Author: Amunchet

Kaizoku Oujo – 3-4

Wooper: This is one good-looking anime series. It’s got backgrounds that make you want to travel to the places that inspired them, character designs that make you hungry for details about each person on screen, and combat that showcases power and agility rather than flashbacks and hidden techniques. Episode 3 was the pinnacle of those last two traits, pitting several members of Team Fena against a crew of female pirates in a fight scene so smooth it nearly had me salivating. The Italian architecture of fictional city Bar-Baral served as an excellent backdrop for all the slicing and shooting on display, and montages of the characters’ sightseeing ensured there was plenty of eye candy during quieter moments. Not that Kaizoku Oujo turns down the volume very often – its nonstop comic relief is one of its only issues – but it’s a visual marvel at nearly all points. As Fena and company travel from place to place in search of info about her glass MacGuffin, the show is raising up striking antagonists and painting a picture of its alternate history’s politics, creating more and more reasons to keep watching. There’s even a bit of romance brewing between Fena and Yukimaru, the latter of whom attracted the attention of a sexy glassworker this week. Not even Joan of Arc’s name being invoked has me concerned about the show’s viability – bring on the next episode!

My Villain Academia (S5) – 21

Amun: This week’s My Hero Academia (or Villain Academia as this arc is called) has caused quite a stir – and not for good reasons. Debates between animators vs designed scenes aside, this episode….was a stinker. This overall season has been really odd – it’s a tale of two scales: the first half was a training exercise with no stakes and the second half has been a global conspiracy that threatens to upend society entirely. And if that wasn’t enough whiplash, we’re thrown a whole cast of characters, while following the training arc…of the bad guys? Now, on paper, that’s not a bad arc idea for a long running series. The issue lies in execution. I don’t even think this episode was that poorly written – I’m just missing all the characters I care about. Sure, I marginally care about the League of Villains – but the new Destro-whatever-meta-liberation-army nonsense? Not that interested. The elephant in the room on this one was the animation – it just wasn’t up to snuff. Judging from the outside drama, it looks like about half the frames were removed, which really hurt. You can feel the creative edits and last second bandaging that took place. This should have been a seminal episode for evolving quirks and Himiko’s break-out back-story. Instead, it’s a mess of pointing fingers and uncertainty as we head into the back half of this puzzling season.

Vanitas – 9

Amun: If My Hero Academia is a good idea with poor execution, Vanitas is an average idea with excellent execution. I have to give Vanitas complete kudos for knowing its strengths and sticking to them. This is not a complicated or terribly clever plot: these writers aren’t being intellectually taxed by any means. It’s the implementation – fight animations, world-building, or even the banter between Noe and Vanitas – that makes this show a treat. I love Vanitas’ overall self-awareness; this show trots out the expected troupes, then turns them on their heads. Case and point is our lovable, dogmatic Paladin, who is won over by Noe’s kindred idiocy – fantastic! The animation isn’t detracting (a common complaint for these non-franchise shows), the characters are loveable, the world is excellent – this is a certifiable fun show and a romping good time.

Re-Main – 6-7

Wooper: Spending a couple weeks away from Re-Main has put a big dent in my enthusiasm for the show. The first half of this doubleheader was a clear step down from everything that came before, but even yesterday’s character-focused installment left me feeling ambivalent about the series as a whole. I still remember the second episode’s promise to dive into the cast’s individual histories, and even though episode 7 continued that admirable trend, I couldn’t get into it. Maybe that’s because Jojima did too much explaining of his fractured relationship with his dad, or because the show over-clarified how Amihama’s sibling bond changed after his brother met Minato. That minor lack of nuance is something I know to expect from anime, though – my negative reaction to the previous week’s Re-Main probably just carried into this one. Episode 6 was a low point for a number of reasons, not least of which was the brittle animation (not a quality you want from a water-themed show), but what really did it in was the focus on the show’s least interesting character, Ushi. Whoever wrote this one had to lean on a false suicide scare just to inject some drama into the proceedings – that’s an episode-killer for me.

Kaizoku Oujo – 1-2

Wooper: Kazuto Nakazawa’s new TV anime, a pre-industrial pirate/ninja mashup, is off to what I’d call a decent start. Its design sensibilities remind me of his last series, the overambitious B: The Beginning – thankfully, the similarities are merely stylistic in nature. Kaizoku Oujo is an honest-to-goodness adventure show, the likes of which we haven’t gotten from anime in some time, and its cast is full of colorful characters (as all good adventure casts should be). Fena Houtman is a serviceable protagonist, handling the transition from captive princess to Campbellian hero with a mix of grit and introspection, but it’s her band of boisterous Japanese pirates that commanded my attention during the double-length premiere. I can see them getting on my nerves before long, but assuming the show has plans to slow down and dig into their personal histories, I’ll eventually be free to enjoy their antics alongside strong character designs and fighting styles. The story hasn’t taken shape yet, so I’m hoping for some good standalone episodes in the coming weeks to take advantage of studio Bamboo’s varied backgrounds. “Hoping for” is the key phrase there, as confidence in a modern Nakazawa work requires plenty of hope, but I’m willing to follow along for now.

Shinigami Bocchan – 08

Amun: Shinigami Bocchan has been my dark horse of the season. With many of the other shows faltering, this adorable quiet romance has kept plugging away at the admittedly difficult problem of getting our Count Death a girlfriend. I’ve been very pleased with the witches developing into actual characters, and we’re starting to see the edges of the family structure. Episode 8 is probably the best outing yet, with a flashback to what our sad boi was like before Alice arrived. Two key lines from this episode also imply that Mother isn’t the cruel parent the OP makes her out to be: his younger brother (with a hilarious second complex) says that their mother hasn’t given up yet, and Rob says Alice was sent by the lady of the house. Why would an uncaring mother send in the only known “friend” to her son? Who also seems to have witch connections through her own mother? Methinks there’s more than meets the eye here – seems like Mother has plans of her own to solve this problem. Which likely will turn out to be the power of love (“He’s cursed to never love or be loved”) – a bit predictable, but it’ll be a pleasant journey nonetheless.

Continue reading “Summer 2021 Weekly Summary – Week 8” →

Love Live! Superstar!! – 1

Wooper: After holding out for a good eight years, this was my first time viewing a Love Live anime, and wouldn’t you know it, my cognitive functions are none the worse for wear. It did feel a bit like watching a commercial, but I’m so old and grumpy that the majority of anime gives me that same feeling. It was a well-made commercial at least, with some of the prettier backgrounds I’ve seen this season, full of springy greens and sakura pinks that somehow managed to coordinate themselves with main character Kanon’s orange hair. Kanon is the main reason I enjoyed the episode as much as I did – she’s occasionally moody and defiant, as befits her age, but she overcomes those emotions to help a new friend whose idol ambitions might otherwise be crushed. There was a real connection between the song of the week and Kanon, who authored it years ago but wasn’t able to perform it until now due to stage fright. The episode’s direction highlighted both her fear and her brash personality by mixing up its framing, putting her off to the side in some shots and front and center in others. Visuals, music, emotions – they all worked harmoniously in this premiere, so I’ll hope for the best and pick up Superstar as soon as it returns from its Olympic hiatus.

Heion Sedai no Idaten-tachi – 4

Wooper: Hot damn, this series is on a roll, at least in aesthetic terms. Background characters are still well-drawn, fight scenes are stuffed with flurried fists and elemental beams, and color design pushes the envelope but always manages to create a few standout moments per episode. This week my favorite sight was the shot of demigods Ysley and Paula walking on the seafloor to avoid detection from enemy submarines. Would a trip to the bottom of the ocean be as colorful as Idaten made it out to be? No way, but stylish exaggeration is the show’s bread and butter, and I’m all for it. The story is starting to take shape, as well, with the demons moving humans about the Earth like pawns on a chess board, and Ysley doing a fair bit of manipulation himself. The series’ primary concerns are still carnage and mayhem, as evidenced by the three showdowns promised in this week’s cliffhanger, but with Prontea’s introduction and Maou-sama receiving a new body, the cast is slowly getting beefed up in preparation for something bigger. If that future looks anything like the show’s present, I’ll gladly stick around to see it realized.

Re-Main – 5

Wooper: Re-Main is turning out to be the little sports anime that could, sort of like last year’s Taiso Samurai. That one ended up belly flopping in the second half, and there’s a very real chance that Re-Main could do the same, since they’re similarly mediocre at depicting their chosen sports. But they have the same strength, as well: telling offbeat stories to further our understanding of their characters. This episode’s oddity was the reveal that Eitarou had fabricated his past friendship with Minato, whose missing memories made it impossible for him to spot the other boy’s lies. Re-Main has continually surprised me by keeping Minato’s amnesia relevant from week to week, rather than using it as a one-and-done reset button, and this was one of its best applications yet. Frankly, I wish this story had been a little gayer than it was on the page – Eitarou strikes me as the type, and the methods he used to befriend his water polo idol seemed more than athletically driven, at least to me. In any case, their confrontation at the shrine featured some strong layouts, and their subsequent reconciliation was solidly written. Having cleared the landmine of Eitarou’s potential resignation, the team is still together – let’s hope their next match goes better than their recent 18-0 defeat.

Great Jahy – 02 [DROPPED]

Amun: My enthusiasm for the great Jahy proved short-lived. Truthfully, I haven’t even finished this episode – I gave up about halfway through. My issues: all the wrong lessons were learned from the spiritual predecessors of this show. Basically, the central character needs to be a demon in name only – there needs to be redeeming qualities and humanity present. Jahy is completely missing that – I do not like any of these characters, even remotely. This introduction of the previously abused underling, now living the high life does nothing for me. At least Dropkick my Devil was funny (and not really mean-spirited). Jahy is just…lacking an identity. It can’t even decide if the service should be type A or B…I’m done.

Vanitas – 05

Amun: (Sorry, sorry, I know I’m not Armi). Vanitas this week was worth talking about – and how it’s faring as a vampire show overall. Vampires are a genre I’d love to see a resurgence after quite a few uneven showings in the last few years. The genre’s cornerstone – Hellsing – is unlikely to be replicated as the successors, like inferior offspring, fall into several traps: excessive brain-dead gore (Hellsing Ultimate), failed humour (Blood Lad), a confused zombie show (Shiki), or a monsters ensemble – which is not actually a vampire show at all (Kekkai Sensen, Monogatari series). Proper vampire shows are still around – Mars Red from last season was a decent attempt that tripped on its own feet halfway through. Vanitas so far has a great setup and a superlative twist – vampire and vampire hunter team up to defeat the threat…only it’s not a vampire hunter, it’s actually a vampire doctor. The bloodsuckers, so often the perpetrators, are the victims here – this isn’t human vs vampire, it’s a complicated world of humans helping/hurting vampires who are helping/hurting each other. That’s an excellent premise. How’s the execution? 5 episodes in, my verdict is: good! Noe is a surprisingly interesting viewer vehicle – he clearly has his own demons and is certainly marching to his own beat. Vanitas is what anti-heroes should be: not complete scum without a single redeeming quality, but a flawed person with good intentions and complicated motivations. The villain is sufficiently spooky and the supporting cast fleshes out well enough – I’m really quite pleased so far. I think this episode also had a great use of violence for a purpose instead of just for shock-value – you really feel Noe’s personal involvement with curse-bearers. Vampire shows are going to be a bit rough on the viewer, but that’s the nature of the genre, and I think so far – Vanitas has handled it excellently.

Continue reading “Summer 2021 Weekly Summary – Week 5” →

My Hero Academia – 105

Amun: (Side note: reactions are too hard – I might do them again at some point). It has been a while since I wrote about My Hero Academia, so I thought I’d check in on Midoriya and the boys (no, that’s not a figure of speech, it’s pretty much just Midoriya, Todoroki, and Bakugo this season representing UA). Episode 105 – “The Hellish Todorki Family” – is an example of what I’m calling “sledgehammer precision painting.” What I mean by that – in any 13 episode anime, Todoroki Shoto’s character would have the subtlety of well…a sledgehammer. Over-talented, rich kid with daddy issues – wow, so brave. However, even a sledgehammer can paint fine lines if the canvas is the size of a skyscraper – MHA with its seemingly unlimited seasons has developed first-glance straightforward characters (Endeavour, you’re in there too) into an interesting story that grapples with real problems. I’m not saying it’s subtle – but it works given the huge body of work this anime’s produced. I think these depth-giving stories for the supporting cast is also important, since Midoriya’s quest to get stronger and fight worse villains isn’t going to keep us going for another hundred episodes. Also, props to Bakugo for getting Mapo Tofu – I love that stuff!

Continue reading “Summer 2021 Weekly Summary – Week 4” →

Amun: Hello! I’m your new weekly summary host, Amun. I’m going to be trying a little something slightly new: adding reactions to each episode we watch for the week. So without further ado, how’s the season going so far?

Re-Main – 2

👏Wooper’s welcoming!👏

Wooper: There was no third episode of Re-Main yesterday due to a scheduling conflict with the British Open, though I doubt too many Western fans were put out by the change. This series is years behind modern hits like Haikyuu in terms of its obvious character types and occasionally jarring comedy. It’s still out here dangling a cute girl in front of its male lead for motivation like a 90s sports anime, for crying out loud. Re-Main doesn’t know that we’re living in 2021, but I wish I didn’t either, which might explain why I’m somewhat fond of it. The amnesiac protagonist trick might be an obvious ploy to create an audience surrogate, but Minato has a great attitude nonetheless. His fun-loving personality and desire to help others are balanced by self-doubt and resentment that people expect so much of him in the wake of his accident, creating a character (and a storyline) that are enjoyable to follow. The other water polo boys are much shallower by comparison, but the quick montage of their histories near the end of the episode read like the show’s promise to explore each of their motivations in turn. I doubt any of those explorations will match Minato’s, but as long as the attempt is wholehearted, it’ll fall nicely in line with Re-Main’s scrappy retro spirit.

Continue reading “Summer 2021 Weekly Summary – Week 3” →