting drunk after midnight.  Because of these people, and everyone else I spent time with at the convention center, Sakura-Con easily became one of my favorite experiences of 2013.

Beyond that, of course, is the actual anime and material from the convention.  Although it pales in comparison to the social aspects of Sakura-Con, I did find myself attending numerous panels, including ones from the directors of Psycho-Pass (Katsuyuki Motohiro and Naoyoshi Shiotani), a couple hosted by Anime News Network’s Mike Toole (Dubs that Time Forgot and Anime Cult Classics), the Architecture of Anime, a couple of comedy ones and the now-notorious Influence of Early 90’s West Coast Rap on Modern Anime panel.  Each were enjoyable or entertaining or valuable in their own unique ways thanks in part to a wide diversity of topics I found myself interested in and the interesting people leading these panels.  Outside of the panels, there wasn’t much else.  I was fortunate enough to see my favorite anime character naked projected on a huge screen, though (how many of you can say that?), and I purchased some goods that highlight my bizarre taste in anime, from Makoto Shinkai to Last Exile to Senran Kagura.

Overall, the experience is easily one of my favorite from the entire calendar year.  Not only was it an excellent event in augmenting and enhancing my enjoyment of anime, but the wonderful social aspect really emphasized how important the online anime community is to me and how it has had a positive influence on me.  As a result, I’m already looking forward to next year’s convention and am even planning on attending other ones, too.

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.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is one of the best anime of 2013.  And one of the best scenes of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure was that one with that squirrel.  If you watched JoJo’s, then you already know what I’m referencing. And you know damn well why it’s one of the most unforgettable anime moments of 2013.

Really, there isn’t much I can add to this scene besides replaying it here.  To replace its brilliance with text would be disrespectful, so here it is:

I mean, what else is there to say?  You can already tell why it’s memorable just from watching it again (and again and again).  I mean, when thinking back to all the remarkable moments in JoJo’s, this one immediately stands out as the most hilarious, unexpected, and unconventional.  What other series could pull off a stunt like this, make it an astounding success and have it be integrated seamless in its storytelling?  I can’t think of a single one.  It’s outstanding, is what it is.  For those who’ve watched JoJo’s, it’s just a reminder of how awesome the series was.  And, whatever reason, if you haven’t watched JoJo’s yet, this is just an ounce of what you’re missing.

Not even four weeks ago, when episode 7 of Samurai Flamenco aired, it seemed like another ordinary episode with heroes solving petty crimes… or at least attempting to.  After a handful of episodes with Hazama as a costumed superhero, followed closely behind by a courageous trio of idols, the Flamenco Girls, the world of Samurai Flamenco found itself bored with its premise.  In fact, the characters felt bored too, with the drop in crime, the reduction in activity and even a decline in interest from Gotou and the police.  Something needed to shake up this series, right?  And then came the big reveal.  Yup, it was that one big moment in Samurai Flamenco.  We learned that Hazama’s parents were murdered.  The case was never solved.  It was devastating.  It was perturbing.  It was going to be the biggest thing in Samurai Flamenco, shifting the direction of the series in a whole new direction.  You figured nothing would top that, right?  Right?

Yeah, it’s easy to forget but the unsolved murder of Hazama’s parents was the biggest thing to hit Samurai Flamenco at that point.  The seventh episode was shaping up to be the most pivotal in the anime, switching the series from a nonsensical show about a young adult with an obsession about superheroes to one where he’d solve and resolve the mysterious death of his parents.  It was going to be awesome.  But it wasn’t even 10 minutes before the series took another, more shocking, more unforeseen twist that not only shifted the focus of the series again but pretty much blew up the foundation of the series and turned it into its grave.

Yup, it’s Guillotine Gorilla.  And though Samurai Flamenco was silly at times before, the series was still grounded in reality.  It’s characters weren’t able to do anything superhuman and the whole premise revolved around a simple guy with a fetish toward justice that could only be satisfied by dressing up in spandex each night and telling people what to do (how kinky!).  The whole anime was focused on two friends having a robust discourse about their ideas of justice and contrasted the lifestyle of a police officer with a vigilante.  It was solid as an anime and was even cerebral at times.

But then Guillotine Gorilla happened.  And from his appearance onward, reality lost its meaning in Samurai Flamenco.  It’s just gone now.  What happened is irreversible.  Having a human transform into a monster… and not just any monster, but a gorilla with a guillotine for an abdomen is just too ridiculous.  Then having his superhuman strength defeat the police, decapitate an officer and then throw his body out the window.  After shouting ‘what the hell?’ over a dozen times with each increasing in volume, you have to believe that what’s going on is a stunt or a dream or Hazama going insane.  But no, when you realize you’re wrong, after defeating the monster and King Torture’s projection appearing in the sky, you realize the best part about this moment is… that the series presented it entirely in straight-faced.  It was serious about this whole thing.  The whole… damn… thing…

No, seriously, what the hell Samurai Flamenco?  This has to be one of the most bewildering, unimagined and revolutionizing moments that I have ever seen in an anime.  It completely changed EVERYTHING about the anime, even to the point where I don’t consider the two halves to be the same series anymore.  And even though I wildly enjoyed the moment for its sheer absurdity and recklessness, it essentially destroyed the series for me.  It’d be like spending all day constructing a magnificent sandcastle, only to Godzilla through it before adding the final finishing touches.  What’s left is an enormous, catastrophic mess… one that you could certainly build another sandcastle from, but who would want to after experiencing the best moment when it all blew up and crashed to the ground?  After all, it took seven episodes to build that sandcastle, so who would wanna sit through that again?  And that’s exactly how I feel about Samurai Flamenco right now.  Everything up to episode 7 was building this impressive and dazzling sandcastle, then Guillotine Gorilla demolished it and now everything thereafter is just the ruins that no one wants to clean up or work with.  To say I love the Guillotine Gorilla scene would mean to say I love the aftermath… and I can’t bring myself to say I enjoyed seeing of my favorite anime of the year destroyed.  However, when living in the moment, Guillotine Gorilla is undoubtedly one of my favorite moments of 2013.  To say it isn’t would be to deny the complete exhilaration, sensation, puzzlement and chaos I experienced watching that scene and that alone makes it deserving of a spot in my 12 Days of Anime.

I’ve tried to follow some themes in my 12 Days of Anime posts, and Day 8 has traditionally been reserved for an anime that I normally would not have watched but ended up enjoying greatly.  In 2011, I gave a bad anime (Softenni) a chance and in 2012, I gave a forgotten anime (Yuru Yuri) a chance.  In 2013, I changed my stance again, and decided to reexamine an anime I would not have watched based on how dissatisfied or frustrated I was with an earlier installment.  And earlier this year, Tamayura ~more aggressive~ aired.  Considering my displeasure with Tamayura ~hitotose~, the first television series in the franchise, I considered passing the sequel without a hesitation.  It even took me about a week after the first episode aired to even watch the first episode.  But since that moment, I found myself enjoying Tamayura like never before and it’s all thanks to giving a disappointing anime a second chance.

Perhaps it’s best to start this off with a chronicle of how I reached this point.  I suppose the best beginning would be to revisit my final review of Tamayura ~hitotose~, which was published nearly two years ago:

Review – The main reason I picked up Tamayura was because of its strong connection and resemblance to Aria an anime that belongs in my Top 3.  I knew not to expect anything to that degree but I expected the two to share parallels and be enjoyable to the same degree but at a lesser magnitude.  But Tamayura failed to create that magic that made Aria so extraordinary and distinguished which left the anime somewhat boring and, at times, annoying.  Only the final episode felt like something out of Aria while the rest felt like a cheap imitation with completely inferior characters.  The cast of characters is probably the biggest difference between the two and I never really loved any of the characters.  In fact, I disliked most of the cast and found them to be obnoxious (Norie), irritating (Komachi), gimmicky (Maon), or hollow (Kou).  Fu was too timid and uncertain to be effective as a lead in exploring the setting and the other characters and the only ones I enjoyed was Kaoru who felt like the only human among the cast of stereotypes.  The setting felt underdeveloped in that the girls went to various sites and saw them but never translated to how it affected themselves (beyond being “wow, this is great”) or the story around them.  The art style was that kind of simple that I don’t care for but the scenery and backgrounds were gorgeous and peaceful.  The music was better than expected and had some of the better tracks this season.  In the end, I don’t regret watching this anime since it had several enjoyable moments, but I do regret expecting it to be something like Aria or even anything close to that masterpiece.

Although the final review might not sound harsh, I do recall being particularly bitter at some episodes during the middle of the series.  In fact, I even went as far as awarding it the biggest disappointment of Autumn 2011.  To say I was happy with the series would have been an absolute lie.  In fact, some of my resentment lingered into my preview for Tamayura ~more aggressive~, which began prior to the Summer 2013 season:

Opinion: Tamayura is an anime I want to love.  It has a descriptive and vibrant setting, a cast of characters that has developed well over the previous dozen episodes and an endearing message that is effectively told in each episode.  What’s holding me back, and what’s really damning about this series, is that the episodes are often extremely boring and that I don’t like anyone in the main cast except for Kaoru.  After seeing that Tamayura is returning this season, I immediately recalled my last experience with Tamayura ~hitotose~ being regrettable and deciding that I wouldn’t continue with the series again.  But the more I think about it, the more I want to give this anime one more shot to make sure I’m making the right decision.  It really depends on how boring the first episode is or how annoyed I get at either Norie or Kou.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

So here is where Tamayura ~more aggressive~ fits the criteria laid out at the beginning of this post and where it fits in with the theme of giving an anime I wouldn’t otherwise watch a chance.  But thankfully, I did give Tamayura ~more aggressive~ a chance and it developed into one of my favorite anime of Summer 2013.  In fact, you can see how my thoughts on the series changed as soon as the third episode:

Tamayura ~more aggressive~ (Episode 3)

How quickly do my opinions change.  I remember enjoying the Tamayura OVA, struggling and disappointed with Tamayura ~hitotose~ and considering not even picking up Tamayura ~more aggressive~ after remembering how discouraged I was after the 12-episode TV run.  But with just three episodes into Tamayura ~more aggressive~ and I find myself in love with the franchise like never before.  Perhaps it’s because the new characters, Kanae and Shimokamiyama, provide refreshing roles in the series in how they assist and develop Fu’s character and that the two biggest problems for me (Ko and Komachi) have had minimal screentime.  Or maybe because the series is focusing on the newfound Photography Club and on photography in general as compared to previous episodes of ~hitotose~ which alternated between charming stories and boring snorefests.  But with this new season of ~more aggressive~, Tamayura has taken a more aggressive approach to its characters, its story, its themes and its presentation and the sequel to this franchise is off to a fascinating start.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sequel score more than one point higher than an original, especially since Tamayura ~hitotose~ places last in Autumn 2011, but this has been the biggest surprise of the season, especially since I was considering skipping the series after my disappointment two years ago.  Thank goodness I gave this anime a shot and have felt rewarded ever since.

And no, I didn’t tailor the criteria for this post just to write about Tamayura… it was Tamayura that tailored itself to me to make me want to write about it.  And no, it didn’t stop there at the third episode.  In fact, Tamayura ~more aggressive~ continued to grow on me, ending up in the upper half of anime for Summer 2013, an impressive achievement considering the stiff competition and the fact the first TV series was dead last in Autumn 2011.

In the end, I am exceptionally thankful that I gave Tamayura ~more aggressive~ a chance.  This delightful anime turned quickly from a potential regret into one of the brightest spots this summer.  It’s still the only anime to place 2 points better than its previous installment, which is especially amazing since the average is often the same or a point below.  Really, the lesson here, as it has been the last two times I’ve done this post, is that it’s always worth giving an anime a fair chance.  Even though most of these types of anime fail to meet our expectations or continue to depreciate over time, there’s always the chance that an anime will reverse that trend and become something fun, insightful or meaningful to watch again.  If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out and the anime can be dropped again.  And if it does work out, then you’ll find success stories like this one.  I’m extremely fortunate and grateful to have continued again with Tamayura ~more aggressive~ and I sincerely hope the franchise continues onward with another television series soon.

Oh, right, I do these kinda posts, too.  This week: Kaiki bringing out the best in others in Monogatari Series Second Season, watching the OVA that connects episodes 8 and 9 in Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta, the setting feeling undervalued in Nagi no Asukara, and the true victims of torture in Samurai Flamenco “B”.

Best episode of the week: KILL la KILL

Anime trending up this week: Freezing Vibration

Anime trending down this week: Gingitsune

Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta (Episode 9)

Feeling a little disjointed?  Feels like you’re missing a chunk of the story here?  If you have a sinking feeling that something was skipped or passed over, you wouldn’t be wrong.  The transition from episode 8 to episode 9 in Yozakura Quartet: Hana no Uta does feature a gap that’s 3 episodes wide.  In fact, if you want to have a seamless transition from episode 8 to episode 9, it’s best to take a break and watch the OVA to this anime franchise, Yozakura Quartet: Hoshi no Umi.  It wasn’t until after watching episodes 9 and 10 (yes, I’m always late writing about this anime) did I realize there was a gap between the these two arcs that was covered in an OVA a couple years back.  I haven’t watched the OVA yet, but I plan on doing so sometime soon.  And yes, this does break away from my normal style of featuring some thoughts or opinions or analysis, but it’s a fantastic time to mention something integral to the series that might be missed otherwise.

Samurai Flamenco “B” (Episode 9 3)

You may think or feel that King Torture’s horrific torment of Akira is the worst form of torture occurring in Samurai Flamenco right now.  But if that’s your stance, you’d be wrong.  Instead, someone else is being tormented worse.  Someone else is suffering more than the bloodied and beaten Akira.  And if you try to search around for a character who is bloodier or more beaten than Akira, you won’t find a single character.  Instead, you’ll have to turn off your screen and stare into the darkness at the reflection that stares back at you.  Yes, you are being tortured by King Torture in Samurai Flamenco.  Why?  Because we, as an audience, had the experience of enjoying Samurai Flamenco as a wonderful anime, only for him to show up and pretty much ruin everything.  The series has followed the exact blueprints from the ‘Natsuyuki Rendezvous Guide of How to Screw-up a Good Anime’ and gone into an irreversible tailspin that’s certain to end in calamity or something worse.  And who has this really affected the most?  The characters?  King Torture’s cohort of evil minions?  No, it’s the audience who’s been affected the most.  And maybe King Torture is a metaphor or a manifestation of everything that’s gone wrong with this anime.  That he is a representation of the torture this anime is putting us through with these most recent events.  Well, either way, I can’t find myself happy with anything going on in Samurai Flamenco “B”, so hopefully this little section can end and we can get back to “A” or move onto “C”.

Nagi no Asukara (Episode 10)

The mysticism and enchantment of Shioshishio seems lost or forgotten now in Nagi no Asukara.  With the story reaching its mid-point climax, the anime has taken its focus away from its captivating setting and turned it toward the societies and their differences.  And even though the setting is a major focal point of this heated (cold?) war, the magic of this underwater wonderland seems to be neglected.  The beautiful saltflake snow now seems secondary to the ongoing conflict, the swimming between places has been entirely replaced with boring, bipedal walking, the anime spends more time above the surface than below the surface, and the fact that they’re using water to cook underwater or the need to drink is more prevalent and never questioned are just a few examples of why I feel the setting is being ignored or misused.  Still, I’m happy that Nagi no Asukara tried to do something with its setting and incorporated it into its story, so the lack of focus and attention to the details isn’t as troubling as if the anime had ignored the fantastic setting completely.  Nevertheless, I do wish the anime had spent more time detailing the underwater world, taking each and every action into considering and wondering, ‘if I were underwater, how would I do things differently?’  If the anime were designed with that question to be asked constantly throughout, then Nagi no Asukara could have warmed up to be one of my favorite settings in all of anime.  Instead, it’ll have to settle as one of my favorites for this season.

Monogatari Series Second Season (Episode 23)

Kaiki is a remarkable, spellbinding, enchanting character and I love him and I want everyone to love him, too.  But beyond his magnanimous tongue and wily appearance, I find Kaiki’s relationships with the other characters in Monogatari to be quite rousing and distinctive to the series.  We’ve heard from Senjougahara that the only character to make her feel uneasy is Hanekawa, but that was before she developed this bizarre relationship with Kaiki.  While her personality and speech are essentially the same, Kaiki doesn’t mince words with Senjougahara, dodging her jokes and attacks with perfect evasion or playing along with them to make Senjougahara apprehensive.  He even is able to intimidate her, which is downright distinguishing, and uses his manipulative power over her without her able to defend herself.  It’s times like these where Senjougahara recognizes that she’s still a kid (and she hates it) and Kaiki is there to constantly remind her.  And even though Kaiki is a heartless bastard, he’s still able to move Senjougahara to tears, even after she runs to the bathroom to save her character.  This villainous monster is able to invoke a rainbow of emotions in the typically intimidating and stoic princess of Monogatari and her character flourishes like never before when she was paired with Araragi.  The same can be said with Nadeko, too, who’s become surprisingly enjoyable for just the second time in the series… and not just because she’s a naïve, moe, yandere medusa-god but because Kaiki brings out the best this in her new persona.  To see Kaiki make everyone and everything around him better, not just the other cast members but the dialogue and storytelling too, is another trait I sincerely appreciate, especially since he is present as the protagonist in this arc.  Ah yes, yet another reason why this is my favorite arc in the lengthy franchise that is Monogatari.  I can only hope that Kaiki continues to play a role throughout the series beyond this arc, though I doubt he’ll ever have as much of an impact on the series as he does right now in Koimonogatari.

Magi: The Kingdom of Magi (S2) (Episode 10)

The nations of Mangostand Magnostadt and not Rome Reim are perhaps two of my favorite countries in all of Magi.  Why?  Because these are the only two nations we’ve seen that don’t suffer from internal strife or conflict where the heroes must drop everything their doing and correct every social, economic and political ill.  Instead, the characters can focus on their own adventures and themselves and the series has performed marvelously as a result.  That’s not to say that I hate it when the character encounter a major conflict that interrupts their story, but I don’t care for it when it’s all that happens as what seems to be the case for a majority of Magi.  I hope that these individual story arcs can continue for quite some time with the characters growing significantly in each one.  Not only does the series deserve some much needed character growth but it’s also nice to explore three different settings at a time instead of just one (and usually one that’s full of poor people struggling with some evil king/organization/whatever).  Let’s hope this pattern continues with Morgiana’s trip home next week.

Kyousogiga (TV) (Episode 8)

Is it just me or does the fighting seem… out of place in Kyousogiga?  Although there has been some action and adventure in Kyousogiga, there were never really any confrontations or duels like what was presented in the eighth episode.  The difference in style was actually quite jarring, especially since the entire series prior to this point had been slow, mysterious and calm.  Of course, you’d expect there to be some changes or differences as the series inches closer to its climax, so I suppose it isn’t outrageous to see the anime heat up like this, especially with the promise of conflict.  Still, the fact that there was fighting like this seems baffling for an eccentric anime like Kyousogiga, so hopefully this development won’t materialize into additional fights.

KILL la KILL (Episode 10)

If Senketsu is able to transform into a number of different forms, including a spiky form, a giant eye form and now a jet form, why isn’t he able to transform into something more decent for Ryuuko?  I understand that being ecchi is a huge aspect of KILL la KILL and I do enjoy the fanservice in the anime, but I fail to understand why Senketsu appears the way it does on Ryuuko, especially after seeing all these transformations.  Furthermore, if Senketsu is an ‘armor’ that Ryuuko wears, why doesn’t he cover more of her vitals instead of stopping halfway down her boobs?  It seems all the other transformations save for Satsuki cover their bodies with defense, so why not Senketsu too?  At first, I thought it was because that’s all that Senketsu could cover given the amount of blood and the compatibility he had with Ryuuko.  However, after seeing three new forms in the matter of a few hours, I really wonder why Senketsu’s default is the sexy schoolgirl uniform that we are so familiar with.  Like I said, I understand that the anime wants to be ecchi and enjoys its sexy protagonist, but there aren’t any reasons why Senketsu is as skimpy as he is anymore.  Maybe we’ll get another transformation again soon that’s more modest for Ryuuko that will quell my question.  Or maybe Senketsu will become uncontrollable from all these transformations and Ryuuko’s blood and go berserk?  Guess the only way to find out is to keep watching.

Gingitsune (Episode 10)

Gingitsune has never been the most exciting anime, but where’s the excitement in this anime?  I mean, I’ve watched calm and relaxing anime before but Gingitsune isn’t that.  Gingitsune is simply boring.  I mean, what’s going on with any of these characters?  I can’t tell if there’s any growth or development occurring… or why I should even care.  And is there even a plot or purpose to this anime?  If there is, there’s been no effort in progressing it or even communicating it to us.  Instead, it’s like a slice-of-life but without the comedy, romance, friendship or lackadaisical meaning that champions that genre.  Instead, Gingitsune is… just there… occupying space.  It never place high on my list of anime initially but, with each passing episode, the anime is continuously dropping and my expectations were already virtually nil.  Then again, I’m not particularly frustrated or angry with it, but I almost wish I were since that would be a sign I care about it or its characters.  As of right now, I can’t say much of anything regarding Gingitsune besides it’s boring.

Galilei Donna (Episode 9)

I hope the series ends like this with Hozuki trapped in the Italian Renaissance and her sisters dead from that missile attack.  I really, really do.

Freezing Vibration (Episode 10)

Why don’t more people use the ‘Freezing’ ability since it’s so effective?  As we saw in the fight between Elizabeth and Charles, ‘freezing’ an opponent is a really effective way of winning a fight.  Not only does it stop them in their tracks to prevent any attacks but it prevents them from forming any sort of defense against an attack.  Hell, it’s one of the most effective ways at fighting the Novas, so why don’t more of these Limiters use their freezing abilities when fighting with their Pandoras?  I mean, they names the series after this ability for God’s sake, why is it so underused?  Without it, there’s no way that Charles loses that fight against Elizabeth.  There’s no way.  So why don’t more of these characters use it?  Hell, it could even be used to prevent fights (theoretically speaking but would never happen since that’d make Freezing lose its purpose) if needed.  Either way, you figure there’d be more uses of freezings in Freezing, but I guess the series doesn’t seem to think the same way I do.  Oh well, I was happy to see it put to use in this episode after being virtually ignored this entire season.

Blazblue: Alter Memory (Episode 9)

Although I never had high hopes for BlazBlue, I did expect an anime series based off a fighting video game to have fights.  Instead, BlazBlue has decided to focus on its mess of a story and alienate its enticing cast for a handful of characters who are way too serious for what this franchise is about.  I made a fateful prediction about this anime way back in its infancy and stated that this anime would live or die based on the number of fights it had and the amount of focus it gave to its story.  It seems that with an absolute minimum of fights and way too much time spent on the insipid “story”, BlazBlue has chosen the wrong path and ended up like every other terrible anime adaption of a fighting game.  Seriously, it’s not hard to figure out that fighting is what draws people to these games and not the story.  Why not do the exact same thing for the anime and find success?

Although I have watched anime away from home prior to this experience, it was always a momentary event.  Whether it was watching an episode of Kare Kano in Italy in 2002 or bits and pieces of Nichijou while in Tokyo in 2012, I’ve experienced watching anime away from my computer or my TV.  However, prior to this year, it had always been just an episode or parts of an episode.  I also was not taking screenshots or blogging my thoughts on these episodes either.  So when presented with the challenge of moving away from home for 3 months, from August to October, I wondered how my habits of watching anime and blogging anime would be impacted.

Rather than bore you with the details or living through that experience, I’ll just summarize what I learned from this time.  To be quite honest, there was not a significant impact like I had envisioned.  The main difference was switching from two large monitors at home to watching episodes on half of a laptop’s screen.  The difference in size was rather substantial, watching anime in about a quarter or a fifth of the space I’d usually watch them in.  Of course, it made it easier to read the subtitles and watch the action on the screen at the same time, but it’s impossible to discern and appreciate the level of detail in the art and animation.  Since I’ve moved back home, I’ve tried this a couple of times with a few episodes of anime, and I certainly appreciate the full-screen versions than the tinier ones.  Of course, both styles are certainly watchable, but watching anime in this format reinforced my thankfulness in my current anime situation.

However, one advantage to using a laptop is that I was able to experiment watching anime in various areas beyond the computer desk.  I had always watched anime on a desktop computer or television, so watching anime from a computer chair or sofa.  Now, with the luxury of a laptop being portable, I was able to try watching anime in bed, outside or anywhere really.  However, I often found myself watching anime the way I always do, which is sitting at a computer desk.  I’ve found that I do enjoy marathoning anime while lying in bed but the positioning can be a bit awkward.  And though I was blessed with gorgeous weather on several of my occasion of watching anime outside, I found myself distracted by various nuisances, like the glaring sun, barking dogs and overly-friendly bees.  The lesson here, I suppose, is that anime is intended to be watched indoors or, at the very least, in quiet places with minimal distractions.

The one aspect in regards to blogging that differed from my experience is that I knew I’d have less time and fewer opportunities to write.  I rationalized that this would meet fewer posts or different styles of posts or something new altogether, but it never had a significant impact on how I blog.  Taking into account that I’m always late in my Weekly Anime posts, I suppose you could say there was really no difference in how I blogged.  Still, I realized that my timing of these posts was much later than normal, including a few that were over a week late, though that depends more on how many shows I’m watching and how I feel when it’s time to write than just location alone.  I still enjoyed blogging while I was away from home, so it wasn’t like I was forcing myself to keep this up or anything along those lines.

To be honest, moving away from home for 3 months did not really have a significant impact on me, and you must be wondering why it earned a day during my 12 Days of Anime.  Although I try to tailor these posts to various episodes or scenes or events that have impacted me positively or negatively during this year, these three months took up a sizable amount of my anime and blogging experience.  In fact, I’m rather happy it did not have an impact on how I watch anime or blog.  I think going through this experience and keeping the same or similar habits is probably the best thing that could have happened to me.  And since this event was a considerable amount of my time, totaling the equivalent of an entire anime season, I figured it’d be inappropriate of me to forget this experience.  I suppose you could say the main lesson is that I have a newfound appreciation for doing what I’m doing right now, which is sitting at home, in front of my computer, watching and writing about anime.