Kyokou Suiri – 03 [The Rumors of the Steel Lady]

by SuperMario, posted in Currently Watching:, Kyoko Suiri

Hey it’s me Mario who cover this eccentric little talky show this week. I have a confession first, I always have a thing for anime with excessive amount of dialogues, as long as they don’t try to sound like a broken talking dictionary or quote some philosophical nonsense (looking right at you Psycho Pass and Ghost in the Shells the movies), and I think that’s an important aspect to decide whether or not you are in for this particular ride. I mean, Kyokou Suiri is so gutsy that it features its entire second mystery in a single settings just by one character talks things out to another character. When you think of lengthy conversations in one setting, you might think it’s a dull experience but Kyokou Suiri (mostly) gets away with it. I will demonstrate this point by comparing the approach with other talky shows. For Monogatari series, whenever it gets to a lengthy chatter banter it utilizes its quirky visual to keep audience from feeling bored. For shows like OreGairu, it relies on characters gestures (usually a glance) to hint on their subtle inner feelings, for Kyokou Suiri it uses the flow of the conversation to suggest something deeper about its cases.
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Winter 2020 Summary – Week 4

by SuperMario, posted in Weekly Summary

Mario: Apologize for posting this Weekly Summary a day late, as I was away last long weekend. Seasonal anime has passed its first 3 weeks now, which means they more or less show their true colors as this point and we writers more or less settle down on shows we will be watching through the rest of the season. 22/7 and OshiBudo have their first appearances in this column, but it remains to be seen whether they can hold our interest. Without further ado, read further to see what we say about them this week:

Haikyuu: To The Top! – Ep 3

Lenlo: Content wise, I think this was a good week for Haikyuu. It was nice to see Hinata figuring out what it is he lacks. Figuring out the smart way to play the game vs his previously purely instinctual methods, then slowly merging the two. He has yet to actually play, yet he is learning just by observing, which is something Hinata hasn’t really done till now. Being more focused on DOING. That said, it still feels like it lacks something visually. That being the sort of crisp visual style of previous seasons. It just sort of feels… flat? Like the spikes lack impact, the color doesn’t pop in places it feels like it should, and sometimes the faces feel off, etc. It’s still good, but coming off of previous Haikyuu seasons it feels a tad underwhelming. Granted, I watched all of those 2 weeks before the season started. So it’s a bit fresher for me than most others.

Oshi ga Budokan Ittekuretara Shinu – 2-3

Wooper: OshiBudo is approaching its central premise with less irony that the first episode led me to expect. Comedy is still a part of the show’s M.O., but the relationship between Eripiyo and Maina is disappointingly straightforward in its use of misunderstandings and unrequited longing. The aftermath of the tanzaku plot, for example, relied just as much on Maina’s love for her number one fan as it did on Eripiyo’s intense approach to idol fandom. That love has been teased as romantic a few times now, and while I think that development could take the show in an interesting direction, it’s probably just bait. There was a more credible bit of yuri between two Cham Jam members in episode 2, so who knows where the show is willing to go? Hopefully it keeps creating humorous setups, no matter what tone it settles on. Eripiyo’s shampoo-related tanzaku flying into view as her “fan letters” were scattered to the wind comes to mind as the comedic bar the show ought to be shooting for. If it continues to skew in a less playful, more sincere direction, though, I don’t know that I’ll make it through the whole cour.
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Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! – 4 [Hold That Machete Tight!]

by Lenlo, posted in Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!

God damn, was Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken always this good? Or is Yuasa just on point this week? Because this was the best episode of anime so far in 2020 for me. I know, 26 days in is a bit earlier, but the heart wants what the heart wants. And right now the heart wants to dive in to some Eizouken!

Starting off, why exactly do I love this episode of Eizouken so much? Simply put, because it’s a reality check for everyone involved, viewers and characters, without losing the passion. Diving into the difficulties of making an anime, the compromises and tricks used to make something so difficult happen. There is actually a quote from Asakusa this episode that sums it up perfectly. “Less about finishing the project and more the outcome of passion crashing against compromise and resignation”. It’s like Yuasa and the team are pouring their heart out here about the truth of making anime. How you can have the best of intentions, the greatest passions, yet reality and time can limit you. Whether that be wanting to make every scene beautifully animated or colors or effects, etc. It’s a much more mature take than I was expecting based on Eizouken’s presentation.

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Runway de Waratte – 3 [Smile Down the Runway]

by Lenlo, posted in Runway de Waratte

Welcome to another week of Runway de Waratte! This week is pretty straight forward, finishing up the fashion show and letting our leads get a win. The question then becomes, is it earned and how well is it set up? Well, let’s dive in and find out!

Starting off, I want to talk about Runway’s production this week, because I have issues. The big one is clearly the pacing, as we are going really fast. It feels like these last two could have been spread out among 3 episodes, to give things room to breathe. As my primary criticism with the series so far is how quickly our leads are moving up the rungs. Getting these “Victory” moments so quickly. I have actually heard a lot of dialogue was cut from the manga here, so that makes sense. Meanwhile the actual animation and such felt stiff. It’s not a big thing, as this isn’t an action series, but a lot of characters felt lifeless, and the direction didn’t help. Being pretty simple across the board. Sure, the actual walked looked nice as stills, but it didn’t manage to evoke any big emotions for such a big scene.

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Hōsekisho Richard-shi no Nazo Kantei – 03 [The Cat’s Eye’s Insight]

by Amunchet, posted in Currently Watching:, The Case Files of Jeweler Richard

Amun is up for this episode of “Case Files of Jeweler Richard”. As hinted last week, my excitement for this show plummeted after the stellar first episode. Can episode 3 get us back on track? Let’s find out!
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Neon Genesis Evangelion – 13/14 – Throwback Thursday

by Lenlo, posted in Neon Genesis Evangelion, Throwback Thursday

Another week, another double feature of Neon Genesis Evangelion. This was an odd pair, as our lead 3 actually take backseat for the most part. Being largely irrelevant to the goings on and events up until the end of episode 14. Meanwhile the Angels figure out a new way to attack, Ritsuko gets some backstory and Rei goes on an acid trip. So lets dive in!

Starting off, lets just hop right in to episode 13, An Angel’s Invasion. This was pretty interesting actually, as Evangelion introduces us to a new kind of Angel. One that works like a computer, or a series of small nanobots. It really calls into question exactly what the Angels are. As up until now, we have only seen them as giant monsters, something an Eva unit is required to fight. Yet here we see something that the Eva units couldn’t hope to defeat, something that attacks computers and code. Of course it’s not perfect, there are a lot of questions about whether or not such a thing would even work. After all, its apparently some sort of airborne replicating virus, evolving to deal with whatever is attacking it. If it were made just to kill humans, it would have won easily. But instead it somehow knew about the Magi. How?

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Chihayafuru S3 – 15 [Helpless Autumn Leaves]

by SuperWooper, posted in Chihayafuru, Finished Series: Sports

When this week’s episode opened with Chihaya staring dazedly into space, Arata’s voice looping in her brain, I thought we might be in for a slightly more romantic affair than the one we ultimately received. Chihayafuru has never dwelled for too long on that part of its story, but having crossed a major threshold just recently, there was no way to know for certain whether the formula might change. Now we’ve seen the karuta-heavy aftermath that had been in store all along, and any hopes or fears that the show might undergo some metamorphosis have been put to rest. Chihaya is still a lovable nerd, Arata is back in Fukui, and the secondary members of the karuta club are nearly irrelevant, as they have been practically all season.

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Dorohedoro – 02 [In the Bag]

by SuperWooper, posted in Dorohedoro, Finished Series: Mystery/Suspense

A couple notes before we get started: I’ve only read the first volume of the Dorohedoro manga, which was covered by the anime’s first two episodes. As such, I won’t be making comparisons between the two versions, so if that’s what you’re looking for specifically, you’ll have to search elsewhere. If you’re a manga reader, the plus side of my TV-only viewership is that you can read someone’s unspoiled thoughts on the series’ nutty developments. Plus, this being an anime review, I can talk about color, animation, music, and voicework – though that sort of discussion might have to be tabled for the first couple posts while I try to wrap my brain around the show’s unique logic.

Also, I’m watching with [anon]’s subs, which read more smoothly to me than either of the currently available alternatives. Just in case anyone was wondering which version to download, there’s my two cents.

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Winter 2020 Summary – Week 3

by SuperMario, posted in Weekly Summary

Mario: Welcome back to our Weekly Summary Column, I am the new host for this season, Mario. After a frantic first impression period, we are getting more stabilize now and starting to settle on our weekly offerings. I still need to catch up with leftovers from last season such as Blade of the Immortals and Babylon (yep, that Whore of Babylon) and maybe some other shows this season like 22/7, but that’ll be for the next post. Enjoy the roundup and tell me which shows you are following this season or even which shows you want us to cover here. We’ll take that into consideration.

ID:INVADED – 2-4

Wooper: ID:Invaded is my pet show of the season (not to be mistaken with my Pet show of the season). It’s not a critical darling like Eizouken or a surprise hit like Somali, but its high-concept procedural story and unconventional character designs have led me to favor it above most of this winter’s offerings. The plot: brilliant detective Sakaido solves his cases by entering the subconscious of serial killers, rendered as fractured, perilous mindscapes which he must navigate to uncover their identities. One of the things I appreciate most about Invaded is that, despite the magnitude of its premise, the characters aren’t swallowed by it. They have existing workplace relationships and personal histories, even if they’re not the focus of the show. Sakaido’s relationships with the more traditional cops and analysts on his team provide a nice foundation for his bloody backstory, which becomes clear in episode 3. After we learn what horrors he’s experienced, the show begins to demonstrate the influence and the existential detachment that comes from diving into people’s unconscious minds. The show is too verbose at times, and not every subconscious world is as interesting or well-designed as the last, but it has me intrigued enough to consider it a priority watch each week.

Somali to Mori no Kamisama – 2

Mario: I consider Somali episode 2 better than the first one (the premiere has a clumsy exposition part that nearly turns me off for good). The second episode has our Golem and Somali meeting other casts, so we both learn more about the world, and see how the chemistry between them all play out. The end of the episode also reveals more about Golem’s health and that adds to some urgency in regards to their journey. Golem and Somali also has a solid relationship where they grow fond of each other. But saying all that, I still can’t fully embrace the show and I do feel it loses its steam even after just 2 episodes. The fact that Somali is human could pose a potential threat given other beings are likely to consume her should they know – and I think the show will go there, but for now, we don’t sense any of that danger anywhere. And I know I just mentioned about the “urgency” but in truth, I don’t feel any sense of “hurry” at all. If I have to put my finger on why I’m still skeptical about the show, I’d say that its formula is too safe and predictable for now that it never full grasp me. Shake things up a bit would do the show better, I reckon.

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