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Unraveling the Monogatari Series (Part 2: The Appeal)

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Now that we’ve gone over the basic aspects of Monogatari, I think that it is due time to look into how Monogatari has garnered its cult popularity.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Monogatari is its visual presentation. Spearheaded by none other than Akiyuki Shinbo, Monogatari presents a visual direction and aesthetic quite unlike any other in the medium. 

Although Monogatari is quite unique within the anime sphere, Monogatari takes great influence from the likes of French New Wave Cinema. Frenetic editing and strange imagery and metaphors are the bread and butter of the Monogatari experience. Close-ups on body parts are used quite heavily to emphasize certain emotions and to illustrate where the character’s eyes are drawn. In addition, a somewhat infamous aspect of Monogatari is its tendency to utilize half-second long text pop-ups that usually have an accompanying passage from the LN not included in that anime scene.

Perhaps one of the less immediately noticeable aspects of Monogatari is its insistence on bizarre or abstract architecture and set design to populate its world. One thing that viewers may notice is the distinct lack of background characters in scenes where they should appear. Monogatari chooses to completely forgo traditional world design in favor of a more visually distinct and memorable setting.

If there is one thing that I can respect about Monogatari is that it keeps itself looking interesting. A common complaint I see levied against Monogatari is that it is basically a PowerPoint presentation with little actual moving parts in terms of animation. However, I would rebuke that, for one, this is obviously a stylistic choice that the creators decided to do. Also, even if there was not that much traditional animation seen, one cannot deny that Monogatari does not try to keep things moving along and interesting. 

Shots last for no longer than a few seconds before it is interrupted by either a new scene, text-pop-up, or metaphor. This is coming from an industry in which long, static shots of characters talking to one another with just the mouths moving is considered the norm. If anything, we take into account all the jumpcuts and the sheer amount of new images being shown on screen, Monogatari is perhaps one of the most visually dense shows that have come out in the last decade.

While the visuals of Monogatari may serve to draw viewers in, the very obtuse and seemingly inaccessible way of communicating its story. Monogatari is set very heavily on the arc structure. Following the format of the LNs, Monogatari is divvies its runtime into three to four episode arcs that adapts that specific LN (Also accompanied with its own new OP). This leads to the unfortunate side-effect of not having a clear story structure with a climax over the run time of the season but will rather it will have the arcs be self-contained with a climax of their own.

Dialogue is massively important in Monogatari. In fact, 90% of Monogatari is delivered either through Araragi’s unreliable monologues or by long (And I mean long) extended bouts of dialogue between two characters. It can’t really be said to be exposition per say because so much of the dialogue and monologues has nothing to do with the actual events of the story itself. However, it is within this dialogue that I see the fundamental appeal of Monogatari. 

Monogatari’s take on ‘Show Don’t Tell’ is to show the telling and to tell the showing. What I mean by this is that at its core, Monogatari is a character driven narrative where the character development is what drives the plot development. The ingenious of Monogatari is that it chooses to present this type of story in the from of these weird, long, and meandering inner monologues and conversations. Although mundane, it is a fascinating way of examining the relationship between what we can extrapolate from a character from their inner monologue and what we can extrapolate from how they interact with others.

For example, we learn very little about Koyomi Araragi’s view of himself through his inner monologues as most of his attention is spent on just observing other characters. However, from his interactions with others, we learn that he is extraordinarily inattentive. We learn that he is very easily swept up into the flow of things with very little resistance. We learn from how he is incredibly quick to spill his guts and reveal everything with a little probing. All of these things completely omitted from his inner monologues.

Monogatari doesn’t necessarily take its seriously all the time. Full of ironic and self-referential wit, Monogatari doesn’t shy away from commentating on how stupid or cliche it sometimes is. Monogatari makes many references to other anime or anime culture in general. In fact, some of the most clever writing in Monogatari comes from its subversion of expectations in some of the most mundane ways. As I have said, Monogatari isn’t interested in creating a grandiose narrative but rather values cleverness or strangeness.

Conversations are always lively as we get to see how these characters play off one another in interesting ways that fit perfectly with how these characters have been presented. Although the more cultural references and wordplay are difficult for Westerners to comprehend, the spirit of what is being said gets through.

The characters of Monogatari aren’t ‘deep’ by any traditional standard. In fact, most of the characters are largely based on pre-existing anime tropes. However, Monogatari seeks to take these tired tropes and to add additional layers and nuance to them. 

Each character, by virtue of the type of story Monogatari is, undergoes two to three arcs of development across the multiple seasons of Monogatari. And since these arcs come one after another, the viewer experiences a constant rotation of new character revelations and individual stories. Whilst bombastic and at times over the top, the Monogatari characters feel genuinely human because we as the audience get to see first hand how they learn and change. This is possibly one of its greatest strengths; characters that are lively and entertaining on a superficial level whilst also being well developed and multi-faceted on a intellectual level.

Perhaps this is the best way to explain the appeal of Monogatari. A show that fulfills having really fun and colorful characters backed up by strange and unique visuals that satisfy on just a base level. There is no doubt a section of the Monogatari fanbase that exclusively watch the show to partake in the ‘Best Girl’ Wars and to argue which fanservice scene is the hottest in the show. However, Monogatari also serves to provide these well written and well developed characters and emotional arcs that also features directing tricks and narrative subversions you can’t find anywhere else in the industry. It’s a win-win situation.

It is no wonder hat Monogatari has endured for so long with such great popularity. 

Thank you very much for reading. Look forward to the final installment (Not yet named) of this series of Monogatari posts.

Until next time!

#monogatari #monogatari series #bakemonogatari #anime #anime reccomendation #reccomendations

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Fire Punch: The Wildest Manga You Haven’t Read.

Blaze on.

WARNING: Fire Punch contains scenes of graphic violence and torture as well as rape and other generally unpleasant things. Fire Punch is definitely not for the faint of heart.

I am not exaggerating when I say that Fire Punch is one of the most insane, metal rides I’ve read in a long time. However, underneath the edge and violence lies a deeply disturbing rumination on the strength and fragility of the human spirit in the face of a crushing reality.

The story of Fire Punch is set up as follows: 

In the not-too- distant past, the Ice Witch blanketed the world in snow, starvation and madness, leading the inhabitants to seek their salvation in fire. With that, an unusual destiny unfolds for two young orphans, Agni and Luna, blessed with the ability to regenerate. But will this ability prove to be more of a curse than a blessing? (Thanks MAL).

Serialized in lesser known Shonen Jump +, Fire Punch is the debut full length series of artist Tatsuki Fujimoto whose previous work consists only of various one-shots. I think the synopsis of the series really undersells the madness that one will find when reading Fire Punch.

If I had to, right off the bat, make a comparison to any series then I would undoubtedly choose Texhnolyze. Both are set in the near future in which mankind is undergoing what seems to be unavoidable decay and despair. Where once good people are corrupted to the absolute limits of human cruelty. Of which slavery and subjugation are forced unto the weak by the strong and where only the ones born gifted are allowed to ‘survive’ (If that even means anything anymore.

There isn’t a warning at the top of this post for nothing. Blood, gore, mutilation, rape, and emotional and physical torture are contained within the pages of Fire Punch. However, instead of feeling edgy like many other series, Fire Punch intertwines the disturbing imagery with a world and cast that actually feels dangerous and threatening. It is the extreme mental anguish and insanity of many of the characters that makes the blood and gore feel ‘deserved’ in a way. It is as if the series has earned the right to have this kind of ultra-violence.

However, the most intriguing aspects of Fire Punch isn’t really the action. Fire Punch posits and explores the social hierarchy of society and the role that religion and indoctrination is fundamentally intertwined with the development of civilization: for better and for worse. Although this aspect is told in the background of the main story line, Fire Punch presents a surprisingly nuanced mediation of how extreme circumstances forces humans to do whatever it takes not only survive but to find solace in something they believe to be greater than them.

Fire Punch presents the disintegration of modern society and how ideas such as human rights and personal freedom can be expelled for the ones not at the top.Views on gender, class, race, and ability radically change in a world where a hierarchy on the value of human life is allowed to be everything. There are no ‘people’, there are only ‘owners’ and their ‘fuel’.

In such an oppressive way of living, it makes complete sense that the people would have no choice to try to believe in something greater than them. To a ‘king’, a ‘God’, and to a ‘Witch’ who provide a sense of stability and understanding to one’s life. That no matter how unjust the world is, it is unjust for a definitive reason. A reason greater than oneself could ever imagine.

A recurring theme in the manga is the idea of ‘proper education’ or the lack of it. The idea that a strong sense of moral education is the backbone of a true civilization. But is this true? Thankfully, Fire Punch leaves the answer to the viewer.

All of that being said, one thing that Fire Punch also has going for it is how unpredictable and insane the plot is. Even to the most recent chapter, I have no idea where the direction of the story is headed (In a good way) of course. Did I mention how metal Fire Punch is? Fire Punch is one of the few series I’ve read that fully utilizes the violence it brings to the table. When you are meant to be horrified, you damn well are horrified. On the flip side, if you’re meant to get hype, you’re meant to get really, really hype.

Of course, all this would be for naught had Fire Punch, at its core, not been anything else than the story of Agni. Agni’s emotional and psychological development is the very backbone of the story. What seems to be a simple revenge plot gradually blossoms into something much more complex. Agni must grapple with his own insanity and latent desires to hopefully find a purpose in what appears to be a meaningless life. Unfortunately, not everything goes smoothly in the world of Fire Punch. Some of the most shocking revelations in Fire Punch come from unexpected developments in Agni’s psyche that genuinely shocked me.

Fire Punch has a very scratchy, loose art style that prioritizes striking, evocative images over long expanses of text or monologues. One thing that Fire Punch does uniquely is incorporate repeated panels and long, multi-paged scenes as to emphasize the flow of time (Or lack of it). I’ve got to say, the art gets the job done.

There is a ton of other cool stuff that I have yet to talk about in this post, but I will that to the readers. Fire Punch is a criminally unknown manga that I would love for other people to get into like I have.

Fire Punch can be read most anywhere you can read manga, though I would of course recommend Batoto for high quality scans and translations. Just make an account and Boom! you’re done.

As always, thanks for reading! 

#firepunch #fire punch #manga #reccomendations #highly reccomend

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Unraveling the Monogatari Series (Part 1: What Even is Monogatari?)

The time has come.

With the end of Owarimonogatari S2, the main storyline of the Monogatari Series has officially come to a close. Of course, SHAFT being SHAFT and Aniplex being Aniplex, it is almost guaranteed that Monogatari will continue to live in the form of various side stories (also known officially as Off-Season) for the forseeable future.

However, now is probably the perfect time for anybody curious about starting this behemoth of a franchise to jump right in and experience a viewing sensation completely unlike any other.

This post will be separated into multiple parts for easy reading access. This particular post will serve as a rudimentary introduction into the series and its place within modern anime as a whole.

Part 1: What is Monogatari?

Monogatari is a Japanese term for ‘Story’. (Stick with me)

The Monogatari Series is (obviously) a collection of loosely collected stories revolving the supernatural happenings in an unnamed Japanese town. Many of these events occur around one Araragi Koyomi, a once normal high school boy whose encounter with a vampire over Spring Break has permanently involved him in the occult. Most of the series involves Araragi encountering a troubled soul (Usually female) that has a specific mental or emotional hangup that has manifested in a supernatural form. 

Monogatari spans over 23 LNs and 97 anime episodes as well as 3 hour long films. 

The first LN, Bakemonogatari, was published in 2006 after several runs in various magazines. Bakemonogatari was later green lit for a 13 episode anime run animated by Studio SHAFT and directed by Akiyuki Shinbo.

Although Monogatari has never really reached the West for various reasons to be discussed in a later post, Monogatari is one of the most successful anime franchises ever created with Bakemonogatari itself being the best selling (In terms of BD sales) anime ever created. Of course, the reason that Monogatari has failed to gain mainstream appeal in the West is for a variety of reasons I will also discuss.

Although Monogatari is simple in concept, its presentation is what alienates most potential viewers. For one, Monogatari is a very large franchise spanning close to 100 odd episodes. For most anime fans, this isn’t necessarily a deal breaker since anime as a medium is known for very large, long running series such as the Shonen Battle classics like Bleach, Naruto, One Piece, Fairy Tail, and Hunter X Hunter as well as most sports narratives like Kuroko’s Basketball and Hajimete no Ippo. Hell, most Western shows span multiple seasons with a similar overall runtime to Monogatari.

However, this is where the problem lies. Not only is Monogatari divided into individual seasons, but seasons have various lengths spanning from 13 to 26 to even 5 episodes. In addition, these seasons aren’t name Monogatari Season X, Monogatari Season X + 1, (...) and so on and so forth but rather are given unique individual names of there own. Infamously, Monogatari Series Second Season is the fourth animated incarnation of Monogatari as it takes its name from that corresponding LN season. 

As you can see, Monogatari, like a Gundam series, is not particularly inviting to new viewers looking for where to even start watching. I believe that this alienates most potential viewers even if the watch order is well cataloged with a simple Google search. However, this is still a lot to ask of your audience.

(By the way, here’s a great post that fully details the appropriate watch order:)

http://imgur.com/gallery/Ung4t

On the subject of not being particularly inviting, perhaps the best and worst part of getting into Monogatari is its unique visual presentation (Of which I will go into more depth in the future). In short, the abstract and obtuse way that Monogatari chooses to visually contextualize its source material is amongst the most unique in anime. Strange and frenetic directing coupled with a gorgeous but eerie world do not play well into giving the audience any sense of comfort or familiarity. The fact that this is just how the show is at all times is probably challenging to most viewers who haven’t experienced many arthouse films or shows.

Hell, the first episode of Bakemonogatari (2009) opens with an establishing panty shot, a quick of montage of flashing text and scenes we have no context about, and then a several minute long scene of two characters talking about nothing. Most viewers have already probably tuned out. It doesn’t help that it really does not get any easier from then on out.

With all these aspects in mind, it doesn’t surprise me that Monogatari has retained a sizable cult following that pretty much only consists of people who love Monogatari just as much as the next guy over.

Unfortunately, I am in too deep to ever have a chance of recovering. However, right now I am here to try to preach the holiness of Monogatari and to spread it far an wide for the world to see.

Although I previously said that Monogatari never really ‘took off’ in the West, it isn’t like nobody has ever heard of it here. Currently, VERTICAL is publishing the Monogatari novels in English in what is actually a pretty high quality paperback. In addition, all three Kizumonogatari movies had airings in the West: one of which I myself attended and believe me when I said that the theater was packed when I got there. Its not as if Monogatari is some obscure anime that nobody has heard of, its just I, like many other evangelists, just want to spread the holy gospel across the land.

I think that wraps up Part 1. Stay tuned for the next part in which I take a little close look at what the exact appeal of Monogatari is. Thanks for reading!

#anime #monogatari #bakemonogatari #monogatari series #reccomendations

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Opening the Medaka Box (Speed Reccomendation)

It’s back to the barracks.

NOTE: This is about the manga version of Medaka Box. I have seen exactly one episode of the anime.

This post will also contain very light spoilers involving the general direction of the plot.

Medaka Box is the seemingly forgotten battle shonen that enjoyed moderate popularity in its Weekly Shonen Jump run but has never quite broken cult popularity ever since it ended in 2013. Its main claim to fame is obviously prolific Nisio Isin’s involvement in the series as the main writer accompanied with artist Akira Akatsuki.

The plot of Medaka goes as follows (courtesy of MAL):

Kurokami Medaka, a first year, is elected as Student Council President, and the first thing she does is establish a suggestion box, later dubbed by students the "Medaka Box." Medaka encourages students to submit any problem to the box without hesitation and promises to take on any issue from anyone. Since Medaka won the Student Council elections with a staggering 98% of the vote, she ends up as the Council's only member. She asks her childhood friend, Hitoyoshi Zenkichi, for help and he grudgingly agrees, becoming the Student Council's lowest ranking member. Soon Medaka recruits two more people to the Student Council, the former judo club member Akune Kouki as secretary and the current swim club member Kikaijima Mogana, on loan for 300 yen a day, as treasurer. Now the Student Council members spend their days solving the problems submitted through the Medaka Box, whether they be hooligans in clubs where they don't belong, girls who need help writing love letters or people who've lost their pets, gradually earning the respect and admiration of the entire school.

I can’t blame anyone for having never even heard of Medaka Box. Although NISIOISIN is perhaps one of the most popular and well known LN authors out their with his massively popular Monogatari Series as well as the also well like Katanagatari and Zaregoto series, Medaka Box is not a series that immediately communicates what has made NISIOISIN such a cult phenomenon. Especially when it is tied to what seems as a basic battle shonen.

Although I think the art is overall pretty good, it is by no means eye grabbing by any metric; especially compared to some of the more iconic Shonen Jump series it was running along with. This comparison can also be extended to some of NISIOISIN’s other works whose visual aesthetic is amongst some of the most unique in the industry. A middling anime adaptation is also not doing Medaka any favors.

The cherry on the cake is that both the synopsis as well as the first fifteen chapters betray the true nature of the series. What seems to be a lighthearted SOL involving an overpowered main character who solves problems in ridiculous fashions (Think Sakamoto) becomes an arc based battle shonen that features legitimate reality warping powers and a world-spanding conspiracy. Not to mention the fact that the first fifteen or so odd chapters of Medaka are by far the weakest and most bereft of an engaging plot or characters. 

It is until we actually get into the action that NISIOISIN starts pulling out the strange ideas and characters that he is known for.

Medaka Box follows somewhat strange arc structures that tend to have odd anti-climaxes as well as plot developments that service the thematic through-line of the arc but would generally make no sense in any traditional narrative. Arcs tend to either bleed into one another or change so jarringly that its hard to see how these two elements had anything to do with one another. Whether or not these are done on purpose is privy to the machinations of NISIOISIN’s own vision of the story.

Naturally, NISIOISIN’s predilection to very wordy exposition and monologue is to be expected as well as very obtuse explanations and psychoanalysis.

Battles in Medaka Box involve characters utilizing strange and unique special abilities that make for always interesting and varied clashes and battles even if they sometimes portray themselves as more clever than they actually are.

Although I would hesitate to call the characters of Medaka Box particularly complex, they are no doubt memorable and there are no shortage of characters introduced within the story that I would consider great and massively entertaining.

What I will say about Medaka Box is that there are certainly some really unique ideas presented within the story that I can say I have literally never seen anywhere else. In terms of density of cool shit, Medaka Box is most definitely a series that is worth a read through.

This post is a bit on the shorter side. Follow for more shitty anime opinions in the future.

#manga #anime #medaka box #anime recommendation

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Summer 2017 Anime Pre-Op 3.0+1.0 [FINALE]

The last and most anticipated part of the Summer 2017 Anime series: Anime you probably should skip.

You Should [Not] Watch

18if

No beating around the bush. 18if had what was perhaps one of the most atrocious first episodes I have ever had the displeasure of sitting through for a variety of reasons.

The foremost reason being its terrible animation and its sense of aesthetic design. I understand that the point of 18if is that it is set inside of a dream world with assumedly trippy dream visuals. However, 18if completely fails at this because these dream worlds are nothing more than an ugly mish-mash of over saturated colors and static backgrounds. This dream world lacks cohesion in any sense of the word and simply slaps together any prop or object possible under the guise that its O.K as long as its a dream.

When I think of a trippy dreamworld I think of the Witch encounters in Madoka Magica. Really, literally anything SHAFT has ever produced is crazier and more dreamy than whatever 18if is trying to achieve. This doesn’t even scratch the surface of how terribly directed this show is.

Frankly, the directing is boring as sin which wouldn’t be worth mentioning if we did not consider the type of world that 18if is trying to create. Not only is there extraordinarily limited animation, but the directing does nothing to hide it nor does it do anything to highlight the weird world that the characters are supposed to inhabit. Once again, Studio SHAFT and Akiyuki Shinbo make the directing in this show look like an absolute pile of garbage when compared to the strange, trippy, yet alluring visual direction put into even the most normal of SHAFT shows. At the very least Hand Shakers had the common decency to go all out with its visual style even if the end result looked like ass.

That isn’t to say that 18if does incorporate some weird directing techniques such as the windowed talking and the decapitation. However, they are too few and far between to be considered an artistic style whilst simultaneously not actually being in service of anything in particular. If anything, it makes the boring parts of the show look worse by comparison. It doesn’t help that this show is horribly paced and practically screams to be over within the first half.

I would talk about the character animation. If there was anything. Of course, that is to be expected from a show of this caliber.

Finally, the actual story of this show is as bad as its visual direction. Our MC is trapped within a dream world with the task of finding his way out and helping others in the process. There, he meets a strange girl and a talking cat scientist (The only tolerable character in the show). He thus fights a witch who has what may be the most cliched and boring backstory of all time before helping her ‘wake up’ I guess. If you can’t tell I’m having a hard time summoning excitement for this show. 

Our plucky protagonist is of course the most cookie cutter, do-it-all nice guy with absolutely nothing interesting in his personality, design, or ethos that we have all come to abhor. Of course her helps that poor girl and of course he has witty banter with the cat guy. It’s almost astonishing how fast he comes to turn with his situation after a bit of exploring. It’s also astonishing how he constantly flip flops between confused kid to quipping ‘couldn’t even care less’ hardass. It’s almost as if the writers didn’t put any actual thought to his character or than the fact that he is the vehicle for their stupid story.

I could on and on about this abomination of a production but for the sake of this post I’m cutting it off here. Don’t watch this show. Just don’t.

Hajimete no Gal

Hajimete no Gal is the newest iteration of the ‘gal girl’ genre that has proliferated in anime and manga over the past couple of years. 

Unfortunately, HnG is no Galko or Gal Gohan. From what the first two episodes tell us about this series is that it is another harem rom-com with the main gimmick being that our MC believes that our main heroine is sluttier than she actually is. What I will give it credit for is having the MC and main girl hook up first and let the development happen later. Even if this type of development is not entirely original or unique in the slightest, there is still a lot of untapped potential from starting off your romance like this. However, it’s rather difficult to appreciate this plot point considering the entire rest of the show surrounding it.

Simply put, Hajimete no Gal is a dumpster fire burning through any semblance of good ideas and potential it could of had. 

What was immediately apparent to me in this show was the absolutely glacial pacing and terrible comedic timing. This first 23 min episode felt like an absolute eternity as scenes drag out much longer than the actual content of the scene allows for. By content, I mean the “humor” and the “erotica” that this show has lovingly offered to us.

HnG is painfully unfunny. Jokes stretch out much longer than is ever necessary. When you thought it was over, the characters will go on to even further explain the joke and run it into the ground. Most of the humor revolves around how disgusting of human beings the main boys are. I’ll touch on them a bit later. Needless to say, HnG recycles the same three gags and ideas in order to kill time until the ED. The strange lack of an OST in most scenes serves to make the humor weird and awkward and not in a way that was intentional or funny.

The “fanservice” of HnG is also abysmal. These fantasies not only drag on like everything else in the show, but these scenes also do the bare minimum for their intention. This show has the subtlety of a falling road roller. It thinks that just throwing tits in ass in your face is enough. And not just tits and ass. But uncomfortably close pantyshots and boobshots that do little in the way of arousal given how little the audience can actually see.

 Abject sluttiness is certainly hot for some people, but the fact that these are just fantasies also remove any element of tangible human connection to the main girl that would actually warrant special attention and attraction as the show tries to force down my throat. Outside of the dreams, HnG makes sure to place special focus on more pantyshots and boobshots as if the audience will find any of it special or arousing.

The characters in this show are boring at best and offensively bad at worst. Our MC is a wet fart whose soul purpose in life is to get laid as fast as possible. Understandable if wasn’t for the fact that he is so completely passive in his actions that he lacks any semblance of a personality outside of his libido. What more could you have expected of a lazy audience surrogate.

His friends are perhaps the worst of group of obligatory MC friends I’ve ever seen. These lovely gentlemen have literally one gag associated with each of their characters that becomes immediately old the millisecond they begin speaking. This wouldn’t be so terrible if it weren’t for the fact that they occupy so much screen time and speaking lines that by the halfway point I was already wishing for death. 

Our main girl (or should I say ‘gal’) is probably going to become a more endearing character than what this show deserves. However, it’s unlikely that she will ever reach the status of ‘good’ let alone ‘Galko’ tier given what this show has shown me. It is almost completely likely that she will end up as the pure maiden with the heart of gold that this show makes apparent in its premise alone.

Special shout out to the harem members showed off in the first episode that will inevitably lose as tradition dictates. So don;t get too attached.

The animation being featured in this show is mediocre to just bad. Set design and background art is bland school and city design whilst the colors are nothing special. The character art and animation is sub-par. It all looks terrible. As already mentioned, HnG rarely incorporates a backing track making the overall atmosphere and tone of the show strange and unappealing.

After all this shit I’ve talked about Hajimete no Gal, I can’t say 100% say its a complete lost cause yet. The second episode actually had jokes. It had jokes! Three exactly. Exactly three jokes that had good comedic timing and made me smile a bit. A good improvement over the zero jokes the first episode had. I will begrudgingly maintain that HnG can become a halfway decent rom-com if it actually starts exploring the romantic elements of its premise starting literally right now.

But if you aren’t an M like me, I would suggest giving this show a pass for the time being.

In Another World with my Smartphone

If there is one thing I appreciate about this show, it is how brazenly this show embraces all of the tired and universally despised elements of the isekai genre and how it rolls it all into one show.

The absolute worst thing that I can say about this show is how completely dull and boring the thing is. It immediately abandons the central conceit of the show: the smartphone and instead just has the MC be broken OP in every stat from the start. The show then just proceeds to be the worst and most egregious stereotype of all isekais to date. 

The MC has the most basic template personality of all time. The girls are nothing more than generic anime girls taken directly from a concept art page.

The animation and music is below average. This entire show is completely below average. The only positive that I can give this show is that it is not offensively bad. It didn’t make me want to kill myself like 18if and HnG did.

I think that it is in your best interest to just skip this show.

Knight’s and Magic

Knight’s and Magic packs what seems to be three entire episodes of content in a single episode. I think that it is a bit unfair to put Knight’s and Magic on the same playing field as the other three shows in this list. However, I still believe that this is still a completely lackluster series on the whole.

I actually quite liked the opening scene set in the real world. There was interesting shot composition and aspect ratio tricks. It also served to effectively characterize the MC and the type of person he is non verbally.

However, the rest of the episode goes on to have our disturbingly obsessive MC be put into the mind of a normal child (What the hell happened to this child’s actual soul anyway?) and then go on to be the most brilliant son of a bitch who ever lived. The show fast forwards through his child’s entire training and introduces the friends and rivals he meets via narrator. I can’t fault the show for trying to get past all the boring set up for the show, but it still feels rushed and unnatural. Thankfully, it seems that this show is going to be slowing down as indicated by the end of the first episode.

I also somewhat appreciate how the MC doesn’t have any innate talent other than his autistic obsession with mecha and his ability to hyper focus on studying and learning magic. He is clearly supposed to be the smart character who can outwit his opponent. That being said, our MC is not all that interesting on his own outside of his capacity to learn and do cool shit. The other characters aren’t anything interesting either.

The animation is O.K but not particularly unique or that interesting. If Knight’s and Magic is your type of show, I would recommend at least trying to check it out. However, I can’t in good conscience give it a bonified recommendation. 

I think that will conclude the series of the Summer Anime 2017 Preview. Look forward to more anime and manga posts in the future. Thanks for reading!

#summer anime #summer anime 2017 #summer anime season 2017 #18if #hajimete no gal #hajimete no gyaru #knights and magic #isekai wa smartphone to tomo ni #in another world with my smartphone #my first girlfriend is a gal

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Summer 2017 Anime Pre-Op (Chapter 3)

It continues! We press on and go over even more summer anime that I feel are worth a try. This part will go over the anime that I may not have loved personally but I think some people out there will no doubt appreciate. Let’s jump in!

Consider it!

Koi to Uso (Love and Lies)

Koi to Uso is a romance anime that I actually enjoy quite a bit. It takes an outlandish premise (The Red String of Science) and tries to create a romance story out of it. What a lot people will appreciate about it is that it immediately begins with the formation of a relationship and simply goes from there. I feel that many people are burned out on the infinitely stretched out ‘will they or won’t they’ seen in anime.

However, Koi to Uo is filled with as much melodrama and relationship angst you would expect to find in such a premise. And this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If this type of writing annoys you, there isn’t much in Koi to Uso that one could enjoy. However, if you can connect with the characters as I have then there’s definitely a story to be enjoyed. What like about Koi to Uso is that the emotions being presented seem very genuine and having the main couple being literally against the world helps the audience to root for them.

The animation isn’t anything to write home about. Some people might also be turned off by how large the eyes are. I hold the opinion that the characters are pretty cute and Kana Hanezawa’s performance as Misaki is particularly cute and adorable.

If you’re into romance, Koi to Uso may yet hold something for you!

Aho Girl

Aho Girl is the frenetic comedy series that boasts a level of energy I haven’t seen in a long time. What I find very charming about Aho Girl is how completely insane everything is at all times. Even if the jokes aren’t really that clever, it’s the level of enthusiasm that they are delivered that always manages to elicit a smile out of me.

I have to give massive props to Aoi Yukki’s performance as the titular Aho as she just goes all in all the time to really sell the energy and idiocy of the main character. The other characters also bring their A-game to really up the ante on the over top slapstick and comedy. I’m really not exaggerating the level of energy here.

The animation is actually really expressive and complements the slapstick really well. Although Aho Girl may not be as insane or good looking as Nichijou, It is a surprisingly enjoyable experience that will most definitely appeal to all those comedy fans out there.

Isekai Shokudou

Over the last couple of years, the amount of food and cooking related anime has increased exponentially. For all the cooking experts and foodies, this has undoubtedly been a good thing. Isekai Shokudou is one of the more relaxed or ‘comfy’ cooking shows that aims to explore the intersection of fantasy and food. A lot of the enjoyment from the show comes from the little moments involving all of these diverse strangers and fantasy denizens bonding over food.

Moreover, Isekai Shokudou explores the idea of food being the universal language that helps to bridge cultures and people. Even if the people featured in this show are from literally different worlds, they are capable of bonding with each other over food. Isekai Shokudou also presents a medium to explore the stories and backgrounds of these fantasy characters and how these experiences can influence their culinary tastes and interactions.

The art direction in the show is worth praising for how it highlights just how delicious the food looks. I also have to praise the warm and earthy lighting being used that produces a nice, homely feel to the aesthetic that contributes to the laid back and relaxed atmosphere of the show. This show is a must watch for all the cooking enthusiasts out there. 

Youkai Apartment

Youkai Apartment is a mix of the apartment life and supernatural SOL anime that have always been floating around since the beginning of time. As with many SOL (Slice of Life) anime, Youkai Apartment is the relaxed exploration of all of these exotic characters and youkai in the vein of a Natsume Yuujinchou. In addition, it also serves as an apartment life anime such as Kawaii Complex and Sakurasou. 

Although Youkai Apartment may not be changing the game in the SOL genre, Youkai Apartment no doubt presents a likable cast of characters who have good chemistry with each other. If you are a slice of life guy, Youkai Apartment may be the show for you!

Classroom of the Elite

Classroom of the Elite is a very particular type of high school anime that centers around the ruthless competition between students. Although I can’t think of many shows off the top of my head that follow this exact premise, I feel that I have most definitely experienced this type of show before.

Classroom of the Elite is most definitely not a show for everyone as there is most definitely a subset of the anime community that vehemently hates the credence and attitude of this show. This show most definitely thinks fairly highly of itself to an extent. Reminds me of Oregairu to an extent.

However, I will say that the characters are at least interesting with an air of mystery surrounding why they act the way they do. I also appreciate the little details and numbers included the show that help flesh out the setting and world of this crazy school.

Check it out if you can buy into the flow and style of this show. 

Stay tuned for the thrilling finale: Summer anime that you should skip.

#anime #summer anime #summer anime 2017 #summer anime season 2017 #koi to uso #love and lies #aho girl #isekai shokudou #restaurant to another world #youkai apartment no yuuga na nichijou #classroom of the elite

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Summer 2017 Anime Pre-Op (ACT 2)

Even more of the summer 2017 worth checking out. Although they might not have the universal appeal or amazing quality I think the anime featured in Part 1 featured, these shows are still pretty excellent in my opinion.

Good shit you should check out

Gamers!

A bit of an oddball choice. What appears to be the most generic high school club anime out there is privy to one of, in my opinion, the funniest and most enjoyable experiences I’ve seen in a while.

Gamers! has the unfortunate stigma of being what seems to a be a dime a dozen school club anime that presents the club subject gimmick before inevitably becoming the rom-com it was truly hiding all along. And Gamers! fits this standard perfectly. It’s not that this particular subject matter is special in anyway nor is it that the characters are revolutionary departures from the traditional members of a club anime. What makes Gamers! enjoyable is the impeccable direction.

What I appreciate about Gamers! is that it fires off jokes at a rapid fire pace. Just joke after gag after slapstick in quick succession. No need for that extended anime comedy explanation! If there’s anything that Gamers! does right, it is its excellent comedic timing and expressive character animation that helps sell the humor. Gamers! also does fake-out twists very well as well. Striking and memorable visual gags also help to enhance the humor such as the pop up text and our MC bursting into flames or the extended shot of the classroom at the beginning of the episode.

The show also looks pretty nice as well with very colorful character and background design as well as well defined character acting and animation. Overall, Gamers! is one of the most well rounded and hilarious comedy anime I’ve seen in a long time.

Kakegurui

Do you like crazy bitches? Do you like gambling? I think the answer for most people would surely be yes. As so, Kakegurui is the show for you.

In a crazy high school setting that could only exist in anime, gambling determines your intrinsic value as a human being as these students are literally gambling with hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars. In the vein of Kaiji, Kakegurui is a high stakes gambling show where the characters are engaged in a deranged duel of wits and treachery to completely ruin the other person. 

Well thought out schemes and scenarios help keep the viewer interested in what’s going on on screen. Have the players, or more specifically Yumeko, operate a step beyond the viewer instead of along side us helps keep the action engaging and us guessing on how Yumeko is going to go ABSOLUTE MADWOMAN to best her opponents.

I can’t understate how great the directing is in emphasizing this insanity. In the vein of Tetsuo Araki projects, frenetic, dynamic camera movement along with choice hyper detail and and close ups really up the intensity of the matches. The characters have their faces distorted with insanity and malice and Yumeko herself becomes one of the most intimidating (And extraordinarily sexy) characters I’ve seen in recent history. The very bold colors present in these scenes go further to add to the mayhem.

Needless to say, Kakegurui is ready to take us on a journey we aren’t prepared to undergo.

Fastest Finger First

This pick is a bit of a self-serving one. There are few things that I love more about anime than the unconventional sports shows. I’m talking about Chihayafuru (Karuta), Ping Pong the Animation (Self explanatory), Gundam Build Fighters (Which isn’t even real!), Welcome to the Ballroom (Ballroom dancing), and Yuri on Ice!! (Ice skating). This show is literally about competitive quiz bowls and academic decathlons. And it’s sick.

Perhaps my love for this type of show stems from the joy of just learning about new sports and all of its intricacies. There’s always something fun about learning about this completely foreign world with the MC and meeting all of the people who care really deeply about their sport. Maybe its the unadulterated passion that all of the characters express for something that most people would consider trivial (Get it?) that is inspiring and fills me with the good feels. Its always easy to get swept up in the rush of the competition and adrenaline in sports anime.

That being said, Fastest Finger First is a fairly straightforward sports narrative with our MC is somewhat unwillingly thrust into the world of competitive quiz bowls. Don’t expect anything different from a really enjoyable sports story with nice character animation and cool visual metaphors and motifs.

New Game!!

Second season of the very excellent New Game!. Its pretty self explanatory that we are guaranteed more cute hijinks with are favorite group of artists and programmers as they try to make it in the games industry. Also look forward to more yuribait in your near future.

Expect more excellent character animation from trusty Doga Kobo as well as brilliant colorful design in the very memorable Eagle Jump Office.

The OP and ED are also excellent and communicate a a lot about what this show is all about: Great characters doing Great things.

I think that wraps up ACT 2. Chapter 3 is coming soon to cover even more anime that you can consider sampling even if I might not have liked them as much as some of the previous entries on this list.

#anime #summer anime #summer anime 2017 #summer anime season 2017 #gamers #kakegurui #fastest finger first #new game #new game!

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Summer 2017 Anime Pre-Op (Part 1)

The diagnoses is in.

MUST WATCH

Made in Abyss 

Made in Abyss’s first two episodes posits one of the most engaging fantasy stories I’ve seen in recent years. MB revolves around the titular phenomenon known as the Abyss, a massive hole in the ground that is privy to what appears to be the remains of an ancient civilization, strange and dangerous creatures, and secrets yet unseen.

What is the most striking aspect of MB is it’s attention to detail in crafting the story and civilization surrounding the abyss. Most fantasy anime rely heavy on the tried tropes of JRPG fantasy and lazily expect the viewer to accept this fact. These worlds are haphazardly slapped together with no regards to cohesion or immersion. MB, on the other hand, builds its society with special attention to their fascination with the abyss. Architecture is built with verticality in mind as shown with the Explorers’ classroom and with the high vaulted ceilings. In addition, the directing places emphasizes verticality in many shots.

Adventurers’ are divided by whistle colors to indicate skill and experience. The guild trains orphans in art of exploring and this society actively encourages their training due to their sheer fascination with the abyss. Much like the Gold Rush, all citizens present in this society celebrate the Abyss as evident by their various festivals and celebrations involving the explorers. Such attention to detail is invaluable to building such an immersive and believable world in such a short amount of time.

Having the protagonists of the story be children also furthers the sense of curiosity (and perhaps later the sense of fear and unease whilst in the Abyss). It also presents a nice way to kick start the story to explore deeper into the depths.

The animation and directing is astounding with the rich background and set design as well as the creative shot compositions that place special emphasis on verticality and environmental storytelling.

I have extraordinarily high hopes for this series and look forward to the episodes to come.

Welcome to the Ballroom

There isn’t much to say. Welcome to the Ballroom is perhaps one of the most hyped new shows of the season for good reason. Production I.G and Haikyuu team are aiming to make one of the most visually demanding sports put to motion and many have placed their faith in I.G to bring their A game as they did with Kuroko’s Basketball and Haikyuu!!.

It should be noted that despite the hype around it, Welcome to the Ballroom is a very straightforward sports narrative at heart and this series embraces this fact. So don’t try to expect some new or experimental narrative structure outside of what has already been shown.

However, feel free to get excited about what’s going on on screen because we are in for a wild and beautiful ride.

Princess Principal

This is an odd choice for this part of the list. What I really appreciate about Princess Principal is how it is a new, original concept and production being spearheaded by Studio 3Hz. Not only are original anime are rarer nowadays in the industry, but this is the second original anime from the studio that debuted with the highly ambitious and risky anime that was Flip Flappers. Needless to say, I am completely fascinated with this studio and I am excited to see how they can shake up the game.

On to the actual show itself, Princess Principal has also surprised me in how well realized it is. Although the premise of the show invites negative stereotypes about CGDCT, Princess Principal has postured a surprisingly stark spy narrative that plays itself straight and doesn’t question anything. It immediately gets past all the jokes and goes straight into the political action.

The first and second episodes present two intricate and self contained story lines that are tightly woven spy thriller missions that manage to be entertaining on their own right while also furthering our understanding of the world around them. Unlike a certain Joker Game, which both beat the audience over the head with exposition and managed to be dreadfully boring, Princess Principal expects us to keep up with it; thereby allowing itself to fit in way more cool and interesting ideas and developments into its short 22 minute run time.

There is only one problem that I have with the show, and that I think its production is slightly too ambitious for its own good. Bear in mind, I think that Princess Principal looks fantastic most of the time with well choreographed action and expressive character animation. However, some of the backgrounds don’t blend well with the characters. For example, the scene with the girls talking in the garden straight up looks bad. Also, the CG effects are a bit heavy handed at times. Hopefully, PP irons out these issues as the production moves forward.

As always, I have high hopes for this show and I look forward to the story it is aiming to create.

That wraps up Part 1. Part 2 will cover even more anime worth watching so stay tuned!

#made in abyss #welcome to the ballroom #princess principal #summer anime #anime #summer anime season 2017 #summer anime 2017

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Boruto: The True Next Generation

(SPOILERS INBOUND) 

The sequel we never thought we needed.

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations has (surprisingly) lived up to its name as the true “next generation of Naruto”.

Take that as you will.

However, what I can tell you is that BORUTO, in its first arc, establishes itself to be an enjoyable slice of life/ mystery romp that introduces and explores a new cast of lovable, colorful characters that manage not to be cheap knock-offs of their parents. In addition, BORUTO takes the establishes characters of prior years and builds on them in new and interesting ways. BORUTO isn’t just riding the coattails of NARUTO but rather comes into its own place of belonging.

THE FOUNDATION CONSPIRACY

The first arc of BORUTO comprises of an episodic SOL that introduces the next of generation of ninjas fighting in the hidden leaf while also slowly building a monster-of-the week mystery. Although this combination can result in neither of these two aspects being as good as they could be (see LWA), BORUTO makes it work by having the weekly bouts be opportunities to explore the troubles of characters and to result in tangible character development. Ultimately, I believe that this approach to the execution justified both the character exploration as well as the overarching narrative by intrinsically whilst not explicitly tying the two together.

I feel that this is better than the approach that LWA took to its overarching narrative as character development felt more incidental than earned. Akko’s development, although logically sound, felt at times in service of the explicit narrative (Words) rather than when Akko herself needed to develop.

Enough about that and back to BORUTO. BORUTO’s first arc feels clean and concise. When I myself started feeling that there wasn’t much room left for weekly mysteries the series quickly catches on and escalates towaard the climax, resulting in a reveal that was legitimately surprising.

(AGAIN, SPOILERS)

The innocent class rep, side character extraordinaire, being the main baddie was actually a surprising twist that, in retrospect, made sense. Now, I am not suggesting that there was any grand foreshadowing within the show but it was rather that BORUTO kept the early episodes free of any contradictions whilst also beginning to drop small hints after episode 10. It may not be brilliant writing, but it sure as hell works.

The battle that ensues felt thought out. The adults in the scenario carefully analyze the situation and proceed with both caution and poise. Sumire is given a surprisingly poignant backstory that ties back into the remaining darkness left in the village. Boruto, unsurprisingly, talks both Mitsuki and Sumire out of doing anything rash and ultimately saves the day. 

Such as to be expected from the new generation of Naruto.

However, it would be unfair to call the resolution another case of the patented NARUTO “talk-no-jutsu” when you consider that Sumire is a literal child forced by her father to become a terrorist. If we consider how Nagato literally nuked Konoha and killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians and Naruto still found it in his heart to forgive him, Sumire is literally nothing in comparison.

The arc ends on a positive note and ties up many of the loose ends presented in the story. 

THE NEXT GENERATION

By far the strongest aspect of this first set of episodes is the characters presented within the narrative.

Perhaps the best part of BORUTO is how it establishes an entirely new cast of characters that feel more than what their designs indicate. An unattentive viewer would simply dismiss the new academy class as just recolored versions of the original cast of NARUTO. However, every character has a unique personality not indicative of her design. Every character is given a lot screen time with other characters which helps to flesh out their interpersonal relationships and how they react to others.

Additionally, I adore how old, established characters are given new dimensions that are explored in the series. Unlike a Dragonball Z in which Goku and the old gang were relatively the same except for appearance, Naruto and Shino are almost completely new characters.

Naruto is now ninja president working tirelessly within an old bureaucracy that has obviously failed to keep up with 50 years of technological and urban advancement compressed into 20 years. This has put a noticeable strain on his relationship with his family; a family that he never knew growing up. Yet, like always, Naruto refuses to throw in the towel and toils his sanity away basically 24 hours a day (technically more given how his clones also are working simultaneously). He has become a much calmer and responsible adult in comparison to his boisterous old self.

Shino on the other hand, is now a teacher who is grappling with his own weakness as an educator. What was formally the most stoic character of the Konoha 12 has now matured to a clumsy professor just trying his best to keep up with his students and sometimes failing. This 180 accompanied with actual character development on Shino’s part is so well accomplished and it serves as an actual reward for sticking with his character throughout all of NARUTO.

Boruto, in addition, surprised me in how likable he actually appeared to be. His frustration with his father presents a nice contrast to how emotionally starved Naruto was in the beginning of the manga. Also, Boruto is seemingly much more talented and charismatic than how Naruto was yet he still struggles with trying to always do the best thing possible and to save everyone. Yet the show makes abundantly clear that Boruto is still a kid. The episode that showed Boruto being a chuuni for his favorite actor did a great job as depicting him as his age.

Of course, for a lot of people, Sumire was the star of the final battle. As already discussed earlier, Sumire’s turning was rather unexpected yet a fitting way to spice up the ending of this arc by having this seemingly “moe” character become the big bad for the arc. There really isn’t a lot that I could say about Sumire that hasn’t already been said but I hope to see more of her in the future.

ANIMATION AND MUSIC

BORUTO has managed to sustain fairly decent animation quality for what seems to be a long form production. I like the aesthetic and detail put into the village as well as the softer color tones used to reduce contrast between the characters and their surroundings. It gives it a nice, homely feel to the story that fits the tone of the more lighthearted start of this series.

Although there are a few less than polished and stiff moments in a couple episodes, the series makes up for it with some choice cuts of sakuga that highlight the great martial arts and action directing being showcased.

Although there have been doubts surrounding whether BORUTO can uphold this standard of quality, I don’t think that it is entirely impossible. Studio Pierrot is well experienced with handling long form series and series such as Hunter X Hunter (2011) managed to maintain exceptional animation quality for 148 episodes.

The soundtrack isn’t much to write home about. However, the OP by Baton Road is amazingly catchy and fits the tone of this early section of BORUTO perfectly. I love the color usage and dynamic credits courtesy of the man behind the Bleach OPs.

CONCLUSION

This first cour of BORUTO has proven itself to live up to its name by building on the world, story, and characters of NARUTO in new and constructive ways. I have high expectations for BORUTO in the coming arcs especially since we have Sarada Gaiden coming up soon (Be prepared for the shitstorm).

(What I hope Boruto doesn’t become)

#boruto #naruto

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Missiles, Magic, and Merriment (LWA TV)

The broomride has come to an end.

Studio TRIGGER’s beloved child Little Witch Academia has finished its TV run time and I think it’s high time to take a closer look at the finished product and to finally answer, “Did it live up to the hype?”

Trick Question! Little Witch Academia simultaneously was exactly what everyone expected it to be yet something completely different as well. There is no clear answer to whether or not it lived up to the hype as it carved out a path for itself. What I mean by this is that LWA TV operates exclusively at its own pace and with its own ambition. Great for the creative team!

Yet, it is also worth examining the areas where I think that LWA TV falls a bit short and where I feel that the team lost their way a bit. Instances where a bit of audience influence may have stood to improve the show.

Without further ado, let’s begin!

“Well, I guess this is happening...”

What is probably the most contentious aspect of this television series comes from its balance of the more episodic aspects of the series with the overarching plot line. On one side you have the people who wanted 26 standalone episodic stories as was the case with the two OVAs that preceded it. On the other hand, different people wanted one epic continuous story from the get go as a chance for the creative team at TRIGGER to truly make the definitive Little Witch Academia experience.

TRIGGER takes what is arguably the smart approach and begins the series episodically for the first half before slowly integrating the Croix elements into mixture. By doing so, TRIGGER simultaneously pleases and pisses off both sides of the camp. In all honesty, I think it was the correct decision.

It somewhat unites your fanbase and creates what is arguably a more natural story with equal parts comfy and equal parts engaging. Academy hi jinks were to be expected because it would be a shame if the team at TRIGGER didn’t take this much airtime to cram in as many scenarios, one offs, and stories as physically possible whilst still having the plotline and Akko’s development be driven by something bigger. 

However, I am not sure if TRIGGER completely sticks the landing.

Particularly, the premise of reviving the World Tree for this seemingly random entity in order to restore the power of magic to the world felt underwhelming when put into practice. For such a lofty and retrospectively (As shown through Chariot’s flashback) demanding goal, the series goes into little depth about what this even entails (So much so that some suspected it was a trap) nor does it place enough dramatic weight upon its implications initially to even make it seem like a big deal at all. Moreover, I just feel that Woodward (?) as an entity is dreadfully boring and seems to be more of a plot device and exposition dump than anything else. She simply tasks Akko with finding the words and explains no further than that.

If it seems like I’m harping too much on this one non consequential aspect of the show too much you would be correct. However, I truly feel that the narrative stakes and backbone of the entire show is just weak and makes the overarching narrative weaker as a result.

The actual search for the words is a mixed bag like the episodic portions of the story. And that isn’t particularly a good thing. The fact that the inclusion of the words did almost nothing to the nature of the episodes and how events played out just tells me that the whole search is largely pointless. Akko does not undergo some grand physical or spiritual journey to find the words. Rather, she just continues to react to what is happening around her and the words just spring forth when times get tough. Yes, there is a little maturation and development on Akko’s part, but not enough to feel meaningful.

I suppose its time to talk about Croix’s influence on the narrative. As an antagonist, I also feel she isn’t particularly interesting. Throughout most of her screen time, all she really accomplishes is that she signals to the audience that “Oh, something bad is about to happen”. Outside of her role as an antagonist, she does very little to make it seem like she’s an actual person and not a walking plot device with a sad backstory. We know absolutely nothing about her and the person she is outside of what is immediately relevant to the events happening on screen.

While on the topic of Croix, I think its time to take a look at our lovely ensemble cast.

The Wonderful Witches of Oz

One thing that I can not fault the show in any way would be the simple yet incredibly likable cast of characters presented in the show. 

Although these characters may not be particularly multi-faceted or traditionally “deep”, these characters work extraordinarily well together as a group of friends.

In addition, I feel that the characters that did need the development such as Akko and Diana got the development they needed to function as the main characters. Although it was indeed slow and rather expected, I felt that it worked as intended and it made perfect sense. Chariot’s development, while irritating at times, was fine for the most part in the context of the series.

Akko as a protagonist, whilst not anything special, was functionary as a likable protagonist that had a singular goal that she worked tirelessly towards for the entirety of the series. By having this one singular, albeit a bit vague, goal, she is much easier it to root for her than if she had no idea of what she wanted to do. Yes, Akko fails and fails time and time again but she learns from it almost every time.

Diana, on the other hand, was a troubled child who, although smart and talented, suppressed her ‘childish’ ideals about magic and tricked herself into becoming a hard-ass. It is not until Akko shows her that it is possible to embrace these dreams and to grow from it that Diana slowly comes to accept herself and take her fate into her own hands. From then on, she serves as a crucial support for Akko in Akko’s time of need in the last arc of the series. Honestly, Diana’s development was by far the most hearwarming and well done in the series to me.

Chariot, on the other hand, serves as my least favorite character and arc in the series. Her development consists of her always putting off coming clean with her sins until it gets to a point where she is literally forced to confess only to be beaten to the punch. Even if it makes sense, it makes Chariot much harder to root for because she did not take an active role in her development and was only reacting to the things that were happening in the plot. If the point was to paint Chariot as a tragic character, it doesn’t really work because it is not fate conspiring to ruin her but she herself for no particular reason.

Andrew is probably the most perplexing character. He gets a very large share of screentime for apparently not doing very much during the course of the story. There was a romance subplot somewhere in there but it never went anywhere. In addition

I already said my part about Croix and the other characters, while fun, are not deep anything to warrant a whole lot of analysis other than that they work well together as a group of friends.

Sakuga and Salamanders

The animation of LWA was a bit disappointing when compared to both the OVAs as well as past TRIGGER works. 

Although I really like the art design of the school and characters, I felt that some of the color design, namely the blue filter at the academy, got a bit tiring after a while. In addition, although there are episodes with phenomenal animation like the Sucy episode, the Broom episode, and the finale (Both storyboarded partly by Imaishi), for the most part, they are simply okay.

It’s a shame that the production was not as consistent as I would like but the show by no means looks bad.

The original orchestral music works at times. Once, again, I feel that there wasn’t enough variety in the soundtrack to make it particularly goo. There was exactly one song that played during the emotional moments and didn’t even feel that it was that good of a song. Again, its not a big deal but it was something that bothered me.

Final Thoughts

Little Witch Academia is a good show. It really is. I just think that there was some wasted potential in the show and some rough edges.

I feel that if the team at TRIGGER spent a bit more time polishing the show and tightening up the plot elements to make it more cohesive and exciting, I think that LWA could have been absolutely magical. If we get a second season, then I would hope they take this to heart.

#little witch academia #lwa #anime

[rallyanime-blog]

The Spring 2017 Leftover List

Also known as my commitment issues regarding Taiwanese hieroglyphs.

Now that the spring anime season is well underway (more than halfway done) I would like to take the time to rationalize why I watched the shows I did and dropped the anime I did. This will be Part 1 of the list. This list will feature some of the spring anime I dropped over the course of the season and why I dropped it.

This post is not meant to make the fans of this show feel bad for liking this. On the contrary, this part will include the shows that I don’t consider to be particularly bad but rather the shows that I personally wasn’t invested into.

No time to waste. Let us get into it.

Tsukigakirei

My initial thoughts on the show are outlined in my post on the first three episodes. I still maintain everything I said about the show from where I stopped around episode 6 or so.

I think the reason that I stopped watching was that I felt I didn’t need to keep watching from where I stopped. Tsukigakirei wears its heart on its sleeve which is probably its greatest asset. The characters feel genuine and the scenarios are grounded in reality. Yet, this is probably what led to me dropping the show.

I feel that I’ve gotten the point already. Tsukigakirei is stuck between a rock and a hard place. 

Option one is that it continues like how I expect it will go and end the story tidily. It most certainly will be a pleasant experience. But pleasantness for pleasantness’s sake only works if the show is extraordinarily pleasant. Unfortunately for me, I can’t say that I have a strong enough affinity for the characters because they are too normal. 

I know. It sounds stupid.

What I mean is that I don’t find anything particularly remarkable or deeply empathetic within the characters that occupy a seemingly character-driven show. Their pursuit of romance is simply not ambitious enough for me to care. Pleasantness for pleasantness’s sake.

The second option is that they introduce some twists and surprises into the story. Except that the romance is the only plot line that matters. And introducing surprises into the romance is just frustrating and grating. 

Either way, I can’t see myself getting excited for Tsukigakirei. Its shown all its cards.

It doesn’t help that I feel the art and animation is mediocre. Specifically, I feel that the facial expressions aren’t very expressive and kind of seem a bit boring.

For now, I can’t see myself picking Tsukigakirei back up.

Sakura Quest

Sakura Quest is a very charming show. In the vein of many P.A Works shows, Sakura Quest is one of this somewhat niche genre of pastoral, country stories that may or may not serve as tourism advertisements for their respective locations. Think Hanasaku Iroha.

As expected, the main cast is a group of slightly cynical yet optimistic young women who are joined in their shared ambition to bring life to the land of the Chupacabra.

Each episode presents the characters facing a new challenge in attracting tourism and maintaining their quiet town. In the vein of Shirobako, the characters are working towards a tangible goal that discounts this show from the iyashikei or general slice of life aspects that normally occupy these stories set in the country.

The characters have acceptable chemistry and they are all unique entities that have decipherable personalities and motivations; joined together in their efforts to save the town.

The only complaint I can leverage against Sakura Quest is that I was never personally invested with the girls’ desire to save the town. Maybe it was the complete apathy amongst the rest of the town aside from grumpy oji-san. Maybe it was because none of the characters were very interesting or expressive.

However, in all likelihood, these types of shows just don’t necessarily appeal to me. I wish the best for Sakura Quest.

Alice and Zouroku

This is another unfair one.

Alice and Zouroku is a show extraordinarily reminiscent of an early to mid 2000s anime. The urban-supernatural setting along with the atypical protagonist help create what seems to be a show lost in time.

However, most other parts of the show seem to be mediocre at best. Animation is passable. Voice Acting is passable. Directing and Cinematography is passable. Alice and Zouroku is not a stand out show in any regard.

It is not as if I dislike this show to any particular degree. Moreover, for what it is, its quality is more than enough to stand on its own.

I guess the time I invest into watching the show is ultimately not justified in what the show gives me. It does not help that the story is not particularly engaging, interesting, or mysterious in any meaningful way.

It is what it is.

Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desu ka?

I actually have very little to say about this particular show. It is a fantasy show with the audacity to incorporate an original fantasy world not based solely on abject RPG mechanics and inside otaku references to other anime. At the very least I must give it credit for this.

The mysterious Willem is employed at a faux orphanage that trains child soldiers to become warriors capable of wielding the only weapons able to slay the monsters that wiped out the entire human race.

The show begins with the immediate declaration that this show will be a tragedy. That things will not go smoothly. I am unsure of what to make of this.

On one hand, its a great way to get the audience immediately invested into the story. In addition, it sets the stage for the overall tonality of the show of that of a dark and somber world that threatens to crush all hope and happiness. Yet, the characters still fight on in the pursuit of a better future. Its a good idea.

On the other hand, it arguably spoils the events of the story and undercuts the optimistic elements of the show as it implies a traagic ending. Of course, this action may be deliberate as to lull the audience into a false sense of danger and nihilism only to hit the viewers with an ultimately happy ending. 

Either way, it is a bold move that is yet to be put into context..

The only reason I think I dropped this show was just the lack of investment of the story. The characters are certainly likable. Just not likable enough to justify watching the rest of the show. As an aside, some of the little jokes and such are charming but not particularly funny.

However, I will applaud its efforts and I will wish it the best of luck.

And that includes Part 1 of all the anime I dropped. Part 2 coming soon.

#tsuki ga kirei #sakura quest #alice and zouroku #shuumatsu #anime #spring 2017 anime

[rallyanime-blog]

How to start a School Rom-Com

School romantic comedies are probably amongst the most divisive of all standard anime genres. Notoriously, they are regarded by the community as the ‘trashy“ or “generic” type of anime commonly being produced in the industry.

Personally, I find this sentiment to be completely unfair. I think that there is an understated amount of nuance that comes into creating a likable or enjoyable romantic comedy. 

Let us take a look at a recent manga that I feel was successful in starting a proper rom-com. 

We Can’t Study is the new romantic comedy running in Shonen Jump that replaced Niskeoi. Interestingly enough, the author of We Can’t Study was one of the assistants on Komi Naoshi’s Nisekoi and also the author of the Niskeoi spin-off Magical Patisserie Kosaki-chan.

The premise is as follows:

Yuiga Nariyuki works hard every day to obtain a full-college scholarship from his High School to support his poor family. His headmaster promises that he’ll get it if he fulfills a small condition. He has to tutor two resident female geniuses, Furuhashi Fumino (Literature-genius) and her friend Ogata Rizu (Science-genius), so that they can get into their dream-college. The catch is that Fumino wants to major in Science and Rizu wants to major in Literature despite them failing constantly in those subjects.

The synopsis is quite simple. However, what I find interesting is how this show executes this premise.

This manga begins the story by focusing on our MC and establishing his motives. Although this is rather common, it is vitally important that the MC is given something. He is doing something with his life. His ambition is clearly stated within the first ten pages and it is established that he is diligently working towards his goal.

That’s fine and all. But why? Well, it is because he comes from a poor household. His father passed away several year prior to the beginning of the story which no doubt impacted the household both emotionally as well as financially. Therefore, Yuiga takes it into his own hands to find a career and to help his family.

He is established to have given up everything to pursue his goals. In addition, he also is shown explicitly to forgo sleep in order to get his stuff done (As we will later see in his duties as a note taker and tutor to the girls).

Although both of these elements are relatively simple, both are important in characterizing the MC and making him likable. How many of these rom-coms begin with an unassuming MC who is just skating by under his irrremarkability. Here, we a man who knows what he wants out of the world and is working towards his goal. That goal is specifically the school recommendation for a full ride university grant.

However, the recommendation comes at a cost: Yuiga is to tutor two of his fellow classmates. Now, Yuiga is forced into a wacky relationship with two zany girls!

Except he is not really forced into anything.

In many similar shows, a chance encounter, a shared secret, or the recommendation of the school counselor forces the MC into the unknown world of harem MCs. However, in this series, Yuiga is given the option of whether or not he will accept the job. Now, Yuiga has already been established as an exceptionally high achieving student. Given his skill set, Yuiga could easily attend almost every university he wishes. It would just take him a bit more time or money.

But that’s the problem, it would be a detour to his ambition. He is square set on his goal so, despite how it is initially portrayed, he accepts almost immediately because it is his dream. 

Once again, We Can’t Study constantly reinforces the idea that this is a character we can root for. Having a dream is universally relatable and is critical to the likability of a character. 

In addition, it is this sense of choice and free will that is imperative. Characters being just dragged around or events being started by incidence alone is unsatisfying and somewhat weird given that we, as the audience, are meant to derive enjoyment from the suffering of the characters. Of course, it is not as if coincidence and incidental events are not absent from We Can’t Study. However, as of now, it does not seem like any major plot points are derived out of these coincidences yet and the series is mostly comedy as of the first ~15 chapters so it is not a huge deal.

Giving the characters a sense of choice in their situation is further elaborated on in the series itself. Fumino and Rizu both willingly choose to have Yuiga as their tutor because they have dreams of their own. Did I not mention that the girls in this story are also working towards their dreams as well? Both Fumino and Rizu are natural geniuses in their respective fields yet seek careers and colleges in fields they are completely garbage at. 

Both of these characters were introduced as complete natural geniuses whose talent is so great in their specific study that they don’t even have to think about doing them. Yet both find themselves tragically attracted to fields of study that interestingly represent what they lack as people. 

Rizu wants to study Psychology because her social ineptitude leaves her without many companions as well as very little skill in reading emotions and interacting in social situations. Meanwhile, Fumino wants to study Astronomy because her deceased mother also loved the stars. However, Fumino is hopelessly bad at science and astronomy. 

This is an example of extraordinary yet incredibly simple characterization of these characters. Both of the lead heroines are humanized and thus made infinitely more relatable as people. Therefore, we can more easily become invested in the wacky misadventures of these characters.

Moreover, Yuiga is particularly sensitive to the goals of these characters. In many other cases, the MC is motivated exclusively by kindness that stems from some traumatic childhood memory of his past (if anything at all). However, Yuiga connects with these characters on several levels.

For one, Yuiga understands the two from his own experiences and upbringing. He himself was a sub par student once in his life but his father always encouraged him to do better and praised Yuiga whenever he did improve (even if the improvement was going from a 3 to a 4). Therefore, Yuiga is the prime person to be invested in the story of their goals.

In addition, Yuiga is also motivated by self interest. Although this decidedly not as important as the series goes on as Yuiga deepens his relationship with the two, it is no doubt a factor in justifying his assistance,

Finally, of course he is kind. But obviously this isn’t a huge deal. Of course he is nice because we’re going to want to root for this guy. Being kind has never been not a good thing to be.

Another topic of discussion is that there is a certain sense of actual chemistry and human connection between the characters. All three of them are initially just teacher and student but they very quickly develop a friendship together. All three, despite having their own individual goals, are joined together in their shared pursuit of their dreams together. 

There is also a noticeable sense of improvement and progression innately present in the premise. Once again, there is sense of moving towards something, a goal.  It also helps that they are somewhat portrayed as underdogs who nobody thinks are capable of succeeding.

To begin wrapping up, the last point of discussion I’d like to bring up is that the girls are legitimately cute as much as they are likable. One thing that I took notice of is that these girls fill certain character cliches yet stop short of being actual cliches. Their eccentricities are not extreme in any way which makes them a better rounded whilst still maintaining their charm, quirkiness, and distinctiveness  The fact that they have ambitions automatically gives them a bit more leverage as being an actual character. 

It also interesting to note that these girls show their -dere side of their personality a lot more than what you would normally expect. This, of course, means their all the more cuter.

The art and character designs are starkly reminiscent of Nisekoi (which should be obvious considering the author). This is undoubtedly a good thing as the girls in this series are extraordinarily cute and bubbly and animated in their expressions and mannerisms. It gets my thumbs up.

I am excited to see what this series can become and I look forward to future chapters featuring these characters.

#wecantstudy #manga #shonen jump

[rallyanime-blog]

Expressive Characters make Likable Ones

When it comes to likability, much emphasis is placed on the supposed depth of characterization and how “complex” they are.

Do not mistake me, these are all unarguably great things that really makes characters seem human and more than just fictional archetypes drafted for our own amusement.

However, there is definitely an understated aspect of a character that contributes to how likable or memorable they are to an audience: their design.

In terms of character design, more is less and less is more. A simplistic character design that is both easily recognizable yet memorable does wonders to help the longevity of a series and to keep them in the head space of the audience. A classic example would be Tenga Toppa Gurren Lagann whose timeless character designs are perhaps some of the most inspiring and memorable designs to come out of anime period.

But, I feel that an understated aspect of a character’s design lies in their capacity to express emotions. Shockingly, human beings have more than a handful of emotions we are capable of feeling. Shock, disgust, joy, elation, embarrassment, etc. and every possible mix of every single emotion.

Characters capable of reflecting a diverse emotional range not only succeed in being more nuanced and well rounded characters as well as they succeed in being intrinsically more relatable to the audience.

Characters who tend to show only a few or handful of emotions without any discernible artistic or narrative justification for these misgivings are commonly known as archetypes who are usually meant to not be relatable as people but rather as ideas for the audience to indulge in.

Of course, I do not and can not say this for certain for every single character that has ever been conceived. As said before, there is usually an artistic or narrative reason for the character to be like this or to act this certain way. Sometimes, its easy to just accept that this is just how they are.

It truly is a “you’ll know it when you see it”.

Back on the topic of character designs, the apparent homogeneity of certain character expressions to convey emotions in anime was in some works limited the likability of its cast. These ‘stock reaction pictures” can be seen virtually everywhere and can damage a work by making its seem like less of a work of art and more of a streamlined product meant to elicit a basic reaction only to be tossed out.

Sometimes, its the result of a less talented artist and sometimes it truly is a shameless cash-in product banking on the collective consensus on what is ‘passable’.

Variety in character expressions and a general breadth of emotional complexity is undeniably critical in creating a series that has a life of its own whilst simultaneously is able to appeal and grip the attention of the audience.

[rallyanime-blog]

Childhood Romance and Nostalgia (Tsukigakirei 1-3)

In which two awkward middle-schoolers explore the burgeoning of adolescent fancies.

Tsukigakirei, judging from the first three episodes, is a pleasant romance-drama between two very ground characters who have difficulty looking at each other in the eye. 

The most striking part of this show seems to be the very grounded take on a usually very self-serving genre. At times, romance anime tend to work at the expense of the characters’ happiness in order to needlessly progress the story. Tsukigakirei avoids this pitfall by portraying this story through the eyes of these characters instead of as an outside observer just enjoying the spectacle of the thing.

Tsukigakirei portrays the characters in this show in an incredibly sympathetic light. The show is rooting for them. We are rooting for them. They are rooting for themselves. It is a romance in the purest form of the word.

The characters themselves play no small part in contributing to such a heartwarming story. Each act like how I would expect awkward teenagers to act. There are no face faults, comedy cutaways, and overreactions. There is minimal monologuing and the ones that do appear are certainly in character. Curly and Akane are just who kids who are experiencing what is probably their first loves. They avoid each other, but not out of contrivance but out of awkwardness. Their relationship is instead explored through their relationship through LINE.

It is actually quite clever how the show uses Japan’s text messaging service to build the relationship with this character. In context to how they are in person, the two have no trouble texting one another frequently. This makes perfect sense since, on line, they can pull out at any time and they don’t have to ever see each other’s faces. In the internet age, kids of their age are used to communicating through instant messaging.

To go into a bit more depth for the characters, what makes them human are all the little details. Akane has a potato mascot beanbag that she squeezes on for comfort and stress relief. Curly shadowboxes with his lantern pluf when hes feeling particularly hyped. Each have little personality quirks that are never explicitly brought up as symbolic but serve to give them some humanity and personality without making them caricatures or cliches. These little subtleties serve to add a lot of depth to this story.

This show is dead set on these two characters and I believe that it really shows with the rest of the characters. I understand the narrative significance of having ‘rival’ characters also interested with the main characters, but is it really necessary. I understand that these characters will serve to strengthen the two main characters’ relationships, but it still doesn’t change the fact that these rivals are still plot devices even if they are not annoyingly so. I feel that this show would benefit more from exploring other areas of dramatic tension not related to love triangles.    

However, these complaints are minor ones and the focus is still placed squarely on the two main characters established already.

The aesthetic of the show include very gentle, near broken line aesthetic in its character designs that seem to be getting popular as of late. The watercolor and light color palette creates a nostalgic and almost storybook like atmosphere that is effective in selling the romance aspect of the show. The CG isn’t great but isn’t obtrusive or particularly a big problem either.

The music serves the show well.

Tsukigakirei shows great promises and hopefully it does not squander it like the many romance stories that have come before it.

[rallyanime-blog]

The Deal with Tonal Complexity

NOTE: The following opinions have very little research research and credible evidence attached to them. These are entirely nonacademic claims meant to express a sort of thought experiment regarding the subject. These opinions are entirely my own opinions.

The concept of what I refer to as tonal complexity is loosely defined by myself to mean the following:

The degree of success a work of art is able to achieve by utilizing a very diverse set of tones and atmospheres. This success is measured by the quality of the execution performed relative to the desired degree of complexity in tone found in the work.

It is important to note that when I refer to tonal complexity I do not refer simply to the amount of various tones expressed in a work (which can be considered tonal quantity) but rather the overall success a show achieves in executing the desired range of tones.

The reason I am choosing to write about this subject is that a show with a great deal of tonal complexity are the types of shows that I tend to be attracted to. A show or book that is capable of successfully execute a wide range of tones and emotions whilst still maintaining a unified identity and character are perhaps what I value most in art.

My favorite manga of all time, March Comes in Like a Lion by Chica Umino is perhaps a good example to use for this conjecture.

What I adore about this series is that Umino is capable of dynamically altering the tone of a scene r chapter at a moment’s notice without it ever seeming abrupt or sudden. However, what is amazing about this is that Umino goes all out with each individual emotion that flares up within the pages of the book. Although there are frequent tone shifts, each tone is distinct and the art changes to reflect this.

A Depressing scene with muddled gray tones and muted colors can shift to a warm, painterly aesthetic to evoke happiness and nostalgia. A silly comedy scene with warped character models can shift to elaborate, intense visual metaphors and imagery to reflect the more abstract emotions words can not describe.

This is by no means a new or revolutionary technique but there are few series that display the tonal complexity and nuance that Umino displays whilst never ever feeling cheap or cliche.

The emotions are all very raw and genuine; not hiding behind a veneer of sarcasm or mockery (Although this is topic for discussion in another post).

This is by no means a condemnation against works that set out to be explicit tone pieces. If anything, shows like Texhnolyze or Aria the Animation I have an incredibly deep amount of respect for in the mastery it displays in its craft.

However, the truth of the matter is that I do not tend to enjoy these types of works as a whole because they display not tonal complexity but what I consider to be tonal specialization in their respective genres. It is difficult for myself to try to connect with a piece of art that is dead set on one particular emotion or feeling when everyday life often rapidly oscillates between emotions after emotions.

A more recent example would be Kuzu no Honkai, a show that tends to revel in its own misery and self-loathing that the characters fall flat in the rare instances of levity because the show fails at developing them to any meaningful complexity or degree. They are all hellbent on just hating themselves and each other.    

An example of a show that I personally believe to try and fail developing tonal complexity was Orange. I do not think this show is bad in anyway. However, I stopped watching after several episodes because it communicated to me the inability to establish any tonal complexity and instead relying on this psuedo-nostalgic and poorly executed atmosphere that simply made everything just seem boring and insignificant. Tone shifts were obvious yet muddled at the same time. The bland visuals certainly didn’t help either.

What I am trying to get at with this rambling post is that a show can very much benefit with trying to achieve greater tonal complexity, specifically those trying to take inspiration or take place in real life with real human interactions.

[rallyanime-blog]

Dragon Maids

In which Miss Kobayashi finds her answer.

Dragon Maid has, for better or for worse, been the starling of the season in no doubt because of its surface level appeal.

However, the really great thing about this show has been in the little details.

Firstly, Kyoto Animation, like always, brings their A game to deliver an anime that is spectacular on a production level. With episodes done weeks in advance in no part because of KyoAni’s exceptional production organization- the show suffers from no supposed ‘QUALITY’ with a palpable level of polish visible in the visuals.

The backgrounds in particular are a sight to behold as well as the abundant usage of flashy effects animation and visual flair utilized as for KyoAni to simply flex their muscles. The character animation is in particular excellent.

More specifically, detailed and intricate character animation bring COOL’s designs to stunning life, personifying both the bubbliness of his humor and narrative whilst also retaining a very delicate human touch to the characters. This show is absolutely brimming with character and emotion as a result. However, it is the directing that I applaud the most.

The directing this series takes can swing dramatically depending on the mood and episode director in charge of crafting this mood. Once again, KyoAni provides directors that are able to reliably depict the emotions and tone that the characters are feeling at any given moment with deft precision. Like the animation, the direction puts careful emphasis to keep the characters in the scene at the centerpiece and build upon it to craft the overall desired atmosphere. This is in no way unique to the studio as KyoAni has proven time and time again to be the masters at utilizing and mastering this style as evidenced by their past work.

I also need to mention that this show is very much a comedy show. KyoAni pulls a Nichijou/ Lucky Star and is not hesitant in the slightest to quickly cut near randomly between different gags and scenes for undetermined amounts of time in the name of comedy. Of course, like Nichijou, it works wonders to maintain a very high level of energy. I am surprised more comedies (especially ones based on 4koma) do not utilize this.

The music itself was also amazing. Moreover, I was shocked by how front and center the OST was presented at times. In some moments, it almost overtook the voice acting. It really helped to amplify the emotions being felt by the characters as well as greatly enhance the overall atmosphere of the particular scene. It helps to spur the audience’s emotions.

The voice work in this show can also not be underestimated. Each character has a distinct voice actor who really makes their personality shine. Special shout out to Mutsumi Tamara for her phenomenal work as Kobayashi herslef. 

A common theme in this post seems to be the characters. This is because Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid is exclusively a character driven narrative comedy. Although I have my reservations about some characters (as will be discussed further down) the show makes it explicitly clear that these characters are the main selling point of the story. Although I am hesitant to say that every single character is entirely unique nor complex save for a couple, it would be disingenuous to imply that they are in any way boring.

The important aspect of these characters are that in my opinion they are very distinct. Each has a simple yet recognizable design and each is equally zany and quirky. More importantly, it is their interactions with one another that truly sell their character. Each dragon is paired with a corresponding human (Poor Elma...). In addition, each dragon and each human has a different relation with atleast one other chracter in the show (Such as Kobayashi and Takiya or Tohru and Lucoua) Therefore, everyone is effectively a duo or trio in some capacity. Thus, it is somewhat unfair to take evaluate these characters on an individual scale (Except maybe for Kobayashi and Tohru)  when they are better suited to being taken as a whole.

That being said, let us take a closer look at some of the good and the bad of these dynamics.

Kobayashi, Tohru, and Kanna

The absolute heart and soul of the work. Two lesbian moms and their adoptive daughter could never before have been so endearing! Even though both Kobayashi and maybe Tohru could stand alone on their individual complexity itself, it is when they are together and with Kanna do the slight nuances of their relationship really begin to make themselves known. 

As comfy as these interactions are, they reveal to the audience a lot of their respective characters. Tohru and Kobayashi are to some degree dependent on one another and rely on each other for assistance. Kanna, as their surrogate daughter, serves a a vehicle to explore the implications of human and dragon coexistence and how Tohru and Kobayashi learn about such coexistance through the daughter they raise together. Not to mention, it is cute as hell.

Takiya and Fafnir

What I consider to be the second best relationship in the show. Much like the aforementioned trio, Takiya and Fafnir serve better as a duo whose relationship is a bit more subtle and shows a very different side to human and dragon coexistence. Their interactions are often more subtle and shorter as to to imply that although they are most likely too embarrassed/prideful to admit openly about their relationship, they most definitely make a good pair. Their less like a family and more like roommates; which is indeed a different side to the human and dragon relationship. 

Nontheless, the two indeed have each others back even if they are not quite as reliant on one another as the main trio. Although I don’t believe Takiya and Fafnir are quite fleshed out enough to stand on their own, their relationship is incredibly genuine and always an absolute pleasure to watch two bros be bros.

Lucoa and Tohru / Kobayashi and Takiya

Somewhat underrated interactions. Both of these relationships are ones of friendship and being supports to one another. Both are relationships between the same species and these types are important to have to implement a greater level of complexity to the narrative as sometimes dragons are want to seek advice from other dragons and humans to humans. Sometimes it is nice to have someone whom you can rely on outside of your immediate housing situation.

Kanna and Saikawa

The first of my small problems with the show. Kanna and Saikawa tended to unfortunately always present and end themselves the same way. Not to mention that these characters don’t really compliment each other that well. I understand that this is symbolic of the fact that dragons and humans are not pre-built to dislike one another but that doesn’t change the fact that these little comedy moments didn’t really add much for me in the long run.

Lucoa and Shouta

The second of my complaints. Like Kanna and Saikawa, Shouta and Lucoa did not do much for me. They also suffered the same fate of always falling into the same comedy shtick devoid of any furtherment of the characters. Its just the same joke (Aside from that one bean throwing bit and of course WORLD CLASS). Its just boobs my man.

Elma and ?????

Elma suffers the most from the show. Her introductory episode was legitimately hilarious and really energetic (Although it could be argued that it was just Kobayashi and Tohru that carried the show like usual). After that, however, she was just kind of there. This is in no doubt attributed to the fact that she was introduced over midway into he show and she just wasn’t allowed enough screen time to truly be given development or a good dynamic. Its just food my gal.

Aside from these, the only other improvement I could manage would be to employ a greater versatility in the character interactions. What I mean by this is to have every single character have a unique relationship with every other character in the show (ie. Lucoua had a unique with Kanna, Elma, Fafnir, Koabayshi, Takiya.. etc.).

Although this is an extraordinarly difficult feat to do in a mere 13 episodes and even then most (99.9%) shows just stick to 1-2 unique interactions for each character save for maybe the main.

However, it can be done to a damn near perfect extent (see Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun). But, I do concede that this is an unreasonable request.

The Last Episode

Damn that took a long time.

Surprisingly enough, there really isn’t much for me to say about the last episode of Maid Dragon.

What I will say is that it is a fitting conclusion that brings the character development of Kobayashi and Tohru full circle. It can not be understated how great of a character Kobayashi is. In fact, I would wager she is the best character in the whole damn show. Her subtle but meaningful growth as a person who can actually open up and rely on others is such a touching and endearing story. We, like Koboyashi, grow accustomed to the wacky everyday shenanigans of the maid dragons and begin to rely on them.

Thus, when the good times and comedy are abruptly taken away from us ala Tohru, it hits hard. Really hard. 

Although Kobayashi remains straight faced, how hurt she is can not be communicated enough. The obvious mental baggage that also makes the apartment a mess communicate more than enough to the audience that Kobayashi is deeply troubled and damaged by Tohru’s somber departure (She didn’t even say goodbye!). This is why her standing up for Tohru is so cathartic. The introverted office lady who has trouble opening up her emotions declares her absolute faith and love in Tohru. Truly breathtaking.

This is not to mention Tohru’s own arc throughout the story. Her insecurity as a dragon who can stay by Kobayashi’s side are made readily apparent in the opening minutes. This is compounded by her blind obedience to her father’s wishes and warnings.

Ultimately, it is she who must decide what she wants and carves a path out for herself. This was no doubt instigated with Kobayashi’s assistance and her finally standing up to her father to protect what she loves.

This is when the sun returns and happy times can continue (Not for the viewer sadly.

My closing thoughts on this show are that Miss Kobayashi’s Maid Dragon is a delightfully rich comedy that hides a genuinely human (ironic I know) desire to fit in yet retaining one’s self identify and carving out a future for oneself.

I look forward to both KyoAni’s future work as well as COOL’s fantastic manga.

#kobayashi

[rallyanime-blog]

A Farewell to Tanya’s Charm

In which Germany The Empire makes a critical mistake once again.

The world is quite literally all against Tanya. Actually, at this point, Tanya probably doesn’t even care about the war anymore. She’s fighting against God Being X itself.

I am not kidding when I’m saying that Tanya completely carries the show and is therefore the only reason the show is worth watching. Every other character including Visha is completely uninteresting and not at all integral to the plot. Even the generals, while not completely uninteresting, are forgettable at best.

Surprisingly enough, the war itself is actually somewhat realistically written. There are no absurd or potentially immersion breaking elements or events. This is not to say that it is particularly well written or well realized. We are fed the bare minimum of information regarding the history or semantics of the war or its technology.

This bring us back to Tanya. Tanya has shown herself to be both an incredibly interesting character as well as quite the multi-faceted personality. Beneath her scary and seemingly sociopathic slant, Tanya preserves a cold and calculating persona. Perhaps the insanity is just an act. Perhaps it truly is there, deep beneath the cold act. The great thing about Tanya is that they truly do not know. Tanya stands both as an incredibly direct and memorable persona whilst still harboring a lot of hidden depth. Aoi Yukki’s phenomenal voice work no doubt exacerbates both Tanya’s unhinged nature as well her calmer and sometimes more sardonic side.

Tanya is up against the entire world and she knows it. We know it. However, she is still willing to stubbornly fight on. Despite the bloodshed she has caused, we still can laugh with her. We can still empathize with her frustration. We can surprisingly root for her victory.

Although her design is not conventionally attractive, it communicates Tanya’s character perfectly.

Through Tanya’s eyes, the complaints I had about the show become a lot less important (Of course, they will never disappear).

The visuals in this show frankly did not impress me. Excluding occasional moments of truly exciting fight animation as well as the art direction, I would have to say that the character animation was somewhat limited. In addition, there was definitely some ugly CG thrown in there. However, there was nothing truly offensive or unforgivable.

Music was unmemorable albeit cool in the moment. The OP wasn’t as catchy as other Myth and Roid songs although still good. The ED by Aoi Yukki was absolutely incredible however.

Altogether, this show is pretty much only worth watching for Tanya herself and nothing else.

#tanya