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Opinion Personal

What I’m Watching – Mob Psycho 100 II (Episodes 1-5)

This post discusses plot spoilers through episode 5 of the series.

Read my First Impression here!

I watch anime for all sorts of reasons, but beyond just enjoying it for its aesthetic properties I also appreciate the many different stories that are told within the medium. I think one of the better ways to achieve some sort of empathy is to read or watch stories about people who are different than yourself, and while anime characters tend to be homogeneous in their own way, I’m still amazed at the variety of characters and stories there are to experience. It is always nice, though, when what I’m able to decipher of an anime’s worldview feels very much in line with my own.

It’s taken me until the second season of this anime series to hone in on the fact that its biggest strength has always been Shigeo’s (Mob’s) decision to choose kindness over all else. Typical for most heroes, he tries to avoid hurting others outright; it’s both a testament to his personal ethics, as well as a reaction to having been bullied himself. While others might take these experiences and twist them into an excuse to lash-out (we see many such characters throughout the series), Shigeo chooses not to perpetuate unkindness or fall into the trappings of his power, and it’s the active and deliberate nature of this choice that drives home the story’s message.

Categories
Opinion Personal

What I’m Watching – Kemurikusa (Episodes 1-7)

This post contains spoilers through episode 7 of the series.

Check out my first impression HERE!

I wonder a lot about the human race’s ability to survive its seemingly innate urge to destroy itself. Right now climate change is at the forefront of many people’s minds, but there are also a lot of military conflicts going on and concerns about nuclear weapons hordes, among other things. It’s the intrusive background noise of my life, static that makes sure my anxiety level never drops to zero.

Sometimes anime that addresses humanity’s natural (or decidedly unnatural) endpoint can provide some comfort, though. It’s helpful to think that, even if we destroy our society and bungle our management of the planet’s limited resources, there may still be remnants of our existence in this place that speak to our collective better qualities. I’d still rather that we get our act together and stop killing one-another, but theories about our eventual twilight years as a species as they manifest in anime and other media can be a comfort even in their melancholy conclusions.

Categories
Opinion Personal

What I’m Watching – Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka (Episodes 1-5)

This post discusses plot spoilers through episode 5 of the anime series.

Check out my first impression HERE!

When I have time I usually like to try to watch anime that’s not at the top of my watch-list. I like to distinguish this from “hate-watching” a show, which is something I try not to do – it’s a practice that makes me angry, makes fans of the series in question angry, and doesn’t really serve a constructive purpose. Instead, I look at this as an opportunity to expand my horizons or even push my boundaries in some cases. Establishing personal boundaries is a good practice, but I’ve found that every once-in-a-while a re-examination and re-centering can be helpful.

Categories
Opinion Personal

What I’m Watching – Dororo (Episodes 1-6)

This post discusses plot spoilers through episode 6 of the anime.

Check out my first impression here!

While I hate to keep mentioning my recent out-of-town trip since it’s not relevant to this site otherwise, it continues to be on my mind because these types of mini-vacations (work trips to other cities where my evenings are basically free to do as I please) are great opportunities for me to keep up on my anime-watching. Aside from The Promised Neverland, the other series that kept my company that week was Dororo. For whatever reason I was getting seriously intermittent access to Crunchyroll where I was staying (I blame it more on the Android app itself, which has always worked spotty for me even with great internet and a brand new cell phone), so I stuck to Amazon Video this time around.

Categories
Opinion Personal

What I’m Watching – The Promised Neverland (Episodes 1-5)

This post discusses plot spoilers through episode 5 of the anime, and links to offsite content with manga spoilers later in the story.

I’m usually not great at keeping up with anime series as they’re being simulcast. A lot of that is due to my personal workflow and my resistance to watching anime where there are still other anime remaining for me to review. I realize how ridiculous that sounds but I’m someone who easily wanders off-track and procrastinates, so I have to set some weird rules in place to keep myself from becoming distracted. There are rare times, though, where watching weekly broadcasts becomes a necessity rather than a luxury, and as soon as I started watching The Promised Neverland I suspected that it might be one of those anime.

I generally try to look past hype and not let internet chatter influence my own opinions, but the discourse around this series was difficult to ignore. I read an essay about the restrictive gender roles as they exist in the story’s universe (caution for both big-time plot spoilers and some disturbing imagery), and from that point I was intrigued. Since the anime adaptation of the manga series had already been announced, I tried to put the spoilers out of my mind (I was at least partly successful due to the length of time in between the post and the first episode, which was helpful!)

Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Winter 2019 First Impressions – Virtualsan: Looking

A TV anime featuring 30 VTubers including Mirai Akari, Siro, Nekomiya Hinata, Tsukino Mito, Tanaka Hime, and Suzuki Hina! In a creative collaboration Anno Hideaki, the six primary cast members will appear in Evangelion costumes. The theme song is composed by producer Nakata Yasutaka, sung by Kizuna Ai in the first six episodes, before being taken over for episodes seven through twelve by the main cast as the special VTuber unit dubbed “Virtual Real”. An original 3DCG animated project with an omnibus format designed to put the personality and charm of VTubers on full display.Crunchyroll

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Various (various virtual YouTube stars)

Episode Summary: The virtual world is populated by all sorts of interesting folks. The virtual idols, whose viral fame has ushered in an entirely new kind of fandom, spend their days together navigating the strange quirks that their internet existence has to offer.

The series centers on 6 primary idols who perform in the bulk of the skits, while other moments feature various other virtual YouTube idols in supporting roles.

Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Winter 2019 First Impressions – Mysteria Friends

Mysteria Academy is a prestigious magic school that teaches magic without discrimination to the three factions (men, gods, demons), who usually are engaged in battle with each other. Two of the academy’s students are Anne, a princess and honor student, and Grea, a princess born from a dragon and a human.ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 10

Source: Game (offshoot of Rage of Bahamut)

Episode Summary: Anne and Grea are two princesses who are as different as can be. Anne is confident and talented, with magical powers befitting her high status. Grea is the child of a human and a dragon and a quiet, sweet soul. Together the two form a bond of friendship that benefits from their differing personalities and makes their time at Mysteria Magic Academy much more fulfilling.

One day Anne is dragged away to aid in the quelling of an angry library spirit, and the aftermath keeps her there for some of the cleanup. Loyal Grea waits at their meeting place until the sun begins to set. Anne is surprised and touched that Grea waited, and the two go off to have their evening meal together.

Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Winter 2019 First Impressions – Grimms Notes: The Animation

Set in a fairy tale world in which everyone receives a book when they are born. These books determine every little detail of that person’s life. Written by the mysterious storyteller, each book traps that individual into a preordained fate. The story, however, stars a hero without a story, someone free to decide his own fate. But since he has only blank pages he can only wander to find his purpose. Our hero travels to lands and meets characters straight out of the pages of some of the most famous fairy tales. He must work together with the characters he meets to fight to get back his story.Crunchyroll

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: TBA

Source: Mobile Game

Episode Summary: Every person is born with a book, its pages telling their life’s story and guiding their fate. What of those whose stories aren’t defined? Ex is one such individual, whose fate and destiny have been left blank. He joins a traveling band of individuals whose purpose is to battle “Chaos Tellers,” enemies who re-write reality and corrupt people’s stories until they become twisted and evil. He hopes to discover what his purpose is as he fights alongside his companions.

As Tao, Shane, Reina, and Ex arrive in Little Red Riding Hood’s world, they discover that she’s gone missing. Eventually they learn that her anxiety over her fate to be eaten by the wolf, as well as her apprehension over the prospect of the Woodsman marrying her mother, have left her open to a Chaos Teller’s corrupting influence. It’s up to this band of fighters, along with their magical fairy tale partners, to set this story straight once again.

Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Winter 2019 First Impressions – Bermuda Triangle: Colorful Pastorale

Daily life for mermaids come with everyday issues. Follow the adventures of five young mermaids as they explore their town and the world around them in this delightful slice-of-life series that takes viewers to an enchanting world beneath the waves.HIDIVE

Streaming: HIDIVE

Episodes: 12

Source: Original (spinoff of Cardfight!! Vanguard)

Episode Summary: Caro, Serena, Sonata, and Fina are mermaids who live in the quiet undersea town of Parrel. The town is known for its mill-ground coral sugar and fresh hijiki seaweed, but not much else; the people there live a slow-paced life away from the bustle of the big city.

One day the town leader receives a package, inside of which is an orb containing a young mermaid, Canon. Canon has come from the city to live in Parrel for a while, and the girls are happy to treat her like another one of their friends. After a natural phenomenon called the Grand Tide flows through town, taking with it dust and debris and overturning some plant life, the mermaids discover an old building they’d never noticed before. When they go inside, they find a projector and a cine-orb with a film of a mermaid dancing. They wonder what mysteries this forgotten place may hold.

Categories
First Impressions Reviews

Winter 2019 First Impressions – Kaguya-sama: Love is War

Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane are two geniuses who stand atop their prestigious academy’s student council, making them the elite among elite. But it’s lonely at the top and each has fallen for the other. There’s just one huge problem standing in the way of lovey-dovey bliss—they’re both too prideful to be the first to confess their romantic feelings and thus become the “loser” in the competition of love.ANN

Streaming: Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hulu

Episodes: 12

Source: Manga

Episode Summary: Kaguya and Miyuki are a perfect match for one-another. Kaguya is the pinnacle of old wealth who approaches life with a regal point-of-view. Miyuki comes from more modest origins, but makes up for that with his top-tier intelligence. Together they’d make a stunning romantic couple, but in an environment where confessing one’s feelings translates to revealing one’s weakness, love is much less a complicated dance than it is an all-out competition of strategic wit and cunning.

The student council office at Shuchiin Academy is the battle ground for these student leaders, who both have feelings for each-other but refuse to show their hand. Their tactics to catch each-other expressing their true feelings range from trickery, to manipulation, to outright desperation. But will this stubbornness ultimately result in unrequited feelings on both sides?