#1: Hunter X Hunter – 46: It’s as I hoped: the creators really nailed Uvogin here. He’s not just your average strong guy, because in this episode he really showed that he also has a pair of brains that he can use. In the meantime Gon and Killua make their appearance again. While they definitely aren’t the stand-out characters of this arc, without them the parts with Kurapica and the Spider Troupe wouldn’t stand out so much. – 5.5/8 (Excellent)
#2: Kokoro Connect – 10: And with this the second arc of Kokoro Connect ends. To be honest, I liked the first arc better: it was sharper and lead to better drama, and the climax here felt like it would have happened even when Heartseed came up with something completely different (although it definitely sped up that process). Still, Inaba got a great conclusion to her feelings here. – 5/8 (Great)
#3: Saint Seiya Omega – 23: Saint Seiya isn’t the most complex series. This episode again was focused on a bunch of simple fights. But to be honest, it did get its build-up right, which is why I’m enjoying it quite a bit now compared to the first half. This episode was about Soma’s story again, and I must say that I like the direction that it’s heading into, now that we get a bit more detail in how he looks at his own quest for revenge. – 5/8 (Great)
#4: Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon – 22: A very enjoyable episode for this series. The insert songs were quite well used, and there were quite a few well delivered climaxes. The creativity also had a bit of wit added this time, which helped to differentiate this episode with the other episodes of Horizon (as creative as it is, creativity for the sake of creativity stops being interesting at a certain point; you have to do things with it). – 5/8 (Great)
#4: Polar Bear Cafe – 24: Ideally, Polar Bear Cafe should have been shorter. I’d say 20 episodes was fine, because then the creators could have skipped the boring parts and the good parts could have been more concentrated. The first half of the episode was nice and had some good laughs, but wasn’t good enough to keep my attention. The second half with the sports festival though was hilarious. This show again takes something completely normal, and puts talking animals in it and lets the chaos unfold, and this was one of the best examples of that. – 5/8 (Great)
#5: Tari Tari – 11: Um… okay. So this was supposed to be Tanaka’s arc. And what did he end up doing? He drew badly and accidentally saw the panties of one of the female cast members. Nothing about badminton whatsoever, there was nothing about his future or his past, and instead this show went on with this bafflingly random and forced twist about the school. Beyond how bad that twist was, what I really don’t like about these past episodes is how I get more and more the feeling that Tari Tari is looking down upon its male cast. They’re just there for comic relief and instead it’s up to the females to be all heart-warming. I mean, the past episodes have systematically avoided any kind of serious depiction of them in favor of comic relief, even though this was supposed to be their point to shine. PA Works, I expected better of you. – 3/8 (Mediocre)
Damn, this show doesn’t stop improving! HxH FTW!
I’m tempted to watch the old adaption just so I can find out what happens next, though I don’t know where that left off or how far it went.
You might as well stick to this version. Because your going to have to pick it up again anyhow.
Yeah I might as well do that.
If you do this, I’d start maybe… 10 episodes back? At the Kurapica training ‘arc’ part. His character build is handled much better in the first HxH. Also… next episode… ahhhhhhhhhhhh…!
Character intelligence is what sets HxH apart; we’ll see this time and time again. Also, I’m hoping much money is spent on animating the next episode all things considered.
Here’s hoping they bring in the people who animated the Gon/Hisoka fight for next week’s episode.
not really likin this arc…………..JOKES! XD its fakin amazing!!!
I love Kokoro Connect so much. I’m enjoying it a lot actually, more so than normal, this only happens once in a blue moon so its nice for me. As the story progresses we are seeing a lot of character development/healing/working through things. They are growing closer/working though their traumas and personal issues, obviously that will lead to less material for drama. But who knows what Heartseed might pull next. Personally I don’t care. I’m sure whatever the story holds next I’ll enjoy.
Can you recommend anything of a similar vein?
I really like seeing shows with this sort of drama and potent feelings
Honey and Clover probably has better drama and character developments
Did Tanaka not already had his arc with the Badminton tournament? or were you expecting a rotation?
You mean that half episode early in the series? Did anything actually result from that? In any case that stil was nowhere near the amount of attention that the female characters received.
Not gonna lie, I cant really find a reason to care about Tari Tari either. I actually wouldnt be surprised if Tanaka doesnt get an arc at all.
Who’s to say the producers ever had any intention of fleshing out Tanaka or Wien? The series has consistently stuck to the girls, and that’s alright with me; even Konatsu for all her annoying-ness is more interesting than Badminton Guy and Foreign Guy. I don’t see it as looking-down guys so much as a persistent focus on the girls.
The twist didn’t come off as forced or random to me at all. There were multiple subtle and not-so-subtle hints about a weight on the principal’s shoulders and appearances of the surveyors. In fact, I found it refreshing that the generic formula of each character getting equal development time and depicting the culture fair. It was a shock for everyone, but only because the weak-willed principal procrastinated until the bitter end for no reason.
Cancelling it shook up these kids’ lives. After all, they’ve been attending this big, beautiful school all this time but haven’t realized how lucky they were. It exposes them to the cruel realities of society such as the declining birth rate leading to these grand schools being emptied out, and the crass capitalism that tears them down to put luxury condos in their place. Schools are places where futures are built, while the condos are all about enjoying the present; the now.
Judging from what I’ve seen of Tari Tari, I doubt that the point of this series was to develop every character equally. Honestly speaking, I think many series forgo this because it will make the show lack focus often enough. Instead of trying their best to flesh out everyone equally, putting focus on the girls in this case at least gives them more depth.
What I liked about this episode of Omega is that the Bronze Saints to the time to plan things out. This was absent from the original.
Despite what might seem like chaos, season 2 of Horizon actually have 2 pretty clear plot lines. As far as creativity goes, the author has notebooks upon notebooks worth of complete setting of the Horizon world span cross 2 different eras. It probably takes several volumes, but it really does all tie together. Though this is a series best watched with commentaries and explanations(the S1 commentaries were great)
Hey psgels, your blogs amazing i use you as my main refrence for a review of anime. Though i never understood what are Keleidoscopes segments you do? The ones i love are the individual episodes and especial the monthly list. The yearly list is amazing, i have found so many good shows through your lists but what are Keleidoscopes?
jajja, creativity is essential for people and clever list and think you do not have it, not because comets horizony view nonsense. and you know nothing of the history of horizontal well because you do not use your brainy and not write what you do not understand.