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kihocrystal · 6 years

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Spring 2018 - Final Impressions

Sorry this post is so late (again)! I had a *really* busy July, which really didn’t help at all. But anyway, here’s my thoughts on the shows that I finished this past season! All but one are sequels, though (and the one non-sequel was a carryover from last season)... Don’t worry, I’ll watch stuff like Megalobox and Hinamatsuri eventually! :’D

All “reviews” are listed in alphabetical order!

Amanchu! Advance - 8.0 / 10 (B-)

I liked season 2 as a whole! (Except for one episode / thing…)

QUEERBAITING SUCKS

I dunno if this is the fault of the anime or the source material…

…but this is still the most blatant example I’ve ever watched >_>

episode 11 didn’t need to happen!!! Why couldn’t Kokoro just… be a girl

or y’know, just let Pikari and Teko continue to “love” each other as they have! OTL

maybe why it annoyed me so much is that it’s like… a total bait & switch that went on for 2 SEASONS

to be fair, the reveal kinda went over my head? But when r/anime pointed it out, that’s when the salt began :/

yet the finale still has them blushing over reading thank you notes? It’s like this show wants its cake & eat it too

at the end of the day, the Kokoro stuff just… got in the way of Teko & Pikari’s interactions, platonic or not >_>

Also I’m one of the few people who actually liked the Peter arc

and it gave Ai some spotlight time!!!

it’s nice to have a little story arc to change things up (as opposed to an episodic structure)

(though I understand why many didn’t care for it… it leans a lot more towards supernatural than usual)

IMO they at least gave precedent w/ that one lucid dreaming episode w/ Teko, though

AND THERE’S ACTUAL SCUBA DIVING THIS TIME \o/

the underwater moments can be very magical… definitely the visual highlight

And the cast of characters is still enjoyable to watch too~ (def. a good group dynamic there)

Kokoro is considered a polarizing character for sure

I didn’t mind him that much until, y’know… his gender reveal led to the queer-baiting thing >_>

The finale was really nice though! It had pretty diving scenes and had cute Teko & Pikari moments~

In any case, this is still a very relaxing and heartwarming anime~

It has all the things I enjoyed about S1 here; it’s just the things added on top were a mixed-bag

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card - 8.0 / 10 (B)

EVERYONE IN THIS SHOW IS BEING VAGUE AS SHIT

But at least the mystery is interesting!

It’s just too bad it took like… 20 episodes to start getting any kind of explanation :’)

I actually watched the original series through a r/anime rewatch at the end of last year!

(meaning there wasn’t much time for me going from that series to this sequel)

I enjoyed the callbacks to the original series as well!

(including going from *anime* canon! i.e. the 2nd movie actually being canon)

The visuals look nice! Even though it almost looks a bit… *too* rounded in comparison to the original

I enjoyed watching Sakura capture all the new cards in different ways~

Even though this season was VERY light on plot (mostly), this aspect provided the action~

Also I enjoyed watching the character interactions too ^^

But yeah… the lack of overarching plot development and VAGUENESS kinda holds this season back

that being said, the final episodes set up some potentially interesting developments to come

and the finale itself *definitely* was not a conclusive one, so S2 better be confirmed soon!

Overall, I still enjoyed this continuation for the things it did right! I’ll be looking forward to a S2~

Darling in the FranXX - 8.0 / 10 (B)

Well this is/was a… polarizing show, to say the least.

I enjoyed it overall, but certain things about it hold it back from a higher score for me.

There’s two main elephants in the room with this series, really

#1 is… the heteronormativity

this was basically from the get-go, and in the roots of the story / themes itself

since the themes revolve around male/female partnerships & the importance of that… Yeah

one of the core quotes being “a female and a male aren’t complete w/o the other” …Yeah, again

also the sex-like positions of the “stamen” and “pistil” while piloting also doesn’t help

the workings of this world’s society has hetero relationships as the standard and doesn’t really allow for other options

(i.e. the FranXX piloting, Ikuno’s female attraction not working out in both operating the mech & her feelings for Ichigo, etc.)

at least Ikuno and Ichigo got a scene to talk about their attraction feelings & make up somewhat ^^

plus the Nines are basically gender non-binary but are seen as antagonistic forces for most of the show… Yeah

and just basic hetero things (like sex & pregnancy) were like being attacked in this show (when it’s not in real life???)

there’s an image meme that’s like “no, Prime Minister Abe… this will not get people to have babies” (…agreed :’D)

sure, there are *many* ways you can interpret this show, but the fact that so many people have seen it as such is Not Good

#2 is… the show supposedly “jumping the shark” towards the end

the main culprit of this (for many people) seems to be the “suddenly aliens!” reveal in episode ~20

this didn’t really impact my enjoyment of the show at all, but I definitely understand why people would be disappointed

in a way, it does kinda shift the story away from the themes it was using prior to this…

perhaps the lack of foreshadowing was another reason the shift in plot didn’t go well

plus it tends to directly riff off of certain visual cues from other mecha (like Eva & Gurren Lagaan)

Those two main gripes aside, the directing & visuals in this show were what kept me interested throughout

music choices, visual choices, etc. just really made certain moments better than they probably should’ve been

I enjoyed the characters as a group as well (even if most of them individually weren’t anything to write home about)

Goro’s a good bro, Ichigo went through good development, Kokoro & Mitsuru developed as a good pair…

Futoshi ended up being kind of a fat joke to the end though (& it was interesting that him & Kokoro didn’t end up together)

of course, Zero Two is the one everyone loved (& I liked her & Hiro’s dynamic as well)

sure, some people felt like she had “no personality” after she realized the truth about Hiro, but I didn’t mind the change

Plus I like that this show had a… pretty good ending, actually! (All things considered)

Directing as always was on point, and we got to see everyone’s lives over time (& Hiro + Zero Two eventually re-uniting as kids)

I just wish the main group got to see the two of them again :’)

though I do wish VIRM actually got full-on destroyed instead of a “we might come back” ending :/

and the ending was also kinda like “oh yeah, all the Children sent away didn’t actually die!” ???

This show will likely have a legacy not unlike Guilty Crown going forward, but I thought it ended better than that show, for the record

But yeah, this show is far from perfect and has questionable themes. But I still enjoyed it over all for the things it did well~’

Nanatsu no Taizai S2 - 8.0 / 10 (B-)

Unfortunately, not as good as S1 (but I still enjoyed this season overall)

S1 felt like its own self-contained story, but this season is clearly a “Part 1” for things to come

I wish Diana had more to do this season… she lost her memory early on and STILL doesn’t have it back

she was out of the main conflict (& separated from the group) for most of it :/

she also had these WEIRD ANGLES & POSES all the time… the fan service w/ her was *Really* distracting

the only consolation is that we got to learn some backstory for her & meet her fellow giants

oh well, at least she’s met up with King again and is enjoying his company by the end :)

The Gowther twist is interesting, but the way they revealed it was kinda… underwhelming

plus that *also* hasn’t been resolved yet (like many other things this season)

Some good moments this season were centered around Ban

such as his relationship w/ Jericho, time w/ a resurrected Elaine, and the small arc w/ his foster dad :’)

Also the final Sin got introduced w/ Escanor! PRAISE THE SUN

he’s a fun character; skittish by night and INVINCIBLE by day

The addition of power levels was kinda weird

it wasn’t necessary in S1, so why add it now???

The training arc gave us a full flashback to Melodias’ past w/ losing Liza, which was nice (and sad ;~; )

plus the vs. 10 Commandments fight actually showed Melodias full-on dying? That doesn’t happen much

it was a brutal death too! Hard to watch ;~;

plus they even changed the OP animation to reflect that he died… now that’s commitment

of course he came back later on, but there’s a catch… (since he loses some emotions every time)

There were some good fights, mostly during the “tournament” arc

(especially Melodias vs. all commandments… a sakuga highlight for sure)

The finale had a good stopping point, but it definitely makes clear that the story’s not over

so yeah, unlike season 1, this season *needs* a season 3 to be worth the watch

So yeah, there were some good moments & fights this season, but as a whole, it’s weaker than S1

Shokugeki no Souma S3 (Part 2) - 8.5 / 10 (B+)

I enjoyed this season! Continuing on the darker tone that the first half of S3 set up

This plot line of Central taking over the school is still my favorite plot point thus far, tbh

in other words, shit is finally going down!

…even if many of Central are just mustache-twirling villains :’D

Erina’s gotten great development from this arc too…! She’s not just a typical stuck-up tsundere anymore

her backstory is definitely a harsh one. It was great seeing her gain the courage to stick up to dad!

We also learned more about Souma’s dad! :O

Especially about how he was seen as feared, and the pressure of success got to him :’(

along with how this backstory tied into Asami’s motivations as well

Most of the season was kinda a gauntlet of opponents for the “resistance” to face off against

seeing Akira turn evil (for a bit) was interesting, but it’s a good thing he turned good again~

we oddly haven’t seen a lot of the Elite Ten in cooking action yet???

The final part of the season started off the big Team Shokugeki! …but it only got through the first round

the stakes are definitely high for this one, and also seems like the big conflict of this arc for sure

it’s just, y’know… the season ending in the middle is not a good look, really

at least the ending wasn’t abrupt; it was open-ended but still had a sense of conclusion

All in all, a good second half of season 3 (with some of my favorite plot content thus far!). Keep it up!

#amanchu #amanchu!#amanchu advance #cardcaptor sakura #cardcaptor sakura clear card #darling in the franxx #nanatsu no taizai #the seven deadly sins #shokugeki no soma #food wars #Final Impressions

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kihocrystal · 6 years

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How PTSD affects Yusaku’s sleep

Just one thing that I’ve noticed about Yusaku so far in the series. Due to Lost Incident, poor kid suffers from PTSD and while this condition affects Yusaku on many levels, I think that what it does to his sleep is the most terrifying one of them all.

Aged only six, Yusaku was isolated, forced to duel, tortured with electric shocks and starved for half of a year. This heavily damaged his mental state and enforced a fear in him, that still haunts him ten years later.

At the very start of the series, Yusaku is seen sleeping in the class and it appears to be like any other normal school nap that so many smart anime characters are accused of (aka. “I sleep in the class but when the teacher asks me to answer a question, I will be 100% right even though I wasn’t listening.”)

And judging from Naoki’s reaction this is something that Yusaku does on a regular basis.

Considering he helps Kusanagi hack during the night, it’s completely understandable that Yusaku gets extremely exhausted from all the work, both as a hacker and Playmaker. But what do those two situations have in common? Let’s compare them with another one.

The only time that we see Yusaku sleep on his own after the Lost Incident, he suffers from a night terror, reliving the torture over and over again. When Yusaku was held captive he was sleeping all alone so it kinda makes sense that when he sleeps alone, it triggers him to relive those horrible moments of the torture. In school, he’s surrounded by people and in the hot-dog truck he has Kusanagi, so he’s no longer alone. There’s another situation that supports my point.

I know this happens just before Tower of Hanoi arc and an uneasy feeling is a result of knowing something is going to happen. But either way, Kusanagi doesn’t act all that surprised when he sees him which may suggest that’s something that Yusaku does often when he cannot sleep. I mean the fact that he always knows where Kusanagi’s truck might be is because that’s something that Kusanagi tells him (like “In case you won’t be able to sleep again, my truck is three blocks from your apartment and you can come.”) since he probably knows that Yusaku has night terrors regularly. Heck, maybe that’s how the two of them met like Yusaku was undergoing treatment at the same facility where Jin was treated and doctors told him that he has trouble sleeping. The two of them then might’ve then talked and realized they have the same goal so Yusaku joined him and during first few weeks, Kusanagi saw it himself how long can Yusaku stay up due to being afraid to fall asleep.

So to conclude, the only times when Yusaku can sleep is when someone is with him since he unconsciously feels safer and not reexperiencing the same isolation that he did as a young child. I hope this will be explored more in the future episodes, perhaps he and Takeru will even have a sleepover where they will talk of how they dealt with consequences of the Lost Incident and maybe give each other pieces of advice? Whatever happens, I surely hope VRAINS will show more of this content.

#really good analysis......#poor yuusaku ;~;#YuGiOh Vrains #Yuusaku Fujiki

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kihocrystal · 6 years

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Winter 2018 Final Impressions

I’m a month late, as usual (whoops!), but here’s my final thoughts on the animes I watched this past season!

The “reviews” will be in alphabetical order!

3-gatsu no Lion S2 - 9.0 / 10 (A)

This second season of 3-gatsu was great! It’s just… a really great drama show about fighting depression (& a bunch of other character storylines)!

First off... THE BULLYING ARC WAS REALLY GOOD

extremely complicated, emotionally complex… this arc brings all sorts of emotions & angles into the forefront

multiple perspectives too: Hina’s, Rei’s, the bullied girl’s, the bully’s, the teachers’, and Akari too!

The art style can pull off both thick-outlined / bright colored style and watercolor-esque style incredibly well

it really is beautiful how it can visually portray both light-hearted and emotionally intense scenes

This season continues to show how good it is at character development for characters both main & supporting!

We get to see Rei moving through the ranks as a shogi player

and also moving through the ranks of conquering his depression! He’s improved more than ever before!

We get to learn about the white-haired master player (Souya); I liked how he has his own quicks and challenges he has in his daily life

Along with the other head shogi guy (Yanagihara)! (& how he shoulders his legacy for his friends)

Even the last episode offered some perspective from the foster mom about Rei & her kids

this show is just… really good at making normally-hated characters sympathetic, hot damn

Aside from bullying arc, this season also showed Hina preparing for the transition to high school

The finale episode was nice and sweet, with Hina saying goodbye to Takahashi and even getting a haircut!

This continues to be one of the best drama anime in recent years! Not to mention SHAFT’s best show since Madoka Magica :3

Cardfight!! Vanguard G: Z - 7.5 - 8.0 / 10 (C+)

And so ends the G series of Cardfight Vanguard… this final season I’ll say though is kind of a mixed bag

The plot had interesting ideas and moments at times, but the execution and pacing left a bit to be desired

though I will say it was definitely better than last season (CFV G NEXT)

This season didn’t waste any time getting to the main plot, as Chrono has to face off against a Diffrider right away

the diffrider stuff is continued from last season, but for the most part, it’s a new plot kicking off!

The rollout of all the new Diffrider Apostles (& them showing their strength) definitely made them look like powerful foes

not to mention the Zeroth Dragons, which were also shown to be powerful and very risky to use

Also knowing that anyone in the main cast could end up being The Vessel added some intrigue as well

the reveal that Kazuma would be the vessel definitely was a well executed twist imo~

However the pacing in places felt a bit too fast for me… the Relics subplot felt like it wrapped up too quickly, for example

the final fight against Gyze also kinda felt rushed… Gyze didn’t even have any dying words after his defeat :/

As a final season specifically, I feel like it kinda pales in comparison to Stride Gate, unfortunately

The cast was also kinda hit and miss in terms of how well they were utilized in the plot

some of the apostles definitely had more screen time than others (gredora only got like… two episodes)

plus gastille (the supposed apostle leader) got beaten sooner than like 3 other ones???

some villains carry over from last season too, such as Noa (Chaos Breaker) and the red-head punk kid

I liked all the new villains this season, personality-wise! (Also Yukari Tamura in there is a plus)

also no Am and Luna this season, really…

the previously established OG cast were integrated fine, for the most part

including Aichi and Kai getting the kill against Chaos Breaker Dragon

but the final episodes kinda just shoe-horn in a bunch of cameos that just didn’t feel natural :/

it just felt like “OH SHIT, this is the last season actually! Quick, throw in a bunch of cameos!”

this also applies to G characters, which makes less utilized characters (like Am & Luna, as mentioned before) look out of place :(

Sure, I’m saying a bunch of negative stuff right now, but I REALLY LOVE THIS CAST… I JUST WANT THE BEST FOR THEM

It’s the main reason I love CFV G, after all~

This season was definitely an improvement over NEXT for sure! The plot was interesting, I just wish the conclusion was better

The final episode basically just felt like an OVA, really… aside from the last scene, it didn’t really feel like an epilogue at all

I guess it just bums me out bc the original series got a good epilogue episode, so I know they could do it here, too…

In any case, I’M GONNA MISS THIS CAST, BIG TIME ;A;

In any case, this was a decent season to end the G series with! Not the strongest, but not the weakest either.

I’m gonna look back on my time with CFV G fondly for sure, if for nothing else than the great ensemble cast :’)

It’s gonna be weird going back to the OG cast for sure… I arguably liked the G cast better than the OG one :’D

Osomatsu-san S2 - 8.0 / 10 (B)

The consensus among fans seems to be that this season wasn’t as good as the first season

As for me, I… probably agree with that (though I still enjoyed this season!)

As with most comedy anime, whether the jokes land is pretty subjective. I feel like I didn’t laugh as hard this season? IDK

There were more “seasonal/holiday”-based episodes this time around (i.e. summer, new year’s, etc.)

What stays the same though is that this show is at its best when featuring the main brothers themselves

Skits involving the side characters (like Iyami, Dayon, etc.) didn’t make me laugh much…

I will say though that I enjoyed the second half of the season more than the first half~

Enough about the negatives, let’s talk about this season’s memorable skits / episodes!

The premiere was really good, as it poked fun at the huge popularity the show unexpectedly got xD

plus a bunch of references that *aren’t* gonna get them removed from streaming sites this time!

Jyushimatsu getting an “apprentice” with a little kid was also pretty funny~

The Karamatsu taxi skit, the spooky inn, & all the characters being stuck on an island were also good skits!

Ep. 18 (Iyami, Alone in the Wind) was also a crowd favorite, since it brought the feels for a change :’)

The finale 2-parter pulled a bait-and-switch yet again!

Part 1 was actually pretty serious, but the actual finale just has them trying to break out of hell xD

OH YEAH, I still really like the live-action stuff they do during the ending sequences

the first half’s ED was my favorite (the stop-motion of the brothers riding in the car)

I don’t have much to say about comedies generally, but Osomatsu-san is still my favorite in recent years ^^

Even though this season didn’t hit as hard as S1, it still provided some fun laughs~

Pop Team Epic - 7.5 / 10 (C+)

What can I really say about this show? It kind of defies description ^^;

Ok, yeah, it’s a sketch comedy, but it’s a really… crazy and random sketch comedy

The jokes are hit and miss (and in my experience was a bit more… miss than hit)

I never really laughed out loud at this show either

but then again, the humor here is more “being confused at what’s going on, but going along with it anyway”

There’s also a lot of modern anime references, so you might not get those jokes if you don’t follow most recent anime

Each episode has a long skit in it, plus a bunch of bite-size skits

I personally preferred the short skits over the long ones

There were a couple song parodies which I enjoyed (including the Earth Wind & Fire parody)

Also, this series definitely benefits from having an English simuldub! Some skits I found funnier in English!

OH YEAH, the voice actors (in both languages) change every episode, with female and male VAs in each episode

that enhanced the enjoyability of the sketches too, since I liked hearing favorite VAs do silly dialogue and performances!

I wouldn’t say this ranks among my favorite anime comedies, but it’s definitely unlike any other I’ve seen! ^^;

Your mileage will *definitely* vary with this one, so give it a try and see if it’s for you!

The Ancient Magus’ Bride (Mahoutsukai no Yome) - 8.5 - 9 / 10 (A-)

This was a very enjoyable fantasy drama show! Some people feel this show was overhyped, but I still thought it was really good!

I really liked the cast overall, especially Chise

She has really good character development throughout the show! She really becomes more strong and confident!

Seeing the fantastical world through her eyes was interesting as well!

Especially since those mystical elements were also responsible for her terrible childhood…

Elias was also an interesting guy… he and Chise have an interesting relationship together

Their relationship definitely has aspects that are unhealthy, but they do grow closer to each other by the end

If people can’t get past the whole premise of “him buying Chise to be his bride” though, I totally understand ^^;

They help each other learn too, which I liked to see

The supporting cast was also enjoyable! Not much to say about them individually though

The dragon keeper was nice and we got to learn about Elias’ origins through him

The dragons in general were great! Especially the old one that turned into a tree :’)

He gives Chise some good sage advice, even after death :’)

Angelica, Silky, and Stella (among others, like the other anti-hero duo) were good support characters too~

I liked Stella’s role of “normal girl who learns of the supernatural’s existence”

Cartaphilus was an… okay villain, I guess (though his methods were quite creepy indeed, which added some intrigue)

Some character designs are a bit questionable though… like who approved the vampire’s design? ^^;

Another large appeal of this was the world building of the fantastical elements!

I liked seeing all the different types of locales & supernatural creatures, both good and bad

As a low-fantasy show, this show does a Dang Good Job with the fantasy!

Chise learning more about herself and gaining confidence through these experiences were a highlight as well

I enjoyed each story arc as well, even though most of them were more explorative and introspective

This show can be dang beautiful sometimes, through both its art/animation and its stories (Thanks, Studio WIT!)

Some were better than others, but they all deliver either a heartwarming (or a dark) story

Some favorites of mine were the dragon-based ones, and the vampire loving the old man

The finale was good too! It’s unknown whether this conclusion is anime-original or not, but it was definitely a good S1 ending~

If you love low-fantasy shows, this is definitely one to check out!

Violet Evergarden - 8.5 - 9.0 / 10 (A-)

Best *new* anime (that I watched) of this past season, hands down~

Though to be fair, I still need to watch A Place Farther than the Universe… and Yuru Camp… and After the Rain…

Going into this season, this show was hyped and back and somehow… a lot of people were *disappointed* with this show?

I think it had to do with expecting a different show than what we got; as for me, I knew it’d be an episodic drama the whole time :P

But yes, this show has a (mostly) episodic plot with an overarching character arc. If that’s too slow for you, then you probably won’t like this show.

In any case, back to the positives! The first one being how good this show looks visually… as expected from KyoAni~

there’s so much detail in the backgrounds and the character elements (especially the lighting on objects like Violet’s metal hands)

this aspect is one thing *everyone* agrees on regardless, so… yeah, this show’s really pretty!

The main star (and focus) of this show was Violet herself… you can really see how she changes for the better from beginning to end

You get to see how “robot-like” she was at the start of the show, but she slowly learns about dealing with emotions of others… and herself

This character arc is definitely the “main” plot of the show, along with her coming to terms with Gilbert’s death and her war killings

The episodic plots were good in their own right, too!

Ranging from Violet’s start as a Memoir Doll to the different clients she works with, they all teach her something along the way

These sometimes focus on the side characters working at the Doll Agency too, so we get to learn more about them as well

The one that comes to mind first is Iris’ episode, where she (messily) reconnects with a former lover

Not all of them get a full episode in the spotlight, but they do get some focus scenes from time to time

Violet’s clientele episodes were the most memorable out of this lot IMO

ESPECIALLY EPISODE 10… that was the BIGGEST feels trip

I knew exactly how the episode was going to end, but I still teared up at that ending!

The finale was action packed, but also was a beautiful way to show how far Violet has come

I know some people’s issue with this show is that “it doesn’t know what show it wants to be” re: the action stuff, but I was fine with it personally

in any case, it was a pretty good book-end for Violet’s development, since she finally understands (a least a little) what “I love you” means :’)

I understand certain people’s gripes with this show, but this really is a great little drama show that *will* deliver the feels~

P.S. I also watched Fate/Extra: Last Encore this season. It hasn’t technically ended yet, so I can’t give final impressions on it right now. However, my current score for it is a 7.5/10 (C+).

#3 gatsu no lion #march comes in like a lion #cardfight!! vanguard #cardfight vanguard g #cardfight vanguard gz #osomatsu san #pop team epic #mahoutsukai no yome #the ancient magus bride #violet evergarden #Final Impressions

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kihocrystal · 6 years

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#YuGiOh Arc V #Kill la Kill #Yuzu Hiiragi #crossover

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kihocrystal · 6 years

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#yugioh vrains #gif warning

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kihocrystal · 6 years

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Fall 2017 - Final Impressions

This is at least a month late at this point, but here I am anyway with my thoughts on anime I watched that finished this past season! I wrote about all of them in bullet-point format, with the exception of my blurb on Inuyashiki (which is in a paragraph format, like my stuff last season). Also, since this post is so late anyway, I decided to include my thoughts on Kirakira Precure A La Mode in this post as well!

All my “reviews” are under the cut, and are listed in alphabetical order!

Fate/Apocrypha - 8.0 / 10 ( B )

This was another enjoyable entry in the Fate franchise! Fun characters and entertaining battles~

Many people were disappointed by this show though. I’ll admit this isn’t my favorite Fate material, but I still enjoyed it enough

A-1 Pictures did a pretty good job overall on the action/fight scenes!

Could be a little rough around the edges, but fluidity was nice overall

Episode 22 was definitely crazy though! Even though it’s *very* off-model, the fluidity and cinematography was on point!

It was full of tons of web-gen talent; check it out as a standalone to see some unique sakuga!

I liked most of the characters overall, though many memorable side characters didn’t get as much focus as they deserved…

Mostly with Saber Red (Mordred) & Sisigou; such a fun duo that ended up being decoy-protags in a sense :/

One common complaint is that the main protag ended up being a mostly emotionless homunculus (Seig)

I don’t have strong feelings towards him unlike most fans, but yeah, they could’ve focused on a more interesting character

Jeanne was nice and I liked her interactions with Seig

Black Assassin (Jack the Ripper)’s role in the story kinda felt pointless? Like their arc felt like a tangent to the main story :/

plus why was he changed to be a little loli girl in a skimpy assassin outfit >__>

also THERE’S SO MANY MALE->FEMALE CHARACTERS HERE… I mean, let’s be real, we all know why though >_>

Astolfo was fun!!! He’s cheery and is good moral support to everyone ^^

I also liked Frankenstein’s Monster… her relationship w/ Caules was sweet too~

and her death was sad ;~;

I liked Amakusa Shiro as a villain (his initial name of Shirou Kotomine threw me for a loop, though! ^^; )

…oh yeah, seeing Darnic flip out w/ his servant in the midway point was pretty silly ^^;

I enjoyed seeing the story progress (i.e. character interactions and strategizing, the fights, etc.)

there were some nice little nods to other Fate stuff (like Waver and Gilles from Zero, and Heaven’s Feel, I guess?)

the whole thing with Seig inheriting some of Frankenstein’s power at the end felt like an ass-pull, though

the finale was nice!!! Even though Seig turning into a dragon was kind of weird

mainly… I’m just glad Astolfo got to live :’)

So yeah, I had a good time with this show overall! Not disappointed like many others, but not blown away either.

Houseki no Kuni - 8.5 / 10 (B+ / A-)

I checked this out due to some buzz from Twitter mutuals, but this show was definitely a pleasant surprise!

REALLY GOOD CGI; definitely some of the best CGI seen in anime yet (at least for an all-CGI production)

the premise is well suited for it too! the style does a really nice job of showing their gem-ness

also really good CGI action scenes! Lots of speed & dynamic camera angles + chara movements!

The story takes some time to quite figure out, but eventually shows itself as a character-based story w/ some mystery

Phos is the star of the show; their character goes through the ringer and comes out VERY different by the end

I really love seeing stories like this that show dramatic character change~

it also ties in well with the whole “losing parts of your body causes memory loss” aspect

along with the “combining w/ different alloys can change who you are” aspect

Phos’ VA also has a great performance! She nails both of their goofy & serious moments

There’s also just really good chemistry w/ the cast in general; they all play well off each other & are playful in their own ways

several of them get some spotlight time on occasion (such as Bort, Dia, and Rutile the doctor)

AND ANTARCICITE… they were a big influence on Phos for sure (w/ their death being a major turning point)

While this season’s story was mostly Phos-centric, there were definitely hints of some mystery as well

mostly involving the history of the world & its species (possibly post-apocalyptic?), along w/ the Master’s secrets

one side effect of Phos’ story focus was Cinnabar’s story kinda being sidelined? Or at least Phos’ initial goal w/ them?

it comes back in the finale, but still worth noting

The finale definitely showed Phos’ character kinda coming full circle, but definitely left those mysteries open for a continuation

This show was interesting throughout, especially after I got a handle on what kind of story it would be.

Definitely one of this season’s highlights! I’m not sure I’d go as far as saying it’s AOTS, but it’s definitely a worthy mention~

Inuyashiki - 8.5 / 10 (B+)

I had a really good time with this action show! It’s also hard to go wrong with an anime that adapts its entire source material, which also adds points in its favor! For an action show, I really liked how down-to-earth and naturalistic it felt! A big part of that can be attributed to the characters and their realistic-sounding voice actor performances, especially with the two leads of Inuyashiki Ichiro and Shishigami Hiro. They just felt like… real people most of the time, and didn’t really have many “anime-isms”, if you know what I mean. Inuyashiki’s voice actor had a really soft-spoken voice too (and Hiro kinda sounded like a more naturalistic Miyano Mamoru ^^; ). This aspect also contrasts well with the fact that both of them are, y’know, machine people now! The characters also get some really good development and humanization; Hiro especially gets a bunch of the latter in the middle of the show (which is a little odd considering how much of a sociopath he is, along with killing for enjoyment, but the added depth is appreciated nonetheless). I also liked how Inuyashiki became more appreciated by his family and those around him as the show went on, which led to a well done bittersweet ending for him. As for other aspects of the show, I like the realistic-leaning art style that MAPPA went with; it adds well to the realistic feeling of the characters themselves! That being said, there was a *lot* of CGI usage in this show, which didn’t always look that great (especially when comparing it to this season’s Houseki no Kuni). There was also a weird sense of scale in the last scene of episode 9, where the planes looked way larger than they should have been from a “looking-upwards” perspective. Besides this, I didn’t have any issue with the look of the show, as the hand-drawn animation/art looked good overall! The story is quite character-driven for an action show like this, which isn’t something you see often! Seeing Inuyashiki be able to save others and kick ass against scummy people was great to see too (when manga readers said this series was full of “justice porn”, they weren’t kidding!). Also, seeing Hiro just waltz into people’s homes and kill them just with a finger gun (and also toy with his victims in such a nonchalant way) was pretty crazy to see too… it makes him quite a terrifying villain! His larger scale killing towards the end was pretty over the top though; I’m not sure how I feel about that. In any case, the final fight between Inuyashiki and Hiro was a cool spectacle (and the scene with him trying to revive his daughter was also emotional as well…). Overall, this was a cool take on an action thriller show, as it added lots of humanistic and naturalistic touches!

Kekkai Sensen & Beyond - 8.0 - 8.5 / 10 ( B )

Fun season 2! Upbeat and full of really good action and animation!

Talk about the visuals and the setting still being very unique!

Episodic like last season, but without an overarching plot this time

I preferred having an overarching plot to go with the episodic stuff last season, but whatever

and yes, I know that’s how the manga is

the stakes didn’t seem to be as high this season because of it… idk

the episodic stuff this season was really good though!

Those two main villain people weren’t shown at all though??? (Or is that not the point)

Black and White not being as present either (but this is understandable, since their story’s done)

Definitely more focus on some different characters this season, like Steven, Chain, and KK

The finale 2-parter (especially the final episode) was Really Good!

I really liked how Leonardo was able to have a Big Damn Hero moment against a villain

plus the use of music with muted sound effects was really effective!

I probably enjoyed season 1 more, but this was still a very enjoyable second season!

Kirakira Precure A La Mode - 7.5 / 10 (C+)

This latest entry in the Precure franchise was a fun time! (Despite it not being very strong of a season overall)

The art / animation is bright and colorful as always! The backgrounds had a nice sketchy (& watercolor) look to them ^^

The character designs took some time to get used to, but the combination of sweets and animal motifs looks cute as a whole~

Fight scenes can be fun too! Sometimes they can be too simplistic or not have much movement, but are engaging at other times!

There is a lack of hand-to-hand combat though… this show did prove in a few episodes to have really good action using the beam attacks!

Whether it was a happier scene or a darker scene, I did like this show’s use of color throughout!

One of the main factors in determining a Precure season’s quality is the character themselves; the Cures here don’t disappoint!

Each girl was very distinct and had their own time in the spotlight (multiple times, even!)

My personal favorites were Himari and Aoi; I liked how Himari grew more confident over time, and how Aoi balanced her rich girl & band life!

Akira and Yukari were definitely fan favorites too, especially due to the Michiru/Kaoru dynamic :P

I liked Akira right from her intro episode, but it took some time for me to warm up to Yukari… by the end, I appreciated what her deal was ^^

And of course, Ichika was the glue holding them all together! She was a great leader Cure~

I enjoyed Ciel too! She was a little stuck-up at first, but she quickly mellowed out and was a fun personality to watch!

and Pikario too, of course! I really liked his character arc, and I wish he got to become a proper Cure in the end…

As for the villains, they were much better individually than as a group unit. It also didn’t help that they came in one at a time, really

besides Pikario, Bibury was an enjoyable villain too! I liked her even more when she became friends with Ciel~

also I just like how she’s voiced by Doremi’s seiyuu :’)

the only non-traitor villain I liked was Elisio, since he was menacing and was well-versed in mind games :’D

plus Hirakawa Daisuke’s performance as him also adds to his creepiness!

unfortunately, Grave, Diable, and even Noir himself didn’t really impress me in any way…

The story is pretty basic here, as it is in most Precure seasons. At least the villain arcs do a good job aiding in pushing the story along!

This season is mostly character driven, so most episodes are based around characters and focusing on an aspect about them

At times, this was fun to watch! At other times, it was kinda uninteresting…

At least there was some story content about the Precure’s origins; in this case, Lumiere (& Noir) 100 years in the past!

Pikario & Bibury’s character arcs were definitely the highlight in terms of main plot moments, along with Elisio’s mind games

The final battle definitely took a different approach than normal, focusing less on fighting and more on sentimental aspects

I guess what I mean by this is that there was a whole episode in a brainwashed world, and then Elisio was swayed through open dialogue

speaking of Elisio, he overtook Noir to be the final boss (which makes Noir even *more* underwhelming)

Really though, this final confrontation was a bit underwhelming in terms of scale and action, unfortunately :/

The finale had a nice sense of conclusion and wrapped up Ichika’s character arc quite nicely! (But also continues the new “tradition” of shoe-horning next season’s lead Cure in there...)

While this season is not among Precure’s best, it was still an enjoyable and light-hearted time!

Love Live Sunshine! S2 - 8.5 / 10 (B+ / A- )

What an enjoyable second season! Lots of great songs & dances, plus lovely character moments & team bonding~

Animation / art continues to be very nice! Very bright, colorful, and SHINY~!

the CGI isn’t bad either, actually! The models are still nice and have good fluidity, for the most part!

plus there were some really good songs this season! My favorite was probably AWAKEN THE POWER

I also really liked how they threw in Kimi no Kokoro wo Kagayaiteru Kai in episode 3 too!!!

and Aozora Jumping Heart in the finale too, as is tradition

Yup, I still love these girls of Aqours! Sure, I have my favorites, but really all the girls got some good moments this season~

plus Ruby finally got her own episode! A two-parter, in fact!!!

Kanan finally got more screen time too, plus Dia got a focus episode too!

And pairing Yohane and Riko together for an episode was interesting! Plus it helped Riko conquer her fear of dogs ^^

no one outside of Aqours (besides Saint Snow) really got any spotlight time, but that’s not really what we’re here for :P

speaking of Saint Snow, they shared their focus episode(s) w/ Ruby (which was a really good two-parter, btw!)

The story events still follow Aqours journey to win Love Live and find their shine, continuing from last season!

I really liked the story decision to have them fail to save the school… it added a lot of emotional weight & helped set them apart further from u’s

which made the finale hit even heavier than normal… the group’s split up *and* they’re saying goodbye to the school ;~;

just seeing all the character moments play out (both goofy and serious/sentimental) was great!

This show has a great use of emotion in general, which is why I like it so much (despite it being a little corny ^^; )

This season was just such an enjoyable and fun show all around! A great source of warm fuzzies and feels~

Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryoukou - 8.5 / 10 (B+ / A-)

What a cute, heartwarming, and atmospheric show! Probably my current pick for AOTS

(except I haven’t caught up w/ Ancient Magus’ Bride though, so this could definitely change ^^; )

The post-apocalyptic world was very dark and mechanical, and the snow contrasted it well too!

Also the character designs being more rounded and “moe” is also a nice contrast ^^;

They remind me a lot of Aoki Ume’s character design work, tbh

Chi and Yuu were a great duo to follow throughout their travels! They had good banter together~

There were a couple other characters (like plane girl, map guy, and the “cut”), which I liked them too!

Each episode was self contained / episodic, and had their own little stories which were enjoyable~

It’s basically watching a mellow road trip across an apocalyptic world… calming yet mysterious!

The rain episode, the aquarium one, the explosion one, the finale… all good!

I will admit that I did have to warm up to this show a little bit, but after that point, I enjoyed it the rest of the way~

Basically, it got better as it went on!

The finale was also nice! We got some history of humanity, plus a sad goodbye to the “cut” :’)

If you like slice-of-life / iyashikei shows, this one’s a winner for sure!

Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru S2 - 8.5 / 10 (B+)

These are my thoughts on both the Washio Sumi chapter & the Hero chapter! And I liked both of them!

Animation / art is bright and colorful as usual, with some really good fight scenes!

Really good sense of scale too! The only negative I can say is that the CGI kinda sticks out like a sore thumb sometimes

I have to say, that final episode action scene was pretty epic! (Even though I couldn’t tell what was going on at the time ^^; )

I enjoyed watching the characters in both chapters! Both seeing old faces again and learning about the former team!

Sonoko was a lot more goofy than I expected! And Gin was fun as well (and a great fighter… she went out like a champ ;~;7)

also seeing that goofiness carry over to her interactions with the S1 crew was interesting to see too!

Even though there weren’t many new developments with the S1 cast, I still enjoyed watching them go through the story’s events

though poor Yuuna… she really got put through the emotional ringer this season ;A;

The stories of both halves were also enjoyable! Even though it’s definitely different than what you’d expect from a S2 of something :O

the Washio Sumi chapter was mostly fun times with the gang until a certain death happens… then it gets darker from there

of course the dramatic irony of knowing how their fates end adds a bittersweet tone to all those happy SOL scenes :’)

as for Hero chapter, it starts out as a Tougou rescue mission, but then switches to a heavy Yuuna focus

she just goes through so much and is so self-sacrificing… it was very emotionally effective ;~;

the final conflict definitely ups the scale, big time! And also presents an interesting dilemma as to what’s the right thing to do

since, y’know, *it’s the end of the world*

the ending was really nice though! Great use of music and it’s a happy ending despite seeing the negative ramifications

I enjoyed coming back to Yuuki Yuuna and watching what seems to be the definitive *end* of the series!

It’s definitely the best post-Madoka dark magical girl series, so check it out!

#fate/apocrypha #houseki no kuni #land of the lustrous #inuyashiki #kekkai sensen #kira kira precure a la mode #kirakira precure a la mode #love live sunshine #shoujo shuumatsu ryoukou #girls last tour #yuuki yuuna wa yuusha de aru #Final Impressions

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kihocrystal · 7 years

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volume warning

#get your game on is SUPER obvious at the start but then it kinda turns into a blend of that and take a chance ^^;#YuGiOh #audio

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kihocrystal · 7 years

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Summer 2017 - Final Impressions

I may have skipped writing opinions up for Spring season (due to computer issues...), but I’m back for Summer season! I even fell behind this season because of school (hence why this is half a month late), but nonetheless, here are my thoughts on the animes I finished this past season!

The list of shows is in the tags, and are ordered alphabetically under the cut!

Boku no Hero Academia S2 - 8.5 / 10 ( B+ )

This was another really fun season of Boku no Hero Academia! This season was twice as long as season 1, which meant double the action! Most of the action this season was actually more on the light-hearted side, as two of the main story arcs of this season were the School Tournament, and the Final Exams. These arcs got to see the cast work together and face off against one another, which helped us learn more about their characters in the process! Almost everyone had their time to shine (which was great!), but the one who had the most prominent character arc was Todoroki; we learned about his troubled past with his family, and how he changes his mindset and attitude throughout the tournament, which was great to see! Character development was definitely a big aspect of this season (as seen through both of those arcs), but there was also a good amount of overarching story set-up as well! The main arc showing this off was the Hero Killer Stain arc (which included the Internships), which was definitely my favorite part of this season! Seeing Midoriya, Todoroki, and Iida face off against him was super fun and interesting, and also kicked off some plot progression that should go towards future arcs! Midoriya has improved his super power usage over the course of this season, and we also learned about All For One, which will surely be the Big Bad of this series as a whole. The finale also teases more things about upcoming conflicts, which included Midoriya having an interesting interaction with villain Tomura (and a ship might be sailing with Ochako and Midoriya)! It’s a good thing a season 3 has already been confirmed, because an open ending like this would’ve been bad otherwise! As it stands though, it’s a really good lead-in to the next season! Season 2 was great set-up for things to come (and good fun action on its own, of course!); I probably would’ve enjoyed this season even more if there was more interactions with the villains, but that will surely come in the upcoming season 3!

Isekai Shokudou - 7.5 - 8.0 / 10 ( B- )

This was a cute little show that was a good pick for “comfy show of the season”! I enjoyed meeting the wide range of characters and seeing them try out different types of food. I also appreciated how the food reactions were very downplayed, in comparison to more over-the-top fares like Shokugeki no Souma. That being said, they go into just as much detail describing why the food is so good (at least in the earlier episodes). I also liked seeing the patrons interact with each other, including getting into fights about who’s favorite dish is better. Each character’s story about how they discovered the diner (and the occasional backstory) was enjoyable to watch; we didn’t learn much about them outside of that, but we learned more about their interests and relationships via how they interacted with others both inside and outside the restaurant. It was also nice seeing how the restaurant has been a recurring thing for years, going back to the chef’s grandparents! The story is episodic, but each individual story was a nice, occasionally heartwarming, and “comfy” thing to watch once a week. The art-style complemented the easy-going pace as well; it was warm-toned and drew the food quite nicely (even if the animation itself was standard fare). This may not be a super in-depth slice-of-life show, but it’s a good watch if you just want to relax and see some good food!

Kakegurui - 7.5 - 8.0 / 10 ( B- )

This was the most popular show of the season on MAL (in terms of amount of people who watched it), and it’s easy to see why: high stakes (and over-the-top) gambling, the extreme reaction faces, and VERY sexual characters who get off on gambling (with yuri overtones to boot!). The more sexual scenes kind of got old for me over time, but I enjoyed all those other aspects! The crazy gambling games and characters were fun to watch (as someone who enjoys YuGiOh so much, that’s right up my alley!), and the crazy reactions added to the over-the-top appeal. Yumeko was an enjoyable lead, since she’s got just the right amount of insanity behind her also-enjoyable sweet facade (plus her seiyuu, Saori Hayami, did a great job performing her!). Many of the other main girls got some time in the spotlight too, both student council members and eventual Yumeko allies (though some student council members got more time than others, for sure). The main male lead, Suzui Ryouta, was definitely just there as an audience surrogate though, since he’s pretty bland (though he had some involvement in some gambles too!). When you get down to it, the appeal of this show is the characters and the gambling events themselves; all the story in-between just feels kind of lacking in comparison. Even the finale, which to be fair was anime original, kinda felt like a non-ending; the outcome kind of made that final gamble pointless and didn’t leave me with a good sense of conclusion (but hey, at least it’s better than a full-on cliffhanger or abrupt stopping point!). This show was far from my favorites of this season, but it was still an fun time during the gambling parts (which thankfully there’s a lot of here!). If you enjoy over-the-top gaming action and don’t mind the more sexual aspects (which can get somewhat explicit at times), you might like this one!

Made in Abyss - 9 / 10 ( A )

This is easily my pick for AOTS, no contest! It’s just a great adventure show from top to bottom, with a great sense of adventure and mystery! It also helps that the setting is one of the most unique and mysterious we’ve seen in anime for a long time! The Abyss is full of many different elements that not even the in-universe cast know of, which lends itself well to majestic scenes, along with terrifying secrets (it’s a lawless place, after all). Not to mention that the background art captures it extremely well; the huge amount of detail is a good contrast with the more square and cartoony character art-style! The soundtrack is used wonderfully, as it really gets a grand sense of ambience, mystery, and scale all at once! (Especially that one insert song they use a couple times, but first in the premiere!) The Abyss has been a cool place to learn and see more about over the course of the show, but it can definitely rear its ugly dangerous head from time to time, too. Meaning, this show can be VERY gruesome at times; there’s quite a few scenes involving large amounts of blood, and even body mutilation. It’s definitely not for the squeamish. If you can handle it, these scenes just add to the raw emotion this show has, and will have you on the edge of your seat! As for characters, Riko and Reg were a really good duo to follow in their journey! Their personalities (plus abilities and awareness of danger) balance each other well, and I enjoyed seeing them grow closer over time! Riko’s definitely an odd case since she has no fear of the Abyss despite never being able to return home, though (^^;). My other favorite was Nanachi; she was (unfortunately) only in the *last four* episodes, but her character and story really makes up for it! I enjoyed the rest of the cast too, including the cynical and crazy Ozen and her maid assistant Maruruk (she was so sad when Riko & Reg had to leave ;~;). The only real gripe I have about this show is its… inappropriate jokes at times. Lets just say there’s quite a few penis mentions (and yes, they say that word outright). However, the (double-length!) finale was crazy good; incredibly intense, fucked up, emotional, and with a hope cherry on top (including the balloon scene! I just wish I knew what was written inside!) Just learning the full details of Nanachi (& Mitty)’s backstory was REALLY fucked up… and the whole buildup and execution (I’m sorry…) of Mitty’s death brought a few tears to my eye (and I don’t cry easily when watching stuff!). The story definitely isn’t done yet (which impacts its score as a standalone season a little bit), but it had as good of a conclusion as it could’ve had. It sets up an easy-to-hate antagonist really well too, all within the span of one (double-length) episode! This show is definitely the best of this summer season (and one of my top picks for this year!), so this is a very easy recommendation! (Unless you don’t do well with gore, of course).

New Game!! S2 - 8.5 / 10 ( B+ )

I really enjoyed this second season of New Game! It definitely took a slightly different approach, as there was a bit more emotional and dramatic moments (which personally, I think is a good thing!) I also can relate to this show quite a bit, as I’m now a game design student at a community college; so as a result, seeing the girls work on a game in a variety of ways (along with the working process in general) is very interesting to me! Of course, that’s not to say this show is the most realistic portrayal of the industry, per se, but it’s still cool to see more of this slice-of-life comedy about working in a game company! This season shows the team work on a new IP from start to finish, and all the trials that happen along the way. The girls are challenged a lot more as well, especially Aoba as she gets her first go at being the main character designer (with help from Yagami-san)! The concept art contest was definitely the biggest moment for her character arc; seeing her do her best on an art piece, despite knowing she’s going to lose by default due to a sales decision, was bittersweet to see for sure (but she came out much stronger in the end)! That even tied into Yagami’s character arc as well, since she realizes she’s holding back the growth of her younger employees (;~;). Aside from that, the programming aspect got a bit more spotlight this season! Watching Nene make a game by herself, then see her as a programming intern was great to see! Speaking of interns, we got two new girls this season: Momiji and Narumi! Both of them served as good “rivals” for Aoba and Nene, even if there wasn’t fierce competition between them; I just liked seeing their different (more cynical) viewpoints and how they interacted with the other girls (and learned from them + vise versa!). This season ended on a strong note as well; seeing Yagami leave for France and all the girls going to see her off (plus Aoba’s tearful goodbye to her!) was a great emotional end to the season (and heck, it could be a good end to the series in its own right!). I definitely liked this season even more than season one, as the increased emotional depth added a lot to this cute and fun series! If you like slice-of-life comedy shows, this is a really good one to check out!

Princess Principal - 8.5 / 10 ( B+ )

This show is my runner-up for AOTS, so you know this show is a fun time! It’s always fun to see a new spy anime, and this one really delivers on the spy action! The action scenes are really well done, with fluid motions and well-choreographed fight scenes! Add in the steampunk / early 20th century-style, and you’ve got a really cool spy show! The characters’ art style (for the girls) are definitely more on the moe-side, but they were fun to watch the whole way through! The main girls’ personalities were a good mix, and really interesting to see play out (especially Ange’s deadpan shtick). They all have their own skills to contribute too; even Beatrice, with no spy training, can use her mechanical neckpiece to perfectly imitate other people’s voices! The story is mostly episodic; while there is an overarching premise of an England-esque country being torn apart by war and regimes, each episode focuses on one specific spy case. I liked this approach, as each case told a nice little story than could range from action-packed & tense, to somber & heartbreaking. Each of the main girls get some spotlight time too in at least one story, meaning we get more insight into their personal histories and personalities, which is great! The main character focus though is definitely on Ange and Princess, as they swapped places when they were kids and reunite in the spy team during the present timeline. This story is kept vague (which added a good sense of mystery to these two!) until slightly past the halfway mark; it was great finally seeing their backstory when it came time! Their relationship had a big part in the final two episodes as well; speaking of that finale, it was yet another action-packed good time! But it also was very open-ended; The main villain hasn’t been defeated, and the anti-hero spy (Zelda) in the final two episodes got away as well. At least the main group is back together, and hopefully we’ll see them in a season 2, because the ending makes this season suffer a little bit as a stand-alone show. That being said, this was one of my favorite shows of the season for sure, and you should check it out if you like steampunk-style or spy stories!

Re:Creators - 8.5 / 10 ( B+ / A- )

What a solid show! It’s not every day we see a modern anime have a definitive and satisfying conclusion, but here we are! The first episode might not have won me over initially, but it definitely grew on me over time. Exposition was a bit more heavy-handed in earlier episodes as well (which is the most common complaint I’ve seen), but it’s not as bad later on. Re:Creators had lots of themes and messages about the act of creating things and what can come from it, which was really cool to see, especially since I’m an aspiring artist myself. This show may have had a lot of action, but the characters (both creations & creators) and how they interacted with each other was one of the most enjoyable parts for me. I definitely related to the main character (Souta) quite a lot, as he had a hard time creating things (& enjoying it) due to negative circumstances (albeit his reasoning was guilt-related, via mine being self-confidence). Not to mention he admitted to having negative bitter feelings towards his friend Setsuna due to her success (which I admit I also relate too…). Seeing this kind of character reflected in an anime, in addition to seeing a variety of different creators, was definitely great to see, since I could relate to it so much! The creative process is a big part of plot progression & magic-power-logic as well, which is super unique! Seeing a bunch of different genres being represented was cool as well, including a magical girl! (though I wish Mamika was the first to die & last only 8 episodes… at least she was a great character in that short time!) Magane was probably the other standout character for me, as she had a fun personality and was a real wild card in terms of what she could do (though she took a liking towards Souta, in the end). The villain, Altair, was also a great concept for a villain, since she was a Hatsune Miku-type who could use endless material from fan-works as her powers! Each character got at least a decent amount of development/screentime, and like I mentioned before, the conclusion to Altair’s story was really well done, and even left room for an epilogue episode at the end… I love when they do that! The ride that was Re:Creators was full of action, funny moments, heartwarming and heartbreaking moments. In the end… it’s a really good original action series that’s actually complete!

Sakura Quest - 8.5 / 10 ( B+ / A- )

P.A. Works does it again with another really good “working women” series! Like Hanasaku Iroha and Shirobako before it, this show follows a group of young adult girls working to try and revitalize a small rural town. As I’m getting older, I love seeing anime with characters closer to my age range, as they try to find their place in a working adult world, just like I am! The “revitalizing a rural town” aspect was also interesting to see play out, as there’s a lot that goes into that, like trying to get your name out there (either through the web or through TV) or organizing and planning events! The story plays out over the course of the year, but there’s lots of 1-2 episode-long stories that show off all these aspects, along with highlighting certain characters (which I always love to see!). It’s definitely a slice-of-life show that has a lot of character growth, and seeing the team accomplish things and the town slowly-but-surely come together was great to watch! The cast of characters was also really nice, both main and supporting! Most of the supporting cast were elderly or adults, so seeing them bounce off the young adult main group (& seeing their ideologies clash and work together) was cool to see too! Each of the main girls had their own realizations and journeys to make while working for the Tourism Board, whether it was learning the value of small towns (Yoshino) or finding your own way to do what you want to do, even if you fall short of your dreams (Maki). By the end, all five of them definitely show off some good insight towards adult life! The finale was nice as well, showing their classic festival finally coming together and the Dragon Song showing up again (which was one of my favorite mini-arcs back during the first half). While it’s left unclear whether Manoyama gets absorbed or not, it definitely ends on a happy, conclusive ending for our characters, and the town is definitely better off than at the show’s beginning. This was an enjoyable, down-to-earth show to watch, and you should give it a try too if you like slice-of-life shows (or if you enjoyed Hanasaku Iroha or Shirobako)!

Senki Zesshou Symphogear - 7.0 - 7.5 / 10 ( C+ )

This fourth(!) season of Symphogear was a big, fun action fest, just like the other seasons! The strong points of this series have always been the bombastic fight scenes, the insert songs, and the characters, which continues to be true here too. This was the first season that I stopped trying to focus on the story, and I think my enjoyment actually improved because of it! This series’ story has always been silly and tries to top itself with every iteration, which happens again in this season; it likes to pull explanations out of thin air, and have situations work out for our heroes at *just* the right time so the show can have a cool “badass” moment. I will give AXZ credit though for at least trying to pull elements from past seasons into this season’s weapon upgrades and logic reasoning, even though it still kinda feels like an ass-pull to me (then again, other people disagree with me on this, so YMMV!). The story is definitely this series’ biggest weakpoint for me (which is why I tend to rate these seasons relatively low), but its strongest aspects are in top form and a lot of fun to watch! The fight scenes and power-ups keep finding new ways to one-up themselves, and the main Symphogear girls continue to have an enjoyable dynamic together! The new antagonist group was mostly just okay, but the core three alchemist girls (Saint-Germain, Cagliostro, and Prelati) grew on me after they turn on their master (even though I liked Cagliostro the entire time, really~). The final episodes were a fun time, as always (including Hibiki being an evil god-monster at one point!); it’s notable though that they set up some things here for the already-confirmed season 5! Symphogear definitely grew on me this season, as I realized it’s the epitome of a popcorn-action show; just shut your brain off, and enjoy the spectacle!

Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul - 8.0 / 10 ( B )

This was another fun and action-packed season of Shingeki no Bahamut! While I’m not sure whether I liked season 1 more than this one, it was still a very enjoyable watch throughout! One of the main reasons for this was the main new addition to the cast: Nina! She’s such a fun character to watch, as she’s strong, goofy, and jumps into action right away! I wasn’t the most fond of how “horny” she was for other guys, but that settled down a bit once she finds the guy of her dreams…. Which by the way, is also the main antagonist of the show, King Charioce. She falls in love with him when he’s in disguise, but even after his reveal, she still doesn’t give up her love for him (while simultaneously trying to stop his evil crimes). It’s definitely a unique approach to this type of romance for sure, but it was still a bit odd to me that she still stayed in love with him despite all the tyrannical things he did… At the very least, the execution of this subplot was pretty good, as were all the other story beats! This show has strong execution throughout (the prison escape arc was a highlight), with high quality animation (especially those dance scenes!), swelling music, and the right emotional notes. The problem for most people then will be some story beats themselves, mostly at the show’s end. A couple notable characters seem to get killed for no good reason, Charioce’s motivations try to spin him as “a good guy all along”, and his punishment at the end seems too light (as he merely just loses his eyesight); plus it feels like the people being oppressed by his rule turn right around and he gets praised as a hero for defeating Bahamut (which btw he himself summoned)! And oh yeah, Bahamut isn’t actually dead for good (leaving things open for a possible continuation). Oh well, at least the bittersweet aspect of a voiceless Nina and a sight-less Charioce being together is a nice touch. (I may sound mad here, but I didn’t hate these episodes at all ^^; ) In any case, the whole journey was fun to watch, and was full of engaging action the whole way through. I enjoyed seeing all the returning cast come back, and seeing them interact in both the upbeat and darker moments. Even though the ending won’t win over everyone, if you enjoyed the first season, you should have a good time here too!

#boku no hero academia #isekai shokudou #restaurant to another world #kakegurui #made in abyss #new game!#princess principal #re:creators #re creators #sakura quest #senki zesshou symphogear #symphogear #shingeki no bahamut #rage of bahamut #Final Impressions

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kihocrystal · 7 years

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Who are you? Are you Yuya or are you Yuto?

#:O #YuGiOh Arc V #Yuuya Sakaki #Yuto #art by op

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kihocrystal · 7 years

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Winter 2017 - Final Impressions

This is like a week late (again), but here are my thoughts about the animes I watched that finished this season! There’s 10 reviews under the cut, and they’re listed in alphabetical order for your convenience~

3-gatsu no Lion (March comes in like a Lion) - 9 / 10 ( A )

a super good character drama!!! I love how it focuses on themes of depression / loneliness as well!

the art / animation by Shaft is… well, very Shaft-like! (thanks Akiyuki Shinbo~)

good use of both muted / pastel colors and sharp / dark colors in different scenarios

hash lines were used on characters as well! gives it a sketch-like quality~

the animation itself was quite good too! mostly subdued, but had moments of really good fluidity

this shows itself the most in the more artistic sequences, for sure

and since this is Shaft, BOY did they pull out all the stops for those sequences!

…and yes, the infamous headtilts are also here :P

It was also good w/ the comedic animation (including w/ expressions!)

a note about *sound* for a sec: they always had voice-over to go w/ onscreen onomatopoeia!

plus they gave monologue voices to the kawamotos’ cats… interesting choice~

this show just *really* loves cats (even making shogi explanations using cats!)

there are A LOT of really good / memorable characters here; they help the show really shine!

(it IS a character-based drama, after all)

Rei Kiriyama!!! what a great (and relatable!) protag

seeing his mental struggles play out was very interesting to see (& also very complex, in a good way!)

he’s also very sympathetic, despite being a prodigy! he has to deal w/ lots of crap :(

we see him struggle & blame himself a lot, so it’s even better when he finds some happiness or revelation!

HE DESERVES TO BE HAPPY ;A; (…and he definitely makes progress by season’s end!)

there’s so many Good supporting characters that i’d be here all day if I went into detail about them ^^;

the Kawamoto’s are such a supporting family for Rei!!!

all 3 sisters are really good (and occasionally get some spotlight time… mostly Hinata though)

Nikaidou’s also a good guy… he’s kind of like Rei’s rival! (he’s kinda pushy but gives Rei good motivation & help!)

shout-out to Tatsuyuki-san; his personality was quite fun and also loves cats to death

Hayashida-sensei! He’s a bumbling guy, but really gives great advice once in a while :’)

he also is Rei’s main mentor on the school side of things, pulling some strings to help Rei move on to 2nd year ;~;

Shimada-san was a late addition, but HOT DAMN did he have a great impact on Rei + the show

I loved his backstory, i loved his personality, i loved his seiyuu’s performance… great character all around

Kyoko is VERY FAR from a Good character, but she shows more complexities as time goes on

on one hand, she’s VERY manipulative of Rei’s emotions; she also has feelings of jealously towards him + feelings for Gotou

speaking of Gotou, WHAT A FUCKING ASSHOLE

I don’t remember what his first appearance was, but that scene of him riling up Rei made me LIVID

at least he gets beaten by Shimada-san in the lion king tournament >:)

as far as story goes, it’s a character-focused drama; so it follows a year of Rei’s life going through high school and his pro shogi career

the drama comes from both character interactions & developments they go through; it’s executed REALLY WELL

the show pulls off both incredibly goofy and incredibly somber moments quite well!

Rei’s path of self-growth isn’t quite done yet, as the final episode shows him entering 2nd year and establishing a club!

the finale also has a look back on how his perceptions on life & loneliness have changed since he was a kid~

in any case, season 2 is confirmed and will be coming this fall season! \o/

Overall, I really enjoyed this artistic and introspective show! Definitely one of my (four?) picks for AOTS~

ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu ka - 8.0 / 10 ( B )

This was probably the most chill & relaxed anime about bureaucracy and political coups / upheaval that I’ve ever seen xD

animation:

I really like what Madhouse did with the visuals! It’s quite a unique look~

The art style had elements of realism (w/ the characters, at least); however their hair looks fluffy & light! (& some funny facial features, so it’s not all realism :P)

not to mention the backgrounds are brightly colored & watercolor-esque~

the art in general is also kinda sketch-like with the outlines! it’s kind of a rough look but w/ a bunch of charm!

I also have to mention the FOOD in this show; there’s good attention to detail here, plus it’s drawn so nicely (+ even huge sometimes!)

the animation itself was also nice, in terms of subtle movements, like walking or hand/head movements!

super big shout-out to the *opening theme*!!! That was definitely my favorite OP of the season; it’s such a jam!!!

It’s also a nice contrast from the rest of the show’s tone (the song’s super upbeat, while the show itself is so chill :P)

characters:

The cast overall was interesting to watch; there’s a good mix of personalities here, but all of them contribute to the show’s laidback tone~

Jean Otus (the main protag) can sneaky when he wants to (but he’s mostly nonchalant)

he’s a nice guy, but doesn’t emote much… it can be hard to get a read of what he’s thinking, for sure

either way, he’s still quite caring (towards Nino & his sister Lotta, at least)

Nino’s great… he’s my favorite character in this show, for sure

he can be really sneaky sometimes, but is also a genuine friend to Jean & Lotta :’)

I also really liked seeing how tight Jean & Nino’s bond was~

it also helps that his seiyuu (Kenjiro Tsuda) had a great performance voicing him~

Lotta is a happy & cheerful girl who loves her food / bread! (she doesn’t contribute much to the overarching plot, though)

Rail (the policeman) gets dragged into some plot happenings from time to time, but proves to be a nice guy by the end

Prince Schwan, despite being the next-in-line for the throne, doesn’t seem to do much in the overarching plot (at least not until the finale?)?

in any case, any character voiced by Miyano Mamoru is still fun to watch regardless

Maggie (Schwan’s guard) keeps a good eye on him

plus he’s kinda a dork… in a deadpan way (& he sure loves his sandwich bread)

Lilium kinda blended in w/ the other ACCA chairmen in the beginning, but eventually showed his true (i.e. evil) intentions by ep. 10 or so

poor Grossular’s had it rough; first he had his country take responsibility for a major train accident, and now Lilium blackmailed / took advantage of him :(

he was a prime suspect to being the true identity of Nino’s main boss for a while, too! (it ended up being Oulu, the blond mustache guy xD)

Mauve was a good & strong female authority figure in ACCA too! She kinda acted like a private investigator at times :P

I was unsure where she stood most of the time, but I’m glad she proved to be the one to thwart Lilium’s plan in the end~

the other five chairman + other ACCA members were… just kinda there. That’s all I’m gonna say about them ^^;

story:

the basic premise involves Jean having to travel to each of the 13 districts within the country, while plans for a coup d’etat brew in the background!

no matter what wheeling & dealing was going on during the story, the tone always stayed calm & cool (w/ smooth jazz music to boot xD)

there’s quite a bit going on in the story at any given time, but I will admit it was hard for me to follow much of the time ^^;

many characters being really vague (I’m looking at you, five chairmen…) didn’t really help things in this regard either

of course, you could argue this adds to the mystery / intrigue, so… your mileage my vary

I was still interested in what was happening though! Especially when it involved the main players (& learning more about them!)

I liked the world-building!!! It was cool seeing how each district was different from each other~ (plus the different foods, of course)

episode 4 was particularly interesting, since it involved Suitsu & how it was kinda like a darker-tone mini-version of the overarching plot!

my favorite aspect of the story was learning about Jean’s (& Lotta’s) secret link to the royal family, along w/ Nino’s involvement w/ that!

the episode(s?) that were from Nino’s perspective as he grew up w/ his father (as they both watched the Otus kids) were definitely a highlight for me

the overall picture (or at least, where certain characters stood in the plot) grew clearer by the end, and by the climax, we knew for sure who the main antagonist was

the finale had the “coup” halted swiftly (and calmly, as is tradition in this show), plus we got to see a bit of epilogue too~

the climax itself was pretty short (& kinda underwhelming?), but then again, it makes sense considering how the rest of the show is, tone-wise

also, it’s worth noting that the anime as a whole covered the entirety of its source material! that’s a rarity nowadays!

Overall, I enjoyed my time with ACCA! It’s not the easiest show to follow plot-wise, but it has a cool sense of atmosphere & is just a very suave show in general xD

Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Impure King Arc - 8.5 / 10 ( B+ )

This second season, that we finally got six-ish years later, was pretty good! I think I preferred S1 (or at least the 1st half) but I still like what we got here!

art / animation:

A-1 Pictures did a good job here for the most part!

the art style does have some subtle changes from S1 (like bloom effects and rounder/softer features on characters), but not too different otherwise

I liked how the color palette felt muted and bright at the same time! the backgrounds were also quite nice~

plus the special effects weren’t bad (i.e. fire, the Impure King’s spore-like body)

I did notice some episodes in the middle dipped in animation quality (mostly in character’s faces/heads), which kinda took me out of those episodes :/

other than that, the animation was above average and had some good action animation in there (though not *great*, per se)

characters:

it’s good to finally have these characters back after so long! admittedly, it was had to remember what state they were all in at the start (…six years is a long time, okay?)

Rin is still a good and lovable protag! I love how he has such a kind heart, despite acting rough on the outside xD

he had to win back the trust of his friends (and overcome his fear of losing control of his flames)… i’m glad he got to find his self-worth in the end ;A;

Yukio still takes his duties very seriously and scolds Rin a lot ^^;

he had some mind-games to overcome too, courtesy of Toudou (thoughts like: jealously towards Rin and hating having to watch over him all the time)

not to mention he awakened some demon powers for the first time (demon eyes)!

by the end though, he still has a way to go (as he acknowledges he still very self-hating)

Rin’s entourage of friends were hesitant / distrustful of him at the start (due to events from last season), but were won over one by one eventually~

it was kind of weird being brought back (after so long) to *that* particular point… it was a little jarring from what I remembered of them before

Shiemi felt like she wasn’t being of much help (especially since Nee got temporarily destroyed), but she gained back her resolve as well \o/

plus she helped Rin gain confidence w/ a hug & nice words in ep. 7 :’)

Ryuuji got some focus as well, as he had a rocky relationship w/ his dad (which struck a GREAT parallel as pointed out in ep. 4)

Tatsuma was seen as suspicious despite his cheerful / ditzy attitude, but learning about the secrets he had to hide made him more lovable~

In general, we got to learn more about where Ryuuji, Konekomaru, and Renzou grew up and learn about their family sects!

Shura is still a good mentor / ally to Rin (& his friends), while also keeping him in line~

Toudou (the human villain of this season) was a good manipulator / mind-game player… that’s about it ^^;

…and Shirou is still a great example of a dead character remaining relevant throughout the show~

he’s still a motivation for both Rin and Yukio, plus we learned of his history w/ Tatsuma & the Sect!

story:

This arc starts off on a weird place, since not only has it been six years since S1, this arc picks up from the *middle* of S1

of course, this is because this season’s arc is from the manga, while S1’s second half was anime original

that being said, the transition could’ve been smoother; some canon-versions of events are only shown in flashbacks, for example :/

in any case, this arc is all about the Impure King’s eventual revival in Kyoto, and the exorcists having to stop it!

while the main story of this arc wasn’t doing much *new*, necessarily, the execution overall was… pretty good!

there weren’t many moments that reached the emotional highs of S1’s best moments, but they were still good here too~

that being said, stuff like Rin being reassured by Shiemi in ep. 7, and Rin finally controlling his flames in ep. 11… still good moments there!

however, episode 4 was definitely my favorite episode; it brought up that father/son relationship parallel i mentioned earlier in a GREAT way~

it was definitely the best emotional high for me, especially since it made a connection to such a powerful moment in S1 ;~;

I also liked seeing more of Shirou’s past life (as told through Tatsuma), along w/ learning Rin’s sword was originally the Sect’s object of worship!

Seeing Yukio gets confronted w/ mind-games was interesting to see, along w/ him unlocking demon powers for the first time!

It’ll be interesting to see the implications of this later on, assuming we get a S3 ;A;

in this regard, I’ve seen people refer to this arc as a “setup arc”, and I can kinda see why. Progress was made, but there were hints thrown out as well

the finale was an epilogue of sorts, with Rin & friends recovering + seeing the sights, Rin & Yukio talking it out, and hints of Mephisto’s ulterior motives

the talk between brothers at the end definitely left things open-ended for a continuation

Overall, I had a good time with this sequel, and I’m glad I got to see more of this series in general, after so long! The transition from S1’s midpoint can be kinda rocky, but still check this out if you’re a shounen fan~

Demi-chan wa Kataritai (Interviews with Monster Girls) - 8.0 - 8.5 / 10 ( B )

A cute and fun slice-of-life show about a handful of monster girls in high school (plus their teacher)! It does a good job tackling some social issues as well!

art / animation:

A-1 Pictures did a good job with the visuals here! Very light and simple style~

The color palette is full of bright colors (w/ lower saturation), and the character art style has rounded features for girls (some moe influence, probably) & angular ones for boys

The animation itself is mostly standard fare, but has some above-average fluidity w/ some special effects (Yuki’s ice tears come to mind)

it does lend itself well to comedic moments & timing, which is good for this show ^^

characters:

I liked the cast overall! they had a good dynamic together (which is good, considering how they become close friends over time)

Takahashi-sensei was a good (& different) lead for the show! He’s caring and very knowledgable about monster lore~

for a harem-esque main group like this, it’s great to see a different take on the typical “male harem protag” like this!

he’s a good support system for the other demi girls, and helps them be more confident in themselves (& learn more about themselves)!

(he’s like this for even Satou-sensei, since he’s really good at covering up the aphrodisiac effects have on him)

Hikari is hyper and silly, and is a big contributor to this show’s comedic side~

she’s pretty different from vampires of lore, which is explored quite a bit during the show (& ties into the show’s themes too)

I also liked how she’s not afraid to stand up for her new friends (like how she confronted people gossiping about Yuki) :’)

Machi is sort of soft-spoken, but she also smart and willing to talk to others!

she’s the most physically different out of the three (since she’s a dullahan), which leads to interesting (& funny) scenarios w/ her head & body~

she (w/ help from Takahashi & co.) develops work-arounds for her problems, and helps others feel less awkward about talking to her!

her crushing on Takahashi-sensei is… weird (why do you do this, show)

Yuki is definitely the most shy of the three starting out, and has the most noticeable development during her arc

she was self-hating over her demi (snow woman) nature, but the main crew help her learn about her abilities and help her gain confidence!

she becomes more outgoing after her arc, and even is shown to secretly be into hardcore manga~

Satou-sensei is a succubus teacher! She doesn’t have an arc, necessarily, but she gets some character focus nonetheless

she adjusted her daily schedule a lot due to her aphrodisiac effects, and has a hard time trying to confess her feelings for Takahashi

she tends to sympathize w/ Machi’s (& sometimes the others’) feelings towards him… you’re a teacher, don’t condone this… :/

aside from that last point, she is another good occasional support system for the girls, since she’s both a teacher and a fellow demi~

even *she* has her own support(?) system, in the form of Ugaki!

story:

like most slice-of-life anime, this follows the lives of high school girls and show their experiences, both good and bad

however, this one focuses around *supernatural* students: a vampire, a dullahan, and a snow woman! (plus a succubus teacher)

I really liked how this show handled themes of what’s it’s like being different (not unlike people w/ disabilities!), and helping people overcome social stigmas too!

it included stuff ranging from Yuki’s insecurities about her snow woman nature + being gossiped about…

…to more lighthearted stuff, like how Machi wanted to poke fun at her own differences without her friends feeling awkward about it!

the show would also compare & contrast the Demis w/ their mythical counterparts, which ties into this theme well~

moments like Hikari standing up to Yuki’s gossip bullies & the video letter to Takahashi were some of this show’s best moments~

there’s also some fun comedy! (which was kinda hit or miss for me)

the comedy’s at its best when it plays w/ their personalities and/or unique aspects of their Demi natures!

stuff like Takahashi + Hikari’s dynamic, plus Yuki’s hidden “hardcore(?)” side are good examples of this

the show’s comedic timing in general is pretty good!

this also includes the romance stuff though; they code Takahashi-sensei + the Demi’s relationship as romantic sometimes and it’s just… no

thankfully it was only one-sided (since Takahashi explicitly says he wouldn’t have feelings for them), but it still kinda rubbed me the wrong way

the finale was mostly some fun comedy stuff (it was a pool episode), but it threw in some nice heartwarming stuff in the end~

Overall, this was a really enjoyable & laid-back anime that wasn’t afraid to be serious / heartwarming too! (w/ some good social commentary to boot!) In a season full of comedy slice-of-life shows, Demi-chan (& one other) is one of the season’s best~

Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon - 8.5 / 10 ( B+ )

The *other* good SOL comedy this season! Really funny and really cute w/ that reliable KyoAni polish~

art / animation:

as per usual, Kyoto Animation did a great job w/ the visuals!

the style they used this time around is more cartoon-y than their usual style (so closer to Nichijou, rather than Hibike Euphonium)

very bright color palette and (kinda watercolor-like) backgrounds! Just a “simpler”-looking show all around (which is definitely NOT a bad thing!)

the animation itself is, of course, really great too! the fluidity is strong w/ this one~

whether it’s subtle movements or even an action scene or two, the animation has a great sense of movement & body language!

it also lent itself to comedic moments very well! (i.e. well-animated slapstick or good comedic expressions / backgrounds)

there is, also… some fanservice (not a *lot*, per se, but enough that it drove away some people on my twitter feed)

it’s mostly boob-centered, as a few characters have large boobs (w/ Lucoa having *huge* ones), so there’s… boob jiggle sometimes, among other things

the fanservice in this show specifically didn’t bother me *that* much, but your mileage may vary

characters:

the cast as a whole was really fun! they all played off each other well too!

Kobayashi & Tohru have a good dynamic together, and develop a good relationship together too! (let’s be real here… lesbians~)

both of them have pretty different personalities (stoic / brash vs. bright / bubbly), yet work together quite well!

Kanna is somehow stoic & happy at the same time! I like how she’s curious about everything & is just a good bean in general~

Lucoa has a nice “older-sister” dynamic w/ the others! She’s got good wisdom, but can also be a bit of an airhead ^^;

but please… someone tell her to give poor Shouta a break…

Fafnir starts out as wanting nothing but killing & destruction, but eventually bonds w/ Takiya-kun and gets addicted to video games ^^;

I liked seeing how he has his own ways of showing affection / appreciation for others~

(...and he’s voiced by Daisuke Ono, which is always a plus)

Elma didn’t even get introduced until episode 8 (& doesn’t even get a ton of screen time after that), but she’s enjoyable too

her revenge(?) against Kobayashi only lasted for 1 episode(?), and then just becomes an office worker (so she ends up being the most normal dragon, in a way :P)

story:

the premise involves an office worker lady who meets a dragon who decides to be her live-in house maid! (plus there’s other dragons!)

this is a slice-of-life comedy, so like most others, it goes through some daily life scenarios that are also humorous

this time around though, there’s DRAGONS! (so there’s supernatural stuff sometimes involved)

the comedy involved the dragons learning & adapting to aspects of human society, which was fun to watch

I liked seeing how they would react to different situations! (especially since each dragon would respond differently)

the characters bouncing off each other (i.e. dynamic) also led to some good comedic moments

kobayashi & tohru’s relationship was a big contributor to this as well

there were a couple reoccuring gags that got old after a while: Lucoa’s… boob antics w/ Shouta, and Riko’s overreaction to Kanna

the former is… basically rooted in fanservice (leave the poor boy alone! ;~; )

the latter I didn’t have as much issue w/ to start, but after seeing it pointed out on my twitter TL, I can see why people take issue w/ it (i.e. fetishization (i think?))

there were also some really nice heartwarming moments too! stuff like that helps elevate a comedy anime for me~

many of these were centered around the character’s relationships w/ each other (it was nice seeing them grow closer over time!)

the finale had a different, more serious tone than the rest of the show, but it was still really good!

seeing tohru (& eventually kobayashi) confront tohru’s dad really showed how much their relationship (& love for the human world) has grown!

Aside from a couple small issues, I really did have a great time w/ this show! If you’re looking for a fun comedy w/ supernatural elements plus some heartwarming stuff, this won’t let you down~

Kuzu no Honkai (Scum’s Wish) - 9 / 10 ( A )

A really well directed character drama about sexuality and unhealthy relationships… It’s definitely not for everybody, but it’s really well done!

art / animation:

Studio Lerche did a *really good* job with the visuals here! Definitely their best-looking anime yet!

the art style makes good use of muted colors and sketch-like outlines on characters; it makes everything look kind of like a watercolor painting!

they also do close-ups by overlaying a strip or square on top; sort of like a manga panel! (It’s definitely executed better here than in GATE :P )

the art direction in general is just really good… they know how to use lighting well, plus there’s good artistic / stylized scenes when characters are introspective~

as for animation, it’s nothing to write home about, but it gets the job done in the end~

they do sometimes use lower frame rates for artistic / stylistic effect though!

also shout-out to the awesome ED theme by Sayuri! I’d always want to sing along with it at the end of each episode (+ used really well as a transition!)

characters:

this cast is… quite the interesting bunch to say the least ^^;

the show’s english title is “Scum’s Wish”, so yeah, most of the main cast is pretty scummy in one way or another. The good news, though, is that it leads to really good *character development*! \o/

pretty much everybody got at least one focus episode, which is great!!! I love it when shows do that!!!

Hanabi is the main protagonist; she tends to keeps to herself, and is also snarky at times.

she goes through a pretty dark road over the course of the show, but comes to terms w/ herself and what she’s looking for by the end~

Mugi is kinda like Hanabi in some ways, but he can be quite forward at times, and also can get roped into bad situations.

he eventually comes to terms w/ his love situation as well, but it’s a bit of a rockier end for him :(

Akane… is definitely the “villain” of the show, and VERY easy to hate xD

she sleeps w/ guys all the time + plays mind-games w/ Hanabi + Mugi, but by the end, even she finds some happiness & change for the better through her new marriage~

Sanae is Hanabi’s best friend, and also a lesbian! Her personality is very headstrong and sassy at times.

she also starts going after Hanabi in her own way, in hopes of winning her heart… thankfully, the two eventually reconcile (even though it was messy by the end)

Noriko (aka Moca) is Mugi’s childhood friend, who still has feelings for him after so long…

she definitely has the least amount of screen time out of the main characters, but her focus episodes show another side of her character (+ her self-realization as well)

Kanai-san is Hanabi’s crush who falls in love w/ Akane… he doesn’t do much until closer to the end, during Akane’s focus episodes

There’s also Sanae’s cousin and that one womanizer dude, but they aren’t around much (but still have contributions to different character arcs)

story:

the premise on paper definitely will turn some people off, since it’s about two people “dating” each other since they can’t be in relationships w/ who they truly love

not to mention said people they’re in love with are probably 4+ years older than they are (& how Hanabi calls Kanai-san “big bro / onii-chan”… yeah :/ )

also there *are* sex scenes in this show (albeit no actual private parts are shown), and they can get steamy at times ^^;

so yeah, because of these things, this show is definitely *not* for everybody. I don’t blame you if these things’ll turn you off from this show…

that being said, even though this show is about messed-up people in messed-up relationships, it’s very well directed and executed!

they do a really good job of selling the emotion and subtle drama in each scene (including exploring characters’ mindsets really well!)

even though it’s a character drama, they still manage to pull off cliffhangers occasionally! You just want to find out where it’s gonna go from there!

each character arc wrapped up really nicely, and you can tell that they’ve bettered themselves by the end of the show

the final episode itself was great, too! it’s a little bit of a downer that Hanabi and Mugi go their separate ways, but it ties in with the ending quite well~

it also helps that the anime in general is a complete adaptation of the source material! we don’t get enough of those these days~

Overall, I really enjoyed this series, and is definitely one of my AOTS picks! If you like dramatic shows centered around romance, then this is a good one to check out!

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans S2 - 8.5 - 9.0 / 10 ( A- )

This was a really good second season and conclusion to IBO! Not to mention really sad & heartbreaking ;A;

art / animation:

Sunrise did a good job with visuals this season too! The quality is pretty much identical to last season (which is definitely a good thing!)

lots of muted & dark colors; really got the look of a gritty war-centered show down quite well~

Mars and Earth have distinct looks and feel to them too! (Mars has more dark, earth tones, Earth has brighter colors & more cool tones)

actions scenes are pretty good too; the mechas have good fluidity at times! (mostly Mika’s mech; the others have more stilted movements, since they’re, y’know, robots)

characters:

the Tekkadan crew’s back, and they’re still as likable as before~ (of course, this makes it even harder when each one dies ;~; )

Mika is as stone-faced and ready to kill as before… he does lose function of his leg and arm eventually (i think by the end of the 1st half) by using Barbatos too much

Orga becomes a bit different of a leader this season (as evidenced by his new suit!), as he commands from afar and has more negotiating talks w/ other factions

he wrestles w/ a lot of things happening around him, and what the best thing is to do at any given time… he goes through a lot ^^;

Takaki was previously just another guy in Tekkadan, but he got his own character arc during the season’s 1st half!

he had to lead a subsidiary group on Earth, which put him through a lot… in the end, he decides to leave Tekkadan so he can be helpful elsewhere & stay alive ;~;

there were a few new guys on Tekkadan at the start of the season, w/ the most notable being Hush

he wanted to catch up to Mikazuki, so he could be of more help, like his brother(?) that he admired ;~;

there’s some new faces in Gjallerhorn as well, w/ the most notable being Rustal Elion, Julietta, and Iok

Julietta seemed obsessed w/ doing anything Rustal wanted her to do, and Iok… got kind of annoying after a while (he just… wouldn’t… die!)

Iok’s eventual death was really satisfying though~

not to mention Rustal and Iok were responsible for a lot of terrible things that happened to Tekkadan this season (including literally killing them w/ hitmen >:( )

also Nobliss can just go and fuck off (and thankfully he died the most humiliating death imaginable)

I also gotta mention Gaelio, who wore a mask for most of the season (even though it was *really* obvious it was him) + helped stop McGillis

speaking of McGillis, he ramps up his plans this season and put his grand coup de tat into action

he’s more manipulative this season (involving the Bauduins & Tekkadan), but definitely fights to the bitter end (all by himself, even…)

story:

this season picks up not too long after where last season left off; Tekkadan is a more prominent organization alongside Taiwan & Gjallerhorn

their prior successes led to more people wanting to enter Tekkadan’s lifestyle, which wasn’t really what Tekkadan wanted :/

there’s a lot of political wheeling and dealing this season that was interesting to watch, but there’s no way I could remember all the details ^^;

this also applies to military strategy (mostly on Gjallerhorn’s end)

the first half’s main plot beats mostly composed of the Earth branch arc (centering around Takaki), and the Mobile Armor arc!

seeing the Mobile Armor(s) in action was pretty crazy (and scary…), and it took A LOT to take them down!

after that arc, I would’ve expected them to be more relevant in the 2nd half, but that didn’t really happen at all (asides from Dainsleif usage)

the second half sees McGillis’ coup and Tekkadan’s life to its conclusion; going up against the mighty Gjallerhorn, but falling short in the end…

*lots of characters die* during this half… and all of them are REALLY SAD (*especially* Lafter and Orga, who die by hitman gunfire)

each death scene is really effective, but Orga’s especially is SUCH A GOOD SCENE (he dies looking forward the whole time; even his blood moves forward ;~;7 )

I wish he didn’t die 2 episodes before the end, though… Mika & Orga should’ve been able to fight together at the end ;A;

almost every main character dies, including Mikazuki… Tekkadan dies w/ it, making the ending partially a tragedy

the finale has the end of the final fight + epilogue; the antagonists win in the end, but they work w/ Kudelia + others to help make a better world

it felt kind of weird for Gjallerhorn to change like that, considering the bad things they did? But whatever works, I guess :/

that being said, I liked seeing the surviving members of Tekkadan lead new lives, and Atra getting to takes care of her new son :’)

Overall, IBO was an emotional and action-packed ride from start to finish! I really enjoyed my first Gundam series~

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu S2 - 9 / 10 ( A )

one of my AOTY picks from 2016 strikes again with this great sequel & conclusion to the series!

art / animation by Studio Deen is very subdued and not very flashy (i.e. not much in motion, per se) but it still looks quite pretty

good use of muted colors (both pastel & dark), plus good use of soft shading!

backgrounds looked nice as well! the set pieces in general helped sell many scenes, both artistic & grounded ones~

also super shout-out to that awesome OP sequence! great scenes centering around Yakumo + unsettling music = MAGIC!!!

this season shifts back to modern(?) day, so we see much more of characters that we only saw in the 1st and last episodes of S1!

before we get to that though, let’s talk about Yakumo!!! what a great character / protagonist

he’s a stubborn old man on the outside, but a haunted soul on the inside, who can’t escape his past & the two main people in it

a lot of this show’s appeal was seeing how his story would progress (and finally, conclude)

we all wanted him to find his peace at his death (& even after it!)… it all worked out in the end ;~;

he’s complex in a lot of ways, which makes him interesting to watch for sure (especially after watching S1)

yet another mention to Akira Ishida totally rocking it in his performance; he does it all w/ this character!

Yotaro’s back!!! He’s such a chipper guy the whole way through, and he’s a joy to watch~

He can be very headstrong too, and can help force some sense into people!

The scene where he confronts the gang boss comes to mind

Another part I liked was the episode where he watched Sukeroku’s taped performance… I liked seeing how “into it” he was

He’s also very determined to keep rakugo alive into the future! He was a great foil to Yakumo in general :)

Konatsu is very short-tempered & snappy at times, but she has a caring heart deep down too~

I loved when she got to perform Jugemu!!! She was so happy getting to fulfill her dream! (She even did it again in the finale!)

Her becoming the first female rakugo performer in the end was another added bonus~

I have mixed feelings about her never learning the truth about her father (Sukeroku’s) death... There could’ve been some good character development to come from that, but at least she gets to keep a secret of her own in the finale :P

Speaking of that secret, her teasing about the possible identity of shinnosuke’s father in the finale… i don’t know how i feel about that :/

other supporting characters like Higuchi-san were enjoyable too, even if their contributions were more minor

I did like seeing Higuchi-san butt heads w/ Yakumo on multiple occasions over their viewpoints towards rakugo’s progression though! (It was intriguing drama :P)

I love characters staying relevant even in death, and Sukeroku (and Miyokichi to a lesser extent) are no exception

he’s a motivating factor for Yotaro, but is like a haunting ghost to Yakumo (which is a nice contrast~)

we got to see their development book-ended in episode 11 too~

I’m glad Matsuda-san got to see everything to the very end (including sending Yakumo off in the afterlife) :’)

As for the story, just like last season, this is a character drama first and foremost~

Unlike 3-gatsu no lion, however, there’s more of an overarching plot here (w/ Yakumo’s life story + how rakugo will survive past his death)

the plot was more enjoyable this time around, since we’re finally progressing the modern day timeline! This season picked up right where the 1st season’s finale left off~

it definitely can suck you in w/ its execution! Again, it’s very subdued / laid-back, but you can still sense the tension in the air during many scenes!

any scene involving Yakumo literally seeing things (or his run-ins with the shinigami) definitely grabbed & peaked my interest!

these scenes had a mysterious, almost supernatural vibe to them! It made them even more interesting to watch~

when red-eyed Sukeroku shows up in the OP, it can’t be good news… those cliffhangers were 2spoopy4me :P

I talk about Yakumo’s scenes a lot, but other characters like Yotaro had some really tense and heartwarming scenes at well!

I brought this up in the character section too, but scenes like Yotaro ranting to the gang boss, or Konatsu reciting Jugemu in front of the elementary school kids, were also great!

the transition to Yakumo’s final scene of life to death is kinda weird, but the scenes / episodes on both ends were really nice!

episode 11 was like a de-facto finale, as Yakumo (+ Sukeroku & Miyokichi) got to tie up loose ends in the afterlife, plus Yakumo got to do one last show to the dead crowd (+ Konatsu)~

the finale was a nice little epilogue showing both of Konatsu’s kids all grown up, and how rakugo will continue on~

This season was a great follow-up (& conclusion) to last season! This is definitely an AOTS pick for me (and possible AOTY pick… again ^^; ) If you’re looking for a great character-based historical drama, this is an easy recommendation for sure!

Tales of Zestiria the X S2 - 8.0 / 10 ( B )

this was a good second cour for ToZX! it had some good character focus stuff + action, and (will probably) conclude the story!

Note: This is based off the anime *only*, as I have not played the game(s).

art / animation still looks really nice, thanks to that Ufotable polish & magic~

The motion in action scenes were quite fluid, plus good special effects (i.e. fire, magic, etc.), which just makes it… really nice looking in general!

animation isn’t quite sakuga-tier, but it’s still more fluid than in most action anime!

it makes good use of muted colors (both warm & cool tones) as well, with nice backgrounds to boot!

plus the characters are drawn / rendered quite well~ (the CGI isn’t too bad either (i.e. dragons), aside from distance shots of people moving)

In terms of character development, Rose was definitely a main focus this season (in comparison to Alisha last season)

hell, most of the plot for the show’s first half (or more) was driven by her character arc!

we really get to see Rose change her mentality for the better, plus learn more about her past and explore her bond w/ Dezel!

speaking of Dezel, he ended up being a really entertaining guy himself (plus a good partner in crime for Rose~)

he had good development as well (along w/ his personality that grew on me over time), making it even sadder when he dies in episode 23 ;~;

Alisha doesn’t have as much screen time during that first half or so, but she definitely has her contributions in the second half~

she even gets her own armitization forms, which apparently weren’t in the games! \o/

During Rose’s character / story arc, Sorey had a good clash of ideals w/ Rose, which was interesting to see

It helped give him a new perspective, even if it didn’t change his ideals much in the end

Oh yeah, Zaveid *finally* came back and became a full-on party member this season! He’s still a cool fighter guy w/o a shirt :P

even then, he didn’t come in until the second half, but he definitely forged some bonds with Dezel (and Alisha too, I think?)

As for everyone else (including supporting cast), they were fine! No major developments, necessarily, but still good to have around

Story time! Like I said in the character section, Rose’s character arc was kind of a story arc in itself, taking up slightly more than the first half!

Even though the “main plot” was in the backseat, I still enjoyed this arc and finally learning about Rose (who we didn’t know much about during S1)

plus it had a tense climax w/ Rose trying to kill the man from her past… it ended sorta anticlimactically, but it wrapped things up regardless

The second half was definitely more skewed towards the main story, since there was the dragon in Ladylake(?), plus the final battle stuff itself

I almost forgot, there’s more Berseria references this time! Thankfully not full episodes this time, but just references for world-building

it sounds like these references though are from endgame stuff, meaning friends of mine playing Berseria had to stop watching to avoid spoilers…

I will say that this show does “the calm before the storm” pretty well, for the most part! Good character interactions + lead-up confrontations

also, considering Sorey is all about purifying everything, it’s fitting we get backstory for the final boss himself in ep. 24

As for the finale… as of when I’m writing this, the final episode hasn’t aired yet, and won’t for another month or so. So all we have for now is ep. 24 as a pseudo-finale...

That episode though was pretty good! It felt like a proper penultimate episode (i.e. the first part of the final fight), ending right on Sorey’s big power-up!

I have good reason to believe that the finale, when it comes out, will have a good sense of conclusion, so I’m not too worried~

I may update this review after that episode comes out, but time will tell if I get around to it ^^;

Overall, ToZX is a very solid fantasy action series! It doesn’t break much new ground, but its execution makes up for it to make an enjoyable experience~

Youjo Senki (Saga of Tanya the Evil) - 7.5 - 8.0 / 10 (C+ / B- )

An enjoyable (and popular!) military action show which centers around a basically evil protagonist! It had some interesting elements to it, but there wasn’t enough of them to go above “meh” status for me :/

art / animation:

Studio NUT is a brand new studio, and this was not a bad first outing for them at all in this department!

the dark and muted color palette helps to realize this war-torn alternate world, along w/ this show’s darker tone

this setting is very heavily inspired by WWI / WWII… *insert Nazi comparison here* (it takes place closer to WWI years, though)

the characters themselves are rendered w/ a slight lean towards realism, but still have cartoonish elements to them

the former characteristic is most notable in the male designs, and the latter is definitely noticeable in the female designs (i.e. big eyes, “pouty” lips, etc.)

animation-wise, it’s nothing to write home about, for the most part.

there were a couple nicely-animated action sequences (w/ the best one being in ep. 11), but other that that, it was mostly standard fare

the CGI, though, is not very good… you don’t see it much, though, so that’s good at least

characters:

sure, there’s a decent sized cast here, but there’s really only one character worth mentioning specifically... and that, of course, is Tanya herself.

she’s ruthless, brutal, heartless, and willing to sacrifice her own to reach her goals… no wonder she’s called “Tanya the Evil!”

her personality (& the idea of the protagonist basically being a VILLAIN) is definitely one reason why this show became popular this season

her backstory adds an interesting layer to the mix too, as she was a heartless company owner in her past life! (plus she retains her memories from said life)

seeing what actions she would take next (or how she’d react to certain situations) was a big appeal for this show too

not to mention she has to “pray” to the very thing she hates in order to launch attacks w/ her gun >:3

oh yeah, I liked Serebryakova, the girl who was Tanya’s right hand girl!

Her cheery personality was a good foil for Tanya’s, plus she’s voiced by Saori Hayami~

there’s also those military officers / strategists, I guess

aside from Erich, who had the most suspicions about Tanya, the others just felt like… generic military guys :/

story:

the premise sets up Tanya, an evil corporate boss in her past life, in a war-torn world where she must fight in the military!

it’s all about Tanya trying to get revenge against God / “Being X”, and dis-prove its existence…!

this battle of ideals / wits was the most interesting of the show for me; my interest went up whenever Being X (or anything related) showed up

Being X not having a set form, and only showing up through possession of other things / people was a cool concept too!

however, I felt like we didn’t see enough of this aspect in the show… so it felt like a generic military show, most of the time :/

any plot points that didn’t relate to the Being X overarching plot (or Tanya herself) didn’t really grab my interest… the military stuff was kinda boring, in that regard

episode 11 was my favorite episode, as it had Tanya duking it out w/ the guy she seemingly killed earlier (plus he had Being X powers!)

I felt like that fight was too short for the buildup we had for it, though… it was a good fight, though!

the finale was definitely more quiet and reflective, but also was pretty open-ended.

Overall, I had a good time with this show; there were interesting ideas in here for sure, but they didn’t get as much focus / screentime as I would’ve liked… That being said, I can see why this show became quite popular! If you like military shows (or shows w/ evil protagonists), give the first 2 episodes a shot and see for yourself~

I also will be writing a Final Impressions post for Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, which also finished this season! I’ll update this post with the link when it’s done~

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