Random Curiosity

「今日よりも鮮やかに」 (Kyō Yori mo Azayaka ni)
“Even More Colorful Than Today”

Continuing off from last episode, the Vivid team ends up in some pretty dire straits as Akane ends up being too injured to fight the Alone this week. Things work out in the end after the girls decide to put everything in an all or nothing plan… and interestingly enough, this episode turned out quite good as a result. That’s not to say the previous episodes were bad or anything, but there was a lot more here this episode than the usual. In the end it’s kind of hard to pinpoint exactly what, but I don’t know… there was just something quite solid about this episode and how it played out. Things didn’t really feel rushed at all, the emotional aspect of the grim situation was portrayed fairly well — I couldn’t help but feel a bit sad when seeing Momo run in like that — and well, there was just a lot more here this week than the usual elements of enjoyment, a notion assisted in no small part by the great soundtrack.

In the end though, I gotta say… I can’t help but see more and more Evangelion vibes/references as each episode goes by. I discussed this a bit last week already, but this week really took the cake. For one, the whole impenetrable barrier + epic laser offense combination was quite reminiscent of some of the Angels fights in Evangelion. This was then hammered in further by the whole use of a special bomb (SGE in Vividred, N2 Bomb in EVA) in an attempt to win, as well as the whole “need to work in unison” aspect too, which also was a key element in one of the anti-Angel operations. Of course, there ain’t anything else particularly similar — especially considering Vividred doesn’t have any of the religious symbols or overall grimdark atmosphere — but it’s particularly notable nonetheless.

Looking forward, it’s interesting to note that Rei’s attempt to destroy the Manifestor Engine will destroy the world either way… which makes you wonder if she’s entirely aware of what her mission objective entails. We also find out this week that there’s no alternative docking pairings allowed that don’t include Akane as well, which while quite sad when you think about it, at least is reasonable in terms of why this can’t happen. Regardless, with the end is nearing for the series and Rei still actually not on the Vivid team’s side (quite surprisingly)… one does wonder how things are going to work out for Vividred — specifically whether they’ll be able to wrap things up with some kind of proper conclusion, if they’re going to continue the shift into a more serious/grim atmosphere, and if maybe there might be a sequel in store. Guess we’ll see.

Full-length images: 06, 22.

「フーダニット (誰がやったか)」 (Fūdanitto (Dare ga Yatta ka))
“Whodunit (Who did it)”

After 20 episodes of red herrings, false turns, twists, and many potential candidates… the Mage of Exodus is finally revealed in style — to be Fuwa Aika herself. And well, despite the suspicions many of you (and myself) have had regarding this potential scenario unfolding — I have to say, I found myself quite surprised, as the reveal was much more sudden (and epic) than I ever anticipated. One moment I was just sitting there going “whoa, Hakaze really over did it with the emergency retreat there” and the next one it’s like, “HOLY CRAP WHERE DID SHE COME FROM!?” Some crazy stuff. Took a little bit for it to actually sink in. But in the end… I suppose it had to be her. There’s just no one else could’ve really made that moment more epic than it was — I mean, LOOK AT THAT SWORD! I want one! The question that remains though, is what happens now?

Considering what one knows about the sequence of events and the fact that Fuwa Aika ends up dying… one would reason that Hakaze ends up being the reason why she does. Subsequently, this would leave us with a scenario where Hakaze thus returns to the present to report her findings… and the scenario where Mahiro goes to hunt down Hakaze and Yoshino ends up fighting Mahiro in an attempt to stop him. Of course, there’s the potential that Mahiro ends up not following up on his revenge because he realizes that Hakaze had no choice given that Aika was the Mage of Exodus…. though that doesn’t seem that likely, if you end up taking the reaffirmation from Mahiro and the sequence in the OP (where Mahiro and Yoshino are running toward each other) seriously.

On the flip side though, one has to wonder if Aika’s death is even written in stone at this point. It is not impossible that Hakaze could either die or be rendered unable to return to the present (whether due to influence from the past or the present). Furthermore, if one assumes that Aika has magical powers of similar prowess to Hakaze… then theoretically, Aika could travel to the present herself using the same trick Hakaze does — considering that her bones should still be present and Hakaze herself discussed the possibility of this body switch earlier in the episode.

Indeed, there’s just an unimaginable number of ways things could work out now — despite it seeming that the first possibility is the likeliest at the moment — and at this point, you really have to chalk it up to the series. Zetsuen no Tempest just continues to show just how well it’s been structured and written — making us doubt each and everyone of our predictions and making it so that the ending still isn’t clear despite it only being four episodes away. Just superb writing to say the least, and one highlighted further when you consider how the beginning of the episode actually discusses some of the other possibilities — in terms of who murdered Aika and what would happen as a result — that some of us have wondered about previously (and some we haven’t). The series just knows how to cover its bases even before we think about it — and there’s just this kind of foresight in the writing that makes it above and beyond what one would consider a typical series. On top of it all, they managed to sneak in that whole comedic moment with Samon and his hair (“You sure don’t looked troubled! Your hair is still intact! No. It’s a wig. YOU LIE! Yes, I did. But you never joke around like that! And that is how troubled I’ve been. Oh, I see.”) too, which admittedly put a smile on my face.

Ultimately, there’s just not much I can say aside from the fact that this episode was how the prelude to an end should be. Everything about this week just oozed “the end is coming,” and I mean, if you’re going to set up for an ending, this is how you do it. You save one of the biggest revelations for as long as you can, reveal it in style, then give it more than enough time (four whole episodes!) to resolve. At the same time, you make it so that it’s not easily predictable what’s going to happen in the future, while also making it so that the audience doesn’t mind the uncertainty because they know it will likely receive a satisfactory resolution. That’s how it’s done — and that’s how Zetsuen’s been doing it up until now. With the revelation of Aika as the Mage of Exodus, the epic ending we expected looks like it’ll come as anticipated, and well dang it — WHY CAN’T IT BE NEXT WEEK ALREADY!?

Preview

Though not in the podcast, the Minami-ke girls still manage to take the post spotlight!

After a long hiatus, the Random Curiosity Podcast is back up and running! Some of our writers have come together to discuss the current state of the season, laying topics on the table ranging from your standard show analysis to pure fanboyism enthusiasm. If we come off as a bit rusty, bear with us as we get this podcast machine fully oiled and running! While we may have reduced our number of speakers to four, the amount of material discussed is by no means compromised! Stop by and give a listen!

• Vertical Inc.’s tumblr post on a Shin Sekai Yori English translation.
• Ultimatemegax
• Ambiseiy

• Stilts – @StiltsOutLoud – MAL profile
• Zephyr – @ZephyrRC – MAL profile
• Guardian Enzo – @GuardianEnzo
• Zanibas – @Zanibas – MAL profile

• 00:00 – 00:22 – RandomC’s Theme Song (composed by Moomba, check out the full version at music.ei-n.com)
• 00:23 – 02:07 – Introductions
• 02:08 – 10:35 – Kotoura-san
• 10:36 – 18:56 – PSYCHO-PASS
• 18:57 – 29:12 – Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo
• 29:13 – 36:36 – Robotics;Notes
• 36:37 – 48:02 – Shin Sekai Yori
• 48:03 – 49:50 – Intermission Song — 「Prime number～君と出会える日～」 by Asuka Okura (Sakurasou ED2)
• 49:51 – 59:44 – Hunter x Hunter
• 59:45 – 65:18 – Cuticle Tantei Inaba
• 65:19 – 70:47 – Love Live! School Idol Project
• 70:48 – 79:24 – Discussion of short shows
• 79:25 – 81:09 – Short general impressions of Winter 2013
• 81:10 – 84:24 – Shout outs and conclusion
• 84:25 – 86:41 – Outro and Bloopers — 「The Bravery」 by supercell (Magi ED2)

Transcript – One will not be available this round due to the hiatus and resources required to actually make a transcript. Sorry everyone!

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Ichigo’s identity has always been a significant focus in Bleach, and it has been brought back to the forefront again when Ichigo displayed abilities similar to Blut Vene, prompting Juha Bach to make cryptic references about his mother. Now that Ichigo has found himself without his powers yet again, his old man decides that it is finally time to spill the truth about everything. When he first sees Isshin though, he flees out of shame, and pays a visit to his employer and friend Unagiya Ikumi. To be honest, I’m not sure what role she is playing in all this besides emotional support, since she doesn’t seem to possess any spiritual ability. It’s possible she actually knows more than she reveals, but at this point Ikumi probably won’t be doing anything major.

Instead, the bulk of the content in this chapter was covered as Isshin sits Ichigo down and begins telling him the story of how he met Kurosaki Masaki. I found it odd that she had the name Kurosaki when they first met, which would mean that either their family decided to use her surname, or that they coincidentally had the surname (a bit more unusual). It probably comes as no surprise to the readers that she was Quincy, since that fact has been hinted at already. Knowing the history between the two groups, I’m guessing that their relationship ends up being a forbidden love type of thing, though we’ll just have to wait for the flashback to continue. If Isshin holds true to his word, we’ll hopefully also find out why he left the Gotei 13, what the exact nature of Ichigo and his sisters is, and how a Quincy who could defeat a captain-level enemy could be killed by a mere hollow.

「ニワトリだとは言わせねぇ」 (Niwatorida to wa Iwa Senee)
“Can’t Call Me A Chicken Anymore”

Comedy is a subjective thing, but I think it’s safe to say that this was one of, and probably the funniest episode of Tamako Market so far. As long as you don’t hate Dera. Let’s discuss why.

The Butt of the Joke – Dera’s Diet

Dera has always been the funniest thing this show has going, so it’s no surprise that an episode focused on him was hilarious. As a comedic character, he just works – his pompous and silly tendencies make it funny when he’s the butt of a joke, and it makes it really easy for him to walk fly into them himself – see almost any interaction he has with Choi. This episode wasn’t kind to him, so much so that it bordered on comedic sociopathy (trope!) at times, but I think it towed the line pretty well. As long as Dera doesn’t take this level of constant abuse all the time – and he hasn’t so far – a damn good time was had this week, so it works!

Also, I don’t say this enough, but special credit goes to Dera’s seiyuu Yamazaki Takumi for a phenomonal job, both this and in every episode. Like Matsuoka Yoshitsugu in Sakurasou, he’s the element that elevates his role to truly outstanding heights (though the writing is damn good too). Actually, everyone has been good…but damn, that tori! From pompous gentleman to silly, freaking-out-like-mad boke, he has sold his role, and sold it hard. Bravo!

Kanna vs Choi – The Best Girl Is…!?

Kanna and Choi are my two other favorite characters (yes, I like the bird…and the tsundere dad, but that’s neither here nor there), so a strong showing from both of them made me shout out in glee loud enough to seriously unnerve my neighbors. But which one is the best? First we had Kanna, whose propensity for building things set the episode’s events in motion. Did you notice how every time she made something for Dera (the bird house, the bib), he ended up being really happy about it, despite how he was always worse off for them having been made? Hah! Then there were her evil moments, her buttering up Dera when they were clothes shopping (“You’re already lovely enough, Mister”), and for that matter, calling Dera “Mister” at all. I don’t know why, but that made me smile every. single. time. Possibly because I suspect she would call me Mister, even if I would prefer Onii-chan. Erh–what was I talking about again?

As for Choi, she had a strong showing with a few bits: thinking Kanna was younger than the others was funny, as was her subsequent embarrassment. Stern, brooks-no-arguing Choi is also always a winner, as was deredere Choi. And all those different clothes? Hellz yeah!

So, who wins? For my money, Kanna does, but I won’t judge anyone for saying otherwise. Hell, even Midori made a strong case for herself with her own evil moments (poor Dera!), while Tamako…well, Tamako just continues to be Tamako.

Looking Ahead

Ohoho, another Anko episode next time? It’s curious, though…next week will be episode 9 of 12, so they need to start working towards some kind of conclusion soon. Though maybe that’s what they’re doing? They could be moving to conclude Anko’s mini-story next week, and will then deal with the rest shortly thereafter.

Either way, I have a feeling we’ll see more of Choi and Dera’s Prince sometime soon. Quite possibly in person – he sounded increasingly concerned about them in the transmission this episode, so unless Dera’s communicator starts working soon (unlikely, from a storytelling point of view), I wouldn’t be surprised if he shows up wondering what’s going on. That’s when the main question of this show will finally get answered, and Tamako might actually go back to doing something.

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – Dera ep! That poor tori got nothing but abuse…not that he didn’t deserve it. Also: best girl is still Kanna, Choi runner up! #tamakomarket

Random thoughts:

• Uh oh, Dera-chan likes it rough. THE MENTAL IMAGES, THEY CANNOT BE UNSEEN!
• The record store owner really always knows the right music for every situation. I loved how looooong Dera’s dread(music) was, with the almost unnecessarily long pauses to really rub in how unenthused he was.
• I’ve got the seasonings, Kanna. You get the chicken.
• Seifuku Choi-chan!? ALL HAIL THE GODS, OUR WISHES (that I didn’t even know we had) HAVE BEEN ANSWERED!! Now, how about a meido uniform?
• Erh–White lolita Choi-chan!? That’ll do! *nosebleed*
• From saying something about Sparta to “It’s for hitting you” to birdminton, Kanna really is the best girl. I want me a carpenter girl, mmmhmm!
• I would laugh if the scent that Choi keeps smelling is just the soap or shampoo that Tamako (and maybe Anko) use. Which they probably got for like ¥500. On sale. Surprise!

Full-length images: 17, 24, 25, 26, 28, 32, 33, 34.

Preview

The flashbacks continue this week on Naruto, as we get more details about the first meeting between the First Hokage and Madara, and the events that would lead to their truce and the founding of Konoha. For the most part, it’s another one of those chapters where I can’t say anything major happened to really spend that much time talking about, but I did find it interesting how “normal” Madara was back then. Well, I mean, as normal of a kid as you could be given the situation. Sadly though, we all know that it’s going to be short lived — considering we already know what’s going to happen — but it does highlight how in the end, even the most hated/disliked/crazy adults were just typical kids at one point. It really gives you a sense of perspective to say the least.

Speaking of perspectives… perhaps the biggest thing for me this chapter was the obvious disconnect between the views of the adults and those of their children. There’s just this whole commentary here — at least, for me — about how perspective really changes things. See, the adults have known nothing but the lives they’re living… while on the other, the children know the life they could be living rather than the one they’re forced into due to the fighting. Neither of them can theoretically be blamed for having their views, but at the same time… if one side were able to really see the perspective of the other side (both literally the opponents as well as adult/children opposition), it could’ve really gone a long way to stopping things before they escalated so far. And well, it’s just something I feel in general is pretty important in real life as well. Sadly though, it just seems like in some cases, you need something major to happen to forces you to recognize that there has to be another way… and well, the death of children in this chapter really hammers that in.

Philosophical discussions aside though, it looks like the next few chapters’ll probably be dedicated toward more flashbacks. Personally, it’s been somewhat interesting seeing the blanks fill themselves in… but sadly, these kind of chapters don’t particularly lend themselves to being things I could really talk about at length. Guess that’s it for this week!

「この先もただいまを言うために」 (Konosaki mo Tadaima o iu Tameni)
“So We Can Keep Calling It Home”

Such is the arrogance of amateurs playing at PR. Because they’re afraid of what people might say about the school, the board decided to move up the demolition of Sakurasou from five years to immediately, all because they think Mashiro should be painting. What right do they have! But more importantly, they’re forgetting one thing – the residents of Sakurasou. They will not go quietly into that good night…

Both At Once and None At All

The choices Sorata and Ryuunosuke faced this episode were of particular interest to me. To help or not to help seems like an easy choice – it should be based off what is right and what you want to do, right? Well, as is in reality, so is in fiction, because the answer is rarely as easy as that.

For Sorata, it came down to bandwidth. Despite what some people will tell you, human beings are horrible multitaskers. Actually, that’s not the important point – it’s that we’re cognitive misers. The mind is like a muscle, in that the more you use it in a particular day, the more tired it will get. We can only make so many decisions in a day before we burn out! Therein lies the difficulty in Sorata’s decision – does he pick the game competition, saving Sakurasou, or do both and risk doing them badly?

For my money, I think Sorata made the right choice, but that’s not without caveats. Human beings can sprint for a while, but if they try to do it too long, they’ll either burn out or start doing everything badly. Trust me on this, I’ve been there myself. That said, with less than a month between now and the final review / graduation ceremony, Sorata probably has it in him to do one short, strong sprint. I sure hope he does. Also, kudos to Fujisawa for giving him the push he needed. He’s going to be a great mentor for Sorata.

As for Ryuunosuke, I’ll speak more to him in a later section, but let me say one reason why I’m glad Sorata didn’t follow his advice. He was not wrong that Sorata’s time is the most valuable of any of theirs right now, but he was absolutely wrong with the conclusion he drew from it. For Sorata to win at the competition while letting something important to him be destroyed is the same as losing. This is what I think – victory without integrity is failure. You have to win the right way, and letting the board destroy their home for such a dumb and selfish reason…nu uh, no way. That doesn’t feel right at all.

The Bitter Pill – Nanami’s Results

Oof, that hurt. I knew it was coming, the whole setup and the buildup and everything that has happened screamed that she wouldn’t make it, but damned if it didn’t hurt nonetheless. The point I want to get across is how powerful this scene was to one who has come to like Nanami so much. And that’s the key – if they hadn’t done such a good job of making her likable (to me! Down rabid shippers, down!), then it wouldn’t have hurt so much. But they did, slowly and surely, and then the scene came – the background noise died away to nothing, the sigh, the small smile that made you think hey wait, just maybe (but no, you don’t even believe that for a second, you just want to), the brittle smile of shattered dreams…oof.

Such was the overwhelming power of this scene that it dyed all of the zany Misaki antics that came after it, making them bitter and painful to watch. Once again, not painful bad – this is fiction reaching in and twisting the heart, which the highest of compliments in my storyteller eyes, even if it hurts like a bitch when they pull it off. They got Nanami into a Torajirou suit and glomped her, everyone was being silly and happy and fun…but it tasted like ash in my mouth. Even now that mood still permeates. That’s the curse (glory! power!) of Sakurasou’s Rule of Four – it was great and done very well, but I’ll be damned if it didn’t affect me, and does still. I’ll be damned if it didn’t hurt.

Ryuunosuke Believes

Ahhh Ryuunosuke. His dilemma can be summarized by a single line from Rita: “If you’re just going to be disappointed, it’s better not to try.” He was betrayed by his friends in the past (or so he felt – he probably went overboard himself), due to the curse of the genius, due to wanting to create something great and the others not being able to catch up. This was the same problem that Rita had, save that Ryuunosuke was in Mashiro’s place, and he knew it enough to hurt when they left. Now, he’s not sure if these new friends of his are about to do the same. To me, it sounded like he almost wanted Sakurasou to be demolished, just to see if they would stick with him when they weren’t around one another all the time.

The best part of this was the unexpected collaboration between Meido-chan and Rita. First of all, let me say this – if that’s the kind of AI he can create, one with depth and feelings and emotions as real as any human I’ve ever met, Ryuunosuke ought to be a very wealthy man already. But that aside, that Meido-chan would recognize the limits of her ability to help her master and instead encourage him to talk to Rita, her eternal nemesis – bravo, Meido-chan.

As for Rita herself, she was right, of course. Even if they don’t live together, these are good, solid friends who will not desert or betray him, no matter what. Not that I don’t understand – we all knows it’s wrong to not try when the odds are long, but all of us do it from time to time. But you have to. If it’s worth fighting for, if it’s worth attempting, you’ve got to try. You’ll never grow if you don’t try, never be able to go to sleep at night free of regret, and never occasionally pull off those big wins that can change your life forever.

Fortunately, Ryuunosuke made the right choice. It still didn’t quite wash away the bitter pill of Nanami’s loss, but it made me smile even so. Fight on, people of Sakurasou. Fight on!

Looking Ahead

Four more episodes. It’s clear that this adaptation won’t get through all the source material (though that’s been clear for a long time), but I still wonder where it will end. I haven’t seen the hurry up yet, but even if the demolition crisis is solved next week, where will they choose to end it!? Anime original ending, Season 2, cut off here forever – I’m filled with concern, as I always am in these situations. But I’ll force it down and wait to see.

For now, it’s mainly Mashiro’s move that worries me most. I think she heard Sorata, Ryuunosuke, and Nanami talking in the hall. She says it’s better when everyone is together, but she wants to protect Sakurasou as well. What are you going to do, Mashiron?

tl;dr: @StiltsOutLoud – Like a punch to the gut, #sakurasou’s Rule of Four comes into play again. Just cry, Nanami. Just cry.

Random thoughts:

• So the woman Fujisawa loved was lost about what to do, trying to decide whether to keep pursuing art or become an art teacher. Erh, wait a second…Chihiro-sensei!?
• Loved Ryuunosuke’s tPhone. All power to the tomatoes!
• I will never be kuma hugged by Misaki-sempai. So lucky, Nanamin! Well, except for that one thin–oof. Yeah, it still hurts.

Full-length images: 09, 21, 23, 35.

Preview

「王子と皇子」 (Ouji to Ouji)
“The Two Princes”

Al-Thamen was bound to cause a ruckus eventually and as such, have made their move. Our current group of heroes now must fight against a time limit, where the consequence of failure is most likely death. The cheerfulness and lightheartedness of Sindria has begun to give way to what seems like the final adventure this season–the trials of Zagan. The dungeon will prove to be a challenge in itself, but the real trials will most likely come with the interference of those who praise the dark rukh.

As our adventurers set off, they are already at a disadvantage and on rocky footing. Aladdin has only recently grasped simple combinations of magical commands, with Alibaba on even shakier ground with his new djinn equip. On top of that, Alibaba has the added handicap of his magoi potential, where overloading his magoi could break the seal that stems his curse (though most likely we will see a scene where he sacrifices the seal for the greater good). There are other competent fighters on this team such as Hakuryuu and Morgiana who will most likely serve as the stars of the battles ahead, yet overall the group will definitely find challenges ahead, especially against the more organized group they will inevitably pit themselves against. Hints of the opponents that will stand in their way showed their faces shortly, but no details about them have revealed thus far.

It doesn’t help as well that Alibaba and Aladdin still have cautious feelings towards any people from the Kou Empire, much less members of the dynasty that rule it. It is understandable that Aladdin and Kougyoku have some cold ties to melt due to their previous violent encounters, but Alibaba’s dislike for Hakuryuu will be a much more complex relationship to grasp. Aside from the fact that Al-Thamen is amplifying his negative feelings by many folds, Alibaba himself most likely harbors some significant negativity towards the Kou Empire. With Balbadd about to become a republic and Alibaba in a place where he can be part of his homeland’s society openly, Alibaba had high hopes only to be tainted quickly by a conveniently placed navy and occupation. If Alibaba didn’t get pissed off at that…then I don’t know what to believe anymore. The upcoming episodes will prove to reveal how Alibaba gets over this new emotional challenge and how much his struggle will interfere with the group’s current goal. As contrasted in Balbadd where Alibaba’s hesitation cost significant delays to founding Balbadd’s republic, it is now the opposite in Zagan–Alibaba’s lack of hesitation may put his teammates in grave danger.

On top of Alibaba’s own suffering, I expect Hakuryuu to go through his own challenges which have not clearly revealed themselves yet. Without much actual background on Hakuryuu, it’s hard to foresee what inner demons he has to fight against, though the size of said demon is unquestionable. To have a burning desire to crush the Kou Empire as well as acquire that scar on his face, Hakuryuu must have gone through some terrible stuff in the Kou Empire to feel that way. Whatever that problem is, it’s currently unknown to many people, as it seems Kougyoku or any of the Kou forces have the slightest idea about Hakuryuu’s true intentions. I have a bad feeling though that those intentions will put him through a lot of suffering–for such a understanding and competent prince, I have a gut feeling that the show will taint that honesty with some terrible events in the episodes ahead. If we ignore that future for now, we do get to see that Hakuryuu is an admirable character with honor entwined in every action he takes. Like Pisti said (after being accidentally insulted by Aladdin), he’d make a great husband someday…and perhaps a great king too while we’re at it.

The Zagan arc should prove fruitful for action from how the show has set the stage, yet still I fear that A-1′s animation quality will get in the way. This episode saw a lot of corners cut in terms of animation, with the super deformed look being implemented more often possibly to cover these shortcomings. It wasn’t enough though, with continued decrease in quality apparent in almost every single scene. I hope they saved some money for the finale, because the trend the animation has been taking is a sad sight to see for what’s otherwise been a good story.

Full-length images: 4, 8, 12.

Preview

「休日はゆかいな仲間とお野菜を」 (Kyuujitsu wa Yukai na Nakama to o Yasai o)
“Vegetables with your merry friends on your day off”

Any way you slice it, a high-school dude chasing after a girl shouting “Eat my fresh vegetable stick!” is just plain wrong.

It’s glorious to have Minami-ke back at the height of its powers again, because it’s a reminder that this is one of the titans of anime comedy. Frankly I wasn’t sure we’d ever see this level of brilliance with any consistency again, and certainly not without Ohta Masahiko directing. Watching Minami-ke at its best is a little like watching Michael Jordan in his prime – there’s the sense that it can succeed choosing whatever path it wants, because with this cast and this writing, no style of comedy is outside its reach.

I hardly know where to start in singing the praises of this episode, because it was hilarious pretty much from start to finish. Just a few highlights from the infinite list:

• Hosaka and Hayami’s banter in the opener. “Before that. Not that insulting.” “I could really go for a few sauries…”
• Bell peppers in the vending machine
• Not one, but two Hosaka insert songs – one of them a duet with Chiaki
• A rare appearance by Plain Yogurt Shuichi, introducing the vegetable-plot conspiracy
• Big, scary pumpkin-head hypnosis
• Kana’s “God of Fire” speech

Really, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. This was the sort of episode where you really had to watch scenes at least a couple of times because there was so much hilarity going on in the background. The BBQ is a perfect example: The front-end story, with Chiaki’s war with vegetables and Kana’s con job with the God of Fire, was funny on its own. But Touma’s dialogue with Maki and Atsuko was entirely in the background, but telling a story all its own – Touma acting like a spoiled little princess, except that Atsuko and Maki thought she was a boy (which shed a different light on her behavior, and references to Atsuko’s “cushioning”). Not only that, you had the lyrics to the “Barbecue Song” playing over everything.

Grill it up, and anything makes barbecue

Let’s make it a free and easy barbecue!

Maybe grill some udon , eat it up! Eat it up! Eat it all up!

Even if we’re having curry, it’s a barbecue

Even vegetables you hate are on the barbecue!

Little did we realize that was going to start an entire vegetable-themed show, the first hint of which was Makoto and Shuiichi doing their “Zun-ta-ta!” dance at school (Chiaki’s head-bob response was worth the price of admission). Turns out that was just the tip of the iceberg of a massive M.I.B. caliber conspiracy to get kids to eat vegetables, headed up by a truly terrifying pumpkin-head on TV singing about talking vegetables. Give all this points for absurdity, but perhaps the best joke of all isn’t apparent until later – only baka Kana is resistant to the hypnotic power of Pumpkin-head and his healthy weapons of terror.

I think the last segment’s brilliance pretty much speaks for itself. Anything that recalls the outrageous “Curry Fairy” episode (Okaeri, #2) is off on the right foot, but when a mind-altered Chiaki and Hosaka end up meeting in the supermarket and giving us a fell-fledged musical number complete with Shirley Temple-style dance moves from Chiaki, the level of service is almost too much for the heart to bear.

With vegetables all around, every day is like a dream

So let’s vegetable!

Thank goodness the healing power of fatty sausage is able to break the spell – but it’s too late for Haruka-neesama, who’s fallen under the nutrient-rich sway of the terrors that come from beneath the ground. For dessert, we finally get to see Hayami – who really, really deserves it – get a little taste of terror itself as Hosaka turns the tables on her at last. And thus ends what amounts to pretty much the perfect episode of Minami-ke – hell, maybe the perfect anime comedy episode. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a craving for a big plate of carrots and radishes.

Insert Song

Insert Song: “Let’s Vegetable!” by (Ono Daisuke and Chihara Minori)

Preview

「恋わずらいをいやせ」 (Koiwazurai o Iyase)
“Heal Lovesickness”

Time for one last diversion before we likely stick to “route” episodes until the end of the first season, but this stand-alone episode might just have been more relevant that it first appears.

These sidebar eps of Little Busters! have been a mixed bag in terms of quality, though I suspect I’ve appreciated them more than most viewers. This one fares pretty well in its own right, though it would be fair to at least ask why it was placed where it was – after one Kud episode and before what looks to be the full Kud arc. It seems like an odd choice, given that we would have had an interrupted arc focusing on Kud otherwise – I’ll trust that there’s a reason for this that will become apparent as we move through Kud’s arc. I suspect that it might have something to do with a major difference in tone between last week’s ep and what’s to come, but that’s strictly a guess.

It might also appear to be a strange choice to focus an episode around Sasasegama Sasami, who’s deep into the second tier of the character hierarchy. I’m personally OK with it as I found her earlier appearance (the cafeteria ep, which most viewers seemed to loathe but I liked in a big way) sparked some of the funniest material in the series. I think her silly feud with Rin is one of the more endearing distractions in LB – I like the dynamic between her obtuse self-obsession and Rin’s general not give a rat’s-ass tone towards her – and the antics of her Greek chorus and Rin’s constant mangling of her name (hey – it is hard to say) are the sort of innocent tomfoolery that’s right up this show’s comedic alley.

What strikes me, though, is that this was actually a Rin episode disguised as a sidebar episode about Sasasase and Aikawa, the hapless second-year crushing on her. Rin is obviously the main girl in Little Busters, but rather than the focus on her existing in bursts, she’s more of a general presence (I know her route is coming, don’t worry) that intersects with all the other threads. It’s ironic in a way that the most overtly romance-themed ep so far should focus on such minor characters, but the inside joke to me was that Rin was thinking about her own feelings for Riki even as she was focusing on the two mismatched lonely-hearts. She may not understand what it means to be lovesick on an intellectual or experiential level, but she definitely understands in her gut – when Aikawa described the pain in his chest when he sees Sasasase, you could see the recognition on her face.

The interesting contrast, of course, is that Riki seems to have been quite sincere when he gently chided Rin that perhaps they shouldn’t have interfered with poor Aikawa’s business because “neither of us have experienced love”. That gap in interest is sure to pose issues later, I would think. Meanwhile this episode was also as opportunity to get a look at just how much Rin has grown since the early arcs of the series in terms of conquering her phobias. She’s comfortable enough around the other she-Busters now to join them for a tea party, willing to accompany Riki to a strange guy’s dorm room, and even willing to humbly apologize to Sasasegawa to try and help the cause of romance along. Of course her actual schemes are disastrously stupid, especially the ones she hatches (“Meal A combo”?) after Sasasegawa admits she has a crush on Kengo (we sure haven’t seen much of him, have we?) but at least she’s come to the point where she’s able to make the effort.

While there were some nice comic moments here (Rin’s mangling of the word “hip hop” and Aikawa’s pathetic attempts to perform the same – “Spew!” – spring to mind) there’s another way these events tie into the main canon, and that’s with the note that was tied to the cat-tail, the third such one we’ve seen. I’d about forgotten about those notes, to be honest, it’s been so long since we’ve had one – but that makes two weeks in a row where we’ve had elements that point towards the mystery element of the story (Masato’s smirk being the other). I’d guess that suggests we’re inching closer to the point where that’s going to be a major plot component, though it would surprise me if we see anything definitive before the end of the season.

Preview

「劫火」 (Gouka)
“Fires of the Apocalypse”

Gods, I can even see the resemblance.

Talking about the abstract art of storytelling always comes down to personal opinion. (Which I seem to have a lot of in this series) But if this episode’s any indication, Shin Sekai Yori’s direction is at once both its greatest strength and, as I’m finding here, one of its biggest weaknesses when it comes to recommending this show.

I think it’s no surprise by now that I have a soft spot for how the show carries itself. The style of direction here feels unique to this show, full of experimental elements like the constant reliance on misdirection and ambiguity to purposefully confuse, such as with the various dream sequences. There’s the complete shifts in animation style to complement episodes like Shun’s death, and a heavy utilization on auditory and visual cues to build interpretative details. And not forgetting the erratic pacing that constantly keeps the audience on their toes. Yet many a times it doesn’t quite work out as intended. How many of those dream sequences or those small, interpretive details really connected meaningfully back to the plot, in retrospect? Were you, like me, wondering just what was going on with Kaburagi’s death in this episode through the vague display of, in the words of Satoru, “cantus leakage” by the fiend? Maybe like me, you also felt a sense of disconnect during the flurry of disjointed scenes when Niimi-san broke off to make his warning. The erratic pacing in the show which would otherwise serves some greater storytelling purpose just becomes simply erratic, making the flow of the episode feel disjointed. It has been getting stronger as of late, this feeling that the story was just too big for them to fit into a 24-odd episodes series, that there obviously were too many minor but essential details in the original story. It felt as if the lack of sufficient exposition between the twitchy pacing of the show is wearing down on it, and the explanations behind events like Kaburagi’s death somewhat lost on me. Another example: I’ve seen many people asking why the humans don’t attempt some self-sacrificial attacks on the fiend, because the death feedback never had clearly laid out rules to it. (My guess is that the death feedback, or some version of it, kicks in at a subconscious level when humans begin to think about attacking.)

But if the way out they sought was through this wild, erratic direction that places so much of the cut content into the background, or otherwise leaving to interpretation; and if they do so in a way that keeps the emotive and philosophical subtexts of the content in, how can I truly fault them? This is a show that rewards your constant engagement with it by actively challenging its audience to understand the breadth of its scope. There are few other shows that encourages interpretative thinking in such a manner, and the lengthy discussions Shin Sekai Yori invites is proof of that. And even doing so the show keeps its emotive side running high, with very effective usage of its visuals and music, kudos to the amazing soundtrack. Watching this episode the first time around, I didn’t know exactly what went down with Niimi-san when he went his separate way, but the poetic music and its abrupt cutoff was more than enough to tell his tragic end, and by extension, the fate of the village itself.

On to to the episode, this is pretty much your standard endgame revelations episode, starting with a proper look at the fiend that’s been hounding the characters. More likely than not, that’s Maria and Mamoru’s child right there, (the show doesn’t even want to give a clear answer on this, but there’s that resemblance to both) who just defeated the biggest badass this side of Kamisu 66 and effectively destroyed the last rays of hope the village has for it. Kaburagi’s unexpectedly swift demise (another thing about this show, it never holds back in offing people with extreme prejudice) came as a bit of a small shock when he went down this easily, without so much as putting up an fight. But the message comes across loud and clear: Kaburagi was the embodiment of their power, and his death signifies that the humans do not have the means to retaliate. Man can only wait for death, be it at the hands of queerats or fiend. Inui’s tense recount of his encounter with the fiend only just reinforced just how terrifying of an existence it was.

Squealer’s grand design was pretty much what we’ve been banging on about, a classic rabble-rousing of the race to break free of their tyrannical human overlords. To be fair, while it didn’t quite nearly have the impact I desired, the show had already been nudging in this direction since the start of the adult arc. What we learn here feels little more than solid affirmation of the themes that’s been fueling this human-queerat war, with little doubt Squealer has kept the extents of his true ambitions to himself. Likewise, the explanation behind the methods of the queerats to control the fiend come as little surprise, but I liked that they tied the explanation of the fiend back to the war tradition of the queerats to raise the young as their slave workforce. I’ already had some inkling of what was going on with Squealer’s plan to control and build a fiend army from the childbirth, but there’s an interesting point to be made here: While I barely felt anything back when the queerats were enslaving their own race, once we bring human babies into the picture, the act takes on a much more disturbing and personal image. Guess I’m not too different from those dastardly humans in the show!

So how do you follow up with this episode when the characters are all facing a completely hopeless situation? The preview seems to hint at Kiromaru’s return which, as the wildcard he supposedly is, should stir up couple of twists alongside the False Minoshiro that shows up.

Author’s Note

Interested in the Shin Sekai Yori novels? I recently found there’s a movement calling for Vertical Press to TL and publish an English Localized Version of the novels. They’ve responded but need the interest, and want to know if they’ll be able to sell at least 4.5k copies in the US, UK and Canada. I know we’ll all like to see this happen, so what can we do? Just like/repost this tumblr article or bug the editor-in-chief with your emails to show your interest! Spread the word! Vertical also published another translated work by Shin Sekai Yori author Yusuke Kishi called The Crimson Labyrinth, so checking this out would be another way of showing support! - Thanks Zephyr for the tip!

Preview

「せっかちやろうナンバーワン」 (Sakkachi Yarou Nanbā Wan)
“Number One Restless Guy”

I wasn’t going to write much at all about this episode, but then the second half happened. It’s not that the first half was uninteresting, it’s just that there wasn’t all that much that could be said about it – we got to see a bit more of Serika’s family and learn that her fascination with food is shared by the rest of her family, and we got to learn a lot more about Kitamura’s family too. The exchange between her and her younger sister Kei (Okamoto Nami) was quite nice – deciding your future based on the one thing you want to do more than anything else. It’s a pity that kind of thing doesn’t always work out quite as easily as Kitamura makes it sound!

But the most interesting part of this episode was definitely the second half. A new arc is starting! A two year training arc! By the end Mutta will be able to smash rocks with his fists! It’s kind of irrelevant, but I wonder what kind of specialities each of the candidates would end up with in a Hunter x Hunter type universe (yes, I have become rather fond of Hunter x Hunter). The only one that leaps immediately to mind would be Serika eating everything. Everything. But I digress – the change of scenery is really quite nice, especially with the introduction of new characters and the likelihood of many more over the next few episodes. I don’t think Uchuu Kyoudai would get stale even without this, but it kind of feels like new life has been breathed into the series – like it’s only just beginning even though we’re forty-six episodes in. Hunter x Hunter really is a good comparison in that sense.

I kind of like Vincent Bold (Tsuda Kenjirou) already, even if he does seem to be rather impolite and abrupt. I think a large part of the reason I like him originates in his seiyuu and that his rudeness is handled in such a way that I actually find it rather humorous to watch. He believes that time is the most precious commodity – that it should never be wasted on mundane things. He drives ridiculously fast to shorten journeys, interrupts everyone before they finish speaking, and doesn’t even wait to be admitted after knocking, even when it’s someone as important as Jason Butler (Tachiki Fumihiko). He kind of has a point – journeys do suck and I sometimes find myself wishing we’d figure out teleportation sometime soon (tomorrow would be good). But they always say that the journey is as important as the eventual destination, albeit generally in a more metaphorical sense. This is true really and it feels as though, while dismissing the journey earlier in the episode, that he also fails to understand this in the metaphorical sense.

Next week, we’ll hopefully find out more about what Kenji had intended to say to Mutta, unless this will be the new recurring mystery for a while. At the very least, being trained by ex-military should be fun. To watch. For us. Poor astronaut candidates.

tl;dr: @MoombaDS – I think I talked more about #HxH again. Whoops. #SpaceBros

Random thoughts:

• I’m not sure what to find funnier – Mutta falling for Murasaki’s prank or the deep meaning Kenji managed to find in it!
• Naming children through Shiritori actually sounds quite fun…
• Woo steamy glasses! It’s not as cute when it’s Vincent though.
• I get the feeling it will be rather fun to have Kenji and Mutta under the same roof!

Full-length images: 04, 07, 32.

Random aside: I released an awesome eight track sci-fi electronic video-game-inspired album! You should listen to it, buy it, and spread the word or something! It was even played on national radio!

Preview

Omake

「映画館Wデートで修羅場」 (Eigakan W Deeto de Shuraba)
“Movie Theater Double Dates are a Battlefield”

If Masuzu thought she had the childhood friend-type and the chuunibyou-type under control, then it looks like Fuyuumi Ai will make her think otherwise. As a 65% tsun and 35% dere character who heavily hints at her own claim of childhood friendship with Eita, Ai continues to be a thorn in Masuzu’s sides not only through interference with the club but also in diverting Eita’s attention away from Masuzu herself. Through the continued stumblings of our resident osananajimi tsundere and the valiant efforts of wingman Kaoru, the show does a fine job reinforcing the cast’s existing character traits while making almost everyone aware of Ai’s feelings.

But first, let’s talk about Eita, who suffered quite a bit this round. Though I felt envious for how Eita can easily block off Ai’s obvious advances, such emotions were overshadowed by pity thanks to some really “sad” middle school flashbacks. Though Eita may have anti-love on the brain for somewhat complex reasons, perhaps his line of thinking draws from his rejections. Even though Eita has been established as being secretly awkward, I felt so sorry for him when he smashed that blackboard, with that gaze of delusion. Despite his attempts to keep cool, our star student is actually a loose cannon in times of crisis. It only takes one unexpected event for his chuunibyou and pervert instincts to kick in, which has shown itself numerous times in the series so far. I still cringe every time his past resurfaces, but that’s what makes him stand out as a character: he is so awkward that it hurts. While he can throw a nice compliment that makes girls swoon, it is his failures to suppress his past that defines his character.

It’s a relief that Eita wasn’t the only person to be awkward this week. Even if Chiwa, Masuzu and Eita combined their embarrassing actions together this episode, it would not compare to the levels Ai achieved this week. She tries so hard yet fails–though Kaoru is probably cringing off-camera, it’s a miracle Eita has been fairly oblivious to her efforts. While Ai doesn’t suffer from the criticisms of having an excess of “tsun” since her character doesn’t come off as particularly harsh, her affections need some work getting past the web of lies she’s created. It’s obvious that she’s trying to untangle and escape her lies as best she can, but her efforts have achieved the opposite of her intentions. Everyone but Eita has at least a vague idea of what’s going on, a backfire that’ll bite Ai next episode.

This backfire though should set up a good scenario for us to see at the festival, where Ai will have her last chance to fix things up before her arc ends. Up to now, Kaoru has been the strongest wingman ever, but hints of the next episode indicate that Ai will have to survive some part of the festival alone. While I can smell the conclusion for this arc a mile away, I can imagine things won’t be going so smoothly for osanadere after she reveals the truth about their past. After the meta scenario where Ai let out her true feelings like a boss through the silver screen (which was actually more touching to watch than awkward), Masuzu must already be planning her next move for the festival in style. While she didn’t get the picture she wanted, even more potential blackmail is in her sights.

In general, with the introduction of Ai comes a much more complete cast of characters who can be awkward together. Although I still swivel in my seat when our group of “self made” clubmates perform unbearable-to-watch activities, the fact that they do it together makes it much less embarrassing and much more enjoyable to view. Hopefully the next few episodes will display their dynamic in an endearing way, where instead of antagonizing one another, they put aside their pursuit of Eita to stick up for one another. After all, what’s a rom com without outside interference (like Mana) to challenge the group and force them to get along?

Preview

「お兄ちゃんだけど愛さえあれば妹が増えても関係ないよねっ」 (Onichandakedo Aisaeareba Imouto ga Fuetemo Kankeinaiyone)
“As Long as there’s Love, It Doesn’t Matter If I Get More Sisters, Right?”

Even though I try really hard to not let it bother me, I’ll admit that it’s been fairly disheartening to hear that the writers behind the anime adaption are apparently blowing through material without a care in the world. And after this week’s episode, it became apparent just how enjoyable it is when a really good topic gets fleshed out instead of abruptly ending and jumping to the next gag.

The biggest “wow” this week was definitely Sena’s out-of-character behavior. Instead of being the air-headed princess who we’ve all come to love or hate; it was almost mind blowing to see that deep down inside her meaty head is a somewhat level headed girl. Throw in the short collage of Kodaka and Sena shopping together and you might accidentally think the two are dating! Plus, how upside-down can the world get when you hear Sena call Kodaka the weird one? Because from my point of view, the girl who plays super dirty galges, has a bad habit of taking things too literally, and pins hundreds of photos of her number one enemy on her ceiling definitely sounds like the weird one to me!

But let’s not forget Rika and Yukimura! While the former has been getting a lot more attention recently, it’s always nice to see Yukimura get some of the spotlight. And now that her real gender has finally been revealed, I don’t feel too guilty for thinking that she looked quite cute in the boyish outfit of hers! And if anything, it would seem that Yozora ended up drawing the short end of the stick this week. From getting thrown into an environment that she doesn’t fair well in to receiving the stark revelation that her perception on certain things are completely off the mark and it’s easy to say that things just weren’t going her way.

Like I stated earlier, I couldn’t believe what a difference it makes when this show decides to focus on a single topic instead of jumping all over the place. Sure, that may not hold true if the source material isn’t strong enough to get 24 minutes of material out of it. But if this week’s episode was an example of what’s to come I would love it if the remaining episodes decided to follow this more linear style. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much from an episode that was going to focus on “younger sisters”. But when you have things as deep as Sena breaking free from her usual self and the budding friendship between Maria and Kobato — it’s hard to deny that there’s just some things that Haganai does well. That said, I could end up eating my own words since next week’s episode seems like it’s going to be really big. Between Kodaka figuring out just how screwed he is and flashbacks galore, I’m really hoping that the writers somehow manage to preserve the pacing they’ve created this week.

P.S. I thought Maria and Kate were supposed to stay the night. Unless I missed something or the taxi came super early in the morning, something about the timing of the scene just felt a little off.

P.P.S. It looks like asking questions seems to garner a lot of responses! This week’s question — What’s your ideal pairing in the series? Personally I’m torn between Kodaka ending up with Yozora or Rika. While it’s probably never going to happen, I can dream!

Preview

End Card

「決戦アキバスター」 (Kessen Akibasutā)
“Battle for Akibastar”

Looking back toward AKB0048′s first season, one of the most notable things for me was how Kawamori managed to up the ante right at the end, forging a dramatic finish that sent chills down my spine and brought out all kinds of emotions. In the end, it just seems like Kawamori’s just gifted with the ability to end series on high notes, and as the end of AKB0048 Next Stage fast approaching, it looks like he’s still got the gift, as it looks like we’ll be in store for quite the ending. And at this point — especially after this insanely awesome episode — all I can say is: “you’re a darn magnificent bastard, Kawamori Shoji.” Because while I expected some pretty epic things to happen this week, none of those expectations didn’t hold a candle to what actually transpired this episode.

Moving right into the episode itself though, let’s just skip everything and just say it: Yuuko steals the stage in style this week. Not only does she end up protecting Akibastar from destruction, she does so after blatantly disobeying orders from Tsubasa, and becomes Center Nova in the process. To say the least, her epic rise to “Position 0″ was just that: too epic for words.

I mean gosh darn, I don’t even know how it’s possible to summarize the feelings I had this episode at all. The episode was just skillfully sown together — mixing flashbacks of Yuuko, Acchan, discussions about the history of Akibastar with multiple concerts and a whole load of inserts that have been used previously in key moments to first create an atmosphere of dread and impending doom, then blowing us away with an epic battle whose scale easily eclipses any we’ve seen before hand. Gorgeous attention to detail highlights the Sci-Fi nature of the series — and the experience/skills Kawamori brings — and well, it was just eye candy all through out the episode, which was filled with enough emotional moments to fill one’s quota for the year, and topped off with some superb animation that just adds icing to the proverbial cake. And well, in the end, those are the exact reasons why I’ve made the rare exception of attaching 45 screenshots instead of the normal 36 this week — because a picture’s worth a thousand words and this episode’s undoubtedly worth well more than that.

But yeah, I guess that’s enough about how I felt about the episode, as the rise of Yuuko to Center Nova brings with it both a load of revelations, as well as questions. For one, Yuuko’s opening of “The Gate” answers the question of exactly why Mikako ended up helping Chieri’s father — as it seems as though its opening could lead to the retrieval of the previous Center Nova… including Acchan herself. Incidentally, the opening of the gate ends up being the goal of Chieri’s father as well, who seems intent using this to his advantage himself — though I’m admittedly not sure exactly as to the specifics of what that entails. Ultimately though, all of these developments lead to the same thing though, and that’s the question of “what happens now?”

I’m pretty sure at this point we haven’t seen the last of Yuuko, but at the same time, it looks like she may be out of the picture for a little bit. I’m starting to get the feeling that the ending’s starting to piece together as a result however, as it feels that it’s likely that the future will likely end up with either Chieri and/or Nagisa becoming Center Nova and retrieving not only Yuuko, but some of the past Center Nova as well. Of course, it’s more of a gut feeling more than anything, but yeah… I mean, I guess we’ll see how things work out. Gosh darn, the end of the winter anime season is sure is bringing some spectacular episodes ain’t it?

Inserts: Aitakatta, Rainbow Train. Kaze wa Fuiteiru, Heavy Rotation, Dareka no Tame Ni, Korogaru Ishi Ni Nare.