Fall 2020 Summary – Weeks 7-8

Wooper: After making way for our quarterly State of the Season post last week, the recap post has returned with a value-sized installment. I might fall down on the job where my episodic reviews are concerned, but the weekly summary arrives on time, come hell or high water. There’s a new show under Lenlo’s microscope before the jump, plus double episode impressions for the usual suspects afterwards. Have at ’em!

Heaven’s Official Blessing – 4/5

Lenlo: A new addition to the lineup, by popular request! This was a slow but important two weeks for HOB. Where the first arc sought to establish the world and the setting, this one dedicates itself entirely to character relationships. Specifically between our lead and Xie Lian and our Antagonist (?)/Love Interest (?) Hua Cheng. And across both of these episodes I can say… it did a pretty good job of it. I’m not a big fan of BL, mostly because romance isn’t my genre. But the interplay between Lian and Cheng was rather interesting. Lian, a heavenly official trying to suss out who Cheng really is, and Cheng who could be simply playing with Lian or legitimately interested. This early into the series it’s too early to truly tell one way or the other. But for what I expected to be two boring episodes, HOB did a great job playing them off each other and establishing this relationship and I am looking forward to more.

Oh and one last thing of note that I almost forgot, there was some great visual alliteration in these two episodes. I especially liked the story of how Hua cheng earned his name with the white flower, both speaking to his own history as well as to when we first met him a few episodes ago. How he helped Lian, leading him through the forest under his umbrella. It was well done!

Kamisama Ni Natta Hi 06/07

Armitage: To paraphrase one of Shakespeare’s most well-known sonnets, “Thou art a Lolicon, yes?” In all seriousness though, this show is best when it’s not being serious at all. While we finally got back to the shady boy-hacker from Episode 3 and were presented with a head-scratching reveal at the end to tide us over till next week, I don’t know exactly how I feel about it. I mean, I guess this isn’t a fantasy show anymore. Well, it was always just winking at that possibility but now, it’s pretty much embraced the sci-fi genre altogether. Which I mean… yeah, sure. Feels a little shoehorned but the red herrings were there too. There’s also a love triangle being set up at the heart of our narrative though unlike other love triangles (read: Harems) in anime, I actually don’t mind multiple girls falling head over heels for our protagonist, as Sota is a very likeable one. Though, honestly if you were to ask me to choose between this show trying its hand at new ways to incorporate drama into its story or the viewers being treated to 12 episodes of Sota and co. shooting a movie, I’d choose the latter all day, every day.

 

Maou-jou de Oyasumi 7

Wooper: I was going to watch episodes 7 and 8 back-to-back to get caught up for this post, but Maou-jou de Oyasumi is a special kind of comfy, so it shouldn’t be rushed. Plus, there’s plenty of variety in each of the show’s outings (despite its silly premise), so pushing through to the next one seems unnecessary. I mean, Syalis was kidnapped by Hades in this one, prompting her original captors to organize a rescue mission and infiltrate an all-new magic castle. That’s plenty of content for one blurb! Some of my favorite snippets in this episode were the nods to Greek mythology, even beyond Hades’ appearance. His trio of furry assistants were named Ker, Ber and Ros; Poseidon made a cameo before declaring his brother “too troublesome” to deal with; and Hypnos mentored Syalis for a bit in the second segment (before the student became the master). Hypnos’ awe at his pupil’s natural abilities was a clever bit of writing – who better to reinforce the princess’s soporific talents than the god of sleep himself? She even returned to the original demon castle at the end of the ep, preferring her custom mattress and luxurious sheets to the freedom she could have grasped. Now that’s dedication to an ethos!

Golden Kamuy S3 – 7/8

Lenlo: Just like Haikyuu and most everything else this week, this is a doubleheader to make up for last week’s “State of the Season”! I say it pretty often here when talking about Golden Kamuy that its humor is my favorite part of it. The jokes come at a rapid pace and the series isn’t afraid to dive into some grim humor. But recently Golden Kamuy has been reminding me that it can do drama just as well. Episode 7 gave us a good survival struggle and a story of living on the border of warring nations while episode 8 gave us a tale of old samurai, their era passed. I don’t think I have ever said it here, but the Bakumatsu is one of my favorite periods in history. A clashing of ancient technology and tradition vs the inevitable coming of the modern era. No where else in history do you find swords, spears and bows thrown up against guns and cannons, all mixed with urban warfare. Add in a spice of the “exotic”, IE an eastern culture because living in the west everything is exotic, and it becomes fascinating. So Golden Kamuy’s little dive into that period and its effects on those surviving into the Meiji Restoration was great.

Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibouken 7-8

Wooper: After these two episodes, my tolerance for Dragon Quest’s simple characters and obvious plotting is fraying at the seams. I’ve previously enjoyed the formula which drives this series – the original Dai no Daibouken helped create it, after all – but that enjoyment was nowhere to be found this week. Both the smiling faces of the residents in Maam’s village and the scowls and smirks of villains like Crocodine and Zaboera are totally lacking in believability. Maam made the switch from teary-eyed worrier to determined warrior in both episodes; Popp’s cowardice kept him on the sidelines in both episodes; Crocodine loudly boasted about his strength in both episodes. Believability requires more than perfect consistency, or perhaps I should say “less” – your characters need a bit of inconsistency in their bones, or else they’ll feel like drawings rather than living beings. I didn’t find that here, so I was always conscious of how much time was left in each episode – the number one sign that you’re not having a good time with a TV show.

Haikyu To the Top Part 2 – 7/8

Lenlo: Haikyu continues to simultaneously be one of my most enjoyable and most disappointing shows of the season. I love the themes it has, I love its characters, I love everything about it. From Episode 7’s Kita, this definition of work. Not hard work per se, he doesn’t try more than anyone else. Just consistent work, of practice, this bedrock of confidence that he can do anything he can pull off in practice. He is the Daichi of Inarizaki, the foundation upon which the team sits, allowing the rest to reach higher and higher. He isn’t the best player, he isn’t the most talented or the one who will stand out. He is just Kita and he will return every day, with the same consistency he has always had.

Meanwhile episode 8 dives into both talent and love of the spot. Hitting on not being as good as you want, the desire for that “hero moment” that may never come because that just isn’t your role. Meanwhile with the Miya twins we see just how big a difference drive, love of the sport, can make. Both skilled, both equally talented, yet Atsumu simply wants it more. He wants to win more, he wants to be better more, and that pulls him ahead.

I love Haikyu, and I love its themes. But the presentation of this season is just… it’s killing me. Because this isn’t just a production issue, it’s not just “I demand more animation”. I think the directors personal style is bland and uninteresting compared to the original composition of the manga. I have read the manga, I own the entire series, I know how great it can be when presented properly. Furudate’s art is fantastic and so far this new season, this new direction, just… hasn’t accomplished that. I can only hope that they put all their efforts into the finale.