During the twelfth week of the season: my reflections on why Ping Pong the Animation had an excellent ending and why Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin had an appropriate ending but one that left me unsatisfied, an analysis on the finale of Akuma no Riddle with a focus on Tokaku’s and Haru’s relationship (*Spoilers*), and thoughts on the utilization of the setting and the background art in Mushishi Zoku Shou.

I don’t often have common themes between multiple reviews in the same post, but given that it’s the one of the last weeks of the season and a number of anime are finishing this week, I’ve decided to focus some of these reviews on and about the endings themselves.

Best episode of the week: Mushishi Zoku Shou

Anime trending up this week: Akuma no Riddle

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

Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii (Episode 11)

Wouldn’t it be awesome to see the Sun Kingdom go to war with the Principality of Rain after what transpired during Nike’s trip back to her home country? Sure, everything ended peacefully because everything in romance anime are all ‘just a big misunderstandings’, but after trying to kidnap the queen and brainwash the king, I wouldn’t be surprised to see warship and soldiers attempt to overthrow the weak Principality as a result of these heinous acts. Then again, this anime has disappointed me time and time again, so I’m not too surprised that everything ends up happy and unrealistic.

Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin (Episode 11 [Finale])

You can tell they want to make more Nanana. Never mind the fact that source material for this anime, the award-winning light novel, is still continuing, that the light novel has already spawned three different manga adaptations, and that the franchise has spun off Tensai’s own light novel series, all in addition to this 11 episode anime. The way the anime ended is a clear indication that they want to continue this series. They spent the entire ending song sequence hinting at future events that the light novel has probably already covered already, somewhere between volumes 3 through 7. They showed the unexplained and presumed dead Saki with glowing red eyes and cryptic red mark on her neck at the end, too. And also, the final shot of the anime was a mysterious treasure, one shaped like a sword, falling into a shadowy chest marked 777 in some unknown dungeon. There were also hints in earlier episodes too, like the background character that sorta looked like Masakaki Willy Wonka sitting on a bench with brightly colored clothes. And let’s not forget the main story of the series which is one that centers around Nanana’s death, something that the anime is far from finished exploring. So in that sense, the anime set itself up perfectly for more episodes to continue should this series ever be picked up again… but that doesn’t mean the ending was all that great.

My favorite types of endings are ones where the series is wrapped up completely and with a short, focused epilogue that shows the repercussions of the series and where the characters go with their lives. To put it in a sense, Nanana failed at providing me this closure. But instead of attempting at something impossible provided where the source material is going and what they want to do with continuing the series, they went with the open-ended finale that most anime series opt for. It’s like an unfinished jigsaw puzzle with an unknown quantity remaining. It just feels incomplete, to step away from something like this when we’ve still got so much to do. So while I understand what A-1 Pictures is doing with this series and why this is a great ending for what they did, I still can’t find myself satisfied or happy with an ending of this caliber. Then again, I’m not sure what the series could’ve done different to please my tastes while also leaving the series open for more episodes later. I suppose the ending for Nanana was fated to be this way given the structure of the series and the source material, and this pattern is true for most anime that are based off concurrent manga and light novels. The trend of open-ended, ambiguous or vague endings is all too common in anime. They do serve an appropriate purpose, especially if the series is to continue in another season or another year, but they are unsatisfying conclusions to an anime series. These endings are highly appropriate in most instances but they are still one of my least favorite ways for an anime to finish.

Ping Pong the Animation (Episode 11 [Finale])

On the contrary – and that only makes sense if you just finished reading the Nanana review – Ping Pong the Animation showcases the ideal way for an anime to end. Of course, Ping Pong is rather special among anime these days as it is an older manga that finished years before the anime ever started. With most anime based off concurrently running manga or light novels – 6 of the 10 anime in this post are based on currently published material – Ping Pong is able to conclude its anime with the conclusion of its original manga. And by wrapping up the series, tying all the loose ends together and providing closure to every reasonable question, the series feels gratifying, like you’ve just completed something really rewarding. Additionally, because the anime knew it was ending at a specific time, it was able to develop its characters and bring its story from beginning to middle to end and provide its message all in a timely manner. This is why anime that are based off completed materials, video games or original anime often have better endings than shows that are based off materials that are still being published. These anime benefit from having an end in sight and a way to produce everything within a specific limit. Ping Pong is a highly successful anime in many areas, but being able to finish the way it did is a massive positive for the anime and an area where many anime fall after preforming so well. However, unlike those anime that wavers and falls at the end, especially in the event of an anime original ending, Ping Pong had everything planned out and was able to accomplish everything before the end. The ending wasn’t rushed or felt abnormally different than the rest of the series. Furthermore, the anime even had time to put in an epilogue at the end to show the ramifications for everyone we saw and learned in the series. We were able to see the outcomes of their growth and maturity and how the complexity of their relationships resulted in everyone being happy and content with their lives. And you know what… I felt the same at the end of Ping Pong; I am incredibly happy and content with this anime and with this finale.

No Game No Life (Episode 11)

Makes you wonder, does it? Makes you wonder how and why the Werebeasts were able to recreate Tokyo in their virtual game. And not only recreate Tokyo, but to put in such an accurate amount of detail that Sora and Shiro were unable to distinguish it from the real Tokyo that they left behind when they decided to go over to Tet’s place and play games. It’s not a question of whether they were able to get a map of the city and a few pictures and then build it, but they know where everything would go and even put in the details to make wards like Akihabara look like Akihabara. It makes you wonder what their intelligence is like and how they were able to obtain or derive that knowledge. There’s an obvious connection between the two worlds, evident by the fact that Sora and Shiro were able to arrive in their world through Tet’s abilities, but accurately defining what that knowledge or information is might be a ways away. It might reveal more about the mechanics of the series and what is really going on with Sora, Shiro and Tet, but it does hint at the possibility that this is all within the realm of our earth or in the minds of Sora and Shiro. But at this point, who knows for sure what’s going on. All that we can do at this point is speculate and wait for another season of No Game No Life.

Mushishi Zoku Shou (Episode 10 [Finale])

Well, unfortunately, for now, Mushishi Zoku Shou is over. Due this August will be a pair of the unaired episodes that were intended to air this Spring and the series will begin anew in October with the latter half of the series. So rather than focus on the details of the episode and how Mushishi always ends its seasons with Ginko-centric episodes (like this and the two from the first season), I want to put an emphasis and draw your attention to the setting and the background art in Mushishi. As a die-hard advocate of settings, especially how settings are utilized and how they influence the stories, I found this episode to be spectacular in how it employ its setting to be exceptionally meaningful in addition to also being remarkably beautiful. The entire episode was based on a lonesome mountain, requiring itself to rehabilitate following the devastating landslide. The missing ingredient that the mountain desperately needed was some kouki which is how Ginko found himself in yet another adventure. So in that sense, I was satisfied in seeing the setting have a significant impact on Ginko and the story as a whole. But part of that impact comes from the visuals of the setting, and Mushishi did a phenomenal job of depicting the environment, illustrating the stress of the natural disaster and the winter, and showing the splendor and magnificence of the mountain and the spring when life began again at the end. Mushishi is one of my all-time favorite anime because of how well it develops the setting in each episode, chiefly on how the people interact with their environment and how nature responds to them or their internal conflicts. Furthermore, Mushishi is one of the more picturesque anime there is and the upgrade in art between this season and the previous one was on display in this episode. That’s not to say the first season was not one of the best but that this season was able to improve upon something that was seemingly perfect and flawless before. It makes you wonder what the series will do next with its settings and nature when series begins again.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (Episode 12)

Why does this season of JJBA feel inferior to the first season? Could it be that our current JoJo (Jotaro) doesn’t have the charm and robust personality of the previous JoJo (Joseph)? Is it the fact that the fights are now between Stands rather than between characters with Ripple? Is it the indirect nature of the story, with Jotaro and company still thousands of miles from their objective whereas Battle Tendency had multiple objectives that were performed one after the other? Each of the previous questions touch upon a valid point regarding the series and each has its own merits in evaluating the two halves of the same series. However, to me, the biggest deficiency between the two parts, and a significant reason why this season is below the first JJBA, is that it isn’t fabulous enough. That’s right, the flamboyancy and extravagance is absent. There are no more ultra-ridiculous poses. There is no more of that loud, brash, and witty humor that made Joseph so charming. There just isn’t anything flashy or bold about Jotaro. Sure, the two different protagonists are completely different people, just as Jonathan is different Joseph and Jotaro, but it’s still a factor that’s missing in this season. That fabulous and stylish factor from Battle Tendency is gone and it was a substantial reason why I feel in love with the franchise when I did. I’m still enthralled with the series and eager to see where this is going, but it’s just a fact about this series that makes it different from Battle Tendency. That’s not to say Stardust Crusaders is doomed to be forever below Battle Tendency, but that it is below the other series at this point. With three more seasons to go, a total of nine more moths of JoJo’s ahead of us, there is plenty the series can do to make up for the decrease in flamboyancy. However, it is worth nothing that the decrease in that style and personality is a factor on why this series is not at the level of Battle Tendency.

Isshuukan Friends (Episode 11)

Ever wonder what Kaori writes in her diary? Ever wonder how much detail she uses in her daily logs? Or whether she draws pictures to help solidify her memory? Maybe cute faces to express emotion to each line, so she remembers if something was super exciting or if she was confused or surprised about something? What’s her word choice like? And does she ever change or delete anything? I’ve always wondered what Kaori does whenever she opens and writes in her diary and I’d be curious to see what the contents hold. I also wonder how personal the diary is to her and if she’d be willing to let others read it too, as a window into her mind and her personality. Hopefully, before the series is over, we’ll get a glimpse to see what’s in Kaori’s diary.

Edit: Since writing this review, I’ve watched the special that accompanies the BD/DVD released of Isshuukan Friends and found that it is a short video from her diary. We’re able to witness Kaori’s thoughts and feelings in the written form and see what she reads every week in order to understand her past, her current friends and plan her future. I always enjoy watching the specials that come with these discs and I’m estatic to see that these videos are on Kaori’s diary. If you watched the anime and enjoyed it, then they’re well worth your time.

Hitsugi no Chaika (Episode 11)

With Tooru teaming up with Vivi and Zita, could this be a foreshadowing that the two sides will join forces before the end of the story? It certainly seems that way with these characters putting aside their differences in order to achieve a common goal. With the trio of enemies now working together inside this massive, hovering fortress, it certainly seems like the two pragmatic characters (Tooru and Zita) would be able to expand their alliance beyond just escaping this flying dungeon. Perhaps, at the end of the series, another Chaika will be doing something dangerous and Zita will need to sway her side to join with Tooru and white Chaika. Or maybe Tooru seems something that will doom white Chaika and persuades her to join with Vivi and the others to fight a greater evil. Whatever the reason, it just seems like the two sides are too good for each other and they work too well together. I figure that before too long, we’ll see the two run into each other again in a more normal situation but that they’ll talk things through rather than fight like they did last time.

Captain Earth (Episode 12)

I’m happy to see anime characters not overreact over a simple kiss. And that’s all I want to say for Captain Earth this week.

Akuma no Riddle (Episode 12 [Finale]) **Warning: spoilers below**

No doubt, the best aspect of the ending to Akuma no Riddle was to see the various reactions of the people who watched this anime. Most of the responses to this finale ranged from stunned to dumbfounded to upset, displeased and even to disgusted. Of course, many fans were fine with the ending, and I, for one, came out rather happy with how everything finished with a conclusion and pleasant epilogue. Generally, most of the reactions focused on how all the girls lived, especially Hitsugi and Chitaru who were stabbed in the chest and drank poison to end their episode. But as I figured early on, I believed that none of the girls would die in Akuma no Riddle, so that sense of confirmation the ending provided for me gave me an uplifting feeling. That and all the girls I liked that seemed to ‘die’ where fine in the end, so that’s something else that’s positive, too.

Anyway, the subject for this episode’s review was supposed to be on the ending for Tokaku and Haru, so that previous paragraph is somewhat on topic – I just wanted to get that out there and this was the only platform for me to do it. So the ending of Akuma no Riddle finished with Tokaku and Haru together, going out to deliver the diplomas to all their friends who tried to ruthlessly murder Haru during the past few months. It’s clear that now, after surviving the Black Class, that Haru is free from the immediate threat of assassination attempts and now must live her destiny where she has to fear for her life due to her position within the clan and her ‘Queen Bee’ status. So it makes sense that Tokaku is still with her because there is still the threat of assassins trying to kill her and the thought is that Haru was able to survive the Black Class because she was paired with Tokaku. However, the ending doesn’t make it really clear what the relationship is like between Tokaku and Haru. Yes, the two are together at the end, but that could be because Tokaku realizes Haru’s life is still in danger, even with the Black Class completed. There was the issue of Haru’s ‘Queen Bee’ influence working on Tokaku, but the series generally played that aspect off and that the feelings between the two are genuine. But really, the ending does nothing to deny or confirm it, much like it did with the deaths or not-deaths of the assassins throughout the series. Akuma no Riddle enjoys the grey area a bit too much and leaving certain scenes of the series up to its viewers. If you’re a fan of yuri relationships, then sure, Tokaku and Haru will enjoy an innocent yet passionate love for the rest of their lives. And if that’s not you’re thing, then sure, why not, they’re business partners and Tokaku will be Haru’s bodyguard for life.

To be honest, I wish the anime had a more solid ending for both Tokaku and Haru. I always enjoy an anime with a definite ending and a satisfying epilogue (if you’ve read the whole post, you can see it’s the general theme of this week), so I was thrilled with this episode of Akuma no Riddle. The short, little sequences with each of the girls was a beautiful touch, especially showing how many of them progressed as characters and began solving their own issues (Haruki working at a construction site and earning an education to provide for her family, Kouko abandoning the assassin orphanage she grew up in, Mahiru coming to terms with her dual personalities), but it was really a non-ending for Tokaku and Haru. In fact, the situation that they’re in is the exact same as the middle of the series where the two were together in a somewhat ambiguous and platonic relationship. The ending doesn’t really show the progress in their relationship or the development that occurred after learning about queen bee syndrome. It’s the only part of the finale that I really have a problem with. But again, it goes back to Akuma no Riddle living in the grey area and leaving up these things to the viewers. So I guess, in a sense, it wants to make everyone happy, which is probably why it let all the girls live and gave us fanservice scenes in a majority of the episodes. Still, I would’ve been happier with knowing that the relationship between Tokaku and Haru was growing at the ending. It doesn’t need to be anything like a kiss but there needed to be more than the two linking arms in the finale scene. So in that sense, I’m a little upset. Then again, the manga is still ongoing, so maybe the final answers will be revealed in the future. In the meantime, I guess we just have to speculate (or fantasize).

The Summer 2014 anime season is already upon us! With no time to spare due to all the thrilling and sensational anime that are already out or going to air soon, this Summer 2014 Season Preview will provide a glimpse of what I have planned for the season and some of my initial expectations for all the new shows and sequels this season. So what exactly am I looking forward to the most for the next three months? Let’s find out!

Let’s start the season preview off with some of the more familiar names returning to Japanese televisions this summer. The number of sequels, retellings and other extensions of existing anime franchises this season is quite substantial but most of the attention is being devoted to some of the big names that are starting up again. The list of continuations for Summer 2014 are: Ai Mai Mi: Mousou Catastrophe, Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Crystal, Fate/kaleid Liner Prisma Illya 2wei!, Free! Eternal Summer, Kuroshitsuji Circus Hen, Persona 4 The Golden Animation, Pri Para, Re:_Hamatora, Sengoku Barasa Judge End, Shin Strange+, Space Dandy Second Season, Sword Art Online II, and Yama no Susume: Second Season. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately for some), I haven’t watched the original shows from these anime franchises, so I am not in a position to provide accurate information and predictions on each one, especially the shows I haven’t watched. As always, I’ll skip over the anime that I know nothing about because you probably already know what you’ll be watching and there are better resources out there for those franchises. So instead, in the section below, I’ll be providing my input to the shows that I am familiar with and can provide some explanation as to why I’m planning on continuing them. (Note: I am not including Monogatari Series Second Season: Hanamonogatari here because it is not a traditional TV anime; it is starting in mid-August and only spans half the season. I will watch it for sure when it comes out, though.)

The order of anime listed below is neither chronological nor alphabetic but ranked in order of my personal anticipation and how likely I believe I will watch that anime this season. Every anime is evaluated and placed into one of five tiers ordered: Will watch, Likely watch, Maybe watch, Doubtful but it gets a shot, and No dice. Within each tier, the anime are listed alphabetically. Dates are not included because who knows when and where these shows will be subbed and available to watch (which really is the most important!). So with that explanation and introduction, here is my preview for Summer 2014:

Ai Mai Mi: Mousou Catastrophe

Opinion: Ai Mai Mi isn’t the most memorable of the rapidly expanding field of 3-minute long comedy anime, but the original series was certainly a success, providing hearty laughs on a range of silly topics. Expect more of the same with a second season of Ai Mai Mi, an anime that provides its value through a series of rapid-fire jokes at the expense of its cast of four overly-enthusiastic and bizarre girls and the wild world they live in.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Persona 4 The Golden Animation

Opinion: Persona 4 is returning as an anime this season, though this time it will be based off the PS Vita re-release of Persona 4 titled, Persona 4 The Golden. And since this anime is technically based on the re-release of the Persona 4 game, it might not be a sequel in the traditional sense since the anime will cover most of the material that was present in Persona 4 The Animation. However, I’m not sure how much the new series will cover of the original Persona 4 story, so I’m placing it here with the other continuations and figure that most watching this will already be familiar with the original anime or the video game. I’m not sure what will be new with this season of Persona 4, but with a new character and new storylines, there will be plenty of different material for fans of the franchise to enjoy. The original anime suffered when its art director quit AIC and the quality dropped noticeably, so it will be interesting to see how A-1 depicts this adventure. Even if it were the same anime as before, I think watching it interpreted and produced by a different studio is reason enough to give this anime a chance. That and Persona 4 was an outstanding anime back in 2011-2012, one of my favorites of those years, so I won’t mind reliving it all over again this summer.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Space Dandy Second Season

Opinion: Airing back in January 2014, Space Dandy returns for its second half this summer with a similar style, personality and flavor that made it a favorite from this winter. However, with a lengthy pause between first cour and second cour, I’ll expect there to be some improvements in the series given that the staff and studio had some time to reflect on the first season and access what they’ll want to do different with the remaining episodes. Even if nothing changes, Space Dandy will be among the top anime of this season like it was for the winter. However, I am looking for improvement in the series this season and for this half to build off the first half and to reach new peaks. No doubt, I will be picking up Dandy again for another dose of zany space adventures.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Yama no Susume: Second Season

Opinion: The original Yama no Susume was a pleasant and charming 3-minute per episode anime that explained and explored the world of hiking, climbing, camping and mountaineering through the eyes of a shy teenage girl, Aoi, and her extrovert childhood friend, Hinata. This new season, however, will expand each episode to 15 minutes and run for a total of 24 episodes, thus making this season 10 times longer than the first one (360 minutes versus 36 minutes). The 3-minute episode formula worked for the first season of Yama no Susume, so the change in episode and season length will have a substancial impact on each subject, each story and how the characters are able to grow. The series will need to adapt to these longer episodes, but with longer episodes, the series will be able to provide depth where it couldn’t before and complete stories in a timely manner, such as completing a mountain in one episode rather than splitting them between several episodes. And unlike before, there’s now a new opportunity to expand on the characters (Aoi’s shy personality) and plot (Aoi’s and Hinata’s friendship and challenges), so this season should be more meaningful and expressive than before. However, I do wonder if the series will retain that enchantment and charisma that made it one of my favorite short anime. I’m thrilled to see we’re getting 10 times the material as before, but I’m curious about how this will affect the quality and value of the anime. Hopefully these fears evaporate before the first episode is over.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Crystal

Opinion: The original Sailor Moon aired in Japan back in 1992 and was brought over to the United States in the mid-90s. It was then when I found myself watching anime regularly for the first time, and I still have fond memories of Sailor Moon whenever I think of it or think back to that era. However, as you might imagine, my tastes in anime have matured and developed over the decades and, though I enjoyed Sailor Moon as a kid, I’m not sure I’ll enjoy it again as an adult. It’ll be fascinating to see how the new series differs from the old, not just in animation style and voices, but in society and technology. I’ll be certain to give the first few episodes of the new series a try, but I’m not sure if I’ll be up for watching the whole series; there’s just something about the art style that puts me off. However, like any show with a unique art style, I figure it’s something that’ll need an episode or two to adjust to. Nevertheless, I’m happy to see a continuation of the Sailor Moon franchise in this era and will be giving the new anime series a chance.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Sword Art Online II

Opinion: Sword Art Online is really a tale of two anime for me. One on half, you have a gorgeous anime with breathtaking scenery, an innovative and imaginative setting, and a soundtrack to remember. That part of Sword Art Online I liked and liked quite a bit. The other half, however, was frustrating and bothersome. The stories was abject and narcissistic, the characterization was unsophisticated and straightforward, and there were no genuine maturity or challenges for Kirito. Everything related to the story and characters was both simple and stupid with the solution to everything being ‘I’m Kirito and I’m going to solve this, and now I just solved it’. The entire first season was split between those two halves with part of me loving it and part of me hating it. I figure there will be more of the same for me this season with part of me enjoying the sequel and part of me detesting it. I’m willing to give the second season of SAO a chance, especially since it will be set in a new gaming world, and there’s always the opportunity for the anime to try something different to see if it improves. And even if it doesn’t and goes back to the same formula as the original series, the anime will still be watchable. The real question for Sword Art Online II, though, will it be enjoyable?

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Fate/kaleid Liner Prisma Illya 2wei!

Opinion: The first season of Illya started out strong, quickly descended into mediocrity in the middle, and then hit rock-bottom in the final episodes. The OVA that came out after redefined rock-bottom for the anime with its terrible, terrible buruma/dancing episode, and at that point, I was ready to be done with this series. However, watching the PV again and reading up on the new series has sparked a small interest again in this series, and I’m willing to give the second season an episode or two just to see if it’s worthwhile. I really didn’t find myself enjoying the end of the original and I figure the sequel will just continue going downhill from where it left off. If not, then maybe I’ll reconsider picking up the series again, but for now, I think I’ll pass on Illya this time.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Re:_Hamatora

Opinion: The original Hamatora was bad. The series felt pretentious, the story was a patchwork of anime clichés, and the comedy was woefully unfunny. The cast of characters was a mixed bag with some being great (Honey, Ratio) and others being pathetic (Nice, Moral). Fortunately for me, it seems as though Nice and Moral are absent from this season, at least for the time being, so maybe the series is trying to rectify its mistakes and put together something more tolerable or maybe even fun. Whatever the reason and whatever the result, I am kinda interested in this new season though I know it’s against my better judgment after being disappointed with the first season. However, with Nice and Moral gone, maybe the dynamic of the series will improve enough for me to enjoy the series again. I guess after one or two episodes, I’ll know whether I’ll be watching Hamatora again or dropping it for good.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

The next section of the preview contains all the new franchises that are starting up in Summer 2014. After reviewing and researching all the shows, I am rather surprised at how massive this season is in terms of total shows, especially for a summer which is traditionally one of the lighter seasons of the year. Additionally, there are quite a few anime that have a lot of potential, too, making this easily the most attractive season of 2014 in terms of previews. However, what really matters is how these anime perform for the next three months and that will dictate if this season is truly better than the rest. As for the shows I’m planning on watching this season, here is my season preview:

Aldnoah.Zero

Opinion: Perhaps the highlight of Aldnoah.Zero, at least for me, is the names behind this new anime project, specifically director Ei Aoki (Fate/Zero, Wandering Son), creator Gen Urobuchi (Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero, Psycho-Pass), series composition Katsuhiko Takayama (ef: a tale of memories, Mirai Nikki, Tasogare Otome x Amnesia) and music by Hiroyuki Sawano (Guilty Crown, Shingeki no Kyojin, KILL la KILL). That all-star production team is reason enough for me to get overly excited over this anime… but there’s more. The plot of this anime revolves around a Martian invasion of Earth by fearsome mecha, so a sci-fi setting that promises action, drama and hopefully psychological torture. The art style and character design seems pleasant, though slightly plain. The PV showcases quite of bit of energy and excitement, so the anime should be lively, though I do expect there to be dialogue-heavy scenes later on. I’m really curious to see what this anime is about, especially since Urobuchi’s name is synonymous with top-tier anime these days. It’ll be interesting to see how this anime competes and compares to the other top anime of Summer 2014.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Zankyou no Terror

Opinion: Given the track record of Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Sakamichi no Apollon, Space Dandy), the man who will be directing this physiological terror-themed thriller, you can already chalk up Zankyou no Terror as another anime marvel. Everything he’s worked on has been phenomenal; a catalogue of his competence, talent and vision as a director on a diversity of anime projects. Zankyou no Terror appears to be his most serious and somber anime yet, given its themes of death, destruction and chaos, so it’ll be stimulating to see how this style contrasts his other work, especially his other anime this summer, Space Dandy. The aspects of this anime beyond Shinichiro Watanabe also give this anime promise. Based on the animation and art style shown in the PV above, the production values are astonishing, which is fitting as this is a noitminA anime. We don’t know much of the story or characters at this point, but the mysterious and secretive vibe thus far bodes well for an anime of these themes and this nature. As such, we can expect this to be one of the premier anime of the season. There is no doubt that I’ll watch Zankyou no Terror this season.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Akame ga Kill!

Opinion: Akame ga Kill! looks to be one of the stronger anime of Summer 2014 based on its entertainment potential alone. I wouldn’t mind watching Akame ga Kill! for its excitement and action, especially if the anime is as dynamic and exhilarating as its PV foreshadows, but I am hoping for some depth and technical detail to complete the other half. If there’s some decent characterization and coherent story development, then that might be enough for this to be one of the top anime of the season. I’m already intrigued by the fantasy setting and happy with the character designs and the quality of the battle animation shown in the PV. Tatsumi’s determination to right the world of its corruption and inequality makes him attractive as a protagonist, but hopefully the anime isn’t too idealistic or heavy in its moral justice, especially if the antagonist are cartoonishly evil villains. I won’t mind it if it’s played out as straightforward heroism or even if it’s comedic, but the main issue I think I’ll have with this anime is if it takes itself too seriously. Otherwise, I don’t really have any issues with this anime and am looking forward to it this summer.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Glasslip

Opinion: Glasslip appears to be a somewhat standard PA Works anime, a simple, tranquil slice-of-life anime that’s heavy on friendship with subtle hints of romance. The atmosphere of this anime is both serene and soothing, a mood that’s sure to make this anime enjoyable while giving it a certain charming aura. I don’t expect much in the way of drama or conflict in this show nor do I expect there to be any fantasy elements or magic to take away from the realism of these characters and their relationship. Instead, it looks to be a group of fairly normal kids in a seaside town in Japan just living their lives together. I might be wrong about this but it seems to be something along those lines at this point. And though that might sound boring to some, it really appeals to me this season. A slice-of-life anime that’s grounded in reality really needs a strong cast of characters and the right type of mood, and Glasslip appears to have both elements. If I’m wrong and this turns out to be another fantasy/magic slice-of-life, then the anime will need some wit and quality humor to go along with a strong set of characters. And Glasslip might have that too, though that wit and humor are derivative of the writing and that aspect remains to be seen. Whatever type of slife anime it ends up being, it looks as though Glasslip will be worthwhile to pick up, relax with and enjoy watching.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Hanayamata

Opinion: The central element to Hanayamata is yosakoi dancing, a subject I haven’t really encountered all that much in anime. Couple that with a fated meeting between Naru, a normal highschool girl who likes fairy tales, and Hannah, an American transfer student who claims to be a fairy, and you have one of the more original and innovative stories of this anime season. Yosakoi dancing is a style of traditional Japanese dance that’s up-tempo, energetic and full of movement and emotion. What this translates to, at least for an anime, are many scenes with graceful animation and gorgeous art work, two things that I am sure to adore in Hanayamata. The fantasy elements, or at least the fairy tale and fairy parts, are sure to add a distinct flavor to this anime too, and one that should contrast nicely with the yosakoi dance. I’m not sure how heavy the fantasy elements will be but after a glimpse of the manga, I can say that it will certainly be enough to influence the anime to a substantial degree. I’m not sure too sure about the other aspects of the anime, like the story or the characters, but it looks like Hanayamata is one of the more noteworthy anime this season, based on this interesting combination of yosakoi dance and fairy tales.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Himegoto

Opinion: Although comedy is my favorite genre of anime, I’m a little skeptical of Himegoto. After reading a few chapters of the manga, I came away largely unimpressed with the humor and jokes. It’s not that it’s bad but just stuff I’ve seen before. Most comedies that are centered on otokonoko/traps/crossdressing characters have very similar jokes and, after watching/reading a number of comedies with traps, I found all the jokes in Himegoto to be similar to the ones I’ve heard/seen before. Still, the anime possesses a number of qualities that make it worth watching this season. Each episode is 5 minutes long, so the episodes will feature cute scenes, quick jokes and won’t drag on too long to the point where it becomes redundant or boring. The characters are wacky and ridiculous, with Hime being the tsukkomi (straight man) for most jokes, and together, they had great chemistry, especially when the 4 other traps (as you can probably guess, most of the jokes are related to crossdressing) started appearing. The anime will be ecchi (all otokonoko comedies are ecchi), as you can tell from the pantyshots in the PV, but that has never stopped me from picking up an anime before, even if it’s a guy wearing the panties. Himegoto might not be the funniest anime of the season and it’s likely to be far from the best, but it should provide cute scenes and genuine laughs at the very least. And that alone is reason enough for me to pick this anime up.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Majimoji Rurumo

Opinion: Like Himegoto above, Majimoji Rurumo appears to be another comedy anime with some ecchi elements. However, unlike Himegoto, Majimoji Rurumo appears to have a real story and one that might turn out to be heavy. Still, the anime looks to be a fun comedy with a magical witch as the heroine and a pervert male as the lead. It might not be the most original anime out there and I’m not expecting much more than shallow character develop and a thin story, but the anime should provide some good laughs and high entertainment value for what it appears to be. The art and animation appear to be quite pleasant, and the character design is normal except for the witch’s giant hat which is pretty awesome. I’m mainly curious about how the characters and the story will develop but what will dictate whether I watch this anime is how good the comedy is and whether I am enjoying this anime or not. It’s kinda sad to think that the characters and story are secondary to those elements but that’s how I feel about Majimoji Rurumo right now.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Rail Wars!

Opinion: Rail Wars! is a rather silly concept for an anime. The series is set in an alternate world where the only difference is Japan didn’t nationalize its rail system. That’s the only difference. And as trivial as that sounds, it leads to the created of different rail lines having security forces that protect their trains from various threats. Yeah, that’s what Rail Wars is. And as senseless as the anime seems, it sounds like it might be pretty fun. If the anime doesn’t take itself serious and the show is outrageous, then it might be pretty fun. It around sounds like the characters are slightly eccentric, so that bodes well for the hilarity and amusement. If the anime decided to be serious, then that poses the threat that it might get boring quickly, unless there are a lot of action sequences on the trains. The art and animation from the PV are pretty standard, so nothing wrong there besides being rather commonplace. So for now, it’ll get a few episodes.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?

Opinion: Shin Oonuma (ef: a tale of memories, Tasogare Otome x Amnesia, Watamote) is my favorite director, and I’m willing to give every anime he’s on a chance. It doesn’t mean that I’ll watch everything he produces, but I’ve always admired his vision for projects and how he is able to take ordinary or mediocre material and turn them into remarkable and distinguished anime. His utilization of cinematography, lighting and color bring the visuals of his shows to life and he’s able to improve upon the storytelling of the original material to have a significant impact on the anime, such as the first episode of Tasogare Otome x Amnesia or several episodes of Watamote. However, Rokujouma no Shiryakusha!? doesn’t seem all that special from the PV alone – in fact, it looks rather pedestrian at this point. But still, I’m confident that Shin Oonuma will leave his mark on this anime, making it another visual delight. The story and characters don’t seem too special at this point either. In fact, it seems like a Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin clone depicting the life of a normal high school boy in a small apartment with a ghost girl, though this one seems to be centered on his hijinks with these girls in this apartment than anything else. It looks to be another run-of-the-mill romantic comedy anime, but I’m interested to see what Shin Oonuma will do this time. And if the anime turns out to be pretty plain or average, I won’t mind dropping this like I did with his last anime, Nourin.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Tokyo ESP

Opinion: The information I’ve seen on Tokyo ESP doesn’t provide much detail, especially with the promotional videos being short and the synopsis being rather vague. And it would help if I didn’t keep typing out “ESPN” instead of ESP. But still, what little material I’ve been able to find on this anime has me intrigued enough where I think I’ll likely end up keeping the anime this season. The sci-fi setting, with a focus on distinctive superhuman powers, is a style I’m usually fond of, and special physic powers always comes with fighting or action or something along those lines, so those bode well for me. The anime appears to be pretty serious and realistic, at least from the synopsis, the PV and the character designs, so that might be a positive or a negative depending on the stories, the characters and how everything fits together. It might take an episode or two to get me into this story, and if I do, then I’ll be interested to see how Tokyo ESPN performs this season. If, after a few episodes, I don’t feel it, then I don’t think I’ll hesitate in dropping Tokyo ESP.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Ao Haru Ride

Opinion: Whereas I am fond of shoujo romantic comedies, I usually despise shoujo romances. And though Ao Haru Ride carries the label ‘comedy’, the PV doesn’t seem to show the anime in a humorous tone. Instead, the anime seems pretty somber and heavy with a strict emphasis on the romance and Futuba reevaluating her life. This isn’t the style I’m looking for this season, but the anime does feature quality production values and the story does have the potential to be interesting and meaningful. I’m willing to give the anime an episode, but I don’t think it’ll be one that I’ll keep this season.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Barakamon

Opinion: Unlike the comedies listed above, the humor in Barakamon turns me off of the anime. The PV features a few jokes but the gag is always the same. The only punchline this anime seems to have is to have the main character, Handa, have some grandiose overreaction of some trivial aspect of his new rural lifestyle or something related to the unusual characters that now live beside him. I don’t mind humor like that in gag anime when the reaction is sometimes warranted, but the jokes are a kid playing hide-and-go-seek, a squirrel jumping on him and some pots on the ground. Yeah, no, zealous overreactions as a form of humor or stupid or simple things is a negative for me… and using it as the only form of humor is a deal-breaker. Hopefully, I am wrong about this anime using this as its only punchline and that the anime features some legitimate humor. Otherwise, it’s getting dropped without a second thought.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Sabagebu!

Opinion: Unfortunately for Sabagebu!, I’ve already watched Stella Jogakuin Koutou-ka C3-bu which is another anime that focused on an all-girl survival game club. However, this could also be a positive for Sabagebu! as C3-bu was one of my favorite anime of 2013 and that I wouldn’t mind seeing something similar to it, though with a slightly wackier setting. Still, I don’t see how I can watch this anime without thinking about and comparing it to C3-bu considering how similar the two shows are. Hopefully Sabagebu! will quickly develop its own distinctive elements and differ enough in style to distinguish the two from each other. If Sabagebu! can do that, then I might end up keeping it if it turns out to be fun and entertaining. If not, then I don’t know if Sabagebu! will ever emerge from C3-bu’s shadow. And if that happens, I don’t have enough confidence in Sabagebu! to be nearly as decent as C3-bu, especially with how well Yura’s character was handled and how she influenced the characters around her and dictated the story. An episode or two of Sabagebu! should be enough to decide whether it’s enough different from C3-bu or not, which in turn, will probably be how I decide if I’ll watch this or not.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance

Opinion: Blade Dance can be summarized as an ecchi harem romantic comedy where some ordinary, perverted highschool boy becomes the first ever dude to have super magic spirit powers and transfers to a fantasy, all-girls school. Yeah… it… it doesn’t sound good at all. Ecchi harem romantic comedies are typically pretty cheap when it comes to production quality and have lackluster, one-dimensional characters (and that dimension is usually boobs) and pretty awful stories… that is, if they even have a story. The main reason they exist is for entertainment purposes, and I never find these shows amusing in any way, especially since it is all misunderstandings, sexually suggestive situations and the girls hitting the guy so hard they fly across the universe, especially for making a flat chest joke or seeing the girl naked. I’m praying that Blade Dance isn’t one of those anime and that it will have some value to it, but I really doubt it at this point. I’ll give it an episode to see if there’s anything sensible in this anime but I’m probably going to drop it right after, if I can make it through the first episode.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Shirogane no Ishi Argevollen

Opinion: Argevollen might end up being a decent anime but, right now, it seems to be stiff. It’s just very rigid, structured and this ultimately makes it boring. Sure, it’s a military anime where the two sides are fighting a war with giant mecha, but there doesn’t seem to be any personality or emotion to it. It’s just kinda there and these soldiers are doing what they’re doing. Without the slightest hint of comedy or any other entertaining elements (like super giant robots flying through the sky firing laser cannons), the anime seems rather hard, realisitic and pragmatic… which might make it good but it might make it long and tedious, too. The art and animation seem to be slightly subpar for an average anime but the 3D models for the mecha look great, though we only have a few battle clips to judge. I think the anime should be given an episode to see if it’s boring or not but I fear that Argevollen’s weakness is that it will be too strict, too stiff and tiresome before too long.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Tokyo Ghoul

Opinion: Tokyo Ghoul has an impressive PV, an intense display full of enthusiasm, fighting and horror elements. The production values for this anime are high, meaning we should expect more of this beautiful art work throughout. The reason why this anime is placed so low on this list is that I often don’t find myself too happy with horror or gory anime. That doesn’t mean I won’t give it a chance but the horror elements in an anime need to be perfect for me to really enjoy it. It seems like Tokyo Ghoul has some of those elements, though I’ll need to watch an episode or two to see if it’s a series I’m willing to keep. If not, and the horror elements turn me off, then it won’t feel like a loss for me.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

The first two sections reveal the lists of anime that I am planning on watching before the season starts. Now, all that remains are the anime that I have already decided against. The reason why these anime are slotted here is because they either appear to already be flawed, boring, or simply outside my demographic. While these anime may in fact be watchable to some, they do not appear that way for me. I doubt I’ll watch any more than the PV linked in their sections. However, there’s always a chance for me to pick one or two up every season, so not all hope is lost for these shows. However, for most of them, there’s already zero chance I’ll even think about them after writing my opinions for each.

Bakumatsu Rock

Opinion: I’ve never been a fan of male music anime and don’t plan on becoming one now. Placing it in the Sengoku era certainly doesn’t help either.

Plans for this show: No dice

DRAMAtical Murder

Opinion: It’s based on a BL visual novel, but even then, the virtual fighting game looks bad.

Plans for this show: No dice

Fran♥cesca

Opinion: It’s about a zombie idol or something. Whatever it is, it doesn’t interest me at all.

Plans for this show: No dice

Futsuu no Joshikisei ga [Locodol] Yatte Mita.

Opinion: Yeah, another idol anime. Notice a theme among three of these first four? Yeah, idol or music based anime are not my thing.

Plans for this show: No dice

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun

Opinion: I’ll keep an eye out to see if this is funny or not, but this romantic comedy doesn’t seem to be my style of show at all.

Plans for this show: No dice

Jinsei

Opinion: This looks really generic. Going to save my time and just skip it.

Plans for this show: No dice

Love Stage!!

Opinion: This is the anime that will haunt my nightmares.

Plans for this show: No dice

Minarai Diva

Opinion: Yeah, I don’t mind watching MikuMikuDance used for music videos or short comedy pieces, but it just doesn’t look good for an anime.

Plans for this show: No dice

Momo Kyun Sword

Opinion: How exactly do you make an entire anime series based on the story of Momotaro? It looks like I won’t be finding out!

Plans for this show: No dice

Nobunaga Concerto

Opinion: If none of the comedies satisfy me this season, I might watch this just for the visuals.

Plans for this show: No dice

Shounen Hollywood: Holly Stage for 49

Opinion: No, actually, this is the anime that will haunt my nightmares. Actually, it’ll probably be both this and Love Stage!!

Plans for this show: No dice

And that concludes my preview for the Summer 2014 anime season. Since the season has already started, I’ll begin posting my thoughts, opinions and evaluations for each show in my First Impressions posts. However, being out of town during the start of the season has made things a little challenging (but what difference does it make if all my posts are late anyway?), but the posts should be up starting next week when the bulk of shows air their first episodes. Until then, I hope you enjoy the start of the summer anime season and love it throughout!

This post reviews: Glasslip, Shirogane no Ishi: Argevollen, Tokyo Ghoul, and Rail Wars!

These first impressions posts will be divided into four separate entries and are organized by the date these anime aired. Hopefully all four posts will be out by this weekend since many of the shows, including everything in this post, have already debuted their second episodes.

Watching:

Glasslip

Glasslip is the quintessential PA Works anime. Before even beginning the first episode, you could tell Glasslip would feature that bright, cheery and unquestionably distinctive PA Works character design, that it would feature dazzling and brilliant background art, both for interior and scenic shots, and that the anime would be a relaxing slice-of-life/romance that explores the lives of a tight-knit clique of high school kids in a suburban seaside community. That much was known going into Glasslip, and the first episode did well in confirming our expectations. What the first episode did beyond that was that it provided us with a taste of its own personality. Not much can be said about how the anime will differentiate itself from all the other PA Works anime, especially shows like Tari Tari and Nagi no Asukara, but the show has a bit of a quirky personality and a thing for chickens. It’s hard to say how serious, how silly or even how sophomoric the anime will be, but the calming, tranquil atmosphere of the anime, combined with the elegant visuals and the amiable personalities of the cast, leads me to believe that I’ll enjoy this anime overall. I highly doubt that Glasslip will venture into the upper-half of my favorite anime for this season, but that’s fine for a show of this caliber and style. I’m anticipating that Glasslip will be both amusing and relaxing and be respectable choice of anime for the summer.

Tokyo Ghoul

Although I expected there to be quite a bit of action and fighting in the first episode of Tokyo Ghoul, I was surprised to see the emphasis on the character’s emotions and their thought-processes. Most of the time, anime like these only offer a glimpse into the mind of their protagonists, but Tokyo Ghoul spent a significant chunk of its first episode inside the mind of Ken as a means to explore its main character and explain his thoughts, emotions and subsequent actions. Watching these characters analyze their situations, debate with themselves and then see how this affected them, especially in regard to the food and his identity as a human or ghoul, was easily the most attractive aspect of Tokyo Ghoul. If this anime continues to be a psychological horror anime like this first episode suggests, then I can see Tokyo Ghoul being among my favorite for this season. But… then there’s the rest of the first episode. That is to say, what keeps me worried about Tokyo Ghoul is that everything outside of those psychological scenes were generally pretty mediocre. While the art and animation during Rize’s assault and during Ken’s hunger crisis were superb, the rest of the anime felt pretty tame and bland. Overall, it’s a plus since the anime did look outstanding at times and can achieve that level again, but I have to wonder how this anime will perform over the course of the season when there aren’t fights or action-sequences in every episode. And while on that subject, the conclusion to this first episode was a bit of a downer. The whole fight/rescue/knowledge of underground ghoul organization for Ken to join is very, very shounen. It’s a development I’m not too thrilled about and leaves me wondering about the direction of this series. Still, I ultimately enjoyed the first episode and am intrigued to find out more about this setting and about Ken. Even if Tokyo Ghoul doesn’t live up to these new, loftier expectations, I’m still predicting that this will be a solid anime for Summer 2014.

Undecided:

Nothing in this post, which means the final two anime are…

Dropped:

Shirogane no Ishi: Argevollen

I have nothing good to say about Argevollen. The first episode of this mecha/war anime was just one giant cliché; it’s every mecha/war anime you’ve already seen before. You had the old, arrogant and villainous military leaders from the evil country who don’t care about their personnel dying during battle. You had the young commander who clearly wanted to disobey orders and save the lives of his soldiers because he’s really a nice guy who’s just misunderstood but ultimately followed orders because he’s on the evil side and that’s what those people do. Then you had our hero, who is an up-and-coming young punk who’s new to the military and mecha piloting but has his own sense of justice that is apparently more important than anything else in the world. You also had the young, sassy female sidekick who is a better mecha pilot and berates the rookie because that’s what they always do. And let’s not forget the cute scientist/engineer girl who is transporting this super high-tech and invaluable experimental mecha through a war zone and needs to be rescued by our hero because they had no one else around who could pilot it in case of an emergency. Well, it just so happens that our hero, who almost died and should’ve died, gets to pilot this super-powerful, awesome mech because not following orders was the right decision all along and he’s totally not going to be court-martialed for this when this is all over. Then the enemies that he had trouble beating before are now… yadda yadda yadda, you know what happens next and what will happen in the next 11 episodes. What makes it worse is that the first episode had terrible pacing, substandard art, and no good or fun characters. There really is no value in continuing to watch Argevollen, so I’m dropping it after just one episode.

Rail Wars!

Rail Wars! is everything I don’t want in an anime put into an anime. The anime went right into a tailspin from the start with the scene where Aoi retrieves the balloon for the little boy. At first, you think it’s about showing how compassionate and athletic Aoi is, but the scene focuses on her breasts bouncing, then to the wind blowing up Haruka’s skirt and Aoi calling Naoto a pervert for looking. Great. Then there were the school scenes that should never have happened… especially the failure that was the “jiggle” scene. Seriously, they could’ve skipped the first half of this episode and the show would’ve been significantly better. But still, if it were the second half alone, it would’ve been dropped anyway. Just to summarize, there was even more terrible, terrible fanservice and the climax was stopping some thieves from stealing a purse. Wow. Other faults with this anime were the awful artwork, the lack of interesting characters, the fact that this anime takes itself seriously. Rail Wars! is all kinds of bad and likely to be the worst anime of the season. Save yourself the time and skip it.

This post reviews: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Crystal, Aldnoah.Zero, Barakamon, Akame ga Kill!, and Sabagebu!

Since Space Dandy 2 and Sword Art Online II are both sequels, they will not be reviewed in these first impressions posts. I was already planning on watching both shows this season, so there was no major decision to be made when watching the first episode and there’s little to add on those anime right now. I’ll have more to talk about those sequels as this summer continues.

Watching:

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Crystal

What I enjoyed most about the new Sailor Moon is how it retains the charm and appeal of the original series. Yes, it’s important to note that this episode was a direct copy of the first episode of the original anime, so you’d figure that it would still have the same charm and appeal… but that’s exactly what I want from Sailor Moon: Crystal. Had the series tried to reinterpret the story or had it gone in a different direction, such as changing Usagi’s character or the dynamic between the characters, then I’d be troubled by this updated version. The distinctive and modernized visuals are less cartoony or chibi than the original, with this having a more elegant and mature feel, but it doesn’t detract from the asinine humor and childishness of Usagi. What I want from Sailor Moon: Crystal is the same magic that made Sailor Moon fun and amusing, and the first episode of Sailor Moon: Crystal indicates that this series will be virtually the same as the old series. Hurray! And since I enjoyed the old series, I figure I’ll enjoy this new one, too. The one thing I’m still uneasy about with Sailor Moon: Crystal is that the show will air every two weeks for a year. It’s a schedule I am not happy with but it’s something I’ll need to deal with if I want to watch this anime.

Aldnoah.Zero

Wow, what a way to start an anime. Not only was Aldnoah.Zero impressive on the surface, with its visual appeal, its promise of action and the climactic end to the first episode, but the anime was effective at establishing its cast of characters, its premise and its setting with no wasted efforts. Every scene had a purpose and a message, and the episode flowed seamlessly, hallmarks of excellent writing and directing. The dialogue was clever yet it never felt forced or unnatural, especially for Inaho. Though the personalities are somewhat unremarkable for now, it’s still early in the series and there’s room for them to grow and mature as the war for Earth begins. That’s not to say the characters aren’t pleasant or amusing, just that there’s nothing innovative or unique about them yet. Another notable aspect of Aldnoah.Zero is that it doesn’t mess around. The scene where Asseylum was attacked by homing missiles and the obliteration of New Orleans shows how critical and determined this anime is. People died. There isn’t some magic bullshit that’ll save everyone and give us a happy ending. We watched people vaporize. And that’s something you don’t see a whole lot of anime do, especially since it was utilized to make an impact. Often times, a show will chicken out right at the end, but no, Aldnoah.Zero killed a significant proportion of its bystanders. And why this point is so important is that this will carry over to the war and be a lasting quality for this anime. Although this episode featured the start of the war, we can already tell how grave and somber this anime will be and how the lives of the cast will be in jeopardy every week. I’m absolutely thrilled with the first episode of Aldnoah.Zero and am more enthusiastic than ever before. If you haven’t given this anime a chance yet, I strongly recommend it.

Akame ga Kill!

Although I often use the word ‘shounen’ as a negative term, habitually when describing traits or attributes of an anime that are stereotypical of shounen anime/manga, I want to describe Akame ga Kill! as a good shounen anime. Or at the very least, it had a solid first episode. What elevates Akame ga Kill! above the other shounen anime is that it was able to demonstrate genuine humor, satisfying action, and an intriguing setting all while still being very, very shounen. The series found a satisfying balance comedy and action, and both those aspects of Akame ga Kill! were well above-average. I actually found myself smiling at a few of the jokes which is challenging for something that isn’t a true comedy. The action sequences were adequate with swords and guns and whatnot, but the fact that people are killed in Akame ga Kill!, and often in violent ways, made each skirmish satisfying in their conclusions. I’m ecstatic to see a collection of protagonists who aren’t afraid to kill other people in order to achieve their goals. And the fantasy setting centered on a corrupted government is fine by itself, but seeing the culture extend beyond them to the townsfolk makes for a more interesting premise than in most shounen stories. Often times, you see the big, bad government being the villain in these shows while the citizens are victims and need to be saved… but here, they’re just as guilty of the crimes and pay for their sins with their blood. Perhaps what I like most about Akame ga Kill! is that it’s a shounen anime that wants to be more than a shounen anime. And the aforementioned points validate that statement. Unfortunately, Akame ga Kill! is still very, very shounen and that can be seen elsewhere in the show. The whole fight/rescue/knowledge of underground ghoul organization for Ken to join assassination organization for Tatsumi to join is very, very shounen. Right from the start, when Tatsumi looked up at the blood red moon and they were posing in the sky for no reason… you could tell this anime was going to be super shounen. And the collection of strange, diverse characters… yeah, that, too. Not to mention the hero with his robust sense of justice and the big, bad faceless government and people doing evil things for the sake of being evil… yeah. Not everything about Akame ga Kill! is good, but it’s good enough. I am optimistic that the series will retain these qualities and manage to stay consistent throughout, but I can’t help but feel the humor and violence might dip now that the introduction is over. All I hope for is that there isn’t a training arc starting with episode 2 and going on to whenever.

Sabagebu!

Easily the biggest surprise of the season, Sabagebu! is a delightful, wacky comedy that will make you smile throughout. Hell, it’s a real challenge for an anime to make me laugh at its comedy but Sabagebu! actually made me laugh several times. Without any other strong comedies this season (with the exception of Space Dandy 2), Sabagebu! is a definite keeper. Beyond that, Sabagebu! has other merits too, though none surpass the excellence that is its entertainment value. The cast of characters are all oddballs but none are too excessive or one-dimensional. Each character possesses some qualities that make them fun, but the series doesn’t define their characters by these traits. The survival game club dynamic does feel a bit like ­Stella Jogakuin Koutou-ka C3-bu, but that one was entirely more serious and analytical than this carefree comedy doppelganger. In fact, Sabagebu! reminds me more of Love Lab than last year’s all-girl survival game club anime. The art and animation are upbeat and colorful, which complements the variety of comedy this anime enjoys and contrasts pleasantly with the dark and dirty survival game themes. Overall, I found this to be one of the best anime this season based on this first episode and the potential for the series. And though I am incredibly biased toward comedies, I think everyone should give Sabagebu! a chance.

Undecided:

Barakamon

Barakamon had a better first episode than some of the anime I’m keeping, but it wasn’t enough to bring it out of the Undecided category. The reason for the indecision on Barakamon is that I am unsure how the anime will perform for the remainder of the season. The first episode was wonderful. Fantastic, even. I was pleasantly startled at the genuine characterization of Seishuu and even more astonished to see a significant amount of character development in the first episode. The comedy was polished, able to make me smile on a few occasions, and I found the characters to all be meaningful in how they interact with Seishuu. The problem with the series is that I’m not sure what the anime can do to top it. I have a sinking feeling that this show will find itself in a rut where Seishuu has a new problem each week and the islanders help him with their quirky behavior and whatnot and then he’s able to draw words prettily again. I’m not sure if I want an anime with that pattern or a show of that dynamic, even if this was one of the better first episodes this season. I’m just very weary of the potential this series has and whether I’ll enjoy it throughout. I enjoyed this episode greatly and would be overjoyed if the anime performs this well throughout, but I don’t see it at this point. That being said, I’m eager to give this anime a second episode to see if it confirms my suspicions or proves me wrong. However, even if the show does fall into a predictable pattern every week, I’m planning on keeping this anime so long as I enjoy each episode individually.

Dropped:

None of the shows reviewed in this post were dropped.

This post reviews: Hanayamata, Ao Haru Ride, Persona 4 the Golden Animation, and Zankyou no Terror.

I am debating whether I want to keep Re:_Hamatora and Fate/kaleid Liner Prisma Illya 2wei! this season. While I did enjoy Re:_Hamatora, I only enjoyed it while Nice was gone. The dynamic without Nice was much, much better than anything from the first season and I was hopeful that the sequel would have him gone for most of the time. Looks like it’ll just be one episode. Oh well. If the series returns to mediocrity in its second episode, I won’t hesitate in dropping it. And it’s the same for Illya, too. I kept hearing that the manga gets darker and that it’s worth the wait. Well, it’s been more than one season now and the only thing remotely dark about Illya is now we have a tan-skinned Illya. If that’s what everyone’s definition of a ‘darker’ anime is, then I’m through with taking advice from anonymous anime fans. I can’t see how the anime will get better… and even if it does, it’s still a long way from good. It’ll get one more episode before it’s dropped for good.

Watching:

Hanayamata

Hanayamata had a solid yet unremarkable first episode. Although the anime is entertaining and engaging, primarily due to Hana’s vivacious and infectious personality, the actual content was rather ordinary and one-dimensional. The plot so far is fairly routine for an anime; it’s about a shy girl who makes friends through the X club at school. Been there, done that. But for Hanayamata, the X is what makes this anime special. I know nothing about Yosakoi dancing, so the subject of this anime will be unique compared to its peers, and I’ve always enjoy smooth and bountiful animation, something the opening sequence promises with various scenes of the quintet of girls dancing lively and beautifully. And though I bemoaned the anime for being conventional earlier, I see it as somewhat of a positive. That combination of being entertaining while having a dull story bodes well for Hanayamata seeing as it can carry itself through on entertainment value alone when not much is happening. Still, the first episode of Hanayamata was far from impressive, but it indicates that the series will soon improve, especially once the Yosakoi dance club forms and all the characters are together. What I’m looking forward to the most with Hanayamata is the comedy, the dances, and to see Naru grow as a character. If the anime can satisfy me in regards to these aspects, then picking up Hanayamata for this summer will be a success.

Persona 4 the Golden Animation

To me, Persona 4 the Golden Animation (P4GA) is different enough from Persona 4 the Animation (P4A) to warrant watching it. Even though the events of this anime will parallel P4A from start to finish, I’m fascinated to see how Marie factors into the story and how one new character alters the dynamic of the series. You could call it an experiment in seeing how much of an influence one character can have on a story. You could also say I’m curious to see how A-1 Pictures handles P4GA after AIC produced P4A. Yeah, even though the staffs are virtually the same between P4A and P4GA, I’m entranced by the fact that we get to see this story developed by two different studios. Sure, it might be a little like Endless Eight with slight alterations on the same story, but I wouldn’t mind reliving Persona’s story one more time, especially if the anime is abbreviate and only 12 episodes long. I doubt I’ll enjoy P4GA as much as I did P4A, but there’s enough new material and a new style to keep me invested in this anime for the duration of its run.

Zankyou no Terror

Zankyou no Terror is a dazzling display of how astute directing, insightful writing, and authentic characterization are the foundations for which to develop an unforgettable anime. These fundamental concepts were executed brilliantly in the first episode, starting at the very beginning with the Nine’s and Twelve’s raid, all the way through to the end with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building crumpling after the terrorist attack. Of particular note is Lisa’s character, who’s monologues and symbolism were perfect. Her descriptions of Arata and Touji provided invaluable insight into her perception of their characters and the scene where she jumped drew remarkable parallels to the earlier scenes when she was bullied by her fellow classmates. Zankyou no Terror is incredibly cerebral and intelligent and will continue to be fascinating as the series continues, especially after their first major attack. In addition to that, the anime features a vivid and pragmatic art style that dwells heavily in realism… and it’s gorgeous. The anime can go in any number of directions from this point forward, so it’ll be interesting to see how this series develop and how we come to understand the characters of Arata, Touji and Lisa before the finale. I’m already enchanted with the prospects of this series and can’t wait to see what happens next. Definitely a keeper for this anime season.

Undecided:

Ao Haru Ride

Wow, that art style… it’s just like watching Kimi ni Todoke all over again. Unfortunately for me, it’s not quite the same as Kimi ni Todoke. What elevated that shoujo romance over this shoujo romance, and also the main reason why Ao Haru Ride is in the Undecided category, is that I don’t see the charm here. Ao Haru Ride is decent at best, largely because the romance started off on a huge red flag – a stupid misunderstanding with neither side talking things out. Furthermore, I don’t think I’ll like Futaba and Kou as the leads for the romance in this anime. Futuba would be fine as a sidekick, but her artificial personality is already a bit tiring. Kou is a huge dick to the girl he once liked, so to see him act this way is a huge turn-off. And given the tedious personalities of these two, I’m not sure I want to see what the other characters are like, especially the male love rival who we already know will be blonde/light brown and nicer and whatnot. Yeah, I want to drop the anime after just one episode, but I did enjoy it and I am really fond of the animation and art style. It isn’t the same as Kimi ni Todoke, which featured a more charming cast and superior comedy, but Ao Haru Ride is a decent anime, and the first episode will probably be the hardest for me. If the series picks up in the second episode, then I’ll strongly consider keeping it. Otherwise, if it falls into the same pattern that every shoujo romance anime does, then it’s gonna be dropped.

Dropped:

Again, nothing was dropped from the shows covered in this post.

This post reviews: Yama no Susume Second Season, Majimoji Rurumo, Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?, and Tokyo ESP.

Although Psycho-Pass is returning this summer with an extended version, combining two episodes together and running for 11 episodes before Psycho-Pass 2 this autumn, I think I’ll be giving the series a pass. After giving the first extended episode a try and not noticing anything new or substantially different, I think I can invest my time better by watching 2 new anime rather than the hour-long episodes of Psycho-Pass. I am hoping that some observant fan out there will catalogue the difference, redraws and any new material here, but I’m not going to spend 11 hours rewatching an anime when I’m already crunched for time and trying to juggle a dozen new shows. Instead, I’ll just wait patiently and see if there’s anything worthwhile from it or not.

Watching:

Yama no Susume Second Season

The first reason why I am writing about Yama no Susume here when I skipped over all the previous sequels, continuations, re-adaptations and whatnot, is because the structure and dynamic of Yama no Susume is completely different between this second season and the original. The first series had 12 episodes of 3 minutes each for a total run-time of 36 minutes. This new season is features episodes that are much, much longer and there are twice as many episodes, meaning this season is roughly 360 minutes or 10 times more Yama no Susume than the original Yama no Susume. This is like getting 10 sequels of Yama no Susume! And because of the extended run-time for each episode, the anime has a different style than before – being able to accomplish more with each episode and being able to provide depth in specific areas or topics where it couldn’t before. The second reason why I’m writing about Yama no Susume here is because I absolutely loved the first season and feel the exact same way after watching the first episode of this sequel. And that’s always a good reason… right?

Yeah, of course it is. But back to the subject at hand, the second season of Yama no Susume is great. The one major flaw I had with the original is that the episodes were too short and that the anime really could never expand on its topics to build a base of knowledge on mountaineering and camping or to develop the characters and their stories. Now, with quarter-hour long episodes, we see that Yama no Susume is able to do complete subjects in detail and even provide time to explore the four mountain-climbing girls. The anime still has the same charm and amusement as the original shorts, along with the same super-moe art style. I found this episode to be more enjoyable than any from the original series, which did well for a short anime series, so don’t be surprised if this quickly becomes one of my favorite this season.

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? might not be heavy on having a wholesome story or noteworthy characters, but that’s not really the point of this anime. Instead, Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? is a harem comedy that tries to fit as many anime clichés as it can into one episode. It pretty much takes all the random harem backstory for all the special ghosts/magical girls/aliens/whatever and puts it into one show. I often critize anime for being unoriginal, derivative or direct copies of more popular franchises, but this is what Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? wants, and Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? knows just how silly and stupid it is. The fact that it’s making fun of itself and it knows that it’s making fun of itself is what allows the anime to be amusing and ultimately enjoyable. If it wanted to be a good, serious harem romance (wait, is there such a thing?) it wouldn’t be concerning itself with wacky characters, their zany backstories, and making fun of everyone as soon as they appear. The whole point of this is to laugh at all that stuff. But yes, the comedy anime does have some flaws, particularly on how well it’ll hold up for the duration of the season. Often times, these self-aware and critical anime often become the monsters they’re making fun of, and I am weary of Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? becoming the lame, ecchi harem comedy that it was poking fun at in this first episode. If not, I’m wondering how much material this premise can bestow since it seems as though most of the humor was used up in this first episode. I can see the anime going around and trying to resolve the issues of each girl and trying to save the apartment for Satomi, but the fact that this has 15 volumes of light novels already leads me to believe the story won’t be short and predictable. Nevertheless, I did find myself laughing and smiling at this first episode and am interested to see just how well this comedy performs. I’m not expecting this anime to perform any miracles or have a genuine story or anything value, but I am assuming this will keep me entertained for the next 11 weeks.

Tokyo ESP

Tokyo ESP probably had the most intriguing first episode of any of the anime this season. Without knowing much about the story, the characters or the style of the anime, I found Tokyo ESP to be rousing, remarkable, and rewarding. I’ve always been a fan of shows where various people have superhuman abilities, such as Needless and Darker than Black, so to be reminded of those familiar anime while watching Tokyo ESP is a definite plus. The serious nature of the anime, evidenced by the character designs, the gore, and the plot thus far, does help give the anime some weight in its story and its characters. The art and animation are adequate for this type of anime, without having any faults but never being too impressive. The first episode did well in establishing the setting and laying the foundations for the series to build off of, but it’s hard to predict what the rest of the anime will be like since the main character and her gang were absent for all but the end of the first episode. I’m not sure what the rest of the anime will be like, but I do know I’ll be watching this anime to find out. Yes, I often put shows like this in the Undecided category until I can confirm my expectations and know what to expect, but Tokyo ESP was among the upper-half of anime this season and proved enough to rationalize keeping it after just one episode.

Undecided:

Nothing for this post, which means the last anime is…

Dropped:

Majimoji Rurumo

What’s most remarkable about Majimoji Rurumo’s first episode is you can absolutely tell what material was from the debut and where the manga’s story began. That is to say, the entire first half of the episode was based on a one-shot (one chapter long manga) the mangaka originally wrote and probably won an award for. Because so many people liked it (barf), a mangazine probably wanted him to continue the story, so he came up with the second half of episode one and what will be the remainder of this season. It’s plain to see how different the two halves were, not only in terms of the story, but in terms of the background characters, the school setting and even how Rurumo’s magic works. Hell, Chiro was never explicitly mentioned in the first half and now we know he’s Rurumo’s familiar and can even talk. So you can tell right from the start that this anime originates from a one-shot and was probably never designed to be a long-running manga or anime, and that observing this stark contrast is a guarantee of a poor adaptation or poor directing. Or at least that’s how I see it.

But besides that critique, there’s not much for me to like about Majimoji Rurumo. Unlike Rokujouma before, this anime takes itself too seriously, especially with the perverted male lead and the innocent and naïve magical witch girl. The characters are simple and shallow, meaning there’s little opportunity for these characters to grow or mature as the series develops. And yes, having a perverted male character like Kouta is a huge negative. The comedy was abysmal, too. I fail to see the obsession with comedy derived from girls not wearing their underwear (which was the main joke twice in this first episode), but maybe there’s one or two people in Japan that can’t get enough of this monotonous rehashed material. Maybe this show caters to them. All I know is that this show is not for me. And though I’ve seen enough to justify dropping it after just one episode, I am curious how the anime will sustain itself for the duration of the series. The opening sequence did promise a throng of characters, so it doesn’t look like poor Rurumo will be stuck with Kouta for 11 more episodes. Couple that with the fact that this was originally a one-shot, too, meaning the original premise was for this to be a stand-alone story with just Kouta and Rurumo. I might keep an eye out for what others are saying about this series, but I can’t find enough motivation to continue watching this anime after how disappointing and frustrating this first episode was.

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

Best episode of the week: Aldnoah.Zero

Anime trending up this week: Barakamon

Anime trending down this week: Captain Earth

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 2)

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

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

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 2)

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

Barakamon (Episode 2)

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

Captain Earth (Episode 15)

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

Glasslip (Episode 2)

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

Hanayamata (Episode 1)

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

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

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

Persona 4 the Golden Animation (Episode 1)

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

Rokujouma no Shinryaku!? (Episode 1)

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

Sabagebu! (Episode 2)

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

Space Dandy Season 2 (Episode 2)

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

Sword Art Online II (Episode 2)

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

Tokyo Ghoul (Episode 2)

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

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 1)

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

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 1)

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

Last week: why the third episode of Space Dandy Season 2 might be my favorite of the year, an analysis on the diversity of rural settings and how the specifics of this are impacting Barakamon, some egregious contradictions with the mecha in Aldnoah.Zero, and some serious questions about the structure and purpose of Night Raid in Akame ga Kill!

Best episode of the week: Space Dandy Season 2

Anime trending up this week: Rokujouma no Shinryaku!?

Anime trending down this week: Tokyo Ghoul

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 3)

Is Night Raid really an organization designed to overthrow the corrupted government? So far, the structure of this assassin guild has been merely to accept hits on various troublemakers in the government rather than accomplishing their stated goals of toppling the corrupted prime minister and impressionable emperor. Yes, it’s true that all their hits have come against power-drunk and perverted individuals who are abusing their position, but shouldn’t Night Raid be doing this regardless of what their clients are requesting? And why are they even taking hits from ordinary citizens? If Night Raid had an objective and were determined to complete it, wouldn’t they know these targets and take them out before they do enough harm to the empire that people are paying them to kill them? To me, Akame ga Kill! is telling me one thing about Night Raid and doing something else completely different. What we’re told and what we’re expected to believe is that Night Raid is a structured organization that’s unwavering in their mission to depose the perfectly malevolent prime minister and evil emperor. What we see is that Night Raid is an organization that accepts requests from clients to assassination various troublemakers in the government, independent of their conquest of the capital and its culture and doesn’t have the incentive to carry out these missions – or any missions for that matter – on their own. And of course, there are plenty of follow-up questions too, on the structure of Night Raid, such as their intelligence department, how external affairs are handled, and their plan on their revolution and the new government they hope to install following said revolution. However, considering the audience and the primary focus of the show, I don’t think the authors thought too far ahead or cared to implement these details this early in the series. After all, Akame ga Kill! is about pointless bloodshed, sexy anime girls, and not much else.

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 3)

The Martian technology in Aldnoah.Zero is so amazing that it even has the ability to contradict itself. In the third episode of Aldnoah.Zero, we were informed that the barrier on the Martian’s mecha is able to absorb everything that touches it. That’s a phenomenal power, but the explanations we were provided don’t match what we see in the anime. The error is specifically related to Inaho’s description of the barrier saying that it absorbs matter, sound and light. Really? The barrier absorbs visible light? Then how exactly is the mecha visible when all the light pointed at it is being absorbed by the barrier? If the barrier truly absorbed light, we would actually be seeing a giant black sphere running around save for the two holes in the barrier that allow for it to stand on the ground and receive external communication. The issue with finding its weak point wouldn’t be so difficult then, would it? Aldnoah.Zero further muddles itself by attempting to add detail to the barrier stating that it absorbs electromagnetic radiation. Although the anime was probably focusing along the lines of radio waves, electromagnetic radiation also encompasses visible light, meaning the anime reinforces the impression that the barrier we see would absorb all wave lengths of visible light aimed at it. An additional contradiction comes from the issue of the barrier absorbing matter, as we saw it absorb asphalt, concrete, steel and humans alike. However, if the barrier absorbed all matter, then that would include the air around it. And if the air around the mecha was constantly be absorbed, consistent with what we saw in the last two episodes, then the barrier would be creating a strong pressure gradient that would generate a constantly flow of air toward the barrier. However, we never really saw any vacuum effect or gale force winds as a result of the barrier, leading to another inconsistency from Aldnoah.Zero. However, while there are issues these explanations, I do enjoy the design of the barrier and how it was implemented in the series. To see these mecha pass through buildings effortlessly and have impenetrable defenses helps create the impression of how powerful and menacing these robots are. If only there was some consistency on the issue of its visibility and how it interacted with the air around it, then this would be perfect. But unfortunately, for Aldnoah.Zero, it isn’t.

Barakamon (Episode 3)

Although the rural setting is just one specific type of physical setting in anime, it’s actually an umbrella term that contains a diversity of groupings and styles that cater to the different anime that utilize them. For instance, the rural setting depends heavily on the time period (i.e., technology, architecture), the country (i.e., environment, weather) and the culture (i.e., people and customs). An example of this would be to look at how Mushishi differs from Shin Sekai Yori. Furthermore, a rural setting situated in modern Japan can also be largely influenced by the size of the community or the local communities around it. Think back to how different the physical settings were between anime like Non Non Biyori, Shiki, and Silver Spoon. For each of the anime mentioned in this post, as well as for Barakamon, the specific details of the rural settings are essential to their success. Each setting plays a significant role in helping establish a foundation for which the characters and story can grow from.

For Barakamon, the rural setting is necessary for Handa to reflect on his mistakes and to gain life experiences beyond his normal boundaries. The rural setting also allows for the villagers to openly interact with Handa, often visiting him uninvited but leaving an impression on him and his calligraphy. By forcing Handa in this situation, he is able to mature in the way the author intends. Had Barakamon been set in an urban locale, then the anime would struggle to accomplish two of its purposes, which are to push Handa outside of his comfort-zone and for the community around him to interact with him so freely as a means to influence him and his work. There’s a reason why Barakamon is set in the setting it’s set in. The rural backdrop of Barakamon has allowed the anime to grow in this exact way, and the details and specifics are all intended to have the maximum benefit on Handa, his story and the community around him.

Glasslip (Episode 3)

For once, just once, I’d like an anime where a tight-knit group of boys and girls just remain as friends instead of trying to make everything dramatic with romance and conflict. Really, the last anime I watched that accomplished this rare feat was Acchi Kocchi, the delightful comedy/slice-of-life where the group of friends had fun together every day instead of trying to tear each other apart as a result of a complex and chaotic web of unrequited romances. I’m really hoping that Glasslip doesn’t devolve into that kind of mess and I’m basing this hope in Touko’s ability to see the future as a means to prevent this from occurring. My faith in this anime is in Touko’s innocence and naïve nature, where she will do everything she can, with the help of her ability, to keep the group together as friends for as long as she can. If Touko can do that for the majority of the anime, then I think I’ll probably end up enjoying Glasslip. If not… then maybe I can hope for some interesting developments based on Touko’s ability alone.

Hanayamata (Episode 2)

The visual style of Hanayamata is having a remarkable impact on how I enjoy this anime. If I were to describe this art style, I would first point out that Hanayamata is very cute and that it’s very informal. What I mean by those two terms is that there are frequent changes in character appearance that are both cute and informal, such as going from regular anime faces to cartoony reaction faces, or often taking the next step and turning the characters into full chibi (or super deformed) caricatures. The big, round eyes certainly help, too. And let’s not ignore the use of vibrant colors and warm light which heighten the visual appeal. Together, these aspects are integral in making each episode of Hanayamata both charming and fun, and are significant factors in how I am appreciating this anime. And one key takeaway from having a strong visual style is that they often remain undisturbed throughout the anime, especially a style like this which focuses on cute, chibi characters instead of extensive and impressive animation or sakuga scenes. Hanayamata has been one of the most pleasant surprises this season and a major contributor to its early success is thanks to its delightful and charismatic visual appeal.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (Episode 16)

“Watashi no nawa Dan… Sutiirii Dan,” was translated to “My name is Dan… Dan of Steel.” Similarly, ‘J. Geil’ was translated as ‘Centerfold’. Of course, we know the true namesakes for these two characters are tributes to the musical artists known as Steely Dan and The J. Geils Band. However, the names are different between the Japanese version and the English translations. It’s a shame that the names of these characters, and potentially many more, need to be altered due to licensing and royalties. It isn’t too surprising considering the issues that would arise from having heroes and villains named after musical groups, but it is unfortunate that the names of characters need to be different between these two version.

Rokujouma no Shinryaku!? (Episode 2)

Ruthkhania Nye Pardomshiha, more commonly known as Ruth, is the odd one out in Rokujouma no Shinryaku!? Not only is Ruth the only person not participating in the games determining ownership of the 6-tatami apartment, but her personality and demeanor are a stark contrast from the rest of the cast. While the other characters in this anime are competing with each other and doing whatever they can for any possible advantage, Ruth has constantly displayed compassion and generosity to the five people around her. Look no further than when everyone was having dinner and Ruth volunteered some of her meal because she felt bad about Yurika being left out. No one else wanted to give any food to the starving Yurika except Ruth. Additionally, Ruth is exceptionally benevolent, even to the characters who are enemies of her princess, Theia. It would be logical to assume that Ruth would favor Theia over everyone else, especially since she wants to see the princess succeed, but Ruth is well above that. Ruth is cheering for everyone, evident when she wished both her Highness and everyone else the very best during their card games. Her character hasn’t had much of an impact on the anime thus far, but she is a wonderful change-of-pace compared to everyone else. Ruth helps to balance the anime whenever tensions rise, and she unites the cast together whenever they begin to fragment. She’s a different flavor than all the other characters in Rokujouma no Shinryaku!?, and she just so happens to also be my favorite right now.

Space Dandy Season 2 (Episode 3)

Not too long ago, back when I composed my reflections of the tenth episode of Ping Pong the Animation, I was fairly convinced that I had just watched the best episode of anime in 2014. It’s amusing to think that just a little over a month later that another episode would prove my confidence wrong.

The third episode of Space Dandy is one of the best episodes of the year according to my criteria. Perhaps the most perfect aspect of this episode was its flawlessly executed story. The plot of episode focused on two independent and simple narratives, with the episode starting a story about feeding Meow and then beginning another about a marooned fish trying to get home. The two autonomous plot lines were linked perfectly and the two were able to build off each other. And simple stories are my favorite in anime since they typically have concise storytelling, appropriate pacing and are free from imperfection and impurities like plot holes and clichés. And it just so happens that both stories in this episode of Space Dandy had outstanding writing, phenomenal structure, fulfilling developments and satisfying conclusions. The episode also featured a remarkable, inspired and artistic setting that heavily influences the characters and their stories. Has there ever been a more unique and thoughtful planet in all of anime? Just recollecting about all the detail and imagination that was put into this setting and how these characteristics factored into the episode is nothing short of astonishing. And let’s not forget to mention the impressive and innovative visual style of this episode’s director, the illustrious and distinguished Masaaki Yuasa (Tatami Galaxy, Kick-Heart, Ping Pong the Animation). How often do you see a sakuga sequence that is done entirely in watercolor paint? It is one-of-a-kind… just like this episode. And all this without even a word on Dandy’s performance. This is truly one of the greatest episodes of anime for the entire year, if not the greatest. Fortunately, when the year comes to an end, I’ll be faced with a delightful dilemma. I’ll be needing to review this episode among several others to decide my favorite of the year. With this, Ping Pong and KILL la KILL to choose from, I’ll be more than happy to revisit each.

Sword Art Online II (Episode 3)

Can we… can we just skip the whole Death Gun story and focus on Shino’s crippling and debilitating fear of guns? To be honest, Shino’s story is infinitely more interesting than some made-up storyline about a guy who kills people in a video game. Seriously, who cares. But Shino’s story… now that’s actually something that has potential. Unlike the main storyline for SAO2, Shino’s story is one that could result in genuine character growth, allowing us to see her overcome her weakness and become a better person as a result. I can’t say I really care at all what happens with Death Gun. We all know Kirito will save the day and prevent him from killing Shino and everyone else. Whoop-de-freaking-do. But Shino’s story is one that could go in any number of directions, including becoming an emotional rollercoaster where her character experiences a number of drastic changes. Now doesn’t that sound like a more exciting story than Death Gun? Yes, of course it does. Now we just have to hope that Kirito solve the mystery by episode 5 and the rest of the series focuses on Shino.

Tokyo ESP (Episode 2)

Tokyo ESP made the right decision. By starting off the anime with an exciting revolution for episode one, Tokyo ESP was able to impress audiences with plenty of new characters, their incredible superpowers and an abundance of action and chaos. The second episode, focusing on how Rinka obtained her psychic powers and how she met Kobushi Kuroi, was quite a bit more tame and fairly standard for the beginning of an anime. To put it plainly, the second episode felt like any other ordinary anime and failed to really distinguish Tokyo ESP from all the other mediocre fighting shows out there. If Tokyo ESP started off with that story as the first episode, with Rinka falling through the floor naked (what exactly was she doing prior in her apartment naked? It’s not like her clothes were on the floor when she got back into the apartment), then I’d have a much weaker impression of the series than I currently do. But no, Tokyo ESP started off in the middle of its story where we know there are espers wanting to overthrow Japan. It helps put the story of Rinka’s origin in perspective and provides weight to her character that would otherwise be unknown without the revolt. So in that sense, I’m thrill that Tokyo ESP started off the anime with such a thrilling and paramount first episode. My only question is how much longer until we get back to that storyline?

Tokyo Ghoul (Episode 3)

The censorship in Tokyo Ghoul is having a negative impact on the anime. Who is it protecting? And what exactly are they trying to protect? The series is about monsters who feed on human flesh. Awesome. It airs at midnight in Japan (at least on Tokyo MX). Okay, so all the kids should be in bed, right? So why do they have to blur the monsters eating human flesh or obscure the entire frame with a giant, black shadow? Is it really that bad? I guess it must be if this, pupa, and a few other shows all succumb to this level of censorship. However, I can think of one thing that would drastically improve the censorship in Tokyo Ghoul while leaving censorship in place: vary up the type of censorship by adding in random beams of light and clouds of steam the next time they wanna censor the characters eating people. I would really, really appreciate it if Tokyo Ghoul did something like that.

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 2)

Yama no Susume is part slice-of-life anime, part educational anime, and now part tourism anime. Yes, the first season on Yama no Susume did have some segments that focused on tourism/sightseeing, featuring a handful of landmarks and places of interest around Japan, but it never reached the level of detail that this new season of Yama no Susume now delivers. Whereas the first season would mention or highlight these sights and attractions as a part of their hike, Yama no Susume 2 is offer scenes entirely fixated on the subject of tourism. For example, this episode handled the issues of planning an excursion, picking the appropriate mountain, detailing the transportation routes and providing historical background to the location. With an extended run-time for every episode, Yama no Susume is able to develop on this tourism aspect by offering more information, new depth, and additional context about the various mountains and nearby landmarks of Japan. Yama no Susume has done an excellent job of promoting and publicizing this first mountain, Mitsutoge Mountain, so I’m curious to see how the anime will advertise the other mountains, specifically whenever something bad happens to the girls, such as a storm during one of their hikes or challenges whenever they decide to camp.

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 2)

Was attacking the police department really their second target? To me, the police department is low-reward, high-risk opportunity. I’m still not sure exactly what their primary objectives are, but attacking that single building doesn’t seem to accomplish much except provide a scare and encumber the area’s police. It doesn’t seem to match their earlier goal of trying to pick a fight with the country. On the other hand, you look at the risk involved, and it’s completely irrational. The police department is outfitted with plenty of security cameras meaning that Arata and his motorbike were probably captured by surveillance video (talking at the front desk and parking in front of the police department). And with that footage, it shouldn’t take too long for the police to identify him as a suspect, unlike their previous attack. Then again, maybe that’s what they want this time around, with the first attack being the one to generate the attention and the second one trying to redirect it. Then again, maybe I need more episodes before I try to make sense of this anime.

Whenever Week 4 was, probably a long, long time ago: thoughts and observations on the symbolism of darkness and light in Zankyou no Terror, questioning the accuracy and reliability of Touko’s special ability in Glasslip, becoming unhappy with the direction Tokyo Ghoul is taking in relation to its story and its content, and a short rant on student governments and school clubs inspired by Hanayamata.

Best episode of the week: Space Dandy Season 2

Anime trending up this week: Sabagebu!

Anime trending down this week: Captain Earth

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 4)

Akame ga Kill! is bipolar. The two halves of Akame ga Kill!, couldn’t be more different. Everything that happens at Night Raid’s headquarters is completely carefree and lax. And then when they’re in the capital, it’s overly dramatic and heavy. It’s like they’re two independent anime combined into one series. It starts off with one half focusing on a humorous, happy-go-lucky, slice-of-life anime where friends get together and train and cook and spy on girls in their underwear. Then it becomes night and the anime goes Mr. Hyde with drama, action, superpowers, blood and death. It’s not a bad thing that the two halves are so different in Akame ga Kill!, but it is a bit strange at how stark the contrast is between the two halves and how they have virtually nothing in common.

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 4)

When will they go on the offensive? Or maybe the better question right now, how will they go on the offensive? Provided what we’ve seen thus far, Inaho and the others are severely outnumbered and outmatched in terms of personnel, weapons and technology. In order to fight back, they’ll need to find some way to exploit these disadvantages, but they can hardly even think when they’re under constant assault. It’ll probably be around the time when Slaine joins alongside his princess, Asseylum, and Inaho for when we’ll see the Terrans go on the offensive.

Glasslip (Episode 4)

Touko’s fortuitous ability to see the future is extremely opportune for Glasslip, but one must question how accurate this talent is given what we’ve witnessed thus far. Perhaps the most notable examples are the times where Touko’s talent has been incorrect or different than what she forecasted. One might assume then that Touko’s soothsaying is erratic and unreliable, and that this scatterbrained girl may be acting on assumptions that are imaginary. However, one might view this as just the opposite. Perhaps Touko’s ability is indeed accurate, but there are actions that occur that alter these events and change the future that she once predicted. Perhaps everything that we’ve seen from Touko’s ability is in fact the truth, but because Touko changes her actions between these two points of time, the event in the future is different. Right now, there is no way to test this theory nor does it seem like the anime will address this point in the near future. If only I possessed her ability would I know whether Glasslip would answer this question or not. Then again, if I had her talent at predicating the future, how would I know whether it is accurate or not.

Hanayamata (Episode 3)

I’ll never understand the student governments and rules regarding clubs in anime. Why is everyone so anal about all these details that are really insignificant and trivial? So what if a club only has two or three people? Why does it always need to be four or five? I can understand that there may be issues with funding if there are too many clubs, but why not restrict funding if the club membership is below the five person threshold? Why do they go out of their way to denies these clubs and the special interests that these students have? And why do student body presidents and disciplinary committees take their jobs so seriously? They take whatever minute power they received from the school and wield it like a mighty hammer of justice, striking down every student that doesn’t fit precisely in their mold of the proper or appropriate student. And it’s not just Hanayamata… I wish it were just Hanayamata, but this kinda bullshit happens in every anime with a student president (so every school anime ever) and every anime that revolves around an after-school club (also every school anime ever). There’s always this pointless and unnecessary drama. I don’t get it. I never have, and apparently, I never will.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (Episode 17)

How do the Stands talk to each other? When Silver Chariot, Hierophant Green and Lovers were inside Joesph’s brain, they were able to communicate to each other. But why? Weren’t Polnareff and Kakyoin right next to each other in the real world? And what about Lovers? How was Steely Dan able to communicate with them through his Stands? Does this mean that Stands speak in real time in the real world normally? Is there a constant echo of a person and a Stand talking, not to mention the person and the Stand listening, too? That’s like Jotaro saying ‘yare yare daze’ and then hearing it 4 times at the same time. No, really, how does this work?

Rokujouma no Shinryaku!? (Episode 3)

Rokujouma no Shinryaku!? is actually fun. I’m actually enjoying this anime. And this is exactly the reason why I’m uneasy about Rokujouma no Shinryaku!? heading into the future. For one, I don’t want the anime to become a harem. Please, don’t become a harem. I know that once the series heads down that path, it’s a slippery slope and the anime will slowly devolve into love triangles and drama and other stuff that is the opposite of fun and enjoyment. The other point that I am nervous about is when the novelty of the anime will wear out. So far, it’s been amusing to watch the characters play cards and then participate in an obstacle course, but I’m wondering when the series will start to feel repetitious and when it reaches its climax. Given that this series has 15 volumes of the light novel published, I’m hoping the series has a few ideas to keep itself fresh for the duration of this anime. And since the anime is slated to be only 12 episodes at this point, there’s a good chance that the series will stay enjoyable from start to finish. We’re already through with a quarter of the anime and it’s been above my expectations so far. If Rokujouma no Shinryaku!? can continue at this pace and keep up with this style of humor, then I won’t be afraid to call this one of the surprises of the season. If not, then that’s unfortunately what I expect of an anime of this style and caliber.

Space Dandy Season 2 (Episode 4)

One of the greatest assets of Space Dandy is that is s survey of diverse art styles, animation techniques and sakuga. Every episode features a new and different animation director (along with different overall directors, writers and other integral positions) and each new staff is able to instill their own artistic touch to the anime. And though this episode appeared to look normal or standard for Space Dandy, the episode contained an uncanny amount of highly detailed, extremely animated sakuga sequences. Of particular note was the song and dance at the end, but the episode featured brilliant animation throughout. The remainder of episodes might not all be as distinctive or as illustrious as some of the ones before this, but Space Dandy has done an outstanding job of diversifying its talent with these special artists and the visual style and appearance of these episodes the direct outcome of such an endeavor.

Sword Art Online II (Episode 4)

Why is the starting city of Gun Gale Online, haphazardly named SBC Glocken, so massive? Although the cityscape, the landmarks and the immense size are all impressive and intimidating, does a virtual city need to be so large that it takes the better part of a day to walk from one shop to another? Just what exactly is in all this wasted virtual space? And why is the transportation system within the city so shoddy and inadequate? Is there really no system of teleportation or instant travel or even fast travel besides motorbikes? What’s the point of forcing someone to run for 10 minutes to get from point A to point B? I could imagine if this were a battlefield or arena or a dynamic environment, but this is a city where people shop, relax and hangout with each other. It doesn’t make much sense. Then again, the basis of this complaint is derived from the senseless and pointless drama of Kirito needing to drive Sinon to the arena, so maybe I should be voicing my frustration to that rather than to the virtual city, SBC Glocken. Also, I can’t get over how stupid of a name the city is, but that’s an entirely different criticism.

Tokyo ESP (Episode 3)

In anime where characters have superpowers, you often never see multiple people wielding the same special ability. The only time such an occurrence happens is when several characters have trained under the same technique or discipline or when characters obtain the powers form others either by learning their skills or by absorbing it. But Tokyo ESP has obviously never heard of such a rule or it wouldn’t have two characters with the same teleportation ability. It is refreshing to see an anime ignore this law since it will allow the story and the characters to evolve in a way unique to the other superpower fighting anime. For one, it’ll force the characters to be creative with their abilities and require them to change their abilities in order to fight each other. It also erases the advantages and disadvantages inherit when one person controls an ability and the other does not. I’m hopeful that Tokyo ESP continues with this pattern and we’re able to see multiple characters wielding the same powers in order to showcase intelligence and tactics during the fight. There’s nothing that levels the playing field better than giving the two rivals the same ability and forcing their intellect, creativity, perception and comprehension to win the fight.

Tokyo Ghoul (Episode 4)

The focus of Tokyo Ghoul should be on Ken’s adaption to life as a ghoul and understanding the society of these monsters, not trying to fight random villains and whatnot. Tokyo Ghoul presented itself with a somewhat distinctive setting where a society of flesh-eating monsters lived in the shadows of urban Japan and offered us the opportunity to observe and study said culture through the eyes of a newcomer, Ken. Not only that, but with Ken being half-human and half-ghoul, the story of Ken would offer us a unique duality where we could compare and contrast the lifestyles and culture of humans and ghouls alike and why they fight and how they could coexist. But no, this freak wants to eat Ken and now they must fight him or something stupid. Really? That’s what Tokyo Ghoul is gonna become? That’s disappointing.

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 3)

For an anime about mountain climbing and one that emphasizes gorgeous scenery and breathtaking landscapes, the background art could be much, much better. While the illustrations are satisfactory or acceptable, the art and the style of the backgrounds feels a bit lacking when viewed in comparison to the reaction of the girls. For example, when the girls first view the majestic and specular Mt. Fuji, the scene is a bit crude and lacks detail. The trees in the foreground are depicted with blotches of paint and the city in the valley is featureless and blurry. The focal point of the scene, Mt. Fuji itself, features more effort than anything else, with its visible ridges, but the rest of the scene is just ‘meh’, if not worse. Now that’s not to say that the background in every scene should be photorealistic or life-like, but it should be better when the girls are appreciating the views or scenery, especially when they’re in awe or inspired. Unfortunately, this art style is probably here to stay since the backgrounds don’t often change midway through an anime. The wish should be that the animators use better techniques or put more effort and detail into these views as the series continues.

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 3)

There is a significant emphasis on darkness and light in Zankyou no Terror. In fact, the anime stresses it to the point where the darkness begins to feel heavy, that it carries weight and closes off the characters while the light acts as the opposite. Darkness and light have often been used symbolically throughout the history of storytelling, cinema and anime, so there are a number of interpretations or meanings for this imagery. One that comes to mind for me is that light often represents knowledge and understanding while darkness is linked to ignorance and naivety. This could be the explanation for symbolism used around Shibazaki’s character, where he’s solving the riddles in darkness (during the police briefings; in his office) and then explains the answers in clear, bright light (on camera, broadcasted throughout Japan). However, you see the emphasis of darkness and light for the other characters, too, including Arata, Touji, Lisa and the other members of the police department. For example, with Lisa, you could argue that she was trapped while living with her mother (dark) and then became free when she ran away from home (light). Similarly, we’ve seen Arata and Touji live in darkness in their apartment whereas their past, when the two were just children, was filled with light in that sterile and clean facility. For each and every character and situation, the weight of the darkness and the weightlessness of light may represent different meanings or themes. It’ll be interesting to see how this symbolism is used throughout the anime and how its significance is illustrated visually.

I am terrible at staying up to date with these posts, but whatever. Back during Week 5: concerns with the directing and storytelling in Tokyo Ghoul, considering the depth and complexity of Hanayamata despite its appearance, curiosity about the different perspectives in Yama no Susume Second Season, and wondering all the other things you could do with a Stand in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders.

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

Anime trending up this week: Hanayamata

Anime trending down this week: Tokyo Ghoul

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 5)

I’m not sure if Akame ga Kill! is the most shounen anime ever, but it’s the most shounen anime that I’ve ever watched. Everything from the character archetypes to the secret assassination organization to the forgotten story lines (when was the last time Tatsumi thought about his village and how he wants to save it?) to the unrealistic villains and especially to the overly dramatized and unmemorable fights, Akame ga Kill! embodies every shounen stereotypes like they’re collectables or antiques or something. And though I often decry anime for being “too shounen” (look no further than Tokyo Ghoul), there’s some entertainment and enjoyment from watching an anime that’s this shounen.

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 5)

We know that Mars doesn’t have liquid water now and, judging from the recent battles in Aldnoah.Zero, Mars doesn’t have liquid water in the future either. If the red planet did have water, then you’d figure the engineers and machinists who developed these mecha would have designed these robots to survive in water and be adequate in aquatic combat. But no, they’re completely awful when in the water. Water is the one true weakness for Martian technology as it has proved twice in being the debilitating flaw against the supreme mecha that are otherwise impenetrable. You’d figure that when planning to invade Earth, a planet that’s blue for a reason, that they’d figure ways to prevent these liabilities from occurring, such as having an automatic shut-down for the beam sword when it’s engulfed by water. But no, apparently, they missed that slightly important detail and are now down two mecha as a result. Don’t be surprised to see water make a return later in Aldnoah.Zero as it has twice proven essential for the Inaho and the Earthlings to defeat these awesome robots.

Glasslip (Episode 5)

P.A. Works often features a singular, yet distinctive animation style with comparable character designs and background art. It has helped create an image for the studio based on detailed and vivid landscapes and cute moe girls who make cute moe expressions. If you need examples, take a look at Angel Beats!, Hanasaku Iroha, Another, Tari Tari, Red Data Girl, Nagi no Asukara, or even the promotional material for their next anime, Shirobako. P.A. Works is virtually defined by this visual style, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing when you enjoy the design. That being said, I think I’m starting to find myself growing tolerant or bored with the style. Glasslip is the eighth anime I’ve watched from P.A. Works, and the unique visual style of P.A. Works is becoming more commonplace and less characteristic with each new anime. When watching shows like Hanasaku Iroha or Tari Tari, the visual appeal was real since it was new, fresh and original. Now, I can’t necessarily say the same, especially when there’s only one new innovative technique on display in Glasslip. That isn’t to say that I will stop watching anime from P.A. Works since I don’t enjoy the style as much anymore, but I do feel that having the name P.A. Works attached to an anime won’t make it special anymore.

Hanayamata (Episode 4)

Hanayamata is probably the deepest anime about cute girls doing cute things. While the genre is typically shallow, focusing on mundane comedy and everyday slice-of-life adventures, Hanayamata includes a narrative about each of its characters and the issues in their lives. Hanayamata isn’t groundbreaking or philosophical, but the anime has solid characterization and splendid writing to bring out genuine reflections and introspection. Tami’s realization that her time is better spent smiling with friends than smiling alone is an outstanding example of how Hanayamata features complexities that seem foreign to a show of this style and this story. Hopefully the anime will continue this trend and allow the characters to grow as the story continues, especially for Tami, Yaya and Naru who all are making progress, but are nowhere near done maturing as characters.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (Episode 18)

Oh, just think of all the things you could do with the Sun if you had that Stand. Imagine starting your own solar power company and using the Sun to generate massive amounts of energy, able to make millions and solve the world’s energy crises. Imagine using the Sun to ward off deadly winter storms, by using heat to dissipate storm clouds or melting snow and ice in the aftermath. Imagine using the Sun as a means to light areas at night when light is necessary, such as in search-and-rescue situations where rescuers need to cover an extensive stretch of geography or accelerating the growth of plants by providing continuous energy for photosynthesis. Or even using the Sun as a source of entertainment, allowing summertime or sunlight activities to continue into the winter or into the evening. Imagine all the things you could do better with the Sun than becoming an assassin. Or think of all the other things you could do with these Stands than fight each other. Just think.

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (Episode 4)

Whatever happened to the archeology/excavation subplot? Remember back in the first episode when Koutarou was working at that dig site, fell into a mysterious underground passage, activated some statue who turned into a multicolored hair goddess and… and then this chaos at the apartment happened? Has Koutarou not mentioned that to anyone? Has he already forgotten what happened soon after he moved into his new home? Have the viewers or the production team forgotten about that, too? I’m kinda curious to see what comes of that since it was the first significant detail of the story of Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? and something obviously meaningful to Koutaoru and his story. However, since the anime doesn’t seem to be too concerned with itself at this point, I’m guessing they’ll save those details for the very end and use it as a way to conclude this first season of Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?

Sword Art Online II (Episode 5)

Isn’t it ironic that Kirito was saving the lives of everyone in SAO and is now murdering everyone in PvP in GGO? Well, you could argue that Kirito needs to fight against the masses in order to save people from DeathGun (in turn, saving the lives of everyone in GGO), but it’s amusing to see how different the situations are between the games.

Tokyo ESP (Episode 4)

How selective is Rinka’s intangibility/phasing ability? From what we’ve learned, Rinka is able to move effortlessly through solid objects and even allow weapons like bullets and swords to pass through her. We’ve also learned the only matter that she can’t go through is other people, such as when someone is punching her. But how much control does she have over her ability? At first, we saw her sinking through the floor of her apartment, which is consistent with her ability? How come this doesn’t happen to her all the time? And what about her clothes or objects that she’s holding? Shouldn’t all her clothes fall off every time she activates her ability? And whatever she’s holding, shouldn’t that fall out of her hands, too? Maybe the question will arise later in the series when the antagonists try to fight against Rinka and use her ability against her, but for now, these are simple questions that will likely go unanswered since they’re not relevant to the story.

Tokyo Ghoul (Episode 5)

There are too many jumps in the content and story of Tokyo Ghoul. Not only does it feel like scenes have been dropped entirely, such as the transition between episode 4 and episode 5, but flashbacks and parallel scenes have been placed at questionable times, such as the one documenting Nishiki’s backstory. This style of directing has become such a problem that it is having a significant and negative impact on the storytelling. The narrative bounces back-and-forth between these scenes, creating a lull or valley or pausing the present, like the one during the battle sequence with Tsukiyama. Yes, the content from that flashback was necessary for the story and character, but was it right to place it in the middle of the fight? Was it imperative to include it there and not to fragment the scenes to build up to something or recall Nishiki’s past at the end of the battle? One way to grade an anime adaptation from a manga or other source is in how it fits material in an episode appropriately. Since the mediums are entirely different, adapting a manga without accounting for these modifications can lead to some awkward scenes as the methods may work better in one medium and not in the other. Situations like these are where I find legitimate criticisms with Tokyo Ghoul, rather than the normal bitching and moaning that this isn’t the anime for me. I am curious to see if this situation improves as the anime continues or if we’ll see a rush of material toward the end… or even worse, an anime original ending.

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 4)

Yama no Susume has exclusively been told through the eyes of novice mountaineer, Aoi Yukimura. Every episode has been an adventure where we learn about mountaineering through her eyes and her experiences. We follow her every step and every event through her perspective. In that sense, the anime is able to educate its viewers about mountaineering and allowing novice mountain climbers to experience these events through someone they can relate with. However, with three other characters always around Aoi, you can’t help but wonder if we’ll ever see the anime through their perspectives. Each character brings something different to Yama no Susume, and it would be very beneficial to see the anime through the eyes of someone experiences like Kaede or someone who takes greater pleasure in nature and the environment, like Kokona. We do earn some glimpses of their perspective when the other girls offer advice or recommendations to Aoi, but we rarely venture inside their head to see what they’re thinking, how they’re enjoying the mountain climbing or what their experiences are like. With the anime ending in December, we have plenty of time for the anime to explore the different perspectives for all the characters, though it’s a question of whether the anime wants to part with Aoi’s mind when the anime has been so successful with her as the sole protagonist.

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 4)

Are there too many riddles in Zankyou no Terror? Why do the police insist on continuing to solve the riddles, and only these riddles, and not try to stop the terrorists themselves? All we’ve seen the police do in this anime is contemplate the answers to various questions. There has been little to no action elsewhere, even in sensible areas such as expanding the force, increasing presence and surveillance or even enlisting the help of other agencies to track the terrorists down. It’s like they’re treating the symptoms but failing to address the underlying disease. Maybe soon we’ll see the tactics of the police change as the series is reaching its midway point since I doubt the series will sustain itself on mysteries and riddles alone.

This week: an analysis on the subtitle of Aldnoah.Zero and the meaning of fiat justitia ruat caelum, thoughts on the rigid, formulaic pattern of storytelling in Barakamon, the lack of character independence and the emphasis of friendship in Glasslip, and looking at the difference (if there is a difference) between Lisa and moe anime girls in Zankyou no Terror.

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

Anime trending up this week: Yama no Susume Second Season

Anime trending down this week: Tokyo ESP

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 6)

I don’t expect much from Akame ga Kill!, and I highly doubt the series will adequately cover the problematic morals and nonexistent ethics, but I’d be euphoric if the series spent time on the fact that no one is good in Akame ga Kill!. Shounen anime often struggle with discourse or narratives on complex themes such as morality, instead often dumbing down the situations to simplistic and powerful quotes about justice, friendship and other boring buzzwords or by making their villains hilariously one-dimensional and unbelievably unrealistic. And with Akame ga Kill! apparently drunk on action and gore, I doubt the anime is worryingly concerned with any issues on morality or integrity, especially when the cast is trying to brutally murder each other because ‘those other guys are bad’. But still, the anime can point out the fact that both sides are wrong, and that’s what I want from Akame ga Kill!. I’ve been a little less than pleased to see Tatsumi join Night Raid without so much as a single thought and that no one in Night Raid is questioning their methods, their activities and their results, but there’s a slight sliver of hope that the series will arrive at this conclusion at the very end, with either Akame or Tatsumi reflecting on their lives. However, considering the difference in length between the manga and the anime, I doubt we’ll see that ending anytime soon. Still, the only intelligent discussion I want from Akame ga Kill! is for the characters to realize their faults.

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 6)

The subtitle for Aldnoah.Zero is Let Justice be Done, Through the Heavens Fall. The subtitle is a direct translation of the Latin phrase, ‘fiat justitia ruat caelum’. The meaning of this phrase is that justice is absolute and must be realized regardless of the consequences. It is also known as Piso’s justice, based on the story of Piso’s judgment of a soldier who was ordered to be executed because his partner had disappeared. The story continues with the partner appearing at the execution, thus prompting the centurion to halt the execution and seek Piso’s new verdict. But despite the fact that the partner was alive, Piso ordered all three to be executed since the first soldier’s sentence had passed, since the centurion failed to perform his duty at the execution and since the partner caused two innocent men to die.

Although Aldnoah.Zero is not that cruel or merciless, we witnessed fiat justitia ruat caelum in this episode with the King of Vers, Rayregalia Vers Rayvers, declaring war on Earth despite the evidence that the princess, Asseylum, was found to be alive. Not only was the original sentence of war carried out despite proof that it was wrong, but we see Slaine, the one who presented this knowledge to Rayregalia, face some repercussions as well. The events in this episode and the previous episode are strongly derived from this maxim and help provide meaning to the tagline of this anime. What we’re seeing now from Aldnoah.Zero, with the war continuing and Slaine fleeing, are the results of this justice. Oh, and the Heaven’s Fall part of the subtitle? Yeah, that was the name of the devastating event when the first Martian robot landed on Tanegashima 15 years ago. And as the anime continues, we can expect more material related to this subtitle too, especially with Slaine and Asseylum still alive. How this will all tie-up and resolve still remains to be seen, but understanding this subtitle and its meaning is essential to understanding the message, the morals, and the story of this anime.

Barakamon (Episode 6)

A situation arises: Seishuu is in a rut; the locals are annoying him; he needs to write on a boat. The situation is connected to an underlying challenge for Seishuu; he’s lacking inspiration; he’s lacking motivation; he’s scared of messing up the boat. The situation leads to Seishuu doing something different: his perspective is shifted by Naru, Seishuu watches the locals at the beach; Naru messes up the boat for him. And the result of said situation parallels Seishuu’s growth as a calligrapher and as a person. But oh, does Barakamon feel very rigid, structured and formulaic. In fact, it’s not Seishuu’s calligraphy that feels ‘textbook and lifeless’ as was the opinion of one critic, but it’s the storytelling of Barakamon that is very textbook and lifeless. Every episode of Barakamon repeats this same pattern but with marginally different variations in content. And while this isn’t a necessarily bad pattern of storytelling to follow, each episode feels very automatic or mechanical, like it’s the same story told over and over again but with a view, a beach and a boat serving as the prop. I want the stories in Barakamon to feel more natural, to feel more genuine, and to flow independently from the rest. I want each new episode of Barakamon to feel different than the rest. Fortunately for me, most episodes are distinct in terms of content, significance and character growth, and that’s what makes Barakamon one of the better anime this season. What would help make it one of the best anime of the season is changing the stiff and formulaic pattern of storytelling.

Glasslip (Episode 6)

Besides Kakeru, no one seems independent in Glasslip. Yes, the characters all have their own individual traits and personalities, but they seem to always function as a group or units of a group rather than as separate, discrete people. And though Glasslip is an anime revolving around keeping this clique of friends together as they’re slowly drifting apart, it is fascinating to see that everything they do is in relation to someone else in their group. Kakeru acts as a brilliant contrast to the group, not only in how he interacts with them but how he acts independently of them. In fact, you can see it start to rub off on Touko now with how she is utilizing her ability, but it’s still in relation to the group that she’s trying to preserve. And this observation is not so much a knock on Glasslip considering the content and the story, but rather something the series has done well to emphasize. Seeing the characters interact with each other like this helps stress the importance of their friendships and reinforces Touko’s mission of keeping everyone together. The group mentality has been a point of emphasis for Glasslip, and the fact that all the characters, minus Kakeru, are dependent on each other is a marvelous way of showing us their cherished friendship.

Hanayamata (Episode 5)

Hanayamata isn’t an anime about yosakoi dancing; it’s an anime about forming an afterschool club on yosakoi dancing. Or, at least after five episodes, that’s the way it seems given the content of the anime and the story thus far. With the club finally established, now we can finally begin to understand yosakoi dance, from the choreography to the music to the costumes and to the culture. And, of course, the ultimate goal of the yosakoi dance club is to witness Hana, Naru, Tami and Yaya expressing themselves through this highly active, highly energetic medium. With the entire series up to this point about forming the club and the challenges Hana and Naru faced, we can hope the remainder of the series addresses these other topics with careful attention allocated to the characters and their emotional attachment to this form of art. I can’t wait to finally see all the beautiful choreography and animation that’s been promised each week with the dazzlingly and charming dances in the opening credits.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (Episode 19)

One of the most challenging aspects of the JJBA anime is replicating the quality and detail of Araki Hirohiko’s original artwork. David Productions has done a phenomenal job with the artwork in this season of JJBA. Perhaps the most notable examples are the profuse and innovative use of colors. The anime has been exceptional in this regard to bringing the environment to life and when adding a visual component to the tension and drama of the situation. Moreover, still frames of character faces have a vivid amount of detail in their appearance and scenes with motion or animation show a respectable amount of detail, especially during fights and other memorable moments. I have always been fond of the art in JJBA and wanted to take a moment to voice my appreciation of how David Productions is handling this anime adaptation.

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (Episode 5)

Let’s just pretend this episode didn’t happen. And after what happened in episode 5 of Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?, it shouldn’t be too hard. First, the villains that appeared have no connection to the story or any of the characters. Not before this episode and probably not again after. Even better is that they were entirely forgettable, without any memorable characteristics or jokes. Okay, we’re off to a great start. That storyline of ghosts being bought and sold? Yeah, that’s not going to have an impact on the series going forward, so we can forget about it, too. Any character growth that happened in this episode? Again, nope, nothing significant anyway. Sanae was pretty friendly with Koutarou before the ending of the previous episode, so everything that happened in this episode with the two working together just placed them back to where they were at the end of episode 3. And it’s not like any of the other characters did anything substantial… well, we learned they suck at fighting super powerful ghosts, but we can ignore that, too. Wow, it’s like this episode almost never happened, right? But what about the charm that Sanae wears? Okay, yeah, something minor did happen with this episode, but that was content that could’ve taken 2 minutes at the end of the fourth episode and that likely won’t come up again until the end of the series. So yeah, if we just follow these short and simple exercises, it’s like this episode never existed!

Really, this episode was incredibly unimaginative and woefully derivative. The content jumped and scenes were cute entirely, not to mention that it took until the middle of the episode to induce the main villain despite appearing at the very beginning. And nothing in this episode will have any impact or consequences moving forward since the storyline and characters were entirely isolated from everything else. It could have and should have been reduced to only a few minutes of content and have replaced some of the beach time in the previous episode. The fifth episode of Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? was a waste of time.

Sabagebu! (Episode 6)

Comedies are my favorite genre of anime, and I am thrilled with the humor, characters, art, and stories present in Sabagebu!. These and many other factors are what combine to help make Sabagebu! potentially my favorite comedy of the year. However, one characteristic that might be unnoticed or ignored is the fact that this anime does not have a narrative. Every segment of the anime is different, unique and independent from the last. Yes, the stories build off each other and relate to past events, but there is no central storyline about Momoka or Miou or anything about the Survival Game club. Everything is random, and that unpredictability creates a particular draw for Sabagebu!. Without needing to cater to a story or a narrative, Sabagebu! is free to do what it wants, and this is a trait common in many of my favorite comedies, such as Kill Me Baby, Nichijou, Joshiraku, Renkin Sankyuu Magical Pokaan, and Daily Lives of High School Boys. It’s a trait that isn’t essential or necessary for me to adore a comedy, but it certainly helps when the humor is always the primary focus and that a storyline or plot isn’t anchoring down. The lack of a central story or narrative in Sabagebu! is actually one of the better aspects of this anime and a substantial reason why it’s one of my favorites.

Space Dandy Season 2 (Episode 6)

Why do we register unknown aliens? Well, that’s easy, it’s to learn more about them, to understand them, and to realize and appreciate their existence.

Why do we register known aliens? Known aliens? Oh, you mean like that Cloudian? That alien being that many in the series already knew about, that seemed to have a constant stream of knowledge about where they live and how they act and what they do. Yeah, why would we need to register him when we already know so much about him and know where to find him and whatnot? Hmmmm…

Tokyo Ghoul (Episode 6)

What is anti-ghoul technology? What is it specifically about these weapons that makes them ideal for fighting ghouls? And why doesn’t every officer that hunts these monsters have these weapons handy? I am truly curious about these weapons, especially their origins, and I hope to find out more as we learn more about these special detectives.

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 5)

There has been a considerable increase in the amount of fanservice between the original Yama no Susume and this sequel. The first and fourth episodes featured bathing scenes with the onsen scene featuring Aoi embarrassing herself in front of her friends in the large, open bath. Then this episode featured two separate scenes of Aoi and Hinata pulling down each other’s skirts and revealing their panties for all the world to see… except, of course, for the viewers. And though these two examples are far from every ecchi anime, the first season of Yama no Susume never really had any scenes like this. Perhaps one rational is that Yama no Susume was always intended to have this mild level of fanservice yet never could include it due to the limited runtime of the first season. Another explanation could be that this season wanted to add a bit more flavor to the series than the first season and thought that off-screen or censored fanservice was the right path. Whatever the reason, there is still a considerable amount of fanservice in the series where there wasn’t fanservice before. It makes me curious to see how the series will play this angle moving forward, especially since hot springs resorts are synonymous with mountains in Japan. I highly doubt the series will venture far past the boundaries set by the fourth and fifth episodes, so really the question moving forward will be the frequency of fanservice in Yama no Susume.

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 5)

Imagine a girl, will you, in an unnamed anime. She’s a student, of course, and at school, she is quiet and reserved. That doesn’t mean she’s inactive or indifferent since she expresses energy and positive emotions around her friends. And she’s super cute, too, especially since she’s always in that school uniform with a miniskirt, so it’s a bit of bad luck that she’s a bit of a klutz and is undependable. And unfortunately, she’s not the kinda anime girl who cooks super-delicious cuisine but the kind that… well, do we really need to go any further? Do you have an idea in mind? Do you have an image of what she looks like? If you guessed Lisa from Zankyou no Terror, then you probably cheated and read ahead guessed right! And if you guessed any type of generic, moe anime girl, then you also guessed right!

At this point, in Zankyou no Terror, the fine line that divides the two is in the art and character design. If Lisa’s hair were any bright and brilliant color of the rainbow and if her eyes were huge and round, then maybe, just maybe, there’d be no difference between her and any type of moe anime girl. But because the art, character design, story and themes of Zankyou no Terror as so much more mature, we really don’t see Lisa as much of a moe character despite possessing many of the same attributes and personality traits. In fact, that paragraph that started this Zankyou no Terror review was written about Naru from Hanayamata, not Lisa (yeah, go back and reread it). But what separates the two at this point are two aspects: their respective art styles are vastly different and Naru has considerably more depth and complexity than Lisa at this point despite Naru being moe and Lisa being more mature. Now this isn’t to say that Lisa is moe or is destined to be undeveloped as a character, but that, at this point, she is akin to a moe character, just from a different visual perspective. It is a bit of a criticism on Lisa’s character to this point considering her importance and prominence in the story, so hopefully the series will begin to develop her character soon since the series is reaching and surpassing its halfway point with episode six.

Wow, I haven’t written for a while. So yeah, this post covers anime that aired about a thousand weeks ago. Still the articles are worth reading, trust me. In fact, some of the topics in this weekly review include: thoughts on blending the real robot and super robot genres in Aldnoah.Zero, appreciating the use of futuristic and alien technologies in Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?, questioning Lisa’s role since the first episode in Zankyou no Terror, and trying to find the best episode to define Space Dandy.

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

Anime trending up this week: Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?

Anime trending down this week: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Crystal

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 7)

Although I tend to dislike various idiosyncratic details of anime, especially if they parallel substandard writing, plot holes or general disarray, I do have a soft spot for whenever characters follow their instincts. For whatever reason, whenever a character does something based on instinct alone, I often enjoy it. As we saw with Leone in this episode, she followed her instincts and avoided falling into a trap against Esdeath. One might view the writing in this situation as inconsistent or lacking in explanation, but that’s exactly why I like it. I frequently criticize anime, sometimes unfairly, when they are not clear with a motive or reasoning, and that could be argued in this situation. However, what I enjoy about these scenes are that I understand gut feelings all too well and can relate to a character that decides for or against something based on these impulses. So while I am relatively unhappy with Akame ga Kill overall in terms of its writing, I did find this scene in particular to be one of the better in the episode, albeit it being for only a few shots.

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 7)

Aldnoah.Zero is an anime about Real Robots fighting against Super Robots. If you are unfamiliar with the terms, Real Robot is a genre of mecha manga and anime where the mecha are largely governed by normal physics and realistic technologies. These robots don’t fly around or possess magic weapons, but instead are giant machines that feel heavy (watch how they walk, you can actually see their weight) and seem realistic. And as you might guess, the Super Robot genre is the exact opposite. These are the mecha that fly around and possess magic weapons and armor, often ignoring the real world and being born from the imagination of the writers and mechanical designers.

In Aldnoah.Zero, the Kataphrakts for the United Earth can be defined as Real Robots while the mecha fighting for the Vers Empire are entirely Super Robots. As you can already tell, the Super Robots clearly outclass the Real Robots and dominate in every fight. In this episode, we saw Hellas’ six flying forearms decimate the United Earth forces without much resistance. As a result of this inherent disadvantage, Inaho and his compatriots must find employ alternative strategies to combating these overpowering mecha, such as exploiting weaknesses or setting specific traps. It is a fascinating commentary about how the two sides differ in terms of their strategies, especially since you rarely see Real Robots fight Super Robots in the same setting. The writers have a solid foundation in what makes each genre appealing to the audience and are utilizing these aspects to their advantage when scripting the fights. Aldnoah.Zero forces the two sides against each other, and the result is a remarkable examination about the difference between these two mecha genre.

Barakamon (Episode 7)

Perhaps the most charming aspect of Barakamon is that the characters behave like people. That is to say, instead of watching an anime about anime characters, Barakamon is an anime about people. Whereas most anime have characters that feel like specific anime stereotypes or archetypes, you could believe the people in Barakamon are people… for the most part. It isn’t perfect nor is it trying to be, but the personalities and characteristics of the cast of Barakamon is more genuine and realistic than virtually every other anime this season. And this aspect of the characterization is a huge reason why I enjoy this anime as much as I do.

Glasslip (Episode 7)

Incorporating background characters into a story is a quick way to win me over with an anime. Hina Fukami, Touko’s younger sister, was a tertiary character throughout the first half of Glasslip, only present in a handful of scenes and voicing about a dozen lines. Now, she’s suddenly relevant to the main cast of characters and contributing to the content of the story (though she’s still primarily fanservice, what with that swimsuit and all). Still, it makes me happy to see the anime spend some time growing and incorporating new characters in its story. Without Hina, I probably would’ve found this episode to be stale. Instead, Hina adds a new dimension to Glasslip and helps alter the dynamic due to her relationships with the characters and how she influences their actions. Utilizing Hina in this role is a great development for Glasslip. Not only does it bode well for future episodes by adding another performer to the stage, but it also shows how to develop a background character into someone important. I’m looking forward to what Hina brings to the rest of the anime.

Hanayamata (Episode 6)

For an anime that prides itself on yosakoi dancing, you’d figure the dance sequences of Hanayamata would be dazzling displays of spectacular art, animation and choreography. And though the dancing animation we saw in this episode was an informal performance, a spontaneous moment born from the curiosity of inquisitive schoolgirls, I honestly expected better. The opening sequence for Hanayamata is features a few difference dance sequences and the motion and emotion are lively, energetic and passionate. The animation comes to life in the opening and that’s what I have come to expect with Hanayamata. And with so little dancing up until now in the series, I was expecting the first performance to be something similar to what we see every week in the opening. But no, the dancing animation was just very plain and ordinary. Of course, this wasn’t a live performance or anything, but I still wanted more from Hanayamata. Hopefully this sequence was more a tease than anything else, since I am expecting some brilliant animation from Hanayamata when the girls dance for real.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (Episode 20)

Why do they let the assassins go? What’s to stop them from attacking them again later? Or worse, what about killing other innocent people? We saw it happen already when they decided to let Steely Dan Dan of Steel go and he immediately endangered the life of a little girl. I can understand that Jotaro and the others are ‘good guys’ and are trying to show forgiveness, but still, show some intelligence.

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (Episode 6)

One aspect of anime that always fascinates me is how people imagine futuristic or alien technologies. Whenever an anime is set in the future or deals with alien visitors, like we see in Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?, I always find myself interested in their ways of living, the technology they use and how they use it. Theia and Ruth are from a distant planet named Fortorthe and have utilized a number of interesting technologies since their introduction to the series. We’ve seen spaceships and battle armors, teleportation and levitation, and even display screens that appear out of nowhere. Of course, given Theia’s status, we aren’t sure if these are everyday technologies or if these are reserved for the elite and royalty. In either case, the technologies don’t readily impact their lives compared to what we are accustomed to. That is to say, the lifestyles of Theia and Ruth are similar to what we see on Earth. The spaceship and teleportation are used infrequently as a means of transportation, the levitation helps reduce burden and decreases spills, and the display screens are similar to smartphones. We haven’t seen technologies that significantly change their lives either, such as technologies to feed them or rest them or extend their lives, like you see with other anime that deal with the future or aliens. Of course, these technologies don’t really impact the characters or story all that much, but it’s still interesting to see the byproducts of different people’s imaginations.

Space Dandy Season 2 (Episode 7)

I doubt there will ever be one episode that accurately defines Space Dandy. Given the diversity, creativity and lunacy of the series, I think it’s impossible to describe the series with just one episode. However, the seventh episode of Space Dandy 2 serves as a good example of what to expect with Space Dandy. It doesn’t capture the bizarre elements of certain specific episodes, but this rock and roll episode captures the brilliance and amusement of the series while showcasing the talents of its characters and their wacky adventures. Of course, given that simple criteria, many other episodes would also fit that description… but there’s just something special about this episode that makes it one of the best in this young series. I suppose the writer of this episode, Kimiko Ueno, is one reason why I adore this episode so much as she has consistently written the best episodes since the Deathgerian and zombie episodes. It’s her talent and understanding of the series that really speaks to me and what makes this episode one of my favorite. It is impracticable to define Space Dandy with just one episode, but the rock and roll band episode is likely the closest we’ll get to encompassing all of Space Dandy in just 24 minutes.

Sword Art Online II (Episode 7)

Although the story is remarkably better in GGO (which really isn’t saying much), the actual game of ALO is much more enticing as a watcher of Sword Art Online. ALO is much more engaging and social, a game where people work together to take down monsters instead of hunting and hiding and camping and sniping each other. Yes, the competitive aspect of GGO is appropriate for the Death Gun story, but it doesn’t make it more entertaining or interesting than the vibrant world of ALO. And with the side story inside ALO in this episode, we were offered the chance to look at the game uninterrupted by an asinine story; we saw online characters doing something fun. And guess what, that was the highlight of SAO 2 for me. Hopefully Death Gun’s death gun will backfire and kill him and end the story in an episode or two and provide Kirito the opportunity to go back to ALO and improve the series. Or better yet, why not just ditch Kirito and Shino completely and just focus on ALO for the next 19 episodes? I can dream, can’t I?

Tokyo ESP (Episode 6)

How many anime have mascot characters? Too many? Why yes, that’s the right answer. How many anime have two mascot characters? Two Too many? Why yes, that’s also the right answer.

If you haven’t guessed by now, I’m not a fan of mascot characters. Certain mascot characters are fine when they are more than just comic relief or perverted sidekicks. Peggy and Happosai Yodani Roshi aren’t the kinda mascot characters I like. They were making this anime tough on me with Peggy earlier, and now they’ve added a perverted panda that teaches martial arts. Great… just great.

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 6)

Really? Fuji? Already?

Isn’t Fuji, the tallest, most prominent, most picturesque and most distinguished mountain in all Japan, a little ambitious for the middle of Yama no Susume? I can understand that it might not be the most difficult mountain to climb, but isn’t this the kinda mountain you end a series with? Don’t you usually do small, unknown mountains close to home first and then build you way up to the biggest, best mountain for the finale? Why are we doing Fuji already when we have 18 more episodes to go? Are they planning on doing Everest next and then finish with Olympus Mons?

Actually… I’d like that if they went to Mars and climbed a mountain that’s 22 kilometers (14 miles) tall and about the size of France. Here’s hoping for Olympus Mons before Yama no Susume is over!

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 6)

The first episode was a tease; it suggested a much larger role for Lisa than what we’ve currently seen. The first episode provided us with some introspection to her character, as we heard her thoughts of Nine and Twelve when she first met them and against after being rescued following the collapse of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Not only that, but her perspective toward Nine and Twelve mirrored our own and the storytelling from her point-of-view would be relatable to the audience. Not only that, but her escape from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building was arguably the highlight of the first episode and her decision to leap to Twelve (thus committing to him) after refusing to leap for the bullies into the pool provided an excellent backdrop for her character to grow and mature.

But since then, we’ve been reserved to watching Nine and Twelve play silly games with the police and now a friend from America, Five, is here to play games at an airport. Lisa’s character has had some interesting developments since the first episode, but she’s largely been relegated to a background character who provides comic relief and eye-candy for the male audience. You would think this anime would have more of a focus on Lisa’s character given the amount of content and attention she received in the first episode, but it hasn’t materialized like that episode would suggest. Fortunately, she’s found a role in the series being an accomplice to Sphinx and appears to be destined for something great soon. However, with the series half over, it’s hard to say how much of an impact she’ll have and whether the resolution of her character will be satisfying or not. Then again, I suppose I should wait until the end of the series to finalize my opinions instead of just relying on speculation at this point.

Back whenever week 8 was and whenever these episodes aired: thoughts on the expressiveness and emotion in Hanayamata, wondering where they get the ideas for episodes for Space Dandy Season 2, linking unique character traits to symbolism in Aldnoah.Zero, and thoughts on the split between mountaineering and cute girls in Yama no Susume Second Season.

Best episode of the week: Space Dandy Season 2

Anime trending up this week: Hanayamata

Anime trending down this week: Tokyo ESP

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 7)

I don’t claim to be an expert at chess, but I think I know more than the people who made Zankyou no Terror. Take a look at screenshot above and tell me if you notice anything wrong. In case you forgot, since this episode aired weeks ago and this post is unreasonably late, this was shown as Nine’s opening move after Five moved her pawn forward. In case you haven’t noticed it yet, look at where the black knight sits and where it was at the beginning of its turn. That’s not how a knight moves… unless they’re playing made some broken version of chess in which the knight moves up 3 spaces and to the side once instead of moving up 2 spaces and to the side once. Then again, they were playing a game of chess superimposed on the map of the airport, so maybe they had to make some changes for it to work in that specific geographic location. But then again, wouldn’t hide-and-seek be better considering the situation and the circumstances?

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 7)

Yama no Susume seems to be split between two discrete premises: exploring the sights and visiting landmarks around Japan and featuring its cast of cute anime girls doing cute anime things. The first half of this episode focused primarily on a short walk to Azuma Gorge, a scenic and tranquil river cutting through a dense forest. The latter half of the episode was fixated on Aoi buying a sexy swimsuit and then being embarrassed about wearing it. The episode did well about relating the two topics together and by linking the sexy bikinis to swimming at Azuma Gorge, but the episode didn’t need to dwell on Aoi’s experience in a department store or the storyline about her being embarrassed to being in a swimsuit. Yama no Susume is an anime about mountain climbing and exploring the outdoors as a means of developing Aoi’s character and watching her grow as a person. It would have been outstanding if they linked Azuma Gorge with some legitimate character growth, such as Aoi wanting to seek out and explore other landmarks on her own or leading the other girls there on her own after Hinata became sick… but no, instead, it was another segment of fanservice which this season of Yama no Susume seems to be so fond of. And really, it wasn’t that bad of an episode, but it could’ve included visiting two landmarks in Japan instead of one landmark and the swimsuit section of a department store.

Tokyo Ghoul (Episode 8)

Given how long the ghouls have been present in metropolitan Tokyo and how well they seem to be studied and how well they seem to be publicized by the media, isn’t it surprising that there hasn’t been an attempt to understand these monsters? For example, why hasn’t there been a push to move the ghouls to a location away from Tokyo and supply them with food as a means to prevent them from murdering people in Tokyo? Why exactly do the ghouls need to live in the big city and constantly risk their lives when a suitable alternative would be for them to move to the outskirts, form their own community and live a stable life away from danger? Then again, the story would be far from exciting if it were purely diplomacy and politics between the two sides, so I suppose the antagonism between the two sides does spice up the action and drama. Then again, I’m surprised no one has suggested relocating, especially with the café acting as a sanctuary despite being surrounded by constant danger.

Space Dandy Season 2 (Episode 8)

Ever wonder where the ideas for Space Dandy episodes come from? With every story so distinctive and unique, you can’t help but wonder if these episodes are all ideas from authors who were unable to materialize these stories into independent shows. For example, this episode of Space Dandy feel like a cinema… or at least it felt like a cinema story that was reduced to only 24 minutes. But I get the feeling that Shinichiro Watanabe, the writer for this episode, had this idea in his head for a while but was unable to pitch the idea to producers or studios as an independent and stand-alone film. But given the opportunity with Space Dandy, he tailored his project into an episode that felt vastly different from the rest in this series. Again, it’s not just this episode, but many of the others felt like ideas for other projects that were written as an episode for Space Dandy. Not all of them have felt this way, but enough have displayed exceptional levels of complexity that you can’t help but wonder where these ideas came from and what they were originally planned for.

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (Episode 7)

Recently, Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? has concentrated on specific characters with these character-centric episodes. These last two episodes were solely on Theia. The ones before this were primarily on Sanae, and the ones that follow episode 7 are on Yurika. It makes sense given the limited time-frame of the series, the extensive material available from the light novels and the fact that there are four main girls to cover before the episode ends in a few weeks. However, my note for this episode isn’t about the structure of the series but how well the series incorporates the entire cast in these episodes.

Yes, the way Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? integrates its entire cast into these episodes is truly impressive. And it’s not just including the cast in these episodes but utilizing each character as a participant in the story instead of just someone in the background. Kiriha helped out with the play and surveyed the gym for suspicious characters, Sanae helped defend Theia by attacking (not sure if that’s the best word for what she did) Clariosa, and Yurika spent the entire arc watching over Hercules, the loveable (except to Ruth) rhinoceros beetle. It isn’t the best example of connecting the entire cast to Theia’s story, but each character proved a useful part in these two episodes and no one was demoted to the background and forgotten. Given the size and relationships of the cast in this anime, I was expecting there to be lapses with the characters, but Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? has exceeded my expectations in how it employs its cast. It bodes well for the remainder of the series, though I am curious how it will wrap everything up when it concludes at the end of this month.

Hanayamata (Episode 7)

The intensity and elegance of emotion in Hanayamata is remarkable. Despite its appearance as a cutsey, moe slice-of-life anime, Hanayamata is one of the most sophisticated and expressive anime this year… and it accomplishes this with relatively simple writing and rudimentary character relationships. How the anime accomplishes this inspiring feat is that it is straightforward with its characters, their situations and how they display their emotions. This allows the characters to present their emotions without confounding factors, such as a dominating overarching story that would otherwise pull its attention away from the girls. Watch a scene, any scene, even comedy scenes like the one where all the girls were wearing animal ears and animal tails; you’ll see a rainbow of emotions from each of the characters, ranging from embarrassed to angry to happy and various others in-between. The anime is free to explore these characters and are able to present them with unbiased emotions and passions. Beyond how the dynamic of the series plays a fundamental role in the expressiveness of the series, the artwork contributes a significant amount, too. Not only do the highly dramatic, teary-eyed scenes help convey emotion, but the constant emphasis on chibi reactions aids in the expressions too, especially for situations that call for surprise, embarrassment, joy or lighthearted sadness. It’s amazing how well Hanayamata handles the emotions of its characters and how it illustrates them, and it is one of the main aspect of this endearing and charming anime that leaves me smiling after every episode.

Barakamon (Episode 8)

Seishuu appears to be quite accustomed to life in the Gotou Islands. At what point does he consider returning home to Tokyo and returning to the lifestyle that he was originally comfortable with? Or rather, what more is there for him to accomplish in the Gotou Islands that will significantly contribute to his work as a calligrapher? Or maybe, as his character is evolving, does he realize there is much more for him to learn while on his own than what he can accomplish back in Tokyo? To me, it feels like Seishuu has accomplished everything he sought out to accomplish when he moved into his new home in the first episode. Everything since that point seems to be fun and games where he continues to bond with the locals and learn about specific customs that he would otherwise never learn back in the behemoth that is Tokyo. But are these fun and games really what he needs? Is he able to retain this knowledge and understanding back to Tokyo and reproduce his efforts without the help and inspiration from these islanders? I’d like to see Seishuu go back to Tokyo for an episode or two, only for him to return to the island in the final episode as a means of showing where his character is and how life on the island has caused his character to grow-up in ways that he never expected. Of course, the real ending to this anime will incorporate these elements to various degrees, but the principal events may be different than what I am hoping for. It’ll be interesting to see how Seishuu and the locals react at the end of this anime, especially for characters like Naru who have grown to depend on Seishuu.

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 8)

It fascinates me to see what fascinates others. For example, Asseylum, the Martian princess who’ve never been to the blue planet, is fascinated with birds. We learned about this in the first episode when she was chatting with Slaine before descending to Earth and it was a focal point of this episode, both in a flashback with Slaine and when viewing seagulls with Inaho. It’s unexpected to see a character fixated on such a trivial subject yet it provides an insight into the character beyond the obvious. To Asseylum, the birds that soar through the blue sky symbolize freedom and liberation, which is something that she, herself, admires. After all, she has been used by her father, the knights, the assassination faction and just about every Martian as a justification for heading to war with Earth. She has been a captive of her own people, yet captivated by the birds that fly so freely on Earth. Of course, this is purely a form of symbolism that Asseylum enjoys them so much and is likely to have little impact on the story. Still, it’s something that I have always enjoyed when learning about a character and I find that it was put to an excellent use here in Aldnoah.Zero.

Back during Week 9: explaining why Tokyo ESP is the most disappointing anime of the season despite not being the worst, layering the education and presenting knowledge in Yama no Susume Second Season, why Sanae is more than just the #1 girl in Koutarou’s harem in Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?, and wondering why more people don’t use photon swords in Sword Art Online II.

Best episode of the week: Aldnoah.Zero

Anime trending up this week: Akame ga Kill!

Anime trending down this week: Space Dandy Season 2

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 8)

One of the better aspects of Yama no Susume is how the anime structures its education and how it layers this important information. In the eighth episode of Yama no Susume Second Season, we were formally introduced to the topic of nutrition and hydration when the Kaede highlighted the importance of proper nourishment during challenging hikes. The subject was discussed much like any other during the anime with the girls discovering some novel aspect of mountaineering and relating to it through the particular events of this particular episode. However, the issue arose initially when the girls were scaling Mitsutoge and Kaede offered Aoi some chocolate since she was feeling exhausted. It was introduced then as something important, but it wasn’t an appropriate time to discuss it completely. However, by showcasing nutrition then, they were able to link it to a previous experience in this episode and how it improved Aoi’s experience at that time. The way the anime builds these moments of knowledge is a huge positive for as it’s able to link story events together and use them as teaching points for both the girls and any novice mountaineers watching Yama no Susume. The continued emphasis on education and information about hiking certainly defines the purpose of this anime, and this provides Yama no Susume with a genuine meaning beyond watching cute girls climbing mountains.

Tokyo ESP (Episode 8)

Tokyo ESP might not be the worst anime that I am watching this season, but it is certainly the most disappointing. The anime began with an electrifying and encouraging episode about supernatural humans with super-awesome powers destroying or defending Tokyo. The story was building up Rinka as some breathtaking heroine who was destined to save humanity from these terrible monsters, and we were introduced to most of the massive cast of Tokyo ESP throughout the episode. Since then, Tokyo ESP has failed to capitalize on that energy and excitement and has been attempting to return to that level by lethargically progressing through the lengthy history of everything for 7 episodes now. But it’s been 7 episodes of ‘meh’ and with an incredibly awkward backstory, too. All that was good about the first episode is gone, and everything since has been that of a subpar anime. Of course, as I mentioned at the beginning of this review, this is not the worst anime of the season for me, but it’s had the most extensive decline. There is still plenty of time for the anime to recover and end with a bang, but given that everything since the first episode has been downhill, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this anime continue to sink.

Sword Art Online II (Episode 9)

If the Kagemitsu G4 (Kirito’s photon sword) is this powerful, why doesn’t everyone use it? Considering how colossal the game is, both in terms of size and popularity, and given the obsessive nature of its patrons, how come no one else has discovered the unlimited potential of these beam sabers? Not only do these light swords deflect bullets, and quite a few of them too, but they’re essentially one-hit kills, unlike virtually every other weapon in GGO. I seriously doubt that something so powerful would go unnoticed or underutilized for so long, especially since users can dual wield the sword and a gun together. Then again, considering the story of SAO 2, we’ve gotta make sure Kirito is the most distinctive and memorable character there is, so having him bring a sword to a gun fight and winning is the rationale behind this broken and illogical judgment.

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (Episode 8)

There’s always a main girl in a harem. Whether it’s the first girl we see, the girl that the main character chooses in the end or whatever, there’s always one girl that stands above the rest in these harem anime. In Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?, that role belonged to Sanae. Belonged to? Yes, belonged to, as in the past tense. And it’s in the past tense because Sanae has surpassed that role and become more than just a haremette. She’s in a category all by herself now, well above everyone else in Koutarou’s harem. Or simply, her character developed into such a unique role that her relationship with Koutarou is fundamentally different than that of everyone else. Since Sanae’s capture and subsequent rescue, she’s been much more active as a character and been linked predominately with Koutarou more than everyone else, including fighting alongside Koutarou when the other characters are merely spectators. Her character is much more dependent on Koutarou than everyone else, as she seems to always do stuff through Koutarou and only Koutarou. Given the accelerated pace of the series, perhaps there was some story events and character development that needed to be cut for the anime to fit in 12 episodes that explains more about their relationship since the events of Sanae’s arc were generally tame and their relationship has exploded since then. Whatever the reason and whether we’ll learn in the anime or not, it seems that Sanae will win out in the end… or rather, she’s already won.

Hanayamata (Episode 8)

Is Naru truly enjoying yosakoi dance or is she merely enjoying spending time with her friends? It’s important to distinguish between the two, especially since they are not mutually exclusive events and heavily dependent on each other; it’s because of her friends that she’s doing yosakoi dance and it’s because of yosakoi dance that she’s able to spend time with her friends. However, the enjoyment can be entirely different between the two. For Naru, yosakoi dance is synonymous with falling down, being uncomfortable, being nervous and now embarrassing herself in front of a crowd. There are only a few choice moments where she actually seems happy with herself when dancing. Contrast that with the other moments of the series where she’s spending more time with more people and trying to encourage her friends to make the right decisions. To me, it seems like Naru does not genuinely enjoy yosakoi dance but continues to do it because of its association to her friends. And this observation leads me to another question: will Naru ever enjoy yosakoi dance for what it is? Not just watching performances and being mesmerized, because we’ve seen that aspect of her already, but will she ever feel that passion and excitement that she does when she’s up on the stage and dancing brilliantly? I would love to see it happen, but I’m concerned with how much time remains in this anime given that it’s only one season. Maybe we need to petition for a second one? Who’s with me?

Glasslip (Episode 9)

Yanagi has quickly become the most interesting character in Glasslip. Whereas most of the cast is somewhere between lackluster and comatose, Yanagi is attempting to tear down her old self and reinvent herself as a new person… to turn over a new leaf and move on with her life. She really seems to be the only character that is action-oriented and the only one that is making significant strikes with herself. She’s even giving away her wardrobe to Hina, Touko’s younger sister, as a means to do so. Pretty soon, we’ll see what Yanagi wants to become with her new personality. More importantly, we’ll also see how this impacts her relationship with everyone else, seeing as she’ll be different than what she was before.

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 9)

Given the absolute and total destruction we’ve seen of Earth in Aldnoah.Zero, you can’t help but wonder what’s happening in the other areas of the globe right now. We’ve only seen glimpses and heard rumors about what’s going on outside of Japan, but it seems like there are major wars occurring all over the globe. Are they on the same magnitude as what we’ve seen in Japan? You can’t help but wonder, especially seeing as the entire globe was attacked at the same time. Were some areas prepared better than others? Moreover, the knights staged their assault from the Moon, meaning that one side of the Earth was prone to their assaults while the side facing away from the Moon was not. Did that affect how the Earth was invaded and how humanity responded? The episode did provide a map of the Earth, showing the regions of the world currently in conflict and deemed hostile, and it appears as though East Asia and North America were hit harder than the rest of the globe. But we can’t really assess how the destruction compares or how those forces are faring compared to what we’ve seen and experienced in Japan. We might have to wait until an epilogue or something to witness the carnage and destruction of this war, but given the size and magnitude of this global event, I’m sure we’ll find out our answers eventually.

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 9)

The parallels between Night Raid and the Jaegers are quite pronounced, as well as quite amusing. It’s amusing because the two groups are almost mirrors of each other with one character being a parallel of their counterpart in the other. Additionally, the two organizations seem to have the same origins and similar objectives. It’s as if we’re seeing the two sides of the same coin, with Night Raid supposed to be the ‘good guys’ and Jaegers supposed to be the ‘bad guys’. But really, the two organizations are the same, but just employing different philosophies to their actions and their morals. I’d love for the anime to utilize these two groups as a means to point out the fact that neither is ethical or justified, but I have little hope for the anime to bring critical thinking when everything we’ve seen is superficial (action and fanservice). Then again, I’m watching this anime for these superficial moments, so I can’t really complain given the paradigm we’ve seen for this series.

Back during Week 10: expanding my theory about the primary and secondary focuses of Hanayamata, an example of the magnificent cinematography in Zankyou no Terror, what made episode 23 of Captain Earth the best in that anime, and the return of the subtle yet sensational running gag in Space Dandy Season 2.

Best episode of the week: Hanayamata

Anime trending up this week: Captain Earth

Anime trending down this week: Aldnoah.Zero

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 8)

Cinematography is often a challenge for anime given the constraints of the medium and the difficult production schedules. Nevertheless, Zankyou no Terror defies these limitations and utilizes various techniques that have led to some dazzling and vibrant shots. For example, in this episode, there was a scene where Shibazaki and Hamura were walking and talking. A good majority of dialogue in anime are shot close-up (tight shots, head shots) where you see a character’s face talking with little to no motion. However, this scene was shot at an extra-wide angle showing a busy road and a commuter train running in the background. Not only does this provide the anime with some diversity in its shots, but it also breaks up the monotony of close-up shots while also providing a dynamic environment, with cars and trains zooming by. And it’s not like there’s any meaning or symbolism behind these cars or the train… it’s just details they added to the anime to improve its quality. And all that without even mentioning the fact that the two detectives are outside the first vertical third (if you don’t understand, look up the Rule of Thirds) of the shot, too. Of course, there are many other notable examples in this episode and throughout the series beyond this one, but this one in particular stood out to me in how it drastically improved the scene. Shots like these and other fine cinematographic techniques are the reasons why I adore certain anime directors more than others. Shinichirou Watanabe has consistently shown a keen use of cinematography in his anime and continues to do so in Zankyou no Terror.

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 9)

I understand what Yama no Susume wanted to accomplish with the two Americans hiking Mount Fuji. What they wanted to do with these characters was establish the fact that Mount Fuji is a popular destination for international tourists, not just Japanese nationals. And in a sense, they did just that. But the random lines in English sprinkled across this episode were more unintentionally hilarious than anything else. And I know it gets even better in the tenth episode too, in the hotel room. Those English voices were intended to be another educational point for Yama no Susume, but it quickly turned into the most amusing aspect of the series for me. I hope they continue to make appearances in future episodes.

Sword Art Online II (Episode 10)

Without a doubt, the settings of Sword Art Online are my favorite element of the anime. The diverse and magnificent environments, the social hierarchies in these online communities, the games they play and the people they see… all of this encompasses why I am enjoying this season of Sword Art Online. In particular though, and what I want to focus on this week, are the visuals of these physical (or virtual) locations. I barely mentioned it when complaining about the sheer magnitude of the starting city, SBC Glocken, but I absolutely love the design and how it’s presented in the anime. It’s the same for all the various battlegrounds that Kirito and Sinon fought in, especially the ruins and now the desert landscape. I am confident the anime will continue to impress me with future environments too, once this GGO arc is over… which hopefully is sooner rather than later.

Space Dandy Season 2 (Episode 10)

The best comical feature of Space Dandy is also the most subtle. Throughout the series, there has been a running gag that is hardly ever emphasized, or even mentioned, but has played a key role in a number of scenes… and it was on display again in this episode. What is it you ask? It’s the fact that Dandy has never hit his target, not even once, with his laser gun. Yes, every time Dandy pulls out his weapon, you can guarantee that his lasers will go everywhere except at his target. And this running gag has been used throughout the series, beginning in the first episode when Space Dandy was about hunting new aliens. The fact that this running gag has remained a constant in this series is something that helps connect Dandy between every episode and the series as a whole; it’s one of the few things you can count on in each episode. And whenever we see this ongoing joke, Dandy destroying everything around him but his enemy, I can’t help but laugh every time. It’s an incredibly subtle piece of comedy in Space Dandy but it’s my favorite joke in the series.

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (Episode 9)

Did anyone else notice the dramatic and significant shift in art style and cinematography during the middle of this episode? I’m assuming that this is when Shin Oonuma awoke from his slumber during this series and added his artistic touch, since the use of light, colors and camera angles paralleled his work from his previous anime. Not only was the scene visually impressive with its brilliant art, but the scene felt very odd and out-of-place, not only in this episode but in this series. Really, the animation and art has been mediocre in Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?, so it was exceptionally surprising to see such a high level of quality and effort put into such a simple scene. It makes me wonder what the series could have been if it had a larger budget… not only to improve the visuals in this series but to extend it to two seasons so that it didn’t feel rushed with multiple scenes cut out. Then again, you can’t help but wonder how every other anime would be different if it had better art and more time to tell its stories, so it’s not like Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? is the only anime with issues in its visuals and its limited time-frame. Still, I think improves in both those areas would significantly improve the series as these are currently limiting factors in my evaluations for this anime.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (Episode 23)

Frequently, when older anime are rebooted or when older manga are adapted, the technologies of the previous generations vanish and are replaced by the gadgets seen and used in the present. If you want two recent examples, look at the differences between Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon: Crystal or with Ping Pong the Animation: both anime have swapped their outdated technologies (floppy disks, game consoles) with sleek, modern alternatives. However, JJBA is not like that. Part 3, Stardust Crusaders, is set in the year 1989. And the best way for it to feel like 1989 is to employ the technologies of that era in the anime. Satellite phones for international calls, CRT televisions, the lack of personalized computers, boxy or angular vehicles… just everything feels dated or somewhat antiquated. Perhaps the era would be better expressed if Jotaro and friends were traveling across the globe since the differing geographies and cultures don’t emphasize the technologies or fashion or social aspects as if this anime took place solely in Japan. However, I am fond of how the anime makes it feel like it is in 1989 through various elements in the setting despite some of the difficulties and challenges of doing so.

Hanayamata (Episode 9)

Hanayamata is an anime about yosakoi dance. At the same time, Hanayamata is an anime about everything else but yosakoi dance. That is so say, Hanayamata is about yosakoi dance, but yosakoi dance is secondary to everything else? Confused? Good.

What I mean by these esoteric remarks is that Hanayamata is an anime that focuses on the lives of the girls around the yosakoi dance club. What connects all these girls and is a constant throughout the story is yosakoi dance. However, the anime tends to focus its stories more on the girls, their challenges and how they grow as characters. I alluded to this concept earlier in the season when I explained that Hanayamata was more about forming the club and connecting with the girls than about yosakoi dance… and now I want to expand on that theory. Rather than just being about the club itself, Hanayamata is an anime about the girls who love yosakoi and who dance yosakoi. That doesn’t mean the anime is about yosakoi dance, especially with this episode revolving about the fragmented and estranged relationship between Sari and Machi. That was the primary focus of the episode. But what brought them together? The girls of the yosakoi club, meaning that yosakoi (or rather the club) was the secondary focus of this episode. And really, that has been the pattern of this anime since its first episode; it’s an anime about the girls growing up with yosakoi dance as a secondary element to their stories. So yes, Hanayamata is an anime about yosakoi dance, but this wonderful, imaginative and passionate anime is about so much more.

Captain Earth (Episode 23)

Captain Earth has shown flashes of excellence, but it has never put it together for a full episode before. Habitually, the anime would readily fold on itself through any combination of unceasing and excessive jargon, unexplained or vague story mechanics, dubious character decisions, lackluster fights or any number of other significant issues related to the storytelling or characters. However, Captain Earth managed to forget these traditions and forged an episode that was actually pretty darn great. What I wanted from early on in this series was an explanation and introspection from the villains. I yearned to learn their philosophies, to understand why they made their decisions and why some felt conflicted with their morals and their missions. The twenty-third episode of Captain Earth finally answered some of these queries with each Kill-T-Gang member speaking directly to Daichi. However, what was impressive about this episode is that they spoke indirectly about themselves. Each question they asked was a reflection of their character and the decisions they’re making. It finally gave the characters depth and gave a motive to their actions. It provided context to their characters and we were able to see them as characters and not nameless, faceless villains that fly around in cold, metal mecha in the depths of sublunar space. This is what I wanted all along from Captain Earth, and it finally delivered in easily the best episode of this anime.

Barakamon (Episode 9)

No other episode so perfectly demonstrates the fact that Seishuu is an adult that acts like a kid. The dichotomy of Seishuu’s character is split between the two scenes at the playground and at the river canyon. At the playground, Seishuu was like a child, readily arguing with the older children rather than taking control of the situation like an adult. At the river canyon, Seishuu was like an adult, warning the kids of the dangers of the vine swing instead of being a kid and enjoying it despite its obvious dangers. However, this schism in Seishuu’s character makes him ideal for the anime being how he interacts with the children and teenagers and how he behaves around the adults. This is a pleasant trait to Seishuu’s character that has been employed throughout the series and was particularly noticeable in this episode.

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 10)

Everything reminds me of Needless. Everything. Don’t believe me? Just ask my one and only friend legions of devoted followers. So yeah, when watching this episode, I immediately was reminded of this outstanding scene.

Too bad Aldnoah.Zero isn’t this awesome. I really, really wish more anime were honest about these ‘fake character deaths’ since they’re played out so dramatically but are usually just awful. And these scenes in Aldnoah.Zero were pretty much awful.

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 10)

Tatsumi’s relic, Incursio, is easily the best relic for him in Akame ga Kill. The villains (Jaegers) now have an identity for Tatsumi, being Esdeath’s ‘lover’. However, Tatsumi will want to keep his identity a secret to them when fighting and Incursio accomplishes that better than any other relic. Not only does Incursio cover Tatsumi’s face, meaning that no one from Jaegers can identify him on the battlefield, but Incursio also has the ability to turn invisible, meaning that there’s another layer of protection in hiding Tatsumi’s identity. This means that Tatsumi will be able to fight without Esdeath and the others knowing who he is or where he is. And this can be extremely valuable later on in the series should he be seen in public by Jaegers or Esdeath; they won’t know that he’s a member of Night Raid because Insursio prevents them from identifying him. It’s almost as if this relic was purposely designed for Tatsumi in this situation since the two fit like a hand in a glove. Not only is this the only relic that hides the face of the user, but it also comes with a cloaking device that hides the user completely. It’s perfect for Tatsumi to hide his identity like he did in this episode against Wave, and I can see Incursio having this continued benefit for the duration of the anime.

Autumn 2014 is the fourth and final anime season of year. The Spring and Autumn season are usually the busiest or densest, featuring more total anime than the Winter and Summer seasons, and Autumn 2014 looks to be another enormous one in terms of volume of anime. But the question each season is hardly ever a question of volume but rather a question of quality… and that’s what I hope to answer, at least from my perspective, with my preview of the Autumn 2014 Season Preview. What anime am I looking forward to the most this season? Let’s continue and find out!

The Autumn 2014 anime season appears to be lighter than the median in terms of returning anime franchises, meaning there is more weight this autumn in the new anime franchises this season than in the previously established ones. However, these older franchises have proven themselves to be excellence or serviceable anime, and Autumn sees the return of several of my favorite franchises. Returning in Autumn 2014 are: Ai Tenchi Muyo!, Aikatsu! 3, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, Gundam Build Fighters Try, Hitsugi no Chaika: Avenging Battle, Log Horizon 2nd Season, Mushishi Zoku Shou 2, Psycho-Pass 2, Selector Spread WIXOSS, and Yowamushi Pedal: Grade Road. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately for some), I haven’t watched the original shows from some these anime franchises, so I am not in a position to provide accurate information and predictions on each one, especially the shows I haven’t watched. As always, I’ll skip over the anime that I know nothing about because you probably already know what you’ll be watching among these anime and there are better resources out there for those franchises. So instead, in the section below, I’ll be providing my input to the shows that I am familiar with and can provide some explanation as to why I’m planning on continuing them.

The order of anime listed below is neither chronological nor alphabetic but ranked in order of my personal anticipation and how likely I believe I will watch that anime this season. Every anime is evaluated and placed into one of five tiers ordered: Will watch, Likely watch, Maybe watch, Doubtful but it gets a shot, and No dice. Within each tier, the anime are listed alphabetically. Dates are not included because who knows when and where these shows will be subbed and available to watch. So with that explanation and introduction, here is my preview for Autumn 2014:

Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works

Opinion: Although I have never watched the original Fate/stay night (something I have been meaning to do for years now), I am planning on watching this version since it is a completely new route from the first anime. With that noteworthy difference, it sounds as if this specific anime is open to newcomers of the franchise, meaning that I can finally begin watching this franchise outside of Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya. Those prerequisites have always felt like roadblocks for me, so hopefully this anime is welcoming and helps immerse people into the setting and stories that is Fate/stay night. As for the specifics of the anime, the production values are phenomenal, especially with the fighting animation. I have faith in the characters and the story and have a general idea of the setting, and each aspect seems engrossing or merely interesting. This is one anime that I have been looking forward to since it was announced, and I am happy it will be airing this autumn.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Mushishi Zoku Shou 2

Opinion: Mushishi is one of my all-time favorite anime franchises, so I am welcoming its second half this season after taking a break during the summer. I was encouraged with the direction of the series, in terms of its stories and its updated visuals, and I hope the series continues on this upward trajectory over the next 12 or 13 weeks. Really, each episode depends on the story, the characters and the mushi, so some episodes will be stronger than others, but I hope the series as a whole is better than the original Mushishi as well as the first half of Mushishi Zoku Shou.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Psycho-Pass 2

Opinion: The PV for the second season of Psycho-Pass would look great for just about any anime… but I don’t think it works well for Psycho-Pass. The emphasis on in-your-face action feels vastly different given the story and development of the original anime. And with a new writer, with Gen Urobuchi relegating his position to only “Planner”, I can’t be sure the series will have the same feel or effort as the original. The fact that the PV highlighted the action leads me to believe that this sequel will be merely a derivative of the first and fail to execute at what made Psycho-Pass one of the best anime of 2012-2013. This doesn’t mean I refuse to watch the series, but I do wonder what direction this franchise is going in and whether they can carry this series without Makishima and Kougami featured in prominent roles. I am excited to see the return of Psycho-Pass, but I’m adjusting my expectations now before I am set up for disappointment.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Hitsugi no Chaika: Avenging Battle

Opinion: Chaika was a serviceable anime last spring and returns again this season to complete its latter half. My main concerns with the anime were in regards to the story and how it pinballed around between so many different groups and organizations. The characters were enjoyable and I am curious to see where the anime is heading, but I am not expecting this to be near the top of the season unless several aspects of the storytelling are cleaned up. I hope the three-month hiatus was enough time to address these issues and to improve upon the artwork and animation since those are the areas where I want to see Chaika improve the most. If not, the anime will still be decent and worth finishing this season.

Plans for this show: Likely watch

The subsequent section of the preview contains all the new franchises that are beginning in Autumn 2014. After finishing my research on the season, I must admit that I am surprised at how many shows I am uninterested in and how many shows I anticipate not watching. I won’t go as far as to say that Autumn 2014 is a disappointment already, since that would be premature and ignorant, but it does seem to be one of the weakest seasons in recent memory. And that’s really the question with these new anime are anticipating the quality or value of these anime before they start. What this means is that I will need to broaden my horizons if I want to watch as many anime as I normally do and maybe try a few shows that I normally wouldn’t other. It could also mean that I have the time to go back and finish a few anime that I have passed up otherwise. It really all depends on the next few weeks and how I receive these anime and whether I want to keep them or not. For now, here are the shows I’m planning on watching this season based on my initial research this season:

Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu (Parasyte: the Maxim)

Opinion: Parasyte earns the top spot of the season in the new anime category based largely on my intrigue with the premise and the production values in the PV. However, that does not mean I don’t have my reservations with this series. For one, I will need to see how the relationship between Shinichi, the main character, and Migi, the Parasyte that lives in his hand (voiced by Aya Hinaro, so I hope she sounds exactly like Haruhi), develops and how they survive against the other Parasytes. If the battles are akin to the standard shounen franchises, like Tokyo Ghoul, it’ll drop the anime considerably… but it still could be one of the best anime of the season even if it’s plagued by shounen tropes more than its alien invaders. The anime is 24 episodes, so I am sure the focus will be founded in character development and understanding of the dire situation instead of action and horror, which I hope are flavors and not too overpowering. The visuals are impressive and the art style blends elements of the original early 90s manga with clean, modern animation. It looks to be a good anime, but how good is the question at this point in time.

Plans for this show: Likely watch

Akatsuki no Yona

Opinion: I don’t know what it is about shoujo romances, but I love shoujo romances. Combine that with a vibrant fantasy setting, a story of life on the run, and a cute protagonist and you’re well on your way to making one of the better anime this season. Almost every aspect of the anime is something that appeals to me, but I am a little curious of how serious the anime is. What I am looking forward to the most is the development of Yona’s character as she is a pampered princess who losses her country and must grow as a person to survive. This might be one of the better surprises this season, and it is one of the few new franchises I am looking forward to at this point in the season.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Amagi Brilliant Park

Opinion: Amagi Brilliant Park looks to be an amusing and comical anime based on its charming premise of a romantic couple restoring a failed amusement park. I’ve always enjoyed comedy anime, even if they have shortcomings with their characters and their stories, so I’m predicting that I will enjoy Amagi Brilliant Park based on its genre, it’s superior production values and its predominately female cast. I am not expecting great things from this anime, such as a philosophical discourse on the declining value of amusement parks, but it will be a positive pick-up this season should it provide adequate entertainment value. And though that sounds shallow, that might be all I really want from this anime. The one thing that catches my eye with the PV are the four fairies, leading me to believe there is some level of fantasy in this anime, so that might add a dimension to the anime I was not expecting otherwise. That and they might provide a level of fanservice that I wasn’t expecting either. Well, whatever happens, so long as I am laughing or smiling with Amagi Brilliant Park, it’ll be a worthwhile anime to me.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Cross Ange: Tenshi to Ryuu no Rondo

Opinion: It’s a Sunrise mecha anime where semi-nude girls pilot giant humanoid robots and fight dragons from another dimension. Okay, that has my attention… but what else does this series have to offer? Besides being the ultimate combination of teen boy fanservice (fanservicey girls, giant mecha, fighting dragons), I’m not sure what else this anime has to offer besides entertainment in the forms of action and skimpy outfits. It might have a decent story or characterization, but the PV and the synopsis don’t really provide any depth or insight into the series. That being said, I wouldn’t mind a somewhat ecchi anime about mecha fighting dragons, but the anime needs to be more than shallow entertainment and fanservice to make it watchable. I do like the character designs, the battle animation and the fact that it’s a Sunrise mecha anime, but I’m not sure whether it will be worth keeping or not. Guess we’ll find out soon whether this is more than boobs, butts, robots and dragons.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Gugure! Kokkuri-san

Opinion: It’s nice to see Tomoe from Kamisama Kiss in another role… erm, no, wait, start over. Gugure! Kokkuri-san is another comedy anime this season that has captured my interest and warrants an episode or two once it starts this season. The PV features a style of gag-heavy comedy that I typically enjoy, and the animation style is cute and charming, leading me to believe the anime will be predominately a comedy before it’s a romance or anything else. As I’ve mentioned with other comedy anime, its main goal is to make me smile and laugh, so if Gugure! Kokkuri-san can accomplish that simple feat, then it’s worth keeping this season.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de

Opinion: Uh, yeah, another comedy anime, how about that? What makes Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de interesting is its take on a popular premise, school-age kids inheriting superhuman powers, but with an interesting, comical twist. Rather than having these kids fight monsters or aliens or other kids with superpowers, the anime is about them living their normal lives. It’s a unique take on a well-established anime cliché, so it might have some original humor to go with this stereotypical setting. My main concerns with this anime are that it’ll be flat compared to the other comedies, especially since it seems to be focused toward an otaku demographic until the other comedies mentioned above. However, the main criteria for comedy anime is how well they entertainment, so if this anime is hilarious or even slightly amusing, it’ll be worth keeping this season.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis

Opinion: Bahamut has one of the best PVs of the season. It has one of the best art styles of the season. It has one of the best settings of the season. But… but it’s based on an online card game? Being based on an online card game isn’t a deal-breaker, but it does raise a few red flags about the content, direction and purpose of the anime. Then again, one of my favorite anime of all time, Sengoku Collection, is based on an online card game, so there’s that. And given its origins, that likely means an original story. But beyond that, the PV for Bahamut features some outstanding animation, a magnificent setting and some unique characters. I’m pretty sure I’ll keep this anime for the season, but I have my doubts about the card game part until I actually see the first episode or two.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Trinity Seven: 7-nin no Mahoutsukai

Opinion: Trinity Seven looks to be one of the more generic anime of the season – one guy, lots of girls, fancy school, fighting abilities, strange abilities – but it does enough to warrant an episode or two based on how well I like these elements used together. It lacks depth and will likely have a shallow story and characters, but it looks to have an fascinating setting, likable characters and the promise of action. Whether these elements combine to cover the fact that it has weaknesses in its other essential fields remains to be seen, which is why I’m willing to give the anime a chance. I’m not sure how well the series will perform, but the art, animation and setting provide me with some level of hope.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru

Opinion: More often than not, I like these 4 moe girl slice-of-life anime where not much happens. And judging from the PV and the synopsis, it seems like this is exactly in the genre of those 4 moe girl slice-of-life anime that I like. However, I do have some issues with some of the shows in that genre, so it’ll really depend on how much I like the characters, the comedy, and how the chemistry works together. One thing to note with this anime is that it’ll air in mid-October, so we have a while before this one actually starts, but I do plan on keeping it around for an episode or two, even if I have a full schedule for the autumn anime season.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Danna ga Nani wo Itteru ka Wakaranai Ken

Opinion: Another comedy anime, but comedies that revolve around otaku humor or sexual humor don’t fare as well as most others. The art style is often cute and chibi, which is a positive for shows like this, but I’m not sure whether the jokes will make me smile or laugh. And I’m not sure this anime offers anything else besides jokes on sex and otaku. Guess we’ll see how well it performs once it airs.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Denki-Gai no Honya-san

Opinion: Another otaku-themed comedy, meaning another doubtful pick-up for the season. I don’t really care for the art style, the characters or the comedy, but it might change my mind after one episode if it can get me to laugh or smile. I’m not anticipating on keeping this anime based off the PV and the synopsis, but it deserves an episode since it is a comedy anime.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Garo: Honoo no Koukin

Opinion: The PV and synopsis do little to inspire me, but I know so little about the series that I believe one episode is in order to confirm my doubt. The art style for the characters looks rather plain and flat while the CG animation for the knight in armor doesn’t really appeal to me at all. The story seems pretty standard and straightforward with a prodigy child inheriting a legendary armor and destined to save the world. There are a number of other fantasy anime that I am looking forward to this season over Garo, but I still want to give it an episode to see if it can change my mind or if it confirms my original impressions.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Grisaia no Kajitsu

Opinion: Part of me wants to like this anime, but the other part (the more powerful one) is telling me no. Still, I want to give this anime an episode since it seems alright, but I doubt this anime will materialize into anything substantial or worthwhile. Grisaia no Kajitsu seems very generic with its characters and its synopsis, but the PV does have interesting moments and the anime is tagged as a ‘psychological’ anime. Might it be good? It might, but it’ll have to show value in its first episode if it wants me to keep it around.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Gundam: G no Reconguista (Gundam Reconguista in G)

Opinion: For whatever reason, I just can’t get excited when watching this PV. There’s nothing really wrong with the anime itself, especially since I’ve watched and enjoyed previous Gundam series, and the PV seems to parallel a number of other Gundam anime. But the anime just seems flat, without there sense of excitement or energy or passion from the previous Gundam anime. I am curious to see how this anime performs, but I just can’t get excited for this like I can for most of the other anime on this list. Unless the first episode can prove my misgivings wrong, I don’t anticipate keeping this Gundam anime this season.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Kaitou Joker

Opinion: Yeah, so, this anime is outside my demographic… but it’s a comedy and I want to give it a chance. I just want to see what this is like as an anime, and see how it fares compared to the other comedy anime this season. If I like it, then great, I’ll keep it. If not… then no surprises from me.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Nanatsu no Taizai

Opinion: Nanatsu no Taizai is a fantasy shounen adventure anime, a genre that I typically enjoy. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about this PV or this synopsis which fail to instill me with hope for this anime. Then again, I know so little about this anime, that it deserves an episode to see whether this is worth keeping or not… and I very well could keep this anime if it satisfies me with its fantasy setting, an interesting story, some remarkable characters or electrifying action. Really, the first episode will likely dictate whether I keep this anime or not, but based on what I’ve seen thus far, it’s probably not going to be around for much longer than one episode.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Ore Twintail ni Narimasu

Opinion: Based on the PV and the synopsis, the anime looks and sounds bad. But sometimes, an anime that’s this bad has value in how entertaining it is. I want to give it an episode to see how it performs, but I imagine I’ll be bored with its story and characters before too long and end up dropping it before the first episode finishes. Still, I want to see if there is any value to this anime at all and will be giving it an episode to determine its entertainment value.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso

Opinion: Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso seems pretty standard as a romance anime, which isn’t necessarily a good thing for me. The main male character doesn’t really inspire me, the music theme doesn’t excite me and the moe art style doesn’t infuse me with confidence. It just doesn’t look like the kind of anime that I like, but it’ll get an episode based on its noitaminA tag.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

SHIROBAKO

Opinion: I often enjoy watching anime that revolve around anime or manga production, especially since they provide a unique perspective on their work that you don’t see in most anime. Still, I just can’t get excited for SHIROBAKO whenever I watch this PV, and I believe I’ll feel the same way when watching this anime. The anime might turn out to be better than I am imagining it to be, which is why I want to watch the first episode, but there’s something off about this anime. Maybe I’ll have a better idea or understanding of what makes this anime inferior to most of the others, but for now, SHIROBAKO is a bit of a mystery to me.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Sora no Method

Opinion: Of all the anime in this tier, Sora no Method is probably the highest, though it’s here at the bottom due to alphabetical order. The anime has plenty of potential in its setting and story and has adequate or above-average art and animation in the PV. What’s anchoring this anime down is the cast of characters which seem tedious or mundane. Maybe it’s the moe art style or the fact that everyone is a loli, but none of the characters look remarkable or fascinating. I imagine with a different art style and older characters, this anime would be in a tier or two above, but it isn’t. Of all the anime in this tier, this is probably the most likely to be kept since I’m sure I’ll adjust to the art style before the end of the first episode, but if the anime fails to capitalize on its setting and story, I wouldn’t mind dropping this after its first 24 minutes.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

The first two sections confirm the lists of anime that I am planning on watching based on my knowledge and understanding of the franchises. All that remains in this season preview are the anime that I have already decided against. The reason why these anime are slotted here is because they either appear to already be flawed, boring, or simply outside my demographic. While these anime may in fact be watchable to some, they do not appear watchable for me. I doubt I’ll examine these anime any more than the PV linked in their sections. However, there’s always a chance for me to pick one or two up every season, so not all hope is lost for these shows if you see one of your favorites down here. However, for most of them, there’s already zero chance I’ll even think about them after writing my opinions for each.

Daitoshokan no Hitsujikai

Opinion: The award for the most generic anime of the season is a reserved parking spot on this list. No, you’re not able to move up once you’ve parked here.

Plans for this show: No dice

Donten ni Warau

Opinion: Historical anime are among my least favorite genre and the bishounen character designs are a turn-off.

Plans for this show: No dice

Girlfriend (Kari)

Opinion: Hahahahahahaha no. Just no.

Plans for this show: No dice

Madan no Ou to Vanadis

Opinion: Very standard, very generic, very boring and not worth my time.

Plans for this show: No dice

Magic Kaito 1412

Opinion: Is it sad that I’m more interested in the chibi comedy anime more than the real deal? To be fair, though, I don’t think I’ll be watching either.

Plans for this show: No dice

Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji

Opinion: Oh, right, earlier I said I love shoujo romances. Yeah, I should’ve mentioned I have a love/hate relationship with them… and it’s shoujo romances like this are the ones I hate.

Plans for this show: No dice

Orenchi no Furo Jijiou

Opinion: Yes, this is labeled as a comedy, but this is really a horror anime for me.

Plans for this show: No dice

Sanzoku no Musume Ronja (Ronja the Robber’s Daughter)

Opinion: My rationale for this decision is that I would rather go back and watch the Ghibli movies I haven’t seen before this anime, so I might take some time this season to do just that because of this anime.

Plans for this show: No dice

Terra Formars

Opinion: After watching the OVA that was released in September, I made the decision to drop this anime. Just didn’t enjoy that OVA, and I doubt I’ll enjoy the TV series at all.

Plans for this show: No dice

Ushinawareta Mirai wo Motomete

Opinion: The runner-up award for the most generic anime of the season is also a reserved parking spot here.

Plans for this show: No dice

World Trigger

Opinion: Not that interesting in a shounen fighting anime this season and the art/animation seems subpar. I’ll keep an eye out to see what people say about it, but zero interest at this point in time.

Plans for this show: No dice

And thus ends my preview for the Autumn 2014 anime season. Once the season begins properly in the first week of October, I’ll begin documenting my thoughts, opinions and evaluations for each show in my First Impressions posts. Until then, I hope you are able to plan out your strategy for this upcoming season and ultimately enjoy it as much, or more, than I do!

Back, during the Summer anime season, for week 11: defining acute mountain sickness and understanding its role in Yama no Susume Second Season, why I absolutely love the development of Asseylum in Aldnoah.Zero, questioning the balance of character development and death in Akame ga Kill!, and thoughts on changing the name of Hanayamata to Hanayamatasa.

Best episode of the week: Yama no Susume Second Season

Anime trending up this week: Tokyo ESP

Anime trending down this week: Tokyo Ghoul

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 9)

“So your plan is to put a bunch of bombs on an airplane and drive it into the terminal of an international airport here in Tokyo?”

“Yup.”

“And you think this will bring out the terrorists who we’re going after?”

“Of course it will. I don’t see how there are any flaws with this plan.”

“And you’re planning to play a game of chess with them once they get to the airport as a way to capture them and arrest them?”

“Yeah… about that… so when am I getting these bombs?”

“…”

~sometime later~

“So your plan is to strap a bunch of bombs to this girl, put her in a Ferris wheel and wait for the terrorists to show up and save her as a means of finding out where the atomic bomb is located?”

“Yup.”

“And if they don’t tell you, you’re planning on letting the bombs detonate, killing them and leaving the bomb somewhere in Tokyo?”

“That’s my plan! So, where are the bombs?”

“…”

My main question, nine episodes into Zankyou no Terror, is who is supplying Five for all these crazy missions, and who is allowing her to do so?

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 10)

Altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), is an ailment that occurs when people living at low altitudes ascend to higher altitudes at rates faster than their bodies can acclimate or adjust to the new environments. The cause of AMS is due to the decreasing partial pressure of oxygen (O₂) at higher altitudes, meaning there is less oxygen absorbed in the body each time they breathe. In addition, strenuous physical activity like hiking demands a lot of oxygen in the body, so there is a greater need for oxygen at these high altitudes, too. Since there is less oxygen per breath and the bodies of the hikers are in dire need of oxygen (hypoxia), people will begin to breathe heavier and faster (hyperventilation). This hyperventilation causes more carbon dioxide (CO₂) to be expelled from the body, especially with the low partial pressure of carbon dioxide at high altitudes. Carbon dioxide plays an essential role in determining the pH of the blood (in the form of bicarbonate) and breathing off too much carbon dioxide will cause the pH of the blood to rise (respiratory alkalosis). Additionally, there are other changes going on in the body, such as increased cardiac output, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased production of hemoglobin, and other physiological changes. These changes can manifest themselves in a number of symptoms, but primarily as headache, fatigue, and lightheadedness. This is what Aoi is experiencing right now on Mt. Fuji and why Kaede recommended she stop and rest at the inn. Now, you may be wondering why the other girls don’t have altitude sickness and why Aoi is the only one. In reality, all the girls are facing the same struggle as Aoi, but their bodies are acclimating to the difficult environment better or they are in better fitness than Aoi. Kaede, Hinata and Kokona are all dealing with the same environment as Aoi and may have milder symptoms than her, though we aren’t able to see it directly in the anime. Additionally, we also know that Aoi had difficulty sleeping the night before and that can contribute to AMS.

Acute mountain sickness is a very common disease in hikers, and I’m thrilled to see it used to such a dramatic effect in Yama no Susume. Seeing Aoi, and only Aoi, experience this now, while on the ascent to the top of Mt. Fuji, is going to do wonders for the anime. It’s creating a divide between the characters, between Aoi and her friends, and causing her to fail at her goal when everyone else could go on to reach the top. This moment will define Aoi’s character moving forward, not only for how she feels about herself and mountaineering in general but how Aoi feels about her friends who did not have as severe a case of AMS as she did. It’s heartbreaking to see Aoi go through these struggles because it will have a lasting negative impact on her character. Yes, even after her AMS is gone and she’s bright and cheery again, this moment will cast a shadow on her character until she finally reaches the summit of Mt. Fuji.

Sword Art Online II (Episode 11)

I know that Sword Art Online is an anime about virtual reality massive multiplayer online role-playing games, but when was the last time we saw the real world? Everything we’ve seen recently has been the BoB tournament in GGO and Kirito’s harem in ALO watching it. Everything has been within a game for the last few episodes now, and the scenes in the real world do little to contribute to the overall story line or Shino’s debilitating fear of guns.  Compare that to the previous arc of SAO (ALO) which featured a number of scenes in the real world to develop the relationship between Kazuto and Suguha and for them to create drama with Asuna’s sleeping body. I’m not saying that this focus on GGO is necessarily bad, but it’s incredibly different than ALO and more akin to SAO when they were trapped in the VRMMORPG with no escape. It’s just an interesting transition between the three games with SAO and GGO being much more similar to each other than ALO.

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (Episode 10)

I was never ecstatic with the main storyline of Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?, being about the four girls trying to take over apartment 106. And I’ve never been really happy with the individual character stories that have taken over the anime with each girl getting their own arc to develop their characters and strengthen their relationship with Koutarou. However, these stories fulfill more to the series than playing silly games and never making progress with who is taking over the apartment. Yes, the various games they played were more fun and entertaining, but the really didn’t add to the series like the way these character arcs do. Now, we’re seeing a purpose to these characters and understanding why they are where they are now. They’re becoming meaningful and helping us relate to their problems and why they need the apartment so badly. And with that knowledge in place, now it’s time for the games for each character to take over the apartment. Now is the time for the anime to go back to the silly story about each girl wanting to take the six tatami mat apartment for themselves. Unfortunately though, I doubt this anime will receive a sequel since now is the time for the anime to shine with its various games about deciding who gets to keep that special, little residence.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (Episode 24 [Finale])

The biggest issue with this season of JJBA is the lack of a true villain. While it’s true that Dio was sending every assassin he could find to kill Jotaro and friends, we never really saw the mastermind of this arc. Dio was relegated to a minor role thus far and his brilliance as a character was muted as a result. Instead, we had a lengthy series of secondary antagonists each week that never really built up to anything. Compare that with Part 1 and Part 2 where each fight was building up to Dio or Cars. Compare that to now where the final scene was everyone getting out of their car and posing in the Egyptian desert. With that in mind, I am anticipating the second half of Part 3 to be much, much better than this first half.

Hanayamata (Episode 10)

We know why Hanayamata is named Hanayamata – Hana, Naru, Yaya, Machi and Tami – all two character Japanese names – but why couldn’t the anime be named Hanayamatasa (or some variation) to include our favorite club supervisor, Sari-sensei, who also has a two character Japanese name. Yes, the anime is named after the girls who dance in the Yosakoi Dance Club, but Sari is an essential character since the club couldn’t exist in its current form without her as a teacher. She’s proven her worth to the club too, time and time again, especially in this episode by securing a spot in the Hanairo Festival after registration ended. And Sari has warmed up to the club itself, too. As she continues to spend more time with the girls, she’s become engrossed with yosakoi dance and has even practiced with the girls when she isn’t sexually harassing them. Sari might be the sixth most important character, at the very least, but she’s still an integral person to the club, the girls and the anime. I can understand why her name is not included in the title of the manga and anime, but I strongly believe her character has done enough to warrant a spot… you know, if the mangaka ever decided to change titles or make a sequel (can we get a sequel, please?) or something.

Glasslip (Episode 11)

Hina is the best character in Glasslip. No, it’s not because she’s a particularly great character but because everyone else is rather flat or tame as characters. Hina is the only character right now that brings any type of energy or performance to the screen. She provides value through her entertainment and quickly improves the scene through her humor. Everyone else in Glasslip is calm except for Touko. It’s like everyone is hiding their emotions or having trouble expressing them. And while it does work to prevent the anime from being overly dramatic or artificial, it just feels empty. That is to say, you’re not going to see characters bawling or fighting or overreacting in Glasslip (thank God), but you’re not going to see anything resembling drama either. And in this lackluster environment, Hina thrives as a character thanks to her bubbly personality and comic relief. It’s easy to see why Hina is the best character in Glasslip, though there isn’t much, if any, competition from the other cast members.

Barakamon (Episode 10)

Seishuu is a jerk for leaving like that.

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 11)

I particularly enjoy the development of Princess Asseylum. When the series started, she was naïve, idealistic and weak. She stood on the sidelines and watched. She talked, but her words had no weight. And at first, she was fine with that, wearing a disguise and pretending to be someone else – someone who wasn’t important. She figured they would end the war with her having minimal involvement (once they see that she’s still alive, they’d stop attacking, right?). But as the war dragged on and more and more lives were lost, Asseylum chose to change her ways. She wasn’t forced to change at this point, but chose to take a more active role in ending the war. He began to act like a princess instead of a pedestrian, and discarded her disguise. And as a result, her character began to develop a little, but she was still the naïve, idealistic and weak princess that we saw at the beginning of the series. Now, with the United Earth HQ being bombarded after her plea for peace was rejected, we’re seeing Asseylum experience genuine character growth. For the first time in the series, we see her become angry at the weakness of her character and the rejection of her ideals. She’s realizing now how little weight she has despite being in a position of power and that her longing for peace means nothing to the people around her. So she’s changing. She’s taking an active role in the story now. She’s even getting in a kataphrakt and heading out into active combat. Asseylum isn’t there yet, but you can see she’s getting there. And with a second season in the near future, we can hope to see more of this Asseylum rather than the one we saw throughout this first season. Unless, of course… you know… unless something happens in episode 12…

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 11)

Akame ga Kill! has a high turnover of its characters. People appear, people die, you move on to the next antagonist or nakama. Sheele and Bulat? Who? Don’t you mean Chelsea and Susanoo?

However, the question with any character that’s given a face, a name and a few lines is how well they serve a purpose in the series or how well they’re developed as characters. For Sheele and Bulat, we understood their role in the anime and had a couple minutes with their backstory to understand their motivation and purpose. And then that was it. For Dr. Stylish, we had even less. And for many other characters, they didn’t even last an episode. Is this adequate for these characters? Is what we’ve seen enough to make us feel bad for when Sheele and Bulat die or for us to feel satisfied when villains like Dr. Stylish dies? It’s hard to say given the massive number of characters and the limited time for each, but it feels like all these characters that keep appearing are a little empty. It’s like the series realizes a character will die soon so they go over their history to try to make them seem deep or complex. But that’s not really good storytelling or character development; in fact, in a series like Akame ga Kill!, it’s a harbinger of death or the opposite of how you want to develop a character. But then again, if these are all just throw-away characters, why even bother to develop them when they’re just gonna die anyway? I am torn on the subject because I want to learn more about each character, yet I know that 90% of the cast will be dead before the anime is over, and there’s no point in spending too much time on a person when they’re will only have a chance to impact the series for a few episodes. The happy medium, and what I truly want from the series, is better storytelling when trying to develop these characters and understanding how to better utilize each person early on rather than waiting for their final moments before adding purpose to their character. Really, the only one I’ve been happy with so far is Bulat, but his development as a character never really satisfied me, especially early on when all he was known for was being gay. Hopefully the series continues this pattern and begins to develop the characters early after their appearances since watching underdeveloped characters like those mentioned at the beginning of this post is never really substantial or noteworthy.

This post reviews: Terra Formars, Gundam Reconguista in G, Denki-Gai no Honya-san, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, Madan no Ou to Vanadis, and World Trigger.

As of right now, I am planning for four installments of my first impressions posts for Autumn 2014. Since the anime in these posts are always grouped by the dates they are released, four separate entries seems appropriate for a season this massive.

Watching:

Gundam Reconguista in G

The first episode of Gundam Reconguista in G failed to impress me, but it fulfilled the purpose of making it a Gundam anime by featuring in no particular order: a Gundam, a protagonist that’s an unlikely candidate to pilot said Gundam, conflict between space and Earth (presumably), mobile suits fighting, a romantic character (x2), and a mysterious character. What, no masked antagonist (or anti-hero)? Well, as the ending sequence promised, that necessary component will appear sometime soon. But really, the episode felt safe, and that the series wasn’t ready to take risks with its characters, story or setting just yet. The second episode, however, proved to be the deciding factor for my by developing those key aspects. Here, I was able to see what made this anime worthwhile and gave me a reason to continue watching. What I’ve enjoyed from Gundam anime in the past are the characters and the settings with the stories, the mecha fights and the visuals all secondary. The second episode helped me adjust to the main trio of characters, rather than focusing on the pseudo-military personnel, trainees and cheerleaders from the first episode. The world was also developed, and we saw more than just a space elevator, a couple of nuts (that’s the term they used!), space pirates and mobile suits. We began to learn more about their world, their conflict, and the politics involved. It is what I want from a Gundam anime. And while I do appreciate the distinctive art style, I can’t say I was too excited with the mecha fights or the story at this point. Still, this second episode was enough to convince me to keep watching, and that’s what I’ll do with Gundam Reconguista in G.

Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works

Even though this was just the prologue, episode 00, there is no question about my commitment to FSN: UBW. This is one of the few times where I have nothing negative to say about an anime without resorting to nitpicking details. What blew me away, and probably the single most exceptional trait of this first episode, is the prop design. Prop design refers to the objects that are used or included in an anime, such as chairs, tea cups, weapons, books, bento boxes, and magic circles, just to name a few. In Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, each prop had an exceptional number of details and effort, helping create environments that felt vibrant and life-life. The props each had a remarkable uniqueness to them, from the furniture in Rin’s living room to her tea set and again to Archer’s, Lancer’s, and Saber’s weapons. This is extraordinary, and it might be the best prop design I have ever seen in an anime. Oh, and the rest of the episode wasn’t bad, either. I would love to continue in that level of detail on other aspects of the anime, such as in the backgrounds, the fighting, and the characterization, but I’ll leave those topics to better writers who’ve already covered those subjects and write their posts on time (and the reason why I decided to do prop design is I doubt anyone cares about that as much as I do).

Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works impressed me in every category where I evaluate anime: art, characters, entertainment, setting, sound, and story. FSN: UBW might have the best visuals of the year thanks to its mature and powerful art style and its magnificent battle animation. The characterization felt genuine and human, and I already like Rin more than from my previous experiences with the Fate universe. The first episode was wildly entertaining, and the scenes that weren’t combat or comical were still engrossing and educating. The setting and the story are currently the weakest of these six categories, but those develop with time, and if my understanding of Fate/stay night is correct, I do not foresee any issues with either moving forward. Lastly, I found myself wholly impressed with the sound, not just the music that played in this episode, but also with the voice acting and sound effects. Time will tell if FSN: UBW will be the anime of the year or not, especially since it has some solid competition with my inane obsession with KILL la KILL, but this might be the anime to do it.

Undecided:

Nothing here, which means…

Dropped:

Terra Formars

What’s the point?

Denki-Gai no Honya-san

Denki-Gai no Honya-san is a simple anime about a normal teenage who inherits super magical powers has the love of his life fall on him from the sky discovers an ancient mecha robot that can finally defeat the aliens gets a part-time job at a manga store with a bunch of strange girls. It’s supposed to be a comedy centered around otaku or anime culture, but most of the humor was derived from the wacky character traits and not from the manga store. Sure, there were a few entertaining moments, like Sensei’s trip through the shrink wrap machine, but most of the humor was being a clumsy and shy girl, failing to meet a manga deadline and perverted or ecchi jokes. Been there, done that… and if I comedy isn’t going to entertain, what’s the point? The art style is nice, but it’s not really cute or charming since it makes these teenage girls look like their younger than the cast of Ichigo Mashimaro. Sensei was the only character to make me laugh, but she’s not strong enough to carry the show with on her own. And the manga shop setting was a distinguishing characteristic, but the first episode failed to utilize it to its advantage. Denki-Gai no Honya-san isn’t really worth it, especially with better comedies on the horizon.

Madan no Ou to Vanadis

There were some positives to Madan no Ou to Vanadis, but not enough to outweigh the negatives. The anime has a pretty appealing fantasy setting, which is what attracted me to this anime in the first place, and I enjoyed learning about the world and seeing the dynamics within Ellenora’s domain. But besides that… I think my initial thoughts on this anime would suffice, “[v]ery standard, very generic, very boring and not worth my time.” The art was substandard, the characters were one-dimensional, and the story uninteresting. At no time did I feel particularly interested, and the harem set-up and forced fanservice felt like cheap hooks as an attempt to develop an audience. Tigre was remarkably lackluster, and Ellen felt robotic, not even diplomatic, in her approach to Tigre, the man she’s supposedly in love with. And I don’t see the anime improving any time soon, especially as the harem develops and the number of ecchi scenes skyrockets over the next few episodes. If I can’t find a single reason for watching an anime, what’s the point? Dropped.

World Trigger

Back in my preview for the Autumn 2014 anime season, I originally tagged this anime as a generic shounen anime. Now, after watching the first episode, I feel the need to apologize to generic shounen anime; at least generic shounen anime have decent characters and satisfying action. World Trigger couldn’t even meet those needs, not by a long shot. The first episode was a complete waste, never getting better than tedious and unpleasant, and only telling me a story I’ve heard a thousand times before from better anime. The two main characters were unlikable and failed to exhibit anything that resembled a personality, and I would probably use the same words to describe the setting, too. I found nothing of value in this first anime, and have no plans of even finishing the first episode. Again, I ask the same question that I’ve asked the previous three anime: what’s the point? If there’s nothing there to make this anime worth watching, what’s the point?

This post reviews: Magic Kaito 1412, Cross Ange, Sora no Method, Grisaia no Kajitsu, Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis, and Gugure! Kokkuri-san.

As I expected, it looks to be another busy season with a number of shows meeting or exceeding my expectations. This post will give you an idea of the predicament I am facing, and the fact that I may need to drop decent anime to manage everything this autumn.

Watching:

Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis

Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis is an anime with an undeniably distinctive and appreciated personality. Not only does the anime look original, but it feels innovative too, in its writing, characters and setting. The picturesque fantasy backgrounds, both interiors and landscapes, are marvelous, and it’s the perfect backdrop for a story about bounty hunters, demon summoning, and the ability to turn criminals into cards for whatever reason. Favaro is a remarkable protagonist, and the other characters introduced thus far are pretty decent, too, though not on the same level as our hero right now. The story is a little thin at this point, which isn’t abnormal, and there’s certain to be more as the introduction blatantly told us there’ll be an ambitious battle at the end with a massive dragon. Call it a hunch, but I’m guessing the dragon’s name is Fluffy Hugs. Bahamut is my second guess. The mature art style, especially the character designs, are strangely appealing to me and help the anime step apart, and step above, most of the other anime this season. After one episode, my primary curiosities are about how well these characters will be developed, how interesting or engaging the story will be, and if the animation can remain this superb throughout. However, those are details for down the road and my decision right now is one of the simplest of the season. Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis will likely be one of the best anime this season, and I am thrilled to be watching it this autumn.

Gugure! Kokkuri-san

You know an anime is effective when in the middle of it, I stop and ponder the compulsory question, “when was the last time I watched a pure comedy that was this good?” The answer? Well, we’ll have to wait and see how Gugure! Kokkuri-san performs throughout the season, but if this delightful anime is anywhere near the comic genius that this episode demonstrated, Kokkuri-san will quickly be one of my favorite pure comedies of all-time. And considering that comedy is my favorite genre, that’s quite an accomplishment. What makes this anime outstanding compared to the other comedies this season is how well it presents its characters, how it manages its chemistry between Kohina and Kokkuri and how everything feels balanced. No one character dominates the humor at this point, which is often what happens in comedy anime with a manzai style. What helps is that the roles are fluid in Kokkuri-san; Kohina and Kokkuri alternate between the roles of tsukkomi and boke frequently, so the humor is not controlled by one character and each scene feels fresh and humorous. It keeps you guessing and helps prevent the show from being saturated by one character and their brand of entertainment. It also helps that the jokes are well written and that the director of the anime is bringing them to life through ideal timing and seamless delivery. Furthermore, the art is adorable and endearing, especially with Kohina as a chibi character most of the time. It kinda reminds me of Kill Me Baby which might be the best thing I can say about this anime at this point. This is a no-brainer for me this season, and I passionately recommend that everyone give this anime a chance.

Undecided:

Magic Kaito 1412

Of the four anime in this category, Magic Kaito 1412 is the most likely to be dropped. The reason why it hasn’t been dropped yet is because the first episode felt unique compared to what the rest of the series will be. This episode did well in establishing the characters, introducing the story, and creating a motive for Kaito. The rest of the series, however, will likely be adventures-of-the-week where Kaito must steal something or do something as he inches closer to his mysterious father’s death (despite the fact that the shadowy figure he saw at the end is probably his father). And while this episode content works well for shows like Lupin III or Detective Conan, two shows that I’ve enjoyed, it feels like it will be hit-or-miss with this show. Sure, the first episode was fun and I am fond of the cast… but that’s about it. In fact, my least favorite part was the theft at the end since it felt very predictable and methodical. And based on my impressions of Magic Kaito 1412 thus far, that’s what I’m expecting the series to be for the majority of its duration. The reason why Magic Kaito 1412 hasn’t been dropped yet is that I want to confirm my suspicions by watching the second episode. There’s always the possibility that I’m wrong about this anime, and I believe it deserves a fair chance after having a respectable first episode. Another feeling I have with Magic Kaito 1412 is that if I had more time to watch anime this season, then I wouldn’t be having this internal debate. Unfortunately, one of the problems with watching so many anime is the necessary task of budgeting my time appropriately and dropping good anime that I don’t think I’ll enjoy as much as the others. For now, Magic Kaito 1412 is one of those anime, but it has a chance to prove itself with one more episode.

Cross Ange

Sunrise employee #1: “Say, you know what… Geass is popular. Valvrave is popular. And porn is popular. You know what I’m thinking?…”

Sunrise employee #2: “…go on…”

Sunrise employee #1: “I’m thinking we should combine all three together and make the most popular anime ever! And we can call it ‘Gea Rave Porn’!”

Sunrise employee #2: “I. LOVE. IT! Not the name… but the idea. The concept. The money that we’ll be showering in. Oh, and let’s add dragons. Everyone loves dragons, right?”

Sunrise employee #1: “Oh my God, this is going to be amazing! Everyone is going to love this anime. I don’t see how anything could possibly go wrong.”

Well… there’s quite a bit wrong with Cross Ange: Tenshi to Ryuu no Rondo. For starters, the anime is over-the-top, but not in the good way. Previous Sunrise anime like Code Geass and Kakumeiki Valvrave were over-the-top in a silly and pointless way, and it helped make these shows ridiculous and fun. They added to the enjoyment of these anime and helped make those shows memorable. Cross Ange is over-the-top, too, but not in the same context. Rather than being silly with its setting and characters, Cross Ange is over-the-top in its melodrama, and this causes the anime to feel strained and uncomfortable. The anime desperately wants to be edgy and in-your-face, but it doesn’t know how. Cross Ange thinks that stripping nude and violating the former princess Angelize will build context to her story and develop her character through the harsh reality of their world. But there are hundreds of better ways of doing this through legitimate forms of drama, especially since that embarrassing scene only accomplished showing us how far she’s fallen as a character. Except it didn’t… and it didn’t add anything of value or help establish how the world is shit which was already sufficiently accomplished with the military police taking the norma baby away or the death of Angelize’s mother. In fact, this over-the-top melodrama had the opposite effect with me, as I found a number of these scenes to be hilarious… as in hilariously bad. So then why hasn’t the anime been dropped yet?

The reason why I’m continuing Cross Ange, for now, is that I want to see where Cross Ange goes from here. This first episode was spent exclusively on establishing the setting, Ange’s great demise, and hinting that future episodes will promise gorgeous mecha battles (fanservice) against dragons (fanservice) while sexy heroines (fanservice) wear skimpy outfits that maximize their cleavage and highlight their asses (I’m not sure but that might be fanservice, too). The first episode is barely a representation of the series as a whole as we’ve only seen one character, Ange. The majority of the cast for the majority of the story was stranded on this island – probably posing nude or bathing or interlocked in sexual poses the whole time – so we really can’t critique the cast besides Ange and maybe her maid, Momoka. Currently, the story of the anime, presumptively Ange’s growth as a character and involving her experiences learning about the normas, their oppressed lives and the world in which they live, actually sounds like a pretty solid story. In fact, if this happens, Cross Ange might have one of my favorite stories of the year since I’m fond of stories like that. So with that in mind, I doubt the first episode really represents the series moving forward. It is important to note, however, that the series will still contain too much of over-the-top melodrama, which I ranted about in the above paragraph. Another concern with this anime that we saw in the first episode and is likely to persist in the series is the ecchi fanservice. Sometimes, ecchi fanservice can be a dealbreaker for me, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as some of the other anime I’ve watched or blogged. And that’s one thing I’ll give the anime credit for… it knows it wants to be ecchi and isn’t hiding it. It’s shameless in how it includes boobs and panties in every scene… and I was fine with that for the entire first episode until the princess was raped at the end. Also, I think we have enough evidence that the the art, animation and music will be well above-average for Cross Ange.

What I need to see from the second episode of Cross Ange is there to be some progress and some value to the anime. I want Cross Ange to start building up Ange’s character, to introduce the cast of other normas who pilot these mecha, and for the anime to tone down its edgy, in-your-face attitude. I can live with ecchi fanservice and can tolerate mild amounts of melodrama, but I want to see the anime move in a positive direction with episode two. I am fairly confidence and optimistic about the anime moving forward, and I anticipate picking it up for good soon, but I felt the need to voice my concerns, especially since they’ll be the foundation for my rational for dropping this anime if it fails to improve.

Sora no Method

Sora no Method had a solid first episode, but it ended up here due to one primary cause. The issue with Sora no Method at this point is that is lacks substance and purpose. Then again, just about every other anime does, but Sora no Method failed to establish what the series will eventually be about. Every other aspect of this anime is a strong positive – from the art, to the characters, to the setting. In fact, there’s already a lengthy list of reasons on why I want to continue watching this anime since I enjoyed the first episode throughout. But right now, I don’t really see any material or any meaning to what’s going on thus far, and I’m questioning whether the positive I’ve seen can carry this anime for an entire series. I know that as we continue, we’ll eventually get a substance and a story, but I can’t say that I’m entirely enthused with what’s transpired thus far and what the plot of this anime might be. I’ll likely end up keeping this anime based on the positives everywhere else, especially with the magnificent backgrounds, the charming cast of characters, the intriguing setting, and the cute art style. However, this anime could eventually be dropped if the story is uninteresting or tedious and I run into issues of budgeting my time every week, especially if there are better ‘Undecideds’ as more of these new anime debut this week.

Grisaia no Kajitsu

I’m not a tsundere (at least, I don’t think I am), but I have conflicting and contrasting feelings about this anime after one episode. Part of me was seriously awestruck with Grisaia no Kajitsu while the other half was severely disappointed. I am extremely impressed with the visuals of this anime, especially with its cinematography, its use of soft light, and its animation. Michiru’s introduction completely blew me away with how well it was animated and how we saw her energy visually and how alive her character was. That sequence of brilliant animation and cute reactions were almost enough to convince me to keep this anime, and I’m hoping we continue to see scenes like that with her character in every episode. The cinematography was encouraging with its shot selection, keeping the visuals in many of the scenes diverse, utilizing a number of different angles and making the anime more than just talking anime faces. The ecchi fanservice wasn’t bad either, though you always wonder if it’ll increase or decreases as the series progresses. To summarize, the sights and sounds of this anime are reason enough for me to pick up this anime, but the other half of me, the one that evaluates the content and meaning of the anime, strongly disagrees. The other half was dissatisfied with the substance of this first episode and discouraged by its cast. The story of the episode failed to excite me since it was comprised entirely of clichéd character introductions. The story should improve, but the first episode failed to impress me here. The character themselves all seem very primary and flat at this point, though the final minute hinted some degree of complexity or depth with each of the girls displaying some hint to the deep, dark secrets they’re hiding. Still, it doesn’t help that each girl is just one of the five standard archetypes of almost every eroge’s harem and that the main character is devoid of any quality. Then again, this anime is based off a successful eroge, so I suppose I can’t fault the anime too much here. Still, there are a number of faults with Grisaia no Kajitsu, and I want to see how the anime improves upon these areas before committing to this anime for good. For now, Grisaia no Kajitsu is here, but it stands a decent chance of being picked up if it manages to stimulate my brain rather than my eyes and ears.

Dropped:

Nothing was dropped from this list, though that should change after I finish watching the first episodes of everything this season and decide which needs to be cut.

This post reviews: Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de, Amagi Brilliant Park, Nanatsu no Taizai, Akatsuki no Yona, and Trinity Seven.

I am unsure if I will include any of the ‘undecided’ anime in my Weekly Anime posts until I agree to pick them up for good. This should quicken the process in which the first one comes out, though you can probably still expect it to come out weeks late like everything else here.

Watching:

Amagi Brilliant Park

Kyoto Animation hasn’t made a good anime since Hyouka. Will Amagi Brilliant Park break this negative trend or mediocrity for KyoAni? Maybe. There’s a chance, but nothing I’ve seen so far warrants listing this anime among KyoAni’s top tier anime. However, this will probably my favorite KyoAni anime since Hyouka aired in 2014 due to a handful of reasons.

If the first episode of Amagi Brilliant Park is any dependable gauge for how the series will perform, then there is no question I will be entertained. The comedy in Amagi Brilliant Park was outstanding, frequently producing a smile or laughter. The effectiveness of the comedy can be derived from two main aspects: the content and the delivery of the jokes. The decrepit and decaying amusement park, with a list of problems that never stops growing, was a constant source of delight (for me) because of how awful and disappointing everything was. As for the delivery, Isuzu’s deadpan technique worked wonders when combined with the outrageous theme park, and her style reminds me of Senjougahara from the Monogatari franchise, a character whom I am extremely fond of. The remainder of the cast played well, too, with Seiya and Isuzu having flawless chemistry and the minor characters contributing when necessary, such as the four elemental fairies. And though I hardly ever care about the plot in comedies, I am actually absorbed in this story and about how Seiya plans to save the dilapidated amusement park. As for the art and animation, Kyoto Animation has always been one of the more dazzling and impressive anime studios, and you can see the superb quality and detail in Amagi Brilliant Park.

However, I do have some concerns with Amagi Brilliant Park moving forward, specifically with how they improve the theme park. Although I expect a similar level and style of comedy throughout the series, I did find a primary source of delight from this episode being directly caused by how rundown the park was. I mean, once they improve the rollercoasters, the mascots are competent and the park is making money… the content of humor from the first episode will be completely gone.  Another potential problem is that the anime felt more like Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! than Nichijou.  One of those is one of my favorite comedies, and the other isn’t.  I’ll let you guess which one is which.  Still, I have confidence in the anime, and am looking forward to more Amagi Brilliant Park this season.

Undecided:

Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de

Another comedy anime, Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de barely accomplished the primary objective of keeping me entertained, but failed to satisfy me in a number of other areas. Of course, I’ve always claimed, ‘if a comedy can make me laugh, why not keep it?’, so why the contradiction here? Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de felt fine as a basic comedy anime, but it was lacking in other essential categories, especially in terms of its characters and its story. Additionally, the humor, for the most part, was broad and rudimentary, never really building on itself or working with its characters to create complex jokes on its situation. It’s another anime that’s too focused on the main character’s chuunibyou and other anime stereotypes, so I’m unsure if the comedy will continue on this trajectory. In fact, I’d say the comedy failed until Student Council President Kudou showed up. She’s really the only character I immediately liked, which doesn’t bode well for the anime when she’s not on screen… which probably will be most of the series. At least the art and animation are stylish and pleasing, so there’s no problem with how the series looks. The visuals of the superpowers were perhaps the most impressive, though I found the consistent art style throughout to be charming. As for the setting, I found their situation to be amusing. I found the idea of a world where the characters develop superpowers and use them to play with each other (rather than fighting evil people) to be unique and appealing, so I was taken back a bit when the series hinted at the story being about the literature club fighting other people (besides Kudou) and learning the origins of their superpowers. To summarize, I am a bit torn on the series, and I want to see if the series can make me smile or laugh when Kudou isn’t on the screen. If the anime can manage to amuse me or even interest me with its main cast, then it should be worth picking up for the season.

Akatsuki no Yona

Shoujo romcoms are often a weakness of mine, so it might be surprising to see Akatsuki no Yona here in this section. The primary reason is that the first episode doesn’t feel indicative of the rest of the series, since it was building the foundation for Yona, Hak and Yoon’s characters before the Kingdom of Kouka was turned upside-down. Or to put it simply, the next 11 episodes aren’t going to be about Yona living as a spoiled princess in her comfortable castle. Really, I have no idea what the dynamic or story of the series will be from episode 2 onward. However, I do have a great understanding of the characters, the setting, the style of humor, the romantic interests and the visuals. Each of these categories is at adequate or above, though none are notable or extraordinary at this point, so there are no issues there if I do continue this anime. However, I am uncertain about how the rest of the series will play out and whether I find issues with the characterization, the story, or any other aspect of the series. I was pleased with the first episode, but I don’t feel as though the first episode represents the rest of the series, and I can’t be sure if I’ll enjoy Akatsuki no Yona based on this one episode. If I enjoy the second episode, then I feel confidence that I will enjoy the anime as a whole.

Dropped:

Nanatsu no Taizai

With a surplus of fantasy anime this season, it’s no surprise that one or two would be cut. However, even if there were no other fantasy anime this season, I would not be watching Nanatsu no Taizai. The issues with this anime stem from a few key areas, such as the unlikable main character, Meliodas, the lackluster setting, the unimaginative story, the woeful writing, and the awkward groping (and here I thought anime was done with stupid groping scenes). In fact, the art style, which I found to be subpar, was the best part of this anime. I really could not find a single aspect about this anime that made it worth watching. Not a single positive to take away from this first episode. Well, I suppose I did find one afterwards… that I don’t have to watch Nanatsu no Taizai anymore.

Trinity Seven

With a surplus of fantasy magic/superpowers anime this season, it’s no surprise that one or two would be cut. However, even if there were no other fantasy magic/superpowers anime this season, I would not be watching Nanatsu no Taizai Trinity Seven. The issues with this anime stem from a few key areas, such as the unlikable main character, Meliodas Arata, the lackluster setting, the unimaginative story, the woeful writing, and the awkward groping (and here I thought anime was done with stupid groping scenes). In fact, the art style, which I found to be subpar, was the best part of this anime. I really could not find a single aspect about this anime that made it worth watching. Not a single positive to take away from this first episode. Well, I suppose I did find one afterwards… that I don’t have to watch Nanatsu no Taizai Trinity Seven anymore.