Author: SuperMario

Flying witch – 10

by SuperMario, posted in Currently Watching:, Flying Witch

Once again, Flying witch excels this week. Nao steps up and become a spotlight this week, and girl was she a joy to watch! I bet many of us have experienced this cooking trouble before, and both her frustrate before the cooking class (“Nao is closed for the day”), her reason why she’s so scare to cook (mistaken vinegar for oil), and her worked-up attitude when making a hamburger, are all whimsical and speaks a lot to her character. This part stands out for me as one of the most solid sequence of Flying witch so far, shines both in its theme and in its execution. While the running joke of this part is how clumsy and awkward Nao is when it comes to cooking, it carries a much more resonant message: that despite her bad at cooking, Nao tries and eventually enjoy the whole process. The execution, true to Flying witch style, the cooking part is as realistic and down to earth as possible, without any over the top cooking moment or showing the delicious food they made. There are many standout moments like when Nao tried to cut the onions, the poor girl doesn’t even know the ingredient to make a hamburger, she cries when chop down the onion or the very moment when she cuts it, all were well timed and endearing. The bit where Nao patting the meat, getting more confident just so that it slipped and dropped to the table, then her deadpan expression: “This for you, Kei” – is just so natural and charming and basically I can’t get enough of it. The jokes on witch’s pink finger and the punch at the end are all very solid as well.

In the second part, we move from classroom to the countryside as the cast goes there to thin the apple trees. I don’t particularly enjoy this part than the first one, but there are still many nice moments out there, in particular, I enjoy the bit where Chinatsu’s dad tried to explain how to thin the trees with his thick accent, just so that Kei came up to re-explain with the exact same way (or maybe this due to the translation here), or when Akane behave exactly like herself to laugh at her sister for bumping to the trees, just so that she got it harder. The whole chemistry between the cast is just so natural and easy-going here, from a good conversation from Chinatsu to Akame, or Makoto with the local people. The cats in Flying witch sure take it easy days by days, either they lying down, sleeping, eating or just wandering around. The bees sequence is as understated as your typical Flying witch goes, but those moments creates such a strong atmosphere and once again I’m having one of the best 25 minutes to run away to.

~SuperMario~

Mayoiga – 11

by SuperMario, posted in Currently Watching:, Mayoiga

With the ending where every crazy idea has to wrap up and come to an end, it’s no surprising that Mayoiga has a lesser amount of goofy scenes and ridiculous characters compare to their previous episodes. But this is still pretty much a Mayoiga episode. I must tip my hat off for the creator of this series for making the whole thing ridiculous and unpredictable till the very end here. There are some interesting revelations this week, and I’m intrigued to see how the last 2 episodes can make use of that. First, for the first time in the series, there is an actual scene where the show goes for real emotion, aka the bus driver and his daughter. In that particular moment, things don’t go ridiculously, but actually very tender and honest. This seems really out of place with the tone that Mayoiga keep building for 10 episodes, but then again out of place is what Mayoiga known for. We also get another revelation about the nature of Nanaki, apparently some of them can be visible to other people and can talk because of… What? I honestly still don’t get it. So the Nanami can talk after people accept his/her own Nanami, but it doesn’t seem like the case with Masaki, and isn’t they going back to their real life? Duh. We also learn that Koharun had some kind of traumatic experience in the past, that’s why she can’t trust people she used to trust and tried to power up the Nanami. This is an interesting development and I can see her circumstances parallel with Masaki’s here. While it is revealed that Reiji is Masaki’s Nanami, it comes down to both Reiji and the person Koharun trusted were the people both girls care the most, and they lose it. Koharun for me is the wiser, more mature version of Masako, and might be represent what Masaki would have been if Mitsumune failed to help Masaki facing her Nanami.

But then, attempted to dig deeper in Mayoiga seems like a waste of time, as I can safely say that Mayoiga does not try to provide any deeper meaning behind its premise.  Not everything that add up in Mayoiga, like I still don’t know why introducing a “God” character, so late in the game here. It’s not like he could change anything. And the ridiculous gags keep popping up with so deadpan delivery that for me is purely gold. My favorite gags this week is how the bus driver keep appearing/ vanish like a badly-written ghosts (remember how he suddenly disappeared last couple episodes ago, made us feel like has was consumed by the monsters, to he reappeared this episode, safe and sound, and the vanished again at the end of this episode); or how a bunch of characters that the characters seems like get tired of them, so they literally put the cast to sleep. Their reactions to the ambush is so hilarious that made Mayoiga such a pleasant to watch. One of my favorite whimsical moments would be when God explains that he has tried to stop people coming to the lost village for years, and unfortunately on the day that the bus arrived, he fallen asleep. Typically, Mayoiga! Looking ahead, we have the big bad Nanami that Koharun had raised and Mitsumune team going to rescue our princess Nasaki. Things look brighter ahead and I expect things will blow up in the last 2 episodes.

~SuperMario~

Bungou Stray Dogs – 10

by SuperMario, posted in Bungou Stray Dogs, Currently Watching:

Last week I mentioned the lack of consistency in characters, despite the more focus and confident pacing of Bungou Stray Dogs. Well this we pretty much have the same issues here. The first part focus on Dazai and Nakahara and reveals a bit more about his past while he was in Port Mafia. While Akutagawa is short-tempered and easily offended by Dazai’s words, Nakahara seems wiser and understands Dazai better, which is not to say that he is not manipulated by the always-several-steps-ahead Dazai. I still can’t put my finger on the way Nakahara behave, because his behaviors don’t add up much. Let’s say he came to the place to harass Dazai (which in the end turns out that Dazai was expecting it), he then broke out the chains, fight with our main character, intended to kill him, but then was “blackmailed” so he would give Dazai information, frees the guy and “walks and talks like little rich girl”. The character of Nakahara has absolutely no consistency here. I understand that he held Dazai in high regards, being his former partner and Nakahara understands the guy more than anyone else in Port Mafia. I would understand why he like to harass Dazai but go as far as killing him? Nah. I don’t believe it one bit (although tips off for nice visual), so there was no stake to raise here, indeed he couldn’t bring himself to kill Dazai which brings me to a next point: Why include that scene in a first place? It just seems like it was included to further demonstrate how awesome Dazai is. Everything falls into his plan (including how he was kidnapped in a first place). This, and the very awkward “walking and talking like a girl” bit, the show surely overplayed the superhuman, almost perfect Dazai and make every actions made by Nakahara incoherent.

The second part, though, is as entertainment as Bungou Stray Dogs can get. But still I don’t see the point of Kunikida’s rescue here. How the hell would he thinks that yelling out Atsushi name (so all the people in the ship would hear) the best possible action? And he basically helps nothing except being there for Atsushi to jump as well? So why include him again? Well anyway, the fight between Akutagawa and our main character is great, and it’s really great to see Atsushi can perform his gifts at will and gets better and better at fighting. There are many nice visual in a fighting sequences and the choreography is excellent as well. All that and the reveals of a bigger, more bad-ass boss (F. Scott Fitzgerald, can you believe that?) made a nice touch to the series (I would never think they include writers outside of Japan) and set up nicely to the conflict of second season of the series. Anyway, I like to see more on the conflict between Port Mafia and the Agency so here’s hoping the last few episodes can deliver on that.

~SuperMario~

Flying witch – 09

by SuperMario, posted in Currently Watching:, Flying Witch

As Flying witch returns my wish, we have both Nao and Inukai in a single episode. I feel so blessed. This week we have a larger cast than usual, and almost everyone has a chance to shine. Chito the cat has a great moment with Al the hamster and made up one of the most endearing sequence this week. I love the way the hamster making a jump Olympic style to the table, follow by he sees the cat and freezes. Chito, cat-styles, just like to toy with the poor hamster and ends up padding his head. Akame sure stands out every she appears on screen this week. From the “hey heeey” moments that actually gets funnier every time I watch to her gift scene. The first part of this episode contains Inukai visits the cast and read them fortune. Many little details and subtle jokes are in display here, like the way Chinatsu keeps bringing her most out-of-the-blue questions like “Is it free?”, “what’s for dinner?” to Inukai but then she handled it so well. Other little details like Makoto dressing as a raccoon (which famously known for its lack of sense of direction) in animal fortune telling or Inukai as a monkey (which actually makes sense since she’s the type that often mixed up with unlikely disguise), or the repeating of “the pretty Inukai” adds a warm closure to the first half.

Nao and Makoto is our main lead in the last half, as they are talking about being on a diet, Makoto shows Nao her garden, and the cast eating the radish. I love the way Nao was so quick, and no-nonsense way to stop Makoto from pulling the mandrake out, or when she talks to the witch’s familiars. This is the kind of understated interaction that I would never get tired of, and I truly think Kei and Nao could be a really great couple. The last short part consists of Akame sending her presents to the girls. Well, Burkina Faso shirt with Japanese characters, or the origami who sings “bing bong” is a nice, whimsical touch. The last laugh, the fortune teller’s notes by Inukai that foreshadowing that scene, is time perfectly (“Meaningless” & “Unnecessary” gets me every time). I would say the mask will reappear in latter episodes, consider that Inukai had suggested that Chinatsu will treasure it. This is a nice, typical Flying witch episode that mostly great, echo by its consistency of mixing the magic and everyday life with an attentive eye to details, the well-balance atmosphere and the rich, but very natural set of characters.

~SuperMario~

Mayoiga – 10

by SuperMario, posted in Currently Watching:, Mayoiga

It is a feast to see a show that still remains very unpredictable till its very end. Yes, this episode put the silliness to the max and I prefer it this way. Now to think about it I think this might be one of the best way to approach Mayoiga. They consistency screw up our expectation, twist any ordinary convention by making things as insane and as little sense as possible. So kudos to Tsutomu Mizushima for remain really consistent for composing things inconsistently.

Because for me, the fun of watching Mayoiga is to experience the ridiculousness of the episode, and this week it’s choke full of absurd and nonsense sequences that  today instead of reviewing the episode, I will rank them in order of RIDICULOSNESS:

Mayoiga 10-10Mayoiga 10-9

For number 10, we have our Yotsun back (which makes the total body count a big ZERO). This is a good introduction phase to our GOD, which later we found out that “a long time” means 3 years ago.

For number 9, we learn that Mitsumune indeed returns back to the real world. We witness one of the most bizarre parental guidance (“You can leave home and come back any time”), and even a more chilling confession above. It’s a shame because after nearly 10 years of imposing his dead brothers, Mom just decided to not getting better. And what they mean by getting better? Accept Mitsumune as Tokimune? Yuck.

Mayoiga 10-8Mayoiga 10-7

At number 8 and 7, we have two out of nowhere backstory mean to freshen out Yotsun and Lion, respectively, which at the end we learn nothing new from each of them. Who are the people with those cello? His parents? Over the rap career? Lion said nobody believe her but she did build quite a strong following so I’m just not sure what she complaining. Also her gift is quite vague: she can see dead people? She can see the people who about to die? She can see people that might not die? Oh god. This adds up to nothing, which also means Mayoiga at its best.

Continue reading “Mayoiga – 10” →

Bungou Stray Dogs – 09

by SuperMario, posted in Bungou Stray Dogs, Currently Watching:

I have a strong mixed feeling towards this week’s episode of Bungou Stray Dogs. While structurally, this presents Bungou Stray Dogs at its best, it has a major flaw, A FATAL BLOW, that could potentially damage the show. The show establishes its most confident pacing ever, by slowing things down on the first half to really focus on the relationship between Atsushi and the new girl, Kyouka. This provides a great break after we had so many explosions and fighting the last couple of weeks. This is a time for a slower, tender moment to flesh out our characters and heighten their relationship. It helps that Kyouka is among one of the best characters the show ever written, the way she’s grounded: she’s well aware of her loneliness and her crimes, yet she strives for someone who could understand her. The art designs, in addition, bright with so much creativity this week. The use of strong color: dark red, green, resembles many of classical painting, but to put them in a modern context – especially this week when they showcase the various attractions of Yokohama – makes it a unique production. This art designs feel like an essential component of Bungou Stray Dogs. I have never seen any other shows that Yumiko Kondo (the art director) contribute apart from this one, but she surely has my full attention now. The music remains strong this week, with a rather unusual choice again, but surprising fitting, in a sequences where Atsushi get attacked by the Port Mafia. Rather than using the thrilling score, in that particular scene the show goes for a much slower, tender score to express the lost feeling of Kyouka. The second half of this episode the show rushes thing off into its action mode and this would be our main climax of the whole first season, especially will be a big fight off between our main lead Atsushi and Akutagawa, both of them connected to Dagai as their upperclassman.

But there is one issue that the show unfortunately stumbles on, and I do think this is a serious issue, that is the inconsistency of the characters. This inconsistency had happened before in Bungou Stray Dogs, in an episode where Dagai, Atsushi and Kunikida witnessed several victims were gassed in an abandon hospital. Now with Kunikida’s personality, a rather self-righteous man who lives by his “ideal”, there is no way he’s not shooting the glass down, regardless if the glass is bulletproof or the gas will spread out. He would not even think about it, just shoot it. Again in this episode, the huge leap of personality happens when the Agency was informed that Atsushi has been abducted, and guess what Kunikida’s acting? He’s babbling about the Agency’s current “important” ministry job, which is strange because in this very morning he still has time to go out for lunch, and worse of all he and Ranpo actually look for reasons no to help Atsushi out. I know that the show has downplayed this part and it seems like this part is a vehicle for the President to involve and shows that the President cares for our rookie member, but the show could do that better without selling out any other characters. Consider Kunikida behaving at that moment with him in the end of the episode where he rushing out to rescue our main lead, this feel almost like a betrayal. Dagai being kidnapped and others don’t seem to care at all strikes as another inconsistency for me, I know he would take good care of himself without any help but I really feel like the cast just don’t care because the show don’t want them too, because it would help to move the story faster or some other rubbish. Another glaring example is when Kunikida raising an unnecessary stake with a remark “Once he’s outside of the country, we can’t touch him”. How the heck outside of the country impossible for them to rescue Atsushi? This is an Armed Detective Agency with gifted people for god shake, and I don’t understand why only him and not the whole Agency going to rescue him? It’s simply just because the show don’t want them too. I can get pass their shaky pacing because as of now it’s kinda Bungou Stray Dogs thingy, but if the characters keep acting so inconsistent like this, I would mark the show down rather harshly.

~SuperMario~

Chinese Animation Guide – Part 4: Chinese Traditional Animated shows

by SuperMario, posted in Anime Reviews, Reviews by SuperMario, World Animation

Welcome to the last part of our Chinese animated guide. This part will cover Chinese traditional art style, for me personally this is the most enjoyable group. The first thing you might notice in these shows are they were in different format ratio, lean more towards the Academy ratio format. I always find their traditional art style more compelling, but somewhat conservative approach (since for long decades the Chinese insist to use this style over and over again). Luckily, these restricts have been loosen up in recent years without locking into any particular one style. As a result we have those shows below as a more relaxed and more updated version of their traditional style. Here are again the 6 shows in no particular order:

Romance of Three Kingdoms (三国演义)

romance of 3 kingdoms

This is a 2009 Chinese adaptation, so not to be confused with the various anime versions. Based on the popular work “Romance of Three Kingdoms” (which people regards its influence in East Asia literature is like that of Shakespeare in English literature). What we have in this episode are the three legendary warriors Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, Guan Yu become brothers and they fight together. I love the traditional character designs, and they provided solid enough animated scenes. But I can’t get pass the fact that a girl who was pushed down a cliff, not only she’s not die, but seems unharmed and she then proceeds to play musical after that. Weird. She must had been on crack I think! Besides that, I always meant to read the actual book, but its length (800,000 words) always put me off. This series so far is solid enough for me to follow it through.

Continue reading “Chinese Animation Guide – Part 4: Chinese Traditional Animated shows” →

Flying witch – 08

by SuperMario, posted in Currently Watching:, Flying Witch

Watching Flying witch really feel like listening to a classical music, where the long running time flies by and we actually feel it more than try to understand it. This week we continue what was left off last week, with Makoto, Chinatsu, Kei meeting the owners of the café shop and their regular customers. This is Flying witch in their most confidence. The pacing, the music, the character and background designs are very consistent and complement each other, with many little details that further shows how much the creators care about this world. I always prefer the magical realism part of the show than the everyday rural life part, and this episode is choke full of the former, with for the first time introducing a whole range of new characters, all of them are interesting I should say. Anzu and her mother add another solid charm to the cast. Anzu is my new favorite characters, with her hair styled like Shinobu, she seems more self-serious than the rest of the cast. The mother has a more easy, laidback type and she was more amused, not disturbed by the Makoto’s misunderstanding. And then we meet the new customers, each of them are as different from each other as it can be, ranging from a pair of ladybugs, The veil of darkness and the fox. Each of them are part of nature, which each of them contributes different things to the nature, and to the witch’s life. Little details are again too many but blink-and-you-miss-it moments, like the fact that this coffee shop even showcase jewelry, or what do you think the Veil of Darkness will drink in the shop? Yes, coffee and reading book of course. Or the fox would drink milk along with his usual food: winter cherry.

The second small part followed Akame as she tries to test out her new invention, for the shake of having fun no less. I had my suspicion weeks ago about a bay that featured in the OP, which really look like China – Vietnam landscape. This week we got an answer, that the place is Ha Long bay in Vietnam, non-subtlety (well, Akame kinds of scream it to our face this time), that confirmed my mention on her wearing the Vietnamese traditional dress (which, again, little details that you might have missed). Overall this is a stand out Flying witch episode, we are into their 8th episode and it has never failed to be consistent and atmospheric. I just hope I can meet these new characters again, in any place other than this coffee shop.

~SuperMario~

Mayoiga – 09

by SuperMario, posted in Currently Watching:, Mayoiga

Now the trick to enjoy Mayoiga is to expect the unexpected. Anything could happen, and probably will. The series has successfully tweaked our noses weeks after weeks, then if Mayoiga stops being ridiculous and becomes conventional, I would be very disappointed. The fun is again on par this week and we have one of the most bizarre flashback of the show (which already a high bar), together with ridiculous monsters and crazy character’s interactions. In other words, AWESOME.

Let’s get to the ridiculous part of this episode, shall we?  The biggest revelation this week is of course, Hayato’s past. Prior to this episode, Hayato seems to be one of our most sane person on this colorful group, except for some motherly attitude towards Mitsumune, he might be the one who keeps our insane cast a balance. Well, maybe not. He turns out to be as insane as Lovepon’s level, wanting to keep Mitsumune as his pet. I believe his very existence in the series so he could murmur this speech: “I realized that I need a puppet of my own”. It makes sense. Hayato behaviors and his past fits like a glove to what Mayoiga has been established so far. And Hayato got an extra point for his trauma past (the over-control of the parents is totally different from his fear (his grandma’s picture, which was another victim from their parents), I’d be damn if he could ever resolve his own issues. But the crowning achievement for me is Valkana with his line: “I managed to escape because it was kinda surprisingly low”. The delivering is just pitch-perfect and deadpan, especially from the serious guy Valkana.

Many ridiculous unresolved plot lines appear throughout this episode like a spider-web. The tunnel scenario ended with the Driver again being the most childish and stubborn man of the series by doing exactly what others say not to do. He himself was vanished afterward but it seems like no one care at this point. The Lion group contains of Lion, Maimai and Nanko tried to investigate the tunnel (which ridiculous method, putting Maimai into the tunnel to see if she still sees the monsters) and get interrupted by Jack, who then was interrupted by an unknown man, presumably Masaki’s uncle. If all of that doesn’t make any sense, then I do this series justice.  I have to say the monsters appear to be more like a mascot characters this week, they not actually scary and they at least don’t mean any harm. Maybe they are just like a device for characters to look through their darkness, then perhaps they will get back to the real world? That a sense I get from Mitsumune waking up at the end of the episode, but we will soon know the answer next week. At this rate if next week we find out that Nanko and Koharun (the only two left who still act like normal human being) turn out to be insane, I wouldn’t be surprise at all.

~SuperMario~

Bungou Stray Dogs – 08

by SuperMario, posted in Bungou Stray Dogs, Currently Watching:

I have to say more than anything this is Bungou Stray Dogs’ special episode, in a sense that in one hand, the show produces one of its most brilliance ever, but on the other hand, there are still many shortcomings along with the greatness, producing an episode that mostly entertainment but uneven. The introduction of the two main antagonists; for example, highlights this unbalance. Kyouka the silent girl might be one of the most interesting character we have for a while, mainly because it has something to do with her not being over the top (compared to other characters of this series of course). Her motives and actions are both mysterious and grounded. Her lines admittedly feel very unnatural, but there is a hint of sadness behind those words. Motojirou the bomber terrorist, on the other side of the spectrum, is just loud and plain. He’s always in the destroy/talking nonsense mode so it’s hard to remember fondly of him. It might come as a cliché but for an action show there must be someone who crazy about bombs huh?

Now let’s get to the great parts of the show. The first thing that stands out in this episode is the music. The music of the show has always been very consistent, but this week it takes a step further. In a bombing sequence, the score goes to unsettling and nausea territories, which actually very fitting to the chaos and the nausea of the crowd. The visual, especially in the action scenes, are pretty amazing to watch. Furthermore, this show has always put extra effort to create a feel for its settings, and this week’s train setting surely doesn’t disappointed. It has a very distinctive feel and a lot of personality. The writing this week takes a rather new approach as well. They don’t go for their usual crime investigating, there is no usual gags about suicide attempts and there is even no interaction between Dagai and Atsushi. All that actually helps to make the story much leaner this week. For once I like the way Atsushi acts this week as he really stands up for himself and fight, and comes out of his own to try saving a girl. This is a kind of development I like to see from him, so I expect more of that in the future episodes.

But not all of this episode is in rose color though. The story runs so fast that more often than not it feels forced, the way our main leads were in the train when all of this incidents happened. Even many of innocent people had to die to “prove the point”. Bungou Stray Dogs, you have to care more about people, they don’t just die for the shake of dying ya get it? Our character this week, Dr. Yosano, comes out as a mixed bag too. When she’s not being creepy by telling how she enjoys “curing” people, she possesses a more attentive side (like when she checks out Atsushi’s leg), but sadly she’s over the top most of the time. Her gift “Thou Shalt Not Die” was revealed to heal a person, but with a condition that the wounds have to be lethal, which comes to a rather illogical part, where she healed herself after a ton of bombs were dropped on her. The way I see it her body would explored well before she has a chance to use her ability. The bomber terrorist as mentioned earlier come off as very one dimensional. In all, I’d say I’m happy with the direction the show heading for now, hopefully it can overcome its shortcoming, especially in its character-writing, because when they do it right, we have a bunch of really solid character’s development.

~SuperMario~