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Anime |OT| Summer 2019 - Avenge the Off Modeled
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So, I ended up having to put in a lot of extra hours at work in the past week, leaving me not able to get around to watching stuff until yesterday. I've decided to change my usual chronological format to follow more what I found intriguing about this season instead.
Mari Okada is such an unpredictable creative voice attached to products. There have been times where her harsh yet observant tone about distinctly feminine viewpoints can be poignant and moving, and there's other times where it feels regressive and bitter in a way that feels like it does more harm than good. It's no surprise, then, that I approached O Maidens In Your Savage Season with a fair amount of skepticism after her last story about sexual discovery in animation turned into a colossal disaster (how did Hisone & Masotan turn out THAT BAD?!), but I think the more realistic grounding of O Maidens In Your Savage Season has calmed my fears a great deal. I'm not sure when I can say I first became particularly aware of sex or acutely focused on it, but I do remember it being a bunch of hushed conversations on the playground, filled with rumors and misinformation that changed my perspective on people I had known for years up to that point. That sense of uninformed curiosity combined with raging hormones leads to a difficult time for anyone, more so if those individuals aren't in a social position in their school to easily explore it with the only people they know. The latter is something I can definitely relate to myself having been on the outside of my schools' various social circles. Bullying can be a constant derision, and while none of mine focused on this subject matter, I can see why it would be even more deeply affecting to one's mental image of themselves because it's tied into such an intimate physical act. Mari Okada's dialogue manages to perfectly capture and convey all of this while still being funny and laden throughout with clever wordplay and turn of phrase to be as suggestive as possible throughout, while still willing to be serious when it needs to be about harsh topics like body and slut shaming, mob bullying, and the confusion and mistrust that stems from someone conflating love and lust. I'm definitely more curious about this show than any other this season, and if Mari Okada can be reined in from using the show to write about women in a negative light, then maybe this will be the easy AOTY contender from this season. But I think that's a bit too early to call just yet, even if I have more confidence than I ever expected to after Hisone & Masotan.
Fire Force 1
Oh, a bunch of Shaft animators jumped ship recently and landed at David Production? I don't know how Fire Force would ever give you that impression! Joking aside, this has to be one of the most visually impressive debuts of the year, easily rivaling the best that Bones and KyoAni can put out. It's funny how much Shaft DNA runs throughout this episode, from the framing, color choices, editing, and long takes on dynamic animation of fire that really highlights the amount of care put into making it move both naturally but with artistic flare. Fire is notoriously difficult to get to look natural in multiple types of animation, whether 2D or CGI. The way real fire moves is influenced by so many factors, from the temperature of the blaze to the atmospheric pressure to whether it's being directed by outside sources like wind, water, or repellent. The fact that the sheer volume of fire on display in Fire Force's first episode looks so incredibly well-realized without looking visually dull feels like a magic trick of sorts: it's hard to picture a series like this working this well on screen, but I doubt there are many studios and/or staff who could've achieved this, and even then it's almost a miracle they've been given the scheduling to make it happen as well as it has... at least for now. Time will tell what the average episode of Fire Force will end up looking like, but this first episode has at least convinced me the show will be gunning for more than I expected, and that has me excited. I almost feel bad I've spent this long talking about the visuals and direction, because I actually like the writing of Fire Force as well. Atsushi Ookubo feels like an author who shares the talent of Yasuhiro Nightow (Kekkai Sensen, Trigun) and Satoshi Mizukami (Planet With) by managing to impart a good amount of character through a very minimal amount of dialogue. The dynamic of the squad may have all the trappings of your typical shounen archetypes, but they all flow together well and the visual representation leaning in a more Shaft-ian direction with physically exaggerated situations that feel like they were storyboarded for Monogatari helps a great deal. Overall, this was easily one of the most impressive pilots in recent memory, and I hope the rest of Fire Force lives up to it!
Vinland Saga 1-3
Given Wit's propensity for diversifying its portfolio these days, I was curious what Vinland Saga would end up feeling like. Since they've made their name on bombastic action, I was wondering just how much of that we'd see in Vinland Saga. It's surprising, then, how restrained this historical drama is when it comes to its propensity for violence. Despite the setting and overall tone, there's a weight to violent conflict that makes the brief flashes of ultra-violence that were on display all the more powerful because of the investment given to the conflicts and the characters making up those battles. But the real heart of the story is about a father struggling to convey to his young son the value one should place not only on his own life but the lives of all people, be they friend or foe. It's something not many people can come to appreciate in a culture as blood-soaked as the Vikings often were, and without seeing the waste of life that kind of living can bring, it's hard for those lessons to really stick, especially with a child. I think that's a lot of why the writing works so well in Vinland Saga: despite being written from a lens of someone who's culture is worlds apart and from a time where peaceful resolutions are the norm, it doesn't come across as anachronistic or preachy. There's a natural tone that, while exaggerating things about Viking culture that are well known (slaves, worship of warriors, fearless exploration of the Atlantic, etc.), it never feels too outlandish that it crosses the line from historical to fantastical. The lack of much outright action also helps something I feel many of Wit's animators have become very attuned to over the years: subtle facial animation. There are many times during the tense, dramatic scenes where someone's emotions are conveyed with the smallest of changes in their expressions, and understanding without words what exactly their thinking is something you expect more from live-action than animation most of the time (at least with movements that subtle). But there's plenty of that on display here in the first few episodes, and it really sells the dramatic elements far better than the direction most of the time, which has its moments but comes across as functional more than artistic most of the time. Overall, this is a wonderful change of pace from most of what's on offer this season, and I'm glad that between Attack on Titan: Season 3's second cour and the Kabaneri movie, Wit doesn't seem to have bitten off more than it can chew with Vinland Saga (probably another miracle of proper scheduling, which is getting so much rarer these days). While the wait for it to resume will be painful, I think the show is in capable hands.
If there was one show that on the surface shouldn't have worked as well as it does, it's Astra Lost in Space. From the overwhelming amount of slapstick humor to the sophomoric stereotypes that make this feel like The Breakfast Club in space to the sheer coincidence and artificiality of the situation they find themselves in... nothing with all those elements should come together half as well as Astra does. I think what makes it all click is the delayed treatment of space as an actual threat. These students are simply under the assumption that this is bound to be a routine trip; after all, what could possibly go really wrong on a planet that had been used for space camps like these? But when they're transported across the galaxy, the entire tenor of the show changes. From the cinematography to the editing to the tone of the writing and the voice acting; it almost becomes a different show entirely, at least until the immediate danger of the situation has passed. Speaking of the cinematography, there's a lot of cues taken from famous films during the spacewalking segments, most obviously Gravity, but there's some of Interstellar and even 2001: A Space Odyssey as well. I appreciate the cinematic nods, and applying those here really does give a lot more resonance to the idea of how vast the void around them is now that they're alone thousands of light years from home. As for what the series is going to be like from here, it's hard to say. They all make it seem so simple of a trip back, but again the artificiality of the situation does make it seem like it's a test, or at least an observational experiment. What could possibly break on the ship that would make their lives harder (water tank leaks or problems with the hyperdrive would derail their plans immediately)? And they're assuming they can just land and collect enough water and food on each planet they plan to visit without incident? That's just asking for trouble. But whether the series can balance the humor with its more dramatic moments well is still up for debate for now.
Cop Craft 1
I feel it's almost impossible not to bring up Kekkai Sensen in some capacity here. Outside of the buddy cop angle, the setup for both series in terms of place and relative intersection of races told from the perspective of a policing unit, Cop Craft and Kekkai Sensen are remarkably similar. It's not just the setup, either: both choose to give the viewer the bare details they need to understand the foundation of the world, then fill in those details both via the actual plot of the story as well as the characters' interactions. Cop Craft has an easier time than Kekkai Sensen with this most of the time, partially because it's not episodic but also because it borrows so heavily from the format of a typical police procedural. But what it gains in structural advantage it hasn't shown much in the way of integrating the setting as much of a storytelling device. Outside of the exposition that explains the location of the city in conjunction with the gateway, you'd be easily mistaken for thinking this is just Los Angeles. It doesn't help that Cop Craft's similarities to Netflix's Bright muddy that somewhat as well, but so far there's not much indication of what makes San Teresa City feel like the melting pot it's made out to be the same way Kekkai Sensen's Hellsalem's Lot is both a blend of the mundane and the occult while still clearly being the remnants of New York City. None of this is an actual problem, so to speak: it's just more of an observation. But Cop Craft's sharp writing has me intrigued to see more, even if a lot of the rest of the production didn't inspire as much confidence.
How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? 1
After a string of shows following the second season of New Game! that were either not for me like Senko-san, shows I didn't think were any good like Tada Never Falls in Love, or shows aimed at a very specific demographic, Doga Kobo finally looks like they've put out another winner with How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? The basic setup of a girl who wants to slim down because she eats too much but ends up joining a gym filled with fitness freaks would be good enough, but I think it's the remarkably good integration of legitimately useful fitness information combined with little Doga Kobo touches like the caloric reading on everything Hibiki eats that makes this show stand out from being another run of the mill club show with an exercise gimmick. There's a certain polish to the animation that is distinctively Doga Kobo that works really well in a show where appreciating muscular definition is everything, but I do appreciate that How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? isn't afraid to have some fun with its interpretation of bodybuilders (like the gag of Machio being able to fit into regular workout gear despite looking like someone straight out of Baki when he's flexing his muscles). There's a clear love and passion for exercise on display here that is genuinely nice to see treated well in the talented hands of Doga Kobo, who haven't made a show I wanted to watch in almost two years. Hopefully, this show can keep its good form through its reps across the season!
This feels like a prime example of something clearly being lost on me in translation, or at least in adaptation. I didn't find this remarkable in the least, but it took me a while to realize why. There's this relentless sense of pace that dominates Dr. Stone which feels at remarkable odds with the actual narrative itself (at least, the one the show starts with). The plot advances at such a determined and breakneck pace that you can't ever really take in the fact at just how much time has really passed. The pacing also steals the sensation of experiencing our leads struggling to overcome their situation by alleviating the sense of time investment in their scientific exploits. Dr. Stone may be a series about our heroes conquering the post-apocalypse with science, but when it comes to the realities of scientific study and the trial-and-error process, it fast-forwards through all of those steps because those don't serve the plot. As such, you're left with a story that takes place in a world that has moved past humanity which you and the characters never feel connected to because you're given no time to absorb it and they are both rooted in things they want to bring back from the past (both metaphorically and literally), and a story that pays lip service to human ingenuity, but short changes on what it actually takes for that ingenuity to be realized. Combine this with humor that hardly ever feels funny and facial animation that feels like it's straight out of Baki sometimes and you've got a show that come across as style over substance.
Granbelm 1
Now, unlike Dr. Stone, I don't actually think Granbelm is bad. However, in a crowded season, it doesn't feel like it's something for me. But as an original magical mecha girl show, it seems to have all the right ingredients to be good, if not necessarily putting them on the best display in this first episode. I couldn't help but be consistently reminded of Yuki Yuna Is a Hero while watching Granbelm; while their plots aren't wholly similar, there's some distinct influence in both the lore of the conflict and the tone of the show on the whole, not to mention the tech-heavy magical girl angle and the parallel illusory world where futuristic combat takes place. But while the pilot was an excellent action showcase for Granbelm (something I think it does quite well), what I think it lacks so far that Yuki Yuna takes time to build up is both initial character relationships and a sense of stakes. It's not a couple minutes before combat starts to kick off and it lasts almost the entire episode, with any character interactions seeming to only be relevant toward furthering the plot of our main character gaining her mech and joining the battle royale. Between that and the design of the mechs themselves, I found it hard to get personally invested in the series myself, but I realize that's more of a personal issue than an outright flaw of the show as a whole. There's a lot to like in Granbelm, and if you like mecha or magical girls I do recommend checking it out as it might be for you. But it's not quite to my liking and this is a packed season so I think I'll leave it here, but I hope it does improve on the things I was let down on for the sake of those following the show going forward.
Hensuki 1
I had hoped this would stray into hilariously smutty territory given some scans I've seen from the original light novel, but this feels like a show that is trying way too hard to come across more seriously than the material deserves. If you read the setup for the original light novel, it's hard not to picture this show being something along the lines of Eromanga Sensei. But whereas that series, detestable as it is in many, MANY respects, is at least honest about what it's offering, Hensuki seems to want to either have it both ways by trying to be a semi-serious harem romance story with outrageous lewd comedy here and there, or this first episode was designed to pull the rug out from the viewer by making them think they were in for something like SNAFU when nothing about the show's marketing or visuals suggested as much. It's just bizarre, because the end result is something that lacks the sheer audacity of Eromanga Sensei, the witty, self-aware writing of Monogatari, and the well-timed humor of Shimoneta. And for what: a "gotcha" moment at the end of the episode that is neither surprising or funny? This is to say nothing of the direction or the visual quality itself, which is average at best and neither quality left any meaningful impression. I've no idea what the creative team was aiming for here, other than the result has made me lose all interest in seeing any more.
Golden Wind Vento Aureo 37
After several episodes of stalling, body swap comedy, ridiculous reversals and twists that seem to not only betray Golden Wind's own internal logic but much of what we thought had been relatively well established about Stands at this point, we finally get to the golden reveal at the end of all this nonsense and... I think it might have all been worthwhile... almost. I like that both the representation of Golden Experience Requiem's ability both in terms of the visual translation and the very minor exposition provided are incredibly cryptic and difficult to piece together. It kind of reminds me the very first time that Polnareff encounters Dio in Stardust Crusaders; you have some inkling of what is going on, but not enough information to put it all together because you're seeing it from Polnareff's point of view. Similarly, we're seeing Diavolo seeing the aftereffect of Golden Experience Requiem's power, but because of the way it effects how he perceives the flow of time within his already altered state thanks to King Crimson's power, it leads to all sorts of bizarre visuals that do a wonderful job of feeling like one had lost track of what reality they were observing. That said, this reveal has already all but sealed this particular fight: there's no way King Crimson can fight something that does what Golden Experience Requiem can, so what's left in store for the last two episodes is beyond me. However, I imagine that Araki has one last idea up his sleeve for this finale that might tie together some of my suspicions from much earlier in the show's run.
GeGeGe no Kitaro 63
As the start of a new cour of Kitaro, this was... okay, I suppose. I quite like Wally Wall, so getting an episode focusing on him was nice since he's so often overlooked in comparison to some of the other side characters like Sand Witch, but sometimes an overdue amount of focus does change your perception of a character. Wally Wall always struck me as someone who never said much but his animation and intonation always managed to get across what he was thinking: his soft-spoken demeanor often makes him so endearing. But it turns out when he needs to be, Wally Wall can be incredibly chatty, and his characterization in this episode comes across more stereotypical because of the role he plays in this episode's tragic love story, I guess. In fact, everyone in this episode feels a little off. Rollo Cloth comes across as more perverted than his previously rarely incidental comments made him seem, Catchick felt like she didn't really care about what was going on, and Rat Man was far less conniving than usual. I have to wonder if this is a new team of writers working on the show or not, because the dialogue in general didn't feel like any of the recent episodes or anything I recall in the show's past. It's hard to know if this is will be an issue going forward since this is the first time this has happened, but the core creative team responsible for the show's content and tone up to this point was going to probably leave to work on something else someday, and the show might not end at that point. Whether we've hit that point or this was just an aberration remains to be seen, but I certainly hope it's the latter.
Lord El-Melloi II's Case Files 1
This definitely feels like one of those cases where the initial episode 0 they released months back did a better job of pitching me on Case Files than this first episode did. As entertaining as it is watching Waver try and fail to look cool while basically playing the role of an Indiana Jones-esque pulp hero, I can't say that this falls much in line with what I enjoyed about the episode 0 or the pitch of the series in general. The original pilot conveyed the idea that the Lords of Clock Tower often engage in feuds with one another, but in order to remain hidden, their magical attacks have to cleverly mask their involvement, forcing situations like the one with the cat's curse in the pilot. Here, Waver and the mage who apprehends him in Iraq battle in a far more conventional manner, and while Waver still overcomes him using his wit rather than brute strength, it feels less satisfying of a resolution because it's still something that resembles a traditional battle between Masters in a Holy Grail War. Thankfully, Makoto Katou's direction manages to keep the material from becoming stale, and it does help Case Files continue to carve out a visual niche within the wider works of the collective Type-Moon universe. Seeing as it looks like we'll be back to what I enjoyed about episode 0 next time, I'm fine with this one-off action story featuring a dude well out of his depth, but that's where Waver excels, even if he doesn't want to admit it.
To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts 2
True to form, adapting the opening of the manga makes Sacred Beasts feel like a completely different show to the colossal mess of a pilot from last week. It's remarkable how different the tone is; gone is the awkward, juvenile humor, the slapdash representation of battlefield carnage, the breakneck pacing, and the parody-level presentation of CAIN MADHOUSE's betrayal! Instead, we see a much bleaker representation of a veteran struggling to come home from the war, both physically and metaphorically, until one night during an off-screen rampage Hank shows up and puts him out of his misery in the sight of the daughter only briefly mentioned in the first episode before becoming this episode's protagonist. The first encounter between Hank and Charlotte (no, I'm not calling her Schaal because that's a dumb interpretation of her name should be) has a wonderful sense of tension you'd find in old westerns between the hotshot kid and the old, gruff ruffian. And the way the conflict plays out between Hank and Danny tells you more or less everything you need to know, and kind of renders everything the last episode tried to do mostly entirely pointless. If you have any interest in the show, I would say you should just start here. You won't really miss anything important that likely won't be readdressed later, and it's a much stronger opening act for the series as a whole. I'm not entirely sure if I'll be following Sacred Beasts to its conclusion yet; I'm thinking one more episode to see how the show progresses from here would be apt.
- HIGHLIGHTS
Mari Okada is such an unpredictable creative voice attached to products. There have been times where her harsh yet observant tone about distinctly feminine viewpoints can be poignant and moving, and there's other times where it feels regressive and bitter in a way that feels like it does more harm than good. It's no surprise, then, that I approached O Maidens In Your Savage Season with a fair amount of skepticism after her last story about sexual discovery in animation turned into a colossal disaster (how did Hisone & Masotan turn out THAT BAD?!), but I think the more realistic grounding of O Maidens In Your Savage Season has calmed my fears a great deal. I'm not sure when I can say I first became particularly aware of sex or acutely focused on it, but I do remember it being a bunch of hushed conversations on the playground, filled with rumors and misinformation that changed my perspective on people I had known for years up to that point. That sense of uninformed curiosity combined with raging hormones leads to a difficult time for anyone, more so if those individuals aren't in a social position in their school to easily explore it with the only people they know. The latter is something I can definitely relate to myself having been on the outside of my schools' various social circles. Bullying can be a constant derision, and while none of mine focused on this subject matter, I can see why it would be even more deeply affecting to one's mental image of themselves because it's tied into such an intimate physical act. Mari Okada's dialogue manages to perfectly capture and convey all of this while still being funny and laden throughout with clever wordplay and turn of phrase to be as suggestive as possible throughout, while still willing to be serious when it needs to be about harsh topics like body and slut shaming, mob bullying, and the confusion and mistrust that stems from someone conflating love and lust. I'm definitely more curious about this show than any other this season, and if Mari Okada can be reined in from using the show to write about women in a negative light, then maybe this will be the easy AOTY contender from this season. But I think that's a bit too early to call just yet, even if I have more confidence than I ever expected to after Hisone & Masotan.
Fire Force 1
Oh, a bunch of Shaft animators jumped ship recently and landed at David Production? I don't know how Fire Force would ever give you that impression! Joking aside, this has to be one of the most visually impressive debuts of the year, easily rivaling the best that Bones and KyoAni can put out. It's funny how much Shaft DNA runs throughout this episode, from the framing, color choices, editing, and long takes on dynamic animation of fire that really highlights the amount of care put into making it move both naturally but with artistic flare. Fire is notoriously difficult to get to look natural in multiple types of animation, whether 2D or CGI. The way real fire moves is influenced by so many factors, from the temperature of the blaze to the atmospheric pressure to whether it's being directed by outside sources like wind, water, or repellent. The fact that the sheer volume of fire on display in Fire Force's first episode looks so incredibly well-realized without looking visually dull feels like a magic trick of sorts: it's hard to picture a series like this working this well on screen, but I doubt there are many studios and/or staff who could've achieved this, and even then it's almost a miracle they've been given the scheduling to make it happen as well as it has... at least for now. Time will tell what the average episode of Fire Force will end up looking like, but this first episode has at least convinced me the show will be gunning for more than I expected, and that has me excited. I almost feel bad I've spent this long talking about the visuals and direction, because I actually like the writing of Fire Force as well. Atsushi Ookubo feels like an author who shares the talent of Yasuhiro Nightow (Kekkai Sensen, Trigun) and Satoshi Mizukami (Planet With) by managing to impart a good amount of character through a very minimal amount of dialogue. The dynamic of the squad may have all the trappings of your typical shounen archetypes, but they all flow together well and the visual representation leaning in a more Shaft-ian direction with physically exaggerated situations that feel like they were storyboarded for Monogatari helps a great deal. Overall, this was easily one of the most impressive pilots in recent memory, and I hope the rest of Fire Force lives up to it!
Vinland Saga 1-3
Given Wit's propensity for diversifying its portfolio these days, I was curious what Vinland Saga would end up feeling like. Since they've made their name on bombastic action, I was wondering just how much of that we'd see in Vinland Saga. It's surprising, then, how restrained this historical drama is when it comes to its propensity for violence. Despite the setting and overall tone, there's a weight to violent conflict that makes the brief flashes of ultra-violence that were on display all the more powerful because of the investment given to the conflicts and the characters making up those battles. But the real heart of the story is about a father struggling to convey to his young son the value one should place not only on his own life but the lives of all people, be they friend or foe. It's something not many people can come to appreciate in a culture as blood-soaked as the Vikings often were, and without seeing the waste of life that kind of living can bring, it's hard for those lessons to really stick, especially with a child. I think that's a lot of why the writing works so well in Vinland Saga: despite being written from a lens of someone who's culture is worlds apart and from a time where peaceful resolutions are the norm, it doesn't come across as anachronistic or preachy. There's a natural tone that, while exaggerating things about Viking culture that are well known (slaves, worship of warriors, fearless exploration of the Atlantic, etc.), it never feels too outlandish that it crosses the line from historical to fantastical. The lack of much outright action also helps something I feel many of Wit's animators have become very attuned to over the years: subtle facial animation. There are many times during the tense, dramatic scenes where someone's emotions are conveyed with the smallest of changes in their expressions, and understanding without words what exactly their thinking is something you expect more from live-action than animation most of the time (at least with movements that subtle). But there's plenty of that on display here in the first few episodes, and it really sells the dramatic elements far better than the direction most of the time, which has its moments but comes across as functional more than artistic most of the time. Overall, this is a wonderful change of pace from most of what's on offer this season, and I'm glad that between Attack on Titan: Season 3's second cour and the Kabaneri movie, Wit doesn't seem to have bitten off more than it can chew with Vinland Saga (probably another miracle of proper scheduling, which is getting so much rarer these days). While the wait for it to resume will be painful, I think the show is in capable hands.
- ONES TO WATCH
If there was one show that on the surface shouldn't have worked as well as it does, it's Astra Lost in Space. From the overwhelming amount of slapstick humor to the sophomoric stereotypes that make this feel like The Breakfast Club in space to the sheer coincidence and artificiality of the situation they find themselves in... nothing with all those elements should come together half as well as Astra does. I think what makes it all click is the delayed treatment of space as an actual threat. These students are simply under the assumption that this is bound to be a routine trip; after all, what could possibly go really wrong on a planet that had been used for space camps like these? But when they're transported across the galaxy, the entire tenor of the show changes. From the cinematography to the editing to the tone of the writing and the voice acting; it almost becomes a different show entirely, at least until the immediate danger of the situation has passed. Speaking of the cinematography, there's a lot of cues taken from famous films during the spacewalking segments, most obviously Gravity, but there's some of Interstellar and even 2001: A Space Odyssey as well. I appreciate the cinematic nods, and applying those here really does give a lot more resonance to the idea of how vast the void around them is now that they're alone thousands of light years from home. As for what the series is going to be like from here, it's hard to say. They all make it seem so simple of a trip back, but again the artificiality of the situation does make it seem like it's a test, or at least an observational experiment. What could possibly break on the ship that would make their lives harder (water tank leaks or problems with the hyperdrive would derail their plans immediately)? And they're assuming they can just land and collect enough water and food on each planet they plan to visit without incident? That's just asking for trouble. But whether the series can balance the humor with its more dramatic moments well is still up for debate for now.
Cop Craft 1
I feel it's almost impossible not to bring up Kekkai Sensen in some capacity here. Outside of the buddy cop angle, the setup for both series in terms of place and relative intersection of races told from the perspective of a policing unit, Cop Craft and Kekkai Sensen are remarkably similar. It's not just the setup, either: both choose to give the viewer the bare details they need to understand the foundation of the world, then fill in those details both via the actual plot of the story as well as the characters' interactions. Cop Craft has an easier time than Kekkai Sensen with this most of the time, partially because it's not episodic but also because it borrows so heavily from the format of a typical police procedural. But what it gains in structural advantage it hasn't shown much in the way of integrating the setting as much of a storytelling device. Outside of the exposition that explains the location of the city in conjunction with the gateway, you'd be easily mistaken for thinking this is just Los Angeles. It doesn't help that Cop Craft's similarities to Netflix's Bright muddy that somewhat as well, but so far there's not much indication of what makes San Teresa City feel like the melting pot it's made out to be the same way Kekkai Sensen's Hellsalem's Lot is both a blend of the mundane and the occult while still clearly being the remnants of New York City. None of this is an actual problem, so to speak: it's just more of an observation. But Cop Craft's sharp writing has me intrigued to see more, even if a lot of the rest of the production didn't inspire as much confidence.
How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? 1
After a string of shows following the second season of New Game! that were either not for me like Senko-san, shows I didn't think were any good like Tada Never Falls in Love, or shows aimed at a very specific demographic, Doga Kobo finally looks like they've put out another winner with How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? The basic setup of a girl who wants to slim down because she eats too much but ends up joining a gym filled with fitness freaks would be good enough, but I think it's the remarkably good integration of legitimately useful fitness information combined with little Doga Kobo touches like the caloric reading on everything Hibiki eats that makes this show stand out from being another run of the mill club show with an exercise gimmick. There's a certain polish to the animation that is distinctively Doga Kobo that works really well in a show where appreciating muscular definition is everything, but I do appreciate that How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? isn't afraid to have some fun with its interpretation of bodybuilders (like the gag of Machio being able to fit into regular workout gear despite looking like someone straight out of Baki when he's flexing his muscles). There's a clear love and passion for exercise on display here that is genuinely nice to see treated well in the talented hands of Doga Kobo, who haven't made a show I wanted to watch in almost two years. Hopefully, this show can keep its good form through its reps across the season!
- DROPPED
This feels like a prime example of something clearly being lost on me in translation, or at least in adaptation. I didn't find this remarkable in the least, but it took me a while to realize why. There's this relentless sense of pace that dominates Dr. Stone which feels at remarkable odds with the actual narrative itself (at least, the one the show starts with). The plot advances at such a determined and breakneck pace that you can't ever really take in the fact at just how much time has really passed. The pacing also steals the sensation of experiencing our leads struggling to overcome their situation by alleviating the sense of time investment in their scientific exploits. Dr. Stone may be a series about our heroes conquering the post-apocalypse with science, but when it comes to the realities of scientific study and the trial-and-error process, it fast-forwards through all of those steps because those don't serve the plot. As such, you're left with a story that takes place in a world that has moved past humanity which you and the characters never feel connected to because you're given no time to absorb it and they are both rooted in things they want to bring back from the past (both metaphorically and literally), and a story that pays lip service to human ingenuity, but short changes on what it actually takes for that ingenuity to be realized. Combine this with humor that hardly ever feels funny and facial animation that feels like it's straight out of Baki sometimes and you've got a show that come across as style over substance.
Granbelm 1
Now, unlike Dr. Stone, I don't actually think Granbelm is bad. However, in a crowded season, it doesn't feel like it's something for me. But as an original magical mecha girl show, it seems to have all the right ingredients to be good, if not necessarily putting them on the best display in this first episode. I couldn't help but be consistently reminded of Yuki Yuna Is a Hero while watching Granbelm; while their plots aren't wholly similar, there's some distinct influence in both the lore of the conflict and the tone of the show on the whole, not to mention the tech-heavy magical girl angle and the parallel illusory world where futuristic combat takes place. But while the pilot was an excellent action showcase for Granbelm (something I think it does quite well), what I think it lacks so far that Yuki Yuna takes time to build up is both initial character relationships and a sense of stakes. It's not a couple minutes before combat starts to kick off and it lasts almost the entire episode, with any character interactions seeming to only be relevant toward furthering the plot of our main character gaining her mech and joining the battle royale. Between that and the design of the mechs themselves, I found it hard to get personally invested in the series myself, but I realize that's more of a personal issue than an outright flaw of the show as a whole. There's a lot to like in Granbelm, and if you like mecha or magical girls I do recommend checking it out as it might be for you. But it's not quite to my liking and this is a packed season so I think I'll leave it here, but I hope it does improve on the things I was let down on for the sake of those following the show going forward.
Hensuki 1
I had hoped this would stray into hilariously smutty territory given some scans I've seen from the original light novel, but this feels like a show that is trying way too hard to come across more seriously than the material deserves. If you read the setup for the original light novel, it's hard not to picture this show being something along the lines of Eromanga Sensei. But whereas that series, detestable as it is in many, MANY respects, is at least honest about what it's offering, Hensuki seems to want to either have it both ways by trying to be a semi-serious harem romance story with outrageous lewd comedy here and there, or this first episode was designed to pull the rug out from the viewer by making them think they were in for something like SNAFU when nothing about the show's marketing or visuals suggested as much. It's just bizarre, because the end result is something that lacks the sheer audacity of Eromanga Sensei, the witty, self-aware writing of Monogatari, and the well-timed humor of Shimoneta. And for what: a "gotcha" moment at the end of the episode that is neither surprising or funny? This is to say nothing of the direction or the visual quality itself, which is average at best and neither quality left any meaningful impression. I've no idea what the creative team was aiming for here, other than the result has made me lose all interest in seeing any more.
- CONTINUING SERIES
After several episodes of stalling, body swap comedy, ridiculous reversals and twists that seem to not only betray Golden Wind's own internal logic but much of what we thought had been relatively well established about Stands at this point, we finally get to the golden reveal at the end of all this nonsense and... I think it might have all been worthwhile... almost. I like that both the representation of Golden Experience Requiem's ability both in terms of the visual translation and the very minor exposition provided are incredibly cryptic and difficult to piece together. It kind of reminds me the very first time that Polnareff encounters Dio in Stardust Crusaders; you have some inkling of what is going on, but not enough information to put it all together because you're seeing it from Polnareff's point of view. Similarly, we're seeing Diavolo seeing the aftereffect of Golden Experience Requiem's power, but because of the way it effects how he perceives the flow of time within his already altered state thanks to King Crimson's power, it leads to all sorts of bizarre visuals that do a wonderful job of feeling like one had lost track of what reality they were observing. That said, this reveal has already all but sealed this particular fight: there's no way King Crimson can fight something that does what Golden Experience Requiem can, so what's left in store for the last two episodes is beyond me. However, I imagine that Araki has one last idea up his sleeve for this finale that might tie together some of my suspicions from much earlier in the show's run.
GeGeGe no Kitaro 63
As the start of a new cour of Kitaro, this was... okay, I suppose. I quite like Wally Wall, so getting an episode focusing on him was nice since he's so often overlooked in comparison to some of the other side characters like Sand Witch, but sometimes an overdue amount of focus does change your perception of a character. Wally Wall always struck me as someone who never said much but his animation and intonation always managed to get across what he was thinking: his soft-spoken demeanor often makes him so endearing. But it turns out when he needs to be, Wally Wall can be incredibly chatty, and his characterization in this episode comes across more stereotypical because of the role he plays in this episode's tragic love story, I guess. In fact, everyone in this episode feels a little off. Rollo Cloth comes across as more perverted than his previously rarely incidental comments made him seem, Catchick felt like she didn't really care about what was going on, and Rat Man was far less conniving than usual. I have to wonder if this is a new team of writers working on the show or not, because the dialogue in general didn't feel like any of the recent episodes or anything I recall in the show's past. It's hard to know if this is will be an issue going forward since this is the first time this has happened, but the core creative team responsible for the show's content and tone up to this point was going to probably leave to work on something else someday, and the show might not end at that point. Whether we've hit that point or this was just an aberration remains to be seen, but I certainly hope it's the latter.
Lord El-Melloi II's Case Files 1
This definitely feels like one of those cases where the initial episode 0 they released months back did a better job of pitching me on Case Files than this first episode did. As entertaining as it is watching Waver try and fail to look cool while basically playing the role of an Indiana Jones-esque pulp hero, I can't say that this falls much in line with what I enjoyed about the episode 0 or the pitch of the series in general. The original pilot conveyed the idea that the Lords of Clock Tower often engage in feuds with one another, but in order to remain hidden, their magical attacks have to cleverly mask their involvement, forcing situations like the one with the cat's curse in the pilot. Here, Waver and the mage who apprehends him in Iraq battle in a far more conventional manner, and while Waver still overcomes him using his wit rather than brute strength, it feels less satisfying of a resolution because it's still something that resembles a traditional battle between Masters in a Holy Grail War. Thankfully, Makoto Katou's direction manages to keep the material from becoming stale, and it does help Case Files continue to carve out a visual niche within the wider works of the collective Type-Moon universe. Seeing as it looks like we'll be back to what I enjoyed about episode 0 next time, I'm fine with this one-off action story featuring a dude well out of his depth, but that's where Waver excels, even if he doesn't want to admit it.
To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts 2
True to form, adapting the opening of the manga makes Sacred Beasts feel like a completely different show to the colossal mess of a pilot from last week. It's remarkable how different the tone is; gone is the awkward, juvenile humor, the slapdash representation of battlefield carnage, the breakneck pacing, and the parody-level presentation of CAIN MADHOUSE's betrayal! Instead, we see a much bleaker representation of a veteran struggling to come home from the war, both physically and metaphorically, until one night during an off-screen rampage Hank shows up and puts him out of his misery in the sight of the daughter only briefly mentioned in the first episode before becoming this episode's protagonist. The first encounter between Hank and Charlotte (no, I'm not calling her Schaal because that's a dumb interpretation of her name should be) has a wonderful sense of tension you'd find in old westerns between the hotshot kid and the old, gruff ruffian. And the way the conflict plays out between Hank and Danny tells you more or less everything you need to know, and kind of renders everything the last episode tried to do mostly entirely pointless. If you have any interest in the show, I would say you should just start here. You won't really miss anything important that likely won't be readdressed later, and it's a much stronger opening act for the series as a whole. I'm not entirely sure if I'll be following Sacred Beasts to its conclusion yet; I'm thinking one more episode to see how the show progresses from here would be apt.
Trailer for Lupin III: THE FIRST, another 3DCG road show film from Takashi Yamazaki.
From Yamato to Doraemon to Dragon Quest to Lupin, he's really given the CG treatment to a lot of major Japanese franchises.
From Yamato to Doraemon to Dragon Quest to Lupin, he's really given the CG treatment to a lot of major Japanese franchises.
fairy tails main cast is still in a currently ongoing manga though
First ep of Granbelm was pretty neat. No idea what happened in it but it was a 2D mecha action spectacle from start to finish so there's that.
so
makes it sound like VRV is going to get absorbed into HBO Max.
makes it sound like VRV is going to get absorbed into HBO Max.
that's a very interesting analysis of Dr. Stone - it does feel like a lot of media enjoys glorifying the romantic ideal of science while leaving out the immensely difficult labor and the collaborative and iterative process that leads to what we often wrongly view as singular flashpoint great discoveries
personally, i think this romanticization leads to a lot of underhanded trickery when it comes to data tabulation and presentation because people have forgotten that science isn't about the big groundbreaking moments, but rather the small steps along the way
Well put, that's exactly what gets me to give this story another shot despite the hostile and threatening world it creates and emphasizes. Though given the studio involved, depicting action as cool and thrilling might reflect what riles the people(of its time) up but it would be interesting to see how this works with that over-arching story (if it is one) in leading Thorfin to the same resolve as Thors. It could be something else entirely.
This episode adds more definition to Waver's character than 00 I think(but that was probably not exactly what 00 intended outside of his position). It takes a lot to choose not to run away from the responsibilities he took up here despite the way he is and I think it puts him in new light.
Depends how much you like the manga I guess, I just like seeing how they decide to adapt it but I get what you mean.
It sort of has this problem in the manga starting out too, because the start is focused on blockhead somewhat instead of senku. They do expand more on Senku tho so once he's taken over as the MC proper, the tone changes, I'd give it a few more eps because it's quite a refreshing series.
So I've seen Dr. Stone, Vinland Saga and FireForce. Really liked all of them and hopefully this doesn't change. Anything else worth watching this season? Am I missing out on something?
Also I love the Vinland Saga OT. Bummer I'll have to wait until the 21st for it to land on Spotify.
Also I love the Vinland Saga OT. Bummer I'll have to wait until the 21st for it to land on Spotify.
Isn't this a new season or can I watch this without having seen or knowing anything at all about the previous seasons?
5th season yes, definitely watch them in order if you haven't yet
literally using a rng to take a look at shows and see if i vibe
Mitsuboshi Colors 1 -DROPPED-
Charming but didn't hit me out of the gate with anything like... that really maintained my interest. Sorry, bye
Adrift 1
A bit dubious on it especially since it started with wet clothes + camera just fuckin' perving out over these highschoolers lying there on the beach but I laughed really hard at the really serious gyaru-looking girl being the hardcore survivalist and some of the complete non-sequiters it entered into. It's pretty purile in spots but it's actually kind of funny, and it's short too, so I'll keep watching.
---
NB: Anime streaming has reached the stage where good shows are spread out over differing platforms, so I'm gonna have to pick one between animelab and hidive and mine their catalogue for a month or so, in addition to my yearly to crunchy I guess.
Mitsuboshi Colors 1 -DROPPED-
Charming but didn't hit me out of the gate with anything like... that really maintained my interest. Sorry, bye
Adrift 1
A bit dubious on it especially since it started with wet clothes + camera just fuckin' perving out over these highschoolers lying there on the beach but I laughed really hard at the really serious gyaru-looking girl being the hardcore survivalist and some of the complete non-sequiters it entered into. It's pretty purile in spots but it's actually kind of funny, and it's short too, so I'll keep watching.
---
NB: Anime streaming has reached the stage where good shows are spread out over differing platforms, so I'm gonna have to pick one between animelab and hidive and mine their catalogue for a month or so, in addition to my yearly to crunchy I guess.
Had potential but I think it didn't go anywhere from the two or so episodes I saw.
Decided to get
Hamatora
Re:Hamatora
Utano Prince Sama Seasons 1 - 4 on the Sentai Sale.
64$
Good deal
Was going to get all of Rinne, but Im like what if they dub it someday.
Hamatora
Re:Hamatora
Utano Prince Sama Seasons 1 - 4 on the Sentai Sale.
64$
Good deal
Was going to get all of Rinne, but Im like what if they dub it someday.
Y'all got any good psychological horror anime you can recommend?
I need to question the meaning of existence.
I need to question the meaning of existence.
Halfway through Thunderbolt Fantasy movie and it's truly fuck Enigmatic Gale/Lǐn Xuě Yā and his moral system. What he did to Sha Wu Shēng makes me retroactively love what Miè Tiān Hái did to him. I never felt so bad for a merciless killer in my life.
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It's not really psychological horror but Texhnolyze does a good job with the whole meaning of existence angle.
A lot of stuff by Satoshi Kon, more specifically Perfect Blue and Paranoia Agent
Astra 2
I don't think I've ever seen a second episode go to 0 as quickly after a relatively fine start as I did today. Forced drama coming out of nowhere. Chechov's gun being abused. Weirdly rushed pacing. Dumb plot piece making an unwelcome return. A cheesy, cliché resolution to a cheesy, cliché conflict. And characters that still don't seem human at all. Rather, this is probably what aliens would have looked like if they tried impersonating us.
Bleh! Rubbish.
I don't think I've ever seen a second episode go to 0 as quickly after a relatively fine start as I did today. Forced drama coming out of nowhere. Chechov's gun being abused. Weirdly rushed pacing. Dumb plot piece making an unwelcome return. A cheesy, cliché resolution to a cheesy, cliché conflict. And characters that still don't seem human at all. Rather, this is probably what aliens would have looked like if they tried impersonating us.
Bleh! Rubbish.
Really? The manga is so well beloved, were people just caught up in the unique setting that they ovverlooked writing issues?
I just like spaaaace! And survival! And mind games! Cheap drama is really not my thing. Maybe I'm overly critical?
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest ep.1
This had to have been one of the weirdest opening episodes I've ever seen. The first 15 mins or so you have no idea wtf was even happening....
This had to have been one of the weirdest opening episodes I've ever seen. The first 15 mins or so you have no idea wtf was even happening....
Symphogear XV 01
Its not like this was bad by any means but they really will never recreate the opening of GX.
Its not like this was bad by any means but they really will never recreate the opening of GX.
What's a good comp for it? Good character development/story?
It's made by the guy who did Sket Dance, but where that was more comedy focused this is has a bit more drama and mystery. It still has a lot of comedy though, but it's main focus is on character development imo
The first scene of GX is the best thing that has ever been animated, so I can't expect them to ever surpass that.
At least Hibiki's transformation is the best thing ever.
Dumbbell 02
Show's a lot more edutainment than I would have expected, but I actually don't mind. I didn't know standard, static warm-ups were bad for you before exercising.
The ending of this episode is like this anime could follow a completely different direction than what it seemed, but I don't think it's suddenly going to be about prodigy boxing star Hibiki as she rises through the ranks (that was a fun scene, though).
Show's a lot more edutainment than I would have expected, but I actually don't mind. I didn't know standard, static warm-ups were bad for you before exercising.
The ending of this episode is like this anime could follow a completely different direction than what it seemed, but I don't think it's suddenly going to be about prodigy boxing star Hibiki as she rises through the ranks (that was a fun scene, though).
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