Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai – 04

by SuperWooper, posted in Finished Series: Romance, Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai

Kaguya-sama isn’t the sort of show that would suddenly depart from a tried and true formula, especially not after attracting so many eyes in just one month thanks to whip-smart direction and a memetic ED. Nevertheless, this was a week of firsts for the anime. We got four short stories in this episode instead of the usual three, stepped outside the student council room for the largest portion of an episode yet, met some French transfer students, and received some wonderful eye-catches to bridge the gaps between each chapter. I remember seeing those little transitions last week, as well, but these were on another level, featuring a couple of dynamic poses from Fujiwara (her demonic cat impression made the biggest splash for me), who I assume is the fan favorite at this point

The first two segments this week were classic “mental gymnastics in the student council room” routines, revolving around cat ears and the banned word game, respectively. The performance that most impressed me here was that of Makoto Furukawa, Shirogane’s seiyuu, who really let loose this week in order to flesh out the president’s attraction to (and slight feelings of inferiority toward) Kaguya. We’ve gotten hints of the latter in the past, especially where her finances are concerned, but her cute cosplay and flawless French stunned him this week, and Furukawa’s yelps and prolonged cries gave us a good look past the veneer his character usually keeps up. This dorkier version of the president is one we’ve known about since he bluffed his way through a romantic advice session (despite having no experience of his own), so it feels natural to see him act a little nuttier here. On the other hand, the wordiness of his resolution to throw the banned word game to Fujiwara was a bit thick – but of course, that’s the scriptwriter’s decision, not Furukawa’s. And hey, it was still a nice gesture for him to make, even if it failed spectacularly. I do appreciate that the show’s three main players have genuine affection for one another, rather than mean-spiritedness (as would be in the case in a lot of other comedies).

Kaguya’s obsession with her cell phone was undoubtedly my favorite chapter this week, though I do have one knock against it, and that’s the reuse of 3D council room assets in the creation of Kaguya’s room. Her desk and bookshelves looked eerily similar to the ones we already see every week, and provided a sizable distraction to an otherwise charming story. That aside, though, seeing the calculating vice president dissolve into a bundle of nerves over a simple phone conversation was precious. I’m glad Kaguya has a “girl talk” sort of friend in Hayasaka (the pressure of being an heir to such a large legacy might otherwise be crushing), but I’m equally glad that Hayasaka likes to push her buttons, since that teasing exposes a side of Kaguya that she ordinarily keeps locked up. The thought of a president/secretary relationship is enough to briefly fluster her charge, but Hayasaka’s flawless poker face makes her such a wild card that I wouldn’t be surprised if she went after Shirogane herself (if only to spur Kaguya into action). Whatever the series’ romantic blueprints may be, I’m hoping she’s involved somehow – her character is too fun and too valuable not to be included.

Mob Psycho 100 S2 – 5 [Discord ~Choices~]

by Lenlo, posted in Mob Psycho 100 II

Screw the intro, forget being clever, Mob Psycho just dropped an episode so well animated, you could piece together the entire thing with nothing but Sakugabooru clips. Lets go!

I will get to the actual narrative pacing and adaptation discussion later. For now, I just need to gush for a bit. Mob Psycho look good. Like, real *good*. As in, 23 minutes of Sakuga good. Everything from the character and facial animations to the psychedelic, bombastic ending 12 minute fight scene. I loved it so much I had to find a good way to shove more screenshots into this post, so enjoy like… 4 slideshows below the break. Sadly static pictures don’t do it justice. Hakuyu GO did a fantastic job directing this episode and I can’t imagine how many animators they had working on this. We aren’t even halfway through the first season and Mob Psycho already has Best Animation for the year locked down. It’s insane. My gushing aside though, how about we actually, objectively, look over it a bit hmm?

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Yakusoku no Neverland – 04[291045]

by AidanAK47, posted in Finished Series: Mystery/Suspense, Yakusoku no Neverland

The focus of this week’s episode happened to mainly do with the identity of the traitor in the farm and how our main trio plans to deal with that. As such it was a bit of a slower episode and acted more as a planning session on when and how they tiro where going to escape. Letting two more kids in on the nature of the farm while still keeping the aspect that they are food a secret was a good move on Norman’s part but Ray’s reaction is somewhat justified as eventually these kids are going to find out the truth and what’s more, it looks like Sister Krone is looking to using that lie to her advantage.

Something that has come up before but I feel the need to bring up again as it’s starting to become a problem is the show don’t tell principle of the series. Normally this should be something that anime strives to do as many don’t make use of the visual medium in other to aid the storytelling, instead just opting to translate manga to anime wholesale. However here we once again have the problem where characters could really benefit from inner monologues. Krones abrashed shouting of her plans along with one of the kids shouting about how Mom totally isn’t selling them off and now how the series goes out of its way to make the supposed traitor look even more guilty. One moment I find baffling is that before going to sister Krone in order to tell her that she wouldn’t work with her, this girl gives Emma a look of disdain upon leaving the bedroom.

Now at the time that look suggested she was a traitor but it’s later revealed that she isn’t a traitor and has decided to trust Emma. However if that is the case, why that look? There is no reason as to why she would look at Emma like that and the look honestly just feels like a narrative ploy to fool the watcher, not a logical thing within the story itself. Again like Krone it is like a extra action put in place for the viewers benefit, almost as if the characters were aware of the audience and took extra action to include them. It’s an immersion breaker for sure and one I hope is solved in later episodes as right now it’s Neverlands major failing.The viewer needs to make lots of concessions in order to believe in the story being shown and it’s getting to the point that suspension of disbelief is getting pushed too far.

Our ending hook this week was Norman pointing out Ray as the traitor as it appears his rope ruse that he told Ray about wasn’t there to catch out the two kids, it was there to catch out Ray. From the looks of things Norman has suspected Ray and I find it rather interesting that he came to Emma to ask a obtuse question as to how to deal with him. From the looks of things, Norman uses Emma as his moral compass and I wonder whether there is true emotion behind that smile of his. Considering how Norman is going by Emmas feelings rather than his own mindset and how Emma made it clear that she wants to save everyone, even the traitor then I would think that Norman is going to try and convince Ray to his side. But with a traitor in the plan that would mean that whatever these kids cook up will always have someone who can rat them out.

Paranoia Agent – 2 [The Golden Shoes] – Throwback Thursday

by Lenlo, posted in Paranoia Agent, Throwback Thursday

Hello to week 2 of Paranoia Agent, now with an extra dose of weird! This week we focus on some new characters, the cruelty of children and the supernatural presence of Lil Slugger. Lets jump in!

In general, this was an odd week of Paranoia Agent. Only 2 episodes in and I expect to see myself saying that often. It started off very subdued with its animation. Lots of nice details, but nothing like Kawazu’s beautifully creep fluidity. It did have some awesome direction though. Showing how Icchi views himself and his growing paranoia and solitude. A lot of the shots were very evocative, and really sold the growing dread, even if the animation was more subdued. That isn’t to say Paranoia Agent didn’t have its moments of Kon greatness though. It just reserved it. Every time Icchi started to freak out, the art changed to a more simplistic but exaggerated style. Really playing with the camera angles and stretching the models. I think reserving the fun animation for these moments was a great idea, as it made them really stand out from everything else.

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Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru – 15 [Place of Destiny]

by Lenlo, posted in Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru

Welcome back to running made interesting, Kaze Fui! This week the team makes it to the qualifiers, Hana teases some twins and Haiji finds a cliffhanger! Let’s start runnin!

Starting off, I am surprised we made it to the qualifier so quickly. Sure, we just had a training arc, but I figured we would get another episode of buildup. It’s a good thing, really, because we have 8 episodes left and I expect the Ekiden to take up probably half of those. As for the team, it was nice seeing them come together, again. I really should stop enjoying it, it’s happened so much, but I just can’t stop. It’s nice seeing them all prepare in their own ways. King memorizing the route, Yuki relaxing with his music, Musa in the bath, Kurahara going for more runs. Its all these little personality quirks, the in between moments, that make each of these characters feel equally important. Each of them have, or will soon have, their own stories that all tie together, and I love it.

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Kemurikusa – 04

by SuperMario, posted in Finished Series: Adventure/Fantasy/Science Fiction, Kemurikusa

Kemurikusa just keeps getting better, huh? This episode does a pretty good job on establishing its world building, and we learn more about these girls’ special abilities, as well as the dead sisters (thanks partly to Wakaba this time). I really hope that we can see the dead ones in some ways or forms because based from the ED they aren’t just there as some backstory – they have their own designs, personality and special abilities. Last week we heard about Ryoku (God, their names are confusing) who knew best about the mechanic of this world and who teached Rin and Ritsu many “survival skills”. This week, we know more about the other two late members, Ryo, who were even better at combat than Rin and Riku, who can used all types of kemurikusa. We also see some of Rina(s) special powers. First, they can use parts of their body to move on their own (with prove to be more than helpful later on). Moreover, they eat stuffs in order to multiply and appears to lose their original memory. What worrisome, however, is one of them start to lose energy and I’m not so sure what going to be happen with that poor soul.

Even the settings on the new islands and the power of kemurikusa start to become clearer as well. Although he activates the kemurikusa power by pure luck, it further confirms that either there are more ways to activate the power, or Wakata himself is a key to all this. The big ass Nushi, however, is clearly designed to destroy the kemurikusa and I suspect that it killed one of the girls and that brings a huge impact to Rin. It’s interesting to note that as long as the girls’ leaf isn’t destroyed, they won’t die and they can regenerate their body. The question I have for now is whether or not these girls are organic (created by the tree and whatnot) or are they artificially made using the same technology that destroy this world? In this episode, when they move inbetween island, we can clearly see the signs, the billboard that clearly resembling the world we’re living right now. What the hell happened in that universe that kill the humanity?

It’s a lot to unpack regarding its ambiguous settings, I know, and I believe this is the right direction Kemurikusa is heading now. Exploring the world, at the same time pick up all the quirks and the functionality of each character has been a rewarding ride. On the production value side, if you get used to the CG models, there are a lot to enjoy here. The use of music, in particular, is strong and enhance the action sequence greatly. The strong use of color is another highlight and each color represents some sort of different power, so it has its purpose. Rin is also a character worth following around, since she has strong sense of what she wants to do and what she wants to protect. Island 4 is going to be a big task for the team, given we know that something is waiting for them there, and that something seems to be a really bad news.

Mob Psycho 100 S2 – 4 [Inside ~Evil Spirit~]

by Lenlo, posted in Mob Psycho 100 II

This week Mob Psycho hits us full force with its unique style. Reigen and Mob get a new job, we meet a bunch of new psychics and a villain makes a questionable tactical decision. Lets jump in!

First off, Mob Psycho went a little crazy with the animation this week. Almost as if to make up for the character focus of last week, as if that was an issue. We got straight up animated renditions of manga panels, slow motion shots, bright colors, wild camera angles and more. Personally, I loved it. I find Mob Psycho’s willingness to go wild with its animation, go off model or use unique mediums, one of its best features. Mob Psycho is, even in its quieter moments like Rock Paper Scissors, always visually interesting. It really makes you wonder why Mob Psycho is so unique in this. I attribute it to BONES, who had absolutely no chill this week, and you know what’s funny? This was all setup for the big sakuga explosion we can expect next week! This was the appetizer!

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Winter 2019 Summary – Week 3

by SuperMario, posted in Currently Watching:, Weekly Summary

We get to the third week of this Winter season where I will cut down some slacks and settle in with the ones I pick. In general, this season has been a solid one for me. Mob Psycho 100 in particular hasn’t had any bad episode yet, Kaguya-sama keeps sharpening its claws, and even something nobody care for like Rinshi Edoka-chan still delivers with grace (the only reason I don’t include Edoka-chan here is because it’s only 3-minute short, WHAT CAN YOU SAY OF A 3 MINUTE SHORT EVERY WEEK?). Anyways, read on to see which shows that still make the cut for the rest of the season.

Domestic na Kanojo (ep02-03)


Curiosity got a better of me and I checked out Domestic for my own dose of suffering. Needless to say, I’m still on the fence whether I’m going to watch it or drop it. There’s a clear set of what I enjoy in the show and what it falters. In a positive spectrum, the situation the older sister Hina finds herself in is frighteningly real and weighty. Having an affair with married person is messy, as in the three-way central romance, and what she’s suffering through is grounded and believable. In addition, I found Rui and Natsuo’s chemistry to be solid so far, as both have the same concerns towards their sister’s affair. On the opposite spectrum, the comedy bits are distracting and most often the time they feel awkward. Natsuo’s best mate is the worst offender as at no point I feel he belongs to this story or even feel like real person. Natsuo’s behavior can be grating at times and I know it will get worse as the story gets messier.

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Dororo – 4 [The Story of the Cursed Sword]

by Lenlo, posted in Dororo

This week Dororo returns to its episode demon slaying, as our intrepid duo combat a cursed blade! We have flashbacks, family issues and regained body parts galore! And you know what? I loved it all, so lets jump right in.

Now, last week I was a bit nervous about Dororo. I found some of the washed out visuals and scrappy animation to be a let down. This week, while it hasn’t gotten rid of those issues, Dororo made me realize that they won’t be as prevalent as I had feared. The chosen color palette has its uses, the limited animation will be… limited, and the however episodic it might be, everything will come together. I will, of course, hit on each of these as we go, but before we get out of technical aspects, I want to say I enjoyed the layout of this episode. Dororo started and ended on the same note, Hyakkimaru standing in the rain, yet the context of each was completely different. Its hard to say he is the same person as he was at the start, because he grows over the episode. I loved it.

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Kouya no Kotobuki Hikoutai – 03 [Rachma’s Longest Day]

by SuperMario, posted in Finished Series: Action, Kouya no Kotobuki Hikoutai

It’s clear after the first three episodes that Kotobuki isn’t a show that focuses much on any thematic depth, nor is it a character piece. It has some nice settings, it has one core concept of these Kotobuki team members doing air combats against pirates, and it has extended well-choreographed flight sequences to back it up. It’s pretty telling how they sacrifice 2D character models so that they can go all out with the aerial combat set pieces. In terms of sound and sight, Kotobuki has its chops. It’s not in the level of extraordinary, mind you, but to animate those long battle scenes in every single episode and makes it as appealing as what we got so far is no small feat. The problems lie in the lack of actual story, or even characters that we feel worth spending time for. This week, I still don’t warm up that much to the characters. I do learn more about two of them. Reona (in red uniform), the leader of this group and the voice of reason as opposed to the impulsive Kirie and Chika last week, and Emma (the blonde) who frankly criticizes the mayor before gets rescued by him later on. I don’t mind this “you pick up on character traits as you go along” approach Kotobuk’s currently implementing, but I can see that this approach could turn viewers off because they don’t have a reason to care for the story.

It doesn’t help the case that the story this week is as bareboned as it can get. Rachma, their town was attacked by air pirates who calling themselves “Elite Industries”. The CEO, who acts as over the top as one could, is eyeing the town’s Raiden fighter, and fires off as warning once the town refuses to do the trade. I’m a bit let down by the way Kotobuki clearly makes a ruthless villain we all love to hate, and there is a clear black and white here. The other development this episode focuses on, however, is the town mayor’s indecision to make a final call. This thread works better than the punchable face CEO, but still leaves a lot to be desired. The small town villagers get a sense that they need to participate (and not relying on the girls) to protect their hometown, and the mayor, in a spur of a moment, decide to ride his Raiden and saves Emma, although at the cost of the Raiden.

So yep, story-wise and characters-wise, Kotobuki offers surprisingly very little to hold on to. What it sells so far is the presentation. CG planes look cool in motion and we can feel the impact of every hit the air jets receive. I also quite enjoy the rapid-fire conversations and clearly each girl sounds and behaves different, although to be fair it’s all style with no substance right now. The only way the show could improve is that they need to get more constructed, as fighting pirates week-to-week, quite fun to look at, gets dull rather easily.