This week: Speedwagon is a grave-robber in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, the magnificent world-building in Psycho-Pass, why friendship episodes are better than romance episodes for Little Busters!, and issues with the education system in Shin Sekai Yori.

Best episode of the week: Psycho-Pass

Anime trending up this week: Little Busters!

Anime trending down this week:  Jormungand: Perfect Order

Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! (Episode 7) – With the sudden infusion of plot into our delightful, delusional comedy, the mentality of our heroine, Rikka, has become a bit more transparent.  From the events of this episode, we can gather that one attribute responsible for her severe case of chuunibyou is due to the death of her father and the secrecy around it.  As a result, it seems that her chuunibyou, in whatever form it happened to be when she was a child, developed into her opportunity to escape from reality.  And this answers a question postulated around the beginning of the series as to why Rikka doesn’t enjoy her fantasy world as much as the others.  It is now clear that, unlike everyone else who has chuunibyou for fun and adventure, Rikka is using this as an excuse to reject her father’s death and to live in a world where she is under his supernatural but comforting protection.  It both amusing and depressing to think that everyone uses Rikka’s chuunibyou as a source for their fun and pleasure while Rikka uses it to prevent herself from being burdened by overwhelming grief and sadness.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (Episode 7) – I hope Speedwagon asked Zeppeli’s permission before he robbed his corpse (oh yeah, spoilers btw) of his tremendous and extravagant diamond-patterned top hat. Like, that hat is the physical manifestation of Zeppeli’s flamboyant personality and removing it from him is like removing a piece of his soul.  And the fact that Speedwagon was strolling along, nonchalantly with that notorious heirloom atop his head just reinforces his wanton disrespect for Zeppeli.  That bastard should be bawling for the rest of the series to honor the supreme awesomeness that was Zeppeli, something Speedwagon will never match, and for receiving such an illustrious gift from his extravagant benefactor.  But no, Speedwagon doesn’t care.  Or maybe he doesn’t know that he should care.  Oh well, either way, the hat will live on as a reminder of Zeppeli, and as long as Speedwagon wears it, it will serve as a constant reminder that Zeppeli is always above Speedwagon.  Yeah, he’s still better than Speedwagon from beyond the grave.

K (Episode 7) – So, we understand that Neko has two forms of which she alternates between: an adorable pink cat and a shameless but jovial nudist.  These two forms are possible because she has the power to transform herself due to being a Strain.  However, what’s strange about this is that her human form looks, well, like a real human, like all the other characters in this anime.  Her cat form… well, it’s pretty cartoony compared to everything else in the series.  Like, everything in K looks fairly realistic with the only outlier being Neko in her cat form.  It isn’t so much her diminutive form as much as it is her facial expressions which parallel those of a human.  Like, her cat face is designed in such a way to express every emotion that she feels as a cat but it doesn’t look natural given her form as a cat.  It almost makes me wonder if she’s a human first who can transform into a cat (which is why her cat form isn’t as realistic) than a cat who can transform into a human.  But then her catgirl personality and nudist tendencies contradict this theory unless you assume she’s been a cat for so long that she has forgotten what it’s like to be a human.  Yeah, not sure what Neko is naturally but maybe some more information on what a Strain is exactly will help.

Kamisama Kiss (Episode 7) – I’ve always found it strange that whenever an attractive bishie walks through a school, all we see are girls everywhere fawning over their hotness.  And it’s only Tomoe or Kurama, no one else ever produces this effect.  It was only after this episode that I realized the population of the school must be 99% female because that’s all we ever see.  Like, there are no guys at this school and the addition of Tomoe and Kurama doubled it from just Isobe and his friend who laughed at Nekota’s panties.  Like, yeah, that’s it.  No wonder these girls go crazy every time they see a guy who isn’t an asshole (as we saw from Isobe and friend).  Like, I’d go crazy over any girl I saw if I were at a school with 400 guys and only 4 girls.  So yeah, maybe it makes some sense to see all these girls follow these two guys in hordes around the school and make goo-goo eyes at them all the time.  But yeah, no, seriously now, I detest this trope in shoujo/romance anime since it’s so damn stupid.  Yeah, we get that they’re hot and yeah, we get that girls like them, but you don’t need to show them screaming and flattering them all the time.  It’s probably the biggest disappointment of Kamisama Kiss which is nice since that isn’t much of a problem, just something out of personal preference.

Little Busters! (Episode 7) – The friendship episodes of Little Busters! are significantly improved and superior than the romance ones.  For starters, the friendship episodes utilize the entire cast of the anime, bring together the team that is the Little Busters! to help each other and help others around them.  The scene where everyone pays Kanata for the soda cans that Haruka mysteriously obtained is much more heartwarming and inspiring because of how it occurred.  Rin, Komari, and Masato had no clue what was going on when they arrived at the scene but they stepped up and offered their change to save Haruka from detention after following Riki’s example.  It’s so much better to see four characters act generously than just one as we saw for most of the romance episode (yes, it is debatable, but this neither the time nor the place… but the comments section…).  Another reason for why these friendship episodes are better than the romance ones are that it represents the theme of the anime better, one that shows the Little Busters! as a team of friends who are there to help each other.  So when the opportunity arises where multiple characters can help or receive benefits, it strengthens the theme of this anime as oppose to the romance angle which really doesn’t help.  One more aspect on this matter is that often times romantic feelings are left to be ambiguous and confusing and the relationship are often staled at these critical moments.  When it comes to realizing a friendship, the emotions are straightforward and understandable and these relationships often blossom in these situations and proceed to grow as the series progresses.  So yeah, here’s hoping for more friendship episodes for the remainder of the Little Busters! anime.

Medaka Box Abnormal (S2) (Episode 6) – Considering how rare and irreplaceable the members of the 13 Party are, they were able to replace Maguro pretty quickly and pretty well with Naze.  You figure since they’re all Abnormals that it’d be a long and strenuous process to find the right candidate to replace Maguro but they were able to find someone else just as gifted soon after he left.  And seeing the job that she’s done with Itami Koga, turning a normal middle-school girl into an Abnormal like herself, you kinda wonder if the Flask Plan is better off with Naze in place of Maguro.  It should be fun to see how everything plays out between these two characters as this season continues.

Psycho-Pass (Episode 6) – Sprinkling in insignificant details about the setting through ordinary dialogue rather than by direct narration has made the world-building of Psycho-Pass exceptional and encouraging.  For example, the sixth episode chose to explain the nature of alcohol in this setting through a routine conversation.  Here, every piece of information about this modern world is indirect although explaining the perception of alcohol is the whole purpose of this dialogue.  We’re able to pick up clues on how alcohol is slightly feared as a drug of addiction and that most people, especially wholesome girls like Akane (at first she thought the bottle of wine was juice), have never even tried alcohol.  Still, Shuusei mentioned that he obtained these wine bottles from Masaoka and used it as a social drug to get drunk with Akane.  And because everything about this conversation was indirect information on the setting, we’re left with enough grey-area to make our own conclusions about how alcohol is viewed and used in this world without it being directly shoved down our throats like how other anime choose to develop their settings.  As we’ve seen with other examples, such as social media, virtual clothes, and the justice system, Psycho-Pass prefers to develop its world in a way that I absolutely love.  It is a promising trend in Psycho-Pass and I can’t wait until we learn more about this world through this rousing and wonderful anime.

Shin Sekai Yori (Episode 8) – Judging from the school system in Shin Sekai Yori, when students graduate and enter the real world, they’ll be needing to repair broken bottles, create mirrors out of opaque surfaces, hatch chicks from eggs, and float around aimlessly.  Like, what type of economy or work-force are these kids entering?  I don’t get it, what is their school preparing them for?  Like, do these kids have the skills to make a living for themselves once they’re done with school and living on their own?  Does every job depend on their Cantus, even for things as simple as cooking or cleaning?  If so, then yeah, it makes sense that these kids would play around with these things all day, but it doesn’t feel like their school is preparing them well enough for the real world.  Yeah, even though they’re teaching them practical applications for their Cantus abilities, it doesn’t seem very applicable to the real world setting.  Clearly this whole education is the most surprising and outrageous aspect of Shin Sekai Yori now, following the time-skip.

Sword Art Online (Episode 20) – So am I supposed to imagine that humans are playing ALO?  Everyone acts like an NPC with their stock reactions, personalities and behaviors, there’s really no feeling to these characters besides Kirito and Lyfa.  Hell, even Yui has more personality than every other player we’ve seen thus far and she is an NPC.  Yeah, that’s how poorly these characters are written in SAO, that an NPC has feels more human than the actual humans playing these games.  Like, with all these herd mentalities and alliances and guilds and whatnot, there is no individuality because really shitty villains that take the game way too seriously.  And what the hell was up with that meeting place, out in the middle of nowhere in a game that focuses on PK?  Was that really the best idea these two could come up with?  I don’t get it.  Then again, there’s a lot I don’t get with SAO.

This week: anime-original characters in Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!, memories as a storytelling device in Shin Sekai Yori, the persistent use of humor in Medaka Box Abnormal, and a duplication of colors in K.

Oh right, was supposed to reverse the order of the anime last week but it slipped my mind.  So yeah, the anime listed below are in reverse alphabetical order now as has always been the case once the series passes its halfway mark.

Best episode of the week: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

Anime trending up this week: Shin Sekai Yori

Anime trending down this week: Medaka Box Abnormal

Sword Art Online (Episode 21) – Though Sword Art Online has committed numerous destructive errors and critical flaws, perhaps none are more atrocious or grievous than one that has appeared recently. And what makes this blunder even more vexing is that it will likely never be addressed, corrected and apologized for.  I’m talking about the missing tails from the catgirls.  Sure, yeah, that one Cait Sith leader, Rue, had one in the previous episode but a quick scan through the streets of the capital city Arun shows various catgirls with no tails.  Like, seriously, how do you mess up this badly with something so simple?  It’s ridiculous is what it is.  It’s a thousand times worse than the tentacle whatever that went on, too.  It’s like they’re getting lazy, forgetting the best part, and leaving these characters incomplete and lame.  Kinda like this anime, it’s like they’re purposefully removing all the good parts and leaving us with just this incoherent, incestuous disaster.

Shin Sekai Yori (Episode 9) – The use of characters recalling forgotten memories as a storytelling device has always been and always will be a wearisome and worrisome cliché except in the instance that they are forcefully blocked or removed from the character’s mind.  If that is the case for Shin Sekai Yori, as I am expecting provided that the enigmatic society and unsettling setting would allow for such a device, then it might actually serve as a bonus to the anime.  Why?  With the theory that individuals have the power that can repress or disperse certain memories, it serves the anime well for how society weeds out failures and other oddities without causing an internal uproar or revolt.  Given the example with how Saki potentially lost the memories of her former family members, it shows that the leaders of this society do their best to deceive its citizens for their own self-interested purposes.  The parents, however, must understand these details given the commotion Saki’s mother showed in the first episode, which makes the whole process even more intriguing, especially if it is done again and again to the children throughout their childhood and schooling years.  However, if it’s not a part of a grand system nor if the altered memories are explained, then there’ll be some jeers for Shin Sekai Yori on this missed or fumbled opportunity.

Psycho-Pass (Episode 7) – Kougami has a knack for knowing the right things to say at the right time.  Whether he’s clarifying the cryptic mind of a serial killer or encouraging Akane through supportive words, everything he does seems to be just the right thing.  And while this may ultimately be good or fantastic for the characters of Psycho-Pass, it damages his character by making his character bland and devoid of personality.  It’s as if he’s a robot placed in the Public Safety Bureau to answer questions and assist in solving crimes.  Beyond that and the brief snippets of his past, he really doesn’t possess any hint of emotion nor does he express any interests in anything besides solving crimes, smoking cigarettes and punching robots.  And those minimalistic details on his character aren’t enough to piece together a profile or personality for which to understand Kougami.  It doesn’t help that Masaoka is already the old mentor type and that Ginoza is the serious manager with a short-fuse since those kinda render those traits on Kougami nullified due to their defined personas.  If I had to assign an archetype or personality to Kougami, I suppose I’d say he’s the quiet and reserved type but he seems too interested in his job and others for that to stick.  And if I were to say he’s like the knight-in-shining-armor, I’d have trouble convincing myself since he has only flashed that once or twice all season.  Really, profiling Kougami is rather difficult given what we’ve seen thus far.

Medaka Box Abnormal (S2) (Episode 7) – Despite being well underway in a series of decisive battles, the humor in Medaka Box somehow survives.  It doesn’t matter how serious or dangerous the opponent is, the writing in Medaka Box finds a way to wedge in some joke or comedy in order to help retain the charm of our protagonists or to keep the anime from seeming too dark or dramatic, aspects which the anime seems to perform poorly with given its attempts this season.  The humor and amusement, however, is one of the better qualities of Medaka Box, often showing precise timing and intelligence to make a joke work given the situation and circumstances.  It also helps reinforce the lighthearted nature of the anime which has unfortunately taken a backseat to the story in this sequel.  Nevertheless, the humor has found a way to survive and make a difference in these episodes which has been one of the brighter and better moments of Medaka Box Abnormal.

Little Busters! (Episode 8) – In every decision-making scenario, risk is weighed against reward whether conscious or not.  In the event of Kudryavka accepting the stern and unforgiving Kanata as her new roommate, she’s weighing her risks and her rewards.  And though this may seem way too risky for the kindhearted and naïve Kud to live with Kanata, something that seems like the most ill-fated pairing of all the students thus far, it also has the potential for the greatest reward, too.  Although Kud may be bossed around by Kanata more often, she will be able to develop a friendship with the person who is the most opposite of her.  Not only will she gain one new friend in the process but she will open new routes of access to create more friendships with Kanata’s friends.  Furthermore, if Kud can find a friendship in the person more polarizing to her personality, then it shows that Kud can make friends with anyone she wants.  And for Kanata, she is also evaluating her risks and rewards, too, in deciding to live together with Kud.  Without much known about her and her motivations, there isn’t much to say, but it shouldn’t be surprising to see Kanata see more rewards from inviting Kud to her room than whatever new risks develop.  Hopefully we can find out soon what Kanata hopes to gain from living together with Kud.

Kamisama Kiss (Episode 8) – I can’t help but feel bad for the girls who want a little beefcake or ‘manservice’ in their anime.  Sure, there are gorgeous shots of bishounen constantly being shown in Kamisama Kiss but the first examples of semi-nude males in the series are rather crudely drawn and largely unappealing.  Hell, we even had a zoomed-in pantyshot before any dudes were in speedos or skintight clothing so that’s gotta be a sign of how disappointing the fanservice has been for the female audience.  Still, it’s not like the whole point of Kamisama Kiss is to be the female-audience version of whatever ecchi harem anime are out there, not the mention I’m guessing the general female fan enjoys sparkly bishounen over topless, tan guys in swimsuits, but the shots in this beach episode were pretty disappointing.  Guess I should consider myself lucky or fortunate that there isn’t a whole bunch of fanservice in this anime intended for female viewers.

K (Episode 8) – The whole coloring system in K has been pretty simple thus far with reds being reds and blues being blues, but now something appear that might complicate things: we now have two whites.  Although Adolf K. Weismann is considered the Silver King or the first King, his name clearly has the word ‘white’ in it much like our protagonist Yashiro.  With both characters sharing the same colors, not to mention a little bit of history, too, it’ll be exciting to see how things play out, especially with Weismann assuming the color ‘silver’ and Yashiro being without a color for now.  It certainly seems like there is some conflict between the two characters, so there’s something already going on there, but how it unfolds in regards to the colors scheme will be quite interesting.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (Episode 8) – JJBA is an anime without any sense of moderation, always going well beyond the bounds of restraint and reaching out into the extraordinary.  And with this episode, it also seems to have no real sense of pacing either, quickly encompassing the final battle of this arc in the entirety of an episode.  Of course, with such a lengthy manga series, the allotted time of the anime must be appropriately budgeted in order to fit the specified stories in but that is no excuse for having the anime feel as rushed as it did in this episode.  The whole scene with Dire fighting Dio lasted only slightly longer than a heartbeat and was over before anyone wanted.  Like, I’m assuming the time in the manga didn’t last much longer than what was shown in the anime but at least the reader could continue at their own pace and allow the death to sink in and make its lasting impact before moving onto JoJo’s turn.  And though I am conflicted with wanting to get as much JJBA in before the anime’s time is up, I feel that it is a misstep by the series to continue at its current pacing.  And though this is only the first real flaw with JoJo’s, it’s kind of a big one.

Girls und Panzer (Episode 6) – Following the victory by Ooarai over the Saunders, Kei apologized to Miho over Arisa’s inappropriate eavesdropping for providing an unfair advantage to their team.  However, didn’t Yukari provide Ooarai with an unfair advantage, too, by slipping into the Saunders school and spy during their meeting?  Was that detail simply forgotten or is Kei simply inconsistent with her stance on cheating?  Yeah, she addressed the issue with Yukari in the fifth episode, ultimately brushing the situation off and inviting her back to their school sometime, so it seems like she’s indifferent about it, but then she goes out of her way to apologize and then punish Arisa for virtually the same infraction.  Maybe she holds her teammates to a higher standard?  Or, as was my impression, the Yukari spying incident was, like many fine details in anime, simply forgotten.

Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! (Episode 8) – It has come to my attention that Touka Takanashi, Rikka’s older sister and current guardian, is an anime original character.  Same with Kumin and Sanae; both are new to the series, only joining the series when it made the jump from light novel to anime.  Considering their impact on the series and how they’ve influences the characters and the story, I have absolutely no idea what the light novel could possibly be like.  Sure, it still probably shares the same core concepts and themes and whatnot, but I couldn’t imagine this anime without Touka, Kumin or Sanae.  Nor do I want to.  The fact that these three characters (and whoever might be new) are in the anime is something that I find positive for the anime and am ultimately happy to have these three characters included.  There might be benefits or advantages for them to not be in the anime like in the original light novel and I have been known to voice complaints about anime adaptations switching or changing too many things around, but the inclusion and participation of these three characters have had a huge impact on my enjoyment of the series and I can say, without a doubt, that their addition is a definite plus for the anime.

With the Autumn season of anime over halfway complete, each show has had ample opportunity to introduce its concepts and themes, progresses its stories and characters, fix any issues or peculiarities, and show enough material to provide adequate and fair evaluations that are more than just momentary impressions.  This is about the first time when our assessments, grades, and rankings have significance to them, that they hold merit in their worth, that they’re actually grading the anime as a whole and not simply an episode or two or undeveloped characters.  Here, in this Mid-Season Review, it’s time to evaluate the anime of Autumn 2012.

When considering the season as a whole (and by a whole I just mean the select few anime I’m watching) the season is some impressive combination of delightful and desirable.  Many of these anime deliver in terms of their story, characters, setting, comedy, whatever and there are a few brilliant anime who succeed at multiple metrics in which I regularly evaluate anime.  As a result, the season has the highest average ranking for a Mid-Season review, although this could be partially due to my grading scale becoming softer or that I am able to discern which anime I like and won’t better than in seasons past.  Either way, the fact is that I am enjoying this wonderful season for numerous reasons and in part due to numerous anime.  This season has featured stunning and dazzling art and animation, especially in respects to a creative use of colors and lighting, sophisticated and engaging characters of all varieties, and satisfying entertaining in the form of enticing fights and fulfilling humor.  This season has also showcased some issues, too, especially in regards to pointlessly convoluted or painfully boring plots in certain anime.  And though these vary from anime to anime, it seems the stories this season are somewhat lacking or underwhelming from my perspective, at least in this general, overview sense of the season.  However, from my personal perspective, plots and stories are among the least important aspects of an anime and though I spend plenty of my time analyzing, assessing, and often complaining about these integral aspects of an anime, they ultimately have little effect on how much I enjoy or dislike an anime.  Stories are valuable, no doubt, but not as much as other attributes.  However, those simple thoughts encompass my general impressions of the season thus far, so all that remains are the individual anime reviews and their scores at this middle point.  It’s about time to see how these anime grade out and fare against each other.

Every anime receives a grade in the form of a numerical score (ranging from 10-5 with the option for D [delayed or dropped]) and is positioned in order to how I would rank these anime when compared to each other for this Autumn season.  Included with each score is an evaluation which further explains the rationale and reasons for the assigned score, in addition to my favorite character and some advice on what I want to see from the anime to improve my impression of it and earn it a better score.  At the end are my thoughts on the best Art, Characters, Entertainment, Setting, Sound, and Story.  Any questions or discussion are welcome and encouraged in the comments section.  And with that, enjoy the Mid-Season Review for Autumn 2012!

Psycho-Pass – 9

Favorite Character: Akane Tsunemori

Review – Psycho-Pass emerges as a premier anime thanks due to its magnificent storytelling, fastidious characterizations, and dramatically thorough and precise setting.  Although the episodic murder mysteries have been somewhat weak and the overarching plot seemingly nonexistent, Psycho-Pass has excelled on its primary focuses thus far which are on Akane’s new superiors and subordinates, her challenges as a rookie Inspector, and how the anime explores the setting of Psycho-Pass through their lives.  The storytelling of Psycho-Pass is sound and technical meaning that each scene and conversation serves a purpose in describing these characters and their world.  As we’ve seen thus far, the setting of Psycho-Pass is more than a dystopian urban hellhole.  And unlike most anime which would fine that setting to be ample for their stories, Psycho-Pass has examined various aspects beyond the criminal justice system, explaining details on recreation, drug use, human behavior, social media, education and the slightly deceiving structure of the government.  And unlike other anime which copycat this setting exterior from other 1984- or Blade Runner-clones, we’ve found that the oppressive policing system is below other bureaucratic agencies, the Economic Ministry being a key example, which raises some deviations that Psycho-Pass can explore to elevate its distinctiveness in this intriguing genre.  The characterization beyond Akane has somewhat been insufficient through these first episodes, but the expressions and reactions of Akane provide excellent examples of introducing the audience to the setting and systems of Psycho-Pass while revealing some ways for her to grow and adjust to this new life.  The remainder of the cast have flashed glimpses of greatness but none have taken the initiative to make this their anime, too, leaving it to be filled by a decent Akane character.  Perhaps this is because the stories have been largely episodic without any emphasis on characters not named Kougami or assisting in structuring the main plotline in any obvious way.  Nevertheless, the few disjointed stories have been fair to pleasant and the signs of how they intertwine might prove my dissatisfaction thus far to be premature and render these complaints unnecessary.  I can only hope that this is true.  The art and animation diverge from the mainstream slightly with Akane’s facial structure being a notable positive (I find her cute) but nothing seems notable besides it is consistent and above-average.  The soundtrack of Psycho-Pass is fine, but outside one or two tracks, I hardly notice anything.  Still, the anime finds its success in a few key areas where I base my evaluations on which is on storytelling, characters, and setting, and Psycho-Pass has done a phenomenal job with each, earning it the top spot for this Mid-Season Review.

What would raise the score? Less episodic storylines and more attention on the overarching plot please.

Robotics;Notes – 9

Favorite Character: Kona Furugoori (Frau)

Review – Robotics;Notes is a brilliant display of how charismatic and entertaining characters positively affect every aspect of an anime, thus making it both more enjoyable and mesmerizing to watch.  The fascinating cast of characters is the unquestionable core strength of Robotics;Notes and each of the primary characters has made a significant impact on the series, either in the form of their budding storylines or simply by making the audience laugh with their delightfully absurd behaviors.  Each character plays their part to near-perfection, especially with Akiho whose unrivaled energy and enthusiasm constantly means this anime begins with an accelerated, spirited beginning and remains peppy and positive throughout.  Furthermore, these characters have begun to bond with each other as a Robotics Club, opening entirely new possibilities through their interactions together which will help develop the plot of this anime and foster entertainment with enhanced comedy and humor.  Really, the characters are what make this show and what make this one of the most delightful of the season.  And now with the plot finally emerging, not to mention various personal storylines being addressed, Robotics;Notes is poised to become more absorbing and engaging.  These storylines have been somewhat underdeveloped thus far but substantial progress has been seen in the most recent episodes, especially with Frau and Subaru.  The progression has been a bit slow with these storylines besides Akiho’s gung-ho approach to GunPro-1, but I’ve been more than satisfied with the character introductions and the comedy throughout this first quarter.  The art and animation have been fine, nothing spectacular but nothing erroneous either and the soundtrack has been a pleasant aspect though that’s thanks to a few select tracks.  The setting on Tanegashima is a pleasant alternative to urban Japan, not only the rural aspect but the tropical and isolated one, too, but certain details that are influencing the story need to be explained before a specific evaluation can be made for Robotics;Notes.  Still, these details in the setting seem to be intregral to the story, which has been improving, and is sure to help explain the characters, too, so it might be best to wait and see how everything plays out in these upcoming episodes.  Any way you look at it, Robotics;Notes has been a rewarding anime to experience and is showing signs of continuous improvement which is sure to make it one of the best and most memorable anime of this year.

What would raise the score? Continue with the current plan of developing the characters and story side-by-side.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure – 9

Favorite Character: Dio Brando

Review – An anime with disregard for moderation and fully indulging in its ingenuity and intensity is the only way to adapt the legendarily popular JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure manga into an anime, and this anime certainly satisfies that daunting challenge.  Through astonishing fighting sequences, not only in terms of visual brilliance with innovative color patterns and fluid animation but also in regards to the directing, flow and passion, JJBA has come to live and the brawls between characters are always fulfilling and enjoyable.  Sure, there are times when it goes over-the-top or completely excessive in its dramatization but it feels appropriate with this story and these characters rather than cartoony or misplaced.  Perhaps it’s because the whole anime is fabulous and flamboyant which adds some entertainment value to this thorough story and comprehensive characters.  Yeah, beyond the fighting and entertainment are some excellent characterizations with JoJo and Dio along with a simple story that is being told effectively without need to bog down the anime with infodumps or illogical twists or generalized apathy from the audience.  Really, any anime can make a cast of absurd characters fight each other but the whole core of JJBA is the constant struggle between JoJo and Dio which has been evident and carefully constructed throughout by a superb and precise story.  The creative use of varying and conflicting colors really keeps the anime from being drab and dreary, often making scenes more alluring than just looking at someone’s face time and time again.  Not only that but it helps add a dimension of significance to their expression or reactions, too, making it feel more extraordinary than it really is.  The animation, however, has been a slight disappointment with several of the fight scenes including too many still-frames or simple motions and frequently interrupted by bystanders commenting on what we already watched and already know.  However, these comments are often some of the most entertaining because of how ridiculous they are and they do add value to the entertainment of the anime.  Still, there could be more animation than what’s already there.  The soundtrack and voice acting are outstanding, helping aid the anime with more stress and fury into each scene.  The setting, taking place in 19^th century England, is awesome because of how unique it is compared to the norm for anime and has allowed the series to infuse various other aspects of fantasy and fighting to make it completely distinctive from everything else.  What will be interesting with this anime is to see how it deals with its time-skips, soon to be launching ahead to the next story arc with a new setting, new characters, new storyline, and new everything.  It’ll be an enormous task and fitting test to see how the anime manages this crucial transition but, after what we’ve seen with this arc, I have faith the anime can pull it off.  Also, considering that we’re about to shift gears to a new story soon, I suppose that this effectively serves as a comprehensive review for the Phantom Blood story.  And while this scored well by itself and in respect to the other anime this season, I can only hope that Part 2 will be even better.

What would raise the score? Handling the transition between Part 1 and Part 2 well. Also more animation from the characters during the fights will help.

Kamisama Kiss – 9

Favorite Character: Natsuko Umibe

Review – Easily the most underrated and underappreciated anime of the season, Kamisama Kiss has been an absolute surprise this season by being innocently charming and delightful, chiefly due to its magnetic cast of characters lead by the exceptional Nanami and a commitment to simplicity and fun.  Really, most anime could learn a lesson or two from Kamisama Kiss which has proven to be both an effective entertainer and proficient at romance and drama.  Although several storylines and background characters are little more than shoujo romance clichés and struggles, the anime feels entirely original in that Nanami’s life as a deity take precedence over her unrequited crush or those terrible, terrible stereotypical shoujo school plotlines.  Her character is phenomenal, both in terms of her personality and actions.  Seeing her always attempt to improve those around her makes her amiable and her commitment to helping others is encouraging.  Watching her influence the world in a positive way is very heartwarming, making this anime a treat to watch.  And her smile, oh my God, her smile is to die for, just the way it radiates out and soothes your heart.  Most of the anime takes place at various shrines or otherworlds, often revolving around local youkai, monsters and spirits and their issues that require Nanami’s assistance (or her mark as a deity).  Because of this unique focus for a plot, one about the lives and challenges of an upcoming Earth deity, Kamisama Kiss has found success as a simple shoujo romance anime where most do not.  In addition to that, the lighthearted nature of Kamisama Kiss plays well into the comedy aspect of the anime which often produces a few smiles or laughs each episode.  The art style is humbly enchanting, often showing various adorable, cartoony drawings of Nanami and friends while carefully placing select images of gorgeously drawn bishounen (and Nanami too!) faces at various intervals.  The animation is all plain with the anime opting for talking faces all too often but it doesn’t need to be considering most of the anime is dialogue rather than action.  The soundtrack is decent but forgettable.

What would raise the score? Less shoujo romance clichés, more time spent with Nanami acting as a deity and improving the lives of the humans around her.

K – 9

Favorite Character: Neko

Review – K is an anime renowned for its style but features substance often overlooked or underappreciated.  While it is true that the story and character development in K are lacking compared to its remarkable visuals, the progress thus far has been more than sufficient and is shaping up to be one of the better anime this season both in terms of its enigmatic story and its delightful but extensive cast of characters.  Yes, though the story seems a bit convoluted with several sources going about the city pursuing their own goals, everything is connected to a grand scheme that slowly moves and is more attentive to developing each character’s side of the story than revealing the whole ordeal in a linear or traditional fashion.  Instead, K follows the characters around and shows the impact of Tatara Totsuka and how each character influences each other as they search for justice, redemption, revenge, or whatever solution they find fitting.  There hasn’t been much but each character has had their motives explained in a clear fashion in respect to the events that have occurred and the story has progressed accordingly.  Because it has its own style, an effective one at that, K has done well in communicating its plot to us and the only complaints are focused on fine details that nit-pick instances or dislikeable details.  The characters are a bit underdeveloped which is justifiable given its massive cast and the secretive nature around Yashiro, Neko and the murder, but it still is a fault of the series, especially since that has been ample time to provide adequate development to the remainder of the cast.  Still, the cast has proven to be enjoyable with most of the characters sharing a serious and a funny side which has allowed the story to progress and the comedy to greatly exceed expectations.  The art and animation are unrivaled, both sensational in their own respects.  The anime is a visual masterpiece considering its aesthetics, with innovative uses in opposing colors and lighting to stage each shot in a way that pulls your eyes in and never wants to let go.  Not only that but the use of colors play into the characters and story, too, providing importance to certain scenes and characters as seen appropriate.  Not only that but beyond the creativeness with colors and lighting are the meticulously and exhaustively detailed sceneries and backgrounds which are truly magnificent, both in the level of detail seen in the shot and also its composition of what it shows us.  The animation, especially in fight sequences have proven to be the most unforgettable aspect of the anime with seamless, complex motions documenting each schuffle.  Not only that but the cinematography rotates the camera around, too, providing a full perspective, enhancing emphasis on their struggle, and diversifying the shot to prevent the scene from ever appearing dull or tedious.  It is outstanding in every regard to the art and animation and faulting it for inconsistencies when it is otherwise so dazzling is certainly unfair; it does the best considering it has ordinary budget and timing constraints.  Not only are the visuals a stunning success but so is the audio aspects of K, a spectacular soundtrack featuring some of the best tracks and insert songs of the season to match the excellent voice cast that provides life and emotion to the cast of characters.  Really, the way K both delights our eyes and ears are sure to keep it among the best of the season.  Some particular faults, however, are in its entertainment value and in the passé setting.  Although the anime can be a riot at times in terms of comedy or during the vibrant fights, certain scenes and dialogues can be a bit tiresome or lackluster, making a stark contrast between the exciting and the dull.  The setting is particularly uninteresting being set in a futuristic urban Japan with high-schoolers, thugs, special cops, crazy kings, superpowers, and unfathomable destruction.  Man, this stuff wasn’t even original in the 90s, why does it continue to persist in anime today?  I suppose it has the ability to differentiate itself as the series goes on but it has been a cookie-cutter setting thus far.  Nonetheless, K has proven itself to be a superior anime with its progressing story, its pleasing characters and the genius of its art, animation, and music, truly embracing what the medium of anime has to offer.

What would raise the score? More development for the main cast and the other major characters and kings.

Magi – 8

Favorite Character: Leila

Review – Embracing adventure and exploration, Magi is an anime with high value in its entertainment and story, features a sincere cast of various people, and is set in a world that carefully blends concepts of fantasy and historical fiction to facilitate the humble themes of friendship and self-discovery.  Magi performs well in just about every measurable category, especially that of the setting which showcases numerous details about the environment, societies and characters that further reinforce the plot and growth we see in our protagonists.  Whether it be a mercantile city facing revolt or an despotic slave-community seeking freedom, the various places of the world continue to play vital roles in how the story and characters progress.  Not only that but the aesthetics of these surroundings, comprised of sweeping or stunning landscapes of various colors and detail, provide a spellbinding atmosphere for each episode.  And though the series has seemed episodic thus far, it has shown glimpses of a central storyline to tie everything in once these initial adventures are over and everything settles down.  Every character has their own goals set out for them and each are working toward accomplishing them, facing their own directions but working together which then helps keep them together.  As the anime continues, these stories and the main plot are sure to develop, thus clarifying what this anime wants to be about.  There has been a stark contrast in the characterization between the protagonists and villains with our heroes grading out much better due to a few key factors.  Our heroes have had the opportunity to have their motivations and histories examined which then explains their behaviors and actions through satisfactory writing.  The various antagonists, however, are poorly conceived clichés that all seem to be handled quite poorly and ineffectively, leading to the struggles between the two to feel sloppy and unsatisfying.  It’s like there was thought put into the good-guys but not the bad-guys which leads to an incomplete feeling when comparing the two or when both are fighting each other. The fights are a bit underwhelming with the best coming in the first episode but it doesn’t appear to be a pivotal factor for the anime nor the dominant focus, rather just an adverse outcome of two sides failing to resolve their issues with words or friendship.  The visual aspects of Magi have been consistently above-average, especially in terms of the backgrounds, scenery, and characters and does a fine job of adapting the art style of the manga, but it’s nothing compared to the top-tier anime in terms of its artistic aspects.  The soundtrack, however, is tremendous with numerous orchestrated pieces that match the setting of the anime and enhance the mood in every scene.  As a soundtrack alone, it might be my favorite of the season.  And though the review is almost entirely positive, there are some faults with Magi that keep it from reaching the coveted 9.  Perhaps the most notable is that the story is still in its infancy and the villains have been atrotious, but these appear to be clearing up and Magi is on its way up.  Hopefully by the time the next evaluation comes around, Magi will have shown enough to climb in the rankings.

What would raise the score? An understanding of the central story and some actually decent villains for once.

Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! – 8

Favorite Character: Touka Takanashi

Review – Romantic-comedy anime are often unfairly doomed from the start due to my numerous previous failures but Chuunibyou has proven its worth through genuine comedy, a delightful cast of imaginative, lively teenagers, and a romance that doesn’t want me to repeatedly bang my head on the bloody corner of my desk like what so many anime before have forced me to do.  Well, to clarify, the romance genre has been frequently disappointing or frustrating for me, so to see some thoughtful development, although minimal, keeps this from suffering the same fate as countless others before it.  The romance has been fine, just it’s not the reason why I enjoy watching it.  The comedy is largely responsible for the respectable score, featuring hilarious antics that continue to produce smiles and laughs episode after episode.  The dynamic relationships between all the characters, such as between Rikka and Dekomori or Dekomori and Nibutani foster the comedy in this show by establishing relationships and then running a series of connected jokes to build the humor into more than one-liners, puns, and sight gags.  The fact that the comedy continues to be structured and references previous episodes goes to show the quality of the entertainment here.  While on the topic of quality, Chuunibyou also features some of the best animation and art of the season, featuring perhaps the most consistency in both departments.  What makes the art in Chuunibyou spectacular is that feels methodical, never feeling lazy in backgrounds or character details nor using animation tricks or short-cuts that leave the product feeling cheap.  The animation is smooth and fluid, too, and really plays into the comedy with how comedic or exaggerated these motions are.  Not only that but the cinematography diversifies the shots, giving us various angles and perspectives that heighten the visual impact of various scenes.  Unfortunately the same can’t be said for the music, which is fair at best.  Thankfully the voice acting and sound effects (specifically those during the battle sequences) makes up for that, giving the anime decent sound overall.  As for the characters, they’ve steadily grown on me over the course of the anime and, now that they’ve bonded, have really made the anime a blast to watch.  All the characters have their own distinctive personalities and add something to the anime which, combined with everyone else, makes the comedy function to the greatest magnitude.  There hasn’t been much development beyond each warming-up to each other and enjoying their lives more, but for an anime of this caliber, that’s perfectly fine with me.  The one worry I have with this anime is how the romance will be handled throughout the final few episodes since it will lessen my favorite aspects of this anime (comedy) and go into an area where anime have frequently made miscues (romance).  If Chuunibyou can provide a satisfying conclusion while keeping the clichés to a minimum, you can expect Chuunibyou to make a rise in its score and the rankings overall.

What would raise the score? A decent conclusion to the romance and more comedy overall, specifically with Dekomori and Nibutani.

Girls und Panzer – 8

Favorite Character: Mako Reizei

Review – Simplicity and a dedication to its amiable central company of characters, Girls und Panzer has amazed many, including myself, at being one of the better anime this season.  Fundamentally, Girls und Panzer appears to be something of an ordinary slice-of-life anime, documenting the lives of girls partaking in their club activities.  The crucial difference is due to the innovative setting where tank warfare is an admired and popular pastime, one that is unquestionably feminine and intended for teenage girls and schools aimlessly circumnavigate the Earth aboard massive aircraft carriers.  Not only does it enable the setting to differentiate itself from every other high-school girl slife anime but it does so in a way that rattles our generalized notions of the world to show life through an unthinkable perspective.  The result is outstanding, especially considering how the amusing characters cooperate with each other for some charming storylines and enjoyable battles.  What makes the cast pleasing is that they are all unpretentious and uncomplicated; each girl has a fun personality that fits in with the group dynamic.  This straightforward approach means that the anime is never bogged down by wild or eccentric personalities that would disagree with the story or setting or that a few characters outshine each other leaving it humble and inclusive in its approach to the cast.  Likewise, the plot of Girls und Panzer is simple, too, but almost too simple in its approach to the collection of battles and the character storylines.  Whereas these are advantages to the unique setting and friendly characters, it is a drawback for the story which feels rudimentary, specifically that each one is a stereotypical anime girl problem which isn’t as suitable for the unconventional anime girl setting.  You wish the anime were doing more in this regard but, thus far, it’s been nothing more than a string of mother-daughter conflict, a girl with no friends, a girl having attendance issues, and one timid about her God-given skills at Senshado, Panzerfahren, Tankwando, or whatever you want to call it.  The battle animation, principally the 3-D tanks stampeding across the gentle landscapes and empty cityscapes, are remarkable and help enhance the tank fights by giving it a consistent and gratifying look.  The rest of the art is rather fair but likeable; it’s nothing special but the art style for the girls is cute.  The soundtrack features a number of military hymns and tunes, further promoting the tank theme of the anime, which is a plus.  Hopefully from here on out, the anime will continue to feature military tactics and battle scenes rather than school scenes and whatnot, but I figure the only way for the girls and story to advance are outside of battle.  It’ll be interesting to see how the few remaining episodes handle Miho’s problems since it’s been reiterated again and again, but it doesn’t seem as desirable as tank warfare or watching the girls have fun together and strengthen their friendships.  Depending on how the anime handles these next few episodes, Girls und Panzer could rise as easy as it could fall.

What would raise the score? More fun battles, more focus on their friendship together, and a resolution that doesn’t feel like another anime cliché.

Shin Sekai Yori – 8

Favorite Character: Saki Watanabe

Review – Shin Sekai Yori is rather polarizing as an anime, alternating between moments of sheer brilliance and mangled bewilderment.  And this does not only pertain to the story and characters but to also the art and animation quality, sporadically switching between gorgeous and lethargic.  And though certain scenes are guest directed/animated by prominent figures, it is the normal scenes where this problem mainly occurs with certain inconsistencies cropping up in the same shots with the same characters.  Really, if any problem were to be fixed first with this anime, it would be with the art and animation first.  The story is intriguing and fascinating with the five friends searching for a way to live in this society after the sins they’ve committed.  With a world constructed where humans are breed for certain traits and possess unfathomable psychic powers, the oppressive and secretive nature really accents the story to give it a demanding feel and, combined with certain horror elements, it really captures the audience.  And though the substance of the story is great, the storytelling has been somewhat troublesome, often involving infodumps in the form of lengthy exposition where there’s no movement, motion, or animation besides moving mouths.  Well, considering the problems with the visuals in this anime, that might not be such a bad thing.  The characters are one other aspect I’m having trouble with.  It seems like everyone but Saki has been forced into the preconceived concepts clarified in the library’s history.  Saki seems to be the only one with any personality, individuality, and is the only one really showing conflict with this community’s system.  It’s like everyone is a zombie but her.  But, beyond this animation problems and concerns of the story and characters, Shin Sekai Yori has been enjoyable given how different it feels compared to other anime.  It’s distinctiveness really stands out when comparing it to any other anime and its focus on a slowly evolving storyline shows a dedication to its intended purpose.  Still, it seems like the novel that it is based on has had some slip-ups in its transition to an anime, so hopefully these areas are addressed as the anime continues throughout this season and into the Winter.

What would raise the score? Improvement in the animation and art quality and perhaps some clarity on Saki’s character compared to everyone else.

Space Brothers – 8

Favorite Character: Masa Hoshika

Review – Having complained about the sluggish pacing and negligible developments each week, I decided to save Space Brothers for a marathon session so that way I could watch actual events occur in a single sitting.  The experiment paid-off with the most recent viewings lasting a few hours but providing more enjoyment and entertainment than what I recall from the Summer season.  I plan to continue watching the anime in this fashion seeing as I appreciate the series more in this manner.  As for the anime itself, nothing much has changed compared to my previous four reviews of this anime spread across the Spring and Summer reviews.  Space Brothers continues to make the life of Mutta advantageous to watch, given his characteristic challenges and inspiring successes.  The characters around him continue to grow as he reaches closer and closer to becoming an astronaut who walks on the surface of our lonely satellite, the Moon.  The art and animation quality ranges from passable to miserable to hilarious, which is about consistent with what it’s always been.  No complaints for me concerning the music, something that remains a positive throughout this lengthy anime.  And for ideas on how it can improve are pretty much worthless at this point given that it’s in the mid-30s and what we’ve seen is what we’ll get.

What would raise the score? Continuing to watch this anime in 4-5 episode spurts, it really helps.

Medaka Box Abnormal – 7

Favorite Character: Yatsushiro (absent)

Review – Medaka Box Abnormal continues to be a worthwhile entertainment anime, now focusing more on character fights than ever before while still retaining that clever dialogue and prominent comedy that made the first season fun to watch.  With each episode pairing one good-guy against one baddie, the anime spends each episode working on these characters, highlighting their strengths and motivations and displaying some respectable fighting, the one complaint is that it heavily relies on their gimmicks, with wonderful comedy certain to make one smile or laugh a few times each episode.  As a result, it feels like this sequel has taken an approach at filling out these rather shallow characters while the first season was devoted to Medaka first and Medaka second.  In this regard, this sequel has done a better job of addressing the characters that support and adore Medaka and help enlighten us to why, helping round out the cast through fulfilling brawls.  The comedy has seen a drop in prevalence but, with the added emphasis on understanding these characters, it is a bit understandable and a good move on the part of this anime.  And when comparing the storylines between the original and this, I feel that Abnormal is doing a better job by having a continuous storyline that features episodes that build off each other rather than the episodic nature of the first season in which served as random encounters between Medaka and the students of Hakoniwa Academy.  It’s no surprise that when comparing Medaka Box Abnormal to the first season, Abnormal turns out to be the better of the two.  However, when compared to everything else, Medaka Box Abnormal is only a good anime, nothing great.  Watching Medaka Box Abnormal for its entertainment value is the best bet for enjoying what this series has to offer with this season primarily comprised of decisive battles and hilarious comedy.  Trying to watch Medaka Box Abnormal for its rich story and enthralling characters can be done but it may disappointing considering the story itself feels a bit basic and substandard and the characters rather plain and boring outside Medaka, especially with these villains who are entirely defined by their gimmick.  Still, I am enjoying this second season of Medaka Box and am interested in how this battle arc eventually resolves itself.

What would raise the score? More comedy which will probably come when Shiranui reappears in the anime.

Zetsuen no Tempest – 7

Favorite Character: Hakaze Kusaribe

Review – Zetsuen no Tempest has proven to be a bit of a mixed bag, demonstrating signs of excellence in various aspects and mediocrity in others.  The story itself is something I find fascinating, a careful intertwining of Hakaze’s story, being stranded on the island and using her powers to defeat her own clansmen, with Mahiro’s story, journeying across Japan to avenge the death of his beloved ‘sister’.  The characterization has been a bit of a pleasant surprise, too, though the way it has been handled has been a bit questionable.  I find Mahiro’s complete disregard for the world and his arrogant personality to be remarkable given how he is seen as a protagonist, something you wouldn’t expect from someone potentially saving the world from destruction.  Hakaze’s character has been interesting, too, though it hasn’t been as fleshed out as well as Yoshino and Mahiro.  Yoshino and Aika, unfortunately, aren’t much to talk about, though the way that Yoshino continues to deceive Mahiro has been exceptional.  The setting of Tempest is satisfactory, playing well to the themes of the story but not proving to be special in and of itself.  My chief complaint with this anime is that I often find certain scenes and aspects boring which can be attributed to the character flashbacks, the infodumps on the setting and histories, and the way the fights are portrayed besides the ones in the first episode.  The way the flashbacks continue to irregularly appear destroys the continuity in the present and saps whatever interest I found in the current scenes to deplete whatever energy or enthusiasm I had.  And given the extensive nature the anime has used these flashbacks, I find myself going from eager to bored quickly and regularly.  The setting and history of Tempest has been explained through lengthy monologues that further increase the frequency of my bored with this anime though it really depends on what the anime chooses to show in the meanwhile or what the subject matter is.  Sometimes I appreciate these descriptions but often times I find myself bored as the characters go on and on about whatever.  And though the anime doesn’t particularly want to focus on fights, each one has been adequate at best, never really exciting or intriguing or intelligent at best.  Maybe if the anime doesn’t care about these fights, neither should I.  I find the art and animation to be some of the better this season, along with the music, but it grades out to be around the median from what we should expect from anime these days.  In terms of the approaching conclusion, I’m not sure what to expect or what I’d like to see, so I suppose that these are positives considering it has me legitimately guessing what will happen next.

What would raise the score? A satisfying conclusion to the story and the three main characters.

Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo – 6

Favorite Character: Misaki Kamiigusa

Review – Although I often disregard romantic comedy anime, I’ve found Sakurasou to have some charming and touching moments that help make this anime watchable and somewhat enjoyable.  It’s worth noting first that the anime seems completely derivative with its stereotypical harem set-up, lame male lead, extraordinary female lead, choice archetypes surrounding the character and clichés and misunderstandings ruling the episodes.  Once you’re able to get beyond all that filth and banal material, Sakurasou proves to be effective in its comedy.  Really, that’s the main reason why I am watching this anime is that I find myself laughing at this anime more than just about any other this season.  It doesn’t mean that I find everything funny because there are often scenes I find myself criticizing this anime harshly for being unoriginal, but specific dialogue and reactions have shown time and time again that this has some great comedy.  Outside the comedy, though, there isn’t much going for this anime.  Nothing about the characters seems original or interesting with each functioning as the pieces to any romcom story with a love-triangle rather than a harem.  The story has some sparks of interest in me, only slightly though, given that it pertains to anime and manga which I have more interest in that otherworld super-powers or school antics which often seems to be the case in these works.  The setting is among my least favorite because of how it oversaturates anime these days, a school-setting in urban Japan.  The art, animation, and music are all standard though the character visuals, both how they look and how they move, are dazzling and adorable.  If only the anime didn’t have this romance angle to it or elements of teenage angst and uncertainty, then we’d probably see Sakurasou score better than it did.  Unfortunately this is not the case with Sakurasou being as much of an enjoyable comedy as it is a dreadful, derivative romance.

What would raise the score? Completely removing the whole romance bullshit going on and replace it with friendship and more comedy.

Little Busters! – 6

Favorite Character: Kudryavka Noumi

Review – A disappointment any way your measure it, I continue to watch Little Busters! each week given that I’ve always wanted to watch it.  And though some of the blame lies in the story of Little Busters! itself, a vast majority of the fault lies in the way that this was adapted to an anime, exhibiting issues in just about every aspect of the series.  Episodes seem to be paced way too slowly, characterization feels absolutely mismanaged, comedy is considered an afterthought and the art and animation quality is unacceptable at best.  Like, Little Busters! wouldn’t be a 6 if it were being animated by KyoAni like the other Key anime.  This JC Staff adaptation have proven to be a regrettable disaster.  Still, I find myself enjoying Little Busters! in spite of these issues.  The whole theme of a harem of friendship rather than a harem of romance is an admirable topic to use for the central storyline.  Whereas romance in anime are often set to be inconsistent, prone to resets, and marred with misunderstanding and confusion, friendships are straightforward, progressive, and incorporate characters together to facilitate a more enjoyable experience with the characters.  Besides the mishandling of Komari’s problem, handling the problem way too quickly and easily, I’ve found the characters to be quite comprehensive and amusing and I enjoy seeing them work together.  The setting, again, is something overused in anime, which certainly doesn’t help this anime which finds it struggling.  The subjects of the comedy are often quite amusing but sometimes the delivery is fumbled which leads to some jokes being less impactful than I feel they were intended to be.  The art and animation are substandard but it does well in specific areas, such as during the emotional or pivotal scenes of the series.  And though this review was covered with complaints and faults of the series, I do find myself enjoying the anime and wanting to see how it ends.  There are some concerns with where it’s, its pacing, and how the anime is being handled, but I plan to finish this anime given how long I’ve been waiting for it to be made.

What would raise the score? KyoAni stepping in and taking over for the remainder.

Jormungand: Perfect Order – 6

Favorite Character: Schokolade

Review – Although Jormungand began as a promising action-oriented anime in the Spring, the anime has since completely bombed for me.  And while there are a number of factors contributing to this shocking and unexpected demise, there is one damning aspect that is primarily responsible for my current disappointment and dissatisfaction.  Jormungand: Perfect Order has become tediously predictable with every episode following the exact same damn pattern: Koko and her team are off to some dangerous part of the world doing something dangerous when all of a sudden there’s some random, abrupt backstory for a character we never gave a damn about before and sure as hell aren’t going to give a damn about after.  Jonah learns something new, Koko laughs, Valmet is a lesbian, and Lehm is a badass when all of a sudden, Koko and her team are attacked by some dipshit assassins/soldiers/insurgents/whatever.  Even though we know no one will die from Koko’s team, character-of-the-week does whatever the hell that makes them special to ensure that no one dies and they kill all the badguys with some stock action footage like people firing guns, people being sniped, and everything exploding.  With everything okay, the episode ends on a joke and the credits roll. If the anime weren’t so exhaustingly predictable and there were decent character development, non-episodic content, and entertaining action, then I’d definitely enjoy Jormungand more.  But because it’s gone essentially Endless Eight on us, it’s a low 6.

What would raise the score? Anything, I don’t care.  Just do something to improve the characters, story, entertainment, or whatever.  Or bring back Schokolade.  I don’t care, just give me something.

Sword Art Online – 6

Favorite Character: Keiko Ayano (Silica)

Review – Unlike all the anime before this, I currently watch SAO mockingly due to the hilarity it continues to provide.  Watching it socially with constant remarks, observations, complaints and confusion make this anime much more enjoyable than it should be, that I find value in this dreadful and remorseful anime.  If I were watching this alone, then the review would be comprised entirely of how the characters have stagnated, the writing is wildly inconsistent and counterintuitive, the fights are all ‘here’s how Kirito wins…’, the story is incoherent and poorly articulated, and there’s sister-oh-wait-she’s-my-cousin incest.  But no, instead of stating the obvious which is how regretful and ashamed this anime is, it’s worth noting why I continue to watch it.  Well, beyond the social aspects which is the main component of staying up-to-date with SAO, always worth some satisfying laughs, the online world is decent with its emphasis on journeying around the environment and interacting with other players.  Of course, the setting is largely underdeveloped and we spend way too much time in the real world, but the scenery and exploration are highlights in each episode.  The soundtrack for this anime is one of the better for this season, often matching mood and enhancing atmosphere to be suitable for the scenes.  The aesthetic component of the art in the backgrounds and scenery are splendid which makes up for art and animation mistakes that pop-up from time to time.  So really, there are a number of reasons why I continue to watch SAO beyond having the opportunity to berate it every week.  And though this is the most flawed and erratic anime of the season, I will continue to watch it and find enjoyment out of it anyway I can.

What would raise the score? Less real world, less incest, less inconsistencies, less clichés, better characterizations, better exploration, a completely new story, and a completely new cast.  And while I’m making wishes, I want…

Autumn 2012 Mid-Season Recognitions:

Best Art: K

Best Characters: Robotics;Notes

Best Entertainment: Kamisama Kiss

Best Setting: Psycho-Pass

Best Sound: K

Best Story: Robotics;Notes

And so that ends the Autumn 2012 Mid-Season Review.  Since the beginning of this post, several anime have subsequently aired their continuing episodes and, as you should expect, the rankings have begun to shift and scores have begun to change, too.  These rankings are fluid thus allowing every anime to move freely depending on how it performs and how it improves.  Because these are only momentary evaluations examining the first half of each season, there is no guarantee that this is where the shows will end up depending on how the latter halves go.  Furthermore, many of these anime will continue into the Winter 2013 season meaning that these shows are only in their infancy and their final evaluation will only be assigned after watching hours and hours of these shows in the quickly approaching future.  Every anime has their own opportunity to earn a better score or increase their ranking, so seeing how they perform in these final episodes will ultimately dictate whether they’re moving up or moving down.  Until these anime reach their finales or momentary conclusions and earn their final grades and evaluations, let’s do our best to enjoy these anime as much as possible because, after all, that’s why we continue to watch and love anime!

This week: showing how characters change in Magi, questions on accessing the files in Robotics;Notes, thoughts on Shun’s mask from Shin Sekai Yori, offscreen character growth in Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!, prioritizing girls over panzers in Girls und Panzer, and questions about unintentional stress, stress relievers and criminalization in Psycho-Pass.

Due to some other deadlines and projects and whatnot, both Magi and Robotics;Notes will be moved here for Week 9 and will return to their individual posts for Week 10.

Best episode of the week: Psycho-Pass

Anime trending up this week: Medaka Box Abnormal

Anime trending down this week: Girls und Panzer

Sword Art Online (Episode 22) – Yuki Kajiura’s soundtrack for has been the one consistent and unwavering strength of Sword Art Online and continues to impress me episode after episode.  Although it is nowhere near her greatest works, such as Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Tsubasa Chronicle, Baccano!, or Fate/Zero, the various tracks match the environment and settings of these fantasy games and have the suitability to be considered video game music.  Fulfilling both criteria is certainly difficult since the fantasy aspect needs to appeal that distinct emotion that we understand as fantasy while also pertaining to the video game elements that toy with drama, delight, excitement and adventure.  It possesses both elements simultaneously which is why it feels so harmonious and suitable for the anime.  Not only that the various songs have lovely melodies which help enrich the scenes on screen and enhance the emotions the characters feel.  Really, the music in Sword Art Online is nothing short of fantastic but the respect and recognition its received has been somewhat ignored or overlooked.  Perhaps listening to these tracks on their own, without the presence of the anime, will convince more people just how magnificent and outstanding this soundtrack really is.

Shin Sekai Yori (Episode 10) – Shun expressionless, yet influential mask might be the most memorable aspect of this remarkable episode.  Its calmness conflicted mightily with Shun’s distress and fear yet its emptiness reflected his state perfectly.  Its uneasy stare felt menacing to both Saki and the audience, as if it were constantly observing us despite hints that Shun was looking not as us but beyond us.  And the presence of the mask implied that is showed some lingering humanity in what was formally a human but now a fiend (although he still remained a friend).  Yes, the mask is truly the centerpiece of the episode and my intrigue in it endured long after the episode ended.  Upon some random browsing of the net, I serendipitously encounter what I believe to be its inspiration from a famous National Geographic photograph where a young Nunamiut boy holds up a strikingly similar caribou hide mask.  Unfortunately, I am unable to find the significance of the mask or if it truly relates to Shun’s mask in Shin Sekai Yori.  Although Shun’s mask appears to be a copy of this original, it is unknown if this is an imitation due to its distinct featurelessness and that it could be copying some other plain mask from some other culture.  Regardless, Shun’s mask certainly drew inspiration and appeal from me despite questions and confusion raising from other aspects of the episode.

Robotics;Notes (Episode 8) – When Kou Kimijima encrypted these report files and placed unreasonably specific requires in obtaining them, two questions immediately originate: why and for whom?  The first question is why are these files be nearly impossible to access?  It’s set-up in such a specific and obscure way that no one will find them by mere accident (the odds are too low) but they’re placed out there so it is possible if anyone knows the specifics.  Not only that but they’re laid out in such a fashion that it is incredibly cumbersome or impossible for others to access them, too, such as people for whom these reports are intended.  Not only that, but who would need to access them?  The fact that these people need the reports means that it should be relatively easy for them to access it since Kimijima wrote these reports for these people.  However, now they need to know the specifics to access them, perform them, and then they can obtain the reports.  If not, then I’m not sure who these reports were written for or why they’re obtainable through such obscure and difficult methods.  And if they’re not intended to be read by anyone else, why even have them out there, to be unlocked through such challenging measures?

Psycho-Pass (Episode 8) – Psycho-Pass raises an excellent point in this episode when a teacher criticizes Kougami’s methods by how it creates unnecessary stress on his students.  This raises some questions about the justice system or Sybil system differentiates a dangerous rise in baseline stress and fluctuations or temporary elevations like what occurred at the academy.  Depending on the metrics and the people involved, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to believe that some people bounce between high and low levels of stress in a day or a week, especially with the presence of unnecessary stresses or unintentional stress caused by others.  Perhaps there are some complex logistical regression equations or random effects models in place to qualify the dangerous from the norm that is just assumed with such a sophisticated system as this.  Additionally, a follow-up to this query would be the presence of stress relievers, ones that would help people deal with unexpected spikes in stress.  I don’t believe they exist in a commercially available form for a few reasons; one is that Yayoi encouraged Mika, the friend of the victims, to cry so that her crime coefficient would not raise too high, meaning there aren’t any readily available alternatives for victims and bystanders, and that these could be abused to mask the crime coefficients of criminals by being repeatedly used to obtain a socially-acceptable level.  Still, there needs to be some way that stress is measured and quantified in this society to account for these spikes and valleys in stress and for it to differentiation between criminal and burdened or anxious.

Medaka Box Abnormal (S2) (Episode 8) – The sudden appearance of six new fights and the return of six fighting characters goes to prove that these upcoming fights will have little impact on the story, insignificant character development but an immeasurable amount of fun and entertaining through more mindless fighting based off gimmicky superpowers.  Like, really, that’s all that this is besides parodying the shounen fighting manga when all the characters appear, especially baddies-turned-goodies, at the end for their final fights.  And what’s great about this is that it’s here for our entertainment and nothing more.  It isn’t trying to be sentimental by showing how nice these people really are or trying to bullshit its way into the story somehow; nope, it’s just here for more random, ridiculous fun in Medaka Box.  And this, this irrational behavior by its characters and their sudden, unnecessary reappearance, is just one of the reasons why I continue to find Medaka Box entertaining and enjoyable episode after episode.

Magi (Episode 8) – The unfortunate reunion of Alibaba and Kassim is an excellent approach to show how quickly people can change when placed in different environments.  With his removal from the slums and thrust into the life of royalty, Alibaba quickly adapted to his new life and new surroundings, learning reading, writing, swordplay, and such-‘n-such, while Kassim matured as a thief surrounded by inequality and poverty.  After a few years, they reunited in their old neighborhood and reminisced over the childhoods they shared together.  However, the whole point of this meeting was to show how severely they changed.  With Alibaba sheltered and resorting to his amiable personality, he was naïve to see Kassim’s change and neglected to figure that Kassim grew as much as he did during the years spent apart.  Kassim, living a deprived life, grew more cunning and bold in his approach to thievery and ruthlessness and used his bond with Alibaba to manipulate him.  The result was not what Alibaba had intended and he witnessed his childhood friend ravage and ransack the castle that provided him so much.  And though they were friends before, the years allowed each to change and evolve into two entirely different people thanks to the environments they matured in.  As intended, the reunion between Alibaba and Kassim shows the stark contrast in how people change as they grow, especially with respect to the settings of where they grow up.

Kamisama Kiss (Episode 9) – Although we like to believe that deities and gods are caring, soothing and comforting beings, Kamisama Kiss has showed us that every one, except for one, is selfish, merciless, and inconsiderate to others, especially humans.  The only one that isn’t just so happens to be Nanami, our anime’s heroine.  It is rather amusing to note how compassionate and outgoing Nanami is compared to all the other deities, spirits, and youkai in the series.  And though everyone remarks that this is what makes her unusual about being a deity, I would disagree and say it’s her caring and loving personality that differentiates her from the rest.  Really, compared to everyone else, Nanami is the only one who has genuine interest in others and their problems, even questioning her own and weighing it in regards to others.  It’s like Nanami understands what it is that people want from their deities and gods and that she responds to that unlike the rest of the cast which are in constant conflict with each other.  It speaks volumes of Nanami’s character that she is the only one like this which makes her even more exceptional as a person and a deity.

K (Episode 9) – K’s pacing and story developments have been the subject of a number of complaints and criticisms.  These elements pertain to how the story of K is communicated to us, specifically they just parts of what comprise the storytelling aspect of K.   However, I am enjoying both features, particularly with how the story is moving along with the characters presently and having bit by bit about the setting and history slowly added in.  Rather than massive infodumps, comprised of dreary exposition or lengthy monologues, K has chosen an approach that has slow, steady progression with the addition of story elements and plot points at specific intervals.  For example, it isn’t necessary that we understand everything about the color kings, such as who they are, what they do, or how they relate to each other until the time is right.  And when it is necessary or whenever the anime wants to reveal it to us, it comes up at an appropriate time.  Really, my fault with the story is that it isn’t terribly interesting thus far, largely because there seems to be so much going on and it feels directionless in how the murder is being solved, so that’s the fault I have with the anime.  However, there shouldn’t really be any complaints on its storytelling since it has handled these aspects, the pacing and developments, with exacting excellence.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (Episode 9) – Given the naming system of JJBA, utilizing the names of bands and singers from the 70s and 80s, you wonder if some were given preferential treatment over others.  For example, I couldn’t help but notice Styx was a boozing priest with no self-confidence who almost unleashed hell and died a horrific death.  Then you have others like Tom Petty (Tonpeti) who is a badass, bearded monk who trains everyone in the ways of the Ripple and fights vampires.  Like, you have to wonder if Hirohiko Araki, the author of JJBA, kinda liked Tom Petty more than Styx or something.  Well, it doesn’t really matter, but it’s something to think about whenever you see these names appear and why they have these names or how they came about.  And with even more names appearing in the next arc, it will only become more fun to speculate.

Girls und Panzer (Episode 7) – One has to question the priorities of Girls und Panzer after an episode such as this.  With only about ten seconds of warfare in this episode, specifically the surrender of the Anzio High School, the Italian-themed school whose emblem resembles a delicious pizza, the episode missed out on what seemed to be an opportune battle featuring tanks we’ll probably never get to see again and a cast of bizarre personalities and battle tactics to match.  Instead, all we saw were the leader emerge from her tank and yield to despair and regret.  Would’ve been nice to see the actual battle, though in all fairness, they must be a pain to plan and animate.  Instead, the episode decided to showcase the girls go about their lives at the academy and take on additional responsibilities given the neediness of the other groups.  Not only that but there was a short expedition to salvage lost tank parts from around the aircraft carrier that would significantly improve their current models.  But without any warfare material, we’re unsure of how useful they were or even what differences they made for the battlefield.  It suggests that Girls und Panzer isn’t necessarily as excited or fervent about the military games as I am or that it wants to show every piece of warfare like what I want.  However, it still wants to show these details by adding a unique character to head the Italian school and to show the girls getting upgrades to their tanks.  However, we don’t get to actually see anything about the new school or the new tanks in this episode since it’s mostly spent around the ship with the girls involved in other activities.  There certainly seems to be a disconnect here between the actual panzer part of the anime and the girls part of the anime, so naturally my enthusiasm is a bit shot considering that I’m missing out on my favorite part here.  However, I suppose that it’s fair to say that the battles are quite thorough and meticulous, which means that they will be broken-up from episode to episode due to the amount of animation and other work that goes into each battle.  Still, I would’ve appreciated something more than just ten seconds, especially with a new school, new tanks, and new upgrades that were showcased throughout the episode.

Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! (Episode 9) – Nibutani’s willingness to promote the Far Eastern Magical Summer Nap Club (or whatever it’s called) through public demonstration is a tremendous may to show how her character has grown throughout the series.  Considering how little screentime she has compared to some of the other characters (and what’s left is her battling with Dekomori), her acceptance of the strangeness and abnormalities of her club and classmates shows how she’s grown despite not having a story or episode to herself or her issue.  It’s a fantastic way of showing growth since its apparent (she’s changed considerably since her introduction, no longer artificial or fighting the demons of her past) but it never stole the spotlight from Rikka or Yuuta nor did it divert the attention from the series away from those two to show her overcome this problem.  Not only is it good for her but it’s good for everyone and extremely beneficial for the series.  Although the comedy between her and Dekomori is bound to take a hit, the two won’t be fruitlessly caught up in those brawls that have no progress to either character or the story.  With her maturing now, the series is able to progress further with these characters and Nibutani can now take a more active role with the rest of the cast.  It’s quite a remarkable development for a character to develop so readily off screen (and not without reason, too), which is a huge plus for Chuunibyou as it inches closer to its finale.

Last week: tributes or significant references to movies, literature, and music in Psycho-Pass, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!, brilliant visual cues in Shin Sekai Yori, issues with the in-game populations in Sword Art Online, and some positives about the fanservice in Little Busters!

Best episode of the week: Psycho-Pass

Anime trending up this week: Girls und Panzer

Anime trending down this week: Sword Art Online

Sword Art Online (Episode 23) – A major noticeable difference between SAO and ALO is how much more populated and charismatic the characters felt in SAO compared to ALO.  Whereas SAO had a number of named and recurring characters, ALO has been a bargain on characters with every episode consisting of Kitiro, Lyfa, sometimes Yui, and if we’re really lucky, one or two of the other underdeveloped and underappreciated characters. It’s really a barren world from the story’s perspective and a significant reason why this story arc has been less compelling or intriguing as the original SAO story.  With well over a dozen characters interacting, adventuring and conflicting with each other in SAO, not to mention how they interacted with their environment and the game itself to create various societies and rules regarding PKs, ALO feels empty by comparison on how strict it is to follow only Kirito and Lyfa around.  As a result, the game of ALO has been left untouched and unexplored, virtually in the same condition as when Kirito started the game as it is now with the story arc almost over.  It’s a huge opportunity missed with ALO.  Even if it was not a part of the primary storyline, there is no excuse for the severe and damaging lack of characters and development of the setting.  And this certainly plays a considerable role in why ALO has been a disappointment compared to SAO.

Shin Sekai Yori (Episode 11) – Unlike previous after prior brainwashing sessions, there’s a new indicator present that certainly holds some visual appeal in how to notify the audience when the characters are struggling to recover memories locked away.  That is to say the eye twitching the characters show when thinking about their past is definitely a positive change in the series in how it signals what lines of dialogue are truthful and what are memories implanted in their mind to protect themselves and others from discovering the shocking truth of their society.  But the ways the eyes twitch, almost inconspicuous and unremarkable, is a fascinating addition to visually cue the audience of key lines in their dialogue.  Of course, the series could do without and leave it up to the attentive members of the audience to figure things out, but the eye twitching is a lovely addition.  Not only that, but I wonder if the characters see the eyes twitch themselves in the series and if they are curious about it at all and wonder about its significance.  Perhaps this may lead to some development down the line with respect to why the eyes twitch when trying to search repressed memories or false histories.  Either way, I find this addition to the series to be intriguing and expressive, and I am happy to see it be placed in the series with a potential for it to be used at any point for the characters to help understand their brainwashed situations.

Psycho-Pass (Episode 9) – I couldn’t help but notice a few similarities between Saiga Jouji’s quick and impressive dissection of Akane’s character by use of criminal profiling and clinical psychology and the opening scene of Blade Runner where Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) interviews a young lady named Rachel (Sean Young) and is able to discern whether she’s a replicant or not.  With a number of references to Blade Runner already established through the setting and criminal justice system, I found this one to particularly strong and perhaps a bit of foreshadowing.  Although the scene from Psycho-Pass was not a direct copy or imitation of Blade Runner, it had a enough of a similarity by felling and purpose that it immediately popped into my mind moments into the scene.  As for foreshadowing, along with various hints and suggestions provided throughout the rest of the episode, it might be another piece that points toward Akane becoming a latent criminal before the end of the series, something that would eventually pit Kougami against Akane in the final episodes.  Still, regardless of its implications for future story events and characterization, the scene was a pleasant tribute to Blade Runner which I feel has had an immeasurable impact on Pyscho-Pass.

Medaka Box Abnormal (S2) (Episode 9) – The timing of the opening joke in this episode perfectly synced up with Little Busters! for me.  Having just finished the episode previously, Medaka opens up the ninth episode of Medaka Box Abnormal by asking what the baseball club does.  Although the Little Busters! aren’t the baseball club, I began wondering that myself seeing as they are a baseball team that does everything but play baseball.  Just really good timing I guess between watching the two anime.

Little Busters! (Episode 10) – One positive aspect about Little Busters! is how it manages to avoid those typical fanservice clichés while still having some level of fanservice present.  What I mean by this is that there was that Riki needed to go to the classroom where the girls were changing into their gym uniforms since that’s where he forgot his tracksuit.  Rather than having him walk in on Mio or some other girl still in their underwear, he walked in without incident.  And when he knocked Mio over when searching for the baseball, she didn’t fall in such a way her skirt fell up and present her panties for the whole audience to see.  Rather, Little Busters! has avoided most of its fanservice besides a few pantyshots early on and most of those were immediately used for character jokes rather than trying to exploit the characters sexually for fans to excite themselves over.  In fact, considering the level of fanservice in other anime present this season, even in shows like Shin Sekai Yori (girls/guys kissing each other), Girls und Panzer (multiple bathing scenes), and Psycho-Pass (debatable), Little Busters! is among the least fanservicey in terms of perverseness and ecchi material.  And among the most positives about this is that it doesn’t really use any clichés in presenting the fanservice like walking into a room when a girl is changing or girls falling over for timely pantyshots.  In this respect, Little Busters! is doing quite well for itself.

Kamisama Kiss (Episode 10) – Although background characters, often given minimal appearances and even less in the way of dialogue, I find their characters to be fascinating.  Of note is Umibe who was used as just for gags as a stalker previously but is now shown to be friends with Kei who invited her to her mixer.  At the beginning of the series, Umibe was attached at the hip with Tobita and Hitami as a trio who obsessed over Tomoe and Kurama and were used for some quick laughs.  The three seemed to be inseparable, traveling together in a group of friends who shared the same interest in boys and… well, that’s about all we got to see from them.  Now we see her with an entirely new set of friends, taking part in the mixer with Nanami, Ami, and Kei.  Rather than be with her friends from before, here she is with an entirely new group of girls who have somewhat different (read: developed) personalities which, in turn, seems to reveal more about her character than just a simple background character used to show how hot and sexy Tomoe and Kurama are.  It’s nothing really important, especially since she never had any lines, but how Kamisama Kiss uses its background characters is nothing short of curious or fascinating.  Perhaps the most noticeable is that jerkface Isobe has vanished from the anime after being used primarily throughout the beginning.  He hasn’t appeared since making fun of Ami’s panties a few episodes ago.  Now, seemingly replacing him is the rather calm but passionate Kei who appeared suddenly just a few episodes ago and was instantly best friends with Nanami and Ami.  Likewise, Tobita and Hitami have faded despite being some of the first girls seen at the school.  Will there be anyone to replace them, too, or is the anime transitioning away from the school as has been hinted in previous episodes?  Either way, I’ll be interested to see how these characters are used throughout the remainder of the anime.

K (Episode 10) – The history between SCEPTER4 and Homra seems to be quite intertwined given the intimate relationships the higher-ups in each organization share.  As we’ve seen over the course of this anime, each of the top three in SCEPTER4 and Homra have a bond with each other, specifically that Reisi and Mikoto know each other, Seri frequents Izumo’s bar (enough for him to know her drink), and Saruhiko and Misaki hate each other given how the two broke-up before the series began.  Given these various and diverse bonds, it’s no surprise that the two organizations are constantly struggling with each other.  It may also hint at why SCEPTER4 is so absorbed in the murder of Totsuka, too, since there might be some history with him to the members of SCEPTER4 than just being an outlaw in Homra.  Guess that’ll be revealed sometime later when the anime moves back to his character rather than the two sides chasing after the murderer.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (Episode 10) – English print in anime and manga is always fascinating since it is often used from various literary sources that may or may not hold some significance with the series.  In the tenth episode of JJBA, the newspaper that Joseph was reading happened to be entire passages from the novel, The Rise of Silas Lapham by William Dean Howells.  Unfortunately, I am not familiar with this novel, but it appears to tell the story of a lads rise from poverty to the upper class.  While this mirrors the development of Dio Brando, it does not necessarily mean anything with his character now gone from the story.  Rather, the fact that this is a story about an uncanny and talented painter seems more in line with Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo than JJBA.  Then again, the book may have been selected as the default English text for another reason than to hint at some character development or anything subtle like that.  Or the text could be entirely random and meaningless, just selected since the director or producer liked the novel or something.  Who knows?  Still, it’s always fun to see what literary works are used for English texts whenever they appear in anime.

Girls und Panzer (Episode 8) – With the sudden revelation that the girls need to win these battles to save their school from going bankrupt, one has to question how the school is funded in the first place, why they’re atop large battleships and that these ships sale all over the world regardless of the school’s discretion but entirely for participation in these fun, little war games.  Like, if the school is running out of money, why sail across the globe to Siberia for one game of tanks?  Unless the prize money is somewhere in the millions for schoolgirls firing explosives at each other on a frozen tundra, wouldn’t the school’s backing of this club be costing it even more money?  I fail to understand the financial background of this anime besides it being used as a device for sudden drama to make these next few battles more meaningful and dramatic than just fun and entertainment.  Although I am still enjoying the series for its depiction of warfare, its lighthearted themes and emphasis on friendship, this development about saving the school feels out of place, like it doesn’t really belong with any of the other positive, friendly aspects of the series.  And while the anime has made about zero sense before, often feeling illogical but in a fun type of way so that you don’t care about it, this just seemed abrupt and unpleasant.  Meh, hopefully it’ll clear itself away quickly or something so the anime can get back to better things like watching tanks drive around and blow each other up.

Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! (Episode 10) – Almost immediately did I recognize the melody of Rikka’s song at the end of the episode being Miagete goran yoru no hoshi wo.  It wasn’t until a little later did I recall hearing before as the ending theme to the anime Twin Spica which is where I was first introduced to the song.  The song was originally written in 1960 for a musical of the same name and was performed by Kyu Sakmoto in 1963.  It was likely either of these performances where Rikka’s father heard and fell in love with the song.  The song is rather lovely, too, and I’ve begun listening to it again since this episode of Chuunibyou.  Whether the song has some significance to the characters beyond just being a beautiful song, I have yet to discover, but the heartwarming and positive nature of the song is certainly appropriate given Rikka’s development at the end of the episode.  Really a wonderful ending to this episode.

Last week: yeah, forgot about Magi and Robotics;Notes so they’re here again along with the usual run of last week’s anime. Topics include honest answers in Shin Sekai Yori, thoughts on Yuuta yelling at Dekomori in Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!, Nanami’s pessimistic side in Kamisama Kiss, and the effects on characterization of unusual character pairings in Psycho-Pass.

Best episode of the week: Shin Sekai Yori

Anime trending up this week: Little Busters!

Anime trending down this week: Sword Art Online

Sword Art Online (Episode 24) – Is there anything more unrewarding, unsatisfying, and unproductive as a Deus ex machine conclusion as we saw in the twenty-fourth episode of Sword Art Online?  Really now, the entire conclusion of this arc was absolutely anticlimactic, that the power to win was not born through growth or a challenge or even a anything based on the entire ALO arc… hell, the moment he logged in he could’ve saved Asuna and freed us from all this bullshit given the ass-backwards logic of SAO.  Literally, everything that happened over the past 12 or so episodes had no meaning to rescuing Asuna; that everything we sat around and watched this whole season was inconsequential.  Then again, the reasoning for how and why Asuna was trapped in the game parallels this ridiculousness, so maybe I shouldn’t be surprised.  You know, it’d probably be intolerable if it weren’t so damn hilarious at the same time.

Shin Sekai Yori (Episode 12) – What fascinates me about the twelfth episode of Shin Sekai Yori is that this is the first to feature an adult who faced an issue in a straightforward manner.  As we’ve seen before with adults, there is a sense of half-truth that structures and defines this society, and when Saki or the others are near the boundaries, they often silence their conversations, deny their curiosity and feed them lies.  It felt counterproductive and deceptive, as if these concepts and ideas were left to be ambiguous and enigmatic, as a device to keep the mystery and horror elements of the story alive and well.  However, when one adult changes face and begins to tell the truth, then Shin Sekai Yori takes on a new complexion and the setting and story becomes clearer and comprehensible.  Asahina Tomiko, Satoru’s grandmother and head of the Ethics Committee, did not dance around the issue, hide information, nor did she try to lead Saki astray with false or misleading information on these rather severe and depressing subjects.  Rather, she answered all her questions and did much, much more than was expected.  As a result, both Saki and us, the audience, have a firmer understanding of how the setting of Shin Sekai Yori operates which will further enhance the elements of the story and allow the anime to advance in terms of exploring other storylines or to advance by allowing new mysterious events to occur for us to solve again.  Whatever the direction, having Tomiko appear to clarify these limitless questions and unquenched mysteries will ultimately allow Shin Sekai Yori to progress to the next stages of its story and allow Saki to better understand her place in this crazy, crazy world.

Robotics;Notes (Episode 10) – Although Airi’s character is adorable, the nature of her character is somewhat frightening and unsettling considering how she goes around unnoticed or invisible most of the time.  Think about it for a second: this perceptive artificial intelligence, developed by a rather mysterious scientist, wanders around Tanegashima watching people and looking around at stuff.  The only way to see her is to use the Iru-O system through one’s PokeCom, so most of the time, people don’t notice her presence.  Not only that, but when people want to talk to her, she always seems to be around, like she’s stalking Kai and his friends around the island.  Thank goodness she can’t physically interact with the real world because who knows what horrors she’d be able to launch.  She’d be the perfect monster in a horror movie if she could do that!  But instead, Airi is a charming, sociable bot who seems more concerned with making her friends happy and helping them with their troubles whenever necessary, so that’s nice.

Psycho-Pass (Episode 10) – Character pairings that are unusual and unexpected, like the one pairing Kougami with Yuki, are some of my favorite moments in anime.  One reason why I enjoy these situations so much is because it puts the characters in an entirely new and different situation than anything else before.  Characters begin to reveal additional information about themselves that would otherwise be never discussed or it exposes areas of weakness or inexperience for which the characters can improve.  Not only that, but these situations are often amusing or at least engaging to watch.  With this episode of Psycho-Pass, his compassion and leadership were on full display throughout the episode as he guided and protected the life of an innocent, targeted citizen.  And though all we’ve seen of Yuki is her dining and chatting with her best friend, Akane, her character was subject to some development that revealed her to be somewhat genuine as a person and voiced her concerns about Akane and her occupation.  You know from this point forward, Yuki’s relationship with Akane will be entirely different now that she knows the challenges of her job.  And for both of these developments, it occurred as a result of placing Kougami and Yuki together, two characters who seem to be polar-opposites in the Psycho-Pass society.  Hopefully there’ll be more of these situations later on with differing characters paired together like this since it is always a wonderful, fascinating and appropriate way of developing a character.

Medaka Box Abnormal (S2) (Episode 10) – Medaka’s knowledge base is derived from all the books she read as an infant, absorbing their words and information much like a sponge absorbs liquid.  As we’ve seen recently, Medaka has gaps in her knowledge that she fills in, not by having people explain it, but by performing it (with a few hiccups here or there sometimes).  However, isn’t this contradictory?  If Medaka were a master of learning from reading books, wouldn’t she also be a master of learning from people as well?  I mean, books and conversation are two types of communication, both with information originating from another person and being directed toward Medaka.  Instead, now she’s able to learn through her actions which is entirely based on her own actions and her own understanding.  It’s like as she grew older, she became less perceptive to learning from others and began to learn by herself.  But no, last season and again this season, it shows that Medaka gain knowledge instantly from reading books.  So what is it that’s different about a book than a person?  You’d figure they’d be able the same since they’re parallel forms of communication.  Maybe one of these days, we’ll get an experiment with Medaka with someone reading a book to her and testing if she retains the knowledge like she was talking to someone or if it’s like her reading a book.  Maybe then we’d figure out why the two forms of knowledge are so different.

Magi (Episode 10) – Fights are always the best part of shounen anime but they can easily become the worst, too.  Fortunately for Magi, it seems to understand what makes fighting electrifying, enticing, remarkable and meaningful.  What made the fights in the tenth episode stimulating to watch were that it featured a number of new, powerful abilities that truly defines the power and strength within these fighters.  They were enticing to watch because the fights are perhaps a transition to show where the anime is progressing in terms of how fights are fought and won.  What is remarkable about these fights is that it shows how potent and formidable magoi are when used properly, something that we did not expect seeing as Aladdin saw them not as weapons but as the lifeforce of the planet.  And of course, the fights were worthwhile to watch since it developed the role of Magi in the world and of Aladdin’s character more than just about anywhere else.  Not only that but the art and animation was impressive throughout the battle-sequence and it was fun to watch, too.  If Magi is able to keep this up and make each following fight interesting and meaningful to watch, you can expect Magi to develop into one of my favorite shounen anime of all time.

Little Busters! (Episode 11) – Although the story of the episode turned out to be absolutely dumb, this is probably my favorite episode of Little Busters! based on how entertaining and amusing it was.  Sure, not much happened in the way of progressing the story or developing the characters or any of that, but the episode featured cute, stupid characters doing cute, stupid things for about 20 minutes.  And during those 20 minutes, I was always smiling, if not always laughing.  Comedy, such as the style shown in this episode, will always a positive in my opinion, so to see Little Busters! move away from its typical episodes of introductions and mild, secondary comedy, to this where it is the primary focus, is something I truly enjoyed and will now crave from this anime.  Although we know the anime will return to its routine in the next episode and continue to develop each girl as necessary, my faith in the comedy of Little Busters! has been restored and I will eagerly await the next comedy episode whenever it decides to resurface for this season.

Kamisama Kiss (Episode 11) – Despite Nanami always wearing a smile on her face, her character can become rather pessimistic or discouraging at times.  For example, the hairpin in this episode is what reveals Nanami’s pessimistic nature.  When she discovered the hairpin in Tomoe’s room, she immediately deduced that it belonged to his former fiancé, Yukiji, rather than that it was a present from Tomoe to Nanami.  Of all the solutions she possibly could’ve thought of, she found the most disheartening answer and accepted it.  She never thought that it was a present for Nanami that she happened to stumble upon and wanted to surprise her with it, which is what accounted for his suspicious and dodgy behavior.  Not only that, but in regards to her crush on Tomoe and other romantic endeavors, Nanami is often pessimistic and blind to the other interpretations or options available around her.  Instead, she wallows in a depressing mood like it’s the only way for her to feel.  And again, she’s often powerless to stop others (read: Kei), like when she was dragged along to the beach or to the mixer.  Still, there are other times where Nanami is entirely optimistic which is shown through her beautiful and radiant smile, so it’s not to say that she’s always depressing, but rather that there is a duality in her character that goes between the two extremes.  Then again, she is a teenage girl with raging hormones, so I suppose this is only natural for someone her age.

K (Episode 11) – The King’s powers have never been fully explained, have they?  Instead, without any clear exposition on their extent or limitations, we’re left wondering what they can and can’t do.  Mikoto’s power is declining yet there is no real explanation as to why or how this came about.  Reishi is able to kinda float and fly around by creating platforms for which he can run and jump on, something entirely new from this episode.  You also have Saruhiko who has both the Blue King’s and Red King’s powers simultaneously.  And then there’s Kurou, too, who has his powers following his king’s death.  And Neko, who seems to have her own rules, too.  And let’s not forget about this murderer who can jump between bodies and is currently possessing Kukuri.  Yeah, any type of explanation on these powers would be helpful since, really, nothing has been defined for us besides ‘people have these strange powers’ and ‘they can do stuff with them.’  Then again, maybe the anime is saving that for the end which is often the case with powers in anime like this.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (Episode 11) – Anyone else getting Raiders of the Lost Ark vibe from this new arc in JJBA?  You’ve got the Nazis suddenly appearing in a desert environment, obsessed with the occult again, seeking to awaken a frightening, almighty power that will surely turn nation into an invincible power, oh wait, it will surely turn into death and destruction for those foolish enough to tinker with whatever.  I’m even guessing we’ll be given some ghastly and gory deaths of Nazi soldiers, too, very soon.  Not saying that this is a good or bad thing, just that this is something that popped into my head during the last few minutes of this episode.  Might be worthwhile to keep an eye out for any references or tributes in this episode should this connection prove to be true.

Girls und Panzer (Episode 9) – Every sport has injuries and Panzerfahren should be no exception, especially when a tank gets blown up, flips over, and the girls inside are not wearing seatbelts.  Not only that but injuries and stuff are always an aspect of every sports anime, causing some prominent and influential character to be moved to the sidelines while some weaker but more inspiring character takes center-stage.  But no, nothing of that sort has occurred yet in Girls und Panzer unless you consider Miho’s rescue of her comrades in the previous Panzerfahren tournament to be similar.  Dunno, I’ve always been weary of the safety aspects of the anime thus far but I’m surprised it hasn’t ever been discussed or even mentioned throughout the course of the anime thus far.  Maybe nothing gruesome like broken bones or burns but maybe a concussion or sprained wrist or something.  I mean, all we’ve gotten in the anime thus far is a pair of broken glasses that Aya immediately shrugged off!

Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! (Episode 11) – Yuuta yelling at Dekomori during the scene at the train station felt entirely out of his character but is an effective way of showing how conflicted and troubled he is over Rikka’s sudden departure.  Throughout the entire series, Yuuta displayed a number of different emotions, often varying forms of embarrassment or annoyance, but he always kept his cool and never raised his voice or became violent with anyone.  In fact, he was one of the least likely to become violent given his character.  So when we saw him raising his voice and shouting at Dekomori at the train station, it’s not to show that this was inconsistent with his characterization to date, but that he could not control his emotions anymore and released it all on a similarly emotional Dekomori.  However, although I ultimately feel that this was a successful method of showing how distressed he was, I don’t feel that it was entirely necessary to see.  I believe the anime could’ve done the same scene and accomplished the same objective without Yuuta breaking character and yelling at Dekomori.  Rather, I think I would prefer to have seen Yuuta sulk, try to ignore Dekomori and tell her it’s all over.  Heck, we could even have the same Dekomori crying scene that everyone seems to love, too, just at the result of Yuuta leaving her alone on the train station platform, showing a broken friendship rather than the result of being yelled at.  Not to say that the scene we got wasn’t good or anything, it’s just that it isn’t what I wanted to see from Yuuta’s character.

This week: Magi and Robotics;Notes are here again, how the rural setting of Shin Sekai Yori plays a necessary role in the anime, a disagreement on perspectives in Little Busters!, approaching an abrupt end to a story in Medaka Box Abnormal, and the talents of an effective writer in Psycho-Pass.

Best episode of the week: Zetsuen no Tempest

Anime trending up this week: K

Anime trending down this week: Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!

Sword Art Online (Episode 25) – Oh yeah, sure, Kirito, release The Seed to the entire world.  Yeah, make sure everyone has a copy of it to make their own dream MMO and allow it to be connected to every other.  Oh yeah, sharing a technology that just killed tens of thousands of people and was developed as a mind-control device for tens of thousands of others is perfectly safe and alright.  Yeah, because no one who uses it will use it for anything evil, right, not like everyone who has used it thus far?  Seriously now, how long will it be before someone else uses their engine to do something that’ll take the whole system down?  Probably not very long since there were companies around the world interested in using it for mind-control and, guess what, now they have their own copies for free.  Guess all those companies there were interested in mind-control before are still gonna be able to continue their research without as hiccup.  Thanks Kirito, you had the opportunity to prevent global conquest by evil companies and he just openly hands them the technology to do it.  Hopefully SAO ends with some badass evil dude taking over the world thanks to Kirito’s gift.  That’d make me smile.

Shin Sekai Yori (Episode 13) – The atmosphere and environment have played fundamental roles in Shin Sekai Yori, helping to use the setting to promote or enhance its underlying themes like isolation/separation, secrecy/deception, and powerlessness.  One aspect of the setting that has had an immeasurable impact on the anime is that everything is rural or feels remote.  As you can guess, the rural setting and wilderness surrounding the villages allow the anime to play around with these themes by creating visual representations (alone in the woods) or by incorporating elements into the story (villages, homes are distant from each other).  Shin Sekai Yori wouldn’t be able to do the same had the setting been more centralized, urban, electronic, or futuristic which is often the default setting in anime, especially for ones taking place in the future.  Instead, Shin Sekai Yori embraces its rural setting and uses it to improve the anime through various facets.  Additionally, many of the scenic landscapes are gorgeous views of the mountains, forests, riverbanks, and other wilderness that encapsulates the village.  And these shots do more than just look pretty, they help set the mood for the scene by establishing the color, lighting and environment that the next few scenes will take place in, often times helping enrich whatever themes the scenes are set on exploring.  With that, it’s easy to see how powerful and intentional the rural elements of the setting are in Shin Sekai Yori.

Robotics;Notes (Episode 11) – Although I find all the characters and their relationships to be fascinating, I find the chemistry between Kai and Frau to be the best.  When you think about it, they’re kinda made for each other in that they’re both introverts who shy away from social contact, yet, when they’re together, they come completely alive and interact well with each other so that both are humorous.  It’s like a traditional Japanese comedy duo, or manzi, with Frau playing the role of the funny man while Kai is the straight man.  In a sense, that’s how they act when they’re together aside from whatever story developments pop up from time to time.  Compared to the other characters, Frau only really ever talks to Junna and acts like a pervert around her (not really that funny), so it’s not like she does well with the rest of the cast.  Kai and Aki have had some great moments previously but the two have failed to grow or even change of the course of the anime, so the comedy that they had has stalled.  In regards to Frau and Kai, it’s actually improved with the two trying to set the flags for the Kimijima reports, especially with the two trying to divide the labor and attempting to cheat with Airi watching.  It’s just that the chemistry between the two fits so nicely with their personalities, so it’s great that they’re spending more time together, especially in this episode.

Psycho-Pass (Episode 11) – The sign of a successful writer is to throw something at the audience, something they know well in advance is coming, and still deliver a knockout.  And that’s what exactly happened in this episode in regards to Yuki’s grisly murder.  From the moment you saw her, the very first time you see her in the series, you could tell she was going to be brutally murdered in from of Akane’s eyes.  It just sorta what happens in stories like these where you have a rookie officer who is best friends with innocent girls like that.  So yeah, you know she’s gonna die sometime in the series, so you think you’re prepared for the murder and it’s gonna be no big deal, right?  Nope! Wrong.  What the eleventh episode of Psycho-Pass showed us was the powerlessness of Akane as she witnessed a supposed non-criminal slit the throat of her screaming, crying, and struggling best friend.  And even though we knew that something like this would eventually happen, it was still powerful.  It still made its impact.  It still delivered a knock-out.  The whole episode rode a highs and lows of everyone’s emotions and peaked right on Akane’s futility and hopelessness, all thanks to the callous killing of poor Yuki.  So even though the murder was presaged well in advance, it still made an effective statement in the anime and still had an intense and impressive effect on the audience.

Medaka Box Abnormal (S2) (Episode 11) – With the second season of Medaka Box approaching its finale, I find it somewhat sad that this will likely be the end of the story for me.  Judging from its perception and sales, I figure the anime is unlikely to receive a third season, especially anytime soon.  As for continuing the story in the manga, I don’t feel entirely compelled to begin something it based on my schedule and other anime/manga I want to start in the meantime.  So for me, this is about as far as I get in the story for Medaka Box.  And although this is a baseless claim, I feel that there are many out there who share the same situation as I do, that this is where we end our adventures with Medaka and her friends.  It’s not that we’re saying that the story is terrible and not worth continuing but that this is where our interest begins to wane as this is where the anime ends and our attention turns toward the new season beginning the following week.  And unlike all the other anime that are ending this season, we know that the Medaka Box manga continues well after this point and that the story is still in its initial stages.  We know that there’s more to the story and that we’d like to continue the story, but this is about all we’ll get.  So from that perspective, it’s somewhat sad knowing that this will probably be the end for many of a fun and entertaining story.  However, to not end this on a depressing or apathetic note, at least the manga is continuing, so that anyone who wants to can start where the anime left off and finish the story at their own pace.  For me, though, this will likely be it.

Magi (Episode 11) – The way Kougyoku Ren, eighth princess of the Kou Empire, addressed King Sinbad and withdrew from combat shows how strict and formal the relations between monarchies are in Magi.  Until this episode, we never really saw any royalty address each other and conversations between various leaders and militaries and nations shows a clear hierarchy between the actors.  Here, however, Sinbad is able to immediately calm Kougyoku by as little as a simple request, not only showing his power as an individual but the power inherent in this position as a king.  Keep in mind, Kougyoku had the upper-hand in the battle, too, not only outnumbering the Fog Troupe but in terms of power, too.  And yes, while I’m sure some of Kougyoku’s infatuation had played into it, I’m sure that his position as a king is what ultimately caused the Kou Empire to retreat and ignore the skirmish.  Here, it provides a hint of civility and formalities between the upper-class which has been unapparent thus far with the number of conflicts between parties.  Every time previously, even with Judal, we’ve seen the two sides immediately erupt into disagreement and often lead into an altercation.  Here, a simple request was able to stop a fight.  Now, understanding the complex relationships between the empires and royalty might be amusing should the anime even develop that side-story anytime soon.

Little Busters! (Episode 12) – I happen to adamantly disagree with Mio’s perspective on literature when she claims that when one reads a novel or story, the reader assume the role of the main character.  To me, this is inappropriate.  While it is true that you can assume the role of the main character, it is not the default option when reading a story.  For example, any reader can assume the role of any character in a story, especially if they choose to select one that fits their personality more than the main character.  And for myself, and I assume many others, we choose to not assume the role of any character.  Instead, we read the novel as through an outsider perspective, watching over everyone and listening to their thoughts like as presented through a movie or an anime.  Rather than pretend I am the protagonist going about their adventure or life, I seem to assume the role of an observer.  The only time when I feel it is appropriate for myself to assume the role of the main character is when playing a video game, one where I use my actions and decisions to impact the characters on the screen.  Here is where I feel it is appropriate to assume the role of the main character whereas in literature it is not.  By comparison, in literature, you have no way of implementing your thoughts and actions to the situation, unless it’s a Choose Your Own Adventure novel or something similar.  I mean, in a video game, your decisions impact the story, whereas in a novel, it has no effect.  You can still assume the role of the main character and still enjoy the position, as Mio was telling Riki, but it is incorrect to say that when reading the story, the reader becomes the main character and begins living their story.  It is possible to do it, but to say that it is the default perspective for readers is something I disagree with.

Kamisama Kiss (Episode 12) – During the initial episodes of Kamisama Kiss, Tomoe outlined to Nanami about how to increase her powers as an Earth deity, by helping restore faith in her followers and the shrine in general.  However, we’ve never really seen Nanami do any of that, and now with the story becoming about how the shrine is believed to be abandoned and haunted, it shows how little Nanami has done to improve herself as a goddess.  And while it must be difficult for a human to develop and mature as a deity, it seems as though Nanami is as weak as the moment we saw her attain godhood.  I almost wish the anime had taken more time in developing the spiritual aspect of Nanami’s character over some of the recycled romance we’ve seen or some of the side-stories since I was eager to see how Nanami would handle the struggles and challenges of a deity.  Since the beginning of the series, we’ve only seen one example of her playing matchmaker and it just so happened to be the best episode of the series.  Go figure.  Oh well, maybe there’ll be something to salvage this storyline in the final episode.

K (Episode 12) – Colorless Kukuri’s split personalities having a conversation with herself might just be the greatest thing in K.  Sure, long after the anime finishes next week (dang, I was hoping for 24 episodes), I’ll remember the anime for its gorgeous artwork, harmonious battle animations, outstanding soundtrack, and surprisingly good comedy (yeah, it made me laugh quite a bit more than I was expecting), but maybe not for its individual details like this scene where Kukuri divided herself into four personalities and had each talk to each other.  Sure, the scene was short, but it was easily the funniest moment in a rather entertaining and interesting anime.  It was brilliant, especially how it cut between each other with whatever face preset allowing for maximal effect.  Well, maybe this little post will serve as a reminder for what ultimately might be my favorite scene in the anime, though episode 13 needs to be seen before declaring it so.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (Episode 12) – When comparing Jonathan Joestar and Joesph Joestar as fighters, it seems like Joseph is the better of the two considering who each had initially fought.  With Jonathan, he began by defeating Speedwagon and two bums in the back alleys of London.  Joseph pretty much started out by defeating Straits.  And considering the increased fighting abilities of who Joseph is about to face in the preceding episodes, it seems like Joseph will end up being the stronger of the two.  However, we should probably wait and see before judging who’s the better of the two when Jonathan has defeated Dio and Joseph still has an entire season to go, but as of right now, it seems like Joseph is the superior fighter of the two, considering the first few fights each has had.  Then again, Joseph has had his Ripple since birth while Jonathan had to gain his later, so that kinda mucks things up a bit, but still, Joseph saved Speedwagon by throwing him outside a crashing plane.  I mean, he’s pretty badass compared to Jonathan at this stage in the story.

Girls und Panzer (Episode 10) – Although Girls und Panzer will return again in March, it kinda sucks for characters like Nekota and the others to be introduced right as the show is entering its haitus.  I mean, sure, we’ll get to see them again soon and they seem like fun, crazy characters (and with the recently announced sequel tentatively planned, it seems like we might get quite a bit more of them), but it’s kinda a downer that they just appeared in the story, were given a few lines, get blown up almost immediately, and that’s it, at least for now.  You know, you always had those comedy anime that make that joke about introducing characters in the final episode but it actually kind of happened here in Girls und Panzer.  Oh well, once the final episodes air in March, then this point can be retracted, but for now, you kinda feel bad for Nekota and the others.

Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! (Episode 12 [Finale]) – Every finale always has a return or appearance of every character, almost as if the series wants to include every character together one last time for a final farewell.  The same thing happened in Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! with everyone showing up to help Rikka snap out of her rut and become childish again.  But, when considering how the finale went and the meaning behind everything, we really didn’t need everyone to show up at the end.  It would’ve been fine with everyone at the end waiting for Rikka after Yuuta ‘rescued’ her, but no, they kinda had to shove them in everywhere.  If this weren’t the finale, it probably would’ve ended up being like the beach episode where Yuuta followed Rikka onto the train and they traveled home together.  If the finale ended like that, I probably would’ve been happier, especially since I really didn’t like the finale all too much to begin with.  But adding everyone in like that at the end when it was completely unnecessary and had little effect on the story, it just felt artificial.  But, as with any anime, the finales always include every character, so it shouldn’t be any surprise to see everyone one final time before the anime came to a close.  May not have been the most appropriate or advantageous thing to put them back in the story again, but it shouldn’t be surprising since that’s what every anime does.

Yes, you’re reading that right.  Yes, this is for 2012, not 2013.  Yes, this post is over an entire year late. Yeah… about that…

So, remember all those wonderful anime from 2012?  All the ones I forgot to provide my opinions and reviews and closure on?  Well, here it is, my final review for the anime of Autumn 2012.

Before we begin, the ranking of anime below was completed at the end of December after a majority of the shows were completed.  I did complete an evaluation of these shows at the time but never created a final review.  It’s also worth noting that some of the shows that continued into Winter 2013 may have different grades in that review based on how they performed in their latter half.  These are only the reviews from October-December for 2012.

Every anime receives a numerical score (between 10-5 as well as a D [delayed/dropped]) and is placed in position according to how they rank against each other from top to bottom, helping differentiate position among anime receiving the same score.  Each anime is paired with its own review which provides my overall thoughts and evaluation on the anime in addition to explaining my reasoning behind the score and ranking.  Any questions or discussion are welcome and encouraged in the comment section.

Psycho-Pass – 9

Favorite Character: Akane Tsunemori

Review – Psycho-Pass is the complete anime, satisfying me or going well above the norm in every category.  Of particular note is how well the setting is defined and utilized in the story and how the characters use the world they live in as a significant aspect of the story.  The cast is engaging and delightful and the art and animation are thrilling, especially with some of the visual effects demonstrated.  Akane’s character growth has been the real story in this anime and a significant reason why it sits atop the list as the best anime of Autumn 2012.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure – 9

Favorite Character: Dio Brando

Review – JoJo’s has been a phenomeonal rollercoaster of an anime, filled with touching moments, emotional peaks and harrowing valleys.  JoJo’s knows storytelling and how to make a simple plot be an unforgettable experience.  The characters ooze with charm and charisma making their dialogue both captivating and enjoyable to listen to.  And the fighting, especially the climax of Phantom Blood, has been nothing short of sensational.  I’ve been especially surprised with the brilliant and expressive use of art and colors in JoJo’s, something that continues to please me with each passing episode.  And the transition from Phantom Blood to Battle Tendency is keeping me excited for the second half, when this anime continues into Winter 2013.

Kamisama Kiss – 9

Favorite Character: Natsuko Umibe

Review – As a lighthearted and charming anime, Kamisama Kiss may be a surprise for some at its elite position but, to those who watched it, this grade and ranking seems appropriate.  Kamisama Kiss was the embodiment of fun and amusement, an ideal presentation for a romantic comedy where Nanami is a luckless girl who serendipitously becomes the god of the Mikage shrine.  The story is about Nanami’s transition and the hectic and tumultuous lifestyle that awaits her but the anime puts on a happy face and makes everything amiable or amusing.  The cast is particularly enjoyable (though some males were obnoxious and annoying) and had excellent chemistry together.  And this is one of the few anime where the romance didn’t feel predominantly forced or annoying.  Although Kamisama Kiss may not look like a stellar or outstanding anime, it is easily one of the best anime I’ve seen all year.

Nekomonogatari: Kuro – 9

Favorite Character: Shinobu Oshino

Review – Although I typically only evaluate and grade TV anime in these reviews, the Nekomonogatari: Kuro OVA was four that snuck in right before New Year’s Eve.  And since I’m a slave to Shaft’s eccentric styles and the storytelling of the Bakemonogatari franchise, I felt it would be appropriate to include.

Nekomonogatari: Kuro was decent as a standalone series but it’s success derives from knowing how it integrates into the series and how it supplements your understanding of Bakemonogatari.  Without this knowledge and watching the story arc as a ‘flashback’, this anime would only have been mediocre for Shaft.  However, watching Nekomonogatari is like finishing the part of a puzzle that was left unfinished back in Summer 2009 and glossed over in Winter 2012.  It’s incredibly satisfying and the art, direction and storytelling made it even more enjoyable.  I’ve always been a fan of the Bakemonogatari franchise, thanks to its art, characters, dialogue and odd stories on oddities, but this has been one of the better examples of the franchise.  I’m thrilled that we received this OVA and its grade and position reflect that and its excellence.

K – 9

Favorite Character: Neko

Review – K is a perfect example of style over substance, a rather thin, obtuse story with lots of stunning colors, choreographed fights and an uncomfortable blue filter over everything.  And while there were misgivings about the story, it was decent but it wasn’t what K was about.  K was a visual masterpiece of colors, kinetics, animation and expression that featured gorgeous fights and stylish action.  It really didn’t have a significant meaning, but as long as you didn’t care (and K certainly doesn’t), K is wonderful.  I’d love to see more anime mimic this style of art and animation, but not to the point where it saturates the industry like that certain blue filter.  The cast size was enormous and diverse enough that virtually anyone who watched it could find a character they liked, so I’m not sure whether that’s a positive or negative.  One negative was that the story was rather tame and anime-ish, but as long as you’re not watching it for the story, K will be worthwhile.  The whole point of K is to watch a fun anime with loads of action that dazzles and delights the eyes and, if you watch it with that in mind, K will be one of the better anime you watch.

Robotics;Notes – 8

Favorite Character: Kona Furugoori (Frau)

Review – The strengths of Robotics;Notes is in its foundation: its characters, its setting and its charm.  With the story particularly lacking and the art and animation subpar, especially for Production I.G, the characters are what drives Robotics;Notes forward with their quirky behavior and ideal chemistry.  I can’t say I’m entirely thrilled with the pace and direction of the story but I do enjoy the subtle mysteries and elusive hints popping up at various unexpected times.  Still, the anime is best when it’s happy and it’s been relatively good at that.  The setting with robots and robotics and anime is nice but the use of technology and the location are what I appreciate the most.  Tanegashima is unique and plays well with the distinctiveness of Robotics;Notes and the use of the Iru-O system (how you see Airi) in the anime has been innovative and significant.  I hope the anime continues on this trajectory into Winter 2013 since it has been pleasant but could use improvement in its art and story.

Magi – 8

Favorite Character: Leila

Review – Fantasy and adventure reign supreme in Magi, allowing the anime to present both an enthralling story with exuberance and enthusiasm.  The setting has been engaging and exceptional with its labyrinths, djinns and exhaustive, minute details.  I’m particularly happy we’ve seen various cities from various characters and their perspectives to construct a proper understanding of this world and the magic within it.  The characters have been enjoyable thus far with the main trio featuring strong chemistry, especially between Aladdin and Alibaba.  The fights have been decent, too, though the best was shown in the first episode.  I’m curious to see where the anime goes from here knowing that this is a particularly long shounen manga, but the start has captivated me and hooked me in.  However, I can only hope the anime stays like this throughout.

Shin Sekai Yori – 8

Favorite Character: Saki Watanabe

Review – Perhaps the most cerebral and intelligent anime of the season, Shin Sekai Yori leads strong with its fascinating characters, its shadowy story and even more enigmatic setting.  Maybe the most interesting aspect is watching the small circle of children grow and discover in this dangerous and frightening world.  Whether it is outside threats or an overseeing government, there’s the constant feeling of threat and fear.  The anime has been trending up with recent episodes and I’m intensely interested to see how this story continues and how everything resolves in the end.

Zetsuen no Tempest – 8

Favorite Character: Hakaze Kusaribe

Review – I’m not exactly sure what to think about Zetsuen no Tempest, but I like what I see.  The drive of the characters and the constant onslaught of logic and secrecy give the anime an appeal unique to Tempest, though I do question whether there is an oversaturation of it at times (the last few episodes where the characters just talked and talked and talked detract from this fascination).  The system and use of magic have also been interesting, especially with its emphasis on defense rather than offense.  However, the dynamic of the series with Hazke guiding two conflicting best friends via wooden doll walkie-talkie has been remarkable.  Having the guiding force be so far away and having each character work passionate for their own, different goals has made this anime enjoyable.  There are some misgivings and at times, it can be boring, but Tempest has been a charming anime and I’m excited to see where this anime will go and how everything will resolve with its latter half in Winter 2013.

Girls und Panzer – 8

Favorite Character: Mako Reizei

Review – Girls und Panzer is certainly an interesting take on a moe, slice-of-life anime.  Not only is it distinctive and matchless among its peers for its constant emphasis on warfare than overpowering theme of tanks but it has curious details too, like the schools being on aircraft carriers and the cast of 40+ girls.  It’s been surprising and enjoyable, but a few details got in the way to derail the anime.  Of particular note, are the stupid strategies that worked during the fights and the fact that the school would be saved ONLY by the girls winning the girly tank warfare tournament.  I can’t stand storylines like those, but thankfully it did not diminish from the rest of the fun and enjoyment of Girls und Panzer.  Some of the tank battles had particularly fantastic animation but for the most part, the series had median levels of art and animation.  The real strengths of the series were its fun, amusement and entertainment and certainly a worthwhile watch for those reasons alone.

Space Brothers – 8

Favorite Character: Tadashi Hoshika

Review – What more can I say about Space Bros that I haven’t said in previous reviews?  The series has pretty much plateaued for me.  It’s still enjoyable but there’s nothing really exciting or new about it anymore.  The fact that these little story events repeat themselves in the same pattern over and over again has made the anime a little stale actually.  I’m hoping that as the story crawls closer to space, something fun or exciting will happen… but if the series keeps inching along at this pace, we might be traveling to the moon ourselves before Mutta does.

Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! – 7

Favorite Character: Touka Takanashi

Review – The comedy in Chuunibyou was more of an 8 but the romance and story was definitely a 6 meaning this romantic comedy ends up as a 7.  I really enjoy the anime as a mindless source of entertainment with gorgeous art/animation and a delightful cast but the topics and episodic content was actually rather boring, tepid or derivative.  Still, Chuunibyou is a solid anime but one that I’d recommend as a comedy more than anything else.

Medaka Box Abnormal – 7

Favorite Character: Yatsushiro (Absent)

Review – Although I thoroughly enjoyed Medaka Box Abnormal, the anime itself was pretty much mediocre.  What caught my attention and kept me smiling were the show’s surprisingly fun fights, its charming humor, its humorous characters and intelligent dialogue but nothing here was terrible impressive, noteworthy or innovative.  In fact, all of the strengths of the anime for me were good but not great.  Still, good is good enough for me, and I loved watching Medaka Box Abnormal for those very reasons since it did well in all these areas with no deficiencies.  The story of this sequel was a marked improvement over the original anime and the series was on a positive trajectory at the end, leaving me wanting more.  I wouldn’t mind watching another season of Medaka Box but I figure there probably won’t be another sequel based on its dismal reception and sales.

Little Busters! – 6

Favorite Character: Kudryavka Noumi

Review – While I want myself to like Little Busters!, I really can’t.  There are just too many issues with the storytelling and story in this anime.  I realize the anime is based on a game but the transition between the two medium is virtually non-existent and the storytelling, pacing and enjoyment from the game are noticeably absent.  I also have to question the purpose or intent of these storylines, especially since they never really seem to build off each other and just end, much like going down different routes, reseting and then going down the next one.  Is that really the best direction for this anime?  Why not just play the game instead of trying to adapt it to an anime with this being the result?  However, when ignoring these major flaws, the anime does have some highlights, particularly its cast and its humor.  The anime continues into Winter 2013, so hopefully we can see some progress with the latter half of this series.

Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo – 6

Favorite Character: Mashiro Shiina

Review – I’m really starting to wonder why I’m watching Sakurasou.  While the anime does have its enjoyable moments, the series has been largely boring to me.  It’s just too ‘normal’ of an anime to be anything exciting or original or worthwhile.  It’s really just a reminder of all the anime I watched back in the late 2000s that were of this similar style, of highschoolers spending their youth together and having fun.  It’s anime I feel like I’ve watched before and want to move away from.  But still, there’s a reason why I watched those anime previously and why I’m still watching Sakurasou now.  Sakurasou does have a magnificent list of characters which really makes the show worth watching.  The romance, story and comedy might be lacking but I do seeing the characters and their chemistry together.  I hope the series improves in its latter half, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for such a feat.

Jormungand Perfect Order – 6

Favorite Character: Schokolade

Review – With every rocket launching high into the orbit, Jormungand Perfect Order saw its stock drop further and further.  What began as an insightful, entertaining and splendid anime, Jormungand’s series ended in one of the most bewildering and confounding finishes imaginable.  At first, the action was dumb but fulfilling and entertaining.  Yeah, there were guns firing and things blowing up… awesome.  But then the cast of characters became invisible and everything they did – everything as impossible as they did – was too damn easy.  It mean that one of my favorite aspects at the beginning of the series (the action/fighting) had become my worst enemy at the end.  There was no challenge or effort in this anime and everything was handed to Koko and company.  At that point, the series began to grow weary and tiresome… and that point was reached somewhere in season 1.  Nothing changed in this sequel and the characters and story felt like afterthoughts.  The fact that the sequel continued on this downward spiral and failed to make any of the necessary adjustments to revitalize the series or make it mildly interesting caused the anime to be a severe, severe disappointment.  And the ending was so stupid and infuriating that I can think of no better place for Jormungand.

Sword Art Online – 5

Favorite Character: Keiko Ayano (Silica)

Review – Sword Art Online is a teenage boy’s fantasy.  It’s literally just a fanboy writing down his every desire.  Imagine being all alone every day (no parents, no siblings, no school, no homework, no responsibilities) playing virtual-reality video games with friends tons of hot girls in which you’re the best person ever at said video games and all your friends the hot girls are constantly wanting over your dick.  Then you save the video game worlds or something and meet your girlfriend in real life.  And everything’s gravy.  And while that does make for a good reality (to be honest, who wouldn’t want to go on that adventure), it makes for a terrible, terrible story.  There are no challenges.  There are no rewards.  It’s just a kid writing a Christmas list and getting everything he wants.  There’s no earning it in Sword Art Online.  There’s no value to what he’s doing.  And you know every challenge Kirito goes into, he’ll immediately prevail due to whatever bullshit the series wants.  It’s just watching a kid get whatever he wants, and that makes for a terrible, terrible anime.  As for the rest of SAO, it was actually fairly decent.  I did enjoy the characters, the backgrounds, the animation and the music.  All those factors were at the industry median to superb to even outstanding at times.  However, I could never get beyond the fact that the content of this anime was just miserable fanwank.  I really wish Sword Art Online could’ve received a better grade due to the features I enjoyed but this is really the grade the anime deserves.  Kinda sad to think about, really.

Achievements of Autumn 2012:

Best Art: K

Best Characters: Shin Sekai Yori

Best Entertainment: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

Best Setting: Psycho-Pass

Best Sound: K

Best Story: Shin Sekai Yori

Best OP: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

Since I loved the songs for this as well as K, Kamisama Kiss, Magi, Medaka Box Abnormal, Psycho-Pass, and Robotics;Notes, I had to find the one with the best visuals, which is easily JoJo’s. Second overall would be K followed by Medaka Box.

Best ED: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

I absolutely love it whenever an anime ending song begins playing during the final seconds of an episode and this one did it numerous times.  Although the visuals a pan over ancient Aztec carvings, I do like that they show all the characters and the song has developed into a personal favorite.  Psycho-Pass would be second and Shin Sekai Yori is third.

Biggest Surprise: Kamisama Kiss

What I expected to be a rather amusing but stereotypical shoujo reverse-harem romance turned out to be on of the best anime of the season, if not the year.  The characters, story and comedy proved to be impressive and delightful making this the most pleasant surprise of the season.

Biggest Disappointment: Jormungand: Perfect Order

Although I was growing tired of Jormungand at the end of the first season, I completely lost it with Jormungand in this continuation.  The action was awful and unbelievable, the characters felt flat and tedious and the story never really interested me, so Jormungand gave me nothing but dissatisfaction.

Best Finale: Medaka Box Abnormal

The episode proved to be fun and entertaining, especially since it was one especially made for TV [you couldn’t use that much color in a weekly manga] and with an entirely new cast of characters.

Most Hated Character: Otohito (Kamisama Kiss)

Also, I’d like to take a moment to apologize for the unreasonable delay in this post.  Hopefully you had some fun reliving the anime from 2012 here in 2014 (or later).

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

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

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

Ai Mai Mi: Mousou Catastrophe

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

Plans for this show: Will watch

Persona 4 The Golden Animation

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

Plans for this show: Will watch

Space Dandy Second Season

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

Plans for this show: Will watch

Yama no Susume: Second Season

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

Plans for this show: Will watch

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Crystal

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

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Sword Art Online II

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

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Fate/kaleid Liner Prisma Illya 2wei!

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

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Re:_Hamatora

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

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

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

Aldnoah.Zero

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

Plans for this show: Will watch

Zankyou no Terror

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

Plans for this show: Will watch

Akame ga Kill!

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

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Glasslip

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

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Hanayamata

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

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Himegoto

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

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Majimoji Rurumo

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

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Rail Wars!

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

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?

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

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Tokyo ESP

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

Plans for this show: Maybe watch

Ao Haru Ride

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

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Barakamon

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

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Sabagebu!

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

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance

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

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Shirogane no Ishi Argevollen

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

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

Tokyo Ghoul

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

Plans for this show: Doubtful but it gets a shot

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

Bakumatsu Rock

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

Plans for this show: No dice

DRAMAtical Murder

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

Plans for this show: No dice

Fran♥cesca

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

Plans for this show: No dice

Futsuu no Joshikisei ga [Locodol] Yatte Mita.

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

Plans for this show: No dice

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun

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

Plans for this show: No dice

Jinsei

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

Plans for this show: No dice

Love Stage!!

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

Plans for this show: No dice

Minarai Diva

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

Plans for this show: No dice

Momo Kyun Sword

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

Plans for this show: No dice

Nobunaga Concerto

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

Plans for this show: No dice

Shounen Hollywood: Holly Stage for 49

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

Plans for this show: No dice

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

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

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

Watching:

Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Crystal

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

Aldnoah.Zero

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

Akame ga Kill!

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

Sabagebu!

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

Undecided:

Barakamon

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

Dropped:

None of the shows reviewed in this post were dropped.

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

Best episode of the week: Aldnoah.Zero

Anime trending up this week: Barakamon

Anime trending down this week: Captain Earth

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 2)

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

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

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 2)

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

Barakamon (Episode 2)

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

Captain Earth (Episode 15)

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

Glasslip (Episode 2)

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

Hanayamata (Episode 1)

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

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

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

Persona 4 the Golden Animation (Episode 1)

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

Rokujouma no Shinryaku!? (Episode 1)

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

Sabagebu! (Episode 2)

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

Space Dandy Season 2 (Episode 2)

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

Sword Art Online II (Episode 2)

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

Tokyo Ghoul (Episode 2)

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

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 1)

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

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 1)

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

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

Best episode of the week: Space Dandy Season 2

Anime trending up this week: Rokujouma no Shinryaku!?

Anime trending down this week: Tokyo Ghoul

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 3)

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

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 3)

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

Barakamon (Episode 3)

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

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

Glasslip (Episode 3)

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

Hanayamata (Episode 2)

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

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

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

Rokujouma no Shinryaku!? (Episode 2)

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

Space Dandy Season 2 (Episode 3)

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

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

Sword Art Online II (Episode 3)

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

Tokyo ESP (Episode 2)

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

Tokyo Ghoul (Episode 3)

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

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 2)

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

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 2)

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

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

Best episode of the week: Space Dandy Season 2

Anime trending up this week: Sabagebu!

Anime trending down this week: Captain Earth

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 4)

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

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 4)

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

Glasslip (Episode 4)

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

Hanayamata (Episode 3)

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

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

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

Rokujouma no Shinryaku!? (Episode 3)

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

Space Dandy Season 2 (Episode 4)

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

Sword Art Online II (Episode 4)

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

Tokyo ESP (Episode 3)

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

Tokyo Ghoul (Episode 4)

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

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 3)

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

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 3)

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

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

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

Anime trending up this week: Hanayamata

Anime trending down this week: Tokyo Ghoul

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 5)

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

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 5)

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

Glasslip (Episode 5)

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

Hanayamata (Episode 4)

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

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

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

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (Episode 4)

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

Sword Art Online II (Episode 5)

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

Tokyo ESP (Episode 4)

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

Tokyo Ghoul (Episode 5)

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

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 4)

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

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 4)

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

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

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

Anime trending up this week: Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!?

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

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 7)

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

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 7)

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

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

Barakamon (Episode 7)

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

Glasslip (Episode 7)

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

Hanayamata (Episode 6)

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

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

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

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (Episode 6)

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

Space Dandy Season 2 (Episode 7)

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

Sword Art Online II (Episode 7)

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

Tokyo ESP (Episode 6)

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

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

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 6)

Really? Fuji? Already?

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

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

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 6)

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

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

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

Best episode of the week: Aldnoah.Zero

Anime trending up this week: Akame ga Kill!

Anime trending down this week: Space Dandy Season 2

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 8)

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

Tokyo ESP (Episode 8)

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

Sword Art Online II (Episode 9)

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

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (Episode 8)

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

Hanayamata (Episode 8)

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

Glasslip (Episode 9)

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

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 9)

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

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 9)

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

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

Best episode of the week: Hanayamata

Anime trending up this week: Captain Earth

Anime trending down this week: Aldnoah.Zero

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 8)

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

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 9)

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

Sword Art Online II (Episode 10)

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

Space Dandy Season 2 (Episode 10)

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

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (Episode 9)

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

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

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

Hanayamata (Episode 9)

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

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

Captain Earth (Episode 23)

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

Barakamon (Episode 9)

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

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 10)

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

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

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 10)

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

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

Best episode of the week: Yama no Susume Second Season

Anime trending up this week: Tokyo ESP

Anime trending down this week: Tokyo Ghoul

Zankyou no Terror (Episode 9)

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

“Yup.”

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

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

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

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

“…”

~sometime later~

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

“Yup.”

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

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

“…”

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

Yama no Susume Second Season (Episode 10)

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

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

Sword Art Online II (Episode 11)

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

Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? (Episode 10)

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

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

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

Hanayamata (Episode 10)

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

Glasslip (Episode 11)

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

Barakamon (Episode 10)

Seishuu is a jerk for leaving like that.

Aldnoah.Zero (Episode 11)

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

Akame ga Kill! (Episode 11)

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

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

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.

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.