Random Curiosity

「勝利の使い方」 (Shouri no tsukaikata)
“How to Use a Victory”

There might be no sequel announcement, but at least Youjo Senki goes out with a bang. Well, metaphorically. Besides the founding of Free not-France and the creation of the Empire’s very own not-Afrika Korps, the story this week was the laying of groundwork for the bigger war to come. If the talks, speeches, and monologues were anything to go by, not-Britain is finished with neutrality, not-Russia is eager to test its big boy guns, and not-USA has gone full Hearts of Iron IV with its volunteer forces. The future Tanya definitely has her work cut out for her.

The larger portion of this episode, however, was devoted to philosophy, where Tanya has arguably shown her first serious development. Our little loli has certainly not abandoned rationality, but it’s evident her thoughts have now changed. Unlike the Empire who rigidly adheres to realism (the political version mind you), Tanya, whether from God and/or personal experience, has accepted the innate irrationality of humanity. She can now see why men may act “incorrectly”, why in certain circumstances emotions will best even the most stoic of men. Quite a shift from the beginning where Tanya couldn’t understand the reasoning behind certain key actions. Makes it all the more ironic—and fitting— too that Tanya ends things with her own little act of irrationality. Seemingly through with God’s manipulative ways, she has now dispensed with the pleasantries and openly and brutally declared war on God and his dominion. I seriously doubt a statement like that will remain divinely unanswered for long.

Of course the new Earthly threat specifically rests in Mary Sue, who has now assumed the role of rival from her deceased father. This was always the inevitability given earlier emphasis on Anson’s family, and it’s fitting given that Mary’s name should at least impart some stronger plot armour than the previous poor suckers. I’m really curious to see how Mary ends up fairing, because with the number of dramatic faces flying about, I’m hard pressed denying the giddiness at the potential battles to come. Considering Tanya too is now being given the truly hard missions, I’m expecting quite a few difficult fights in the near future. There’s no question, if/when Youjo Senki returns we have some serious red meat to look forward to.

Final Impressions

Out of every show I’ve watched this season, Youjo Senki was the quirkiest. It was a thoroughly military anime, but one meshing its foundation with a unique twist on the “trapped in another world” premise. Couple that with the absolutely ridiculous main character (in a good way), and the show easily left no stone unturned. Normally such an idea would quickly run off the rails, but Youjo Senki kept the ship upright by using Tanya and the world switch as a starting point, not the key point. This show was about Tanya surviving and reclaiming the luxurious life, not returning home or finding the purpose behind her resurrection. While she later added besting God onto her wish list, it always remained within the confines of her rear line goals. God for Tanya was simply an adversary to the enjoyment of 9-5 days and the comforts of managerial life. A decent twist on the usual premise execution.

What primarily made Youjo Senki work though was its military basis. WW1—beyond July-August 1914—is not a common topic, with only one (one!) serious synthesis work. Having an anime use it as a thematic basis easily deserves kudos when WW2 Germany is the ubiquitous go to inspiration. Yes, WW2 events and weapons did worm their way into Youjo Senki’s plot, but this story remained WW1-driven in atmosphere and development. The battlefields were muddied wastelands of shell craters and mutilated bodies, armies advanced under the watch of newfangled aircraft, and the war’s direction was determined by those general staffs infamous for WW1’s epic slaughter. Couple that with excellent attention to detail regarding weapons and uniforms, and Youjo Senki tickled my fancy in all the right places. Yes, it’s arguable the show romanticized Germany a little too much—especially when following on Shuumatsu no Izetta’s heels—but that largely boils down to personal preference. Considering Youjo Senki found the time to delve into war crimes and rarely treated the Empire as the only morally correct power, I had little issue with the show’s thematic direction.

Not everything was peachy, however; Youjo Senki did falter in terms of struggle. Tanya may have been hurt and bloodied a couple of times, but she never really “lost” in her fights; her men always survived, the antagonists always died, and she always won. To be fair this does not account for overarching events (i.e. the war itself) or the exhilaration watching each battle, but I still wouldn’t have minded seeing Tanya physically lose something in her pursuit of peace. While a second season will likely also correct this issue given the raised stakes and Mary Sue’s appearance, when treated as a single cour it’s difficult denying the show went for flair over seriously testing Tanya. Again personal preference will certainly determine one’s opinion here, but I felt the show could have been better in this regard.

For a military anime though, it’s hard doing wrong with Youjo Senki. I thoroughly enjoyed blogging this one, and will definitely return should a second season pop up. There might have been issues here or there, but as a piece of military fantasy, it did everything right it had to. I’ll quite miss watching this on Fridays, but if we can get a similar military show sometime soon, I don’t think I’ll have much to complain about.

April is the cruelest month¹. March comes out like a lamb and the advent of my Easter holidays herald the oncoming exam season. Not unlike those fateful encounters typically seen in anime, Stilts’ recruitment post caught my eyes. Although at first I didn’t intend on applying, these encouraging words convinced me to try out:

“If you’re interested in writing for Random Curiosity, I encourage you to apply, even if you’re not 100% the ideal person I described above. Passion counts for a lot, and in the end our decision will come down to both who we think will do a good job, and who we want to work with.”

I always assumed that all this talk about signing a contract was some kind of elaborate prank. Then I signed my soul over to Stilts, which I suspect is only where my suffering begins. ／人◕‿‿◕人＼ Show Spoiler ▼

But really, the pleasure is all mine. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would end up becoming your newest writer. Yet here we are dear readers. The stage is set and the curtain rises. You will be stuck with me, for better or worse.

I believe I have yet to properly introduce myself. Perhaps you may know me as that washed up commenter whose best days are behind them? Yeah, I thought not.

Moshi moshi, Zaiden desu! Despite having lived in London for almost my entire life, there are very few British stereotypes that are applicable to me, though I can vouch that there’s almost no one around these parts who does not love a good cuppa. Interests include anime and manga, reading poetry and prose, and a lesser commitment to gaming after starting university. Speaking of university, my studies entail a pursuit of Law. This is so that I may uphold a veritable “OBJECTION!” to your questionable taste, in contrast with my objectively SUPERIOR TASTE²!

Let me tell you more about my superior taste in anime. I cannot deny having an affection for romance, isekai (Mushoku Tensei!!!) and steampunk, as well as having a bizarre allergy towards samurai³. But there is a quintessential aspect I’ve found to be commonplace across all my favourite anime: they are profoundly character driven and seek to extensively explore the human experience. This probably means that my favourite genre is Bildungsroman – stories about coming of age. Seeing a character growing up by learning from their mistakes and working hard to overcome their limitations is a truly rewarding experience. For instance, my favourite shows from the most recent season were 3-gatsu no Lion and Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu S2, while going beyond recent times, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Shin Sekai Yori and Eureka Seven are masterpieces in their own respect that rank among my favourite anime of all time.

However, it is without a shadow of a doubt that Clannad: After Story is my favourite anime. Ever. Because of Clannad, I became utterly convinced that anime was the ultimate medium of entertainment, in its capacity to bring about life-changing epiphanies. My views of the world around me were changed forever as I came to appreciate and realise how family and friends matter so much. I also dared to hope and dream again – of finding happiness in simple ways. Life is too short, so you might as well make it worth your while.

For now, I will settle on making it clear that I am open to all sorts of comments, particularly constructive criticism and feedback. Every little bit helps and there is no need to sugar-coat words – I highly doubt it will match the savagery of Stilts.

Never forget, a believing heart is your magic.

ザイデンデス。よろしくおねがいします!
Zaiden desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!
_________________________
¹ Opening line of ‘The Wasteland’ – T.S. Elliot
² Feel free to add me on MAL!
³ Achoo

「(2人のストーリー」 (2-Ri no sutourī)
“Two Stories”

And with that it’s over. Kuzu’s finale certainly was a low key affair, passing off any further conflict or drama for a period of tranquil self-reflection. Every character surprisingly showed up—if only for a moment—from a proud and graceful Moka to a short haired Sanae and a noticeably tempered Akane. After all the pain and struggle for the cast to reach this point, I think it was a well-deserved glimpse into the relief and happiness coming from the various resolutions reached over the course of the show.

The stars this week though were of course Hanabi and Mugi, who did actually decide—mutually—to let their relationship go. Some may think it strange, but personally I found this bittersweet ending a fitting conclusion for both characters. As Hanabi reflected on, her relationship with Mugi was originally one of “need”. Both characters were initially lost and adrift, uncertain what they wanted, let alone how to obtain it. Their chance meeting and discovery of similar situations conceived of a synergistic relationship, where mutual loneliness, longing, and a desire for comfort were patched over through roleplay; both craved physical attachment, and their relationship provided that. Naturally such a setup does not account for change, so when Hanabi and Mugi grew as characters, the reason for their relationship came into question. Having found what they wanted, there was no more need for the roleplay, or even to stay lovers. That storage room chat between them showcased this best, where free from fantasy both simply talked, no longer needing the comfort of each other’s touch. While still hard and painful letting go, with their relationship having served its purpose, both Hanabi and Mugi ended things to focus on their new desires. For our two main characters, it’s no longer about the past, it’s about the future they wish to have.

Given Kuzu’s such dark beginnings, it’s hard asking for a happier ending.

Final Impressions

When I came into Kuzu I was under no illusions about the material. This show reveled in provocativeness, whether that be the selfish side of relationships or the graphic—yet realistic—sex scenes. Personally I started watching more out of curiosity than interest, wanting to know just how far the show would take these aspects, and if a breaking point existed.

Instead of running off the rails, however, Kuzu surprised me with how well it used its premise. The darkness/corruption here always served a purpose, both structuring Kuzu’s various relationships and providing the foundation for solving their various intricacies. By flipping the traditional romance approach to desire (i.e. from a positive direction) on its head, Kuzu created a novel environment to explore personal change and its impact on love. Hanabi and Mugi of course are the primary example, where both began by desiring the impossible and came together initially for mutual comfort. Through their interactions, Hanabi and Mugi learned how to handle their desire and the accompanying loneliness, along with feeling out their true desires. For Hanabi in particular this was important given she had no previous experience with love, nor an understanding of what she actually wanted. The pain of her longing stimulated the change necessary for her growth as a character.

This does not imply all was good, however; it is arguable that Kuzu indulged too heavily in the darkness at times. Akane and Sanae of course are the main culprits, drawing the most contention due to their personalities. Although both proved necessary for seeing Hanabi’s growth and change through to the end, actions taken by them were noticeably divisive at times. Sanae’s arc for example invited a lot of discussion on “using” others, with Sanae’s initial aggressive actions off putting for some due to their blatancy. While Sanae later grew out of her “lust” phase—and offered a powerful image of strength in the face of failed love—it’s possible that Kuzu could have toned her down while still producing the same result. Akane too was unabashed in her behaviour, although the confusion and disgust here rested more with Narumi’s actions than with Akane herself. If anything the inclusion of Akane and Sanae both show just how effective Kuzu’s premise was by generating so much discussion. Both characters were provocative in some capacity, but both possessed poignant and realistic development deviating from the usual norm. Hell Moka ended up being one of my favourite arcs just for the realizations and development she experienced.

While certainly not the best that romance has to offer, Kuzu for me provided a unique experience which exemplified just how messy and irrational love can be. Every crush and relationship isn’t like Ore Monogatari, every misconception and misunderstanding isn’t always simple or easily fixed. Sadness and pain are persistent companions whenever desire is involved, for someone will always draw the short end of the stick. Having a show willing to plumb these depths is a welcome experience and a refreshing break from the Masamunes of the world. I might have had my doubts initially regarding Kuzu’s potential, but this show pleasantly proved me wrong and gave me a show I’m happy to have blogged. Lots of words were said, I definitely came to a wrong conclusion or two, but damn was it ever a fun ride. Here’s to hoping we can see similar romance series like this in the not too distant future.

「トールと小林、感動の出会い！ （自分でハードル上げてますね）」 (Tooru to Kobayashi,Kandou no Deai! (Jibun de Haadoru Agetemasune))
“Tooru and Kobayashi’s Impactful Meeting! (We’re Raising the Bar on Ourselves)”

Okay, what I meant last week was that I’m really excited for NEXT week’s episode.

Looking Back at Tooru and Kobayashi

For a second to last episode, I must say that things were done quite well in terms of execution and setup for next week. And that’s coming from the perspective of someone who thought that there was ample potential for this week’s episode to unleash our waterworks but didn’t.

Starting from the top (or I guess the middle), I really enjoyed getting to see just what happened on that fateful night Kobayashi met Tooru in the woods. But before I even talk about the interaction, am I the only one who was super impressed with how Kyoani told us we were watching a flashback without actually telling us we were watching a flashback? I don’t know about you, but I was actually caught off guard when Kobayashi’s old manager suddenly showed up barking orders like a madman. Thinking that there was some serious tomfoolery going on for a power tripping jerk like that to get his job back, it actually felt really good when I realized that we had gone back in time (after re-watching the episode a few times I realized I was so preoccupied with what was going to happen that a normal person probably would have immediately noticed it was a flashback). Anyways, jumping back to Tooru, if I’m being honest, I felt a little depressed with how the whole thing played out. With the atmosphere set for something to really tug at our chests, we were given a rather quirky flashback that set the stage for laughs rather than for an emotional heart-to-heart. I don’t remember if it was like that in the manga, but I was holding out all the way until Kobayashi woke up from her dream that there’d be that snap moment where the mood changed and Tooru would completely open up to a gracious and loving Kobayashi. And even though things didn’t play out to the dream I had in my mind, I must admit that with a little foresight of what’s going to happen next week and some time to really put some thought into how to make a great finale, there’s no denying the stage has been beautifully set for next week. Especially when you take into consideration that when next week’s episode airs, Kobayashi and Tooru’s relationship and some of its subtle nuances will be fresh in our mind. I ain’t a dirty spoiler though, so it’s up to you if you want to ruin what’s going to happen next week.

Oh and I guess it was a nice bonus to see a nice compare and contrast of past Tooru and present Tooru. I don’t remember if that bandit-to-maid girl serves any larger purpose, but who knows what Kyoani might do with only one episode left!

Comedic Relief

It occurred to me today that I’ve never really commented about how the other dragons are typically used either as a form of comedy. Thinking about it, it’s a pretty ingenious way to give the entire cast some screentime without having to mess up the flow of whatever story the plot is trying to tell at the time. Sure there are some moments that may not resonate well (Lucoa’s breasts have grown old am I right?), but when there’s some variety thrown into the mix like Lucoa not being used as a pair of giant boobs or when Fafnir starts to show some true affection for his human friend,
it actually starts to feel weird when think about those short scenes not being there.

Looking Ahead

Welp. I thought this was going to be a 12 episode run but thankfully we get another episode next week! And boy did the show pick a good way to end the series on. Spoilers aside, I’ll catch you guys next week where we’ll hopefully see the best episode of Maid Dragon yet. See you later!

Preview

「鳥の行方」 (Tori no Yukue)
“Where the Bird Flies”

A triumphant finale for ACCA, where the villain is soundly defeated by taking the higher ground. Great stuff. But let’s turn our minds to Furawau, and in the spirit of ACAA spare a thought to why they might have turned out the way they did, if only to play devil’s advocate. It’s hard to believe anybody in ACCA is ‘evil’, per se; everybody has their motivations, everybody has their reasons. Not all those reasons are pure, sure, but we should treat people as people, still.

I’m sure the manga would have gone into a lot more detail into each district and their distinct character, but I think the anime’s done a fine job with compression and we could read a bit into Furawau, still. The main thing I took away from Furawau is that it’s rich. Some North African oil barony? Could be. At some point, I guess, the wealth just gets to their heads. Not in the ‘money is the root of all evil’ sort of way; that would be too blunt for ACCA. Rather, a point is made about how they supply the rest of the Kingdom of Dowa, and they take great pride in that. And perhaps they even have an noblesse oblige view of their role in the kingdom, and that’s where it gets dangerous. Because when you start thinking of yourself as having a higher duty than your peers, of having innate privileges and responsibilities, then you might be tempted to also start thinking, ‘Perhaps I should be in charge’.

In, really, the fact that Furuwau had been spearheading the plan to usurp the monarchy is rather ironic, since it, ruled by the Lilium dynasty as it is, has been very much the model of the ACCA-less monarchy it purported to wish to prevent. Really, are not all the lessons that Mauve impressed upon Schwan as equally applicable to Lilium? His family already has money and influence, and his grand show of power, to place itself as the power behind the throne, to earn the respect he thinks his family and their district deserve, stinks more of petulance. Indeed, is Furawau not that one kid on the playground, who just can’t play nice with the others, and instead just takes all his toys home so he can sulk with them?

And yet, everyone else still seem to be having fun! It must be infuriating.

ED2 Sequence

ED2: 「Our Place」 by ONE III NOTES

Final impressions ~ The human touch

It doesn’t feel quite right to send ACCA off with fanfare, and I didn’t really stray from my usual format this episode. As usual, it’s not really the kind of show that crescendos, even in its finale; it more soars upwards, then glides down again. Such is its tempo. But still, final impressions are in order, especially since this was a great show and I need to sing its praises at least a bit.

I love myself some political intrigue, and indulge in quite a bit of it. ACCA, though, was different from all of those kinds of stories I usually enjoy. Intrigue is usually about alliances and betrayals, about cloak and dagger, about leveraging power and exploiting weaknesses. A very cynical exercise, all in all. But ACCA is to its core completely idealistic. Government and bureaucracy—almost pejoratives in the modern parlance—are portrayed as overwhelmingly positive forces for good. That’s already fascinating. It’s because, to ACCA, a government, a state, and a country are institutions of people, people who are fundamentally decent and who just enjoy good food. There’s nobody too irredeemable for sandwich bread.

Being positive and idealistic, though, doesn’t mean that ACCA was shallow and naive. There was no reason it had to be, and indeed ACCA recognises that people are complicated, and flawed, and sometimes fall short (which is one of the reasons, I think, that Jean will never stop smoking). ACCA puts focus on those people and their complexities by makings its plot exclusively character driven. Everything happens because some person drives it to happen, and then we have to figure it out why.

Drawing out the motivations of all these characters is the interesting part of ACCA, especially because ACCA has a subtle touch. It’s not just because it’s mood is so even and its characters so stoic. It’s also in its storytelling, which is almost always temporal, always in the present, avoiding lengthy pieces of backstory (with one notable exception) and never stopping for someone’s internal monologue. Instead, a lot of emotions and inner thoughts are implied through expressions, camerawork, and veiled dialogue. And that’s where the intrigue comes out.

No doubt, ACCA is not pure perfection, and I’m sure it must have cut a fair bit of the manga to fit into 12 episodes, but with those 12 episodes it did a lot, and did it well. And I can’t really ask more for an adaptation than to be able to tell its story from start to finish, in a way that served the telling impeccably. This is the kind of show where I may have never read the source, but I know that the staff ‘gets it’. That’s powerful stuff. Subtle, but powerful.

Oh, and for both Americans and Europeans out there, I hope ACCA inspired you just a bit. That is all.

Epilogue:

The adventure is only just beginning

If you asked in me January if I’d be here gushing over Kemono Friends I’d call you insane. This was a show never on my radar given the mobile game origins, the meant-for-kids story, and the distinctively underwhelming animation. Yet gradually and inexplicitly this show became the show to watch, capturing Japan’s attention by storm, sparking a torrential stream of artwork, and even powering to the top of global (!) Twitter rankings. Of course I had to watch and see what the huge fuss was about. Never have I made a more correct decision.

What stands out regarding Kemono’s success is its incredibly simple premise. Amnesic girl wakes up, is discovered by a local resident. Both girl and resident decide to venture off and find out who/what she is. Along the way girl and resident meet other residents, solve their problems, and make new friends. Cue end scene. It’s the tried and true format of most children’s shows gracing midafternoon TV. Such a premise by itself is nothing special—certainly not for explaining the show’s popularity—but Kemono Friends does execute it flawlessly. Each Friend encounter is cute and upbeat, with the self-contained stories never particularly boring. Every Friend problem is approached positively where the answer, more often than not, boils down to teamwork and cooperation. Fun and adventure really is the name of the game here; there is no cynicism, no serious complexity, just a lighthearted story about wonder and discovery. If this was all there was to it, Kemono Friends would deserve brownie points just for its pure and honest approach to storytelling.

Where the show finds its real strength, however, is in its other story. While post-apocalypse plots are always interesting in some capacity, Kemono Friends’ seeming Muv-Luv meets Planet of the Apes backstory turned the whole show on its head. The reason for this though is not for what the backstory was about—and very little was actually said on it— but how it was told. Rather than light novel-esque info dumps, Kemono went show instead of tell, relying on audience curiosity and imagination to identify the secrets hidden in plain sight. Every episode had some clues, whether it be the rusted remnant of a tour bus, an abandoned mountain café, or a dilapidated hot springs. Even the Friends revealed snippets at times, commenting on these manmade features—particularly Boss’ talking—or remarking on their own bodily changes. A good example of the concept is episode four, where Kaban and Serval wind up in an abandoned underground traffic tunnel. Besides the usual inquisitive banter between the two as they walk around, nothing is said, and all that pierces the silence is a peaceful synth music piece. It’s a tranquil, but chilling scene; we are on a happy adventure, but something is clearly amiss in this world and we have no explanation for it. Not until Tsuchinoko drops the bomb and Shoebill asks the obvious question two episodes later is any sort of confirmation provided.

The gradual release of information under this structure combined with the well-executed premise is ultimately what made this show so infectious. Without the jovial, adventurous spirit this would be just another (potential) alien invasion story, while removing the mystery would take away a significant portion of curiosity and intrigue. Both components synergized perfectly, providing the audience a relaxing bit of escapism and something to chew on after the credits roll. Helping in this regard was the simplistic character development. Every Friend was largely defined by their animalistic traits, whether it be Serval’s curiosity, Lion’s laziness, or Beaver’s worry. Kaban in particular featured little actual development outside of her quest for self-identification. The simplicity of character and story both heavily encouraged the audience to imprint their own feelings and emotions onto the cast, grounded by the happy-go-lucky atmosphere. This investment, however, naturally forgot the apocalyptic backstory lurking in the shadows. It’s why when the adventure inadvertently goes south we feel immense shock and sadness because it was never anticipated—the tragic history was supposed to just be for show! All that buildup, all that investment, emotionally released in an instant. It’s the type of setup every story dreams of executing, a well-structured ride of emotions that hits just as the audience is ripe for the picking. And this show pulled it off with no budget and minimal staff.

Without a doubt for me Kemono Friends was this season’s black horse, and is a serious contender for anime of the season, if not the year. Everything in this show worked and worked well; it was a perfect mix of story, narrative and development. More from coincidence than design, however, Kemono Friends succeeded because it never had to succeed. Low expectations and minimal budget allowed the staff to run wild, arguably producing the conditions necessary to defy everyone’s expectations. Other shows will certainly try and emulate the format here—including Kemono’s inevitable second season—but I seriously doubt we will see something quite like this again for a while yet. It may not be the absolute best of anime, but Kemono Friends is a shining example of just what is possible when all the pieces come together right.

Satania secretly wishes she was part of the picture

Comedic slice of lifes are some of the easiest shows to grade. If the humour works it’s fantastic, while if the jokes fall flat it’s typically bad. Yeah there’s some give and take, but you more or less know immediately whether the show is for you. Thankfully Gabriel Dropout was one of the success stories for me, a hilarious comedy that did just enough to make me forget it was actually Monday.

Part of Gabriel Dropout’s appeal lies in its execution. The show possessed few notable faults, sticking mostly to a weekly two skit script and varying the featured characters to limit potential boredom. After watching Gabriel use and abuse her privileges with poor Vigne for example, attention could turn to resident dunce demon Satania and her melon bread struggles. This strategy ensured new experiences and fresh humour, key components needed in any successful comedy. While yielding a good deal of laughs, the show was not without its weaknesses, however; some of the skits did fall flat (i.e. the mock interview), while others felt drawn out and forced at times. Personally I found the best jokes—well, the majority of them—occurred within the show’s first half, especially those involving Satania’s ridiculous attempts at besting Gabriel.

The humour was particularly strong though when it made good use of each character’s personal intricacies. Both cooking skits hilariously worked because they accentuated Gabriel’s slothfulness, while Raphiel humorously acted best when openly manipulating her fellow cast (I’m looking at you Tapris and Satania). Vigne too yielded some side aching skits, particularly her attempt at performing demonic deeds which had me in tears from start to finish. It was the ridiculous personality differences that made these jokes work, especially when primed by the flipped nature of angel and demon. Swapping traits is nothing new in anime—just look at the trap trope—but it becomes deliciously funny watching a demon openly struggle not to write class notes and an angel getting off to the hair-brained failures of a certified doofus. At least the poor coffee master maintained a sense of dignity from start to finish. Well, some of the time.

Although Gabriel Dropout may not have arguably been as good as season companion Konosuba, there’s no denying it was a fun little show never failing to entertain. While I personally thought Gab’s NEET-ness was underutilized at times, considering the humour we received I cannot complain too much. These shows are first and foremost about mental relaxation, so long as you enjoy the experience it can be considered a rousing success. Given Gabriel Dropout amused me plenty from start to finish, I have no regrets for the time I spent watching this one. If we ever receive more faillen angel in the future, I’ll definitely be back, guaranteed.

「what you will」

Reason #12 that magic is failing in Little Witch Academia: the extra edition of your magic newspaper is just a single leaflet of mostly only photos. It just goes to show why nobody wants to study magic anymore. Nothing happens in magic-land. Everything is, apparently, really boring.

No, it doesn’t matter how many exclamation marks you use, you aren’t fooling anyone.

It’s a good thing, then, that there’s someone working to revitalise magic, not only because magic is desperately in need of rebranding, but also because hey, that’s the plot! All of a sudden in LWA, we have a two-parter, which is a good way to round out its first cour. It’s not quite the level of serious development we had in the previous episode, sure, but it’s a similar vein. I noted this last episode, and I’m sure you’ve noticed this yourselves, too: one can always tell when LWA is trying to be serious. It’s when Sucy and Lotte disappear from the picture. It’s fairly obvious this episode, right? We could have had some interesting interactions between them and Akko!Diana, but I guess, despite the hijinks, Akko needed to do some self-reflection and have a one-on-one with her rival, so her friends were conveniently put to one side (just as Diana’s lackeys were). I know many of you enjoy the supporting cast—they’re fun!—but I also feel that the other two Stooges actually have very little involvement in Akko’s personal journey. Sucy’s mostly her tormenter, and Lotte is often just collateral damage. When it comes to pursuing her dreams and whatnot, I guess Akko has to do it herself.

And without her wing-men (wing-women?) around, Akko does take another step forward in her quest to seek out the star or whatever it is she’s supposed to be doing. Learning more about Diana is definitely the right way to go, even if purely by accident, because I’m sure she’s going to need her help before we’re through. One thing, though: often in these ‘walk-in-their-shoes’, The Prince and the Pauper sort of stories, both parties swap places. I was half expecting Diana to do an Akko impression as well. I think that will actually have been educational for her, because while she’s definitely right about Akko, and it’s about time Akko got some more perspective on Diana than just envy, Diana needs to try it from the other side, too. No doubt she worked hard to get where she is, privileged background or not, but her advantages are undoubted. She knows what she wants, and is empowered enough to work towards it. She knows what to research, and when she needs research materials, she gets it. Diana has both the will and the way, whereas Akko, first year witch, is mostly clueless and can do little but ram her head against obstacles until they give. So she can be expected to be a bit lost at times, especially since while on the one hand she’s the chosen one, but on the other hand the universe loves to troll her. Or maybe just Professor Woodward. She’s a tree, she gets bored.

For now, because Akko has no idea, I guess she can only see how the plot goes. On that note, about this Grand Triskelion thing. It’s sealed, right? Aren’t sealed thing always dangerous? Isn’t that the point of sealing things? To keep out of the reach of children? Are we sure we want to be unsealing it? Just asking.

「亜人ちゃんは泳ぎたい」 (Demi-chan wa Oyogitai)
“Demi-chan Wants to Swim”

Of all the shows ending this season, I’m probably going to miss Demi-chan the most.

Final Impressions

If there’s one show that I could rave and rant about for days, it’d probably be Demi-chan. For a slice-of-life / school-life show, it does so many things so well that I could probably write a thesis on the whole damn thing. But seeing how most people aren’t here to read a thesis (or maybe they are?), let me just jump into some of the things that I absolutely loved about the show.

Starting with the man of the hour, it’d be tough to talk about Demi-chan without first talking about Takahashi Tetsuo who’s casually known as Takahashi-sensei in my posts and just Sensei in the show. As the resident biology teacher who has a degree in the topic, it makes sense that he’d be attracted to the idea of getting to interact and learn about Demi’s. However, that alone would make for a rather boring character and a creepy one at that. Can you imagine this show being as great as it was if Takahashi-sensei was like his friend Souma? Getting back on track, it’s been a pleasure getting to watch Takahashi-sensei grow as both an educator and someone in-between friend and adult for our favorite three girls. Because as most fans of this genre know, things can get somewhat boring rather quickly without something to “stir the pot” every now and then. And trust me, I’m the kind of person who could probably live off of slice-of-life alone but still understands the importance of having a well rounded plot that follows at a bare minimum a sin curve of ups and downs. Which is precisely why I was extremely happy to see that after all of Takahashi-sensei’s success with helping Hikari, Kyouko, and Yuki he ran into some road bumps of his own. Road bumps that were one hundred percent related to the story and were handled by the same people he himself helped in the past — a feat that I applaud the plot and the show runners for handling so damn well. All of which created an amazing character that literally held the entire show together.

That said, a single character alone doesn’t hold a show together and Takahashi-sensei definitely had some assistance from some amazing girls (and Satake). Starting with our main four, there’s no denying that Hikari probably had the biggest impact and screen time comparatively speaking. Taking charge when the situation called for it and pushing forward with whatever she’s planned even if there are things trying to stop it, there was never a dull moment with Hikari on screen. Also, that moment she shared with Takahashi-sensei last week when he was feeling down is probably permanently etched into my memory as one of the most well done emotional scenes I’ve seen, ever. From there we have Kyouko, the “intellectual” one of the group and probably my actual favorite character. Seeing how Takahashi-sensei is a biology teacher and enjoys attacking problems with a science in mind, I’m glad Kyouko gave him the avenue to dive deep into the technical stuff. Having pretty high level conversations that probably wouldn’t have worked with either Hikari or Yuki, it’s nice to watch a show demonstrate that a character is “smart” without having to tell us that they’re “smart”. That and Kyouko is just super cute and adorable and innocent and just hnnnnnnnnnnng. In-between the spectrum lies Yuki, the girl who was introduced “last” but became a really funny character that opened some prime comedic opportunities with that “secret” persona of hers. If anything, she’s probably the closest to a “real life” character with the way she almost breaks the fourth wall by calling things out when she sees it. Last but not least we have Satou-sensei, someone who I wish we saw more of but will take whatever we got. As the Demi with the most everyday issues, I really appreciate the show diving deep in the problems Demis can have by focusing on the Demi with the most when it comes to integrating with society. I’ve talked about Satou-sensei’s troubles quite a bit throughout my posts so I won’t go into those here, but it’s nice to see that besides being our resident succubus she also played the role of someone who Takahashi-sensei could turn to when it may have been inappropriate to discuss with our three girls.

On the side we also had a great cast of side characters that managed to bring their own unique flare to the show. Something that I never really thought about until recently was what was the point of having side characters if they’re just “side” characters? In Demi-chan’s case though, I realized that without these characters, the latter half of the season probably would have felt a lot more flat and possibly quite boring. Also, let me give a shout out to the writers for giving the “evil” Vice Principal such a great introduction and exit from the show. Acting as the unbiased administrator who is simply trying to help everyone in his school get the best experience possible, it’s great to see just how wrong we can about someone based on first appearances as well as how much he helped create the “drama” we needed to keep us on our toes.

Overall, I think Demi-chan had a prime opportunity to do something with the genre by integrating demis into it and I think it completely succeeded in what it tried to do. Anyways, this post has probably gone on for too long so let me end it here with a big thank you to everyone who came for the posts and left great comments week after week.

I’ll see you around the bend one the next season starts. See ya!

「Fair wind」 (Fair wind)
“Fair wind”

After my noticeably negative post last week, I’d like to take it all back and say that I’m super happy with how things ended.

Fuuka x Yuu

If there was ever a moment for Yuu to step up, it’d be this week and boy did the guy show some backbone. Unfazed by every single problem that life threw at him, it was an absolute blast watching him be completely undeterred by Fuuka’s repeated attempts to avoid contact. But what may have been even better was watching Yuu scream out his affection for Fuuka. Not mincing words, it was just freaking amazing watching him just say three simple words — I love you. If you remember last week when I was asking where all of Fuuka’s spunk and enthusiasm went, it looks like the writers decided to throw it all into Yuu and I couldn’t have asked for a better way for Fuuka to come back into the fold.

In addition to Fuuka and Yuu finally becoming a couple, I really enjoyed the way the episode resolved the tension between Fuuka and Koyuki. Using Koyuki to finally open Fuuka’s eyes to her feelings for Yuu as well as spurring Fuuka into action with a subtle “I dumped him for you”, it’s nice to know that things weren’t resolved with the two suddenly sweeping things under the rub but rather the pair moving forward in a amicable way.

Overall, I thought we were given a pretty damn good final episode that managed to hit all the high notes that made the previous eleven so much fun to watch. And with that, I’ll catch you below in the final impressions!

Epilogue:

Final Impressions

I actually wasn’t sure how Fuuka’s adaptation to an anime was going to go. Having found lots of negative things about the story after researching it for the preview as well as having those criticisms reaffirmed by the comments in the first few posts, I’m still a little surprised I still continued to cover the show. But by the time we reached episode three, I was sure that I had made the right choice to continue covering it. By no means was this show a “perfect” show (what does perfection even mean these days), but it had all the things I wanted when it came to watching a budding romance overcome the struggles placed in-front of it. One huge thing that kept me coming back was the show’s pacing and how it didn’t extend things for too long. Be it awkward moments early on with Yuu and Fuuka or the pair getting into some sort of argument over a misunderstanding, the mere fact things wrapped themselves up within an episode or two was pretty awesome.

In addition to the great pacing and the well adapted story were a fun cast of characters that really helped accentuate the feeling of the show. With Yuu, Fuuka, and Koyuki rounding out the main cast of characters who we saw the most of, the addition of Mikasa, Nachi, Sara as supporting characters helped round things out when the romance part of the story started to get too heavy. If I had one complaint though, I wish the anime took more time to really give us some meat behind the latter three since it would have been nice to know a little more about what motivated them as well as if they had any internal reasons for joining Fuuka’s band.

Overall, I think Fuuka as an anime managed to do what it set out to do. It may not have been everyone’s cup of tea, but I really enjoyed what we got. Would I put it down as one of my favorite romance shows? In all honesty, I’d probably add it to the list just because of how unconventional (unconventional as in not giving any damns and doing what it wanted) it was. Anyways, before I close things out let me thank everyone who’s been keeping up with the posts for being awesome and I’ll catch you guys next season!

「導き出した答え」 (Michibikidashita kotae)
“The Chosen Answer”

God damn Zestiria, just when I’m all hyped for writing an end post what do you give me? Cliff hanger, thirteenth episode, month long wait; boom, mike drop. You serious, I’m supposed to make time in a stacked spring (and NHL playoff season) to return to a show few will likely remember? Eh, probably overstated—I will definitely be watching and finishing coverage like a proper blogger—but I’m still peeved we have to wait until the end of April for the actual ending.

To Zestiria’s credit, however, the reasoning behind an additional episode is sensible enough. With next to nothing revealed previously regarding the Lord of Calamity, we needed an explanation for his actions. Having the Lord created from the curse of the previous Shepherd is actually pretty dark all things considered, and tying the world’s corrupted state to Michael’s personal grievance deliciously ironic. Yeah, Heldalf certainly started things with his patriotic allegiance, but Michael is not blameless either. It’s one thing to sacrifice yourself for example, but another to add your own niece onto that personal vendetta. Michael’s actions represent a moral conundrum which meshes well with Sorey’s/Rose’s earlier struggles because no one correct answer exists. He could see Heldalf succeed in ruining his life and work, or curse him and place the consequences on future generations. It’s a great bit of development, although one which was really needed several episodes ago and not before the big finale. Thankfully, however, most of the major outstanding plot questions have now been answered.

What really got me though was how this story will actually boil down to the power of friendship. For one the big bad Lord of Calamity is actually a nice guy you see, he just went north to lessen his impact on others. Might just be me, but I found this bit hilarious when juxtaposed with Heldalf’s spiel to Maotelus about the battle being over the fate of mankind. Why fight if you still care? Well, I guess the curse technically answers that one. Then of course we have Sorey who finally learned of the Avatar ways and decided if one fusion armatization is good enough, why not four? Not as impressive as Goku going full blonde I must admit, but I’ll definitely take a Super Shepherd if it yields some impressive fireworks (that sword swinging doesn’t really cut it). Plus it explains how Sorey will purify the impossible and save the day.

With a month or so to go until the final showdown, Zestiria’s problem will likely be remembrance more than success. As God Eater discovered, mid-cour breaks are amazing viewer reduction strategies, plus also help in muddying the memory. Me though, I just hope the show ends on a good note. A decent boss fight, maybe a happy ending, it’s all that’s really needed. Who knows, might even be a related game announcement around that time. Either way, we shall all find soon what Zestiria has left in store.

Preview

「虚心坦懐」 (Kyoshintankai)
“Candid and Open”

At least Rin got to go to Kyoto Tower!

Before we leap into the Final Impressions, let me just say how happy I am that the series managed to turn things around right at the end of the season. I don’t know what they have planned for the future, but boy do I hope that the show runners drop all the half baked explanations and give us what we really want.

Anyways, let’s jump into those final impressions!

Final Impressions

As a huge fan of the first season of Ao no Exorcist I was so excited to see all my favorite characters back on screen. With the opportunity to continue on from where we left off, the first episode had be so pumped since it really felt like we were going to see the repercussions of the end of season one directly play into the start of season two. Except, by the third episode, you could tell that the pacing was starting to move a turtles pace and all the things I was expecting were taking their sweet time showing up. At roughly the same time it looked like no one else wanted to pick up the show and seeing how I’m the resident sequel cover-er, I took it upon myself to suck it up and continue coverage of the show.

Which in all honesty I’m super happy that I decided to do so since in a different dimension there’s probably a version of me that put Ao no Exorcist on the back burner and never got to see that amazing payoff that we got after enduring so much. However, as much as I hype up the payoff and the pretty good resolution to everything, I don’t think it makes up for all the individual pieces of this payoff feeling so lackluster. If anything it really feels like we got hit with the problem that Spiderman 3 had — too many things going on at the same time. We had Todo and his demon woes, Yukio stressed out about himself, Rin’s lack of confidence, the Myoda sect’s internal issues, the Impure King reviving, and even Mephisto made a cameo right at the end to remind us that he’s always scheming and has something big planned for the future. Only some of which got a resolution that felt even halfway worth it by the end of it all.

Now, it might sound like I’m doing a lot of complaining and I’ll admit that I was a little bitter about some of the decisions the team behind Ao no Exorcist’s team made, but overall I think we were still given a pretty damn good show. When it counted the most, the show managed to remind us of all the great things that made the first season such a fantastic watch. When the story wasn’t too busy trying to develop a grand story, I loved it when the characters and their unique personalities took the spotlight. You had Kamiki and her tsundere nature, Shiemi finally finding some self confidence, Suguro with his head out of his butt (or at least the misconception we had), Shima and Konekomaru doing their thing, and Rin busting out some blue flamed ass kicking. Things that are simple in concept but feel so good when wrapped around the hustle and bustle of some good old fashioned action scenes.

All-in-all I think this second season was pretty good even with some stumbles here and there. Hopefully we’ll get a continuation somewhere down the line and hopefully it builds on top of what was done here instead of spending a lot of time trying to build another huge story. Also, thanks to all the viewers still out there and I’ll catch you guys next season!

「星待つひと：中篇」 (Hoshi Matsu Hito: Chuuhen)
“Today”

Since I wrote about the first episode of Mahoutsukai no Yome: Hoshi Matsu Hito, the news has come that a full series is on the way this autumn, like the OVAs from Wit (with most of the same staff). This was far from unexpected (it’s silly to imagine that the production committee would drop the kind of coin this lavish prequel cost unless they had a straight adaptation in the pipeline to generate revenue) but it’s nevertheless welcome. As glorious as “Hoshi Matsu Hito” is, it’s really only a teaser of what’s to come.

None of us can say whether or not the TV series will feature the same staggering production values as the OVAs (though the preview certainly does). In terms of art and animation “Hoshi” may be as impressive as anything I’ve seen in a non-theatrical anime since Seirei no Moribito. But story-wise the series should be far more predictable than the prequel, since everything we’re seeing now is original material. The manga story is really good, though perhaps just shy of truly great in my view (there’ll be plenty of time to talk about that later), but quite different than the prequel in tone. Not better or worse, I think – just different.

I find “Hoshi Matsu Hito” to be a rather reflective, meditative piece – somehow oddly cold and sentimental at the same time. As an origin story for Chise it holds water – nothing here really strikes me as discordant with what I know of her character and her future. As for Miura Riichi, he represents a rare island of kindness in the ocean of loneliness and cruelty that is Chise’s life. So far Miura-san is mostly a bundle of mysteries – the strange library he calls home, the girl named Mayumi he sees in painful visions, the invisible presence to which he deferentially speaks when Chise is absent. But one thing he certainly seems to be is kind, and for Chise, that kindness is more precious than the books she reads when visiting him.

For me, really, the experience of these OVAs is mostly about the stunning imagery they bring to the screen. It’s pretty rare in anime that I can be brought to slack-jawed speechlessness by nothing more than visuals, but I’ve lost count of how many times “Hoshi” has done it in two episodes. That they’ve been able to so magnificently bring us into magical worlds bodes well for the series, because Mahoutsukai no Yome’s appeal hinges on that very ability – to transport the readers inside the story, to feel as if the fantastic places they’re visiting are real. The nighttime scene of the star projector in the library is one of the most beautiful visual sequences I’ve ever seen in anime, but there are others in the episode not far behind it.

If indeed Miura’s fate is as it appears at the end of this episode, one certainly can’t help but worry for Chise’s state of mind. This is a girl who believes (largely because she’s always been told) that she brings bad luck and misery with her wherever she goes. It’s hard to imagine she wouldn’t blame herself for what happened at the library (well, let’s be honest – it kinda was her fault). I don’t want to go into too much detail here for fear of spoiling those of you who haven’t read the manga, but suffice to say that as Chise’s origin story, “Hoshi” is tasked with showing us how she became the girl she is now. The Miura story, for all that it is compelling in its own right, ultimately has to serve that larger purpose…

Preview

「桃乃今日子 最終章 ハツコイ」 (Touno Kyouko Sai Shuushou – Hatsukoi)
“Touno Kyoko Final Chapter – First Love”

Warm underwear can also be used as a seat.

It’s over. I’m not sure if this is the weakest arc of the series, or just the second weakest, but this final episode wasn’t bad. It doesn’t redeem the arc, but compared to the Hikari arc where the epilogue just seemed silly, at least this one consumated the badly written romance we were taken on.

Because make no mistake, this was stil badly written. The conflict wasn’t organic, the joyful flirting was nonexistent, and I’m not sure we ever saw the decision point where Kyouko got over her concerns and decided to get with Shouichi. Or at least, we never really saw why. Gradual is fine, but this was unstated—that’s less fine. And is a flash-forward epilogue really necessary in every arc?

Actually, let’s talk about that. This is an excellent example of one of Seiren’s (many) failings. Compare this one to the flash-forward epilogue at the end of the Haruka arc. There, the revelation of Junichi’s job was encapsulated in a funny character moment that illustrated their relationship—as flirty, silly, and carefree as it was in high school. Here, they bluntly tell us what Shouichi’s job is, with seemingly the only real point in doing so to make us go “Ohh yeah, they both liked magical girl manga a few episodes ago.” It’s the same way the epilogue of the Tooru arc was mainly a call back to a bus driving game that wasn’t important and no one cared about. It’s a callback without a point, rather than a character moment to be enjoyed.

I’m not going to harp on this particular episode much more, ’cause I have a lot to say about the series as a whole below. (Except, christ, of course the knit underwear came back. What a stupid plot token. And squeeze them to calm down? Like a baby with a pacifier? UGH.) This episode tied off the arc, but it couldn’t save it. No surprise. At least it’s over, they kissed, everyone lives happily ever after. Fade to black.

Random thoughts:

• Amagami SS rewatch update: I didn’t manage to finish the original series before this post, but I did finish Rihoko’s arc. She still got robbed. Thank the gods for SS+, or I’d still be salty. Though, funny thing: the plot of Rihoko’s arc wasn’t actually about her getting together with Junichi. Structurally, it was about finding a new member of the Tea Club so it wouldn’t fold after the sempai graduated. Which happened—it’s just not what we all thought we were watching. Still, a better arc than any of the Seiren ones, easily.

My SECOND novel, Freelance Heroics, is available now! (Now in print!) (Also available: Firesign #1 Wage Slave Rebellion.) Sign up for my email list for exclusive content. At stephenwgee.com, the last four posts: Guardians of the Galaxy, Glee, & Firesign; That’s not supposed to go there . . .; The Carcer Principle; and Fire, further.

Epilogue:

Final Impressions

Phew. Glad that’s over. Which is probably the issue I should most address.

If my stated goal here is primarily to entertain, why was I so down on this show? There are extenuating circumstances, I’ll admit. I’ve been working too much at my multiple jobs, and have often had to blog Seiren during late at night, when I’m tired and want to be asleep—not the most conducive setting for dispassionate analysis or happy-go-lucky gushing. (Though I managed it on KonoSuba.) More important is expectations, and the comparisons Seiren invites. As the successor to the beloved Amagami SS series, the Seiren team had to go into this knowing they were going to be compared, which is a wonderful challenge! It keeps you on your toes. But when you know there are going to be comparisons, you better bring your A-game, and hope it’s enough—and with Seiren, it was not. That’s the downside of hype: the failure state is disappointment and anger, and for even more people since hype brings more in the door.

Mostly, though, it’s not a good series. There are many types of failures, but when it comes to anime originals, two types are instructive. First there are the ones that try to do something different, maybe even radically so, and fail. Those are endearing in a way, because at least they tried something new, even if it didn’t work. The second type are the ones that don’t try to do something new, and just try to execute within their genre conventions. That’s a fine decision, and it’s where Seiren planted its flag. And, as we learned, it didn’t work. Without the audacity to try something new, that left us with nothing but a waste of time.

(Side note: as far as my blogging philosophy goes, saying my goal is to entertain is only partially true. My root goal is to capture the magic after an episode has ended. Which is hard to do when there’s very little magic to be had.)

Someone behind the production of Seiren doesn’t appear to understand how stories work. I don’t mean to malign any one individual, or speak to things I don’t have knowledge about—it could be the fault of one auteur, or the committee aspect of communal storytelling, or even the business execs / budget issues / something else. Any number of elements could have led to the failure, but the result is the same: Seiren, as a story, doesn’t know how to tell a story. Almost nothing works.

Best was the Tooru arc, which I would describe as “needs editing.” It had a better foundation and heroine than the other two, and the pieces were kind of there, but they weren’t tuned to maximum effect. Or particularly good effect. If what we saw was a first draft, it would have been fine—first drafts are always shit. But since it was released, someone done fucked up. This is a problem I have with many anime, which I think is a weakness of large-group storytelling that the anime industry exacerbates: when it’s no one person’s responsibility, it’s no one’s fault. If one of my books is crap, you know who to blame—me. But with an anime? Who knows. This exists in Hollywood too, though as the renaissance of American television has shown, it need not. But the dynamics of Hollywood too, and both industries inflame the problem—too much money, too little time, too many cooks, etc. The Tooru arc could have been saved.

The other two . . . well. Not to say that they couldn’t have been saved, but they’re both messes to the core. And talking about the series by arc obscures the fact that all the little things that needed to work—the flirting, the dialogue, the supporting characters, the other-heroine digressions, the mutual starting point of all the arcs—none of it works. And perhaps most emblematic of this is the series’ main character, Shouichi.

Here’s something to consider: one of the best ways to make a main character sympathetic is to give him or her a desire and a flaw. The desire forms part of the backbone of the story, because it is that which the protagonist will seek, be denied, struggle for, and either attain or fail to attain. The flaw can’t be something like Kyouko’s “is a little bit childish” nonsense; better would be Hikari’s propensity to lie in order to save face, if it had existed in all arcs instead of just the final one. (For a better example of this, once again turn to Masamune-kun no Revenge). A flaw like that provides the Point A which, if overcome—the character grows and learns, thereby reaching Point B—would make for a satisfying character arc.

In Amagami SS, Junichi had this, and it’s directly thanks to something that I’ve heard some criticize: Haruka going first. A few commenters mentioned that they almost stopped watching at the end of episode one, and I guess I can see why: boy does his best, girl shoots him down because she likes a different sort of guy, and it ends on a downer note. It didn’t bother me, because I knew it was setting the stage for the struggle (also, effort does not ensure success), but I can see their point. But it also did something crucial: gave Junichi a desire.

He wanted to be in love! This is something that wasn’t so clear in other arcs, but since Haruka went first, the residue of that desire carried forward into alternate Junichis, laying the foundation to make, for instance, the dense-as-hell Sae-chan arc Junichi still work. (Every version of Junichi had a desire, but this one was the most clear.) The first episode also provided his flaw: he was scarred after being stood up on a Christmas date, and scared of love thereby. Him struggling to overcome that with Haruka is what made him instantly sympathetic, and made that and all the other arcs work. Haruka going first might be a large part of why the series worked.

What does Shouichi have? Where is his desire? He’s listless and uncertain in the Hikari arc, and as I’m fond of quoting, “Passive/malleable might seem likable to you as you write, but it’s poison to the audience.” In the Tooru arc he’s got a puppy love thing going on, and that is a desire, but it’s rarely a strong one. (The Kyouko arc actually does better with this, with him asking her on a date early, but it gets muddled as hell after that.) Shouichi as a person has no strong desire, nor does he have a flaw. He’s just some kid. Why do we care about some random kid?

Junichi shows that the flaw doesn’t have to be large or dramatic. A dull trepidation of relationships from being burned in the past is not world-shattering, but it provides an ur-character arc for him which all the arc-specific character arcs fall under. When he gets together with each girl, he’s completing that arc, even if it’s not explicitly mentioned. Not that a character must have a flaw for a story to work, but it’s damn useful, as Shouichi shows. Stories can star normal people, but they can’t support boring ones, and Shouichi is utterly replaceable. He’s poison to the audience.

And that’s just one of Seiren’s problems. Several in quick succession: It lacks a point; Amagami was always about the flirting while they come together, and Seiren has no comparable wellspring of joy. I would forgive a lot if the dialogue was good, but it’s not. The animation is no better than seven-year-old Amagami’s, and frequently worse. And so on.

If I had to be honest, I’d say that I don’t really hate Seiren, now that it’s over and done with. I’m just disappointed. It’s the disappointment reserved for that which could have been so much better—it’s what you feel when your normally well-behaved child does something colossally rude, in a way you wouldn’t if it was someone else’s shithead kid. With a few more passes at the script, a better editor, more time, less people in the way—whatever the problem was, with less of that, it could have been much better.

But it was not to be. If this is getting a second season, I don’t see myself blogging it, and I may not—well, I’ll probably watch it, but that’s just because I’m a colossal maso. Par for the course for a RandomC writer, Orz.

 
You know what they say about all good things. Well, it pains me to write this, but the end has come. After two and a half years, I’ve decided to retire from Random Curiosity. It’s been a dream, an honour, a pleasure, and I can’t thank you all enough.

This may seem sudden, but this is a decision I’ve wrestled with for the past six months. As each new season came, I knew I was getting closer to my inevitable departure. There are a few reasons for this, but the major one is simple: I’m not watching much anime anymore. Since Summer 2016 I only followed the shows I was committed to blogging, before eventually catching up with all the others I’d missed for the Best Of post. I had a similar experience in 2012, when I suddenly fell away from the medium, before coming back a year later, and then applying for Random Curiosity the year after. And everything since then has been recorded on this wonderful site. But after four years of watching most shows that aired each season, I feel I’ve overdone it.

But I don’t regret it. I’ve experienced the best and worst that anime has to offer, and even though I’ve lost the drive, I still believe that anime is far from dead. It’s evolving, adapting, and we’re getting plenty of stellar shows each year. I’d go as far as to say 2016 was the best year of anime I’ve experienced, so it’s best to end on a positive note. Also, it’s no co-incidence that I decided to retire after blogging Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu to completion. If you’ve been following my coverage then you’ll know how much I adore that series. It’s officially one of my most favourite anime I’ve ever seen, so it feels only natural that I end things at this increadble high. If you haven’t watched it yet, do yourself a favour and check it out. It’s a modern classic, a title that deserves to sit among the greatest that anime has to offer.

Another reason for my leaving is that I don’t know where life is going to take me. I don’t know where I’ll be in the next six months–I like the idea of moving to Japan, but who knows if that will actually happen. What I do know is that I want to pursue my own writing and hopefully get published. When Stilts advertises to new bloggers that this is essentially a part-time job, he’s not lying. It takes several hours out of your day for each post you do, and depending on how many anime you’re covering per season, that can end up being a lot of time. I’ve written hundreds of thousands of words on this site, and all for the betterment of my ability. It has warmed my heart to read the positive comments left by those who say they appreciate my writing, especially on the shows I care more about. Sometimes the thoughts just spill out, but sometimes it can be a struggle. It’s been an experience, a joy, a dream. I’ve followed this site since 2010, and knowing I’m now part of its history is enough to make me smile. All that effort and investment has been worth it, but now I would like to focus on my own writing and hopefully get somewhere with it. I’ve got stories I want to share with the world, and I’m going to do everything I can to make that aspiration a reality.

I’ve talked about Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu being my highlight of my blogging career, but I’ve been blessed with all the anime I’ve covered. There hasn’t been a single one I disliked. All offered something different, appealing to various anime fans, and allowed a variety of discussion. I’ll always have affection for Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu for being the first show I covered to completion. I got my fair share of popular titles too, from One-Punch Man to Hai to Gensou no Grimgar to Rokka no Yuusha. I got to experience the euphoric highs of Hibike! Euphonium, and talk about how progressive and important Yuri!! on Ice was, and of course I got to cover Haikyuu!!, the series that got me here in the first place. And not to forget those underrated gems like Yuri Kuma Arashi and Fune wo Amu that didn’t attract large audiences, but were worth every word. And also, Mayoiga. I love that series, even if literally everyone else doesn’t. But most important of all is probably being able to cover Bleach until completion. I spilled my heart into that mammoth of a final post, and it was the most cathartic experience; a justification for my being here in the first place. It was the anime that got me into all of this, so being able to send it off with nostalgia and love was all I could ask for.

To everyone who followed my posts, thank you. Random Curiosity’s readership is the most rewarding part of the experience. To be part of a passionate community has been a blessing, and I’ll miss not being able to share my words with you any longer. But I feel I’ve reached the natural end of my time here, and I’ve said all I had to say. I’ve made friends with the bloggers who I used to look up to for all those years, and now I’ll just be another name on the Hall of Fame. You may still see me roaming around in the comments from time to time. And you can always follow me on Twitter which I use every day, so I won’t be gone forever. But as for my time as writer here, this is my goodbye.

Thanks for the memories, everyone.

Tsukki out.