SSSS.Dynazenon – 8-9 [What Are These Wavering/Overlapping Emotions?]

by SuperWooper, posted in Finished Series: Action, SSSS.Dynazenon

You really had me going this week, Amemiya. Chise’s Kubrickian vision at the start of episode 9 left me anticipating another extended dream sequence, like the one we got at the same point in Gridman’s run, but it never came. The previous episode even ended by tinting the frame a dreamy sunset color during Yomogi’s conversation with Yume (whose name literally means “dream”). Dynazenon’s structure is a bit different than its predecessor’s, so it makes sense that my dream went unrealized this time around – it could happen in a few years’ time, though, since there have been rumblings of a future third series in the Gridman universe (unless that was just a dream I had).

Now that everybody’s feeling nice and rested, hit the jump for some thoughts on the last two Dynazenons.

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Megalo Box: Nomad – 9 [Una sola mano no basta para vivir, pero aun así la forma de vivir prevalece]

by Lenlo, posted in Megalo Box

Welcome back to another episode of Megalo Box: Nomad! This week see’s the family come back together, Yukiko confront her business partner and Mac lay down a challenge. Exciting stuff! So without further ado, lets dive in.

Like the last few episodes Nomad continues to be split between the good, family oriented themes and… Rosco. For every scene of Mac with his family, of Mac realizing what’s happening and coming to terms with his memory loss, we get corporate espionage and military contracts. Every time Yuri or Joe get a heart to heart with their chosen friends it’s followed up with some bit between Sakuma and Yukiko, I just can’t stand it. Everything surrounding Mac is great! The way Joe once again inspired someone to get into the ring. Even Sachio was pushed towards boxing because of Joe, though in a different manner. How their struggles connect back to Joe and the overarching themes of the series. This stuff is all great and I love it when it’s on screen! But I don’t care about the corporate crap and I don’t know anyone who does.

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86: Eighty Six – 8 [Let’s Go]

by Lenlo, posted in 86 - Eighty Six

I’m late I’m late for a very important date, that’s right the Eighty Six post is here! Only… 2 days late but the show must go on. So without further ado lets dive into another episode of Eighty Six!

To start I want to pose to you a question: What the hell was that opening? Did I skip an episode? How much happened off screen between 7 and 8? I understand wanting to start in-media-res but this was to much. The opening felt out of place and I barely understood what they were talking about. It took me rewatching the scene a few time to understand that it was basically a quick time-skip of deaths off-screen, widdling us down to 5. While this was interesting in its brevity I can’t help but feel confused and annoyed as a viewer. It’s not like I don’t understand why they did it either! Without this we would be repeating similar storylines, similar deaths, for the rest of the cour. But Eighty Six took its discontinuous narrative approach that I mentioned last week to far this time.

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Spring 2021 Summary – Week 9

by SuperWooper, posted in Weekly Summary

Fruits Basket S3 – 8

Amun: This final season is intense. For all the almosts the previous season(s) of Fruits Basket had, it’s all coming together here. We have (attempted?) murder, sex, confessions, backstories…tired of the emotional tease and need some feels payoffs? Here ya go! I’m mixed on the reveal of the Kyo-Honda-mama connection – on the one hand, it’s like a modified childhood friend route – a bit overdone. On the other, the reactions and character’s actions are spot on – this is a show about trauma after all. It’s clear the feels train is barrelling into the station – taking a broader view of how we got here, there have been some overall surprises. Early on in the show, I didn’t really expect Kyo to be the main character, honestly I thought it would be a more Yuki-centered story. The big genderbender was a shock too – and really complicated matters intensely. I thought Shigure would be a sleazeball with a heart of gold – but actually he’s just a sleazeball. If I’m rooting for anyone to get shanked, it’s him. I guess I would have liked to see Akito wield their power over the Zodiac a bit more – they come off as really childish and we didn’t see the sway over the other animal spirits quite enough. That’s pretty much my only gripe though, since this has been a banger of a season. Get your ships in order, hold on to your childhood hats, as we try to land this hot mess and get everyone out alive!

Godzilla SP – 4-5

Wooper: I’m hardly acquainted with any of the characters in Godzilla SP, but I’m hanging in there. The show has ways of making its ultra-nerdy dialogue palatable, whether it be putting scary monsters on screen, cutting to interviews with laymen about the proliferation of kaiju, or enlisting Pero 2’s help to explain difficult concepts to Mei. The two of them were involved in my favorite scene from either of these episodes: a one minute and forty second flurry of text messages between Mei and Yun, with Pero showing up in various LINE stickers on Mei’s end. Showing a text conversation on screen is a fantastic way to lose your audience’s attention (doubly so if it’s about molecular arrangements), but the intrigue of two scientists collaborating without knowing a thing about each other kept me interested. On the other hand, I care about very few people on the periphery of the story, especially the researchers who escaped the massive Radon tank in episode 5’s big set piece. Even if that’s the tank from which Godzilla will eventually emerge, there are at least two degrees of separation between all of those characters and our heroes, maybe more. Every second spent watching them, or anyone not directly involved with Yun or Mei, feels like lost time.

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Spice and Wolf S2 – 5 [Wolf, Hope and Despair] – Throwback Thursday

by Lenlo, posted in Spice and Wolf, Throwback Thursday

Welcome to the penultimate episode of this first arc of Spice and Wolf Season 2! Or at least I think it’s the penultimate episode. I actually expected it to resolve this week but Spice and Wolf surprised me with another Lawrence focused episode. Was it any good? Well let’s dive in and find out!

This week I want to start with a character close to my heart and who has quickly become a favorite: Mark. I love Mark, I love everything about him. The way he acts as a connection to Lawrence’s life before Holo. Contrasting Lawrence with his old self and showing us how far Lawrence has come. How he pushes and supports Lawrence towards the answers he wants without trying to force him into anything. And especially how he draws boundaries while still maintaining the friendship. Mark is neither a doormat for Lawrence to walk over nor a “power of friendship” plot device. Instead he is what Lawrence is turning into. More than just a merchant, he is a family man. A member of the community and a romantic at heart. And I love everything that he has brought to this arc and what he has contributed to Lawrence as a character.

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Fumetsu no Anata e – 6-7 [Our Goals/The Boy Who Wants to Change]

by SuperWooper, posted in Fumetsu no Anata e, Series which were Dropped

I’ve got my relationship with Fumetsu no Anata e ironed out at this point. All the time it spends detailing new locations and characters? I sleep. The showstoppers it delivers once all the pieces are in place? Real shit. Right now we’re in the first of those two modes, but since our newest character Gugu is already grappling with existential issues, the other shoe can’t be far off.

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Megalo Box Nomad – 8 [Al principio del fin, la trayectoria del arcoíris dibuja un soportal]

by Lenlo, posted in Megalo Box

That’s right, I’m late on this weeks Nomad. But you know what? I’m still weeks ahead of some other writers on this site so I think I get some leeway. Burning my fellow authors aside, how about we get started?

The best place to begin is with my feelings on Nomad as a whole right now, because they are conflicted. You see I’m concerned with where Nomad is going. On the surface everything is… fine? The fights are fun and I do like Mac. But it feels like Nomad has lost sight of the themes and messaging of the first half. That it in it’s efforts to raise the stakes it has gotten lost in this larger than life story. Do we really need to be involved with Megalonia again? Does Nomad need another rich tech giant sticking their nose into the story? What do these things contribute to Joe’s journey to become a better person and to reestablish his connections with those he loves? I can see a possible future where all of these fit together. But I can’t help but be disappointed after the stellar first half.

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Spring 2021 Summary – Weeks 7-8

by SuperWooper, posted in Weekly Summary

Bakuten – 5-7

Lenlo: Alright I have a lot to cover and only a paragraph to do it in so lets make this fast! Right off the bat I really liked the horror-style directing of episode 5. It took what was essentially a bottle episode, relationship filler, and did something interesting with its presentation. Of course we will only see if this episode was worth it or not later down the line when these relationships get put to the test. Charging forward we come to episode 6! More than anything else this episode was a show of what Bakuten’s CGI can do and it wasn’t bad. It looked the worst during the performance oddly enough, with the harsh lighting really making them stand out. But the interesting and dynamic camera angles along with the full body movements kept it visually engaging enough that I think I’m going to call that a passing grade for now. Overall though the CGI is definitely wavering. Finally episode 7, backstory! This was nice, it was satisfying to see all the dominoes come together and finally get a complete picture. I can’t say I care for the teacher that much but he’s at least a character now, so points for that. All in all I think these 3 episodes weren’t half bad! Bakuten is silent but solid this season. Not making any great waves but steadily holding course, consistent with its quality. That’s refreshing!

Also the manager is still cute. Shoulda submitted her for the State of the Season, damn.

Back Arrow – 19-20

Wooper: I have nothing nice to say about these episodes or Back Arrow in general. It’s thicker than ever with pseudoscientific dialogue, asphyxiating plotting, and screechy voice acting. Even Zetsu and Rudolph, the show’s two reliably fun characters, have gone from unpredictable forces of chaos to mere mouthpieces for writer Kazuki Nakashima’s half-formed thoughts on God. I won’t be mentioning this show ever again (though I’ll marathon the last four episodes when I’m in a self-flagellating mood).

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86 Eighty Six – 7 [Will You Remember Me?]

by Lenlo, posted in 86 - Eighty Six

Welcome back to another episode of Eighty Six, now with 100% more tragic revelations! Is that statistic legitimate? Probably not but you’ll have to read on to find out. So without further ado lets dive into this weeks episode!

And what do you know, Eighty Six is once again one of the best edited/directed show of the season. Tomohiko Ito, the man behind some of the best episodes of their respective shows, did great work this week. The way the fireworks were intercut between the mortar shells, Lena’s balcony shots, Shuga’s speech, it all looked good! And you know that. So instead I want to take a moment to talk about the one thing that’s bothered me with them: Continuity. Eighty Six has this obsession with shifting around shots so that they are discontinuous. Showing scenes earlier in the episode that happen later in the timespan. Sometimes this works to great effect! But I’ve found it can also be very confusing as to the order of events. Especially without proper indication of the order between the two main areas, the 86ers and the Albas.

Still my production gripes aside, however minor they are, lets talk narrative below the break!

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Spice and Wolf S2 – 4 [Wolf and the Consequences of Shallow Cleverness]

by Lenlo, posted in Spice and Wolf, Throwback Thursday

Alright everyone I have no excuse for how late this post was, I just forgot. Not to watch the show of course, Spice and Wolf is good shit! But it completely slipped my mind to do the writeup. Personally I blame the Government. Why? Because I can. Anyways without further ado, lets dive in to this weeks episode!

And what better place to start than with the pacing! Seriously its ridiculous. When I went to start the episode I saw “#4” and couldn’t believe we were only a 3rd of the way through. This season of Spice and Wolf feels so much denser than the last and this episode is a perfect example of that. The whole thing takes place in the span of just a few hours in the night as Lawrence mulls over the recent argument. Yet in it he confronts and accepts his feelings, strikes a deal, plots Fermi’s downfall, has a heart to heart with a friend and prepares to crash the economy of an entire town. Does that sounds like a lot? Good, because it was. Yet Spice and Wolf made it all feel natural and snappy. I was really impressed with how it handled the pacing this week.

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