This post reviews: Parasyte (Kiseijuu), Garo: Honoo no Kokuin, Shirobako, Ore Twintail ni Narimasu and Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso.

One anime that won’t be appearing in these First Impressions posts is Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru. The first episode will air on October 17 making it the one of the last anime to premiere this season (the other being Mushishi Zoku Shou 2). I don’t want to wait another week just to fit that anime into this First Impressions post, so I will forego it for now and see whether I want to keep it or not this season. I doubt I will write about it weekly, unless it provides interesting or valuable content each week, so you probably won’t hear much about Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru here… especially if I end up dropping it.

Watching:

Parasyte (Kiseijuu)

I am conflicted with Parasyte. The downside of the anime thus far is that it strongly resembles Tokyo Ghoul, an anime from last season that failed to impress me outside some sequences of exquisite visuals. The two share similarities in its main character developing some strange mutant powers and fighting others for survival. In that regard, I am not enthusiastic with Parasyte. However, there are a handful of substantial variances between the two that easily puts Parasyte above Tokyo Ghoul. The most noteworthy is that it is already delivering in its coherent focus on the paranormal and psychological horror of Shinichi’s life… as aspect that I yearned for in Tokyo Ghoul that never materialized. Parasyte’s story revolves around Shinichi’s character and how he’s dealing with Migi living in his hand instead of focusing on the fight with the other alien inside the dog. It exemplifies that the battle was not the story, but that it part of the story expressing the ruthlessness of these aliens. And it did a pretty damn good job of expressing that in that scene, too. There is also a sense of horror and psychological distress present in Parasyte that makes the anime attractive, too. Again, I don’t want to continue comparing this to Tokyo Ghoul, but that aspect quickly disappeared and devolved into senseless, mindless action and violence and nothing more in Ghoul. The same might happen here in Parasyte, but at least there was an effort to the horror that makes me feel more confident in Parasyte. And the disconnect between Shinichi and Migi will help emphasize the horror more, since his little hand alien is largely out of his control. Really, there remains a lot to be seen in this anime, but for now, I am positive with this anime based on what was shown in this first episode. I can’t say I am fond of Shinichi’s character thus far, but I am fond of the situation he’s in, how it will test his character and how he will impact the story moving forward. I have no qualms with the art or animation, especially since this is one of the better ones this season, but I do have uncertainties elsewhere. However, my reservations with the rest of the cast, the other aliens and future fights are questions for the future and not of my initial impressions with this anime. For now, I have a positive outlook for Parasyte and am picking it up as an anime to keep this autumn.

Shirobako

Shirobako had a solid first episode thanks essentially due to the contrast in Aoi’s character then and now. When she was a member in the animation club in high school, we saw an idealistic and enthusiastic young girl who loved anime and wanted to fulfill her passion by creating anime. She and her four other friends in the animation club felt the same way, speaking about their dreams of working in the anime industry and even producing their own short anime for their cultural fair. We were able to witness the untainted love and energy of anime fans who want to work in the anime industry. Fast-forward to the present, and Aoi is an animation runner (much like Animation Runner Kuromi) for Musashino Animation, a small studio that earned its first anime as a prime contractor in seven years. Yeah… the real world can be quite a bit different than our fantasies. However, the subdued reality of her situation hasn’t dented Aoi’s enthusiasm or passion for anime, so it’s enjoyable to see how her character manages in such an unappealing situation. And the realistic problems that occurred in the first episode fascinated to me as a viewer, especially since the first episode was highly educational without succumbing to teaching us lessons or giving us lectures; it thought through example and practice. And, as always with the anime I keep, the art and animation are pluses. I am curious to see where the anime goes, especially with how the other three girls connect to the anime, so I am excited to keep this anime for the season.

Undecided:

Garo: Honoo no Kokuin

Garo has a fascinating setting, a fantasy realm where the kingdom pursuits and tortures witches, where witches hunt demons to save humanity, and where demons prey on the kingdom to fulfill their beastly desires. Add in a pleasant and unique art style with a liberal use of color and mature character design and you have an ideal anime for me, right? …Right? Well, right now, I like Garo more than I dislike it, but I never feel in love with the series despite being one of the most imaginative settings of the season. For one, the characterization was surprisingly lacking with virtually nothing on Leon or Alfonso, supposedly the hero and primary antagonist of the story. It’s hard to say how much I like an anime when two of the most essential characters are absent, though we did see Leon for a fight that was mesmerizing to watch but pedestrian in its tension (a fight against the hero in the last two minutes of an episode isn’t really a fight to begin with). As for the story, there really isn’t even one right now as most of the content in this episode was Herman’s exposition in the anime’s backstory and history while he was drunk and naked in bed. It’s really hard to make a proper judgment on the anime when most of the episode was focused on establishing the foundation of the setting and laying out the blueprints for the story. I will admit that there was one thing that bothered me which was the 3D CGI armor and the fights with the 3D CGI armor. It clashes with that gorgeous art style of the background and characters way too much. While I don’t mind seeing CGI characters for anime set in the present, the future or in space… it just doesn’t work out well for a medieval-fantasy setting. I think I’ll be able to make up my mind on this anime after one more episode, so long as it provides enough time with Leon and Alfonso to better understand if I enjoy their characters or not. The story also leaves me wondering too, thought it won’t make or break the series like its characters will.

Dropped:

Ore Twintail ni Narimasu

This is what happens when you write an anime about your favorite fetish. There was nothing more to this anime than the distinctiveness in its unhealthy mania with twintails. Virtually every aspect of the anime was about twintails, whether it was the fact that almost every girl has twintails or that every guy obsesses about twintails. And while I do like twintails on certain characters, I don’t like them this much, and I need something more to an anime than just a specific hairstyle for girls on every girl. Ore Twintail ni Narimasu couldn’t provide me any valuable content, so it is dropped.

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso isn’t a bad anime… it’s just not an anime for me. For me to watch or enjoy a romance, almost everything needs to be perfect: from the characters to the setting to the story to the emotion and so on. Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso fulfills only a few of those criteria for me, so it shouldn’t be surprising to learn I feel virtually nothing toward this anime. The only character I genuinely enjoyed was Tsubaki and her character is destined to be forever in second-place thanks to Kaori’s sudden apperance. Kaori was okay, but her comedy failed to tickle me even the slightest. Kousei was doleful and lackluster as a lead character, probably because his chronic dysthymia brought the whole episode down whenever he was on screen. I realize the anime is about him improving his mood and becoming a better person as he falls in love, so the story appeals to me. But like with every school-setting, romantic comedy anime before it, there’s a guarantee in unnecessary drama, a love-triangle, and rival love interests that frustrates me to no end.  Lastly, the musical themes don’t strike a cord with me as I have virtually zero experience playing music or knowing people who do.  I will say that Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso had one of the most remarkable visuals of this young season, so there’s no doubt that this anime will be great to look at for those who watch it. But for me, it won’t matter since I know I won’t be watching it.

This week: why episode 13 of Yama no Susume Second Season might be the best episode of anime of 2014, distress and worry that Psycho-Pass 2 will be a fanservice anime or a shell of its former self, examining why the melee choreography of the fights of Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works are so enjoyable, and concerns over the evolving comedy in Amagi Brilliant Park.

Best episode of the week (and maybe even the year): Yama no Susume Second Season

Anime trending up this week: Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works

Anime trending down this week: Psycho-Pass 2

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 15)

The storytelling is unbalanced in Akame ga Kill!, which results in some episodes being mind-numbingly boring, like episode 15. The issue with this episode is that there was a huge infodump in the middle where all that happened was dense backstory, brief character exposition, and laying out the plan for the next giant battle. Of course, with all that out of the way, the next episode or two will be nothing but pure action and fanservice… nothing more than sensational battles, charming comedy, and sexy female characters. It’s a trade-off I often dislike in anime, where one episode sacrifices itself by being all story-centric to make the other episodes around it more entertaining. To be honest, I enjoy an anime more when the two aspects are integrated together rather than isolated like this. However, to me, Akame ga Kill! is an anime where the story and characters are secondary to the entertainment, so I can tolerate such a trade-off provided that the fighting/fanservice episodes are significantly more enjoyable than the tedious and lackluster story-centric or character-centric episodes. This episode wasn’t the worst in the series, especially since it recovered at the end with the promise of a colossal battle between members of Night Raid and Jaegers, but I want to see shows integrate their material better instead of being bipolar like this.

Amagi Brilliant Park (Episode 2)

So… the comedy has slumped. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised since I predicted this in my First Impressions post for Amagi Brilliant Park, but the sudden drop-off between episode 1 and episode 2 is somewhat shocking. Don’t misinterpret what I mean here… Amagi Brilliant Park is still amusing and featured a number of witty or hilarious jokes, but it just wasn’t the same caliber or quality that we saw in the first episode when we saw the incredibly shitty amusement park for the first time. Additionally, this episode focused primarily on developing the foundation for the story by elaborating on the dire situation of Maple Land’s inhabitants and introducing an antagonist, Chris Tucker Kurisu Takaya. Again, that’s not to say that Amagi Brilliant Park is bad or that it’s on the wrong track – honestly, I believe it’s moving in the right direction with this episode – it’s just that the comedy changed so quickly between episodes that I feel a little lost. There is hope for me, however, that my ideal humor will continue in subsequent episodes with the various employees needing to fix up the park for its patrons. I can see that brand or style of humor continuing for a majority of the series as the amusement park struggles in its miserable, decrepit state, so hopefully this situation can salvage the rich and robust comedy from the first episode. If not, I’m sure I’ll enjoy Amagi Brilliant Park just fine… just maybe not as much as I hoped I would.

Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (Episode 1)

A successful fight in anime depends on competency in a collection of basic areas: animation/cinematography, choreography, intensity/emotion, originality/innovative, and significance to the characters or story. The fights seen thus far in Fate/stay night have been exemplary in each of these categories. However, what I want to focus on in this review is the truly remarkable choreography (and a bit of cinematography) in these sequences. The two major fights that we’ve seen thus far have featured melee combat, meaning the two sides are fighting with weapons at close range. A majority of anime will often depict these fights as turn-based, where we see the actions of one character first and then the reaction of the other as separate shots. To contrast this, FSN has selected the majority of its shots to feature both of the characters on the screen at the same time, meaning the two components of melee fighting – action and reaction – are performed together at the same time more often than not. What is challenging about this method of choreography is that in these fights it requires the two sides to be in constant motion and to constantly be reacting to the movement or actions of their opponent. In other words, the choreography must be fluid between the two, especially since FSN wants to show the two characters on screen at the same time (it is worth noting there is a significant association between choreography and cinematography here). However, FSN is brilliant in this regard and each fight features choreography that is both elegance and marvelous, which deeply appeals to me as a viewer. The style of choreography that we’ve seen in these first couple episodes is an obstacle for any anime, especially with the given shot selection of FSN. However, FSN has been truly extraordinary here and has given us some breathtaking moments already. I can only hope we see this pattern continue with melee combat since the fights that we’ve seen thus far have been genuinely astonishing.

Gundam Reconguista in G (Episode 3)

I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen (or ever paid attention to) a toilet being in the cockpit of a mecha. We saw the pilot’s chair convert to a toilet twice in this episode, with Klim and Bellri both using this unique feature. I never considered it before, but it makes sense to have such a facility onboard a mobile suit given how long these fighters might be stuck in these machines. And after thinking about that predicament, I can’t help but wonder what happens in all the other mecha anime I’ve watched…

Hitsugi no Chaika: Avenging Battle (Episode 1)

The first season of Chaika needed more Chaikas. Simple fact. No questions asked. Three Chaikas is a start, but it was definitely not enough. With the first episode of the second season of Hitsugi no Chaika formally introducing to us a new Chaika (Vivi), I can see that Chaika is finally addressing its most glaring weakness. Hopefully, we’ll be introduced to the twin Chaikas (the pair wearing black on the cover of the eighth volume of the light novel) soon, in order to increase the Chaika density. Oh, and if other characters turn out to be Chaikas, too, that’d also be great. In fact, I’m hoping that by the end of the series, everyone is a Chaika. Could you imagine how good this anime would be if there were a hundred Chaikas running around? But even then, that still might not be enough. However, the point is that Chaika is still adding Chaikas to the series… and that’s never a bad thing for an anime like this.

Parasyte (Kiseijuu) (Episode 1)

How does Migi fashion itself into metal objects with just Shinichi’s hand? Where does this metal come from? It’s not like this metal is naturally within Shinichi, where Migi just simply rearranges the anatomy of the hand to produce sharp metal in the exterior. No, it’s like Migi is taking the organic material of Shinichi somehow turning it into metal… and then back into a normal, fully-functional hand when it’s through. And while we’re on this subject… how does Migi talk when it doesn’t have lungs? And why would it even have lungs if its entire circulatory system is connected to Shinichi’s? Oh, I knew I shouldn’t have considered real-world anatomy and physiology with this anime… or really… any anime (especially most of my favorites).

Psycho-Pass 2 (Episode 1)

One might argue that Gen Urobuchi is overrated as a writer, but the first episode of Psycho-Pass without him was both worrying and frustrating. It was a resounding disappointment, a plunge from the first season, and Psycho-Pass is now devolving into a soulless, fanservice anime. Wait… fanservice anime? Yes, I mean fanservice in the sense that the content of this episode was meant to be eye-candy for the fans and nothing more.

Purposeless action and gratuitous explosions for the sake of action and explosions? Check.

A deadpan and stern Akane who is now intended to be the badass of the group (who now poses every so often)? Check.

No relevant narrative, questionable writing and superficial characterization? Check.

Check, check and check… sounds like a fanservice anime to me. But don’t get me wrong, as I, too, enjoy genuinely good action… but not like this and never in an anime like Psycho-Pass. There always needs to be a sense of meaning or purpose; otherwise, it comes across as emotionless and self-serving. Contrast this with the first episode of the original season of Psycho-Pass where we witness Akane’s idealistic humanitarian and utilitarian values challenged when Kougami exploded the criminal and Akane immediately disciplined Kougami. Where was the relevant characterization in this episode? Or even easier, what was the purpose of this episode? And bloody hell, what happened to Akane, too? She was the only character to retain her humanistic qualities following the first season of Psycho-Pass. Her character was much livelier, altruistic and enthusiastic during the first season… even smiling and humble in the epilogue of the finale. Now she’s some cold, unsympathetic badass? Are we just going to ignore all her characterization, her maturity and complexity as a person and completely rewrite her to be the champion of some in-your-face action series?

I had my reservations about the second season of Psycho-Pass when I learned that Gen Urobuchi was being replaced by Tow Ubukata. I figured the series would dip with a sequel given that two-thirds of the genius from S1 are now missing (Kougami and Makishima), but I figured that the anime would continue to build from its setting and introduce a new story that challenged Akane’s philosophy again. What I didn’t expect was for her characterization to be ignored and dismissed, and rewritten to be someone she isn’t in a shallow and simplistic anime that just so happens to be set in the same world as Psycho-Pass. What made Psycho-Pass one of my favorite anime is that it had genuine character development, expressive and scholarly dialogue, and an exciting plot that challenged the philosophies of its three primary characters. There was none of this in the first episode of Psycho-Pass 2, and I have a grim feeling that these elements will be forgotten for the sake of action and badass-ery. I pray that this first episode is a fluke and was scripted to thrill or entice the fans of the franchise… but dismal garbage like this had the opposite effect for me.

Shirobako (Episode 1)

There’s just something about a work-place setting in anime that greatly appeals to me. It doesn’t necessarily need to involve adults, like Shirobako graciously ensures, and it doesn’t necessarily need to be at work full-time either, say splitting its time evenly between work and school. It’s just a setting that has grown on me more and more in recent years. Now that doesn’t mean that every anime with a work-place setting is worth watching, with Denki-Gai no Honya-san being a perfect example, but there seems to be a better chance of me watching and enjoying an anime in some employment setting than most others.

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 13)

Up there with Ping Pong the Animation episode 10 and Space Dandy S2 episode 3 is Yama no Susume Second Season episode 13 for best anime episode of the year. Unlike the preceding two anime which need no introduction, Yama no Susume Second Season seems to be relatively anonymous or disregarded as an anime this season. A few quick searches confirm this claim, and they reveal a nominal amount of discussion or dialogue on the series. However, it’s obscurity as an anime has no correlation to its quality or its entertainment (or its education about mountaineering!), and the thirteenth episode was easily one of the most inspiring and satisfying episodes of the year.

What made this episode so outstanding, so remarkable is that it felt complete despite its multifaceted story and its phenomenal characterization. The episode successfully integrated three separate plots – star-gazing, firefly watching and Aoi and Hinata getting lost as children – into one coherent story where each element has a significant impact on the other. The episode was magnificent in how it personified Aoi and Hinata, how they thought about each other, how they acted around each other and showed the strength of their friendship, both in the past and in the present. The visuals was exceptional and truly paramount for a series of this nature, featuring a diversity of aesthetics that range from oil pastels (how often can you say that about an anime?), to a detailed, cartoony style and back to the traditional/moe art style but at a much higher quality and excellence than normal. Everything about this episode was perfect, far exceeding even my wildest imagination for this anime and delivering an episode that is captivating, charming and exceptionally beautiful. I could not recommend this episode enough, even to outsiders of the franchise who know nothing else about the series besides these two short paragraphs. Please watch this episode since it is one of the most incredible and gratifying episodes of the year.

Every time I attend Sakura-Con, I experience something new. During my first visit, the friends, panels and convention itself stood out to me the most. For my second trip, the social interactions were the most memorable of my experiences, though I knew what to expect and was able to manage my time better. This year, however, I did not actively plan out any new activities or experiences, and mainly rested on the idea to just see my friends again, buy some more art books, and take it easy. However, the most memorable experience for me during Sakura-Con 2014 was something I never anticipated…

When reviewing the panels this year, a particular name stood out to me from the list of special guests: Hiroshi Nagahama. Among his many famous works as a director was one anime that I highly anticipated for the Spring anime season: Mushishi Zoku Shou. Yes, the director of an anime currently airing in Japan was scheduled to visit for the weekend… and it just so happened that one of his panels was specific to Mushishi. I was not alone in this anticipation as the majority of my friends were enthralled in the prospect of hearing Hiroshi Nagahama talk about a beloved and cherished anime. So the stage was set for one of my highlights for Sakura-Con 2014, friends, anime, and the director who makes it all… but what I anticipated would be, something akin to the Puella Magi Madoka Magica panel with writer Gen Urobuchi and producer Iwakami Atsuhiro or the Psycho-Pass panel with producer George Wada and directors Naoyoshi Shiotani and Katsuyuki Motohiro, was not. No, instead, Hiroshi Nagahama had something much more grandiose and magnificent planned.

Rather than a standard Q&A session, Hiroshi brought with him the next episode of Mushishi Zoku Shou. At that time, the third episode of Mushishi Zoku Shou had yet to air, but he was able to bring with him a copy that was broadcasted to the attendees of the panel. Of course, the episode was not subtitled in English, but it was a remarkable and exceptional experience. Unlike most anime, where I watch them alone on my small computer screen, constantly battling distractions and taking screenshots, I was able to watch an anime among friends, on a large silverscreen without needing to worry about anything else in the world. But what stood out to me the most was Hiroshi’s commentary throughout the episode, where he described his work and the production process behind the episode. On specific shots, he would enlighten us to how they created the effect of the snow or the choice of sound effects. Others, he explained his emotions when reviewing the episode in its final stages and how this episode was one of his favorite from the manga. The director’s words and insight stood out to me as one of the most significant experiences in my anime life and created a lasting impression for the appreciation of anime from people in the industry. Even though Hiroshi is a director, far removed and elevated from the community he entertains, you could tell that he is still a fan at heart and that this is what he lives for. To hear that, to hear someone’s drive and passion for their career, through the medium of anime, is something I doubt I will ever forget. It was that moment that stood out to me as the highlight of Sakura-Con 2014.

Some will argue that sakuga is the pinnacle of animation. It would be hard to argue against that. Ultimately, sakuga is known for its unparalleled quality, its aesthetic ingenuity, its dramatic emphasis, and its overall impact. There’s a reason why sakuga is so revered among zealous anime fans and rightfully so. However, in an anime celebrated for its brilliant animation, it’s the exact opposite that frequently stood out to me as having the most effectiveness. In fact, it was the absence of animation in KILL la KILL that earns a spot in my 12 Days of Anime, or more specifically, the impression from Nui’s lack of animation. I want to bring attention to how her simplistic motions were a complete contrast to everything else visually in KILL la KILL, and how her animations were some of the most effective that I’ve seen in an anime.

First and foremost, this is not an umbrella topic that covers all of Nui’s animation; in fact, she had a number of impressive sakuga sequences during some of the battles in the latter half of KILL la KILL that belong in the aforementioned category above. It’s also worth noting that other characters were featured like this too, with Mako frequently taking this style during her extensive explanations or for the fourth episode where everyone adopted a silly, chibi art style. Nevertheless, this post is directed on Nui’s very simple movements. And the reason I am using movements here over animation is that a number of the most memorable shots were when static animation cells of body parts moved on their own. Whether it be her hands clapping, her head tilting, her body bending sideways at the waist, her arm elongating rather than swinging her sword, or maybe the most prominent, having her arms just plop right off after Ryuuko slices them, Nui was comprised of something more than Life Fibers… she was made up of an animation style unlike anyone else in KILL la KILL.

And because her animation style was so idiosyncratic, her character filled a unique niche in the anime; Nui fit in a role that made her feel different than everyone else in KILL la KILL. Her personality, appearance, and attitude were also a direct clash to everyone else, and the creators of KILL la KILL utilized these differences to make her special among the regular cast of characters. And while these three attributes worked well to make Nui such a distinctive character, her movements was easily the most effective means of transforming her character into something so memorable.

KILL la KILL is an anime known for its extraordinary and vibrant animation, so it may seem somewhat odd for me to place such an emphasis on the lack of animation for one specific character. But it’s the choice of limiting that character’s animations that made Nui feel unlike everyone else. The brilliant minds behind KILL la KILL made a decision early on to animate Nui in such a specific manner as a method of defining her character. Yes, Nui was crafted and developed to be a sophisticated rival to Ryuuko, and her role in the story is what fashioned her personality, appearance, and attitude… but there’s nothing about her role that means her animation style should be so distinctive. Instead, to make Nui reach that level of spectacular rival from a simple antagonist, KILL la KILL decided to make her animation style the opposite of everyone else in the series. And look how it worked for her character compared to the other antagonists of the series. Nui would be forgettable if all she had was her role, her behavior, her looks and her arrogance. But, because of her unique animation style, Nui quickly became one of the most memorable characters of the year and why I find her animation to be some of the most effective in 2014.

Cinematography is perhaps the ultimate challenge for a TV anime to overcome. Inherent of television anime are limited budgets and tight schedules, meaning that the resources and time provided are not enough to allow for the same level of quality that we see in movies or elsewhere. And while quality often refers to detail in the art and animation, such as more complex or frequent sakuga sequences, it also means an improved cinematography where shots have more variation and camera motion is more prominent. Since the production schedule and resources are difficult for a TV anime, they must rely on a number of industry techniques to make a finished produced on time, with perhaps the most recurrent being the use of shooting dialogue scenes using still characters with only their mouths moving. And in terms of cinematography, the shots are often flat and still, making it easier for the animators to anime with a consistent level of acceptable quality. However, this is difficult to do when the anime’s story or purpose resolves around the characters acting or performing or moving in complex ways. This leads us to Ping Pong the Animation, one of the most acclaimed and illustrious anime of the year, and its brilliant and artistic use of cinematography to convey action throughout the series. While the series was overflowing with symbolism, the topic of this post is primarily on its cinematic techniques that were some of the most innovative, resourceful, and memorable in recent memory.

What was truly impressive about the cinematography in Ping Pong was how it framed its shots during the tremendous table tennis matches. Every action shot felt new and original, even from the very beginning when we had dynamic shots that followed the ball’s trajectory between rackets. One of the most prominent cinematic techniques was splitting the screen, with each panel appearing like it would in the original manga. There’d be the swing of a racket, the strike of the ball, the ball bouncing on the table, a shoe slamming against the floor, an eye seizing up the opportunity, and the crowd looking on. There’d also be emphatic shots of the characters utilizing different artistic techniques. I touched on this topic earlier in the year, and how some the visuals of Ping Pong highlighted motion and emotion by altering the colors, oversaturating the shadows or employing ‘pencil lines’ to magnify the significance of a moment.

Beyond the shots were other dynamic cinematic techniques, including imaginative shots that utilized camera motion. When I made the statement that cinematography is the apex of complexities for TV animation, I had in mind scenes with camera motion. For live-action film, moving a camera is as simple as moving the camera with the actors going about their roles. For an anime, however, moving the camera requires redrawing the characters from every changing perspective, which requires a considerable amount of more work for both the key animators and the inbetweeners. Still, Ping Pong utilized a number of shots where the camera moved during the ping pong matches. Some of the most memorable were when the camera trailed the ping pong ball going back and forth across the table. Another famous shot was having the camera spin around a character as they moved into position, readied their swing and struck the ball with force. Ping Pong the Animation also employed a number of simpler cinematic techniques that are still difficult to produce in anime, including zooming in and out while the character is playing in a game. And while many of these great cinematic scenes were limited to sakuga sequences, it’s still worth noting that the anime places a heavy emphasis on moving the camera around for a number of its dynamic shots.

Lastly, there needs to be mention of the symbolism used in Ping Pong since it did impact the cinematography of the series. Although these shots weren’t as visually impressive as the spectacular scenes mentioned above, they carried a different weight in terms of explaining a character, creating an analogy, or conveying an emotion relevant to the story. In terms of cinematography, though, these shots helped diversity the scenes by providing variation in the types of shots, the colors, and the lack of action. They were like breathers between the intense table tennis matches, allowing us to take a break from the action and refocus our attention to what the match is telling us about each character. Remember, Ping Pong the Animation was never an anime about ping pong itself; the anime used ping pong as a medium for which to explore the characters, to define their personas, and to show them growing as human beings. These shots had a specific purpose in the series and were employed wisely to augment the table tennis matches by providing shot diversity and pauses between volleys.

For the vast majority of television anime, cinematography is a prominent obstacle. But instead of side-stepping the issue, like many anime need to do, Ping Pong embraced this challenge. And it succeeded magnificently. The cinematography in Ping Pong felt so rare and unprecedented, that when I was watching this anime, it felt like I was watching more than just a TV anime. Ping Pong utilized an impressive variety of cinematic techniques to give its visuals a refreshing, original, and distinctive appearance. And because of that, the cinematography of Ping Pong deserves praise as one of 12 Days of Anime for 2014.

Timeskips are among my favorite narrative devices in anime. In fact, if I were ever to write an anime myself, I’d definitely have a timeskip in there somewhere. Hell, maybe even two. Timeskips are a brilliant means to advance a continuous story between two periods of time, allowing the plot or characters or setting to transform radically without showing the unrelated events in-between. And that’s exactly what happened in Nagi no Asukara. At the midpoint in the anime, following a climax at the end of the Autumn 2013 season, Nagi no Asukara experienced a timeskip where everything changed. The characters, setting, and plot were all different between the first-half and second-half of Nagi no Asukara. However, there is one significant detail about this unique timeskip that makes it one of my most favorite timeskips ever.

Unlike most timeskips, where characters and events age the same as time progresses, Nagi no Asukara had a split aging effect that completely and fundamentally altered the dynamic between characters. For those who were trapped in the ice in the underwater village, Shioshishio, the characters did not even age a day between episodes 13 and 14. However, for those ashore or in Oshiooshi, the sleepy seaside community, the characters aged 5 years. This meant that the core quartet of characters was now split between their ages with Chisaki now 5 years older than her other friends. It also meant that the romantic interest of Manaka, the enigmatic Tsumugu, was now 5 years older, too. And let’s not mention that that’s 5 years more spent with Chisaki than with Manaka, Hikari or Kaname. And then there’s the two troublemakers, elementary-schoolers Sayu and Miuna, who were able to catch-up in age and maturity to the trio of frozen-fishies, further entangling the complex web of romance even more. Usually, when a timeskip in an anime happens, it’s the entire cast that changes, or at the very most, one character who stays the same age while the world changes around them. But no, for Nagi no Asukara, it was the entire dynamic of every character, even going so far as to fragment the relationships of the four best friends who were forced to commute to land to go to school. And even if that is all that happened in the timeskip, I believe Nagi no Asukara would still remain as one of my favorite timeskips of all-time. However, the transitions between episodes 13 and 14 were much more than just shattering relationships and aging characters differently.

Timeskips often involve changing the setting depending on the events that preceded the timeskip. Perhaps one of the most notable would be Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, where society and humanity were profoundly changed between the two halves. Another would be JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, where the world ages 100 years between Phantom Blood (Part 1) and Stardust Crusaders (Part 3). While the transformation of the setting in Nagi no Asukara is nowhere near as profound, it did provide a dramatic shift in the environments, the societies, and the purpose between the two halves. Nagi no Asukara was magnificent in how it showed the dichotomy and contrast between Shioshishio and Oshiooshi in the first half, with the two sides in eternal conflict over just about everything, from fishing rights to social services to even clear examples of racism. However, when the barrier arose, locking the fish-people of Shioshishio into a lengthy hibernation, effectively preventing characters from going between the two towns, it had a profound effect on how Oshiooshi changed in those 5 years. Perhaps the most significant is how the citizens on land changed their attitude toward Shioshishio, and how they transitioned from being in conflict with Shioshishio to seeking an answer about how to save their neighbors and return to a healthy, friendly coexistence. And of course, you can’t mention the timeskip in Nagi no Asukara without mentioning the endless winter that plagued the town. While the first half of Nagi no Asukara had a pleasant, sunny summertime feel, the latter half was defined by the constant presence of snow and ice. If the character dynamic, the age of the characters and the change in attitude between the societies weren’t enough, why not also have a visual change, where the two halves are the two most opposing seasons? Yes, the change in the physical environment was the first and most notable change for the timeskip in Nagi no Asukara, and it held an ulterior meaning which was alluded to earlier: the heated conflict was during the sweltering summer and the solitude, loneliness and seeking comfort were set in a harsh winter. For someone who adores and appreciates settings, I must say that I was amazed and euphoric when the timeskip happened.

Lastly, it’s worth mentioning how plot of Nagi no Asukara reformed as a result of the timeskip. While the first half of the series focused on the duality of Manaka, Hikari, Chisaki and Kaname, as they were forced to live between the two conflicting communities, the second half narrated the story of how those four would work to return their home back to normal. Of course, some might argue that the romance was the main storyline of Nagi no Asukara, and that two was predominantly different between the two parts of this anime. The delicate and intricate web that was constructed in the first half was transformed when new connects were added, relationships evolved and weights were changed between every string for every character. It was a massive upheaval that virtually redrew our initial pairings as matchmakers with new ideas for who characters should be with which… well, you probably already know what happens in romances where romances are as complicated as this. Still, it doesn’t change the fact that the plot between the first-half and second-half were very, very different.

With all these factors in mind, there is no wonder why the timeskip in Nagi no Asukara is one of my favorite timeskips of all-time. The way it was able to completely change the setting and the plot of the anime were brilliant, with how the two halves of the series complemented each other. However, it was the unique handling of the characters and how they transformed over the timeskip that elevated it to where it is today and why you’re reading about it right now. The way the series transformed its cast, its setting and its story are why I admire timeskips so much in anime. And while there are many other notable timeskips that have occurred in previous years for previous anime, Nagi no Asukara developed one that featured distinctive elements that I have never seen before. As a result, Nagi no Asukara earns a spot within my 12 Days of Anime for 2014 as one of my favorite timeskips of all-time.

Every year, for Day 8 of my 12 Days of Anime, I recall an experience where I gave an anime a chance. So far, my list has included:

• Giving a Bad Anime a Chance (Softenni, 2011)
• Giving a Forgotten Anime a Chance (Yuru Yuri, 2012)
• Giving a Disappointing Anime a Second Chance (Tamayura ~more aggressive~, 2013)

For every rendition of this tradition, I have attempted to cover a distinctive and different focus with each post. The first year was on an anime that I originally deemed bad, but stuck with it to see if I could salvage some entertainment from it. The second year reflected an anime I never gave a chance to, not even an episode when it first came out. The third year was on a sequel to an anime that I was frustrated and dissatisfied with and was originally planning on skipping. Here, for my 2014 version about giving an anime a chance, I look back at a greatly admired, highly acclaimed, and universally respected anime that I never made an effort to watch in my many years of watching anime. For Day 8, I will reflect upon watching Mushishi, and how that watching this renowned anime was one of the highlights of my year.

Mushishi was always near the top of my ‘To Watch’ list due to how I perceived I would enjoy the anime as well as the widespread appreciate and approval for the series. However, like most of the anime in my ‘To Watch’ list, I am never able to find the time to watch shows considering how dense my schedule is every season. I suppose I could always drop a handful of the lesser shows each season and work on my backlog, but it’s not like these lesser anime have no value to me, especially considering the social context with many other people watching the same shows as me and thus having a platform to discuss it. Still, the time was right to watch Mushishi with the sequel, Mushishi Zoku Shou, starting up in the Spring of 2014, so I blocked off some time and made watching Mushishi a priority.

Even though I fell in love with the anime midway through the first episode (I just knew that I would love Mushishi), the journey through Mushishi’s 26 episodes and the special OVA made me realize (again) just how important my backlog is. Of course, not every anime will be as captivating or appealing as Mushishi is, but the anime skyrocketed up my list of favorite anime of all-time, and laid the foundation for Mushishi Zoku Shou to be among the very best anime of 2014. Mushishi is a reminder of all the potentially great anime that I have yet to watch, that were recommended to me by friends or that somehow found their way to me through my adventures through the internet.

I suppose the lesson here is to put more emphasis on working through my backlog and find a means to balance those anime with the currently airing shows. However, the question is always what is optimal within the context of everything else occurring in life. If only it were as simple as picking an anime and watching it, budgeting and scheduling time for anime is often an intricate process that changes week-to-week. Additionally, with the time it takes to blog, it means I have less time available to go back and watch some of these backlog anime or other anime that are airing this season. In fact, one of the core themes among these 12 Days of Anime posts for me will be able budgeting my time and trying to find the best means of watching anime. And one of the success stories of this year was making room for Mushishi which is easily one of the best anime that I watched in all of 2014. Yes, finally giving Mushishi a chance after all these years is easily one of my favorite moments of 2014 and it earns a spot among my list of Day 8 anime. Now we’ll just see how well I manage my backlog through 2015…

I never watched an episode of Witch Craft Works when it aired in Winter 2014. However, I have a certain fascination for anime openings and endings where there are adorable chibi characters singing and dancing. For example, my favorite ED in 2012 was Kill Me Baby, with that unforgettable song and dance. The Joshiraku ED and Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita OP were also worth mentioning in 2012 for my 12 Days of Anime, too. With that in mind, it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that when Witch Craft Works first aired, I was positively curious about the ED song and sequence that managed to charm its criticizing audience and received a disproportionate amount of praise compared to the rest of the episode.

Really, it’s not hard to see why this ED became so popular. The song is upbeat, heartening and catchy. The colors are radiant and cheery. And the girls singing it are cute chibi characters who are happily singing and dancing through the whole… wait. Wait, what? They’re not happy and dancing and having fun like every other chibi ending theme? They’re what???

Yeah, so unlike every other chibi anime song where everything is jovial, uplifting, vibrant and funny, this ending theme has the five Tower Witches being tortured and executed in various horrific ways. However, the various scenes do fit within the theme of the anime, considering these are witches and these scenes are witch hunts, but it’s still bizarre to see chibi characters singing a J-pop song when they’re tied to the rack, being crucified, walking the plank, being immersed in boiling water or being burned alive at the stake. It’s this atypical combination of a likeable song with delightful chibi characters being tortured that makes this ED sequence so memorable, even if I haven’t seen one minute of the anime series itself. Still, despite the horrible violence against chibi witches, it’s a very sanguine ending theme which is distinctive among anime, and a significance reason why I enjoy watching it so much. It might be odd to reserve a spot here for an ending theme to an anime I didn’t watch, but it really is one of the highpoints of the year for me. And now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to watch that video again and again and again and again and again…

Today is this blog’s fourth birthday, and the traditional way I’ve chosen to celebrate this anniversary has been to reflect upon a valuable lesson that I’ve learned since the last December 20th. Of course, these posts are always a cover for me to needlessly post pictures of Setsuna everywhere, but the topic of this post relates to a previous post in this year’s 12 Days of Anime series as well as a couple of future posts that will appear later on. The theme between these posts is on the challenges and difficulties inherent in following anime within a dense, tight schedule, and the focus of this post is learning how to manage these obstacles and accept certain complications.

My ideal anime week would be one where I watch the most recent episode of every airing anime, am able to complete a weekly anime post on time, and am able to chip away at my backlog. However, I’ve never had an ideal anime week in at least a year. As I continue to grow older and assume new responsibilities, the time I have available to watch and blog anime grows less and less, leaving me with difficulties every week. Each obstacle then forces a decision, about when I will be able to watch an anime or write about an anime or even if I’m able to watch an anime or continue with a series. At times, this has led to episodes being delayed by weeks and posts delayed even longer. At time, I realize that I can no longer keep up with an anime and needing to delay watching it until another time… that is, whenever I can find the time. And though this happened occasionally through these past 4 years, I was always able to find a solution, and things usually worked out in the end.

This year, however, has posed quite a bit more in terms of obstacles to my anime life, and has led to a number of situations where there was no easy solution. For example, I’ve needed to drop more shows than any year previously, including a number of shows that I was enjoying at the time I stopped watching them. Perhaps the most noticeable, at least from the perspective of readers of this blog, is that I had to give up on writing my weekly posts for Autumn 2014 despite desperately wanting to talk about every airing episode of Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, Mushishi Zoku Shou 2, Shirobako, and Yama no Susume Second Season among others. It has been frustrating this year. It has lead me to even wonder about the feasibility of this blog and how well I’ll be able to continue this lifestyle into the future. But, after dealing with these situations and considering the various outcomes, I’ve come to a valuable conclusion that will help me manage both this blog and my anime lifestyle in the future. And the solution is actually quite simple: learning to accept the obstacles.

What this means is that I need to be aware of the random challenges and difficulties that will occur in each and every season of anime and that I will need to deal with them in individual ways. Yes, this means that I will need to skip a week or so of anime. Yes, this means I will need to skip a post or two or whatever. Yes, it means I’ll need to drop an anime with the intention of finishing it later. It means to understand that these situations will happen, and to not let it frustrate me. Of course, each of these situations will be disappointing, but they’ll be necessary for me to continue this lifestyle in the future. Yes, cutting down on blogging for a season and accepting that will help out the blog in the long-term. Yes, skipping a few episodes of an anime that really isn’t that great will allow me to keep up on another show that I like or one that I’m watching with friends. Yes, maybe I was watching too many anime and need to cut back for a bit until I have more time. These are the things that I never really appreciated until this year when I began to encounter them more and more and began to experience irritation and annoyance with these predicaments.

So while this isn’t the happiest lesson that I’ve learned while blogging about anime, I feel that it is one of the most important. It’s another lesson in budgeting my time, between real life, watching anime and writing for this blog. And as my real life continues to take on more responsibly and requires more of my attention, I will need to accept the reduction in time left to watching anime and blogging, and I will need to adapt to those new circumstances as fits. What I was able to do in the past might no longer be feasible right now, but I need to understand that, accept that and find a solution that works. That lesson stands alone as the most valuable of the year for me, and why I wanted to share it with you as part of the four year anniversary of this blog.

The anime specials that are included as bonus materials on BDs and DVDs are frequently overlooked and underappreciated as individual anime. Yes, these specials are certainly subpar compared to their respective parent anime, but considering their limited animation budget and restrained writing, it’s unfair to categorize these shorts in the same venue as we do with TV anime. In fact, quite a few of these BD/DVD specials succeed as genuinely entertaining in spite of these restrictions, supplementing these serious TV anime with lighthearted comedy and mild fanservice. And if you want an example of an effective and rewarding BD/DVD special anime, look no further than the Shingeki no Kyojin Picture Drama, a 9-episode series with the main cast as chibi characters enduring constant hardships during their days in the military training program.

What makes the Shingeki no Kyojin Picture Drama so memorable and enjoyable as an anime special is that it utilized the TV anime as its primary source of humor. Not only did this make the comedy relevant, but it was able to poke fun at the various aspects of the series that we respected, such as its story, its setting and especially its characters. Rather than relying on stereotypical anime/otaku humor, the content of these specials were related to events that occurred in the episodes or that emphasized a character trait, like Eren’s obsession with titans, Mikasa’s obsession with Eren and Sasha’s obsession with food. The comedy was balanced too, spreading the humor evenly across all platforms and making fun of multiple characters in each segment. The writing was superb as well, working to include the entire cast of characters from the military academy throughout the series, rather than just focusing on the main trio of Eren, Mikasa and Armin the whole time. Indeed, one of the most essential aspects of creating a successful BD/DVD special is to have awareness of its parent series and the ability to express satire through effective and entertaining writing.

Another significant characteristic that made this special so amusing is its chibi art style. Throughout the TV series, Shingeki no Kyojin featured a serious and tangible art style that was able to bring out the weight and brutality of its story and characters. Here, everything was cute and warm and friendly, a complete contrast to the realism that the TV anime strove for. Not only did it help make the specials feel carefree, but it was also able to turn one of the highlights of the series on its head with the chibi Colossal Titan. Yes, the menacing villain of the series was now a bizarre looking character. Even his incessant appetite for humans was nullified, and every time he ate our heroes, which happened every time, it was more adorable and hilarious than ghastly or gory. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect way than to have these comical picture dramas than with this chibi art style given how well it contrasted with the original TV anime.

The Attack on Titan Picture Drama is easily one of my favorite anime specials of all-time, and it should be used a model for how future anime specials should be produced. More often than not, the specials on BDs and DVDs are nothing too exciting or intelligent in terms of comedy or are pure fanservice, with female characters in skimpy outfits or ecchi situations with bare breasts and constant pantyshots. But the Shingeki no Kyojin Picture Drama is different than these lame or fanservice specials. They wanted this picture drama to be good, and they did put an effort into making this good. And it’s clever and witty, both in terms of its writing and humor. And as a result, it’s actually a pretty special special. And for being my favorite anime special in a long, long time, it deserves some praise and a spot in my 12 Days of Anime for 2014.

Have you ever been conflicted with an anime, whether you want to drop it or keep it? Of course, the situation occurs with every new anime season and happens more often than we’d like. Sure, the anime is worthwhile – either due to its comedy or interesting characters or a new concept or design… but then there’s a lot of boring elements too, like a lot of downtime or parts that irritate us. Or maybe the reason is that we just can’t keep with shows due to our busy schedules, something that I have as a recurring theme in these 12 Days of Anime posts. So what can we do if we want to watch only the good parts of an anime without all the bad parts?

The idea came to me when a friend and I were having a discussion over one of my favorite anime, The Tatami Galaxy. One of the prominent characteristics of this cherished anime is how quickly the protagonist, Watashi, talks, meaning that anyone who watches this anime will need to have a keen eye to keep up with the lightning-fast subtitled. So my friend and I were joking around with the unusual speed of the subtitles and mentioned that it was like watching any other anime at 4-times the normal speed. The statement stuck with me, and I was curious to try it out, to see if I could watch a whole episode of a normal anime on 4-times speed and keep up with the subtitles, and more importantly the story. However, I didn’t want to test it on an anime I was currently watching and I didn’t want to rewatch an episode since I would already know most of the subtitles and story already. Instead, I decided to try it on an anime I wasn’t watching, Maken-ki! Two since some people had positive reviews of the catgirl episode. And though there wasn’t much in the way of a meaningful plot (except the entire cast being turned into catgirls for comedy and ecchi), I watched the entire episode in about 6 minutes and didn’t experience any difficulties reading the subtitles or taking screenshots. I tried this technique again with a few other episodes and it proved successful each time, turning what I deemed as an unwatchable anime into something entertaining.

When Summer 2013 rolled around, I dropped Majimoji Rurumo after one episode, citing my frustrating with the cliché comedy, poor directing and thin characters. However, I was intrigued by the large cast of characters and was curious if the comedy would improve as we got to know Rurumo. I didn’t decide to pick Rurumo back until after reading positive reviews from some of the latter episodes, but I lacked the time to sit through a handful of episodes and keep my sanity, especially since a number of those negatives still persisted. It was about that time when I remembered watching Maken-ki! Two on 4x and decided to catch up on Rurumo the same way. And again, no problem reading the subtitles, understanding the story and appreciating the humor. The decision proved to be successful, and there were even a handful of episodes where I stopped and watched the whole thing at normal speed. In fact, after watching 12 episodes of Rurumo in the Summer (most of them on 4x), I found it to be more enjoyable than some of the other anime that I legitimately picked up and watched that season. Yes, it feels like I’m cheating when I’m watching most of the series on 4x, but I would never have watched or enjoyed Rurumo otherwise.

For Autumn 2014, I felt conflicted again over a handful of anime. One particular one was Grisaia no Kajitsu which only appealed to me through Michiru’s eccentric and hilarious character. I didn’t feel like there was really any reason to watch the anime besides Michiru, but I did not want to sit through the series to see a character who’s only around maybe 20% of the time. So, like Rurumo, I decided to 4x through the series and only watch the series for the Michiru parts. It hasn’t had the same payoff as Rurumo, especially after the series finished Michiru’s story arc, but I never would’ve watched the anime otherwise, so it a mild victory. I also decided to try this with Girlfriend (Kari) to see how the hell an anime would fit in its cast of 64 girls. Of course, I did not care for the content of this anime which unsurprisingly turned out to be banal, insubstantial and tiresome and that was the main reason why I would not watch this anime at its normal speed. Now, after 4x-ing through most of the series, I understand that the anime takes cohorts of girls for each episode and focuses on them as groups rather than just picking a lucky handful as central characters (though the main 5 act as central characters in their episodes). And really, I’ve actually enjoyed some of the comedy and a couple of the stories in Girl Friend Beta, proving that the decision to 4x through this anime was not a bad choice. In fact, picking up Girlfriend proved to be a better choice than Grisaia at this point.

Of course, the whole point of watching an anime at 4x is not to cheat through the series and watch each episode in 6 minutes instead of 24 minutes. Really, I am only reserving this strategy for anime that I would never watch otherwise. I know for a fact that I wouldn’t go back and watch Rurumo, Grisaia or Girlfriend at normal speed, either in this season or any future season. However, I feel that scanning through each episode at 4-times the normal speed is acceptable, and that if I don’t like the episode or the series, I can stop at any time. Still, it does provide an option for me that I never considered before for all those anime that I never would’ve watched otherwise. I’ve gone back and finished a few anime that I’ve dropped on 4x. It has certainly been helpful in terms of giving me an opportunity to watch specific anime that I have already dropped, and it has proven to be successful in providing entertainment value while speeding through most of the lackluster content. You can think of it as watching the highlights of an anime, like watching the recap of a sporting event instead of sitting through the whole game. Still, I don’t want to develop a habit where I watch more and more anime on 4x, especially if they are anime that I enjoy watching at normal speed. Nevertheless, discovering this technique and using it has been one of the most memorable events of this year as it has allowed me to budget my time and watch subpar anime efficiently.

A new year always marks a new anime season, and very soon, we’ll be enjoying a new collection of anime during the Winter 2015 anime season. Although the season is lighter than any since Summer 2013, it does feature a number of quality anime and promising shows that should provide excitement and satisfaction for the next three months. But what exactly are these anime that I am looking forward to? And which shows have I already decided against? It’s time to preview the Winter 2015 anime season and find out what’s in store for the first quarter of 2015!

The Winter 2015 anime season is dominated by the return of a number of esteemed anime franchises, including a few original offshoots of respected anime (Death Parade, The IDOLM@STER: Cinderlla Girls and Yoru no Yatterman) that will be mentioned along with the new anime. Returning this winter will be: Aldnoah.Zero 2, Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Crystal S2, Dog Days” (S3), Durarara!!x2 Shou, Go! Princess PreCure, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders – Egypt Arc (S2), Kamisama Kiss S2, Kuroko no Basuke 3, Shounen Hollywood –Holly Stage for 50–, Soukyuu no Fafner – Dead Aggressor: Exodus, Tantei Opera Milky Holmes TD, and Tokyo Ghoul √A. Since I’ve only watched a handful of these anime, I won’t be able to comment on every anime here. It wouldn’t be fair for me to form opinions or make statements about a sequel that I have not watched before and have no intention of watching this season. Instead, this section will focus on the anime franchises that I have experience with, and that I have an opinion on.

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.

Below are my plans for the sequels of the Winter 2015 anime season:

Aldnoah.Zero 2

Opinion: While I enjoyed the first season of Aldnoah.Zero, the anime was not without its flaws. Inaho’s character was particularly troublesome given his that his characters had a monotonous personality, and that his character was never really challenged or changed throughout the series. What I’m hoping for with a sequel of Aldnoah.Zero is some improvement on Inaho and for the ending to S1 to have some significant weight on S2… not just making a dramatic ending for the sake of having a dramatic ending and then ignoring it or retconing it when S2 starts up. Otherwise, Aldnoah.Zero is a solid anime, especially with the contrast between real robots (Earth) and super robots (Mars) in a single anime. With impressive art, fascinating mecha, and a bizarre story, I’ll be keeping up with the second half of Aldnoah.Zero.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Dog Days” (S3)

Opinion: Dog Days S1 was a lighthearted, inoffensive anime about a boy going to a land where everyone has animal ears and played with them. It wasn’t the best anime, but it was charming and cute. Dog Days S2 introduced more characters and kept that same carefree feel, but made the anime really ecchi with more frequently nudity and panties in almost every episode. It also lacked a plot and felt more like a random ecchi slice-of-life anime instead of a story about how a young boy became a hero in a fantasy world. It was okay, not as good as S1, but S2 had some fun episodes that made it all worthwhile. Dog Days S3 remains to be seen, but I’m expecting the series to swing back toward the seriousness that dominated in S1 rather than the fanservice in S2. I still expect clothing to be torn and girls to be embarrassed in their panties, but not on the same level as S2 which seemed to be all that happened. The series is mindless and fun, and so long as it continues to provide this basic level of entertainment, I’ll continue to watch this anime.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Durarara!!x2 Shou

Opinion: I have waited years for a sequel to Durarara!!, and now we finally have it. I’m not expecting much in the way of a story with this season since I’m not sure what direction the anime will go in, but that’s the least of my concerns right now. What makes Durarara!! one of my favorite anime of all-time is how well developed and interconnected the cast of characters were. The whole series felt organic in that each character had their own changing personality and they interacted with the environment around them. The setting was really something special too, with how deep and diverse the city was… way more than most anime which are just a series of hot-spots, a school and a home or two. Really, what makes Durarara!! so remarkable is the unparalleled level of detail and effort in the series, and that’s what I’m hoping to see again with this sequel 5 years later. I will definitely be watching this anime in 2015.

Plans for this show: Will watch

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders – Egypt Arc (S2)

Opinion: While the first half of Part III was a mild disappointment compared to Parts I and II, I feel as though S2 of Part III will return the anime to its formor greatness. The repetitive and prolonged patterns of S1 of Part III, with every episode being a Tarot-card named villain-of-the-week, grew weary with each passing episode despite some of the Stands being very creative and interesting. The first half of Part III was hit-or-miss with most of its episodes, and though it hit more times than it missed, it didn’t have that flamboyance and fabulousness that Parts I and II possessed. That and the lack of Dio’s presence hurt the series too, since having a villain that wouldn’t die that week would add some more spice to each fight. Still, those issues should be mostly gone with the Egypt Arc, and we should be returning to more of what made Parts I and II great. And though I did say that S1 of Part III was a disappointment compared to Parts I and II, it was one of the best anime of 2014, and I’ll certainly be continuing this anime for a long, long time.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Kamisama Kiss S2

Opinion: Kamisama Kiss was one of my favorite anime of 2012, so I am thrilled to see it return in 2015. This delightful shoujo romantic comedy was a silly anime that featured outstanding chemistry between its characters, especially its leads in Nanami and Tomoe. Based on the PV alone, it seems as though the anime will venture more into Tomoe’s violent backstory, but I’m still expecting more of that hilarious comedy that helped me fall in love with the original season. And is it just me or are these pseudo-religious anime about girls meeting various Japanese deities really popular now or what? Besides Kamisama Kiss, there’s also Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha, Noragami, Gingitsune, and Gugure! Kokkuri-san. I’m not sure if there’s a reason for a boon in this highly specific field of anime, but I’m happy to see Kamisama Kiss return since I didn’t expect this anime to get a sequel. I hope this anime makes the most of it with this second season.

Plans for this show: Will watch

Soukyuu no Fafner – Dead Aggressor: Exodus

Opinion: The Soukyuu no Fafner franchise started in 2004 with a 26-episode TV series with an OVA in 2005. Five years later, a movie followed (and according to my limited research, you need to watch the TV anime and OVA first before watching the movie). Now, in 2014, we’re receiving another TV anime that is a sequel to the movie. And while it is advised to watch the entire series in order, I’m going to give this anime a chance based on the PV and that I am assuming the series will be intended for newcomers given the 10 year difference between the original Sokyuu no Fafner and this Sokyuu no Fafner. If the anime is too dense and requires previous knowledge from the prior shows, then I’ll drop it, but I am going in with the intention of learning along with everyone else watching in 2014. Of course, the anime needs to be good too, and the PV is promising, but that remains to be seen. I’ll give the anime a chance despite not knowing anything about this franchise until recently.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Tokyo Ghoul √A

Opinion: The first season of Tokyo Ghoul started off well, but steadily declined and eventually became a chore to watch. The anime felt it needed to be edgy with its level of violence and gore, the main selling points of the series, and the characters and story suffered as a result. Tokyo Ghoul was also very shounen in its ideals and its fights, which is fine if it has a legitimate story or moral to it, but Tokyo Ghoul drifted away from those ideas in order to have characters fight for seemingly no reason at all. It really wasn’t very good, and if I don’t have to watch any more I won’t. I am done with Tokyo Ghoul for now.

Plans for this show: No dice

The following two sections of the preview contains a list of all the new, original anime that will debut during the Winter 2015 anime season, with the first section on the anime I am planning on screening and the latter section the anime I have already rejected. Winter 2015 is actually one of the lightest seasons in recent memory, with only 35 TV anime (including sequels, continuations, spin-offs, shorts, etc.) compared to last year which had 39 in the Winter, 56 in the Spring, 45 in the Summer and 44 in the Autumn (all numbers are approximations). Take out the 12 sequels in the section above and ignore the 5 shorts, and we really only have 18 new regular TV anime to review here. So considering that I’m only interested in 8 of the shows this season… that really isn’t bad considering that we’re looking at almost 50% of the new, original anime this season. So if it seems like Winter 2015 will be light, that’s because it is light, especially after the super heavy seasons of 2014. The other issue with Winter 2015 might be the lack of quality with the new anime, but it doesn’t seem terrible. Maybe top-heavy with Death Parade and Yuri Kuma Arashi taking center-stage, but it should be decent at the very least. For now, here are the shows I’m planning on watching this season based on my initial research this season:

Death Parade

Opinion: Death Billiards is my favorite Anime Mirai Project… yes, even more than Little Witch Academia. When I first saw that Death Billiards was being turned into a TV anime as Death Parade, I immediately felt a sense of gratification and happiness for the wonderful people that run the Anime Mirai Projects, also known as the Young Animator Training Project where the Japanese government funds bright and creative minds as part of Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs. Death Parade shows the fruits of their labor and their idea coming to life; they were able to find an independent OVA that has now grown into a TV anime. However, while the OVA is an absolute favorite, I do have some questions about how this will fare as a TV anime. I am curious how this will last for multiple episodes, but nevertheless, I am excited to find out. And for those curious, I think you can get away without watching Death Billiards, but why would you rob yourself the chance to watch one of the greatest independent anime projects in recent memory?

Plans for this show: Likely watch

Junketsu no Maria (Maria the Virgin Witch)

Opinion: Junketsu no Maria has the most memorable PV of the season for me given its unique track. Watch every other PV here and you won’t find another like this. Couple that with some eye-catching art and animation, a charismatic lead female (how many anime this season have female leads anyway?), and an intriguing story about a lonely witch, and this seems to be one of the most promising anime of the season. It’s one of the few anime that I am genuinely excited for this season, so I intend to watch this when it comes out.

Plans for this show: Likely watch

Yuri Kuma Arashi

Opinion: Kunihiko Ikuhara, creator and director of Shoujo Kakumei Utena (Revolutionary Girl Utena) and Mawaru Penguindrum, is the brilliant mind behind Yuri Kuma Arashi. Like his previous work, Yuri Kuma Arashi has a distinct and gorgeous art style with a flair for the dramatic and dreamlike. And while all three of his anime are sexualized, this one seems to feature it in a fanservicey way, at least based on the character models that were published recently. Each girl had their panties clearly on display, leading me to wonder if this anime will be both yuri and ecchi. The first chapter of the manga seemed to confirm these suspicions (yuri and pantyshots), so that might be a turn-off for some. Still, Ikuhara has done some marvelous things in his career with his previous anime, so there’s probably some reason for this ecchi eye-candy, and I do have high hopes for how the characters, setting and story develop throughout. This looks to be one of the more encouraging anime of the season, and I am excited for when it comes out.

Plans for this show: Likely watch

The Rolling Girls

Opinion: Rolling Girls looks both energetic and bizarre, a combination that might work well in its favor given its vibrant and detailed art style. The anime takes place in a fragmented Japan, with each prefecture now its own country and with their own leaders and mobs. What makes this setting appealing is that there’s bound to be more diversification in each location, and there’s bound to be a wider environment for the characters to interact in, rather than just Tokyo, Kyoto or some seaside or mountain village somewhere. The cast of characters looks decent at this point, but each has their own potential to grow as the anime does which is what I’m looking for in this anime. It seems to be a slice-of-life and comedy in an eccentric setting, so it should be fun to follow these girls around even in the absence of a detailed plot. Also worth noting is the personality of the series, which seems to embrace its fun and crazy self, and this matches well with its pastel, cheery art style. It looks like a solid and ridiculous anime for Winter 2015.

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Ansatsu Kyoushitsu (Assassination Classroom)

Opinion: Assassination Classroom is an anime about a class of students tasked with the responsibility of killing their alien yellow octopus teacher to save the world from certain and absolute destruction. It’s a wacky setting, that’s for sure, and I think that’s why it appeals to me. But beyond this fact, and that it’s an action comedy, I don’t see much in the anime that interests me. There is an OVA of this anime that premiered in 2013 that was alright, neither tipping it to keeping it or not, but I do wonder how the series will stay fresh after so many episodes. For example, the OVA was fun and worthwhile, but I’m not sure I would want to watch something similar for 12 episodes. For now, I am planning on giving the anime a chance, but I need to see where this anime goes before deciding whether I want to keep it or not (and whether the OVA was a reliable indicator for how this anime will perform).

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Kantai Collection –KanColle–

Opinion: I’ve never played Kantai Collection and know very little about the franchise, so I am curious of the franchise and this anime. I’ve enjoyed these girly military anime in the past, like Girls und Panzer and Strike Witches, so I don’t see why I shouldn’t give this anime a chance. Still, there’s nothing that says this anime will be enjoyable or meaningful to me, especially if it’s intended for fans of the franchise instead of newcomers. I am hopeful the anime will cater toward me and my interests, and hopefully those align with the hardcore gamers who have supported this franchise up to this point. The art and animation are surprisingly great, much better than I expected. The setting looks to be a little plain with its standard military academy and fighting aliens, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad either. I still need to wait and see all the characters and what the story is like before I make a decision, but I’m willing to give Kantai Collection a chance this season.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Koufuku Graffiti

Opinion: Koufuku Graffiti is about friendship and food. This anime appears to be a lighthearted comedy with a trio of female characters cooking gorgeous food that’ll surely make me ravenous every time I watch this anime. However, the question right now is how many times will I watch this? The characters and the plot don’t seem to be the highlights of this series at this point with the food being the hot-topic with this show. And with such a limited amount of information on the series, I’m not sure which direction it’ll go, whether it will be serious and focus on the girls or be entertaining with lots of mindless comedy, or if it’ll be educational and teach its viewers how to cook these delicious dishes. However, the secret ingredient with this anime might be that it’s made by SHAFT, who seems to please me more often than not. I’m interested in this anime, but I need to know more before I can make a decision… and an episode or two should be sufficient for determining what I want to do with this series.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Miritari!

Opinion: Miritari! is a short (5 minutes per episode) comedy anime with a strong military/war theme going on. The chibi art style does well to contrast this and give it a childish, comedy feel, but that doesn’t always mean it’ll be entertaining. Still, with 5 minutes per episode, it’s not much of an investment of my time, so even if the anime is subpar, it still might be worthwhile if it makes me laugh every so often. The panties in the PV might mean this has ecchi jokes and otaku humor, but hopefully the writing is fresh, original and funny to make this short anime worthwhile.

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

The IDOLM@STER: Cinderella Girls

Opinion: While I did enjoy the original IDOLM@STER anime, I’m not a big fan of idol anime, so the subject of this anime doesn’t really appeal to me very much. Still, it’s not like I won’t be able to enjoy this anime, and given the success of the original, I feel as though I should give this anime a chance, too. The series looks to have better art and animation than the original, which hopefully translates into more performances. I’m guessing the story will be similar to the original IDOLM@STER anime too, with the girls starting out as nothing and growing their way into fame and popularity, so something like that would be fine. I am a bit worried about the characters though, especially with how deep their personalities are and how well they work together. One positive with the original anime is that it was based off a few games already and the girls had established personalities and chemistry with each other. I don’t know if the same can be said about the Cinderella Girls, but it’s worth an episode or two to find out.

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.

Absolute Duo

Opinion: The anime looks plain and boring, and I don’t have high hopes for an ecchi light novel about a boy at a fantasy school gaining a super weapon to fight evil a magical girl and a harem and whatnot.

Plans for this show: No dice

Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei Bu Love!

Opinion: I lasted about 11 seconds into the PV.

Plans for this show: No dice

Doamaiger D

Opinion: There have been quite a few of these comedies that parody 70s anime, and I think these are intended for fans who are familiar with these original franchises. I don’t think this anime is for me.

Plans for this show: No dice

Isuca

Opinion: Something about exterminating creatures, but also being an ecchi rom-com at a school. And almost everything that ARMS makes is super ecchi too, so let’s just say no right now.

Plans for this show: No dice

Juuou Mujin no Fafnir

Opinion: Another light novel with a fantasy school and lots of girls and whatever people like these days. Whatever it is, it’s not for me.

Plans for this show: No dice

Minna Atsumare! Falcom Gakuen SC

Opinion: I’m not really familiar with the franchises being parodied, so I’m just gonna say no.

Plans for this show: No dice

Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata

Opinion: Some otaku that meets the most beautiful girl ever and she falls in love with him and then there are other girls and can I stop now?

Plans for this show: No dice

Seiken Tsukai no World Break

Opinion: Another fantasy school light novel adaptation… that’s three now on this list.

Plans for this show: No dice

Shinmai Maou no Testament

Opinion: Okay, make that four fantasy school light novel adaptations… at least this one has fanservice to make it more appealing. Still… it looks as generic and dull as all the others in this genre.

Plans for this show: No dice

Sengoku Musou

Opinion: I used to really look forward to anime that take place in feudal Japan, but I have no interest in watching Sengoku Musou. It actually looks pretty decent, but I don’t think I can force myself to watch it, unless quite a few of the anime above this bomb.

Plans for this show: No dice

Yoru no Yatterman

Opinion: It’s the 40^th anniversary of Yatterman, a franchise that I am unfamiliar with, so I don’t find myself excited with this new series. I’ll pass for now.

Plans for this show: No dice

With that said, there is nothing left to preview for the Winter 2015 anime season. All that remains is waiting for each anime to air to provide judgment on whether we should keep these shows or not. I’ll be providing my reviews and opinions for most of these anime in my **First Impressions posts** once these shows debut. Until that time, I hope everyone enjoys the end to Autumn 2014 and get ready for another sensational season of anime when the calendar turns to 2015.

I’ve been terrible with staying current on anime movies. As you can probably guess from how I struggle to stay on time with my TV anime and with my blog posts, you can imagine how difficult it is for me to be up-to-date on all the anime movies that air every season. And with my movie backlog continuing to grow and grow, I made a decision early on in 2014 to make an effort to watch anime movies this year… and not just the ones that air, but to go back and catch up on all the ones I’ve missed.

Rather than describe my reviews and opinions on each movie, the purpose of this post will be to evaluate this undertaking. In 2014, I watched The Princess and the Pilot, Puella Magi Madoka Magica Movie 1, Persona 3 the Movie 1, Sword Art Online Extended Edition, Sakasama no Patema, Redline, Voices of a Distant Star, and Neon Genesis Evangelion: You Can (Not) Redo. Not included in this list are a number of lengthy OVAs that were released in 2014 as well, though those were omitted from now since I don’t have as much of an issue with OVAs as I do with feature films. And while a number of these films are long overdue, I felt as if I was able to make progress on both my backlog and the current movies that aired in 2014. However, it is worth mentioning that I missed out on a number of other films that I intended to watch too, so this improvement is far from perfect. Still, I think the most rewarding aspect is that I finally discovered how good some of these movies are, and I was able to greatly enjoy almost all the movies I watched.

Of particular note is The Princess and the Pilot (Toaru Hikuushi e no Tsuioku), which I watched at the same time as Pilot’s Love Song (Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta). While I was enjoying the anime independently, watching The Princess and the Pilot opened up the setting to me, and it was able to put the TV anime into a better perspective and context. And though I do believe that Pilot’s Love Song is one of the best TV anime of the year, I found the movie to be far and away the better of the two, and I advocated for it on my blog immediately after finishing the movie. It’s just one example of how putting an effort into watching movies this year paid off tremendously.

I anticipate that I will be able to continue this promise into 2015 too, especially since my movie backlog continues to grow with no end in sight. And as I continue to enjoy the vast array of anime movies, I continue to find new ones that I hope to watch someday. This is a good problem to have considering that I am enjoying almost every anime movie I watch, and I hope that 2015 brings me even more fulfillment and enjoyment as the movies of 2014 did.

Every year, I make an attempt to determine what single episode of every anime that I watched that was my absolute favorite. For some years, the decision is easy, such as 2011 (Puella Magi Madoka Magica episode 10) and 2012 (Sengoku Collection episode 18). For other years, it’s a real challenge. It’s demanding when you’re trying to decide between a number of exceptional episodes with no clear choice. For me, 2014 is the latter with three candidates vying for the honor of my favorite episode of the year. And since I remain undecided on this evaluation, still mulling my opinions for each, I’ll present the three episodes here to illustrate what I am going through.

The first episode to consider is Ping Pong the Animation episode 10. For my review of the episode, I simply stated:

The table tennis matches in Ping Pong have been the greatest thing of any anime this entire season, with this episode being the pinnacle, the unquestioned best. Not only was this episode free of flaws, but the indisputable passion, the mesmerizing kinetics and the exceptional imagery were all conveyed in the captivating animation and extraordinary art work that made this episode unforgettable. It was truly a remarkable experience, and I am confident we have a strong candidate for the best episode of the year, too, with Ping Pong episode ten.

Pretty amazing, right? The episode lived up to its lofty expectations and remains a contender for my favorite episode of the year. The passionate action and overwhelming emotion in the semifinal match created an influential narrative that was supported through some of the finest animation of the year, with the actual game being the zenith.

My second choice is actually from the same person responsible for Ping Pong. Masaaki Yuasa, the director for Ping Pong, was the director, writer, and animation supervisor for the third episode of Space Dandy Season 2. For this episode, I opined:

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.

And now that I am at the end of the year, I am happy to revisit each, even KILL la KILL which did not make the final 3 that are being reviewed here. As you can see, I was already torn between a few episodes when I was evaluating Space Dandy, but felt the need to consider it among the rest instead of trying to make a decision then and there. Of course, there is one episode left to consider, which aired earlier this season.

A good majority of anime fans wouldn’t necessarily consider a lighthearted, super moe slice-of-life anime about mountaineering to be in the same category as Ping Pong the Animation or Space Dandy, but episode 13 of Yama no Susume Second Season definitely belongs based on its flawless execution. My thoughts on the episode are below:

Up there with Ping Pong the Animation episode 10 and Space Dandy S2 episode 3 is Yama no Susume Second Season episode 13 for best anime episode of the year. Unlike the preceding two anime which need no introduction, Yama no Susume Second Season seems to be relatively anonymous or disregarded as an anime this season. A few quick searches confirm this claim, and they reveal a nominal amount of discussion or dialogue on the series. However, it’s obscurity as an anime has no correlation to its quality or its entertainment (or its education about mountaineering!), and the thirteenth episode was easily one of the most inspiring and satisfying episodes of the year.

What made this episode so outstanding, so remarkable is that it felt complete despite its multifaceted story and its phenomenal characterization. The episode successfully integrated three separate plots – star-gazing, firefly watching and Aoi and Hinata getting lost as children – into one coherent story where each element has a significant impact on the other. The episode was magnificent in how it personified Aoi and Hinata, how they thought about each other, how they acted around each other and showed the strength of their friendship, both in the past and in the present. The visuals was exceptional and truly paramount for a series of this nature, featuring a diversity of aesthetics that range from oil pastels (how often can you say that about an anime?), to a detailed, cartoony style and back to the traditional/moe art style but at a much higher quality and excellence than normal. Everything about this episode was perfect, far exceeding even my wildest imagination for this anime and delivering an episode that is captivating, charming and exceptionally beautiful. I could not recommend this episode enough, even to outsiders of the franchise who know nothing else about the series besides these two short paragraphs. Please watch this episode since it is one of the most incredible and gratifying episodes of the year.

Yes, like the previous two episodes mentioned in this post, Yama no Susume successfully articulated its story, influenced and improved its central characters, featured grandiose and dazzling art, and did everything without any fault or flaw. It truly was a perfect episode… but was it the most perfect episode of 2014?

At the end of this post, you’re probably expecting some decision or celebration, complete with a podium, a trophy, confetti and an after party with cake and champagne. Well, if those were your expectations, I will only disappoint. As I mentioned in the very first line of this post, I only make an attempt at what is my favorite episode of anime of the year; it doesn’t always mean I am able to find that episode. Still, I would like to determine which of these three are my favorite, and I may revisit this topic at a later time, when enough time has passed and I can watch the episodes individually again and weigh their impact on me more precisely. However, that will be an exercise for another day. Instead, the purpose of this post was to highlight the achievements of three separate anime this year, and to bring recognition to the brilliance that lies within any random anime. And of course, it’d make me even happier for you, the audience, to go out and watch these episodes in case you missed any of them. I’d be curious to hear if your thoughts mirror my own on these remarkable and outstanding anime.

Art books are arguably my favorite item of anime merchandise (of which, I own 18). And Imai Kami is undoubtedly my favorite manga artist. So when the Imai Kami Visual Collection, Nirai Kanai, was announced to be sold in June 2014, I was positively ecstatic. For the first time, there would be a printed compilation of his various works from both Needless and Shirasunamura, as well as other works in magazines and online sources. However, there was a major bonus to this art book that made it even more unique and exceptional among its peers. Since its completion as a doujinshi in 1999, Imai Kami’s first printed work, the 330 page BLACK SPOT, was being reprinted and bundled with the art book. After 15 years, the work that originated Imai Kami’s career and was the foundation and basis for my favorite manga, Needless, was finally available to the public. Without a doubt, the Imai Kami Visual Collection is the best thing to happen to me in 2014.

The art book is an accumulation of Imai Kami’s professional work since 1999 when he was creating graphics and comics for Arcadia magazine. Like most art books, it features full page color images that are bonuses or extras were printed in volumes, concept art, sketches, and other behind-the-scenes work. However, this art book is a real treat for foreigners since it compiled a number of comics that are unavailable overseas, including his most recent mini-series in the Arcadia magazine from the past year. And when flipping through the 240 pages, one can tell the vast improvement in his art style over the years which is a testament to his effort and dedication to his work. It is worth noting that the art book does not contain any images from Imai Kami’s 4-koma gag series Katatsumuri-chan, which is odd considering that it ran for a number of years and produced 5 volumes. Still, I am thrilled with the art book and how much new content was available between the covers.

The other half of the Visual Collection was the reprinted BLACK SPOT doujinshi. Since only a handful of copies were available from its only printing back 15 years ago, the doujinshi was incredibly rare and very little information was available on it than what is printed on Imai Kami’s website. That issue, however, completely disappeared with the advent of the Visual Collection, making the work available again after the debut of his professional career. As one might expect, the art work is rough, but it has a distinct style, and readers can tell that this was the foundation for his later works, especially with how similar it looks to the early chapters of Needless and Shirasunamura. What is also very interesting is how similar the story and setting are between Black Spot and Needless, with Black Spot essentially being the storyboard of Needless some years later. Of course, Needless greatly expanded upon the ideas and concepts of Black Spot, not to mention changing the genre to also be an ecchi comedy series with lots of action and some gore instead of one focused on action and gore alone, and you can tell that a number of scenes and developments are similar between the two. It’s fascinating to finally see his earliest work, and to understand what inspired him before he became a mangaka. Not only that, but finally seeing the groundwork and basis for my favorite manga is something I will never forget for this year. While it may not be the greatest art book or doujinshi, the combination of my favorite mangaka’s work in an art book and his first printed work is a truly special piece of merchandise that I am very happy to own. Without a doubt, the Imai Kami Visual Collection is my favorite moment of the year and the way I want to conclude my 12 Days of Anime for 2014.

The first day of 2015 means it’s the first day we can turn, look back, and reflect upon 2014 as a whole. Today, I aim to present the results of my own introspection and analysis on all the anime I watched in 2014. I will present my final thoughts on the most remarkable, memorable and outstanding anime that aired in 2014 by revealing lists for both my favorite characters of the year and the top anime of 2014. So, how exactly will I remember 2014, and which of the anime that aired is simply the best to me?

A quick note before beginning: the lists for 2014 will have 14 characters and 14 anime because it’s the least I could do to honor 2014. Additionally, these lists are just on the television anime of the year and will not include movies or OVAs. Furthermore, it includes any anime that aired in 2014 regardless of when it began or when it ends, so some of the anime and characters from previous years will be making appearances again.

Top 14 Characters of 2014:

Honorable Mentions: Naoto Shirogane (Persona 4 the Golden Animation), Dio Brando (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders), and Akane Tsunemori (Psycho-Pass 2)

All three characters appeared in this favorite character list for previous years when their original anime aired. However, the reason they failed to make the list for 2014, despite retaining most of their strong characterizations and commanding influences in their franchises, is either due to their reduced roles in anime this year (Dio) or a significantly substandard sequel or spin-off of the original anime (Naoto and Akane) that affected my perception of them this year. For example, Naoto didn’t really change as a character for Persona 4 the Golden Animation, but she never shined like when she had her character arc or when she helped solve the murder mysteries like in Persona 4 the Animation. I want to take a moment to still acknowledge their place as some of my favorite characters of all-time, as I still have high praise for each. However, given their lack of screentime or disagreeable sequel/spin-off, I feel that they don’t meet the same criteria as the candidates for Top 14 Characters of 2014.

14. Inari Fushimi (Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha)

Inari’s selflessness and unyielding resolve to help her friends through Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha made this special lass one of my favorites. Combine that with her frequent comical situations and her bright cheery smile, and it’d be impossible to dislike this sweetheart protagonist.

13. Aoi Miyamori (Shirobako)

Aoi Miyamori is our perspective to the modern anime industry, were we view our five heroines maturing as young professionals while also learning the inherent hardships with anime. What makes Aoi such a remarkable character is how well she relates to everyone around her and how easy it is for us to relate to her. Due to her characterization, it is easy for us to understand her trials and triumphs as well as her passion for anime. Aoi is also extremely expressive, thanks to the wild array of reactions and expressions she has. She is a fun, optimistic character and an outstanding lead for Shirobako.

12. Saber (Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works)

What makes Saber so notable is the contrast between her serious and sensitive sides. In battle, her gallant and altruistic personality is incredible as she does whatever she can to protect her master, Shirou. But outside of battle, Saber is a thoughtful, compassionate girl who works to make her allies better people. However, in making everyone better around her, she makes herself the best character in FSN: UBW.

11. Aki Mikage (Silver Spoon S2)

Aki is a gentle and amiable farm girl who always wears a smile on her face. Aki might be a little dimwitted, but she is continues to diligently work on improving herself, her farm and those around her. Aki manages to make everything around her better, and her character improved in this second season by revealing some complexity to her character and her situation with the family farm.

10. Tokaku Azuma (Akuma no Riddle)

What I find impressive about Tokaku’s character is how she evolved throughout Akuma no Riddle. Her story is one of how ignored her duty as an assassin and fought to protect Haru’s life, becoming the exact opposite of what she was. We watched Tokaku develop from an emotionless, cold-blooded assassin to a thoughtful, benevolent person. And though she never really expressed her emotions, she you could tell she was happy with her new life. Moreover, this process was due to her choice, under her own willpower, and she labored to make herself a better person which is why I think so highly of her character.

9. Aoi Yukimura (Yama no Susume Second Season)

Aoi Yukimura was always timid, fearful, and nervous when trying new things, and throughout Yama no Susume, she retained these characteristics. Still, that did not prevent Aoi from attempting something new, and we saw her grow through each challenge. Her character development was rich throughout, and we always were around to witness her anxiety and share in her achievements. She even became more knowledgeable and outgoing and ambitious, and even made a friend in Honoka before the season ended. Aoi’s development as a character climbed to new heights in this second season, yet she still felt like the same character in the beginning given her chemistry with Hinata.

8. Hiyori Iki (Noragami)

Hiyori continues along with this theme of generous and kindhearted characters, as her role was memorable in Noragami for working hard to support both Yato and Yukine rather than solving her own problem of leaving her body for long periods of time. What puts Hiyori high on my list is her comedy and curiosity, how she was frequently in a humorous situation and how she explored the world of the gods and tried to improve it despite being merely a human. Also, that cat tail that linked her soul to her body was both innovative and very cute.

7. Najenda (Akame ga Kill!)

Strong and resilient, Najenda was a lone beacon of that stood for justice and integrity in a world drunk on brutality, sadism, corruption. She deviated from the norm, from her comfortable home in the Empire, and reinvented herself, making her life a mission to return peace and safety to humanity. Najenda is also intelligent, smooth and actually quite friendly, and works to act as a mentor for the young assassins she trains. In an anime thronging with characters you’re supposed to disagree with or dislike, Najenda was there for you to admire, respect and agree with. Because of how well she contrasts everyone else in Akame ga Kill!, I adore her as a character that much more.

6. Yaya Sasame (Hanayamata)

For me to enjoy a tsundere, there needs to be a balance between the two halves and more than just that one-dimension to their character. Thankfully, Yaya embodies these qualities and much, much more in Hanayamata. Despite her calm and cool personality, Yaya struggled with jealousy and dishonesty, was unsure how to express herself, took it out on her best friend and nearly lost her for it. As her story arc resolved, Yaya displayed outstanding character development and evolved into a compassionate friend that reflected how Naru treated her. Moreover, she continued to keep that happy and suave personality and continues to work hard to support Naru and the Yosakoi Dance Club.

5. Naru Sekiya (Hanayamata)

Remember that tidbit of Yaya almost losing her best friend? That’d be Naru. Like Yaya, Naru faced her own challenges in Hanayamata, which was that she lacked self-confidence, was always nervous, and easily frustrated. Yet, she was the friendliest, gentlest girl and loved everyone around her. Naru would always strive to make everyone around her better, even if she was afraid or didn’t know what to do. Throughout the series, she supported every character through their difficulties and she matured as a result. Naru’s story in Hanayamata is easily one of the best of the year.

4. Mako Mankanshoku (KILL la KILL)

Although Mako’s role in KILL la KILL was primarily comic relief, Mako was the only one to support Ryuuko throughout the series. From start to finish, Mako was almost always there for Ryuuko to fall back on. Her blissful, optimistic personality was always the right ingredient to push Ryuuko in the right direction, and her encouragement was integral to the success of the anime. Additionally, Mako had some significant roles later in the anime, which is a reflection of her admiration for Ryuuko. This is what a supporting character should be like in an anime, both in terms of their role as backing, as friends and as comic relief.

3. Joseph Joestar (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders)

They took the best JoJo and made him even better in Part III. Even though Joseph Joestar was spectacular as the protagonist in Battle Tendency, his supporting role in Stardust Crusaders made him even more enjoyable. Joseph still retains some of his childish charm from the first anime, but he now is the rock for Jotaro and the others. Joseph is now wiser, more sensible and even more cunning than he was before. Additionally, his humor has evolved greatly, especially with his trademark exclamations in English. Joseph was always a beloved character, but now he is so much more. I am eager to see what happens to him in Egypt, especially since it will do more to his character in relation to his role in the story.

2. Ginko (Mushishi Zoku Shou)

Ginko is a phenomenal person with such meticulous detail in his character. Everything from his clothes to his tobacco to his hair and one green eye and his life have all been described and detailed somewhere in this series. Additionally, he represented more than just himself, symbolizing the transition of an evolving Japan. Additionally, his philanthropic personality as a mushishi allows him to positively affect the lives of society, diagnosing a person’s ailment and providing them the means to fix their problems. Ginko is truly inspiration as a character and a significant reason why Mushishi is one of the most beloved and celebrated anime of all-time.

1. Ryuuko Matoi (KILL la KILL)

Ryuuko continued to develop as one of my favorite characters of all-time in the latter half of KILL la KILL. With the second half of the anime, we understood more about her character, and how she continued to be lost and contradict herself, even becoming the enemy she was attempting to defeat. However, as she fought through her battles and was supported by those around her, Ryuuko finally found harmony in herself. Ryuuko ultimately became the person she always wanted to become, and we saw her display this new, positive persona in the KILL la KILL OVA. Combine that with everything else I wrote about her yesteryear, and it’s actually quite straightforward as to why Ryuuko is one of my favorite characters of all-time.

Favorite OP and ED of 2014:

OP: Yama no Susume Second Season OP1 (Natsuiro no Present [Summer-Colored Present])

Of all the anime openings this year, Yama no Susume Second Season OP1 has the best combination of song and visuals. While there is more than handful for my favorite OP song of the year, none even compare to the sensational colors, animation and themes present in this OP. The OP does an outstanding job of representing this remarkable anime, and its catchy, upbeat song does well to mirror the enthusiasm of the girls as they set off on their outdoor adventures.

ED: Witch Craft Works ED (Witch Activity)

Were you expecting anything else? After writing about the Witch Craft Works ED for my 12 Days of Anime post, is there any surprise to see it here? While it is true that I never watched any of the TV anime, the ED is so endearing and cute that I can’t help but listen to it over and over again. There were a few other EDs to consider here, but not brought the same level of enjoyment as this one.

Top 14 Anime of 2014:

Honorable Mention: Silver Spoon S2

Silver Spoon S2 is exactly 15th on my list (the only anime that I ranked a 9 to miss this list), so it’s very fitting to see it here as the honorable mention for 2014. The primary reason why I wanted to include it here over some notable movie or OVA is that I found this second season to be a significant improvement from the first, principally in how Hachiken’s character matured, how the events of the episodes was more challenging, and how the content of the stories affected the characters. The leap from S1 to S2 is one of the greatest in all anime for me.

14. Noragami

A pleasant blend of rich comedy and charming characters made Noragami a delightful anime for 2014. What made this anime memorable, and one of the most impressive shows of the year, is the dazzling chemistry between the main characters, Hiyori, Yato and Yukine, and how all three brought a different personality and perspective to both amusing and severe situations. The drama and story had some weaknesses, and the romance was nothing special, but they did little to really detract from the overall enjoyment of the series.

13. Aldnoah.Zero

Aldnoah.Zero had its faults, sure, but the anime developed and continued a distinctive theme throughout, both for its story and characters. It also impressed with its depiction of real robots fighting against super robots, making it one of the few anime to combine the two. These exceptionally different fields within the mecha genre provided a great contrast between the two armies, and it helped show the resourcefulness of Inaho. However, given that Inaho never changed, that most of the cast was underutilized, and that the action scenes were mediocre, Aldnoah.Zero places low on this list despite some of the best ideas and concepts of the year.

12. Space Dandy

Every episode was a unique adventure, leading the anime to fluctuate wildly between highs and lows. However, the finale did a marvelous job of unifying each individual story and provided an acceptable answer to why every thing was everything in Space Dandy. Furthermore, the artistic creativity and exceptional storytelling for most episodes made this anime one of the most unforgettable of 2014. I wouldn’t mind more projects like or Sengoku Collection this in the near future.

11. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders

Although Stardust Crusaders is a step down from Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure continues to impress in all major phases: art, characters, entertainment, setting, story, and sound. Of particular note is how the series managed to stay diverse in how it utilized each Stand despite repeating the same story pattern for a majority of its run across two seasons. The anime depended heavily on each Stand and each story, but the anime was consistently great with only a few episodes dropping to merely ‘good’. Still, I expected more after the success of S1, and I’m curious to see how this anime improves with the Egypt Arc beginning in January 2015.

10. Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha

Easily one of the biggest surprises of the year, Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha was notable thanks to its lead character, Inari Fushimi, and some of the best comedy of the year. Inari’s unyielding dedication to helping her friends and strangers was a bright spot in each episode, especially as she continued to mess things up and make situations even more awkward given her ability to transform into other people. Still, you couldn’t help but cheer for Inari and how much she cared for everyone around her. The setting was enchanting, the stories were thorough, and the characters beautifully detailed and developed, but I think the humor and amusement are what I’ll remember first when thinking back to Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha.

9. Shirobako

Shirobako is a brilliant anime that embraces realism in its story, characters and setting. And while the anime follows the lives of five friends trying to survive in the difficult animation industry, their struggles and challenges are very relatable to anyone who is beginning a new career. Shirobako allows the audience to laugh, cry, empathize and understand its characters, which is truly a marvel for both its content and characterization. Shirobako is also an outstanding ambassador for the animation industry and provides educational context within its stories. Fortunately for us, this is not the end of Shirobako as the anime will continue into 2015. Still, the 12 episodes we received in 2014 are easily one of the best of the year, and there is a good chance that it will be one of the best in 2015, too.

8. Yama no Susume Second Season

Yama no Susume Second Season turned a pleasant short about mountaineering into a charming, encouraging and satisfying anime about attempting new things, friendship, and growing-up. To me, most of the appeal of Yama no Susume was watching Aoi face her fears, try something new, experience a setback and actually work to overcome her challenges. However, what raised the series to prominence is how the anime handled the climb up Mt. Fuji and the episodes after the descent. The anime always had a high level of entertainment and education, and each story was crafted for the audience to have fun, learn something new, and watch these four girls grow up and grow closer together. With the anime introducing Honoka at the end and with Mt. Fuji still unresolved, I am hoping for another season sometime soon. Yama no Susume is a beautiful and gratifying anime, and I am can’t wait for it to continue.

7. Hanayamata

Hanayamata was spectacular in every category, but its charm, chemistry, and its utilization of its characters made it one of the best anime of 2014. Hanayamata has a fantastically special and exceptional identity thanks to its uplifting characters, heartwarming aesthetics, and Naru continuously striving to improve herself and inspire others around her. The chemistry between the characters was perfect, as each would support another through their hardships, and there was balance with their different personalities. However, my favorite part is that all six characters had their own convincing and distinctive stories intertwine with each other, and each of their conflicts were appropriately resolved throughout the series. And all this without once mentioning its matchless setting on yosakoi dance, its elegant dancing animations, its meticulous dedication to details and motifs, and its delightful comedy with chibi characterizations. Don’t get me wrong, Hanayamata is an anime about cute girls doing cute things, but you’d hardly notice given that the anime is so rich, so powerful, so expressive, and so remarkable.

6. Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta (Pilot’s Love Song)

The setting is the foundation for every anime, and Toaru Hikuushi e no Koiuta had perhaps the most striking, picturesque, imaginative and comprehensive setting of the year. However, what elevates Pilot’s Love Song to the pinnacle of settings is that it is enriched by its connected with other works, including one of my favorite anime movies of all-time, Toaru Hikuushi e no Tsukioku (The Princess and the Pilot), and two other novels on other pilots in this world. And built from this setting is a very solid anime, about a story of friendship, discovery, betrayal, and romance with a pleasant cast of students going into war. The anime did have a number of setbacks, including some dreadful art/animation, awkward pacing and storytelling clichés, but the anime was innovative with its content and featured countless elements that I adore in an anime. I am very fortunate to have watched this anime in 2014, and I strongly recommend both this and The Princess and the Pilot to any and every fan of anime.

5. Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works

Since I am new to Fate/stay night, I am unspoiled to its characters, the mechanics of this world, its setting and its story. For someone naïve to the franchise, I have been constantly intrigued and engaged with the story which is why FSN: UBW ranks so highly. However, the art is breath-taking and unparalleled this year, especially with its serene backgrounds and elaborate prop design (the best prop design I have ever seen in an anime). The battle animation is unsurpassed too, with each battle feeling overwhelming in terms of significance. The fights are so beautifully choreographed and precise that even the fights alone, with no context to the story or characters, would be among the top anime of the year. It’s also worth mentioning how interesting the Holy Grail War is to me with each master and servant. The only aspect keeping this anime from being higher is that there are lulls in the series when the dialogues and conversations seemingly last forever. Still, without a doubt, FSN: UBW is one of my favorite anime of 2014, and I’m excited to see it continue in 2015.

4. Ping Pong the Animation

Ping Pong the Animation is an incredibly cerebral and visionary anime that marries artistic symbolism with a methodical story. Everything in Ping Pong is clear and calculated, and the characters and story slowly evolve naturally around the five primary characters. The maturity of the characters is truly inspiration. Ping Pong also featured some of the most remarkable animation this season with the matches having unequaled cinematography, utilizing the camera like no other anime this year. The anime was often both exhilarating and mentally-stimulating, making it delightful for people who enjoy artsy anime and those who enjoy entertaining anime. No question, Ping Pong is simply one of the best anime that aired in 2014.

3. Nagi no Asukara

I frequently claim that romance is my least favorite genre in anime, but that’s more a critique about the quality of romance in anime than how I truly feel about the genre. Nagi no Asukara embodies all the correct qualities in a romance anime, which are conflict, emotion, comedy, and an overarching story beyond the romance that its grounded in or related to the romance. In a sense, Nagi no Asukara is one of the few perfect romances for me. The anime successfully narrated a story for each of the 7 primary characters, with each having an influence on each other and having a significant impact on the overall story. The setting, an amalgamation of two passionate, yet conflicting societies, a graceful and violent mythology, and a timeskip that completely altered the dynamic of the story and characters, is absolutely one of the best this year. Oh yes, and the scenic backgrounds throughout were truly a delight for my eyes. Nagi no Asukara is an incredible anime that helped reawaken my attention for romance anime.

2. Mushishi Zoku Shou

Mushishi Zoku Shou is a model of consistency, in that every episode demonstrates an astounding quality in its narrative, storytelling and themes. Mushishi Zoku Shou is masterful with its stories, not only being very eloquent with its characters, but relating their own personal struggles with the supernatural mushi of the week. Every episode is poetic and expressive, and every story is enjoyable to watch as it unfolds. Ginko’s kindheartedness and knowledge are particularly fascinating, since he provides each patient with the method to cure their ailment without doing everything himself (although sometimes, he pretty much does all the hard work). There’s also that level of mysticism and fantasy that makes every episode enchanting, and the setting is a personal favorite with its structureless world and scenic landscapes. What helped bump this sequel above the original for me is that I felt the content of the stories were improved, and the art took a step in the right direction. Thanks to Mushishi Zoku Shou, this franchise has quickly become a favorite of mine and is now one of my top anime of all-time.

1. KILL la KILL

Is there any surprise to see KILL la KILL as the top anime of 2014? KILL la KILL is everything I love about anime. With its unrelenting passion and unquenchable vitality, KILL la KILL was brimming with emotion in every episode, and it was illustrated through its glorious animation. The action was beyond ideal, with so many fights performed with so much energy. Its personality is highly explicit and unique to anime, and every episode exemplified its uncommon style, in terms of its characters, its visuals, its story and comedy. Yes, there are faults with this anime, like with every anime, but it excelled more than anything else in recent memory to me thanks to these points. The experience of watching KILL la KILL is unbelievable and one that I will truly cherish. Yes, without a doubt, KILL la KILL is the top anime of 2014 for me and safely within my top anime of all-time.

This post reviews: Yuri Kuma Arashi, Kantai Collection (KanColle), Junketsu no Maria (Maria the Virgin Witch), and Koufuku Graffiti.

Since this season is light in terms of new anime, and there aren’t too many shows I am planning on watching this season, there will only be 2 installments of my first impressions posts. Since the anime in these posts are always grouped by the dates they are released, I think all that will be needed are two for Winter 2015.

Watching:

Yuri Kuma Arashi

The highlights of Yuri Kuma Arashi are its storytelling and its visual presentation. The execution in this first episode was brilliant, and helped lay the foundation for what should be an intriguing story about love between two conflicting and divided sides. In terms of the characterization, there isn’t much to say beyond identifying each girl’s primary personality, but it’s how they’ll change that will intrigue me. The content of the first episode did little to inspire me, but the storytelling was remarkable in how it constructed this delicate situation. But perhaps the most imposing fact about this first episode is its visuals. It won’t have the best art or animation this season, but its cinematography was superb in how it diversified its shots and scenes. A great example of this is how it positioned its characters with Ginko and Lulu were walking down the spiral staircase. In all, about what I expected given the pedigree of the production staff, though I will admit that I am not as enthused on this anime as I originally thought.

Kantai Collection (KanColle)

I might have a think for military-themed, all-girls anime like Strike Witches, Girls und Panzer, and now Kantai Collection. What immediately stood out to me with this first episode was the duration and quality of these naval battles. It helped that the 3D animation was both gorgeous and smooth, but it was the length and complexity of the battle (18 ships were shown, not to mention countless Zeros) is what I’ll remember the most from this first episode. Unfortunately, I don’t know how often the anime will be able to present naval warfare like this, but at least it was a demonstration of its skills, and it provides me with some hope for a grand finale. With regards to its cast, I’m conflicted. In a sense, I’m happy to see a diverse cast of characters, but the breadth combined with the short course of the anime means each girl will be shallow or one-dimensional except the handful of primary characters like Fubuki, Yuudachi, and some of the aircraft characters. I wish I could see each character developed, but they’d need to make KanColle about 100 episodes for that to happen. Hopefully the anime focuses on some of the more interesting characters. The content of the first episode was a bit of a cliché, but that weakness was fortified by its distinctive setting. Sure, outside the naval themes and alien invaders, it’s pretty much a school setting, slice-of-life anime, but that is never a negative if those aspects are performed well. And, well… the school aspects in this first episode were satisfactory. It wasn’t anything exceptional, but it wasn’t anything terrible either. I’m looking forward to seeing how this anime develops, though I expect the content in the next few episodes to be primarily on school and mock battles against other girls. I am kinda curious if the anime will ever have a beach episode…

Junketsu no Maria (Maria the Virgin Witch)

From the creator of Moyashimon, comes Junketsu no Maria, an anime about a witch who hates warfare in medieval France. But perhaps more significant than the story are the underlying themes of the anime, perhaps most notably are the two main characters, Joseph and a virgin named Maria… huh. Not only that, but there is also some conflict between the church and Maria, as well as the church’s role in the war, and there are some underpinnings to this anime that are laying a solid foundation for a fascinating story. Outside of that, the setting is spectacular in how it mixes its fantasy and realism. The soldiers of Gaul were a ragtag bunch of peasants, which is counter to most fantasy anime, where every soldier has full plate armor, a longsword, and at least 3-months training at the local military academy. There’s also the realism in the peasant village and how the battle progressed (although the number of arrows was exaggerated). Then there are the fantasy elements with Maria and Artemis, performing their magic and transformations and whatnot with ease which provides a pleasant contrast to everything else. I don’t have much to say on the characters at this point other than that Maria and Artemis feel a bit more cartoony than everyone else, even the little peasant girl, Anne. The art and animation are easily some of the strongest this season, given its attractive character designs and fluid battle animations. It is worth noting the anime is a bit ecchi with having Maria naked a few times and Artemis’ outfit, but it’s blended in fairly naturally and not in-your-face or distracting. Overall, one of the most impressive first episodes this season and on its way to being perhaps one of the top anime of the season.

Undecided:

Nothing here, which means…

Dropped:

Koufuku Graffiti

Although the individual elements of Koufuku Graffiti were fine, the whole product as an anime failed to hook me. What interested me the most was that cooking was a focal point of the anime, yet it felt underserved compared to the characters and their stories. In fact, besides the opening scene with Ryou cooking and describing her directions, the cooking felt like an afterthought, and the theme transitioned to general “food” and “eating” themes rather than “cooking”. To me, “food” wasn’t a problem, but the orgasmic eating scenes were ridiculous and served well to fragment the scenes between slice-of-life and erotic fanservice. It didn’t help that the characters felt shallow with their problems (one wants someone to eat their food, the other wants to go to art school), but their behaviors were fine given the topic of this anime. The art and animation were enjoyable, and helped create a pleasant personality for this anime. But what keeps this anime from inspiring me to watch more episodes is that I really don’t care about the characters, their issues, and how the theme of food, cooking and eating is presented. I will say that this first episode wasn’t terrible – in fact, it was mildly enjoyable – but there isn’t enough in this anime to keep me going. So, given this judgment, I’m dropping Koufuku Graffiti.

This post reviews: Death Parade, The iDOLM@STER: Cinderella Girls, Assassination Classroom, The Rolling Girls, Soukyuu no Fafner – Dead Aggressor: Exodus, and Yoru no Yatterman.

Most of the anime I’m watching this season are sequels which explains why these First Impressions posts are so light and infrequent this season. However, this season appears to be about as busy as any other, in terms of total anime, considering the number of sequels I’ll be watching in addition to all the new anime. If you were curious, here are some quick thoughts on the sequels that I’ve elected to continue during Winter 2015:

Aldnoah.Zero (S2): Completely ignoring the finale of S1 will mean a quick decline in S2. So disappointing.

Dog Days” (S3): A vast improvement over S2, likely to the reappearance of an actual story.

Durarara!! X2: A reintroduction to our memorable cast with new elements merged nicely throughout.

Gundam Reconguista in G: The most consistent thing about this anime is that I don’t understand anything.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Stardust Crusaders (S2): I knew I was going to dread Iggy, so at least I was able to prepare myself. JJBA is best when there is a strong antagonist, so until Dio appears, the series might struggle. Still, the Egyptian Deity series of Stands should be better overall than the Tarot series.

Kamisama Kiss S2: …were there always this many males? All I remember, or that I want to remember, from the first series is Nanami and Tomoe disguised as Nanami.

Watching:

Death Parade

For those who watched Death Billiards, the first episode of Death Parade provided a warm welcome back to the series by reminding us again of its shocking concepts, sophisticated setting, and stoic protagonist, Decim. For those who are completely new to this franchise… well, how was that for a first episode? I will admit, I did enjoy how closely this first episode mirrored Death Billiards, though I am thrilled they took the situation in a separate path this time. The key difference between the episodes is that this featured two sides cooperating in their game versus the standard competition in the OVA. And that leads me to my main thought with this series… where will it go? What does it want to do with its characters? With Decim? With Onna? Whatever it is, I’m certain it’ll be intriguing and stimulating considering the content of its episodes, but it does have a larger cast than I was expecting as shown in the OP. Still, with its superiority in storytelling, its appealing design, it’s curious characters, those gorgeous visuals, and that elegant setting, I must say that Death Parade is gonna be a fun anime to watch this season.

The Rolling Girls

The phenomenal art and magnificent animation of the Rolling Girls is reason enough to watch it, but it’s the absurdity of the setting and its ridiculous characters that will keep the anime fresh and exciting every week. However, that remains to be seen given the peaks and valleys in this episode. The fight at the beginning and the ramen-eating race were easily the twin pinnacles of this episode (I might be biased to the ramen scene myself) and the anime was running on a sugar high. The rest of the episode… well, that’s the crash. That’s not to say these scenes were bad, but just a completely different flavor, a different energy than the action scenes. I really wonder if this anime will be like a rollercoaster, cycling between peaks and troughs depending on the quality and quantity of its action sequences. If it’s anything like this first episode, great. If it’s anything less, that’d still be fine because the visuals are as equally impressive. Use of lighting and color have always been two of my favorite aspects of aesthetics in anime and this probably has the best use of color of any anime this season. Add in its charming animation, and this anime is certainly pleasing to my eyes. And yes, the absurdity of its world is certainly encouraging too, being as wacky and senseless as it wants to be. I’m still a bit weary of how the characters and the story will turn out, but the anime is no-doubt entertaining and meaningful to watch. It has a few areas it can improve upon and it should once this anime finishes these introductions.

Soukyuu no Fafner – Dead Aggressor: Exodus

Perhaps the most crucial, most valuable lesson learned from this first episode of Soukyuu no Fafner – Dead Aggressor: Exodus, at least from my perspective, is that you don’t need to sit through the originals to watch and enjoy this anime. Without having watched the TV anime from 2004 or the movie from 2010, I was able to understand and appreciate the background, the setting, and the characters. That being said, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a number of references and other tidbits that hinted back to the original series that I completely missed, but I’m fine with watching Soukyuu no Fafner without it. However, I will admit that this first episode was a bit underwhelming. If I were to give this episode a review in a single word, I wouldn’t have any qualms with saying, ‘mediocre’. But this mediocre isn’t bad… it’s not mediocre in the overall field of anime, just mediocre in my personal field… which means it’s actually pretty good. In fact, I think I enjoy just about every aspect of this anime from its art, to its action, to its characters, to its story, its setting, its everything. But what gives it that mediocre tag is that nothing blew me away. It was underwhelming in that nothing stood out to me about this anime to make it exceptional or memorable. Fafner is an enjoyable anime, one that I will likely enjoy watching each week, but there’s nothing special about this anime… yet.

Undecided:

Assassination Classroom

First, this was a markedly improved product over the Assassination Classroom OVA that debuted in 2013 (although this was expected). However, the leap in quality might not be enough to warrant keeping this anime. While I did enjoy the dazzling art and cinematography and found the storytelling and comedy a plus over the OVA, I worry about the story, the characters, and the comedy for the remainder of the series. This first episode did a sufficient job of introducing the background, the main character, Nagisa, his motivations, and the antagonist, Koro-sensei. Really, that’s all it needed to do. But the middle of the series will likely be like that of the OVA… some sentimental stories that’s heavy with absurd comedy and failed assassination attempts. I figure a few episodes here and there might be fun, but this pattern will likely get tired pretty fast. This style of shounen comedy really didn’t work for me before, and it probably won’t work for me now. Still, I do want to see what the content of the second episode is like and whether the comedy improves or if the other characters are as interesting as Nagisa. In fact, if either is true, then this anime might be saved. Until then, consider the anime doubtful, though it deserves another episode at this point.

Yoru no Yatterman

Yoru no Yatterman might eventually be one of the best anime of the season, but it’ll need one more episode to convince me it’s worth watching. Even though it had one of the best opening episodes of Winter 2015, I realize the content of the episode is not representative to how the rest of the series will perform. Still, just about everything about this episode was impressive, especially its art, animation and cinematography. At the very least, I know Yoru no Yatterman will be one of the most delightful aesthetically this season with outstanding visuals like these in every episode. What I’m worried with the series is the story. Given the storytelling of this first episode, I’m sure the narrative of the story will be fascinating, seeing as that we’re witnessing this world through the eyes of its supposed anti-heroes. However, I am not sure if this will be standard hero vs. villain battles or if the series will be creative in how the story and the world develop. However, I am fairly confident that the character development will be handled carefully and skillfully given what this first episode demonstrated. That being said, I don’t really care for any of the characters right now, but I care what they stand for… and that’s actually pretty big for me to say this early in an anime. There’s a high probability that I will keep this anime after watching the second episode, but it has to go in the direction I want for its story, its characters and its setting. If not, I wouldn’t mind dropping Yoru no Yatterman, but given that this first episode greatly exceeded my expectations, I think that the chances of that are unlikely.

Dropped:

The iDOLM@STER: Cinderella Girls

I’ve never been big on idol anime. In fact, the only idol anime I’ve watched as it aired since the inception of this blog has been the original The iDOLM@STER (as well as its spin-off chibi comedy, Puchimas!). What’s the difference, you might ask, considering the two anime are virtually twins of each other minus the characters? Well, it’s that the first episode of the original series had a hook. This one didn’t. What the first episode did was introduce the entire cast through an interesting method of interviewing each and demonstrating to the audience what the series had to offer. Cinderella Girls focused on only three. The original iDOLM@STER offered more diversity in its cast to start, featured a number of different stories (why each girl wanted to be an idol), and presented it in an innovative way. This one did not. Cinderella Girls took a fairly standard anime approach to opening its story, and it fell flat. And while I did enjoy the original anime, I can’t say the same for this one. There was no hook, and as a result, there is no real motivation for me to keep watching.

This week: analyzing the delicate balance between entertainment and realism in Shirobako, questioning the subjectivity of evidence and judgments in Death Parade, justifying what makes the setting so successful and vibrant in Durarara!!x2 Shou, and gushing about the unique personality in The Rolling Girls.

Best episode of the week: Death Parade

Anime trending up this week: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders – Egypt Arc (S2)

Anime trending down this week: Yuri Kuma Arashi

Aldnoah.Zero (S2) (Episode 14)

Inaho’s new robotic eye is pretty great, right? I mean, with this new robotic eye, he can create 3D images of girls (I’m assuming he’s been spying on Inko for a while now with that eye), he can calculate mass by watching something move, he can zoom with his eye (which must be really disorienting if he has his other eye open), and he can use it to detect fluctuations and variations in sound waves or some bullshit. It was essentially the difference in the most recent ‘Inaho-saves-the-day’ battle by being able to track the movement of these mecha by calculating the changes in wind (?) and the gravitation pull of tiny space rocks (???) to blow shit up. So tell me, if these robot eyes are so useful, why doesn’t everybody have one? Hell, why doesn’t everybody have two of these things? Imagine if everyone had these god-like robotic eyes that can pretty much do everything. The war would essentially be over now. Princess Asseylum would probably be cured by now. And the rest of the anime would probably fanservicey beach episodes, just like the creators always wanted.

Death Parade (Episode 2)

Is Decim really wrong? Did he really make a mistake? Considering how subjective the evidence is and considering how the material is presented to these arbiters, you could make an argument that Decim is correct in his judgment between Takashi and Machiko. In fact, I’m surprised that Decim did not explain his rationale further after Onna, his new assistant, countered him with her rationalization of Machiko’s actions. For example, Decim could have retorted that Machiko’s latest actions were only after she realized she is dead which then changed her behavior, her subsequent actions, and ultimately ended the evaluation period. Then again, that isn’t to say that Onna and Nona are wrong either; in fact, they’re probably more correct than Decim in this case. Still, I would have figured that Decim would rationalize his thoughts further, but I suppose that’s just the way he is. And who knows, maybe that’s the real story that this anime wants to tackle with introducing Onna to Decim.

Dog Days’’ (S3) (Episode 2)

The first season of Dog Days was dedicated to Shinku’s adventures as the Hero of Biscotti. The second season of Dog Days had a special focus on Becky, elaborating on her relationship with Shinku and also becaming the Hero of Pastillage. So, if the pattern continues, perhaps the third season will place a special emphasis on the third human hero, Nanami? The first two episodes of Dog Days’’ seems to be leaning that way, at least for now.   Each episode has put Nanami in a central role, pairing her with Shinku at the start, having them travel to Flonyard together, and then beginning the first adventure of this sequel with them immediately getting lost in the Dragon Forest. Nanami was never featured this much before, and was never seen alone with Shinku besides a couple of fights early on in Dog Days’. Perhaps the creators are shaping this season with Nanami as one of its primary characters? After two episodes, it certainly seems like this is Nanami’s season of Dog Days.

Durarara!!x2 Shou (Episode 2)

Durarara!! has one of the most dynamic and enthusiastic settings in anime, thanks principally to how well it manages its enormous cast. Not only do each of these characters have some degree of depth and a definable personality, but they continue to remain relevant to Ikebukuro even when they’re outside the primary storyline. That is to say, they continue to have an influence on Durarara!! despite not being in the immediate focus of the story. The reason for Durarara!!’s success here is that it continues to tie characters together for relevant reasons. Mikado and Anri are unsure in Ikebukuro to show Aoba, so they enlist help from Walker and Erika. Namie Yagiri, the main antagonist for the first part of Durarara!!, is still the underappreciated secretary for Izaya, but she provides an opportunity for exposition through openly spying on her boss and his twin sisters. Furthermore, the anime is continuing to build connections between characters even now, such as Emilia with Shingen, Shinra and Celty or even between Anri and Shingen in this episode. The way Durarara!! utilizes its cast is nothing short of exceptional and it gives the anime a unique feel to how the city lives and breathes. And as the series continues to grow, so does Ikebukuro, and the setting only continues to improve as a result.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders – Egypt Arc (S2) (Episode 26)

Jotaro is a dick. Did he really just spend all afternoon and into the early evening digging a grave for N’Doul instead of going back and telling his friends that he successfully defeated the Stand user and that they could move and make sounds again and get out of the desert sun? Like, shouldn’t the first thing you do is go back and make sure your friends that are bleeding to death are okay? Or maybe tell Avdol that the Stand was ‘Geb’ an Egyptian god and seek clues about the other possible Stand users? Don’t get me wrong, digging a grave is respectful and honorable, but couldn’t he have done that after helping his companions?

Kamisama Kiss S2 (Episode 2)

From here, Kamisama Kiss can go in a number of directions, such as developing Nanami’s spiritual powers or continuing the romance between her and pretty much every guy in the series. The direction that intrigues me the most, however, is the one on Tomoe’s past, specifically his relationship with Akura-ou (his demon buddy you see with Tomoe at the start of episode 1) and his romance with Yukiji. I am thankful to see that Akura-ou is back in the anime, in the body of Kirihito, since this means that the anime is intending to explore Tomoe’s past this season. Whether that is the main storyline or just a tangent remains to be seen, but I am looking forward to learning about Tomoe’s past and how he has evolved as a character throughout his life and throughout the series.

Kantai Collection (KanColle) (Episode 2)

It might not be a surprise to some, but it’s a surprise to me how much fanservice there is in Kantai Collection. Considering its premise and its setting, I expected there to be some fanservice, such as damage shown by torn or ripped clothes and the inevitable bathing scenes, but not in this volume or in the form of numerous pantyshots. In fact, the main broadcast version for episode 1 was somewhat ‘censored’ compared to other versions with a comparison between the two below:

Still, despite the fanservice, Kantai Collection manages to maintain its somewhat-serious and militaristic themes. Again, I suppose that’s not a surprise to some when there are pseudo-military anime like Strike Witches, but I expected something more thoughtful and mindful than that with KanColle. Then again, there have only been two episodes, so maybe the anime will mature as the story and the characters progress.

Shirobako (Episode 14)

One of the paramount aspects of how Shirobako appropriately represents the anime industry is how it manages to skillfully balance realism with entertainment. Without the value of amusement, scenes describing the industry in Shirobako would become monotonous and lackluster, concentrating on disclosing as much information without any flare or character to lighten the mood. Without it, these scenes would feel heavy and dense, and leave the audience feeling tired or bored after a while. And this is where entertainment or amusement comes in. Shirobako uses these variables to its advantage, and it’s able to create scenes that are humorous to watch while still being educational and realistic.

A great way to understand this is by examining two scenes with differing amounts of entertainment to demonstrate how well Shirobako uses this key feature. For example, when Miyamori and Kinoshita met with Atsumi in the restaurant, the scene had a low amount of entertainment, thus giving it a serious and heavy feel, while the audition meeting scene had extensive comedy while still being representative of the industry. Both scenes are realistic, to a certain degree, but this is more difficult to manage when the scene is meant to be hilarious. The audition meeting scene was rampant with jokes and parodies about the axillary industries, thanks primarily due to some phenomenal work by Takehito Koyasu, but because the scene captured how these other influences are attempting to sway the anime industry to promote their own profits, it made the scene both hysterical and informative. By contrast, the scene with Atsumi was highly informative, describing how an artist values and appreciates his work, but the scene was not nearly as entertaining, making the balance less noticeable. Then again, the scene was never meant to be amusing, so it’s important to factor in where high amounts of humor can be used and cannot be used. The scene with Atsumi was meant to be serious, so Shirobako used an appropriate mood to supplement the content presented. That isn’t to say the balance between realism and entertainment is unimpressive when compared against the comical scenes, but it does demonstrate how well Shirobako manages the two in serious scenes, only using humor in small doses, careful not to tip the scale in the wrong direction. The point is, Shirobako is outstanding with handling these elements, and it’s able to use it to its fullest advantage. Because of how well Shirobako is directed, Shirobako is able to be both entertaining and realistic in how it describes the many features and aspects of the intricate and amusing anime industry.

Soukyuu no Fafner – Dead Aggressor: Exodus (Episode 2)

To me, the most important feature of any mecha anime is that the mecha are distinctive and memorable. Without it, the central element and the main selling-point of the anime are virtually lost. The best the anime can hope for at that point is to simply be mediocre. Thankfully, for Soukyuu no Fafner, the mecha are notable and have a pronounced effect on the anime. Compared to other mecha anime, the Fafners as a whole have their own defining characteristics through their appearance, their interfaces, and their fighting styles, to create a style that is unique to this anime franchise. It may not be my favorite style, but it’s a step in the right direction for Fafner, and it’s a step that’s essential for every mecha anime to me.

The Rolling Girls (Episode 2)

The Rolling Girls bleeds personality. The entire anime is an imposing statement of its individuality. Its vibrant aesthetics, enticing motifs, charismatic animation, enchanting characters, ridiculous setting, delightful comedy, and sensational fights are all an integral part of this wonderful anime’s charming personality. Sure, you might try to make comparisons or try to find analogous examples between other anime, but everything about The Rolling Girls in these first two episodes is really its own. It’s distinctive. It’s in a category all by itself now. And it’s only just the beginning. The introductions set an exceptional foundation for this anime to build from, and it will only grow up from here. The creativity, imagination and artistic ingenuity have been incredible in these first two episodes, and I am excited to see what happens with the main storyline of this fantastic anime.

Yuri Kuma Arashi (Episode 2)

Given what we’ve witnessed in the first two episodes of Yuri Kuma Arashi, it seems that there are two methods of eating. The first, and probably most remarkable, is the “eating” that’s done in the human-bear form, popularized as ‘lesbian lily-licking fellatio’. The second form of eating is actual eating, performed in the chibi-bear form where the bears actually kill and devour the humans. It’s interesting to note how the two styles contrast each other at this point. On one hand, you have the yuri style of eating which is strictly reserved for successful completion of a sexy bear trial while the other one is without the prior consent of Life Sexy and bearkind. On one hand, you have a form of eating that is analogous to love, and the other is genuinely hate. I’m curious to see if these two styles will eventually overlap or share elements with each other, given how they share a few similarities at this point. However, given the fact at how differentiated they are at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised to see these two forms of eating eventually evolve into separate entities, becoming more like love and hate.

Last week: analyzing the literary conflict in Yuri Kuma Arashi, appreciating the non-linear yet logical storytelling in Durarara!!x2 Shou, acknowledging the effectiveness of the “business card” introductions in Shirobako, and thoughts on the contrasting fashion and sexual themes in Junketsu no Maria.

Best episode of the week: Durarara!!x2 Shou

Anime trending up this week: Kantai Collection (KanColle)

Anime trending down this week: Aldnoah.Zero (S2)

Death Parade (Episode 3)

Although Death Parade dwells in rather serious subjects, there is some lighthearted humor in the anime thanks to the wonderful chemistry between Decim and Onna. The host and hostess of the Quindecim complement each other well, in that they each cover for the other’s flaws; Decim’s familiarity and understanding makes up for Onna’s inexperience, and Onna’s humanity and emotion are the missing ingredients from Decim’s stoic and heartless personality. The outcome of such a partnership is a pleasant balance for the two lead characters. Furthermore, since the subjects of each episode are primarily subjected to discouraging, gloomy or woebegone misfortunes, it’s up to Decim and Onna to provide the comic relief in a series such as this. And while the primary focus is on the stories between the two fated participants, the humor is utilized well in this series to provide unexpected breaks in the overall depressing mood. It adds another flavor, another spice to the series and helps highlight the differences between the indifferent Decim and the expressive Onna. And as the series continues, I think it will be these differences are what Death Parade hopes to explore with this new season.

Dog Days’’ (S3) (Episode 3)

Remember when the Hero Crystals first appeared in the seventh episode of Dog Days’ (S2)? At the time, they seemed like they were just some silly mechanics that were introduced as a joke. As the episode went, all the girls were afflicted by the power of a giant demon rat and turned into younger, childish versions of themselves while Shinku and Gaul were given superpowers that made them look much older and much manlier. The joke there was that the ages of all the characters were distorted while also giving the characters a method for defeating the demon and for all the girls to rip their clothes and end up naked again. Fastforward from 2012 to 2015 and we’re seeing the Hero Crystals again in Dog Days, but with a decisively more serious tone in nature. Here, the Hero Crystals are the deciding factor in destroying the parasitic demon. Furthermore, Becky and Nanami each have their own Hero Crystals now that give them these silly transformations that make them look much older, too. And while the joke in the appearance is still there, the mood of these Hero Crystals is entirely different. And it marks a step in a different direction for Dog Days. While Dog Days’ (S2) was almost entirely fun and games and fanservice, Dog Days’’ (S3) is attempting to describe a story with its world with significant and consequences and fanservice. And looking at how the Hero Crystals are used in this episode of Dog Days’’ (S3) is a great indicator for how this season will be different than Dog Days’ (S2).

Durarara!!x2 Shou (Episode 3)

With so many energetic characters and such a dynamic setting, it only makes sense for there to be multiple stories occurring at the same time. And as one would expect from such a lively world, Durarara!! has adopted and perfected a tremendous method of non-linear storytelling, where every individual line is not necessarily chronological but instead, logical. In the end, all these discrete storylines and all these distinct characters blend together to form a single coherent story about the special inhabitants of Ikebukuro. For example, with this third episode, you might assume that it occurs after the events of the second one and even the first episode since that is typical for a majority of methods of storytelling. In reality, the content of the three episodes occurs almost simultaneously, and there are clear markings where each diverges and reconnects. This style of non-linear storytelling is crucial for the success of Durarara!!, and everything it has done up to this point has been sound, consistent and coherent.

Junketsu no Maria (Maria the Virgin Witch) (Episode 3)

The contrast in fashion between Maria and her cronies and the rest of the cast is rather striking. While everyone else in Junketsu no Maria is mainly dressed appropriate for the time-period (there are too many people wearing footwear at this time period), Maria and her friends wear tight, revealing outfits. Although Artemis is the most notable example when it comes to sexy clothing, Maria’s skin-tight dress barely reaches her thighs, and Priapos, Maria’s incubus, is by far the least clothed of all the males in this anime. Considering the emphasis on sex and virginity in the anime, there should be no surprise to see fanservice in the how these characters dress, especially with Artemis who uses her seductive body for adulterous purposes. Still, the ecchi clothing is a huge contrast to the historical accuracy of the anime given how well Junketsu no Maria works to incorporate so many fine details about the period and setting into this story. And while I’d argue that the conflicting dress works against the historical aspect of the anime, it does well to differentiate Maria from the rest of the world, given her views of war and religion. In fact, it might be ideal to have Maria and her companions stand out so well from the rest of the characters considering that they are unalike anyone else. Because of this, it makes sense for Maria and her friends to dress so differently than everyone else in Junketsu no Maria.

Kantai Collection (KanColle) (Episode 3)

Since I am unfamiliar with Kantai Collection, I do not know how many ships a player can have in their navy at a time. I am assuming six is the magic number for each squadron since every skirmish thus far has featured six – and only six – ships at a time (though the first episode had a fleet of 3 squadrons and thus, 18 girls). But given how many girls there are in Kantai Collection, I can’t help but wonder how they plan to use them all. Or maybe I should phrase this question: do they plan to incorporate all the girls in this anime? There’ve been a handful of girls in the backgrounds of scenes, so maybe the anime is planning to use cameos as a means of highlighting the entire cast. But even with that plan, that would mean a large cohort of girls in the background doing nothing in every episode to meet that demand. And since the anime seems to be focused on the adventures of Fubuki and the Third Torpedo Squadron, the rate of background girls in each episode will need to be absurd to include everyone in this anime. I’m really curious to see how Kantai Collection manages this huge cast and if every ship makes an appearance in one form or another.

Shirobako (Episode 15)

The way Shirobako introduces its characters is one of my favorite aspects of this anime because it places an immediate and pronounced emphasis on each person’s job. Whenever a new character is introduced on screen, a block of text appears next to them that displays both their name and their occupation. It’s like receiving a quick business card of everyone in the anime. Not only does it help us connect a name to a face to a job, but it shows how important these jobs are within Shirobako… that as soon as you meet someone new, you get their name AND their job. Furthermore, Shirobako continues to display their names and occupations the first time you meet these characters again in future episodes, with this trait being extremely noticeable at the start of the anime when everyone was new. It’s a minute detail that has a considerable effect on this anime and demonstrates how significant these positions are, that as soon as you meet someone, you’re introduced to their work as well. The reason why Shirobako constantly reminds us who is an animation director or production assistant or voice actor is because the anime wants us to know who these people are and how they work together to create an anime. What’s even more impressive is how this method of information actually works and that when you begin to learn a character, you also begin to learn their work. It’s amazing how well this unique characteristic of Shirobako works, and it’s one of the details that I admire the most in this anime.

The Rolling Girls (Episode 3)

One of the most fundamental qualities of the setting in The Rolling Girls is how each nation is distinctive and distinguishable from each other. Considering that The Rolling Girls takes place in a Japan where every region is fragmented into an assortment of countries, the anime needs each land and each population to be unique compared to the rest. Even better is how The Rolling Girls uses the appropriate local cultures as an accent or emphasis to each country’s personalities. For example, this episode took place in Tokyo and parodied the otaku culture by having everyone cosplay in this country. The first two episodes featured a war between Tokorozawa (in Saitama prefecture) and Higashimurayama (in Tokyo prefecture) and highlighted the difference between Tokyo and its neighbors. And given the wide variation in culture and customs between prefectures in Japan, you can figure that The Rolling Girls will use this to its advantage and make every new country feel different from the rest. Not only will it help provide evidence that the girls are in new places, but it will help highlight the diversity and distinction within Japan – one that provides a new focus on what makes these other areas of Japan different than each other. For someone who is always curious to learn more about Japan and its cultures, I’m excited to see how The Rolling Girls uses this setting to highlight the individual cultures and personalities of these various “countries”.

Yuri Kuma Arashi (Episode 3)

The literary conflict in Yuri Kuma Arashi is not human versus bear… it is bear versus bear. While it’s true that Kureha is actively fighting against all bear-kind, there is a considerable conflict between all the other girls who are after Kureha. In fact, almost everything in this anime has been bear against bear at this point, especially with Mitsuko’s involvement in these latest episodes. Even the Yuri Trials are a conflict between bears, or rather bear versus bear society, with Ginko’s and Lulu’s decisions to feast or famine based on yuri bear laws (with the added layer of Life Cool arguing against Life Beauty). I’m beginning to think that the narrative of Yuri Kuma Arashi isn’t so much of one where humans are against bears, but one where bears are against bears with Kureha as the prize.