Goodnight Punpun’s second volume is clammy and claustrophobic and cold. Its characters are alternately bundled in heavy winter clothes or sweating and naked beneath the sheets, suffused with a sense of spiritual isolation or simply embarrassed at the wriggling baseness of their desires. Childhood is over for Punpun, and even if it was an awkward and frightening time, it was still laced with precious, golden memories. Punpun is in middle school now. Middle school is terrible.
Monthly Archives: October 2016
Fall 2016 – First Impressions, Part Two
The avalanche continues! More shows keep tumbling out, and with yesterday providing the first genuinely impressive crop of the new season, it seems about time to take stock once more. There haven’t really been any unexpected prizes yet, but both Euphonium and Yuri on Ice had terrific premieres, so I can’t complain. Today will mark the premiere of Flip Flappers, and from there, we’ve still got a fair number of potential stars to look forward to. Looks like we’ve got an exciting season ahead of us!
A Bride’s Story, Volume 7 – Review
I returned to Bride’s Story after some time away this week, reviewing a volume that felt more or less like an intended breather after last volume’s high-stakes drama. Anis’s story was pleasant enough, but mainly just a very warm and fuzzy romance, largely conveyed through evocative floral garnishes and whatnot. It’d have been a stronger story if Anis and her avowed sister actually had some chemistry, but both of them were just too mild people for that. The manga’s art was still beautiful, but this was definitely a less compelling narrative than usual.
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my chapter notes below!
Fall 2016 – First Impressions, Part One
Anime monsoon season has arrived again, beginning with the usual torrential downpour of mediocre cartoons. The season is starting a little slow so far, but that’s really just an issue of scheduling – most of the shows I’m looking forward to have yet to premiere, and those that already have either matched or exceeded my expectations. First episodes aren’t always trustworthy, of course, particularly when it comes to animation quality, but I certainly haven’t been suffering too much!
Why It Works: A Brief Plea for Thunderbolt Fantasy
I finally got around to featuring Thunderbolt Fantasy over at Crunchyroll, just in time for the end of the season. With most of the new shows not yet airing, I figured this was a perfect time to catch up on a show that definitely deserves some recognition. Thunderbolt Fantasy was an excellent ride, and I’m happy to hear we’ve got another season on the way!
Why It Works: A Brief Plea for Thunderbolt Fantasy
Ashes and Embers in Heaven’s Feel
Alright, I’ll confess: I wasn’t able to get a meaningful distance into Heaven’s Feel. I got through all of the pre-route scenes that involved Sakura, and I had a nice long chat with Kotomine at the church, and then I got nearly murdered by Ilya, and then Rin finished me off with an interminable conversation about magical energy. All of that took several hours of clicking through, but it didn’t really accomplish anything narrative-wise – I’m still basically in the introduction phase of the route, and there’s no indication that that’s going to end any time soon.