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「運命の至る場所」 (Unmei no Itaru Basho)
“The Place Where Fate Leads”
Well, it looks like Ikuhara’s intent on keeping me guessing until the very end, as I have even less of an idea on how Mawaru Penguindrum will conclude after watching this episode. And here I thought this precursor to the finale would confirm my suspicions that Momoka’s diary would transfer everyone’s fate to a better one. Instead, it took that idea and completely derailed it.
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「海勝麟六の葬送」 (Kaishō Rinroku no Sōsō)
“Rinroku Kaisho’s Funeral”
It’s a shame more people aren’t watching UN-GO, because it’s delivering some of the smartest and most interesting non-commercial anime in ages.
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「縮退 retraction」 (Shukutai)
I’d like to think that I’m pretty forgiving as far as anime goes — particularly when it comes to overused stereotypes — but while Guilty Crown’s done a decent job of avoiding that pitfall lately, there always seems to be something else that rubs me the wrong way. This time it was Shuu and almost everything about his character.
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「焼かなイカ!?／護らなイカ!?／寒くなイカ!?」 (Yakanai ka!? / Mamoranai ka!? / Samukunai ka!?)
“Won’t You Grill!? / Won’t You Defend!? / Isn’t It Cold!?”
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「合宿は皆が寝ないヽ(゜∀゜)ノ」 (Gassyuku wa Minna ga Nenai ヽ(゜∀゜)ノ)
“No One Sleeps at Training Camp”
It’s tough to feel any emotions for Yozora after she’s entered sadistic bitch mode.
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「決意ですが、何か？」 (Ketsui Desu ga, Nani ka?)
“It’s Resolve, Is That a Problem?”
My little comedy/slice of life show turns into a romance-drama!
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「激戦の日」 (Gekisen no Hi)
“Day of the Fierce Battle”
I’ll be quick to admit that I have a soft spot for prideful stubbornness that someone will take to their grave, but even then, Gundam AGE deserves some praise for getting an emotional response out of me with the deaths of some side characters.
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「家族プラン」 (Kazoku Puran)
“Family Plan”
This episode is proof for me that a director doesn’t have to make a word-for-word adaptation of a manga for it to be a good adaptation – or a faithful one. Manga is not anime, and the same structures that work well with one don’t always work with the other.
