A mysterious schedule. Let the freaking out begin.
Normally, this is where we would publish our blogging schedule. We’re going to do something different this time.
We won’t be announcing any blogging picks until the second or third week of the season. This is a change which, if it works well, we will continue with going forward.
The reason for the change is simple: There’s no real reason for us to announce our blogging picks so early. It’s what we’ve always done, but without a good reason, that’s a form of madness. And there is a good reason to delay the schedule post for a week or three—to allow us to actually watch all the new series, so we can figure out which shows we actually want to blog, instead of having to guess.
To make this work, we’re going to be introducing everything we can, and doing more episode two (or even three) posts for shows we might not eventually pick up, like Enzo did for RanpoKitan. This is something we can do because we have a lot of writers, rather than the single all-star we had during the Omni and Divine eras. While they were usually at or near their coverage limit, we can go wild for a week or two before we settle down to a more manageable schedule. So that’s what we’re going to do.
As a bonus, maybe we won’t get a bunch of people freaking out when we don’t pick up every show we end up blogging right off the bat. Ya bunch of silly worrywarts, you. I can hope, right?
Expect the actual schedule post to appear on the second or third week of the season—so for winter, mid to late January. We may only release it once we’ve made all of our pickups, or we might trickle out a few others after it’s up. Until then, we’ll introduce everything we can, and see how this goes. Expect a flurry of posts as we figure out what’s good this season together.
If there was ever any doubt about Concrete Revolutio having a method to its madness, the let it be dispelled by this season finale. Indeed, it’s always been fairly plain, to me at least, that Concrete Revolutio, even when it was jumping around its continuity, was building a bigger picture; it had been especially clear with the last few episodes when we were given some key pieces of the puzzle, and as of this week I dare say we have a full view of everything that lead to Jirou leaving the Superhuman Bureau and why the ‘future’ of Concrete Revolutio looked so bleak. All in all, I found that everything came together in fairly satisfying manner, at least to the extent that I don’t have any burning questions that will eat at me while waiting for the second season. And of course, it’s not just about the plot tying up its loose ends. The callbacks (call-forwards, whatever) to alltheprevioussuperhumans of the series was fun, even if the part where they band together by the power of song may have been a tad cheesy.
The other important thing for a finale to cover (besides the action spectacle and weird bondage titillation for the popcorn crowd, of course) are the themes that have arched over the story, and I think this is doubly true for Concrete Revolutio, where thematic consistency has been what was keeping its seemingly non-contiguous parts together. So with the giant government conspiracy uncovered, the implication of the greater good versus personal liberty, and a stubborn clash of both mecha and values, how are we to resolve the conflict in ideals? The unfortunate answer that Concrete Revolutio seems to give us is that might makes right. Claude/Jin and the students he inspire seek violent revolution. The government suppresses it with ninja police in tachikomas. Jin and his foil/prototype/whatever scrapyard fight not for the moral high ground, but for savage power dominance. Indeed the moral high ground—the one that stands against violence and destruction—is brutally trampled underfoot. Isn’t that why Jirou activates his berserk kaijuu powers, even though it will only cause collateral damage? As Concrete Revolutio posited in the immortal family episode, it is the natural course to seek either to control or destroy. Well, option A has failed spectacularly. Good thing plan B always works!
Ironically enough, Jirou does actually sort of resolves the crisis, but not by playing the hero. As the villain, or rather as a firey destructive force, he brings both sides together to fight him. It’s the Watchmen influence again—the solution for world peace is to unite all in fear of a greater threat. And get this: in the world of Concrete Revolutio, a world where WWII scientists went into kaijuu research instead of nuclear research and where the Enola Gay crashed, Jirou was the literal Little Boy. This is the strangest form of MAD I’ve ever seen proposed.
It’s no wonder that it was assumed, in episode 03, that the two androids would come together into a humanoid bomb, because that’s exactly what Jirou is. Shouldn’t people be more concerned that he’s now running around on his own? At the same time, aren’t all superhumans of sufficient power humanoid superweapons? It’s just more, er, obvious with Jirou. Well, I’m sure it’s just more for Concrete Revolutio to address in its second half. it has no shortage of material, that’s for sure, and that’s a good thing.
Epilogue:
Final Impressions ~ Who watches a show about watching the watchmen?
I hesitate to write something as definitive as ‘final impressions’ for Concrete Revolutio, considering it’s been hardly final (and that I don’t put much stock in my impressions). For a show that gets offhandedly derided as being confusing or disjointed, Concrete Revolutio is very clearly a story of two halves, one pre- Jirou leaving the Superhuman Bureau and one post-, woven together at the risk of being ‘confusing’ exactly because of how tightly joined the pieces are. I won’t deny that Concrete Revolutio has at times been rather advant garde with its continuity, but its future is still very plainly a product of its past. We have now resolved the pre- Jirou leaving era. But that’s only half the tale. And so it won’t be entirely fair to judge Concrete Revolutio on only that. Simply dropping the discussion here would be boring, though, so I’ll try for something anyway.
I’ve touched on the point that some found Concrete Revolutio confusing multiple times, and you may have noticed that I seldom agree with it. That’s partly because I’m a hardened anime apologist and partly because I didn’t really experience the same confusion myself. Perhaps it’s because I, in my capacity as a blogger, am forced to pay extra attention to the show I’m watching (y’know, so I can write all the ranting you’re reading right now), and to a degree that can’t be expected of your average viewer (unless you’re all taking notes at home about your anime as well). In fact, I’m sure that’s at least part of it. But I also think it’s because Concrete Revolutio is a show built on its many, many references to other pieces of popular media, and unless one is familiar is them they may not be able to connect all the mental dots that Concrete Revolutio expects of us. I won’t pretend that I have the kind of nerd cred to recognise everything that Concrete Revolutio was referencing, but I felt like my general knowledge greatly assisted my understanding of the show. It’s like with a parody; one isn’t going to appreciate the jokes unless one is familiar with the material being parodied, or in this case, the material being homaged/deconstructed/whatever.
Viewed in this way, I think Concrete Revolutio was put together very well. It managed to string together all the various genres and franchises it was referencing adeptly, and then strung all that to actual history. I may have stated this before, but I think setting Concrete Revolutio in the political atmosphere of 1968 was an enlightened choice (but, again, a choice one would only appreciate if they caught the references to history, or are just old enough to remember the time). In fact, I think I would describe Concrete Revolutio as otaku pandering done right. I know there are some who are disillusioned about the anime market of today, about how so many shows are transparent appeals to the otaku demographic. But it’s also true that culture shapes art, and when there’s a predominant culture buying your product… it’s difficult to resist just laying on the hard sell, is what I’m saying. But I think Concrete Revolutio taps into this culture in the healthiest way, making use of the shared childhood of every nerd. Robots, kaijuu, masked heroes—it’s a shared fictional heritage that should be used more. I’m sure the staff behind Concrete Revolutio are all giant nerds as well—my people. Which makes Concrete Revolutio, in essence, anime fans talking to anime fans. I’ve enjoyed our conversation so far. I hope it’ll be as full of geek love when it returns from its season break.
And… we’re back! It’s been three months since the last WORKING!!! episode, as this hour-long special came as a surprise to us all (and what a pleasant surprise it was). I remember while watching the previous episode, I didn’t feel like we were approaching the end – right up until the final scenes. Thankfully, that was purposefully done, as everything was wrapped up nicely in this one.
I’ve pretty much said most of what I can say about WORKING!! after blogging the third (and best) season. But I will clarify this: it’s one of the best anime comedies I’ve ever seen. Worth noting however, is the red herring they gave us with the preview for this finale back in September. Surely I wasn’t the only one who thought there would be more fantasy/game scenes like this one? There was no way they could keep that up for a 48 minutes, but I thought we would have gotten more of that, and not just the first few seconds. In saying that, this whole episode felt like a game, as Inami had to pass by each of the sisters (levels) to get to Souta’s mother (the final boss) and rescue Souta (her love interest). It played out nicely, fantasy or not, and gave the Takanashi sisters yet more screentime. I’ve never loved them as much as the main Wagnaria staff, but I thoroughly enjoyed each of them facing off with Inami, considering how non threatening they all were. There was no tension, but that was part of the joke, and it worked.
The core theme of this episode seems to be family. Whether blood-related or not, family ties and family drama was in full swing here. Souta’s mother was being built up as the Big Baddie in the last few episodes, and while her dastardly ways seems more twisted the more you think about them, I’m glad the resolution to all of this was a simple one. There was no epic battle, or exhausting melodrama – this was basically all just to get over the ‘lies’ that the cast were using as a shield, and being honest with their feelings and their words. Similarly, Yamada’s family had some scenes here as well, showing Yamada’s chosen big brother interacting with her mother, and how the Yamada siblings are still not on the best of terms. I never expected anything else, but damn I do love those purple haired dorks. Kirio in particular has been one of the funniest characters this season, and of course, Yamada was already (and is still) the best!
Souta x Inami!:
If you’ve been following my posts for this season, you’ll know that I didn’t initially love the Souta/Inami pairing. I knew it was bound to happen, but I always felt that Souta and Popura were the best pair, and I still do think that. But this episode gave a good explanation for why Inami deserves to ‘win’; calling back to Souta’s father getting a confession by his mother, who looked even tinier than pint-sized Popura. The funniest part of it all is that fact that she apparently willed herself to grow – there’s not logic behind it, and I loved it. That gave me a good chuckle. But the callback of father and son, and their height complex and having to ‘get over it’ was fitting enough for me to go “Ok, I’m fine with this.”
Since I’ve already given my final impressions, so I’ll try to get straight to the point: WORKING!! is great. Each season has been consistently fun, and this was the best one yet. There were so many unfinished character arcs and plot threads that were dangling from the second season that many of us expected to be ignored… but they weren’t! Confessions were made! Wives were found! Lost sisters were found! Love blossomed! So much happened, and most of it was thoroughly entertaining and made me love the characters even more than I already did before.
Bringing it back to the theme of family, the true family here is the workers at Wagnaria. Having been in a similar customer service job, I can empathise with them (though they have it very easy compared to most of us, I’ll tell ya), and the humour always worked. But best of all was the characters. I always gush over Yamada because I truly do think she’s the best and one of the moat endearing characters in all of anime, but make no mistake, I love every single member of this cast. Some got more screentime over the course of the series than others, but that’s the nature of these things; some are more popular than others, but that’s fine, because I love them all. And I’m sad to see them go. Yachiyo may be the only one quitting her job, but it feels like we, the audience, are the ones leaving the restaurant for good. As if this was our last visit before we move away to another city, far away where we’re never likely to run into these familiar faces again.
It’s rare for anime comedies to get three seasons, an hour-long finale, and reach a natural conclusion – yet WORKING!! is a rare sort of series, I suppose. It feels good to see it end like this, yet sad to see it end at all. I wish I could say “this is not the end!”… but it is. And that final scene with Popura hanging up the group shot almost brought a tear to my eye. God, I love this show and all these characters.
It seems funny to think you’d still be unsure of what to make of a series when it’s half-over (especially if it’s a multi-cour) but that’s exactly where I am with Tekketsu no Orphans. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I almost love it. But there are others times when it leaves me shaking my head. There’s the germ of something quite special here – something that might even be unique in the Gundam mythology – but it just can’t seem to take root.
The sense I get in watching Orphans is the same as driving a fine car that’s mis-firing. It runs well some of the time, but one of the cylinders just isn’t firing like it should. It still handles beautifully and the seats are comfortable, but it’s not quite right. This show is a very complicated construction – we’re dealing with arguably the most revered franchise in anime, and we’ve added in one of the medium’s best known directors in Nagai and arguably its most polarizing writer in Okada. I get the feeling that the chemistry just isn’t working, not yet at least. Everyone is trying to match their well-defined artistic temperament to this well-defined universe, and the fit isn’t perfect.
This episode is a really good example of the inconsistency which seems to be the most consistent part of Iron-Blooded Orphans. As most of them have, the ep saves its best material for the final ten minutes or so (which is actually a good thing). But the emotional scenes in the first half are so heavy-handed that it’s hard to take most of them seriously. I thought we were done with the Akihiro-Masahiro melodrama, but not satisfied with last week’s theatrics, Orphans gives us a face-to-face-in-space tearful goodbye. It’s too much – the whole storyline has been dialed up to eleven, and too easy to predict. It has emotional weight, but no literary restraint.
I like the scenes where the Tekkadan child soldiers have boarded the Brewers’ ship, only to find even younger and more underfed child soldiers waiting for them. And we get a funeral scene, which can often be a good opportunity for a moment of grace (even the generally execrable Last Exile: Fam found its finest hour in such a scene). But again, I just think the whole thing is a bit heavy-handed and manipulative – it’s a pretty good moment that could have been great with just a little more restraint.
The saving graces for me are twofold, the first being MacGillis. It’s not so much that his shared scenes with his child bride are so wonderful on their own, but after being bombarded by cartoon villainy over the past two weeks, it’s refreshing to get back to an antagonist who isn’t a grotesquerie, isn’t an open book. And second, of course, is Mikazuki – while it may be a bit of a narrative crutch, the event that closes the episode certainly ramps up the dramatics in a big way.
At this point, anything which begins to flesh out Mika as a character is a positive in my book. Kudel’s words to him – “You’re enjoying this – killing men!” seem to have struck a nerve (even if they were a case of the pot calling the kettle black). Getting any reaction out of Mika is a step forward for the series – just knowing he’s capable of being creeped out by his own implacable facade. As for the kiss (no, not that kiss – though it did plant the idea in Mika’s head), well – we’ll see where it goes, but for what it was it was the best moment of the episode. It again seems to reveal some facet of humanity in Mika that’s recognizable (curiosity if nothing else) and his reaction (just blow the dust off and keep eating) is perfectly in-character. Poor Atra, sure – though I think she could use some better goals in life anyway – but if we can actually see Mika turn into an interesting person, Tekketsu no Orphans will have taken a huge step forward as a story.
「福の神の言伝」 (Fukunokami no kotodzute)
“The God of Fortune’s Message”
What a way to end it.
Unlike last season—or even the last arc, for that matter—Noragmi Aragoto’s second half concludes not with the flash or spectacle of some epic, high-stakes battle, but instead, with the grace and gratification of closure—glorious, glorious closure.
One of my biggest fears heading into this last episode was that it would mainly concern itself with the skirmish waged between the heavenly gods and Yato & co.—leaving little to no time to tie up the myriad of loose ends strewn about the landscape of the narrative. Luckily, the season finale jumps right into the aftermath of last week’s kerfuffle, as we waste no time away from exploring what our main cast has taken away from preceding events.
What I’d like to address first and foremost is how Yato was handled this week. Previously, I had my doubts that this season’s latter half—while still excellent—would address Yato with something even really close to the kind of excellent development delegated to his former rival in Noragami Aragoto’s first half. I made it clear that I was hoping for some deep exploration into the chasms of Yato’s dark past—particularly concerning his relationships with Nora and his ‘father’—which the episodes continued to avoid doing, week after week.
However, the season finale provided Yato with a character arc which was at least as profound—if not more so—as Bishamon’s—despite not depicting the aforementioned character history I so previously longed.
This was because of Ebisu’s absolutely integral role in the plot.
In previous episodes, it was made clear that Ebisu represents Yato’s ideal of himself: put simply, a good god—a stark departure from the bad god he’s been for most of his life. Over the course of this season and the last, Yato had made obvious his ambitions to rework his image and life purpose in pursuit of this image—a noble god adored by millions across the nation. In short, he sought purpose and moral righteousness through the gratification and acknowledgement of those outside of himself—of people who he’d never even met before. He thinks by catering to them and building a name for himself, he will attain happiness.
But obviously, this causes for a plethora of conflict. Yato—thinking a widely known name is what he seeks—turns to Nora on apparently multiple occasion in order to quickly achieve this, sustain himself, and go on with his business. He doesn’t realize the folly of his ways—his negligence of those he holds most dear on his quest for the recognition of other people. This is the Yato who first comes into contact with Ebisu.
Ebisu’s genuine desire to help humanity resonates with Yato. However, unlike Yato, Ebisu could give a rat’s ass what other people think of him. The heavenly gods don’t mean jack to him—even his own, personal life means nothing to him. All he wants is to help people. That’s seriously it.
This mentality is the ticket out of Yato’s suffering—what he needs to finally cut ties with his previous life, and what he needs moving forward. He’s got to realize the sentiments of millions of people shouldn’t mean anything to him—his loved ones are the only lives which should matter. The god he wants to become isn’t necessarily one with a big fancy shrine and thousands of regalia, but one which is undeniably good. Good to his close ones. Good to humanity. This is his key to happiness.
This is how Yato is to become a helpful god. At first, it seems the cause is hopeless. Ebisu’s moral righteousness seems to be deeply inherent. How can Yato—someone who’s been raised since birth to kill people—possibly attain something like that?
Well, first and foremost, he should stop trying to find the answer by himself and consult his loved ones. When Yato finally cuts ties with Nora (been a long time coming dammit, how freakin’ satisfying was that?), he abandons his only previously guaranteed outlet for making a name for himself, and in turn, becoming a relevant god. As a result, he realizes the need now to consult his friends, and cries out desperately to Yukine for help. This demonstrates the first time Yato has truly—helplessly—relied on Yukine as his exemplar—relinquishing all power and control in this dynamic. He’s coming to Yukine as he truly is, openly displaying his inner turmoil and conflict for the first time.
As such, Yukine provides him with the course of action Yato needs to take in order to become what he desires: do exactly as he’s doing now. By coming to Yukine in desperate search of advice, he’s already doing what his previous self would never have done. Yato is now turning to his loved ones to become the kind of god he holds highly—to come even close to Ebisu’s morality. Screw everyone else; screw conventional forms of success for gods; screw having copious amounts of followers, regalia, and so on. All that matters is he stay true and faithful to those who love him the most, and ain’t that a lesson each o’ us could take to heart.
This proves for a character arc which leaves me utterly gratified in the wake of this finale, despite not being provided deep exploration into Yato’s past. I thought I knew what I wanted, but Noragami Aragoto proved otherwise to me. This season—and more particularly this latter half—has by no means been a perfect run. The pace was often rushed and choppy, and many elements of this most recent arc have not been assigned the time and development they really needed to make some of the battles more engaging. However, I’m able to look over these missteps after a conclusion like this one, from a show which continues to spit in the face of the status quo in favor of a strong and ever-evolving cast of characters. Powerful and profound, this series has humbled me once again.
However, Ebisu wasn’t just a conduit to Yato’s development, but a fully-fleshed (despite being a cosmic being transcendent of phsycial matter, HA HA EY OH k i’ll stop) character in himself. On his deathbed, he realizes that Yato’s words ring true—sometimes it’s pertinent to take a step back from relentless altruism and think about one’s self. It’s important to take a break from thinking about what others want and really consider what oneself wants. It showcases the dangers of excessive selflessness, in contrast to Yato’s previous selfishness, making for a fascinating character dichotomy. Not only does Yato learn from him, but he learns from Yato. As a result, Ebisu is a deeply impactful and memorable character, despite being a more recent addition. Really shows the series’ focus on excellently developed characters and dynamics. Utterly superb.
And that’s a wrap! What a series and what a season. Judging by the post-credits stinger (what a twist amiright? Suddenly adds greater relevance and meaning to Episode 10’s creepy cold open), there’s still a greater story to be told with these characters—one which might finally gimme the sweet deets on Yato’s backstory (can’t help me if I’m still curious hue hue). I’m incredibly excited for Noragami’s (likely) inevitable third season! Thanks for reading (￣▽￣)ノ
The end of the year is here and it’s time for the tenth Annual Reader’s Choice poll. Do you have a favorite series you’d like to see win? Are you just curious to see what everyone else enjoyed this year? Either way, the microphone’s in your hands now. Make your vote count.
As per the usual, there will be two polls for you to vote on this year – one for regularly broadcast TV series, and another for OVA/movies. We’re asking you for your top 5 picks in each poll, which should stop the results from being heavily skewed towards the mega-popular shows. This year we have an astounding 194 TV series/shorts and 111 OVA/movies for you to choose from, so make sure you look over the entire list before deciding. Keep in mind that like all entertainment, anime is subjective. There is no one size fits all here. Please respect the opinions of others, even if you may disagree with them.
Criteria-wise, the following is what was used to decide what shows did (or did not) make it onto these lists:
For a regular broadcast TV series to be considered, it has to have finished airing in 2015. The idea is that you can’t truly judge a series until it’s over, so shows such as Haikyuu!! Second Season, Heavy Object, Utawarerumono: Itsuwari no Kamen will appear on next year’s poll. Series with a second season coming but a clear stopping point in the one we’ve already seen are included.
For OVA/movies, it has to have been released on Blu-ray/DVD in 2015 to qualify, ensuring that viewers outside of Japan have had a chance to watch it. This mostly pertains to theatrical offerings. The difference from TV series is that they don’t necessarily have to be complete to be included, since it can take several years for an OVA series to finish.
As far as we’re aware, the anime series list is complete, barring a handful of shows that are animated but unlike “typical” anime. The OVA/movie list is less so, but this is by design; there are lot of really niche OVAs that aren’t really worth considering and there is a tendency for series in this category to be delayed or released at different dates, so accuracy will vary greatly. If you feel there’s something that deserves consideration, isn’t listed, or is listed but shouldn’t be, please leave a comment or send me (Zephyr) an email or tweet at me (@ZephyrRC) and I will add it in as soon as possible. Please note that the first comment in this post will keep a list of shows added, so keep an eye on that before voting.
With that said, vote away. Time’s ticking.
Note: The polls will close at midnight PST on Friday, January 2nd. This means the morning of the 2nd, the second it turns into 12:00:00AM PST on the 2nd, and 8:00 AM GMT on the 2nd. Results will be posted in the Best of Anime 2015 post, which will be written by myself and Samu (the two active writers who have watched the most anime this year).
The most rewarding part of all this would have to be Hinata being the star of match. He may be the main character, but he often only comes in at the crucial moments, and for the longest time he’s only been good at what he can do, and unremarkable at everything else. But after his first major tournament last season, and 11 episodes of training this season, he’s come out much stronger than we’ve ever seen him before – and it’s totally believable. Seeing the our chibi crow overcome the giant was so satisfying (and this is coming from someone who is tall, and loves being tall!), right up until the final blow.
It’s a shame that we didn’t get this match from the point-of-view of the opposing team, but perhaps that was also for the best. Not every episode can work like that, and this team simply wasn’t as interesting as last week’s; the struggles of a one-man show has never been something I enjoy in any sports anime, and it’s no different with Haikyuu!! At the very least, it’s good to see that Hyakuzawa actually cares about volleyball and wants to get better. This plants the seeds for next year’s tournaments, when Kakugawa High is likely to show their improvements as a team, and not relying on one individual.
Off to the Miyagi Prefecture Representative Playoffs:
Perhaps more interesting the match itself was the aftermath. We were serious for a while, but within a few seconds we were back to the goofy heart that makes Haikyuu!! so loveable. Again, Yachi’s faces on the sidelines are the best, but Hinata gives her a run for her money with some of his. Kyoko being hit on by Terushima Yuuji (Eguchi Takuya) came off as much more invasive in the manga, but for whatever reason it didn’t feel as big of a deal in animated form. However, Hinata jumping in the way and making silly faces was enough to break the tension. It’s interesting, because up until this point nearly everyone that Karasuno has faced has been sympathetic on some level; however, Johzenji may be a different case. If their captain is anything to go by, they may be the most arrogant and cocky school they’ve encountered. Terushima isn’t the easiest character to like straight off the bat, but I can’t help but not hate him just yet, if only because he’s got the same undercut that I have right now, and I do think it looks pretty cool…
Overview – What’s Next?:
Like last week, this was another straightforward episode, wrapping up a not-so-important match to make room for what’s to come. It’s off to the Miyagi Prefecture Representative Playoffs now, so next episode will allow a quickly breather before we dive back into the volleyball action. From the looks of it, next episode we’ll see lots of familiar faces, and some last-minute training from the Karasuno boys. There likely won’t be an episode next week (as most things will be on break), so we may have to wait just a little bit longer to see everyone back on the court.
While I would consider myself a Gundam fan, I know I’m not the most experienced when it comes to all the timelines that are out there. I’m still working my way through the Universal Century timeline (which is awesome, for the record) and there’s many, many more Gundam shows I want to watch when I get the opportunity. Thankfully, I’ve seen enough content to properly watch and appreciate Gundam Thunderbolt – set during the One Year War of the original Gundam series, Thunderbolt tells the story of two pilots on opposing sides of the conflict: the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon, as they are destined to kill one another in epic space battle fashion.
So, what do you need to have seen to watch this? Ideally, I’d say the original Gundam anime, as that provides context for this conflict and means they don’t need to info dump anything, allowing you dive headfirst into battle. I would also recommend the other OVAs set during the One Year War – War in the Pocket and The 08th MS Team – both, like Thunderbolt, tell very human stories about one group of characters in one little location amidst this massive, planetary war. These are all character-driven tales, depicting the many sides to this war, and Thunderbolt is a welcomed addition to this canon. Can you watch it without any prior knowledge of the Universal Century timeline? Perhaps, but I’m not so sure. You could certainly try – it’s simple enough so far, but I fear it may come across so simple that you won’t understand the weight behind this war and the context for this battle.
Slick, Cool, Jazzy:
If I had to describe this first episode in three words, it’d be: slick, cool, and jazzy. Slick, because it felt like the animation never stopped; this was constantly moving, constantly glowing, exploding, in your face action. Not only was that action stellar, but the character artwork was nothing short of gorgeous – the detail in their expressions and the fluidity of their movements is like nothing I’ve seen in Gundam before. By this first episode alone, this is arguably the best animated Gundam show out there. Next, I’d say it’s cool, because it just… is. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why, but I think it comes down to the focus on these epic space battles, with these confident, skilled pilots leading the charge. In the short time we’ve seen them, I already believe they’re among the best of the best at what they do. Their skill and confidence in battle shines through, and I couldn’t help but get pumped up whenever things got explosive.
And finally, jazzy, because of the jazz. From what we’ve heard of the OST, I love it. Jazz in anime is possibly my favourite thing ever; it’s rare enough that whenever it comes back around I can’t help but feel immersed by it and never want the music to end. It’s also rather smart, as there is actual music playing in the pilots’ cockpit, varying depending on their taste and style. And the most memorable and quotable line has to do with the music playing in the background: “When you hear jazz, it means I’m coming.”
Two Sides to a War:
If there’s one thing the OVAs set during the One Year War manage to do better than the original Gundam, it’s making us feel sympathy for both sides of this war. Initially, I thought of the Principality of Zeon as chaotic and political evil, clearly inspired by the nazis. That worked well in the original, but I’m glad that the other stories have allowed us to get to know the characters behind this war: the normal people fighting on both sides. Both the Federation’s Io Fleming (Nakamura Yuuichi) and Zeon’s Daryl Lorenz (Kimura Ryohei) are believable and likeable leads. We manage to feel sympathy and root for both of them here, which I think is an accomplishment in itself. I appreciate when the characters fighting one another aren’t depicted as the ‘good’ and ‘evil’, but are shown doing their job, fighting in this war, and coming across as real people.
What Thunderbolt does so good is give us early impressions of both Io and Daryl without spending much time with them. Io is clearly the cocky one who dives in headfirst, but always comes out victorious. He’s passionate with women, but can take orders when need be. He thrives on the battlefield, and if anything, he seems like the ‘villain‘ of the two. In comparison, Daryl is the ace sniper who stays away from direct conflict, he doesn’t outwardly express himself as much, and is more affected by the death of this allies than Io was of his. He’s also got robotic legs (and some of his friends have robot arms as well), which gives the impression that these guys have been through a lot, yet are still fighting for their cause (as horrible as it may be). If you didn’t know the difference between the Federation and Zeon, you’d probably assume that Daryl was the ‘good guy‘ here, not Io. And that’s what I loved about this – they managed to make us care about both of these pilots to the point where I don’t know which one I’d rather see win at this moment in time.
Overview – What’s Next?:
Slick, cool, and jazzy. Excluding the credits, this only comes in at 15 minutes, which is relatively short, but managed to pack plenty of punches in that time to keep me thoroughly entertained. It’s fantastic to have more Gundam set in the UC timeline, and Thunderbolt is making a strong first impression. Interestingly enough, this is the first Gundam anime – and do correct me if I’m wrong here – to be streamed exclusively online. It’s a bold new move for such a franchise, but may be the start of new ways of distributing anime in the future. With only 4 episodes and 15 minutes each, it’s not going to be the most lengthy adaptation, but I’m glad it exists at all. The next episode comes out in February, so we won’t have to wait too long before we head back into the revenge-fuelled space battles.
「二人三脚登山は命懸けて, イグアズ山岳砲撃戦 III」 (Ninin Sankyakutozan wa Inochikaete, Iguazusan Gaku Hougekisen III)
“Three-Legged Mountain-Climbing Is Life-And-Death, The Artillery Battle In The Iguazu Mountains III”
This has probably been Heavy Object’s best arc yet.
Don’t Guess, Plan
Given a choice between three different routes, the usual (and less exciting) method a storyteller takes would be for Qwenthur to guess one of the three, and then for it to either be right (protag-kun is smarter than everyone else) or wrong (fuck, scramble for a solution!!). Here, Qwenthur did neither. Instead he formulated a plan to have each of them cover one route, and then react to whichever one the enemy Object came down. I like that better. He formed a plan that gave them a chance to win no matter what, and exposed their forces to minimal risk—two times out of three, they’d only be risking one soldier, either Qwenthur or Frolaytia. That’s a good plan, and good odds. I like it when my protagonists act intelligently, something Heavy Object hasn’t always been good at.
Backs To The Wall
The key element that allows for one’s protagonists to act intelligently is hardship, usually springing from either A) a highly competent, dangerous, and/or superior enemy, B) bad luck, or C) both. The reason this arc is probably the best Heavy Object arc so far is that it employs both. I went over A in previous posts, so let’s focus on the latter.
Nearly everything that happened in this episode put the protagonist’s backs against the wall. Havia faced multiple enemies, all willing to kill him, which gives them a time limit. Qwenthur’s leg was hurt, and he hurt the other rolling down the hill. Then his radio busted. Sure, it was a bit convenient that he picked up a pistol last episode rather than always having it on him, but as I’ve said before, I’ll let a few things slide if everything else is being done well. And for once, everything was being done well. Everything backed them against the wall, so that they had to scramble to build a path to victory—so when Qwenthur shot out the intel via code and Milinda blew the mountain apart to strike the enemy Object, it was worthy of a cheer.
Groping Oppai for Freedom
I think, if the Milinda x Qwenthur OTP turns into a love triangle between Frolayita, Qwenthur, and Milinda, I’ll be fine with that. That’s because Heavy Object has done something that so many magical-fantasy-action-harem anime forget to do—give the haremettes a reason to like the harem lead. Not that reason is needed in love, but when you know you’re wading into a love triangle or worse (much less okay with the harem end, as a haremette), reason is needed. It could be something as simple as clear chemistry, but that’s harder to depict between multiple people, so having the harem lead do something that draws the haremette’s eye to him is a good path to use. (Note: All of this can apply for female-led harems as well.)
And now we have that from Qwenthur to Frolaytia. Groping for freedom is a new tactic, but it makes sense, along with being amusing and sexy as hell. And if Frolyatia does take a serious interest in Qwenthur—which is by no means a sure thing; she has thus far acted only as a concerned superior, her blushing can be explained by the groping itself, and just because she respects and appreciates Qwenthur for sticking up for her doesn’t mean she will want him to be her boyfriend—it will work better because there’s some kind of identifiable reason for her to wade into the morass. Plus, more jealousMilinda is always a good thing. I hope more of that happens even if Frolaytia never takes an interest in Qwenthur, which would be fine with me.
Looking Forward
Quick announcement: I’ll be evaluating whether I want to continue blogging Heavy Object over the first few weeks of the winter season. Though this arc has been great, I’ve been spending too much time blogging lately, and I don’t want to miss out on covering a good show because I’m already full up. I’ll be blogging the next episode or two while I decide/intro others, and I’ll keep you posted.
tl;dr:@StiltsOutLoud – A stirring end to the most compelling conflict yet. Also, Qwenthur gropes Frolaytia FOR FREEDOM! #heavyobject 12
Random thoughts:
I’m okay with Havia joining Bilany Saronna while she drowns her sorrows. Er, in alcohol. Not unleashed flood water.
I’m not surprised that Halreed Copacabana (what a ridiculous name) survived. Why waste the character when Heavy Object hasn’t shown itself to be that kind of show? Plus, we never saw the body.
I’m glad we’re sticking with Askin for the time being – the set-up for Gerard’s fight isn’t bad, it’s just very straight forward. Askin, on the other hand, is a much more charismatic and interesting villain, as well as the one we’ve known the longest out of the Elite Sternritter. Not only that, but he’s facing off against Yoruichi, which is a bizarre and intriguing combo in itself. But Yoruichi alone is enough to keep me content, because she is easily one of the most badass characters in Bleach.
I’m not one to swoon over the hotness of the women in Bleach, but reading this chapter I was blown away by how much presence Yoruichi has, and how much energy she brings to her fighting. The action was on-point this week, and the art was arguably the best we’ve seen in a long time. Yoruichi’s design when she activated her Shunko makes her look like a demon or a werecat with those horns/ears of lightning. What a goddamn badass!
Seriously, Yoruichi is incredible.
Yuushirou is Also Awesome:
It’s not too surprisingly that Yuushirou should pop up in this fight, as he explains that he abandoned the other group to find his big sister (who he quite clearly adores – and who can blame him; Yoruichi is easy to adore). With his appearance, he injects some humour into this chapter, which I’m sure will divide readers. It happens often enough in Bleach, and isn’t usually that funny – when you’re in the middle of combat it doesn’t make sense to start cracking jokes. However, with these two characters, and with them facing off against Askin, it doesn’t bother me near as much as it could. This isn’t a dynamic we’re familiar with, but it’s nice to see their brother-sister relationship unfold this way.
Thankfully, Yuushirou isn’t just a loud goofball, but can actual pack a serious punch. Soifon’s shunko controls the wind; Yoruichi’s is lightning; and as we learn this chapter, Yuushirou’s is fire. As far as explosions in Bleach go, this was quite an impressive one. Perhaps not as striking as Yoruichi’s attempt at the start of the chapter, but enough to prove that the Shinoin heir isn’t a weakling. Yoruichi mentions training him not too long ago, and he’s already mastered the technique. He also out-shunpo’d his sister for a brief moment (before she head-butted him into a crippled state), and he proved his worth against Askin in hand-to-hand combat, which is good to see.
Some of the best artwork we’ve seen in a long time.
Askin’s Lethal Dose:
Sadly for Yuushirou, it’s all for naught, as Askin’s ridiulously overpowered Deathdealing ability makes him immune to damage by reiatsu by the end of the chapter. It was bound to happen, but only two chapters into the fight, I’m curious as to how the Shihoin siblings are going to do from here on out. Askin’s powers are strange and nothing to mess around with, so I expect Yoruichi will come up with a plan that will involve their family weapons that Yuushirou was carrying into war a few dozen chapters ago. Will we finally see her shikai or bankai? That would be pretty incredible.
Askin is cool, but seeing him getting punched in the face is very satisfying.
Overview – What’s Next?:
As far as straight-up battle chapters go, this was as good as they come with Bleach. Yoruichi, Yuushirou, and Askin are all fun to read, and make for an interesting match-up. The artwork was seriously impressive in the large panels and shunko attacks, and Askin appearing charred at the end, although predictable, has me keen to see more. We likely won’t get another chapter for two-three weeks, so we’ll be well into January by the time the fight continues. Hopefully it will remain as fun and exciting to read as these past two chapters have led us to believe.
Ah, it feels good to blog Hibike! Euphonium once again, even if it’s only one episode. It seems like forever ago when the first season came to an end in June. It’s December now – Christmas Eve as I write this – and yet I feel like I’ve been transported back to the blistering summer heat in a Japanese high school far, far away… and it feels great! It’s no secret how much I adored Hibike! Euphonium, so when this OVA was announced I was over the moon and ready for more. I didn’t expect anything dramatic and essential to the story, because the first season had already wrapped everything up nicely. What we got was pretty much what I was hoping for: a different perspective of the band drama, as Kitauji High School prepare for the Kyoto Concert Band Competition. And best of all, we got to see it from through the eyes of a character we didn’t get enough focus on in the first season, Katou Hazuki.
Hazuki’s Time to Shine:
Remember Team Monaka? They were formed from the rejects who never made the auditions, and appeared in the final episode to cheer on the band before they headed off to victory. This episode takes place between episodes 10-13, showing what happened with those girls, as everyone else was focused on practicing. Set after the festival, we dive back into that awkward time where Hazuki had not long confessed to Shuuichi. While their interactions were uncomfortable at first, I appreciated what was being done here. In the TV series, these two never had many scenes after Hazuki got rejected, up until the final episode when Shuuichi helped her lift the instruments into the van. Here, we fill in the gaps, witnessing their awkward encounters leading up to the concert. I’ve always stated that I preferred Hazuki/Shuiichi to Kumiko/Shuuichi, though it’s obvious which one is never likely to happen; but I loved the moments they shared onscreen here, from her conflicting expressions to their fingers barely touching as they lift tuba down the stairs. It’s those little moments that make Hibike! Euphonium so special and so real, and I’m glad that all carries over from the TV series.
Natsuki is another standout. Of all the side characters, she’s perhaps the most likeable, down-to-earth, and just… the coolest. She’s so cool; if I were in high school again I’d love to have her as a friend. She had some self-doubt and her own personal struggles in earlier episodes, but as this takes place after she receives that much-needed clarity, we see her at her brightest and most charming. She may have been destined to lose to Kumiko, but she’s still a great friend to have. We saw that after Kumiko felt guilty for taking her seat in the band, and here when Hazuki and Natsuki walked over that memorable bridge – the same bridge where, in my opinion, one of the best pieces of TV animation happened. It’s a gorgeous scene, beautifully shot, and Natsuki gives Hazuki that hug just when she needs it. She knows that she’ll never beat Kumiko when it comes to Shuuichi’s love, and her senpai is there to lend a shoulder. If there’s one thing these two have in common, it’s that they’ve both lost to Kumiko. However, while Natsuki has next year to try again for her seat on the band, Hazuki has no such luxury with Shuuichi. It’s a sad thing, especially when we cut to him opening up their (her) message, and he gives an embarrassed smile. Gah, Shuiichi! Forget Kumiko, go for Hazuki instead! She’s cute even with her bed hair, and Kumiko has another love interest anyhow…
Kyoto Animation’s Charm:
While this episode may have been light on content and drama, it made up for it in allowing us to spend some time with the character who arguably needed it the most. I’ve seen a bunch of negativity hurled towards Hazuki, as some thought she was pointless and annoying. I never felt that way, but it’s good that she gets her time to shine in this episode, as Kyoto Animation proceed to show off their animation chops and prove why they’re the best at what they do. This whole episode was wonderfully lit, showing a range of colours depending on the hour and the mood of the characters; whether a burnt orange sunset, evening blue skies, or the brightness of a Japanese summer, it all just works. I’m glad this OVA got just as much attention and effort put into it as the rest of the TV series; more often than not, you can see a difference in the quality of the artwork and storyboarding when it comes to these non-essential episodes. But with moments like these, you can’t help but wonder… is there anything Kyoto Animation can’t animate?
Overview – What’s Next?:
From the forced smiles and watered eyes of Hazuki, to the awesome seniority of Natsuki, to the ever gorgeous animation, and the sense that this world is truly lived in, this was just what I wanted. While not necessary to watch, this OVA is one I’d recommend to everyone who enjoyed the first season of Hibike! Euphonium, and is looking forward to the sequel next year (I know I am!). But I’d also tell those who weren’t keen on Hazuki to give this a shot; perhaps you’ll grow to like her a little bit more. But even if you don’t, you’re still in for a treat with this little side story. It’s light, airy, and transports you back to the blisteringly hot Kyoto streets, to memorable scenic locations, and the ever familiar sounds of euphoniums and trombones playing in the distance. I’ve never been to Kyoto before, yet returning there feels like coming home.
In a surprising and belated turn of events, Sakurako-san ends with a prologue – showing us what could (and perhaps should) have been the very first episode, rather than the last. We had been teased of this for so long that I had grown tired of the wait, and started to assume we would never get the answer to the ever prevalent question we had from the first episode: how did Sakurako and Shoutarou meet? It was on my mind when I watched the premiere, and I’m glad we finally got some answers, but for me it came a little too late. And by a little, I mean a lot too late. If this had been the first episode, and didn’t cut back and forth from the past and present – rather having the past as the present – then I feel this could have been a solid opener and would have given us a better sense of these characters and their odd dynamic.
What we did get, for the most part, wasn’t too bad. But it wasn’t particularly interesting, especially as a final episode. We saw that Shoutarou’s senile neighbour often wandered off, and he went out late at night to find her, which is when he ran into Sakurako. We get some inner monologuing explaining that Shoutarou in fact saw Sakurako for the first time two summers ago, when she appeared the picture of beauty in her glowing white dress and floppy hat. Paired with the heat of summer and the vibrant colour of her garden flora, she was striking enough that Shoutarou became smitten with her. However, he did not know what she was truly like, as he witnessed her gathering some bones and looking jolly about it.
In hindsight, you can see why Shoutarou reacted by phoning the police and then assuming she was the one who had kidnapped his neighbour. I do like seeing characters (usually male characters) falling in love or becoming smitten with an idea of what a person is, before the woman or girl in question steps down from the pedestal they’ve been put upon and delivers a slap to the jaw. Not literally, of course, but there’s something satisfying in seeing a female character prove to be more than what a male character presumes/wants her to be. I’ve never been a supporter of Sakurako and Shoutarou as anything more than a partnership, but I did enjoy seeing their first encounter play out the way it did.
Back to the Present:
My main problem with this episode is that I don’t think it worked as a finale. Without the cut to the present, this could have been the very first episode. And even as we did get it, it felt like a penultimate episode. We got to see our pair meet up once again and make amends, as was already very obvious. Last week’s final few minutes were made out to be game-changing, yet looking back it didn’t really change much, did it? Just a few days/weeks of them not seeing each other? They met back up until that familiar tree, had a heart-to-heart, and that was that. What was even more of a letdown was the absence of Hanabusa up until the final scene. I expected to get some resolution to the series’s villain, but instead we got a teaser for the endless abyss that awaits should this ever get a second season.
Overview – Final Impressions:
And just like that, it’s over. I’ve had my ups and downs with Sakurako-san, but I don’t regret blogging it. Perhaps my expectations were too high after the first episode, which I really enjoyed. Initially, I thought Subete ga F ni Naru: The Perfect Insider was going to be the superior of the two mysteries, and then Sakurako-san’s first episode stole the spotlight, before Subete eventually became a more grounded and enjoyable mystery series. Both were very wacky, and very different. Subete stuck with a single mystery for 11 episodes, whereas Sakurako-san balanced nine scenarios – some of which were better than others. In the end, I have to give it to Subete. That could be down to my preference for one fleshed out mystery as opposed to the episodic approach we got here, but there were plenty of moments where Sakurako-san failed to impress when it could have.
The only mysteries I really got behind were the ‘pointless’ festival episode, and the ‘Three Sisters’ case. Everything else was a mixture between just good and fairly disappointing. It didn’t help that I never truly got behind our two main characters. Sakurako annoyed me for the most part, though she had moments when I managed to enjoy her eccentric ways. Shoutarou didn’t do much at all; even in this finale I don’t think we learned anything of note about him. He’s barely even a character – he’s there to be a sidekick to contrast with Sakurako. I honestly felt he could have been replaced with any other character, and that would have made for a more intriguing dynamic. As for characters I did like, I much preferred Kougami and Isozaki whenever they appeared, and tended to appreciate the characters that showed up for a single mystery, only to become irrelevant down the line. It’s not a great thing when every side character is more appealing than the main characters…
As for the positives – I thought the show had a nice aesthetic, even if it didn’t always pack that punch that a more refined studio would achieve; the festival episode was pretty brilliant; and Hanabusa was an effective final foe (even if we never got proper resolution). Everything else came and went depending on the case at hand, and which characters were involved. It wasn’t the most consistent show I’ve blogged, nor the most conclusive, but it always kept me somewhat interested until the very end. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the end I would have liked. Even if we do get a second season announced (which I think is unlikely), I honestly feel it will be too little, too late. Hanabusa is still out there, painting a picture of Sakurako, hinting of the endless abyss, but I don’t know if I’d care enough to see him meet his end, when it could have ended here instead.
Brace yourselves… winter is coming. And like tired-ass memes from creatively bankrupt bloggers, that means it’s time for another season preview. The world of sequels is still going strong, with a continuation of the wonderful medieval romance Akagami no Shirayukihime 2nd Season, the final installment of the new Durararas in Durarara!!x2 Ketsu, and a return of the ridiculous[ly awesome] octopus-flavored assassination story in Ansatsu Kyoushitsu 2nd Season. Not to be outdone, there are exciting new adaptations as well, such as the multiple award-winning josei drama Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, the gritty sci-fi of Dimension W, and the latest cute-boys-doing-sports-things otome game adaptation in Prince of Stride Alternative. As for originals—there are a lot of originals. I don’t even know where to start as there are so many of them, but some to look out for are studio Sanzigen’s CGI action series Bubuki Buranki, the powersuit cop action of Active Raid: Kidou Kyoushuushitsu Dai Hakkei, and what might be a reprise of your favorite childhood game in Phantasy Star Online 2 The Animation. All in all, there’s a wide range to look forward to for anime fans of all types. Join us once again as we tell you which ones we think will be good—this is Random Curiosity’s Winter 2016 Preview.
As a quick reminder, most entries are divided into two paragraphs:
A brief introduction to the series and its premise, often with the starring cast of characters.
The writer’s impressions, expanding on the plot and highlighting specific points of interest.
This season we’ll continue using our Expectation Levels. Remember, these reflect our own subjective excitement level for each show; they do not necessarily reflect how shows will pan out. For more information, check out the Overall Impressions section at the bottom, which includes an expanded explanation of each category and a list of all shows by expectation level.
Disclaimer: Back in the days of yore, i.e. 2012, previews were done by a single writer, Divine. Since none of the current writers are as crazy awesome as he, we’ve divided them up among our staff (Cherrie, Guardian Enzo, Jig, Passerby, Samu, Stilts, Takaii, Zanibas, and Zephyr) in order to maintain the quality of this preview. We will try to point out what appeals to us in each series, in the hope that it will help you determine if it coincides with your tastes.
Disclaimer #2: Please note that this list does not reflect all the series airing this coming season. It is meant to be as comprehensive as possible, but omissions have been made for shows that stray from the anime norm or seem to be oriented toward young children. Please check out MOON PHASE for complete listings, syoboi for specific air times, and Fansub DB for a list of potential sources for each series.
As always, thank you to the entire Random Curiosity staff for helping with this preview. Special thanks go to Divine and Xumbra, who encoded all the PV’s; Zephyr, who compiled the OVA/Movie list; Stilts, who organized yelled at people and edited the entire preview; Passerby, who did final checks; and Cherrie, who did just about everything else (formatting, links, pictures—the works). We couldn’t have done it without you all. As a bonus, you can find a more Enzo-flavored run-down on many of these shows at LiA’s winter preview, entirely written by the esteemed Guardian Enzo.
Finally, I’d like to thank you all for your continued support of Random Curiosity. (So I will. Thanks!) I know no one actually reads this part anymore, but we really do mean it. You’re the reason we keep doing this. You’re also what separates us from a bunch of crazy hobos shouting into a wind. You know, like Tumblr. Social media zing!
TV Series
Technical Note: The chart below is ordered by the date and time that the shows premiere. The links in the schedule will take you to a series’ corresponding entry and the “Top” links on the right will bring you back. You can also use the back/forward buttons in your browser to jump between links you’ve clicked. All times are given in a 24-hour, relative-day format where times are extended to show which day they belong to. For instance, Friday morning at 1:30AM would become Thursday at 25:30 to show that the episode aired late Thursday night.
In the past few years we’ve seen a massive boom in sports anime – from the borderline-fantasy Kuroko no Basuke to the adrenaline-pumping realism of Haikyuu!!, to the zaniness of the Yowamushi Pedal. Prince of Stride: Alternative looks to be the next addition in this new hit genre. The one common thread these series share is their appeal to a female demographic, as girls love a bunch of pretty boys doing strenuous physical activities – and that’s exactly what Prince of Stride is all about! It’s a story seen through the eyes of our main character, Sakurai Nana (Hanazawa Kana), a hardworking and fearless girl who has moved alone from the Hokkaido countryside to the cityscape of Tokyo. There, Nana becomes the manager of her new school’s Stride club. “Stride” is a team sport that involves players who run various relay races in towns – like a mix between marathon and parkour – and Nana is determined to form a Stride team to bring them to the “End of Summer,” a top competition hosted alongside other competing schools across Japan. With that goal in mind, she recruits the cool and stoic Stride prodigy, Fujiwara Takeru (Okamoto Nobuhiko), and the friendly and energetic Yagami Riku (Kimura Ryouhei), along with several others, in hopes of working together to bring their club to victory.
The more promotional material I read and watch, and the more Prince of Stride reminds me of Kyoto Animation’s Free! Character designs bear a striking resemblance in both titles, and the typical character archetypes are there for each respective boy. The one thing that makes this stand out is the director, Ishizuka Atsuko (Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo, No Game No Life, Hanayamata). Her aesthetic is distinctive: vibrant, colourful, and glitteringly bright. She is a director we can easily place confidence in, at least from a visual standpoint – all signs point to this looking sleek and polished, and likely to appeal to the aimed demographic. However, this is an adaptation of an otome game, and there are not many success stories from adaptations in that genre. But there’s enough here to look forward to, especially if you’re a fan of the recent selection of sports anime, or if you enjoyed Ishizuka Atsuko’s previous works.
Back in 2013, the original light novel of Musaigen no Phantom World received an honourable mention in the novel category of the fourth Kyoto Animation Award. Despite not winning the grand prize, many suspected it would receive an anime adaptation down the line, similar to Free! and Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai! Fast forward three years, and we’re getting Kyoto Animation’s second attempt at an action-fantasy-supernatural series. Set in the near future where monsters and spirits are in full sight, Ichijou Haruhiko (Shimono Hiro) leads a group of cute girls with supernatural abilities as they plot against an evil organisation that is taking advantage of a ‘certain incident.’ It’s a broad premise we’ve seen time and time again from the various magical-fantasy-action-harem light novel anime adaptations, but the fact remains that this is Kyoto Animation we’re talking about, and director Ishihara Tatsuya (Suzumiya Haruhi, Nichijou, Hibike! Euphonium) claims Phantom World is one of the their most gag-heavy titles to date. Not only that, you can be sure to expect familiar character designs from chief animation director Ikeda Kazumi (Kanon, CLANNAD, Chuunibyou Demo Koi ga Shitai!), near-flawless animation, and an abundance of vibrant action sequences, as was demonstrated in the studio’s first attempt at the genre with Kyoukai no Kanata.
Even as a massive KyoAni fan, I have to admit that Phantom World isn’t getting me as hyped as I would like it to. That being said, if there’s ever a chance for a magical-fantasy-action-harem light novel anime adaptation to exceed the expectations of the genre, we may just see it here. From the promotional material that’s been released, the action and gags seem plentiful, it looks fabulous, and the character designs are… well… interesting to say the least (reverse twintails are the new in-thing, it appears). Phantom World feels like it’s going to be a hit with those who like shows such as Rakudai Kishi no Calvary, Gakusen Toshi Asterisk, Absolute Duo, and other anime of a similar vein. If you’re a fan of those sorts of shows, then Phantom World will be right up your alley; but if, like me, you’re more intrigued by the studio and the staff – as opposed to the premise itself – then you’re likely to check it out and stick around till the end no matter what. It’s KyoAni, after all!
With the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games around the corner, a worldwide sushi boom is underway. But not all sushi is created equal. In response to the epidemic of bad sushi, the Japanese government has teamed up with other world powers to establish the WFCO (World Food-culture Conservation Organization), to protect and promote authentic local cuisines. The 9th Division, aka the Sushi Police, is tasked with overseeing Japanese cuisine abroad, and they’re notorious for their aggressive conduct against anyone who serves inauthentic Japanese food. They will, and frequently do, resort to any means necessary to eliminate bad sushi, and are despised by restaurateurs. Each episode will be five minutes long.
Let’s get some details out of the way: This is a series of 3DCG shorts. I say that now to calibrate expectations, because when I first heard about this series, it sounded like all sorts of fun. And it still could be, but I wouldn’t go in expecting much of a plot. The promo videos depict a goofy, action-packed spectacle where three bespectacled anti-heroes blow up sushi restaurants for having the audacity to not be very good. This series is not trying to be, and should not be, taken seriously. The three main characters are supposed to be uncompromising but inefficient, which will supposedly make them somewhat lovable, which is great if it’s executed well. Promotional materials mention restaurants in the U.S., Russia, France, and China, which excites me—how will they portray these restaurants in other cultures? With insight or stereotypes? Though it probably doesn’t matter. This series sounds silly but fun, something that’s both goofy, creative, and endearing in premise alone. 3DCG short though it may be, I’m excited to see if it’s any good.
Kamijou Haruta (Saito Soma) is a sharp but reserved young man who plays the french horn. Homura Chika (Sarah Emi Bridcutt) is a lively but impulsive young girl who plays the flute. Together, they fight crime! What, they look just like normal anime high school students? Well yes; they’re childhood friends together in the school’s wind instrument club, which is on the verge of being closed due to lack of membership. So they’re mostly preoccupied with either their club or recruiting members to save it—that is, until a grotesque incident occurs at their school. The two decide to solve this mystery together. What was I telling you? Together they’re HaruChika, and they fight crime!
So, the school band is Hibike! Euphonium. The mystery on campus is Hyouka. And I think the two leads are crushing on the same older guy so, er, Cardcaptor Sakura? Musically curious magical girls? Probably not that last one, but Hibike Euphonium plus Hyouka sounds about right. While original author Hatsuno Sei is predominantly a mystery writer, from what I can tell his novel is steeped in human drama, despite my tongue-in-cheek synopsis (so perhaps some Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso in there as well). I suspect the love triangle will get worked, the music will be one big metaphor, and the mystery will provide conflict. Staff-wise, we have Hashimoto Masakazu directing and the always excellent Yoshida Reiko on series composition, and since this is an anime with a musical bent, composer Hamaguchi Shiro deserves a mention; I especially enjoyed his work on Girls und Panzer. There seems to be a lot of good parts to this show—if it’s truly Hibike Euphonium plus Hyouka, then the equation should be superb + sublime, right? If everything sums properly, we should have some quality anime on our hands.
Based off an otome game, NORN9 has a really interesting premise that isn’t my cup of tea, but I’ll do my best here for you guys. With its story jumping everywhere, NORN9 begins with a shouta named Suzuhara Sorata (Abe Atsushi) and a girl named Koharu (Fujimura Ayumi) as they’re staring at a giant ship as it begins to descend upon them. Suddenly, two guys bust out, ask a few heated questions, and take both of them on board. Once on the ship they discover a handful of other kids who have some sort of special power, and that the ship is headed to somewhere where their powers can be used for peace instead of destruction. So, skipping past the awkward introduction and into some specifics, apparently the world has experienced World War IV and in order to “reset” things, it was decided that the world needed to be blown up and recreated. To accomplish the reset part, the higher ups decided to distribute the “powers” needed to recreate the world to psychic users until the time was right. These psychic users are NORN9′s crew and whom the story follows.
From what I gathered, a lot of people seem to enjoy the source material not necessarily for its story, but for the characters and just how unique each of them are. Based off an otome game, you can expect the general idea of routes and flags as the main girl attempts to go for the various guys throughout the ship. The draw of this one though seems to fall on the vast amount of character types scattered throughout NORN9 (hikikomori, tsundere, jerk, etc), and they’re apparently all so lovable that you can’t help but wish that everyone could get their own happy ending. In terms of production, the studio handling this one is Kinema Citrus with help from Orange (remember Black Bullet, anyone?), and there are some pretty big name seiyuu like Ono Daisuke and Sugita Tomokazu, which is always a positive. Overall, I think all the ingredients for a fun date and conquering type show are there, and with such a crazy premise, I’m probably going to at least watch the first few episodes to wrap my head around everything.
It’s the future! The world is corrupt! Tokyo has fallen to chaos! A more effective policing system is needed to push back the rampant crime plaguing the urban sprawl. Thus the invention and deployment of ‘Willware,’ suits of mechanical exoskeletons that are donned when enforcing the law becomes violent and dangerous—or when there’s less concern about collateral damage. Of particular note is the 8th unit of the 3rd Mobile Assault group of the 5th division of the Special Public Security Section (hurray, bureaucracy!), better known locally as ‘the Eighth.’ They are charged with policing a particularly unpleasant part of Tokyo, but aren’t exactly model citizens themselves. An altogether unruly, unorthodox and unmotivated bunch, the Eighth would, in a crime drama, all be the bad cop at once. Enter assistant inspector Kagari Asami (Ozawa Ari), freshly assigned to the Eighth and tasked with overseeing this failing unit. Will she be able to whip the Eighth into shape and turn it into a truly professional crime fighting force?
Before anything else, I must mention that Active Raid: Kidou Kyoushuushitsu Dai-Hakkei (Active Raid: Special Public Security 5th Division 3rd Mobile Assault Unit 8; oh how that rolls off the tongue) is being scripted and composed by Arakawa Naruhisa, who has under this belt, among other things, Kamen Rider. That’s exactly what I’m hoping for from Active Raid: over-the-top Super Sentai-flavoured action. The sci-fi powered armour means masked heroes fighting evil, right? That’s not to say that Arakawa is going to be the only influence on this series—we have Taniguchi Gorou (CODE GEASS) and Akitaya Noriaki (Bakuman.) in the chairs of chief director and director respectively, which should add some additional oomph to the staff. The only potential worry is that Active Raid has some reliance on computer graphics, mostly to animate Willware. Your personal tolerance for it will vary, though. Otherwise, Active Raid looks to be the fun original offering of the season with a possible serious edge, and like most originals is worth checking out.
Houjou Buntarou (Yamashita Seiichirou) is your average high school student, an aimless youth unsure of his goals for the future and without a current direction in life. What he does do, on the occassions where he’s not just bumming with his mates, is write, and it is for this that he is approached by classmate Kuroda Sayuki (Chisuga Hakura), who read a script Buntarou had written for the Drama Club. Sayuki wants to create a visual novel, and wants Buntarou’s help to do it. It’s strange; Buntarou knows nothing at all about making games, but Sayuki claims that she will be able to make the project a success. Where does her confidence come from? Will it be enough, as these youths step into this great unknown?
So, an anime adaptation of a visual novel about making a visual novel. Possibly a visual novel about itself. If that sounds like Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata to you then, yeah, it did to me too. But Shoujo-tachi wa Kyouya wo Mezasu (The Girls Who Aim for the Wilderness) is of a somewhat different stock. It’s a funny cross-media thing, with the anime being based on a visual novel, but being aired prior to the release of its ‘source’. Well, the relationship between the anime and the visual novel is less important than the fact that the original author is Tanaka Romeo, who also wrote, amongst other things, the critically acclaimed Cross†Channel. From his involvement alone we can perhaps take a guess at the true nature of Shoujo-tachi wa Kouya wo Mezasu. It’ll likely be less the self-deprecating comedy of Saekano and more skewed towards drama, worming into the heads of both its characters and the audience. I’m trusting Tanaka Romeo to have written something compelling, is what I’m saying. And hey, the PV is not unpleasant to look at, and we have Steins;Gate director Sato Takuya on board, so how bad could it be? In fact, I think it could actually be pretty good.
Fujinuma Satoru (Mitsushima Shinnosuke) is a struggling manga author who receives one major criticism about his work: it lacks personality. From this perhaps one can already tell what kind of person Satoru is. He’s a stiff sort, a bit awkward about expressing himself, and not too keen with getting involved with others. But Satoru occasionally experiences a strange phenomenon; right before a tragic accident or incident, Satoru would find himself sent backwards in time, and would relive that snippet of his life until he spots what causes the tragedy and averts it. This, and Satoru’s better nature, prevents him from ignoring others in distress, but he is himself haunted by a harrowing event in his past. As a child, an adult he trusted was convicted of the kidnapping and murder of multiple children, including Satoru’s then classmate Hinazuki Kayo (Yuuki Aoi). Through this hazy memory one thought gnaws at him to this day: couldn’t he have done something about it?
So, an adaptation of a manga starring a flawed mangaka. This must be what they call writing what you know (*zing*). In seriousness, Sanbe Kei‘s Boku Dake ga Inai Machi (The Town Where Only I am Missing aka ERASED) is a quality work, and the various awards it has been nominated for will attest to that. From the synopsis you can probably tell that it’s got a mystery brewing, with a bit of a sci-fi edge in the time loop thing, but what Boku Dake ga Inai Machi excels at is its psychological angle, drilling deep into the minds of its characters (especially the protagonist) to show what makes them tick. Along the way it tackles many serious issues, like repression, child abuse, and social anxiety. It may be a bit tricky to adapt, but there seems to be a solid staff behind the anime; director Itou Tomohiko and screenwriter Kishimoto Taku have worked together before on the first season of Gin no Saji (and it was good), while composer Kajiura Yuki will be providing no doubt suitably dramatic music. A lot of good things have been lined up for this adaptation, and Boku Dake ga Inai Machi could well be one of the more promising shows this season.
Based on the popular webcomic from Pixiv and the subsequent manga, Ojisan to Marshmallow comes as a short-form anime this winter. This comedy-romance centers around Kusaka Habahiro (Inada Tetsu)—a quite large middle aged man who loves marshmallows—as well as the office lady in love with him, Wakabayashi Iori (Kitamura Eri). There will be lots of cute romance. There will be comedic misunderstandings. There will be marshmallows. Lots of marshmallows.
Considering how wildly popular the webseries has been with its Japanese audience, Ojisan to Marshmallow stands out with proven comedy that’s sure to garner more than a few laughs. The plot itself is ridiculous enough to not get lost in the sea of sub-class shorts, forsaking cute girls and mascots in favor of a (silly) portrayal of common people. Though the production team is unremarkable and novice, with seiyuu such as Kitamura Eri and Hanazawa Kana in major roles, the acting will definitely be spot-on. I recommend this to anyone looking for a quick absurd comedy, with the undertones of a cute romance in an age group rarely explored in anime.
Phantasy Star was one of the older Japanese role playing game franchises and decidedly single player, but it eventually lead to the MMORPG variant Phantasy Star Online and, surprise surprise, a Phantasy Star Online 2. In 2016, Phantasy Star Online will turn 15, and to celebrate this anniversary an anime adaptation of the second game is being made. While the MMO was thin on plot, that shouldn’t be an issue because the anime is using an original story. It is the year 2027 and war was beginning our hero Tachibana Itsuki (Aoi Shouta) is a high school student boarding at something of a military academy, an institution dedicated to nurturing both scholarly and martial skills in its students. All is well, until one day student council president Izumi Rina (Suwa Ayaka) calls Itsuki to the student council room. In a normal school this would be nothing to write home about, but this is no normal school. There must be a reason why the student president, universally admired at the academy, would ask for Itsuki personally. Could this be a call to adventure?
Video game adaptations are often suspect. Despite superficial similarities, there is much in a game that simply does not translate well into anime; much of the narrative is usually communicated via mechanics. One way to bypass this is to simply strip away everything from the game except the fluff and just build something new on that, which has proven successful in the past with, for example, Shingeki no Bahamut, and that seems to be what Phantasy Star Online 2 the Animation is attempting. Phantasy Star actually had a fairly interesting world (especially for its time), a sword and sorcery setting but with a science-fiction aesthetic, something which would eventually inspire .hack. That said, the little we know of the premise sounds a tad generic, and the promotional videos perhaps betray an over-reliance on computer graphics. Your tolerance for either of those will vary. There’s no lack of action and science fiction this season, so Phantasy Star Online 2 The Animation will have to impress to stand out, but it has its roots in a venerable franchise, so it may be worth checking out just for that. With only slim information available for it right now, we won’t know for sure how it will turn out, and it could surprise.
Small-town boy Shikada Kokonotsu (Abe Atsushi) has a natural talent for creating sweets, something his father, sweets shop owner Shikada You (Fujiwara Keiji), recognizes in him. Although Kokonotsu is egged on by his father to take over the family business, he’s more interested in becoming a mangaka. These plans are hampered with the arrival of big-city girl Shidare Hotaru (Taketatsu Ayana), who hopes to enlist Shikada’s father into her own family’s sweets making company. The father’s catch: she first must convince Shikada to take over his own family’s business. Along with family friends Endou Saya (Numakura Manami) and Endou Tou (Suzuki Tatsuhisa), Shikada and Shidare, a world of sweets, and their creation are waiting to be explored. It is where even the most rural candy shop can produce some wonderful desserts.
Dagashi Kashi immediately stands out with its unique character designs. The dilated pupils are spread out across all characters, giving the show a distinct face that’s hard to look away from. The art has translated well from the manga thanks to studio feel’s efforts, and looks to be shaping up to be one of their better adaptations in recent times. The premise itself sounds interesting; though the concept of succeeding the rural family business is a heavily used trope in anime, exploring the realm of Japanese sweets should be a plus for audiences looking to immerse themselves in daily Japanese culture. The show itself is heavily reliant on episodic humor, using the concept of a specific candy to drive the current episode. Viewers who are looking for a light comedy focused on a specific part of Japanese culture, you’ve got your winner.
When the world is facing utter destruction from a nearly indestructible octopus that can fly at Mach 20, what in the world are you supposed to do? Especially when elite assassins and the toughest in the military aren’t even able to lay a scratch on him? Obviously, you send in a group of troublesome third-year middle school students! Jokes aside, Assassination Classroom focuses on the students of classroom 3-E, a special class where the troublemakers and underperforming students of the school are sent in an effort to get them back on track. But in reality, this classroom is more of a final resting place to “encourage” students to quit, and serves as a warning to keep the rest of the student body motivated. However, after one fateful day where most of the moon was obliterated, classroom 3-E received a new teacher who would forever change their lives — a strangely dressed octopus aptly named Koro-sensei (Fukuyama Jun), whom they were told to assassinate or else the world will be destroyed.
To preface, it’s probably important that you watch the first season before starting this one. After an exciting two-cour season and tons of character development, you’d be missing a ton if you leapt straight into this second season. Getting back on track, boy oh boy am I excited for this second season of Assclass (my favorite acronym for this show). With Lerche returning to hold the reins and everyone of importance reprising their roles, what more could you ask for? If you were to ask me what makes this show so fun to watch, I’d highlight the interactions between Koro-sensei and all the students of class 3-E. While the overarching mission is for Koro-sensei to eventually be taken out, there’s no way you can overlook the bonds and friendship that everyone’s made together. Overcoming obstacle after obstacle, be it a trio of trained assassins or the chairman of the academy, there’s nothing they can’t overcome together (except maybe killing Koro-sensei!). I hope to see you all for the second season, since I’ve been dying to see more and it looks like our patience is about to be rewarded. That and I would watch the show simple for Nagisa-kun (Fuchigami Mai).
From the smartphone game of the same name comes a new anime produced by Studio Pierrot. In this world, the barrier between Heaven, Hell, and Earth have been broken, allowing chaos to reign. It was only thanks to the formation of a World Council that the chaos could be contained. While they enforce the peace, the World Council has a secondary agenda—to send a human to the source of the chaos and reshape the world. To this end, they gather children possessing magical powers and send them towards the source of chaos: the Divine Gate. The one who reaches it first essentially becomes a god, but what kind of world do each of these children want to create?
In the past, it would have been easy to dismiss mobile game adaptations as immediate flops. However, with the rise of shows such as The iDOLM@STERCinderella Girls and Shingeki no Bahamut: GENESIS, viewers everywhere must take care not to miss a gem by dismissing it as a mobile game advertisement. With a lack of plot from the game, Divine Gate has barely any information on its story, but its flexibility may be a strong point. With Studio Pierrot and director Abe Noriyuki (Bleach, Arslan Senki) onboard, as well as a cast with credentials, including Taketatsu Ayana and Itou Kanae, anything could happen with this show. Though the character designs from the released PVs look a bit iffy, overall the show looks decent in terms of its animation. I recommend a quick peek at the first episode for fantasy action fans to see if it piques your interest.
Based on a manga which was originally published on Twitter (before subsequently moving to Kadokawa’s ComicWalker website), Oshiete! Gyaruko-chan consists of a series of comedic shorts following the everyday lives of three high school friends. Gyaruko (Waki Azumi) is a slightly rude but ultimately good-hearted popular girl, Otaki (Tomita Miyu) is the quiet loner of group who nevertheless manages to be good friends with Gyaruko, and Ojyo (Takahashi Minami) is a free-speaking but airheaded girl who talks frequently with the prior two. Each girl’s name is a play-on-words that alludes to a subculture which loosely characterizess the girls. Gyaruko is a pun on “gyaru”, which refers to a kind of street fashion where young girls bleach their hair blonde, adorn their nails with gaudy decorations, and wear loads of face make-up; Otako is a reference to Otaku culture; and Ojou is an allusion to a daughter of a high-class family.
If you’re looking for deep and impactful storytelling, Oshiete! Gyaruko-chan is probably not for you. In the manga, each chapter lasts just one page, and there are no overarching plots or strong character development. This isn’t to say that it won’t be worth your time. I found each short to be quaint and subdued in humor, which proves for an amusing little read. I think it’s crucial that this tone carries over into the anime in order for it to succeed. Sure, it’s light on content and depth, but intentionally so. The series isn’t trying to be anything grand—just fun. Director Kawaguchi Keiichirou has had plenty of experience with school life comedy shows (like Minami-ke Taidama, Jinsei), so it seems to be in the right hands. It’s not hard seeing this series as a quick little watch every week, sort of like the funnies in the Sunday newspaper.
From the mind of Shirow Masamune, creator of Ghost in the Shell, comes a lighter work that continues the focus on cyborgs and their ethics. In a world where automation is dominating all aspects of life and dividing the poor and the rich even wider, Nanakorobi Nene (Fuku Sanae), a cyborg, has an exciting future waiting for her. As she travels to the island of Cenancle to live with her family, she runs into another cyborg, Clarion (Numakura Manami) and her master, Deliah Uzal (Tanaka Atsuko). Uzal then warns that if Clarion and Nene don’t work together, a terrorist threat on Cenancle will come to fruition and spell mass destruction. Thus, the two cyborgs go on a quest to defeat this menace, revealing powers within themselves they never knew they had.
Although author Shirow Masamune is legendary for the GiTS series, his works after that series haven’t been as well-received. Koukaku no Pandora looks to be no exception. Although I respect Studio Gokumi as a production company, the work done so far to show off this anime has been lackluster. The premise and the character designs simply don’t mesh together, especially considering how the recent commercials have portrayed the series more as a comedy. There could be a curveball I’m not seeing here, but judging from the tepid response to the source material, I highly doubt it. Fans of the cute-girls-in-battle niche may find interest in this series, but overall, it’s going to take a lot of convincing to capture the interest of anyone else.
This original anime stars the Sekkou Boys, an idol unit made up of four gypsum statues. There’s the military saint and group leader Saint George (Sugita Tomokazu), the amorous but earnest in love god of war Mars (Ono Daisuke), the multi-talented idol with beautiful skin Hermes (Fukuyama Jun), and history’s original celebrity Medici (Tachibana Shinnosuke). The story follows their efforts to survive in the entertainment industry with their rookie female manager Ishimoto Miki (Kokido Shiho), who just graduated from college. They sing, they blush, they’re statues—they’re the Sekkou Boys!
This anime is already utterly bizarre, and I love it. Is it an incisive takedown of the idol industry, where idols are put on literal pedestals for the worship of their adoring fans? Or did someone just think it would be funny to assemble some of the industry’s greatest male seiyuu and make them voice a bunch of statues? It’s almost certainly the latter, given the comedic tone of the promo videos. This is being helmed by newbie director Takuno Seiki at LIDENFILMS, though series composition is being done by Yokote Michiko, an experienced pro. I feel like Sekkou Boys will never be as good as it seems right now, since the absurd premise makes one imagine all sorts of crazy scenarios, when it will probably just be a goofy comedy show with a limiting premise. So temper your expectations, boys and girls. Expect something crazy, but don’t expect the world. This show will live or die by the writing and the ability of its seiyuu, and one of those at least is assured. Treat it like a chance to hear Sugita Tomokazu, Ono Daisuke, and Fukuyama Jun (and that other guy) be constantly hilarious, and you’ll be setting yourself up for a good time. Hopefully.
Based on a popular Chinese webcomic, Reikenzan centers on a falling comet. This falling comet will bring doom to the land, unless a destined child is strong enough to stop it. Thus, the ancient Reiken clan begins its search, opening its system of entrance examinations once more to find the brightest minds. Ouriku (Yonaga Tsubasa), who possesses a special soul that is only available once in a thousand years, decides to take the exam. Helping him is his mentor Oubu (Yamaguchi Yuriko), who shares his thirst for knowledge. With Oubu’s help, Ouriku rises through the examinations, growing into the being that would eventually save them all.
A few meta-details are interesting to note about this show. The source is from a Chinese webcomic, and the large Chinese internet company Tencent has joined forces with Studio DEEN to produce this show, allowing for a simulcast both in China and in Japan, both with their respective dubs. With that kind of backing, the series is sure to have some level of quality already. The premise itself is actually quite interesting as well. Drawing influences from Chinese history, it is interesting to see how the imperial examinations and Confucian influences from Imperial China have been integrated into this anime. Fans of historically influenced anime should get a kick out of this, as well as anyone looking for a comedy-fantasy combo this season. With top funding from one of the largest companies in China, Reikenzan is shaping up to be an interesting peek into contemporary Chinese fantasy writing.
GATE returns this season with its second cour, after accumulating a fair amount of popularity and online debate in the summer of 2015. For those unaware, GATE is an adaptation of Yanai Takumi’s series (originally a web-novel, then novel, before finally becoming a light novel series) set in the near future when a mysterious portal opens in Tokyo, and an army of fantastical creatures pour through. Led by the proud otaku and unlikely solider, Itami Youji (Suwabe Junichi), the JSDF are tasked with invading the land beyond the portal, stepping into a fantasy war involving dragons, elves, mages, and gothloli deities. What could have been a grim outlook on colonising a foreign world managed to balance its nationalistic ideologies and questionable real-life politics with plenty of light-hearted anime tropes and clichés, resulting in an enjoyable week-by-week watch that was hard to take completely seriously. With this second cour, we’re set to return beyond ‘the Gate’ once again, and step into the wars that are about to break out.
I previously described GATE: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri is ‘undoubtedly anime.’ I can’t imagine this sort of story existing in any other medium of storytelling, for better or worse. Better, because it wasn’t as serious and controversial as I initially thought it would be, yet worse if you’ve grown tired of those typical ‘anime’ moments: badass lolis, bathhouse scenes, and celebrating the otaku culture, all included. Also, guns and military technology. Lots of it. I’ve been informed of some controversial events that are set to take place in this second cour, but I’ll refrain judgement until it’s fully aired and we have a better idea of where the story is heading. For the time being, it’s a fun watch that’s successfully captured the interest of many anime fans, and will continue to do so for another season.
Once in a blue moon, an obscure yet acclaimed manga will get an anime adaptation despite the likelihood of its commercial success looking grim. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu is just that sort of title – a historical Josei manga that’s been nominated for (or won) every award going. In 2012 it came 4th place in the Manga Taisho awards, losing to the likes of Gin no Saji, Aku no Hana, and KimiUso; it was nominated for the 17th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, won the manga Excellence Award at the 17th Japan Media Arts Festival Awards, and took the grand prize as the Best General Manga in the 38th Kodansha Manga Awards. What makes it so special? It focuses on the journeys of several characters all interconnected through the past and present, set in Japan’s Showa era (~1960s). The introductory story focuses on Yotarou (Seki Tomokazu), which translates to “anti-hero” or “dim-witted man,” after he is released from prison and prepares to re-integrate into society, seeking an apprenticeship under Yuurakutei Yakumo (Ishida Akira), the “grim reaper” of traditional comic storytelling who has lived a lonely life full of suffering. Under his tutelage, Yotarou meets his ward, Konatsu (Kobayashi Yu), a woman whose fate is deeply connected to the gifted Yakumo, after the passing of her own famed storytelling father. Her journey coincides with Yotarou’s own, as she attempts to become a performer in her own right – facing the adversities of being a woman in a man’s profession.
Some may cringe at Studio DEEN handling such acclaimed material, but with Omata Shinichi (Sankarea, Rozen Maiden) directing, I think there’s little to worry about. He’s been in charge of the studio’s most-regarded works in the past few years, and this looks to be no different. There’s resemblances to Sakamichi no Apollon in the art style and execution, which likely comes from them both being set in similar time periods. Not only that, but the OST has a distinct jazzy sound to it, like you’d expect from Baccano!, as Shibue Kana is in charge of the music. This may not end up being the most popular anime of the season, but it’s likely to attract a dedicated following among anime fans who are seeking something different. With Shouwa Genroku’s many awards and nominations under its belt, a strong staff list, and a reputation for its subtle human portrayals, I think we’re in for a treat with this one.
FAIRY TAIL ZERO (actually a continuation of FAIRY TAIL (2014), starting with episode 91) adapts Mashima Hiro’s prequel manga to his popular FAIRYTAIL series. It tells of the founding of Fairy Tail. It starts many years ago, when Mavis Vermilion (Noto Mamiko) was a servant on Sirius Island, and was mistreated by a guild master and his daughter, Zera (Hanazawa Kana). But Mavis stayed positive, because her mother once told her that fairies never visited people who cried about their problems. When the guild came under attack, Mavis pulled Zera from the wreckage. Seven years went by, and the powerful wizards/treasure hunters Warrod Sequen (Shirokuma Hiroshi), Precht (Kawahara Yoshihisa), and Yuri Dreyer (Konishi Katsuyuki) arrived on the island, seeking a powerful jade gemstone. This journey would change the course of magical history.
I’ve always respected the FAIRY TAIL anime for being one of the few shounen adaptations to have the foresight to stop when they catch up to the manga, rather than going into endless fillers. With the entire team is back to adapt the prequel manga, I’m happy. And I do mean the entire team, because all of the main players are back, from director Ishihira Shinji, series composer Sogo Masashi, studio A-1 Pictures, and any seiyuu whose character make an appearance. Normally with prequels I worry that they’ll be an unnecessary distraction, but with FAIRY TAIL I don’t feel that way. Granted, I’ve not read the prequel manga, since I’m behind on the main storyline again (my backlog ;_;), but I feel confident when it’s FAIRY TAIL, because it’s nothing if not consistent. Consistent, and increasingly epic. To paraphrase what I wrote last time: Filled with overflowing emotions, the characters continue fighting, never give in to despair, and always find a way to win, no matter the odds. Combined with unshakable faith in their friends, their tendency to recruit new nakama as the story progresses, and more potential couples than you can shake a very large shipping stick at, FAIRY TAIL has a lot to offer, as long as what you want is action… And I see no reason any of that has changed. Expect a more restrained, tighter story, but it should have all the hallmarks of the main series. But let’s be serious—if you’re a FAIRY TAIL anime watcher, you’re already planning to watch this. Feel free to expect a good time.
This original anime will be produced by studio Sanzigen, in commeration of the studio’s 10th anniversary. When Ikki Azuma (Kobayashi Yuusuke) returns to Japan after ten years, he gets assaulted by a group of armed men and is taken prisoner. His chidhood friend, Asabuki Kogane (Ozawa Ari), saves him with a weapon on her right hand known as Bubuki; a weapon with a mind of its own. Azuma, who is a Bubuki user himself, learns about the existence of Bubuki and goes on a journey alongside newfound companions, in an attempt to find and revive Oumai, a Buranki (titan) who sleeps underground.
Information is scarce about this original series. From what I saw in the promo video, the backgrounds are gorgeous, but then again, I’ve been burned by a series with beautiful backgrounds and an average premise. Yet this is being done by Sanzigen of Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio: Ars Nova fame, and their CGI is getting good, since I didn’t even realize it was CGI when I started watching the promo. Even the characters, the hardest part to get right with CGI, sometimes look so good you can mistake them for being traditionally animated. The plot doesn’t light a fire under my tail, nor does the staff, but great things have come from sketchy premises before. I advise you to check out the promo video for this one, because that will tell you whether this is something you want to check out. I think I will be, if only to see what anime’s supposed CGI future might look like.
In the year L.C. 922, mankind faces an unprecedented crisis. Following the conclusion of a hundred-year war on the mythical world of Tetra Heaven, the losing Majins—who are effectively gods—have invaded the human world of Seprpia in search of a safe haven. The government is forced to fight back by employing Logicalists, special police that protect the streets from the otherworldly invaders. Logicalists are given a special power that allows them to enter a trance with goddesses from the other world. One day, Tsurugi Yoshichika (Ono Kensho), a civilian who is lacking “Logic” and lives peacefully with his family, meets the beautiful goddess Athena (Uesaka Sumire) while helping people escape from a Majin attack. She possesses the “Logic” that Yoshichika lacked, leading Yoshichika to an unexpected destiny with Athena.
This series has one of those premises that makes my eyes cross, and the characters look like they were attacked by a rabid illustrator. But overdone isn’t necessarily the same as bad. This is an original anime/trading card game project produced in cooperation with Bandai Visual and Bushiroad, which explains the overwrought character designs. My first instinct is to be skeptical of multimedia projects, but Shingeki no Bahamut: GENESIS would like to have a word with me. Doga Kobo’s animation looks as good as always, and director Chigira Kouichi has a few good series under his belt. This looks like an action show, where the characters fuse together to fight against monsters, which is mostly animated via CGI once the fighting gets going. No indication on what the plot will be, save for the word salad of descriptors above (“Logicalists” is especially obnoxious), but I can only hope that Bahamut GENESIS taught the industry that a good anime sells more trading cards than a bad one. I’m torn between my love for Doga Kobo’s animation and the strong crop of seiyuu, and a premise which needs to lose two-thirds of its technobabble. A lot will depend on how the first episode turns out.
After a cour in Winter 2015 and another this past summer, the final season of Durarara!!x2 is here, this time titled Ketsu. When we last left the modern Tokyo district of Ikebukuro, the chaos brewing in its underworld was about to hit critical mass, which is saying something considering that it’s a town normally inhabited by dangerous cryptids like the headless horseman Celty Sturluson (Sawashiro Miyuki), the Incredible Hulk (Ono Daisuke), and the Japanese high school student. There’s more going on than just the usual gang warfare, intersecting vendettas and schemes to trigger Ragnarok this time. Shards of a malevolent cursed katana have been running around enslaving minds, and it obviously has a sinister agenda, but nobody knows quite what. One thing’s for sure, though: with everything going crazy and everybody already crazy, and what little status quo there was turned firmly onto its head, Durarara!!x2 is set to end with a bang.
With Durarara!!x2 Tetsu being the last of a trilogy in a way (a trilogy that is itself a sequel), I’m sure many of you already have a good idea of what kind of show it is and whether it appeals to you. It has a clear formula, one that original author Narita Ryohgo had been employing ever since Baccano!. I’ve written a bit previously about how Durarara!! was an anime based on momentum, making heavy use of drama as spectacle, and there’s no reason to think things are going to change now. Indeed, the previous x2 Ten hardly ended at all, leaving us on a cliffhanger, and I’d expect the snowball that is Durarara!! to immediately get back to rolling once it gets the camera back on itself. Since x2 Ketsu is more or less the finale, the momentum of the last arcs should be at a maximum, and the spectacle at its greatest. While previous iterations of Durarara!!x2 may have been a bit bumpy or slightly bogged down at times, there should be nothing stopping it now. We’ll likely have a clear trajectory to a grand payoff.
This slapstick spin-off of the Nurse Witch Komugi-chan series features all new characters, including a new Komugi-chan. Yoshia Komugi (Tomoe Kei) is a clumsy second-year middle schooler who performs as an idol like her classmates Saionji Kokona (Yamazaki Erii) and Kisaragi Tsukasa (Koichi Makoto). But while Kokona’s popularity is skyrocketing and Tsukasa is popular in male clothing, Komugi’s only gigs are low-end ones like appearing at the local shopping district. But one day, a mysterious injured creature named Usa-P (Yoshino Hiroyuki) appears before Komugi. She treats Usa-P’s injuries, and in consideration of her kindness, Usa-P asks her to become a Legendary Girl who can use magic. Soon Magical Nurse Komugi-chan is battling the strange masked figures who suddenly appear, and a Magical Maid and Magical Sister join in, making it a three-way battle. This slapstick story will follow Komugi-chan and her rivals as they balance the roles of students, idols, and magical girls.
This is a spin-off of 2002-05′s Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magikarte, which itself is a spin-off of 2001′s The SoulTaker: Tamashii-gari, and I’m already bewildered as to how a ten-year-old spin-off got a spin-off. Not that Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magikarte isn’t entertaining. It had an amusing slapstick quality to it, a magical girl spin-off that doesn’t take itself seriously, and parodies the genre as much as it indulges in it. But while the original Komugi-chan was a 17-year-old cosplay idol, the new Komugi-chan is a middle schooler, which makes me wonder who exactly this anime is aimed at. Nurse, maid, sister, animal ears—oh, who am I kidding, it’s aimed at adult otaku. This looks to be a slapstick parody again, with a veteran director in Kawaguchi Keiichirou and a relatively new head script writer in Murakami Momoko on staff. I’m confused as to how this came to be, but it doesn’t look bad, and Watanabe Akio’s character designs, as animated by Tatsunoko Production, look appropriately cute. If the story is good, this could breathe new life into the prospect of more ten-year-old spin-offs getting spin-offs. How bizarre.
Owarimonogatari has only just ended somewhere in the middle, and already here is another instalment of Nisio Isin‘s long-running Monogatari Series, but not as the last volume of Owarimonogatari. Rather, it will be an adaptation of Koyomimonogatari (Calendar Story, some obvious pun), which is a series of short stories starring the usual main protagonist and half-vampire Araragi Koyomi (Kamiya Hiroshi, the obvious pun). There are twelve stories in all and they take place at multiple points throughout the continuity. The most curious thing about this adaptation, though, is the distribution method. Rather than television, one short-lengthed episode of Koyomimonogatari will be available for a limited time each week as part of a smartphone app. For those of you wondering, it’s a calendar app. Of course.
I don’t think there’s much need to introduce the Monogatari series again. If you were watching Owarimonogatari, you’ll likely want to watch Koyomominogatari as well. It’s interesting to note that although Koyomimonogatari is being adapted in the middle of Owarimonogatari, as a novel it was actually the precedent. That means that the events of Koyomimonogatari are presumed knowledge going into Owarimonogatari, which makes it a bit odd that they are only adapting it now. (That said, the extremely antecedent Kizumonogatari has only begun to trickle out, so we can only guess at SHAFT’s mysterious ways.) From what I gather, even though Koyomimonogatari was originally but a collection of short stories, there are events there that shape our understanding of some of Owarimonogatari, so this brief intermission is probably actually a fairly important one. This may all be moot for the Western audience though; at this point not much is known about both the anime and the app, and it’s entirely possible that it simply won’t be available to those outside Japan. It should become clearer whether there is an access issue as more information comes out.
Hashiba Natsuki (Matsuoka Yoshitsugu) has a crush on Kobayakawa Anna (Tsuda Minami). A typical high school romance, except for the fact that Hashiba’s friends meddle and discuss his (and their own) personal lives any time they can. Katakura Keiichi (Shimazaki Nobunaga), Naoe Tsuyoshi (Uchiyama Kouki), and Matsunaga Tomoya (Eguchi Takuya) all love to talk romance. Slowly but surely though, each of them go beyond mere discussion and face the realities of their own potential relationship journeys. This is a story about four friends, each supporting one another as their intimate lives continue to develop and grow.
Just as the title implies, Rainbow Days reflects the multi-faceted events of each main character, where each arc focuses on one specific character’s relationship issue. Although each episode is only 15 minutes in length, the series has been greenlit for two consecutive seasons. It’s an interesting experiment that might solve many of the time constraints that affect pacing, substance, and production deadlines that afflict many a romance anime. Longer arcs mean more time to dedicate to each character and fleshing out their respective stories. We’ll see if the tradeoff pays off. As for content, the concept of several pairings in one show isn’t unheard of, but it is uncommon enough to stand out as a fresher premise in the romance genre. The seiyuu lineup and staffing look impressive, with all four of the main male seiyuu leads boasting experienced profiles. Director Amino Tetsuro has just as much experience under his belt, whose latest work includes Arslan Senki. My sole concern is that initial impressions of the animation in the PV look lackluster, perhaps because of Production Reed’s lack of full-scale animation production experience. Other than that, I believe romance fans have something to look forward to this season, at least worth a three-episode evaluation. Amino’s skills will be tested in the uncommon 15 minute format, but if successful, this could mean a new compromise between number of cours and episode length that gives added flexibility and depth that romance anime desperately need.
Ooya-san wa Shisunki takes a tried and true formula and puts it to work bringing together two common characters — a young boy who’s recently moved out and his landlord who looks like a little kid (and surprisingly, is a little kid!). Except, she’s good at cooking, laundry, and all the other things you’d associate with an older lady. With a big mismatch in looks versus personality, the show aims to bring you the laughs with a splash of occasional feels as our characters live their lives.
Seeing as how I couldn’t get a hold of the manga, I took it upon myself to dive into some of the grittier details to get a handle on it. Based off the cover art alone this will probably end up being a cutesy show, which I have no qualms about since the premise is based on the landlord’s looks being a stark contrast to how well suited she is for the position. In terms of studio we have Seven Arcs handling it (they also did Trinity Seven), and they’re no stranger to taking a male protagonist and tossing him into some pretty sticky situations. Overall, I think we’ll be in for an amusing show at the very least. On a side note, researching this show kept making me think about Mahoraba and all the antics everyone went through, since it had a somewhat similar premise. Hopefully it’ll be as good!
It’s the year 2072, and the late Nikola Tesla’s dream of a ‘World System’ of electricity is starting to take shape. Batteries and cords are long forgotten after a fourth plane of existence is found. From that dimension a seemingly infinite source of energy exists, with cross-dimensional inductors known as “coils” being used to extract it. However, some coils are modified for illegal purposes, which is where our protagonist, Mabuchi Kyouma (Ono Daisuke) comes in. Kyouma is a man with a passion for the ‘vintage’ gas-powered cars of the past, lives in the slums, and hates coils; working as a recovery man, he hunts down those misusing coils for destructive purposes. While on one of his missions in the grimy underbelly of this metropolitan future, he comes across a captive girl, Yurizaki Mira (Ueda Reina), a humanoid android made by the wife of the developer of the coil technology. With the disappearance of her renowned father, Mira and Kyouma form a reluctant partnership and end up working together to recover all the illegal coils across the city.
Dimension W has an interesting history leading to this adaptation, being originally announced in Anime Expo 2015 in Los Angeles, with FUNimation as a member of the production committee. Most anime are conceived, produced, and first announced in Japan, but occasionally you get something that’s bound to appeal to a worldwide audience, and that seems to be the direction Dimension W will take. From reading over the manga, it’s clear there is a fully-realised world ready to be explored, with two unlikely but charming leads that couldn’t be any different. This marks Studio 3Hz’s second TV anime, after Sora no Method, but with Kamei Kanta (Usagi Drop, Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin, Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata) directing, this could very well be their first hit. If you’re craving a sci-fi series that focuses on the ugly side of technological advancement, deals with the relationship between humans and androids, and has plenty of polished action sequences, then Dimension W will be worth checking out.
Waking up surrounded by darkness, Haruhiro (Hosoya Yoshimasa) and a handful of others walk into a world that feels like something straight out of a video game. With everyone unable to remember more than just their name and a vast expansion of unexplored lands waiting in front of them, a guide suddenly appears and takes them to the reserve force office. Here they’re told the basics of this world — survive, form parties, and venture off to defeat the monsters that are plaguing the world. And with just that tiny bit of information, Haruhiro begins his struggle to find a party and venture off as they try to figure out just what’s going on and why they’ve been thrust into this world. If only they knew just how real things were about to get.
I have some pretty conflicted feelings about this one. Hai to Gensou no Grimgar feels like the fantasy show I’ve been waiting for that just happens to have RPG elements tossed into the mix to appeal to the gamer inside of me. Characters have to pick classes and have various means of leveling up their skills aside from actually practicing time like we do in real life. In addition to that, I love how the idea of “killing” isn’t belittled here, and the fact that there’s some real weight behind it gives the story a hint of realism that I can totally get behind. However, if I had one complaint, it’d have to be Haruhiro and his personality. This is more of a gripe than a complaint, but seeing how he’s the de facto protagonist, he’s carrying some really naggy tendencies that quickly got on my nerves. Now don’t get me wrong, I love watching a rags to riches story where the main character eventually becomes a badass, but there’s just something about Haruhiro that I can’t stand. That said, if the anime adaptation can skillfully iron those tendencies out, I think we’ll have a great character that can tell a great story on our hands. I have some pretty high expectations for this show, and with A-1 Pictures handling the production, I’m sure at worst we’ll have a really pretty show.
Led by Ixtl and LINDENFILMS, Muv-Luv returns with the adaptation of the Alternative light novel spin-off Schwarzesmarken (“Black Marks”). Set eighteen years before the previous anime adaptation in Total Eclipse, Schwarzesmarken takes place in the earlier years of the BETA alien invasion, and focuses on the East German Army’s 666th TSF Squadron of the same name. Wielding mobile mechanical weapons known as Tactical Surface Fighters (TSF), the 666th Squadron are a special-forces unit with one mission: to eliminate the BETA’s long-range Laser and Heavy Laser Class. Led by ruthless Captain Bernhard Irisdina (Yamamoto Nozomi), the squad gains both recognition and notoriety for their accomplishments, which typically require them to ignore any allied distress calls that would distract them from their task. Watanabe Tetsuya (episode director of multiple Gundam series in Turn A, Wing, and X) will serve as Schwarzesmarken’s director. He is joined by Higuchi Tatsuto (Cross Ange, Hanasaku Iroha, Toradora) on series composition.
Following in the footsteps of a successful Kickstarter that raised over a million dollars to localize the Muv-Luv trilogy, Schwarzesmarken arrives after what has been a fabulous year for fans of the series. It may not be the trilogy adaptation many were hoping for, but Schwarzesmarken was a series people did want adapted as an alternative, and the fact that it isn’t part of the Kickstarter and hasn’t been completely translated makes it an important piece of the Muv-Luv puzzle for western fans in particular. As with any adaptation though, it remains to be seen how well events will carry over from the source material, and it’s questionable whether it’ll have much appeal for those who aren’t already familiar with Muv-Luv. Watanabe Tetsuya’s lack of notable directorial experience is also a factor to be noted, as is LINDENFILM’s small (although growing) list of works. Muv-Luv fans likely already have Schwarzesmarken on their watch list, but for others, it’s ultimately a moderate expectation series with action and sci-fi elements. It’s worth keeping an eye on to get a glimpse of what the hype’s all about.
Lux Acadia (Tamura Mutsumi) bears a mark of shame as the former prince of an empire overthrown years ago. Without title or privilege, Lux roams the new kingdom as a commoner, working odd jobs such as a bar waiter to make ends meet. While chasing a thieving cat, Lux stumbled into the female baths of a nearby female dorm. The princess of the current kingdom, Lizsharte Atismata (Lynn) found herself tackled by Lux, prompting immediate retaliation. Princess Lizsharte challenges Lux to a duel using ancient dragon-like mechas called Drag-Rides. Surprisingly, Lux used to be the most talented Drag-Knight before the collapse of his kingdom. Despite this, he refused to attack the princess even once during the entire match. This prompts the kingdom to enlist Lux in an all-girls academy, intent on training him to become the strongest Drag-Knight once more. Harem hijinks ensue.
If this doesn’t sound like a variation of Infinite Stratos to you, I don’t know what would. Bahamut has poised itself as the light novel harem adaptation of the season, and knows exactly what viewers it caters to. There will be fanservice. Lots of it. However, production values are high for this show, with an experienced staff to back it up. Studio Lerche has been on-point with delivering consistent animation quality, as evidenced by recent Gakkou Gurashi! and Ansatsu Kyoushitsu. Alongside some fairly generic yet sharp character designs, Bahamut is shaping up to be a visually excellent show, specifically in storyboarding and cinematography. Director Masaomi Ando is one to watch, whose excellent cinematography direction in shows like Gakkou Gurashi! and White Album 2 have caught my eye, with visually interesting scenes and smart design choices. Though I am not excited for the plot in itself, the production values still give hope for an enjoyable show. I’ll definitely be checking out the first few episodes to see how Masaomi-san adapts this light novel to the screen.
Once upon a time, or rather in Summer 2015, there lived a girl named Shirayuki (Hayami Saori), who was born with rare, apple-red hair. When the local prince starts desiring her hand for her unique appearance, Shirayuki flees her homeland for neighbouring Clarines, where she is aided by the second prince of that kingdom, Zen (Osaka Ryota). Over the course of twelve episodes of anime the two strike a fast friendship, grow a mutual attraction, and as of this second season, Zen has begun to properly court Shirayuki. But that fact remains that Zen is royalty, while Shirayuki is only a common herbalist at his castle; the social rift between them is great. But Zen is more than just an aloof prince, and Shirayuki is more than just a damsel in distress. If there are obstacles, they will just have to work to overcome them.
Fairy tales are a funny thing, and not just because Akagami no Shirayuki, based on a manga by Akizuki Sorata, sounds more like the story of Cinderella than Snow White. When people think of fairy tales, it’s usually one of two varieties: darker, Brothers Grimm cautionary tales or sanitised, uncomplicated bedtime stories. Akagami no Shirayuki, as a metaphorical fairy tale, draws on both traditions. Yes, the world is not all good, and struggles exist, but good prevails and struggling pays off. Yes, princes are glamorous, but they also have a country to run. Akagami no Shirayuki manages to tell a positive, feel-good story without coming off as trivial or asinine. And of course, pure romance anime are a relative rarity these days, so even with a medieval flavour it is still a treat. I think the team at Bones did a very competent job at the adaptation for the first season, suitably expanding or rearranging the manga to pleasant audiovisuals, and I don’t doubt they’ll be able to reprise a performance of similar quality. This second season can easily build on the good things of the first.
Based on the manga of the same name, Mahou Shoujo Nante Mou Ii Desu kara follows young girl Yuzuka Hanami (Fujita Akane), who doesn’t have many friends and whose parents are never home. One day, a strange, winged, orb-shaped creature (Wakai Yuki) approaches her, and proclaims that she has the makings to become a magical girl, just like the ones she would watch on TV as a kid. After she hesitantly complies, he grants her the required magical uniform, which in her case, turns out to be a swimsuit.
The premise is a little strange, but the source material parodies the magical girl genre in surprisingly clever ways, poking fun at its many questionable tropes and conventions. The series will be directed by Yoneda Kazuhiro, who only previously served as showrunner for the fantasy action show Akatsuki no Yona. As far as twists on the magical girl genre go, Mahou Shoujo Nante Mou Ii Desu kara doesn’t seem like it will be anything as ambitious or grand in scheme as say Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica—this show will be far lighter and humorous. From what I’ve read of the manga, there’s little indication of what direction the plot is going. In order to be a worthwhile watch, it’s better for the series to stick to the clever genre satire that makes it enjoyable. It will be for the worse if it loses track of this and strays too far into action or drama—potentially becoming exactly that which it satirizes. Regardless, anyone who’s a fan of the magical girl genre will likely have a good laugh with what Mahou Shoujo Nante Mou Ii Desu kara has to offer.
In a time that’s not quite the future, in a land that’s not quite Japan, the discovery of anti-gravitons has allowed for easy and widespread flight technology for the masses, no fairy dust required. A culture-shaping advancement like this naturally enables and inspires its own sport, hence the ‘Flying Circus,’ a sort of acrobatic air race. Hinata Masaya (Osaka Ryota) is an average high school student who once aspired to the professional circuit of the Flying Circus, but after a major defeat has withdrawn from the sport for various personal reasons. But along comes transfer student Kurashina Asuka (Fukuen Misato), who needs someone to teach her how to fly, and Masaya is the guy for the job. As he plays the coach, Masaya begins to rediscover the joy of flight. Will he be able to find his wings again?
Visual novel adaptations, as Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm (Four Rhythm Beyond the Blue) is, are usually a bit of a mystery meat each season. They can range from insipid high school harems to haute tragédie, and all the flavours of mediocrity in between. For what it’s worth, though, Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm was a fairly acclaimed title, and a 2014 fan favourite. For this adaptation, the recently reanimated studio Gonzo has assembled a solid staff that includes veteran writer Yoshida Reiko. And, of course, let us not discount that the premise has a bit more spice to it than the usual troubled boy meets manic pixie dream girl, with its sci-fi sports angle. Nothing captures the human imagination quite like flight, and no medium has been more in love with flight than anime ever since Castle in the Sky Laputa. If Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm manages to capture that spirit, we’ll have a compelling show ahead of us.
After meeting an untimely demise after selflessly saving a stranger from being mowed down by a slow moving tractor, our protagonist Kazuma Satou (Fukushima Jun) ends up in a strange situation. Having died but not completely passed on, he’s stuck in-between existences, where he meets the goddess Aqua (Amamiya Sora) who proclaims she has the deal of a lifetime (sort of ironic seeing how he’s dead, right?). In exchange for dying at such a young age, he has the choice to revived in another world that vastly differs from ours. A world full of swords and magic — kind of like something straight from a video game! But with all seemingly great ideas, it comes with a catch — within that world exists the Demon King which has been causing problems, and it’s Kazuma’s job to take care of it. However, just like a video game, he also gets to bring any one thing he’d like as a bonus, since who would start a game late without something to help them out? With no restrictions in place, he quickly decides to bring the goddess herself, and the two are swept off into the new world. Except Kazuma is a hikikomori (a shut-in), and Aqua has no idea what she’s doing outside of guiding people in-between lives.
With a lot of shows jumping onto the whole RPG-style bandwagon of storytelling, it’s going to take a lot to stand out in the crowd. In Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku Wo!’s case, its redeeming point has to be its characters. Its colorful cast of characters is what brings the whole thing together. And by colorful cast, I mean how atrociously bad everyone is at what they’re trying to do. Besides Kazuma being a hikikomori and Aqua having a rather strange perspective on the world, you have other characters like Megumin (Takahashi Rie), the wizard who can only use explosion magic because she decided explosions were the best, and a tank named Raratina (Kayano Ai), who is horrible at tanking except she’s conditioned herself to take a ton of hits because she just loves getting hit. Sounds like the absolute worst combination for a party in an RPG, right? Except it’s this ragtag team that makes the source material so enjoyable. Studio DEEN is in charge of this one, and you can never have enough of that in your life. There are also some stellar seiyuu, with the likes of Kayano Ai and Horie Yui lending their vocal talents to the characters. All in all I expect this show to give us a pretty good showing, and maybe with some luck it’ll end up hitting things out of the park!
In a world just like ours exists a newly discovered creature known as Ajin. Ajins are essentially humans who have gained the uncanny ability to not die. Be it losing a limb or getting their insides torn to shreds, they’ll eventually regenerate whatever was damaged, and that includes their own life. However, the only way to figure out if you’re an Ajin or not is by dying and, well, not actually dying. The story revolves around Kei Nagai (Miyano Mamoru) and his struggles after getting fatally hit by a truck, only to stand up and realize that something was terribly wrong when he was totally okay.
I’m not sure how to feel about Ajin — and that’s probably a good thing. It has this supernatural theme that dives deep as it pushes the boundaries of what it really means to be “immortal.” It doesn’t waste any time getting you into the thick of things. From highlighting just how despicable the human race can become when its curiosity is unleashed to navigating the mental perspective of someone who can’t die and how they view those who can, the story never failed to engage me with its constantly evolving approach at telling a story. However, as entertaining as the story was, there was something about the characters that brushed me the wrong way. We learn pretty early on some dark things about our protagonist, except the way it’s presented feels like it comes out of left field. There’s also the protagonist’s friend Kaito (Hosoya Yoshimasa) who just disappears part way through, even though he’s painted as someone just as important as Kei. Even with those minor gripes, I think this adaptation could become a fun and thrilling story if they manage to capture the essence of the source material. Luckily Polygon Pictures is heading this one up and I’ve heard some great things about their other works (like Sidonia no Kishi), so let’s all cross our fingers for a successful adaptation.
Technical Note: OVAs are sorted by the date they are released. For series that have multiple episodes coming out over the course of the season, please refer to the Notes column for additional dates. More information on each OVA can be found on their respective websites, including promotional videos in some cases. Movie premiere dates are not included since they don’t mean a whole lot to viewers outside of Japan. DVD/BD movie releases are, however. This list is likely incomplete and will be updated as more titles surface. If you notice anything missing or incorrect, please feel free to point it out in the comments or e-mail Zephyr directly.
Last season was rough, you guys. Though maybe that’s just the Comet Lucifer talking. Yet there were some good shows even then, and this season has quite a few with potential as well. It’s absolutely rife with originals, and while many of them are of the shady variety, that’s still plenty of opportunities to be pleasantly surprised. The season is also being anchored by some strong returning favorites (Akagami no Shirayukihime 2nd Season, Ansatsu Kyoushitsu 2nd Season, Durarara!!x2 Ketsu), and some potentially strong new adaptations. Maybe it’s just the RandomC mood rubbing off on me—I have been blogging here for four years now, after all—but I feel optimistic about this season. There’s gonna be some winners in this batch, I just know it. Believe it!
Speaking of awkward segues, onto the levels. Our rubric remains the same, with the five main expectation levels ranging from High to Low, plus Niche and Established for special cases. Hopefully this guide will help those of you with limited time understand which shows to try first, based on our preliminary examination of the show’s staff, seiyuu, and source material. Failing that, it’ll give you something to make fun of us for when we invariably screw the pooch. Which is a terrible idiom, but a lot of fun to say.
We arrived at these levels by convening our regular (and reliably shady) “anticipation council,” which once again consisted of Passerby, Stilts, and Zephyr. While we’ve gone to great lengths to be as objective as possible, we’re all squishy, fallible, ruggedly handsome human beings, and even the most well-considered predictions can prove themselves wrong in a hurry. Take these with a grain of salt.
Note: Lists are sorted in alphabetical order.
The Rundown:
High expectation shows give us reason to believe they have the makings of a very good series that should appeal to the widest audience in their given genres. If you consider yourself a “casual” fan who only gets your toes wet every season by watching the “best” shows (i.e. popular ones that generate the most buzz), then these are the ones we feel you should keep an eye out for. We’re also expecting good things from these shows, so if they fall short, disappointment is understandable.
Moderately High expectation shows are ones that came close to joining the High expectation crowd, but missed out due to one or two elements that gave us concern. The series underpinnings are generally strong, but there is just something that keeps us from putting all our hopes and dreams on these shows. They still have most of the makings of very strong series, so if you watch only the “best” shows but want more than what the High category provides, keep an eye out for these as well.
Moderate expectation shows, also known as “True Moderate”, don’t provide any immediate indication that they’ll be amazing in retrospect. This is often the case with shows that fall into one of anime’s overused plot devices, which most people, particularly self-proclaimed critics, will perceive as mediocre at best. However, in many of our experiences these shows still provide a great deal of entertainment and may turn out a lot better than they appear. They’re good for “regular” fans who are aware of all these tropes and don’t mind seeing them used in different settings. Personal tastes come heavily into play, so your mileage will vary.
Moderately Low expectation shows don’t seem to be aspiring to much, but it’s hard to call them bad exactly. They might focus on senseless humor or fanservice, but there’s often at least one element that elevates them above other members of their genre. Once again, personal taste comes heavily into play with these shows, because if they’re part of one of your favored genres then chances are you’ll enjoy them no matter what. Just don’t expect them to break the bank with originality.
Low expectation shows don’t seem to be striving for much and choose to focus on more frivolous aspects such as senseless humor and fanservice. That doesn’t mean they’re the bottom of the barrel and shouldn’t get any consideration, but simply that you need to keep in mind what kind of show it is. Generally only “avid” fans will be interested in seeing what these have to offer, because they’re already watching all the better shows.
Low Expectations: N/A
Niche shows break away from the norm by being slower-paced, extremely dark/grotesque, or even controversial. In most cases these shows are oriented towards older audiences or those who feel that anime has become far too repetitive and want something different. Shows of this category tend to be highly under-appreciated, but can turn out to be hidden gems for that very reason. Includes some works oriented toward younger audiences.
Niche: N/A
Established shows are generally long-running manga/anime series, geared towards younger viewers who are already fans of them. A commonality is that they all air early morning on weekends or well before midnight on weekdays so that “normal” people can watch them. They aren’t very dependent on expectations, but a love for never-ending shows and a willingness to get into all the material that’s out if they’re completely new to you. Shounen series fall into this category, hence why we treat them differently.
I’ll say this for Tekketsu no Orphans – when the flag is raised, it sure doesn’t take long to salute.
Iron-Blooded Orphans is a bit of a vexing show, to be honest. It’s one of those series that you tend to like in spite of its flaws, and of course that’s a double-edged sword. It’s nice to have that essential quality that inspires your affection, absolutely – but that doesn’t make the flaws go away. There are things about this show that just don’t work for me, but so far they haven’t been enough to cancel out the things that do.
There’s a moment in this episode that captures for me what makes Tekketsu no Orphans at its absolute best. The scene when the human debris kids are eating their meager rations and musing about reincarnation is burned in my memory – not because of the dialogue (which is pretty standard-issue) but the scene itself and what it represents. The image of those boys outside their mobile suits, revealing how frighteningly malnourished and haggard they are, is absolutely haunting. And it represents the distilled essence of why this story works – the plight of the children victimized by the venal adults in this mythology is as poignant as I’ve seen in any Gundam series, and they pretty much all try and depict a version of it (that success probably comes down to the artistic temperament of the writer and director).
It’s a good thing that’s true, because there are other areas in which this series really struggles to achieve lift-off. The action scenes are fine, certainly, but nothing so exceptional by Gundam standards that they’d be enough to make the show on their own. I continue to be troubled by the gender politics here, and Atra is especially a problem in that respect – I just want to see more from here than dreams of being a junior wife in a polygamous marriage and of the delicious food she’s going to have waiting for her man on his return from battle. And too many of the major characters have yet to grow beyond their two-dimensional templates. Kudelia is an accessory, showing little evidence that she’s ready to become a real leader. We get precious little insight into Mika’s true feelings about what’s happening around him (though that’s undeniably a standard mecha protag archetype). And I don’t see much with Orga that goes beyond the requisite leader tropes he represents.
There’s still time for all that to change, certainly, but we are about halfway through the series. At this point what’s happening with Iron-Blooded Orphans is that the stories of the second-tier characters like Akahiro and Takaki have more emotional traction than those of the leads. And in looking at Akahiro and Masahiro, their tragic tale wth its mid-battle embrace was certainly effective, but less so because its ending was so predictable. Indeed, it was the fate of Masahiro’s comrades that I found really tragic, because they were dying utterly unloved and forgotten. They’re no less victims than Masahiro is, and likely all have stories as sad as painful as his. But they’re throwaway casualties of the plot – Masahiro’s family being killed by Akahiro’s allies even as Akahiro waxes poetic to his brother about the importance of family. Those boys are the real emotional center of this show as far as I’m concerned, and their tragic fates the reason it can be so effective.
By and large, Yuru Yuri is not the type of series that’s bound to surprise. There’s a certain familiarity to its comedy and its characters that has been felt since the very first episode. It’s ever sweet and ever charming, yet somehow Yuru Yuri San☆Hai! managed to surprise me. After watching three seasons of this simple slice-of-life show, I’ve come to the conclusion that Yuru Yuri is one of those rare cases where each season is better than the last. It’s not groundbreaking by any measure; it’s simple, pure slice-of-life comedy with very little actual content. Yet this time it around it managed to surpass my expectations.
It’s hard to say whether it’s because I laughed more, or because the best characters got the most screentime (Akari is still my favourite and the most underused!), but I have a feeling it may be down to the people behind this third season. Dogakobo and director, Oota Masahiko (Love Lab, Kotoura-san, Minami-ke) did a good job with the first two seasons of Yuru Yuri, bringing the characters to life in a cartoonish manner that fit with the studio’s image. That approach worked, so when the OVAs and third season were to instead be produced by TYO Animations, and director, Hata Hiroyuki, the man who gave us the abysmal Saikin, Imouto no Yousu ga Chotto Okashiinda ga., I wasn’t too optimistic. Even watching the OVAs, I felt like something had changed, and perhaps not for the better. However, a few episodes into this third season I realised I was laughing more than ever before, and the change in art style looked so much better than I expected.
Not only were the character designs and colour palettes different, but the backgrounds were much more realistic and lived-in, as opposed to the goofiness of the first two season. I thought that was a risky move, but in doing so it allowed more appreciation for the animation and newfound longs shots that were absent before San Hai. It was different, but different does not mean worse. Nor does it mean better. It could have gone either way, but for me, it made this third season the most enjoyable of the bunch.
One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is the characters. They’re all still the same, and I wouldn’t want any of them to change. Every episode flies by so fast that it feels like I’ve been watching it for five minutes, not twenty. Akari, my personal favourite, was very much underused this time around, but it didn’t bother me as much as it could have – perhaps because her invisibility is always going to be her defining trait. Chinatsu’s love for Yui always gets me, and I loved their moments together this season. And then there’s the ever-confident Kyouko, the most popular character of the series. She’s never been my favourite, but I thought she was the funniest of the bunch. Finally, I can see why everyone loves her so much! Other characters that I especially liked this time around were Ayano, and the various sisters of the main cast. We didn’t get to see too much of them, but whenever they showed up I always felt like we could stick around with them for another few minutes.
All in all, Yuru Yuri San☆Hai! is the best Yuru Yuri has ever been. I don’t know if we’ll get a fourth season eventually, as that’s a rarity for any anime nowadays, especially a plotless slice-of-life. But if we did get another announcement, I’d be up for that. Yuru Yuri is like diving head first into a comfy beanbag that you never want to get out of. It’s one of the easiest anime to just sit back and watch, and a solid contender for the best slice-of-life of 2015.
