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2018 Winter Anime First Impressions: SDarling in the Frankxx, Beatless, Killing Bites, Hakumei and Mikochi

Thoughts and Ratings Below

SDarling in the Frankxx In every anime season a little mecha must rain down from the heavens. A little fanservice must be doled out. Darling in the Frankxx is this series this season and I am happy to say that while it may not feel like the most unique narrative in the world, what it does it does really well.

Following a young would-be pilot(s) and serialized rather than humanized creatures that form partnerships to operate FRANXX entitled humanoid mecha, it provides dynamic character relationships that don’t immediately fall to the monotony of typical reactions and interactions. The designs feel clean cut even if it is reminiscent of previous works. (In fact mecha-loving aficionados could probably point out every influence previous series have had on this, but we’ll leave it to them.) The quality of imagery is fantastic. So while there might be too many nods here for some people, there is a reason these themes are being drawn upon.

For me, Darling has a lot of building blocks to be a truly solid series. If Eva and Eureka have stayed in your library, this might peak your interest. Rating: 3.75 of 5

Beatless In a world where technology has invaded every aspect of our lives, where androids are commonplace, there exist battle-ready versions up for claim. Arato’s accidental partnership with one of these throws his otherwise regular life into a bit of a tailspin. His overly zealous little sister that he takes care of couldn’t be happier.

A mix of a learning to be human and battle anime, my lack of enthusiasm for this series stems more from the unfortunate timing on my part to having watched it directly after FRANXX. The other series has a much more compressed feeling and very serious tone that makes the mishmash of Beatless seem a little frivolous. If anything it just feels too familiar, too standard. Then again, I have to also admit that robo-girlfriends really aren’t something I feel very strongly about either way.

So it’s hard for me to feel like I can judge this series very accurately. Arato and his relationship with his sister are enjoyable. The designs and style are decent though not spectacular. That’s the best way to describe this series: decent. I don’t see it rising to the top of my list, but if this is your genre it will due its seasonal duty. Rating: 3 of 5

Killing Bites I expected a lot from Killing Bites. I love animal people. I love action anime. I like older casts. The premise of Yuyu getting dragged into a crazy world because he’s the one decent guy who gets thrown in with a bunch of idiots who get what they deserve appeals to me. Political intrigue and power struggles are quite fun when done right. And badgers are pretty awesome, setting aside my much more fluffier Hufflepuff status even. So this should be right up my alley, right?

Well yes and no. The opening scene is pretty brutal. If you have any triggers dealing with rape or sexual assault, run away now. I admit to Hitome’s justice feeling somewhat gratifying. I like that Hitomi isn’t soft and sweet with just this ability to be deadly, even if I actually find her a little too brash for my personal tastes. Her personality doesn’t feel out of place. She is a fighter. She is a killer. She is instinctual. And I expect a series like this to be full of male fanservice, so I’m not going to hold that against the series.

If you’re here for battles and gratuity Killing Bites is for you. If you’re looking for something a little more substantial this pilot isn’t going to give it to you. So maybe it’s my own fault I’m not falling over this series with glee. It’s what I should expect of it. I was just hoping for it to take that next step. Rating: 3.25 of 5

 Hakumei and Mikochi You know the past few seasons, even this one in particular; have provided some pretty cute if not distinct cute girls/friends meets slice of life series. Some of those have stood out significantly. Hakumei and Mikochi take on that style in a world that would have made “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” a lot more accommodating. Following two micro friends in their daily lives, we get to know their little hidden world.

Now that in itself isn’t terrible. What disappoints me was that I was anticipating something more along the lines of last season’s “Girl’s Last Tour”. Not the post-apocalyptic setting, of course, but I thought these girls were few and far between. Instead we’re introduced to an entire mini-city. While this is still fun, there are a few less obstacles the girls may have to face.

That’s where the pleasure of this series comes from, seeing how this little world works. The pilot does a good job of introducing personalities. It shows that those who exist in this world have their entire own mythos and civilization. I’ll take this as an indication that some real thought has been placed into this world and admit to intrigue for further installments. By golly is it also pretty!

It’s not a loud series, but it feels like a vast world for something so small. With pleasant production values Hakumei and Mikochi could be the perfect series to leave you with the cozies. Rating: 3.5 of 5

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2018 Winter Anime First Impressions: Marchen Madchen, Hakyu Hoshin Engi, Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens

Thoughts/Ratings Below

Marchen Madchen

The first few minutes of Marchen Madchen introduce us to a young girl with a severe tendency to withdraw into the comforting world of her imagination through novels whenever her anxiety gets to her. While quiet, I really loved this perspective and wanted to see how these stories would help our heroine navigate her life. But the narrative quickly shifts, as it appears that elements of her stories are popping up in her real life and soon drag her away to a world of magic. This is accompanied by a lavish amount of fanservice thanks to a hot spring trip gone wrong.

From what I gather each girl in the magic school Hazuki is drawn into possesses her ability through a specific book. While I’m interested to see how these things manifest, I’m incredibly cautious. This could be incredibly unique and appeal to my love of fairytale retellings and my Hogwarts-loving soft spot for schools of magic. On the other hand…it could easily fall into generic school of magic territory with little character development and a lackluster plot if one ever decides to emerge.

With a decent production behind it, I’m remaining optimistic. But I fear this could easily just be run-of-the-mill. Rating: 3 of 5

 Hakyu Hoshin Engi I promise myself that I’ll watch an entire episode before scrapping something. And I’ve sat through some pretty irritating things. But I have to say that I was sorely tempted to break this rule with Hakyu Hoshin Engi. Now it’s not incredibly offensive or a degrading ecchi offering. I’m trying to be more selective with my time and this series is just. So. Boring.

Think of a kid’s action anime. Any. Scramble a couple together. You have a young destined hero, a ridiculous sidekick that reminds me of a Moomin’s cousin, a thousand characters, over powered individuals, ridiculous villains, and about twenty things happening at once. Wrap it up with lack luster style and bam, you’ve got it.

I really couldn’t tell you much about this because I just zoned out through part of it, I think. I’m sorry if you have a soft spot for series like these, but it is just not for me. Rating: 1.5 of 5

Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens Is this town with 3% of its citizens working as assassins a clutter of plot and fangirl bait? Does it have some serious representation issues? Is it a touch gimicky, over-the-top in areas, and not in itself unique? Yes to all of the above. It’s also fun.

Hakata certainly has it’s own style. It also has quite a handful of characters to introduce and it does so rather fluidly and with due diligence. It may certainly feel like these killers are the minority, I really enjoyed the motivations and the introduction to the different powers at play. Some may seem a little extreme in character but the variety of specialties each has provides a refreshing distinction as opposed to using personality tropes.

The pilot of this series is very much an introduction to individuals rather than premise, save the very later half which hints at where we might be starting. So I’m not sure how it will hold up as a story. Personally, I think it’s a good sign. There was a lot of ground to cover. To try to do both introductions and story at once in the time allotted would be quite a feat to manage so they made a choice.

I hope it continues to make good decisions Rating: 3.5 of 5

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2018 Winter Anime First Impressions: After the Rain, Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody, How to Keep a Mummy

Thoughts/Ratings Below

After the Rain When there isn’t a power play involved, and the individuals are of a reasonable age of development, I have a huge soft spot for age gaps in relationships. So the premise of a teenager falling in love with an older man peaked my interest but I proceeded with caution. I didn’t expect to fall absolutely in love. When Akira’s main passion is taken away from her because of injury she starts a job. She also happens to develop a crush on her boss. But this series is so much more than that.

It’s very much a self-exploration. You see the weight and even possible depression of our heroine. You see her doubt on her crush. The infatuation is not treated lightheartedly. She doesn’t realize the exact age gap and Kondo, the target of her affections, is mostly confused by her reactions. There is no predatory nature here. Did I mention he has a kid? That it shows a working parent toggling the aspects of his life, and we get to see Akira bonding with the youngster?

In addition to these genuine, honest, moments, the production values are just a treat. There’s simplicity to the style, and a rather unique character design style, but it does not lack in any regard. This truly is a gem for me Rating: 4.5 Of 5

 Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody Every season brings a self-insert into a game series. That would be this. And while I’ve seen some negative reviews of this floating around since its release, I’m willing to give Death March a little credit.

What I appreciate about this is the potential we have of a programmer being placed into this world. There’s a sense of consciousness that resembles that in Overlord that could give this a slight edge. I also appreciate an older character, and it’s kind of refreshing for someone to start at a higher level in the game. It puts you at a different starting point. That being said, becoming super powerful and not having any set backs or development isn’t so great.

The problem is the generic feel. There’s nothing to really grab you. There isn’t something to establish real interest in the characters or the world. So it’s a bit hard to sell potential. And the production isn’t sweeping. So really, it suffers most from being really run of the mill Rating: 2.25 of 5

 How to Keep a Mummy Sora is used to his dad sending him really bizarre, usually dangerous, things. He’s left to hold the fort, and when he finds a giant coffin waiting him he’s understandably nervous. What’s inside, however, is a fluff ball of wrap we’re calling a mummy. This comedy centers on this attachment-issue, pet-creature thing and Sora’s adaptation to having this new dependent that doesn’t come with a set of instructions or someone to consult in general.

How to Keep a Mummy does its job. It provides cuteness in a bundle. For now, I foresee this series being a moment-to-moment type series rotating about the mechanics of being this little creature. I don’t know how much of a story will be developed, but if you need a sweet little filler this is certainly going to fit the bill. With likeable characters and a mummy-puppy rivalry, it will probably leave you with at least one smile. Rating: 3 of 5

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2018 Winter Anime First Impressions: Basilisk The Ouka Ninja Scrolls, Violet Evergarden, DamexPrince Anime Caravan

Thoughts/Ratings Below

Basilisk: The Ouka Ninja Scrolls

The original Basilisk anime came around when I was late high school, early college. I remember seeing an episode or two and wanting to continue, but alas this never occurred. As such I’m really not sure how this series fits into canon and I’m a little cautious about continuing just in case this is a sequel, which I’m fairly certain it is, in case I want to go back and visit the original first. That being said it’s possible that I might also enjoy this more if I view it first.

This is a very introductory episode. It exists as a brief overview of a ninja-world and the young protégés with their special abilities. It also sets up a forbidden, though slightly disturbingly so also arranged, romance. Now, I’ll be the first to admit. Period pieces get a pass from me in the blood relation category to an extent. Cousins, non-direct blood members, they were often wed for the sake of business. I am not all that keen on the idea of an entire community wanting siblings to come together, however. Sadly this fact really overshadows the series for me.

As a first go, it’s a generic intro to a period action piece. We don’t know enough about the individuals or mood of the world from the start to really be attached or drawn in. It’s an offering to fans and nostalgia at my best guess. Without such, I don’t see this as being an instant favorite. But I can’t entirely count it out just yet. So for now, run of the mill. Later, who knows? The execution Rating: 2.75 of 5

 Violet Evergarden What does a soldier do when the war is won? What does a conscious machine built for combat with the capacity but not the understanding of emotion do when their directive is gone and those they have bonded with are no longer present? These are the questions posed by Violet Evergarden within an alternate early 1900s like environment that’s light on the steampunk elements. And you know what? This series is everything I could possibly hope for in an anime.

Even if it slides into a series that’s just about how individuals can impact someone’s life in individual teaching episodes—this series is breathtaking. There is emotion, heart, oozing out of its pours. You clearly see the struggle of everyone to adapt to life after the tragedies that have come to a close. You see flaws, honesty, and good will. Now not everyone is a bleeding heart, but they feel like well rounded, solid, characters. Because life moves on, and you move with it even if ghosts linger and your world has changed.

The production values are the absolute top. The story hits the heart. And for those looking for a less sappy and slow watch, there is a lot of potential for wartime flashbacks in order to see character backstories and motivations. I cannot wait for more. Rating: 4.5 of 5

DamexPrince Anime Caravan Now I’ll admit, well-executed reverse harems can be a soft spot for me. That being said I haven’t really seen one of those in a really long time. DamexPrince might change my mind on that but not for the obvious reason. Sent on a diplomatic operation, Ani comes face to face with a variety of princes representing an the feud entangled countries that threaten to smother hew own. Each prince is an oddball and best of all? Ani seems to be the most level headed and skeptical heroine I’ve seen since Haruhi from Ouran. Sure she has her own few stylistic face-palms, but her recognition of the absurdity of these people around her mimics the audience’s so well that these parody characters actually seem amusing when you know you’re not supposed to take them seriously.

Is this going to be landmark? I doubt it. But to see a heroine actually look like she might have a purpose and who actually isn’t interested in these guys—who just wants to get things done – is really refreshing. It’s worth noting that she isn’t presented as cold or hard headed. She’s actually quite meek in some regards. Ani is endearing and grounded and very much the key to success with this series.

With lively visuals and a good sense of genre-targeted humor, DamexPrince could be a really fun romp! Rating: 3.5 of 5

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2018 Winter Anime First Impressions: Citrus, Ryou’s Work is Never Done, Karakai Jozu no Takagi-san

Thoughts/Ratings Below

Citrus I won’t lie. This series was very high on my watch list this season. I’m not familiar with the source material but I DO know that it is one of the most highly acclaimed Shoujo-ai manga series of all time. It’s one of those things that I always meant to look into but never got around to. That aside I knew nothing really about it.

Now I’ll put this up front. LGBT romances in anime seem to me to have a lot stronger problematic themes and tropes than the general romance round. There are things I expect to have to endure. Shonen-ai is full of age differences and severe consent issues. Shoujo-ai carries the same consent issues and usually is even more blatantly not for the ladies watching to a higher graphic level than the male counterpart. Citrus is not devoid of these things. There are family issues; there are some dubious age/consent/gender preference and control issues. All that being said—I loved this.

Now I can’t say that Yuzu is a character I personally gravitate to. Mei isn’t either. In fact these two character types I usually find the most abrasive. BUT I like how Yuzu doesn’t exclude things that are seen as more feminine as also being rebellious. Her energy feels like a genuine personality trait rather than a type. There are hints of self realization in this both romantically and personally with her adaptation to her mother’s spur-of-the-moment decision and the position it puts them in. (But, seriously anime—who doesn’t meet a step parent before the marriage. Is it because the union process is so different from the US?)

All in all, problems aside, I’m still very excited to see where this story goes.

Rating: 4 of 5

Ryou’s Work is Never Done In the shadow of March Comes in Like a Lion, I feel like anything involving shoji is going to have the deck stacked against it to some extent. Ryuo’s Work is never done is a completely different beast, even if both have protagonists who are struggling with holding their professional positions as a teen in this game. While Ryou stands aside, that doesn’t mean its legs are steady.

Now I’ll give the series this. The fact that this teen literally collapses under pressure and is helped with best wishes by this child is the sweetest and most honest moment. After all, I think we underestimate how much pressure we put on people let alone teens with hormones still flailing. But how exactly a nine year old who seems to be whipping a player in a slump becomes the STUDENT feels a little less than stable. This is slightly salvaged by the fact that Ryuo feels this too.

However, I’m just not feeling this slightly haremish set up with an annoying second female character and some dubious fanservice involving a child. This just doesn’t settle well. There are quite a few series that can explore relationships between mentors and those with age gaps, with nontraditional family set ups, but I don’t think that this is going to be one of them. It’s not even going to try.

 I might give it one more chance, but my hopes are not high. Rating: 2 of 5

 Karakai Jozu no Takagi-san Kids can be perplexing. This is even more so if you’re a kid too. And it might be even more confusing if you might, maybe, also have a crush on someone. Well poor Nishikata is tormented in his quest to get one up on his seat-neighbor Takagi who always seems to be one step ahead of him in the prank department and loving every moment of it. In a sort of short-compilation like way we watch his desperate attempts and failures. Now, as a girl who was taunted by others in her younger years I have sympathy. But it’s quite clear that Takagi’s teasing isn’t malicious even if it might feel that way. And for every little girl who hears “they must like you if they’re teasing you” this is a really nice turn about. Why, I might even go as far to say as it feels like Takagi is getting ‘revenge’ for most of us. Not that I’m denying the cattiness girls can manifest.

Long story short, this is a cute little romp that brings up childhood frustrations in all the right ways. Now how this will add up over time I really can’t say. But as fill in entertainment it left me with quite good spirits.

Rating: 3 of 5

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2018 Winter Anime First Impressions: Record of Grancrest War, Slow Start, Sanrio Boys

Thoughts/Ratings below

Record of Grancrest War

When a peace accord-fueled marriage is obliterated not only are two countries left without their leaders and with a refueled war. In this world Lords contract with mages through crests of various levels of rank to obtain the magic users service and loyalty. One rather independent and fresh mage decides to take her fate, and possibly the nation’s, into her own hands when she encounters a fledgling lord and decides that this is the person whose corner she’s going to be into.

With fairly fluid animation, a female character that is sneakily taking the reins, and decent motion, Grancrest actually looks like it could rise above the more standard fantasy themes. It doesn’t scream desperate light novel or game plug-the-plot-to-fan service. Even if it could easily slip, as anything could early on, there is a lot of heart in this first installment. Our lead female is spunky. The visuals are actually very nice. The character relationships could prove to be rather solid. In other words, I see potential.

So if you lean towards fantasy in the vein of Tails, Chain, or maybe even Fantasy and Ash, though this is far less somber, this might be something worth your time.

Rating: 3. 5 of 5

Slow Start

 Slow Start is strangely appropriate of a name not only given the cutesy/youth/chibi-friendly character designs. The entire premise is about these friends who find themselves not where they should be for their age developmentally as they go about their energetic daily school days. In other words, cute girls doing cute things. Thankfully we can wave off the eye-roll inducing chest shot we’re thrown almost immediately as the show opens. Cutesy as an art style and as a fetish are two different audience grabbers. I’m happy to say this is to illustrate our protagonist’s discomfort with herself rather than fetish pandering. The later just generally turns me off.

But Slow Start doesn’t really have a lot more going for it. It’s pretty much your out-of-pocket genre piece. That doesn’t make it bad, but I really can’t tell you much about any of the cast that made them stick out. That’s slightly important to make a piece like this flourish. So unless this is your guilty pleasure genre, you’re not going to find much here.

Rating: 2 of 5

Sanrio Boys What do you expect from a series that screams “PROMO” in the title? Not a whole heck of a lot. What do you think when you see a series of bishies? Fangirl bait. What does Sanrio boys deliver? Here we have something that actually utilizes items within a narrative to give weight to an otherwise less than impressive setup.

Now I’ll forgive the stop-frame title introduction that usually drives me up the wall. I can excuse the excessive stop frames. And I’ll forgive the plethora of pretty boys if they think this is going to get GUYS into a franchise, though more pre and teen girls might chip in. Because you know what?  They actually use this series to address gender and age insecurities. I’m down with that. 

Sanrio Boys isn’t going to blow you away. It does have a charm and sincerity that usually falls flat in long form commercials or fangirl bait. The difference? It’s actually trying to be something more. I can support this ambition. Let’s just hope it can maintain this flow as we encounter more character obsessions.

Rating: 3 of 5  

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2018 Winter Anime First Impressions: Ito Junjo Collection, Devilman Crybaby, Katana Maidens

Thoughts/Ratings Below

Ito Junjo: Collection

 I have not familiarized myself with the work this series is based on, but I know how highly it’s revered in certain circles. I know enough from other people’s expectations to be intrigued by this series. So I went into this series expecting style over story but hoping that the Ito Junio Collection would make the best out of the standalone/short format. What I found was a something that kind of hovered….and flopped.

The biggest problem with doing a compilation is that you have to start with a bang. You don’t have the same luxury as a narrative story that a viewer comes in realizing it might take a while to warm up. You need to get to the heart of the matter. For a series from an author known first for his horror stories, the first bit should be…well… at least creepy. Instead we’re given an over-the-top highly disturbed high school student who pretty much fails in all regards in story and as a character.

Now had this been further in, the mood shift might feel like a parody of the genre.  I suspect that was the type of commentary and humor that was intended. Here it just feels flat and, if I’m being honest, entirely irritating. It’s not too frequent that a single character and not the overall presentation irritate me to the point where I just want to stop. I came very close.

To its strength, I’m not sure how it is as an adaptation, but I adore the way this series looks. That alone is enough to give this a few episodes to find its footing. Maybe it’s spiteful, or hard headed, but I refuse to let an idiot like Souichi make me give up on something this artful. He is enough, however, to sink the rating for a first impression Rating: 2.25 of 5

 Devilman: Crybaby

Wow. Okay. Did I pick a night for the oddballs?

Straight up disclaimer: This is NOT a series for the young ones. There’re some very graphic sexual and violent (separate and at the same time) in the later part of the first episode that would be hard pressed to get an R rating here.

This may make me a horrible anime fan, but I’m not familiar with this director’s work even though apparently I’m supposed to be. So I didn’t exactly know what I was getting into. It’s clear from pretty early on that this is a highly stylistic story. It follows the story of a very emotional Akira and his polar opposite disconnected friend of old Akira as the later sweeps his friend into a world of danger from both the drug and mob laced world of our own and the demonic layers of another. The result is something I just don’t know how to feel about.

It feels like something that could be masterful, but it takes an adjustment period. It feels like there are two types of stories here that are colliding together like knot in your hair. You know the pieces all go together, but somehow they’ve jumbled. What Devilman could easily cater to a more generic shonen audience or it could have gone all-out artsy. Somehow it tries to do both and the exaggerated elements of the later some times feel less forgivable when you tie in the calmer moments.

Overall I’m intrigued but highly cautious.

Rating: 3.5 of 5

Katana Maidens

Katana Maidens follows the journey of a group of girls from various schools, as they become part of an elite protection group of transforming blade-wielding warriors. It’s easy to brush off this generic premise, but I will admit I quite enjoyed this introduction. It helps if your expectations are that this is just going to be a genre-cliché dump. It’s not devoid of the familiar.

However, I love the motion and depth of colors. I like that it starts with a working team instead of the school aspects of this series. That being said, the fact that the premise is so basic means that this series is either going to soar to become an unexpected darling within a particular type of fan base or sink to the depths of ‘meh’. It doesn’t help that there seems to be a lot to this world and system that can only be brushed over given the run time. At it’s best it has potential for good character dynamics and politics. I’m going to hope it focuses in on these elements instead of letting itself go.

Rating: 2.5 of 5

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2018 Winter Anime First Impressions: Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles - Laid-back Camp

Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles

The title of this series screams two things. One, cutesy. Two, short. Ms. Koizumi isn’t actually (entirely) either of those things. Normally a title character in such a series would be the over enthusiastic fluff ball who launches themselves into their obsession. Somewhat refreshingly, Koizumi is actually quite deadpan even when in the depth of her passion. The energy comes from a girl dying to get close to her and attempting to do so my following her classmate as she indulges in her love for noodles.

This shift in dynamics is both the series strength and weakness. While the series is a simple light hearted romp into the world of noodles, and I was actually piqued by the less than subtle girl-crush that I thought could actually be a fun little Shoujo-ai portrayal that didn’t play as much to the paint-by-numbers, Yuu’s seriously got to stop stalking. One can only be shot down so many times before it becomes irritating. Back off a little, girlie! I mean there isn’t even a HINT she’s warming up to you even as a person. That being said, this isn’t a harmful anime. If you’re a foodie you might find some trivia interesting here. But it really lacks the substance to retain my attention for long. Rating: 2 of 5

Laid-Back camp

Okay, let’s hold up for a second. Have I missed a memo? Is it national ramen month in Japan? Is it a seasonal/cultural thing? Or are we all just really craving noodles this time of year. This makes the third of five series this season that has the carby soupy delight play a significant role. I know curry’s practically a trope and cup noodles can be to but…this seems…excessive.

Noodles aside, Laid-Back camp holds a slow-burn charm that really jives with the camping theme for anyone who’s had the opportunity to engage in such an activity. As someone in New England, I’ve spent my own times in the summer in tents. I will say that this series reminds me how fun it can be, and I have missed it on and off since I took a job that makes getting summer time off quite difficult. I really appreciated the nod to the fire tutorial and will fully admit I have never used pinecones to start a fire, usually starting with twigs and leaves, but I feel entirely stupid for not having done so.

I digress. That is also the point. This series takes you away for a little while into the world and beauty found in the solitude of these types of adventures and hints at the fun that can be had both on your own and with others. Where this falls apart for me is actually the introduction of Nadeshiko. She’s scatterbrained fluff meant to inject energy into Rin’s life. I can’t say I really gravitated to her or her traits. Honestly the tone shift felt a bit sudden even if it was hinted at, which irritated me. It’s just a personal thing, and as we go along I could warm up to her and other potential club members that will come in. I hope so as it really was a visual beauty and potentially informative and nostalgic.  

Rating: 3 of 5

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2018 Winter Anime First Impressions: Overlord - Today’s Menu for Emiya-Family - A Place Further Than the Universe

Overlord This season brings us another installment of Overlord, a rather refreshing take on the ‘insert into another world’ theme that seems to be so pervasive these days. Now if you were around for the first season this mini-update on where characters stands is probably an acceptable whistle-wetter. If you have no clue who these individuals are, it’s not going to make much sense or really get you excited for more. That’s a risk you take without doing a dry recap. As someone who enjoyed our first run, I’m okay with this. I’m interested in this new player setting up our newest conflict. But it’s not going to stand our for non-fans. 

Rating: 3 of 5

Emiya-san Chi mo Kyou no Gohan (Today’s Menu for Emiya Family) This series is very appropriate for the New Year, and as it started at the very first the filler nature was acceptable. That being said, I did not realize this was a spin-off, so it offers very little in the way of establishing characters as such. Does explain why people looked familiar as I have not watched more than one or two episodes of the anime Fate series. Enough to make me feel like an idiot, at  least. Today’s Menu feels very much like a series that is geared towards a non-Japanese audience. Which, not being Japanese, isn’t something I take for granted and with appreciation.

It uses food to teach culture and the history of tradition, which may even be lost to local audiences as far as I know. It also cashes in on the cooking trend in an accessible of demonstrative way that actually made me both hungry and wishing I had access to ingredients to follow along with! It’s not deep, but it was quite a bit of fun!

Rating: 3 of 5

 Sora Yori mo Tooi Basho (A Place Further Than the Universe) I think all of us can relate, or at least most, to not meeting the goals we have for ourselves. If you’re blogging about something like anime you’re probably also wishing you were a little more outgoing. Many of us wonder what we’d do if given opportunities. Further Than the Universe gives us a protagonist facing this in her mid high school years who is simply endearing from the get go. All these doubts are brought to the front when she has to face her insecurities after meeting a girl with big dreams who’s been ostracized for her ambition and past.

Further Than the Universe is infused with charm, a touch of whimsy, a whole lot of heart, and leaves the viewer anticipating the journey of these new friends. It doesn’t hurt that the visuals are simply breathtaking to boot. If the rest of the 2018 is half as good as one of its earlier offerings, we’re in for a really great anime run this year.

Rating: 4 of 5

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2017 Anime Disappointments

For something a little different, the following is a list of not necessarily bad series that came out this year. In fact, there were some really brilliant aspects to a lot. This is a compilation of series that failed to meet expectations or exploit their potential. Because there was a lot of good to be had in these, this isn’t as much of a ranked list as a collection of frustration.

Kado: The Right Answer This started out as a series that I was so stoked for. I loved the set up, but somewhere along the way the series scattered away from the direction I had hoped for it. Now I’m a sci-fi fan, but as the series progressed it just seemed to jumble up. In the end I just felt mildly confused and unsatisfied though I appreciated the resurrection of business theme.

ID-0 ID-0 had a really interesting premise. IT was a great pilot. Unfortunately, the idea of being stuck in such a form was erased and it just really fell down to being a standard sci-fi/mecha jumble. I don’t regret watching, but it wasn’t what I had hoped it was going to be.

Hitorijime My Hero This one just makes me mad. Now, I give it props for the pure friendships in this series and how that works without secret crushing, hiding, or just being flamboyant. But from the setup I was expectation something a little less slice-of-life standard shonen-ai. It also was a little less tropey, which I appreciated, but YOU COULD HAVE BEEN A NEW STANDARD, DARN IT.

Grimoire of Zero Animal people? Magic? Contracts? New worlds? There were so many elements here that could have made this charming and memorable. It just never reached that point for me.

NTR: Netsuzou Trap NTR tried to be the Shoujo-ai Scum’s wish. It didn’t manage it. It made me feel uneasy in entirely different ways. It felt violently awkward. I wanted to love this. I wanted so much from this. I didn’t get it.

The Royal Tutor Okay so I love the brothers. I love sensei. But this felt more like a twisted harem presentation instead of developing a real story arc even with a cliffhanger in place. It was pleasant, but not as memorable as it could have been.

Vatican Miracle Examiner I loved the set up this. I loved this look. But the series never really reached the depths that both of these things could have allowed. I felt like this could have been a paranormal Death Parade. But it just came up as a shoty debunking/conspiracy plot that only manages to be clunky.

A Centaur’s Life We live in a post Interview with Monster Girls and Monster Musume world. That is the biggest issue with A Centaur’s Life. It has too much to live up to. Sure it’s cute. It’s fun. There are some interesting character types and social rules. But it just can’t reach other series.

Love and Lies Love and Lies isn’t so much of a disappointment to me as a series that just makes me want to pull my hair out because I don’t know how to feel. I don’t know where to side. I don’t know how to feel about this world or situation. Though I do have to say it’s one of the strongest “I just want an OT3” feelings I’ve had in a while.

Inuyashiki This is my absolute biggest frustration of the season. With its cast and aesthetic, Inuyashiki could have been astounding. Epic. One of the best things we’ve seen in years. It could have been Death Note and Parasite in happy union. Unfortunately, and I blame the number of episodes it was given entirely for this, it’s never allowed the casual development and burn that makes a truly great anime of this darker vein. All the same, it remains something worth watching. We need more of all this could have been.  

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Top Anime of 2017

Oh 2017. You were actually a pretty descent year for anime. Sure you had your share of flops, but there were some…gems…(har har?) as well. These are, tentatively, ten series that I really anticipated the weekly releases of. To be fair to our newcomers, excluded are continuations. Because let's face it. This year gave me the conclusion to Showa Genroku Rakugo, more Natsume’s Book of Friends, Attack on Titan, Good Wars, March Comes in Like a Lion, Rage of Bahamut, Food Wars, New Game, and My Hero Academia, and a new Kino’s Journey. Most of which own a special section of my heart. Also, Little Witch Academia was glorious, and even though I’ve not seen any of the previous versions, as a reboot it’s not up for grabs.       My ‘cheating’ list of runners up –

Children of the Whales, Alice and Zouroku, Konohana Kitan, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid.

 Without Further Ado!

10. Sakura Quest There’s something to be said for stand alones. Sakura Quest knew what it was, it’s story, it’s feel, it’s message, and purpose. Being self-contained allows a series to really feel developed. That’s where Sakura Quest fell. The characters were sweet, fun, and really fleshed out. Kudos.

 9. Princess Principal Princess Principal actually could have landed on another list of mine, as I feel it lost a little steam and wandered. But it was so beautiful, and such a fun little series of escapades! It was just a ball of fun.

8. Kakegurui Kakegurui was another series I wanted more of, but at the same time this is for me what I felt Prison School was for others. It wasn’t ecchi oriented in the same way, thank goodness imho, but it had the same intensity of that bizarre energy and depiction as the other cult favorite. That, and the characters and premise were three times more fun. Revenge, a touch of insanity, and crazy games made for a brilliant time.

 7. Recovery of MMO Junkie To be honest, from here on up things could all be almost on level. MMO Junkie touched me in a really unexpected way. While I’m not a NEET by definition, thankfully I am employed, and not a gamer, seeing an older female character portrayed with dignity while still exploring the issues, pros, and cons, of escapism that I appreciated deeply. It was a really enjoyable romp!

 6. Scum’s Wish Wow. I did NOT expect this series. I really didn’t. This series was so raw. It approached the subjects of romance, attraction, relationships, and social perception and expectations in a way and with a voice I really haven’t seen anywhere else in any form of media. Admittedly, I actually was left a little uneasy by this series—but that felt so in tune with the rest of the series. Conflict and personal development aren’t wrapped up in tidy bows.

 5. Welcome to the Ballroom I’m not sure how many people gravitated to this series. It’s no Free or Yuri on Ice, to be sure. But the passion and sweet honesty of our characters is so heartwarming that it really should have the same level of praise even if it’s not catering to the same type of audience. If you’re willing to give a hobby/’sport’ anime a shot because of the tonality of the previous mentioned, please check out this little gem!

The Ancient Magus’ Bride 4. There is a really quiet charm to this series even though every element of its execution was so much /more/ than many series. The visuals, the depth of even more stand alone moments, the music, the complexity of characters that was managed to be developed already, the relationships, all of these things just went above and beyond the standard expectations. I can’t wait for more of this mature Shoujo.

3. Land of the Lustrous Land of the Lustrous is quite simply the best execution of 3D art I’ve seen in anime to date. This is what everything else WANTS to be visually. There is an abstraction to the feel and narrative that, even though I didn’t feel completely satisfied with how it developed narratively the glimpse into this world was enough to leave an impression that will make it very hard for other things to beat.

2. Girls’ Last Tour Post apocalyptic slice of life? Okay, I’m there. Not just because of that. Last tour will stick with you because it’s absurd that a world like this has within it such inspiring stories in a more vignette form. These two wanderers are dots in this massive expanse, but these little pieces of their lives and the wonder and beauty they find in such a gray place leave you so warm. Sure, the ending breaks the mold a little, but it never feels out of place.

  1. Made in Abyss I’ll be honest here. Made in the Abyss might not be the most special series to me this season, but I have to give it all the credit for what it is. There is a look, feel, and spirit that transcend any presumption you would make from the art or initial episode alone. This manages to reach the heartstrings at the final hour like no other. It may wander a little, but the impression it leaves isn’t easily forgotten.

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Summer Anime 2017 in Review

Greetings Tumblr-ites! This summer I followed through with 24 new anime this summer. While I do still have a couple finales to finish, I’m excited to hop into the new season but first I wanted to reflect and share some of my top picks and disappointments from this past rotation. The continuations of Rage of Bahamut, Sakura Quest, My Hero Academia, and ReCreators will be excluded for the majority. This being said, these are only the opinions of a random viewer who, admittedly, watches at accelerated speed in order to keep up. So if this method has left me missing something about a series that leads to an underappreciating of something dear to you, my apologies. By all means, enjoy what you enjoy!

Without Further Rambling:  

All in all, of the series I kept up with there wasn’t anything horrible. Just Mediocre at the worst. That’s not the worst outcome.

 Kept Up Appearances Both Kakegurui and Hell Girl delivered in a consistent performance. And Restaurant to Another World proceeded in the same enjoyable tone. But I’m going to give this one to Welcome to the Ballroom for not only coming to the table earnestly but by remaining entertaining while managing to stay within common genre themes.

Exceeded Expectations Partly due to the award above, Welcome to the Ballroom made it higher on this list than I thought it would. And 18if certainly left its mark, but I started both those series with at least a level of intrigue. With that in mind, I’m giving this to Clean Freak! Aoyama-kun. It may not have blown me away. In fact I could even be irritated by it. But I liked the expanded world around the character more than I thought I would.  Unanticipated Hands down, Made in the Abyss. Holy heck WHERE did that come from? What started as a fluffy little series turned into quite a drama. I did not see that coming.

 Failed to Deliver I’m going to blame Chronos Ruler’s faults on plot pacing. I want to shake a fist at the misleading pilot of Hitorijime My Hero. But Vatican Miracle Examiner, you had so much opportunity.

You Could have Been Great This could be a victim of allotted episodes or my speed reading, but Altair: A Record of Battles had all the workings to live up to the series it piggybacked off stylistically (Arslan) and even exceeded some of its faults. But man…this just didn’t have the grip, the pacing, or reel-in that I had hoped it would be.

Also, Princess Principal was so close to being really superior. Possibly also due to my watching methods, I just was waiting for it to go that extra inch. I’m still holding my breath and faith. Most Creative 18if came out of nowhere. Now plot wise it may not have excelled, it wasn’t exactly experimental, but it took so many stylistic choices that I REALLY cannot emphasize that this deserves recognition.

Most Anticipated Weekly I was so excited to see the ladies from New Game were back, and loved seeing them each week. But I have to say that Welcome to the Ballroom, Restaurant to Another World, Princess Principal, and Kakegurui always made me dance in my seat upon release.

Most Amusing Gotta shout out to Mahoujin Guru Guru for being such an amusing genre parody.

Left the Warm and Fuzzies While Elegant Yokai Apartment Life and Centaur no Nayami had its moments, Restaurant to Another World was just always a nice, calm, little breath of fresh air. Likewise, the positivity and determination of Welcome to the Ballroom was empowering.

Guilty Pleasure Love and Lies. The execution wasn’t terrific, but I was still really in for the ride. Also, it was crazy problematic, but Netsuou TRap certainly falls here to. And to some extent Kakegurui.

Most Memorable This has to be 18if for style and Made in the Abyss for its shift in tone.

Best Character Dynamics You know what?  I’m giving this to Dive!! Why you ask? Because while it turned out to be a slightly run-of-the-mill genre piece, what really stayed with me about it was the team’s interactions. It fell outside of the box in that while there was support and competition alike, it felt natural as opposed to dramatized. It felt like this was really a group of people who wanted to do what they loved and excel where they could, but the over-the-top SWORN ENEMY aspects or FOREVER LOYAL AND WILLING TO STAY ON SIDELINES were minimized. I appreciate that.

 Annnnd Drumroll please!

Top 10 Series of the Season

Honorable Mentions: Netsuou Trap and Clione no Akari were really great short series, but it didn’t seem fair to rank them on the same level. The later series gave me the most trouble. There was lot of flopping around but Fastest Finger First slipped out because character interactions exceeded general enjoyment in this case.

10. Love and Lies

09. Elegant Yokai Apartment Life

08. Restaurant to Another World

07. 18if

06. Welcome to the Ballroom

05. New Game 2

04. Princess Principal

03. Hell Girl

02. Made in Abyss

01. Kakegurui

           Now you’re all going: whaaaat? This was barely mentioned above. It was over-the-top and full of common characteristics. Yes, yes it was. It was also ridiculously gratuitous at times, which I usually find irritating. All that said it was hecka pretty and there’s just something about an evilly cheerful person putting snobbish people in their place that just kept me grinning. So while it wasn’t the highest in merit I had a lot of fun with Kakegurui this season.

 Series I Let Go: Knights and Magic   ~~ Battle Girl High School  ~~  FateApocrypha ~~  Aho Girl  ~~ Tsurezure Children  ~~  Skirt no Naka wa Kedamono Deshita  ~~Konbini Kareshi  ~~ Hina Logi  ~~ Tenshi no 3P!  ~~Hajimete no Gal  ~~ Classroom of the Elite ~~ In Another World with My Smartphone

Castlevania**- Watching at a Later Date

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Active Raid‘s Recent Social-Political Commentary as Viewed from an American Perspective.

Anime is no stranger to political commentary, speculation, and social philosophy. (Ghost in the Shell, Eden of the East, Terror in Resonance, any Gundam series) Be it a not-so-subtle commentary on the status of Japan’s defense forces and the role they have, or should have. (GATE anyone?)  And if you’re not living in a world completely cut off from any sort of news feed (Which, if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you aren’t) you’re aware that the world is facing a staggering immigration and refugee crisis.

This week’s episode of Active Raid, “The Stranger in the Wind” decided to take a chance, push the envelope on its general look at battling social disorder and terror to get very, very, real. (Spoilers and episode content below the cut.)

For the majority of the episode I sat in slight disbelief that they were taking on this legitimate issue point-blank as it narrates the reality of displacement for an individual and a community. Even more shocking was how “liberal” that depiction was. And, for the most part, it painted a very broad picture. See for yourself:

 (Following Line Approximately : In others it’s nothing.)

But then, as we near our climax, that I-sure-hope-this-doesn’t-go-where-it-probably-is feeling simply got worse. After all, this is an action-based anime. Unfortunately, it did.

  Now, let me say this first. I understand that Japan has a very strong national identity and that it is not a warm-fuzzily place to outsiders from fear of a loss of that. It’s not to say they’re a cold people, it’s that the disarray in their history has stuck with them and so anything possibly permanent or hint of upheaval makes them nervous. And we all get that way to an extent. And even after the ‘reveal’ they still did try with some success to if not ease the negative actions create a perspective. I respect that.

 But as an American, outsider, viewing this in the context of my world—I was disturbed. It was a feeling that didn’t hit me until the following day. When it did, it did so hard. I found it very hard to go back to cap these images because it was a very cruel reminder of the state of my own nation.

 Simply put, we face a political situation and social climate in which there hasn’t been this level of fear, prejudice, distrust, and individuals leaching power from these whispers in at least decades. To view this was like a confirmation. “See, they’re all radical. It’s sad what they went through, but we’re all at risk. Even the ‘good ones’ turn bad.” This mindset is changing my country into a terrifying and shameful place—and with fear being such a big part of our global reality, anything that can be used to support that troubles me.

 In short, I am exceptionally conflicted about this episode and series at this moment. It was a risk. And without glorifying plight, it probably did the best it could while fulfilling narrative requirements. I just wish that it hadn’t. You could still use a refugee for this purpose. It would have been unsettling, and not preferable. But let victims be seen as true victims as well. Anime reaches more young minds than older. It is so important to know your audience and what you’re implanting in them. And if an inclination exists, I’m not positive that this is going to help calm the issues at hand. Reaction before rationalization is a dangerous thing.

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Winter Anime 2016 (P)review- Aokana: Four Colors Across the Blue

Title: Aokana: Four Color Across the Blue (Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm) Genre: Drama, Harem, Romance, School, Sci-fi (visual novel) Studio: Gonzo

 I will never stop hoping that one day Gonzo will reclaim it’s position in the upper tiers of the anime world. After all these are the geniuses who have created some of the best out there—Hellsing, Full Metal Panic, Last Exile, Trinity Blood, Samurai 7, Welcome to the N.H.K., Afro Samurai, Romeo x Juliet. (Full disclosure: Time has prevented me from seeing all of those in entirety, but at least partial and admire the work greatly.) Despite the switching of the studio’s focus for financial reasons I will not give up this dream.

Sadly, my wish is not answered this season.

Just as last year’s Seiyu’s Life wasn’t exactly terrible, but disappointing so is Aokana. Our story opens with a girl who dreams of flying when she’s little moving to an island which, to her surprise, has show technology that allows the user to fly. They’ve even developed a sport as the result. And by developed I mean advanced air-tag.

That’s the most frustrating part of Aokana; it feels like its half there on every level. The characters are cute, but not standouts. Tackling a limited ability/technology could be a nice shift from a world overrun with tech or magic. Really it’s just about being all around adorable and fun. It just isn’t quite clicking into place.

I hope this series finds it’s footing. It could be good fluffy filler. There’s nothing wrong with a series that isn’t laden with plot or hijinks. It can be a welcome relief. But much like Asuka’s flying abilities, there’s some serious stabilization needed.

Rating: 2.75 of 5

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Winter Anime 2016 (P)review - Undefeated Bahamut Chronicle

Title: Undefeated Bahamut Chronicle (Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut) Genre: Action, Ecchi, Fantasy, Harem, Romance, School, supernatural (Light novel) Studio: Lerche

Does anyone remember last year’s Dragonar Academy? I believe that was the title. Well take that concept, shine it up a bit, and you have Undefeated Bahamut. Or at least, I assume, as I only made it through the pilot of that one. And I’m sorry to say that’s all I intend to watch of this one.

It’s not the sloppy ‘fall onto naked girl’ or ‘singular man in women’s world’ aspect. It’s not even the ‘I will permit this if you can defeat oh wonderful me’! No. It’s just that this is a recycle of themes that adds nothing new to the genre. Which is actually almost a travesty more because of the attempted Romeo and Juliet angle. Interactions between previous ruling factions and the current regime can be a great dynamic to explore.

But I think that’s a bit wasted on this one. Not offensive, but painfully generic. At least the others that have played to a type this season tried to do at least one thing of their own.

 Rating: 1.5 of 5

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Winter Anime 2016 (P)review- Rainbow Days

Title: Rainbow Days Genre: Comedy, Shoujo, Slice of Life (manga) Studio: Production Reed

Rainbow Days has the same stitched together short feeling as some other recent anime offerings, except it is peculiarly half-length. This is a bit of a shame, but may also contribute to the feel of the series, as it is very light hearted and peppy. 20 Minutes or so might dissolve the charm.

Charming is the best word for this series which explores the crush of a hopelessly romantic teen in his search to discover more about his Christmas crush wit his group of pals who certainly don’t let him off easy. The male perspective on a Shoujo is really refreshing, even if it’s not completely unheard of. One of the things I loved the most is how little we know about this love interest, and how his friends even call him out on it.

Unlike males who may assume her role, Matsunaga doesn’t come off as cold and unapproachable as a roadblock to unlocking her secret heart. She doesn’t come off as pitifully shy and scared like other females of this genre might. Nor is she your headstrong and in denial type. There’s something really melancholy about her that completely opposes Natsuki’s optimism. It kind of makes me want to hug them both.

I don’t foresee this redefining Shoujo. I don’t think it will really be in-depth. But Rainbow Days is a pleasant little filler I enjoyed all in all.

Rating: 2.75 of 5

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Winter Anime 2016 (P)review- Schwarzes Marken

Title: Schwarzes Marken Genre: action, drama, military, mecha, military, sci-fi (light novel) Studio: Ixtl x LIDEN FILMS

A historical AU with alien creatures? That in itself makes me want to like this series. And I want to. There is a really good idea buried somewhere here. The problem is finding out exactly what that idea is. I consider myself a moderately cognitive person, but I admit I’m really just confused as to what is actually going on here. It may be because I don’t have knowledge of the Muv-Luv universe.

East and West Germany control opposite sides but are not the best of friends. They have a common enemy in the aliens called BETA. But East Germany, which seems to take the brunt of earth’s defense, is susceptible to opposition from a third side of rebels. Which, as far as political intrigue goes could work into something interesting.

Schwarzes Marken has a few other notable traits. The mecha seem appropriate in design for the timeframe they’re trying to draw upon. They try to address the effects of war on the individual and society. And the 666th squad we follow don’t work seamlessly. They’re individuals who view the situation and each other very differently. I can even deal with the exaggerated presentations of personalities, dubious scenarios, and sometimes flat writing…until we rescue a fighter from the West.

With the retrieval of one Katia, the show immediately feels like it’s trying to be two separate things entirely. Her bubbly overflowing optimism and pep as well as down right naivety is so out of place, her immediate acceptance into the ranks so glossed over, that it’s difficult for me to take anything beyond this point seriously. As much as I love Katia’s name, there is nothing about her addition to the team I adore. Not that’s it’s a personal dislike of her. It’s that he ‘so not right here’ doesn’t contribute to the intrigue or provide a sense of humor similar fish-out-of-water situations have.

Rating: 2 of 5