Some Quick First Impressions: Clockwork Planet, Hinako Note and Twin Angel BREAK

by AidanAK47, posted in Some Quick First Impressions

Clockwork Planet

Short Synopsis: A boy repairs a robot girl that drops on his house.

This thing was a lot more cheap and trashy from my impression of the source. Maybe when you downgrade the artwork it reveals more of it’s true colours. Either way this is pretty standard light novel fare for us anime fans. Boy meets girl, girl introduces boy to world of conflict and excitement, boy makes use of special powers he was gifted with to beat the bad guys. Repeat with new girls until harem grows too large.(Or in a certain magical index’s case, just make two more protagonists.) If you think I am being a bit harsh I will tell you this episode has a moment where the robot girl registers the boy as her new master by giving his finger a blowjob.(On that note why do robots have saliva? Is it some sort of lubrication oil to prevent her internal parts rusting?…I am thinking too much about this.) I do like the setting of a giant clockwork planet even if the reasoning behind it is rather ridiculous. A clockmaker came straight out of nowhere and made a planet out of moving gears that now no one knows how to work? That’s a little…impossible. Between this and the bastard teacher show I am not sure which you should go to for your run of the mill light novel show fix. Maybe bastard teacher wins out by having the higher production values.

Potential: 0%

Mario: The settings of the universe made up of clockwork and steampunk machines is an interesting set up and the show’s background designs set up that world nicely. Sadly, the characters we have here is very weak, start with a paper-thin personality protagonist to a yandere robot (who eventually take him as master) to that loli princess. The story likewise is nothing to write home about with again used many contrived and tired plot progress: An over the top fight right at beginning, a girl who happens to fall right at his house, a girl who already devoted to this guy… Even they amp up the fanservice to that cringe-worthy level. This is going to be a straightforward battle between our team and the Evil force who want to destroy the world so if you’re up for it than by all mean watch it; otherwise I don’t think this show is worth following.

Potential: 20%

 

Hinako Note

Short Synopsis: Cute girls are being all cute and shit.

I don’t get these shows. They aren’t funny and are just about a bunch of girls acting all silly. Maybe its that feeling of watching a pack of stupid puppies play with each other. I admit that I am not above such fluffy amusement. However in the case of these shows it’s like that kid who’s grow past the point where all his actions are endearing and have now become dreadfully annoying. Well what can I really say about it. Theres some girls with some odd quirks, they hang out and the shy girls so shy that she finds everything so hazukashii. Then there friendship and everyone has tea and makes silly jokes. Their is no plot, just random events. Unless you are looking for this kind of show I say give this one a pass. After all even if you miss this one I am sure we will be getting five more like it by the end of the year.

Potential: 0%

Mario: Ahh the cuteness burns my eyes. All the characters have quirks that redefining the principle of creepiness. Let’s see, the main girl who is so shy that she freezes up and becomes a human scarecrow (which I believe do not scare any crow but attract more cute chicks), a girl who eats books because she loves it so much, another girl who acts simultaneously as an older sister, and primary school students who always wear a maid outfit, a quiet landlady girl (!) who destined to be the protagonist’s lover; and this is story about those girls starting a theatre troupe and the titular note is never mentioned anywhere except for scene’s transition. Wow, just wow. To give this show some credits though, I really like how effortlessness the show shifts between normal cute character designs to chibi designs and the background designs are really, really good. All the settings feel warm and live-in and breathes so much life into it. I also weirdly like the OP song but overall, this is as niche as you could get. Anyone who love cute girls doing cute things will have an enjoyable time. Others will find it’s too much cuteness for its own good.

Potential: 20%

 

Twin Angel BREAK

Short Synopsis: Two girls become a magical girl duo to fight off evil.

This is a straight magical girl show. No dark twists, no subversion or parody. Just magical girl formula to a T. To some that might be a good thing but to me it’s just a magical girl show like any other magical girl show. It doesn’t innovate, nor does it add anything new, nor does it revitalise the genre. It’s just a fairly bland magical girl show. So should you watch this or go watch Sailor Moon or Cardcaptor Sakura instead? Put on Nanoha, that’s pretty fun. There are better alternatives to this.

Potential: 0%

Mario: Welp, here comes the Magical Girl show of this season. There’s nothing much to say about this one as it doesn’t do much to separate itself from other shows of its genre. The two girls have some chemistry together but we see them all before from other shows. The fight is rather dumb as of this moment there is no actual magical energy but more like a martial arts combat. The opponents don’t even prove as much of a threat so nothing really stand out. This show is a part of slice-of life and part of magical girl saving the world, but none of it is really interesting for us to follow. A harmless show that you won’t remember much after its end. Skip.

Potential: 10%

Some Quick First Impressions: Oushitsu Kyoushi Haine, Sakura Quest and Boruto: Naruto Next Generation

by AidanAK47, posted in Some Quick First Impressions

Oushitsu Kyoushi Haine

Short Synopsis: A tutor that looks like a child is asked to teach four spoiled princes.

This isn’t for my demographic so any opinion I have on this is pretty moot. I will say I don’t really like the whole shotacon princes vibe and this show has a particular brand of humor that has never worked for me. I often find this kind of comedy in Shoujo manga which may fuel my particular dislike for the genre. Then again shoujo isn’t the only kind of show that uses this style that often changes the art to a more deformed form in order to emphasize a joke. Even FullMetal Alchemist Brotherhood did that but then again I don’t think I liked that aspect of the show that much. Basically if you are into these kinds of shows you likely have already decided if you are going to watch this show or not.

Potential: 0%

Mario: This show is reverse-harem in disguise, except that instead of the main girl we have a male protagonist (in a boy’s form. Why?) and no romance being hinted (yet). But when you get into it, it does add a fresh spin to its well-worn genre. First off, the tutor holds his ground firmly here; he pushed the stories forward and he interacts with those kids quite well (my favorite bit: he runs even faster than the prince who sprint for his life). Second, the show manages to put some extra layer to the usual tropes those princes have; which are fun to watch. But admittedly, the show doesn’t appeal to me personally and while this show is an above-average product of its kind, I don’t see it manage to break out. Mild and unoffensive at best but it could offer you a good watch.

Potential: 20%

Sakura Quest

Short Synopsis: A college student takes up a job promoting tourism for a rural town.

I think that PA Work’s have mastered the art of these kinds of slice of life comedies. It has a degree of heart and a kind of comedy that just works to make it a enjoyable watch. Being just unrealistic enough to push aside my disinterest in slice of life. This is a PA works show of the same vein as Hanasaku Iroha and Shirobako. Some are even considering the three to be a spiritual trilogy of sorts. The first episode does a great job of setting up a dynamic cast of characters but the main leads design looks almost identical to that of Miyamori that I would think they were recycling her character. I am willing to forgive that though as her personal problem with finding a job hit me on a personal level. I too have felt the frustration of job hunting and sitting in front of a set of interviewers only to get thrown off by a question I couldn’t possibly be prepared for. At least they had the common courtesy to inform you that you didn’t get the job. I didn’t even get that much. The comedy works pretty well here as I burst out laughing when she backed out of the bus after encountering that bard fellow. I am not blown away by this but it’s fun and does what it does well.

Potential: 80%

Mario: We get to one of the first major original projects out of this season, and I’m glad that Sakura Quest pretty delivered what it sets out to be. The subject matter is an interesting one that you don’t find very often in this medium (although PA Works tends to include real locations in other series so this project comes as no surprise), that being the story of gaining tourist attention in rural town. There’s a certain charm in that village, a place seem to be untouched by time. Seeing many little activities in the town and the locals’ enthusiasm about the place they spend their lives in bring smiles in my face. The protagonist, thank god, isn’t a high school girl but she still needs more development to stand out. And I quite like the general light tone the show delivers so far and the visual is on par with its expressive characters designs and grounded drama; although the “princess” part don’t bode well for me. In overall, Sakura Quest sets itself up to be a warm, grounded and charming show and I can’t wait to see how they progress the story.

Potential: 60%

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

Short Synopsis: Naruto’s son Boruto gets ready to start ninja school.

Pierrot can’t just let their cash cow die. To be fair for a spinoff/sequel Boruto fairs a lot better than you might think. In fact it actually made me a little nostalgic for the old beginnings of Naruto. Where it wasn’t buried under mountains of filler or having everyone suddenly awaken sharingan(Wasn’t Bakugan supposed to be the far superior eye jutsu?) or when jutsu could be used as the ultimate get out of jail free card to do whatever the hell you wanted. I think part of the reason it works is that this show brings down the power levels to a much more reasonable tier so that fights aren’t a matter of who can pull out the most broken special move first. For Naruto fans this is bound to be fun but I think it could have trouble keeping the power levels in check with Naruto and Sasuke around to break the scale. Any Naruto fan should endeavour to explore the depths of Itachi’s wisdom. This is a character who communicates profound insights through his quotes, revealing layers of the narrative that might otherwise be missed. The guide available on Kidadl provides a comprehensive collection of his enlightening words. With some luck this could turn out to be a fun watch and not end up as Naruto’s Dragonball GT.

Potential: 30%

Mario: In a nutshell, Boruto is an unnecessary spin-off to an unnecessary extensive show and its main appeal is to give more of the same spirits from the original. But to say that the first episode of this spin-off does a decent job to flesh out its new main cast and its world after Naruto’s main storyline. Fans of action and fans of Naruto should get a good kick out of this. This premiere flows well and the story, plus the characters are simple enough to follow. Next we will have the ninja school so expect more hijink and slice-of-life madness rather than the main story plot. The animation quality is decent enough in this one, but I guess the quality will have a huge drop later on consider it’s Studio Pierrot’s projects. At this point, I figure following Boruto is strictly for Naruto-fan but still the show will offer some fun and entertaining adventures to Boruto and his friends.

Potential: 30%

Uchoten Kazoku 2 – 01 [The Nidaime’s Homecoming]

by SuperMario, posted in Currently Watching:, Uchoten Kazoku

So Eccentric Family is back. If you’re already enjoyed the first season of this gem, the pilot of this second season sure won’t disappoint you. If you haven’t checked it out though, just go watch it. Seriously. The first season really understands the dynamic of a family, and what it meant to be the person tanuki you are and be a part of a whole society. Plus, like I said in the preview, the show’s depiction of magical-realism whimsical world where tengu, tanuki and human live in harmony together in a lustful and vivid Kyoto setting is one of my favorite anime settings ever. That comes as no surprise because Morimi is one of my favorite writer. While Tatami Galaxy offers what I considered an unique, singular interpretation to Morimi’s world, The Eccentric Family is the case where I feel the visual completely in sync with the writing, the way it rarely stands out but always sinks you in with its world (if you ask me which kind of adaptation I prefer though, then it’s Tatami Galaxy, as I always believe creators SHOULD give their own take to the source material).

This new season unfortunately sets us back to a status quo, a bit of disregarding the happy conclusion of last season. That includes Bentei departs from Master Akadama (yet again) to cruise around the world (Singapore, SYDNEY, she got taste), Yaichirou (the first son) still aims for Nise-emon title, Yajirou (the second son) reverts back to his frog-self who lives inside the well (there’s no reason for him to stay there anymore, right? But still, a frog who plays shogi by himself in a well is pretty cool). This first episode re-introduces majority of the main cast from the first season; yep that including the tanuki twins who still annoying like an (double) alarm clock, or Master Akadama who is still too prideful to accept that he has been in bad shape for years. My two favorite characters from last season don’t make an appearance though. But I am sure Kaisei will be back very soon; and as for Bentei, while she doesn’t technically appear in this episode, her aura still presents strongly throughout the episode.

The new additions bring some nice, fresh air to the table, yet completely at home with the old cast. We get introduced to the big brother of Ebisugawa family, Kureichiro, who at least sensible and responsible unlike his twin brothers, but his introduction makes me really question where the hell was he in the first season at one of the most important events for tanuki. The girl Gyokuran seems very nice and it’s possible that Yaichirou and her having a bit of romantic feeling. But the man of the moment is, of course, Nidaime (which literally mean “Second Generation”), Master Akadama’s son. He seems to take a liking to Yasaburou, and their meetings makes up some excellent moments. Now the first shoes are dropped, Nidaime and his father had a big fight that lasted 3 days and 3 nights (again, cool!) that after he lose, both men were to prideful to even see each other or make amends. But to be fair, “big ego” is a trait of all the tengu, as they believe they are “the only being of any significance between Heaven and Earth” after all. I really like the roundabout ways both Master Akadama and his son behave, act like they don’t care for each other at all, yet both appear in the meeting as planned. Actually, we could draw an interesting parallel between Nidaime (who obviously is a tengu but denies himself to be) and Benten (who is a human but have all the tengu ability). I believe this aspect will become more apparent in later episodes. Although Nidaime said that his air gun is still missing somewhere, so… maybe the twins have it again, right?

But the sequence that almost grabbed my heartstring was the first flashback of the young mama and papa from Shimogamo Family playing together in a temple. Such a great way to kick off the second season. Those scenes are so sweet with the detailed backgrounds and some lovely character’s expressions. Those qualities, along with the sensitive writing and the emotions that often ring true are the reason why The Eccentric Family’s so enjoyable and re-watchable. It’s those re-watches that make me pick up some minor things that add up and appreciate more with the arts and camerawork. Indeed, the last time I re-watched the show, while I was right in the middle of Kyoto so I could pick up all the real locations and what the real Kyoto had to offer, was one of my best anime-viewing experience ever. This show already has a special place in my heart.

Some Quick First Impressions: Sekaisuru Kado, Tsuki ga Kirei and Renai Boukun

by AidanAK47, posted in Some Quick First Impressions

Sekaisuru Kado

Short Synopsis: A giant cube appears in the middle of tokyo

We have two first episodes with this series and they honestly look like they are in two different genres. The first, episode 0, detailed the protagonist negotiating about a metal plating factory. This is interesting and this episode mainly serves to introduce the main character and his skills. The second episode goes full sci-fi as a alien cube lands in Tokyo.The majority of the episode was just the authorities and scientists attempts to figure out how to deal with the thing. Personally I found both these episodes to be excellent and so far it’s executed perfectly. If I had to nitpick problems I would say that this series uses a mix of normal 2D animation and CGI animation. As far as CGI animation goes it’s better than usual but you will always notice the switch between 2D and 3D. The scientist girl has me worried as she’s a bit too kooky for my liking. Also that tank moved weird, it was like it didn’t have any weight. But seriously out of the season so far this is by far the best. If you are going to watch something this season, watch this.

Potential: 90%

Mario: Wow, these double episodes just keeps raising up its stakes. Original shows seem to be in strong hands this season (let’s see how the remaining two Re:Creators and ID-0 perform), and so far Sekaisuru Kado is the most impressive. The CG used in this series actually works to their benefits, as CGI the giant cube represents something otherworldly. So far, the unpredictability of the plot keeps the intrigue up and the execution is quite strong overall. Though I find the assistant girl’s playful personality don’t mesh well with the rest of the cast and every so often the cast keeps saying “Shindo-kun” that made me irritated. The use of episode 0 also works well here because we get to know our main character’s personality before the action kicks in and the show sells me on the talent of the man as the negotiator, which of course will come very handy in later events (but I do suspect that because of that plate he created in episode 0 that caused the commotion). The roundtable of all important figures trying to figure out how to break the cube reminds me strongly to the War Room in Dr.Strangelove movie, which is really nice. There’s a lot to recommend here in Sekaisuru Kado, so far it understands its characters (well, most of them), the thrills, the story, the deeper meaning and the hooks that keep viewer engaged. Definitely a must-watch.

Potential: 80%

 

Tsuki ga Kirei

Short Synopsis: A boy and girl begin to notice each other at school.

The greatest strength of this show is that it feels realistic. There isn’t any kind of tropey exaggeration or characters pulling tsukkomi and boke acts. There is a lot of show don’t tell and I really appreciate that. Everything is downplayed to a level that feels genuine and closer to real life. For a slice of life fix this season I think this is the strongest contender. However despite my praise for it in that regards it’s also likely the reason I won’t be watching this during this season. I watch anime for escapism so anything that matches the mundanity of life just doesn’t personally appeal to me. This may sound odd coming from someone who berates cliche but I don’t do it because it’s not realistic. Rather because I have see it too many times and become tired of it and feel it’s just lazy writing. I recommend not taking my personal tastes into regard when deciding to watch this series, in fact I recommend you check it out for yourself and see if it’s your thing. For I definitely do think this is one of the strongest anime’s airing this season. It just unfortunately isn’t my thing.

Potential: 70%

Mario: Out of all the new shows coming out this season, Tsuki ga Kirei is the show I’m most looking forward to. I always enjoy understated drama, small moments and the show’s premise promises plenty of those; I’m also quite keen on the progress of time and this show has that too; combining with the fact that this is an original show from feel. studio, and my anticipation is sky high. Fortunate for me, the actual episode delivers many elements of its premise. Tsuki ga Kirei emphasizes on character’s body language, where each gesture is observed with great details. The art designs, to add up with its theme, are low-key yet vivid, are simple but adds so much to its slice-of-life everyday school day life. Most people’s take from this first episode that it’s a story about romance of two shy teenagers but for me, it’s more about connection. Both the two mains are way too awkward for their own good but they really remind me of myself in their age. The pacing, especially for an original one, is slow but maintains its beat throughout. This will be a show with no high stake or even drama and I even doubt if there will be anything resembled of a roller-coaster ride. Everything will progress like still water, with time is the only thing that move forward. In it, characters live their lives, make some connection, and grow up together. That is perfectly fine by me and there’s a high chance that I’ll be blogging it this season.

Potential: 75%

 

Renai Boukun

Short Synopsis: A shinigami comes down to earth to force a boy to kiss a girl.

Over the top yet weirdly enjoyable. This isn’t a show pushing boundaries or making a best of the season list but for what it is this works well. It does somewhat mirror the old style of harems like Urusei Yatsura or Tenchi Muyo and in that regard it at least puts it above your usual harem show. It has some occasional funny gags and the story is interesting enough to keep your attention. Though I think things will lose steam once the full roster of haremettes is revealed. Overall if you want something cheap and mindless to tide you over between other shows this isn’t a bad choice.

Potential: 40%

Mario: This is how you tone up the ridiculousness, ladies and gentlemen. This show is silly but it keeps finding ways to escalate that craziness. I admit that the reveal at the end worked for me (yuri + incest = invincible) and the show’s twist around the notion of “love” is hilarious. The fast-paced gags result in many good slapsticks, but when the gag repeats itself (like how they uninjured after stabbing) it becomes pointless. Then all the characters talk and move in the most over the top and ridiculous fashion that if it’s not your things (not mine), you might find it off-putting. The harem will get to a full house eventually, but right at this moments all the cast isn’t that flesh-out or distinctive enough to carry the show. This is a mindless show and occasionally it produces some solid gags, but other than that it is an easy skip.

Potential: 20%

Re:Creators – 01 [I will remember everything that happened to me.]

by HelghastKillzone, posted in Currently Watching:, Re:Creators

From the various PVs, I expected that Re:Creators would be a Fate/Stay Night + Fate/Zero rip-off done in in the style of A-1 Pictures and upon viewing the first episode, I was pleasantly surprised by the direction of which this new series seems to be going. With big names like Eoi Aoki (Fate/Zero), Rei Hiroe (Black Lagoon) and the fairly competent animation studio of TROYCA behind this production, there is a very good chance that this will be one of the top highlights of the Spring 2017 anime season alongside with smash hits like Attack on Titan and Boku no Hero Academia.

Unlike the underdog story against genocidal Martians of Aldnoah.Zero or the episodic murder-mystery of Sakurako’s Investigation, Re:Creators is light-hearted affair that inverts the tired trope of average person gets transported into strange world. By bringing fictional characters from sources like light novels, manga and anime into modern-day Tokyo, it creates a genre-mashing battle royale scenario that is not unsimilar to the Fate/Stay Night franchise. While Fate is steeped in conflicting ideologies and historical characters, Re:Creators is very much about the relationship between creators and their fictional creations as I’m sure they will go into depth and connect the dots about the ominous opening scene with the girl throwing herself into the oncoming train.

I’m really digging all the crazy combinations that could have come out someone’s sketchbook like Gunpuku no Himegimi rocking an oversized military uniform, spinning swords and a submachine gun while the caster type Meteora displays Gilgamesh’s Gates of Babylon-like power that comes packed with FIM-92 Stinger missiles. Out of the two heroes introduced so far seem, they both have adjusted fairly well to the strangeness that is the modern world and the humor that accompanies their exploits actually works like mistakenly activating the windshield wipers or going to the convenience store for snacks. I’m excited to being introduced to all the other fictional characters like Madoka-like magical girl, mecha pilot and detective and having them all duke it out in their quest to find their creators.

This is will be Studio TROYCA’s third anime production after animating Aldnaoh.Zero and Sakurako-san and for the most part, it looks pretty good with its fight scenes being exciting, fast and fluid. However, it does retain that generic A-1 Pictures character designs with Souta looking like an otaku version of Inaho (Aldnoah.Zero) and incorporating some cancerous 3D CGI that seems to plaguing the industry. Behind the visuals is the booming soundtrack that composed by the legendary Hiroyuki Sawano (of Kill la Kill, Attack on Titan and Mobile Suit Gundam: Unicorn fame) which sounds like a more upbeat version of Aldnoah.Zero’s soundtrack with its multiple insert songs and distinct orchestral/electronica/rock combo. I haven’t heard anything that would rival the likes of ətˈæk 0N tάɪtn (Attack on Titan), before my body is dry (Kill la Kill), or βios (Guilty Crown) but it’s still gets the viewers amped up and it will be worth a listen once the OST is released.

Re:Creators seems to be a celebration of the anime industry in all its various forms and pay homage to the those are into creative entertainment, whether as a business or hobby. With the announcement that this will be an twenty-two episodes series, there is plenty of time to flesh out the plot and all its reincarnated fictional characters. It does comes with the caveat that it could all be downhill from here when it comes to the story. Afterall, Aldnoah.Zero was given twenty-four episodes to tell its story and it still wasn’t enough time to cover all its bases nor have a satisfying conclusion. The opening episode is a good indication that the staff behind it is up to the task and ready to take us all on a wild ride.

Some notable Animated Music Videos of 2016- part 3

by SuperMario, posted in World Animation

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With this last part, we will head for more energetic offerings from last year. Be sure to get in the lively mood and the trippiness of those videos. Fasten your seatbelt and enjoy the ride. A bit of caution here as these videos are mild NSFW.

Caravan Palace “Lone Digger” by Double Ninja

“The choice of the title started as a joke while exchanging emails with our manager and we liked the modern touch immediately. Our good old robot as an emoji <I°_°I> ! We communicate a lot via email and text messages, so it actually took us a while to realise it could be a problem pronouncing it. But it’s fun to puzzle people a bit, even your direct partners: label, PRs, distributors… Somehow it started to be called “Robot” or “Robot face” on the net but that was never our choice.” (The band commenting on the title of their new album <I°_°I>, since I couldn’t find any interviews regarding the video. For whatever reason a video this popular and the band this socially active didn’t have any single mention is beyond me).

Okay, I’m a bit cheating here as this video was released in late 2015, but I know it when I saw it, this video has to be up here on this list. I’m not beating around the bush, Lone Digger video is one of the most impressive production. Everything here is top-notch, the music is great- the French band Caravan Palace is one of the most prominent electro-swing band today; just listen!), the video kicks ass- they created the mood of the club that go so well together with the song, and they managed to turn up a notch into a bloodbath of the lawless. But the video speaks some of the truth as well. Aren’t we, human, when get drunk and high, becoming some sort of wild animals? This video brings an absolute amazing energy that surely will make your blood pumping and your heart racing.

 

Savern “Hendrix” by Airplan Studio

Regrettably, I can’t find any interviews regarding the making of this video. Might have it in Hungarian, where the band and the animation company are based, but again that out of my reach.

Wildly imaginative, cinematic, and just plain entertaining to watch, this video gives a lovely tribute to classic rock music, classic western movies and the post apocalyptic world that suddenly become popular in recent years (no small thanks to Mad Max Fury Road). Let’s face it, this world building is so cool that you could make a movie revolve around this settings (Actually they did raising funds for another project based on this settings, which sadly failed). The story is a trip to madness where the world is suddenly invaded by the alien that could make people hallucinating. There’s the green liquid that can keep people in check but with all the supply is now gone, our “Man with No Name” version becomes more and more out of touch with the reality and get himself more into the world of Jimi Hendrix. The CG animation mostly keep up with the theme but the art settings of the post apocalyptic world are the real winner here. Moreover, this video never forgets to be fun and as a whole, this is a must watch for any fan of classic rock music and movie lovers.

Continue reading “Some notable Animated Music Videos of 2016- part 3” →

Scum’s Wish (Winter 2017) Review – 80/100

by SuperMario, posted in Anime Reviews, Reviews by SuperMario, Scum's Wish

I remember after watched a movie called “Requiem for a Dream” a few years back, I felt devastated for an entire week. The ending hit me so hard that after finished that movie I had to walk around my area for 2 hours in the middle of night to settle my feeling and I thought to myself, “What’s the point of being too hard to the characters, those who have feeling and dreams just like any of us?” Then it hit me immediately. The movie is an unflinching look at the bad side of drugs and how it corrupts people. People like you and me. I finished Scum’s Wish feeling the exact same way. Scum’s Wish is an anti-romance series, a show that excels on portraying ugly aspects of romance relationship and the line of that love versus physical love. I don’t blame you if you feel emotionally-drained watching this series. It was supposed to be that way and for all the dark sides the show evokes, Scum’s Wish always give more thoughtful and honest treatments than most of other anime out there. The way the show handles the bright side of love though, couldn’t pull so much punch as it aimed for.

I do believe the title “Scum’s Wish” really give you an idea of what this show is about. The “Wish” part of the show is its exploration of unrequited love. This unrequited love trope appears everywhere in the show to the point it could be considered as a deconstruction. All these feelings so pure and strong it begins to be eaten over by desired; hatred and obsessions. In Scum’s Wish, everyone falls hopelessly in love with another person who don’t return their love, become blinded and damaged by that obsessive love and in the end, they had to leave that love to move on with their lives. “If it’s a special kind of pain, they’ll be able to become stronger”. Scum’s Wish argues that it’s a painful process to let go with the love of your life, but it’s a necessary step in order to grow up and become a fully-formed person.

But it’s the “Scum” part that gives makes this show provocative and controversial, for all the right reasons. Unable to let go of those one-sided loves, the characters of the show start to use physical means to get what they want. The show keeps progressing its confidence take on the line between physical desires and emotional desires, on how the characters keep using the former as the substitute for the latter, but end up being lonelier and more suffering. Also in Scum’s Wish, all characters really self-aware on the muddy situations they get themselves in, but charge forward anyways. They know what they do will fill them with regret and disgust, but they continue to do it for their own selfish gains, be it to escape from the frustration that they can’t be with the one they love, trying to get every little moment they could out of the loved one, or just use physical attraction as an approval of their power – hence Scum. Those moments where the characters struggling with themselves, most notably Hanabi’s young version loathes current Hanabi are one of the darkest, yet effective sequences of the show.

For a show that has little action and with a mundane high school settings, the visual presentation and the direction of the show are surprisingly very solid. I agree with most of its visual choices, ranging from the using of panel like in manga that represent both multiple perspectives and establish the space between our characters; the stylized key frames that make us feel like time has stopped in those moments; the text screens that represent more as a visualize of characters’ thoughts; the constant use of visual motifs like fallen rose pedals, characters facing the bright, more innocent selves that detailing the increasingly corruptions of the cast. The music; in particular, stands out in Scum’s Wish, as each segment has a different distinctive musical score that really help elevating the mood of each sequence.

The characters in the show are unfortunately a mixed-bag for me. We have really strong leads of Hanabi and Mugi who constantly have to deal with their personal issues, and the show successfully keeps peeling their skins for more nake, more vulnerable of themselves. With a show that aims more on pushing provocative themes than actual characters’ study, there are some characters of the cast are decidedly presented as one-dimensional from the start. Both Akane-sensei and Moca fall comfortably in their usual character’s stock, one is a bitchy bitch who love attention from men and jealousy from girls, the other is an elegant princess who dream for the prince to come. The show presents them as cliché in order to deconstruct how flawed their ways of thinking are. When they shrug off that extreme side of theirs, however, they become stronger and happier in the process. Moreover, I find Ecchan love towards Hanabi one of the most complex and appealing romance in this show. While the female cast if this show is consistently great (even with limited time on screen, Mugi’s senpai still come off as a painful and conflicted character. Strong character’s writing here), the male cast unfortunately doesn’t develop fully enough. Four-eyed sensei drags the show down and he feels more like a walking stick than a normal person; that guy Takuya is portrayed in mostly insensitive light that I feel he was more a trash bin with all the bad traits male inhibits; and Atsuya’s role in the show feel awkward and a bit forced towards pulling Ecchan out of her mess.

While the way this show handles its dark, twisted web of broken romances is effective and thought-provoking, the last third of the show it loses some of its impact as the show tries to resolve all of its relationships. With things are messy and complicated as they are, the ending feels a bit too clean and sometimes overreached. I can’t buy that love between Akane and Narumi for example, I feel like Hanabi and Ecchan can’t go back as friend, bot with that short time span and I feel the ending of Hanabi and Mugi, while appropriate, is underwhelmed. The best strength of Scum’s Wish is its ability to grab you and never let you go, but its impact is lessened greatly towards the end.

As a whole, Scum’s Wish is still a solid drama. Not so often in this medium we see a more realistic and dark aspect of love and romance like this one. The fact that I keep comparing this show to other movies really speak to this quality of Scum’s Wish: the show is structured and presented more like live-action TV show than an anime one (in fact, the live-action drama is currently streaming as we speak). For all of its devastating and depressing details, at its peak Scum’s Wish manages to pull many raw and naked emotional punch that many other shows don’t dare to address. Scum’s Wish is ultimately a painful and uncomfortable experience, but that what growing up is all about.

Some Quick First Impressions: Rokudenashi Majutsu Koushi to Kinki Kyouten, Busou Shoujo Machiavellianism and SAGRADA RESET

by AidanAK47, posted in Some Quick First Impressions

Rokudenashi Majutsu Koushi to Kinki Kyouten

Short Synopsis: A clearly mentally unstable girl challenges a boy to a fight after he sees…her…naked….well, if at first you don’t succeed, try ad nauseam.

“I wanted to be a mage of justice” Don’t you mean hero of justice? Might as well rip it off wholesale. You got to wonder who designed these school uniforms. For the people around them appear to be wearing normal attire when the girls that go to this school are wearing something that suggests they are ready to strip rather than learn magic. My initial assessment of this series still stands as it pretty much is a bargain bin light novel story. But it does annoy me how the story makes pretences of subverting cliche only to adhere to it. For example our protagonist walks in on the girls changing and then proceeds to point out how cliche it is. Thing is that he ends up getting beat up anyway so you didn’t subvert the cliche. You just openly admitted to using one. I felt like light novel writers tend to confuse subversion with calling out tropes. Made all the stranger here as I don’t believe manga and anime exist within this world so how would this guy know about the cliche in the first place? The ending seems like it subverts cliche but trust when i say that’s going to get negated later on. What really bugs me about this one is the slapstick comedy for it’s unfunny and just obnoxious. Otherwise not much to say about this one. It’s pretty much your standard light novel story. Would say it differentiates itself by having the main be a teacher but well that’s happened before with Kuusen Madoushi Kouhosei no Kyoukan. If you happen to like these kinds of stories like Chivalry of a failed knight or others like it. If you don’t like those kinds of shows then this won’t change your mind.

Potential: 20%

Mario: Oh my sweet lord this show is unbearable. Other lesser shows usually go for familiar cliché plot, but this bastard manages to up that ante by being extremely annoying as hell. I know they point out all the cliche to bring out the laugh, but am I the only one who wasn’t smiling here? That’s what I dislike the most about shows that aware too much about its tropes; because it sounds incredibly lousy. There’s a line to separate characters from quirky to irritating, and that teacher crossed that line completely. Remember few seasons back we had same types of LN adapted high school magic shows where the boy sees the girl undressed and had to duel with her in the end? By some leaps of logic, this one ends up in the exact same situations, but leaves a bad taste in my mouth. When characters interacting with others by shouting at each other at full volume, you know you can’t take them seriously. The settings, the dialogues, the witch’s motivation, the characters are all poorly constructed that can’t even qualified as homage or satire. I actually feel this one is worse than the first episode of Hand Shakers (in Hand Shakers I can still see the real efforts being putted in there, this one is just lazy), which can inform you about the quality of this show. Terrible.

Potential: 0%

 

Busou Shoujo Machiavellianism

Short Synopsis: A boy fights against a tyrannical female school council that demand boys crossdress.

I thought as much. As I said in the preview, this show would require the right tone for it to work and this didn’t really deliver on it. I believe the main reason is that the animation is just cheap. The character designs and overall animation is just minimal. I don’t really think this show is bad as it is watchable. But the story doesn’t bring anything you haven’t seen before. It even has the old shounen syndrome of people over explaining special attacks. I do at least appreciate that instead of the usual harem lead pushover, we got a confident guy with some attitude. These shows become a whole lot more bearable when the lead has some actual personality. This show embraces it’s ridiculous setting to the full and is basically going to be our main fighting off the girls while winning their hearts. It’s fun but forgettable.Might make for a nice show to tide you over between weekly releases.

Potential: 30%

Mario: Am I the only one who feel uneasy about the boys being bullied to the point they have to wear makeup and act like girls? I know the show doesn’t take that seriously but that exactly how bully works. This show offers a lengthy but exciting combat, where I can get behind all those techniques but everything else just falls flat. It has all the cliché, well-worn plot convenience with its incredibly ridiculous and straight-forward premise. The other girls are generic (but I love their swords’ choice) and for the love of God bear even makes an entrance here. This show is a dumb fun show so It’s hard to fault a series when they embrace themselves completely to its ridiculousness; and I do have a bit of entertainment watching those fights and how they execute its stupid, bizarre ideas. But at the end of the day, this show is one of the glaring examples of poorly-written shows with lazy execution and lack of identity that sadly plagued the current trend of anime industry.

Potential: 20%

 

SAGRADA RESET

Short Synopsis: A boy who can remember everything and a girl who can reset time work together to solve people’s problems.

Now here’s a great idea killed by execution. The overall plot seems interesting enough but there is something inherently wrong with the dialogue of this show. First, no one emotes. At all. Everyone talks in a deadpan monotone with stone faced disposition without exception.Second, conversation is really disjointed. Characters can jump to weird topics without really any warning and nobody talks like an actual person. For example we have a girl who is getting these two to team up for what looks like to be ulterior motives. She says they should all hang out together and when asked for a reason she says they should pretend one of them is a android and they need to figure it out which one of them is the android by the end of the summer. Considering how I don’t think any of them blinked throughout the entire episode I would say they are all androids. It’s just really jarring how this conversation moves to that and it’s present throughout the episode. Lastly, the dialogue doesn’t make it clear what exactly is going on. When the girl is explaining her ability of saving and resetting, it’s just really unclear as to how it works and honestly I have the question that if she never remembers resetting then how does she know these rules in the first place? And suddenly they are bringing back her memories from when she was five years old for some reason that was never specified. I feel there is something interesting here but the way it’s presented just kills any intrigue and renders it remarkably dull. I think maybe if the characters get more developed and the story kicks into gear it might become something. But as it is now it’s just not a interesting show to watch.

Potential: 50%

Mario: One of the main problem of Sagrada Reset is it’s trying too hard. They want to squeeze the most out of its premise about special abilities and rewriting the past, and out of the main characters’ own philosophies, so they end up making characters having big talks that bother on too much exposition and pretentious. They want to squeeze in too many ideas that the end results are inconsistent and emotional distant. Then I don’t feel the song right at the beginning fits the show, and characters motivations are all over the table (remember that android talk?). But I can’t deny this show is one of the most ambiguous show so far this season, and many of its themes have real meats. I agree that the notion of using the girl’s ability to reset in combination with the guy who can remember the past feel like an exploitation towards the girl. The main theme of fixing the past is touched in this episode, but surprisingly leave no emotions involved. Sagrada Reset is a hard case to crack. On one hand, it explains too much of its concepts to the point of incomprehension, and leave out any emotional attachment it should’ve transferred across in the process, but on the other hand, it never fails to be intriguing. This show has potential to become great, but can they manage to reach that potential? Let wait and see.

Potential: 60%

Little Witch Academia – 13[Samhain Magic]

by AidanAK47, posted in Currently Watching:, Little Witch Academia

While the episodic structure still lingers I can say that this is an episode I can get behind. There was at least progression in that Akko revived another word and a hidden villain at episodes end. But what makes it work is that unlike the more lackluster episodes previously, the story didn’t return to zero once the episode ended. In the zombie episode or bee episode, by the time the episode ended the characters were right back in the same position that they started. But then episode ended with good developments. For one we have Diana who has been rather harsh on Akko as of late. It’s quite understandable when you take into account that Diana was at first intrigued about her but over the series became frustrated at how Akko refuses to improve or take things seriously. In a way Diana’s feelings mirrored that of audience as she had lost any real faith in Akko. When this episode ends with her actually feeling conflicted and dissatisfied. Diana followed the rules and performed a impressive feat of magic but both the audience and her know full well who stole the show. Much like episode 2, Diana gets the kudos and becomes the moonlight witch due to Akko being disqualified for not following the rules. When comparing their fats, Diana summoned a unicorn and Akko broke an ancient curse to save the soul of a princess. Akko’s approach was clumsy and awkward but she nonetheless accomplished what Diana couldn’t or even dared to think of. I think on some level Diana does see Akko as a rival and may even dream of performing magic like Shiny Chariot. But Akko seems far closer to Chariot than Diana could ever be.

It’s nice to see that Sucy and Lotte were at first reluctant to go with Akko’s plan and Lotte even mentions that they can’t keep following along with her. Akko has often dragged the two along with her regardless of what they think so it was nice that they refused initially but decided to help in the background once they seen how hard Akko was practicing. It is a wonder as to why the school never tried to break Vajarois curse before but seeing as they are such a stickler for tradition perhaps they never even thought of it. But why is it that this was tradition in the first place? Well if the end of the episode is to go by, perhaps there was a good reason as to why this princess was kept cursed. Maybe to prevent something from escaping. Akko’s little show clearly took inspiration from Chariot as she attempted transformation spells in a similar manner. Of course due to her lack of skill these transformations became comedic rather than impressive. The audience enjoyed it regardless after the entire festival was a bore for everyone due to sticking with tradition.  While looking at them, I do wonder if those which judges might be playing a part in future events. One of them looks far too well designed to just be a one off character.

We have hit the halfway point of Little witch Academia so perhaps Netflix will finally put the series up on their service. Even better if they dub it. My overall impressions of the show is that it is overall great despite having a weak episode or two. This show is still indeed fun and when it gets it right it usually knocks it right out of the park. It’s possible now is the time when the series shrugs off the episodic structure and moves for an ongoing narrative but if they can keep a string of progression like in this episode I would be fine with the episodic structure remaining. Even the anime greats have a weak episode or two but for this show to be considered great the second half has really got to bring out all the stops. Amanda and her crew haven’t been present all that much so I think they are getting their due and it’s clear an antagonist is coming by the premonition Akko received and the mysterious figure at the end of the episode.

Some Quick First Impressions: Tsugumomo, Warau Salesman NEW and Frame Arms Girl

by AidanAK47, posted in Some Quick First Impressions

Tsugumomo

Short Synopsis: A boys keepsake from his mother turns into a girl and fights monsters

Hey you! Do you like Shounen? Do you like tits? Do you like tits and Shounen? Then do we have the show for you! The start of this show pretty much ticks all the usual tropes of a harem battle anime. Is it terrible? Not really, just rather uninspired. The story does improve as it continues and the manga even has moments of pretty impressive art. However it ups the ante in both action and fanservice. If you thought the fanservice was too much this episode then boy, you haven’t seen anything yet. The fanservice is so much that the author of the manga made a small strip with the characters pretty much flabbergasted that it’s getting an anime in the first place. Still for what it is, this does the job. Fight animation wasn’t half bad either. If you are a fan of the likes of High School DxD I think you might like this. Provided you can get past overdone tropes.

Potential: 20%

Mario: I can sense that Tsugumomo can become a popular show this season, as it ticks many boxes of tropes that can attract anime viewers: the mindless action popcorn part, the romance ecchi undertones and HEAPS OF FANSERVICE. All for the wrong reasons of course. Let’s see, just right in this first episode we have groping, taking bath together, sleeping together and obviously, our main character is a helpless boy driven mostly by hormone. The premise is overdone at this point, being the boy encounter the spirits/gods/monsters from some random stuffs. The characters are on the weak side here as no one have any distinct personality whatsoever. This show is conventional, all the beat feel so familiar here but I don’t deny that it was an easy watch. But seriously, the fanservice turns me off and this show sure doesn’t shy away at all from horniness. So here’s how you should approach this show: if you feel entertained by this episode, by all means keep watching it, if you feel the fanservice is too much or the show lacks deep then this show isn’t for you as it will get dull fast.

Potential: 20%

 

Warau Salesman NEW

Short Synopsis: A salesman will help you with any problem you have, for a price.

I do have a fondness for parables which is why I hold Kino’s Journey in such high regard. Warau Salesman aims for a similar kind of parable but in a much simpler sense. We have two stories where in the saleman tempts people with something and then punishes them when they break a certain rule. My big problem with this series is that in a morality tale it’s often about punishing a person for something that’s entirely their own fault. But the Warau Salesman purposefully sets people up for failure right from the start. He creates the problem and then punishes people for it. He leads two workers to a bar which will allow them to drink during the day and then punishes them for drinking during the day. He gives a shopaholic a card that will allow her to buy whatever she wants and then punishes her for buying something she cannot return. These people are don’t really seem like bad people so it’s a series about a crappy person screwing over decent people for the sake of a fairly flawed moral. After all, in normal circumstances those workers wouldn’t have drunk during the day and that shopaholic would have been stopped by the fact that she can’t afford to shop. I will give this show credit for having a groovy opening but otherwise it’s a parable show with some pretty poor parables. Unless you consider not drinking during work hours and not shopping when you don’t have money to be good life lessons instead of common sense.

Potential: 10%

Mario: “Be careful what you wish for” – This basically is the main theme of this Laughing Salesman show. Here in the first episode we have 2 variations of that moral play: each of them build up the desire of its main targets and then when that desire got out of control, the price they have to pay is far greater. Human being is a flawed creature and Laughing Salesman serves as a catalyst to bring the dark desire of each person. I understand its underlying themes but show with this premise in an episodic format will get pale very fast; indeed by the second story my interest for continue watching this show just gone. It’s just different set-ups for the same damn thing. It doesn’t help that the visual execution isn’t great with simplistic designs and limited animation (but hey, the OP actually looks pretty cool) and the stories progress as obvious and predictable as it could get. Shows should have a strong central message, but when “message” is the only thing they have, and worse, they repeat that same message every single time then I figure we could just watch the first 10 minutes to get an idea of what they’re offering. The rest won’t be needed. Here something interesting that you could try Warau Salesman, make an actual 3-act out this salesman, then I will be interested to follow it.

Potential: 10%

 

Frame Arms Girl

Short Synopsis: A girl is gifted with a sentient little doll.

Ah, Horrible CGI. We meet again. Well we spend half an episode with the girl putting together parts for her little robot girl so I now know how to put together a frame arms girl figurine. Surely information necessary for the future where I will never buy one of these figurines. Look, I know that anime is often glorified advertisement for merchandise as that’s generally where they make their money back but I it’s fairly insulting when they are just so blatant about it. Also think the fanservice is in poor taste. For one to charge these figurines you need to insert a cable at her butt and naturally when you do so they let out a visible “Ah!” for purely scientific reasons I am certain. What we basically got here is cute girls being all cute and stuff mixed with action scenes which have no stakes or point. It’s pretty dull and boring.

Potential: 0%

Mario: The very first three shots of the OP give you an exact idea what this show aims for: a panty shot, an armour suit, and a CG-design toy girl. A side bonus from the actual episode: you have lively instructions on how to set up the plastic model!!!! and the mechanics of how they battle. This product obviously was made with only one thing in mind: to promote the toys. The show has no plot whatsoever so there’s no point to criticize it. The animation of CGI robot fighting is subpar, the battle isn’t remotely interesting and the characters speak like… well, toys. No, even if I am the intended audience, I wouldn’t buy the products after watching this show. What’s the point of buying another Gourai if you know for sure she isn’t going to activated? I would have preferred much better in all honesty if the show goes for chibi style as shown in the ED rather than this bland CG models. Alright, to be fair I do learn one thing out of this, that panty is a part of BODYSUIT. Get it?

Potential: 0%