Yearly Archives: 2016

Mob Psycho 100 – Episode 5

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Hoo boy did Mob Psycho ever hit it out of the park this week. The show’s visual execution was actually maybe a bit more conservative than usual, but that was more than made up for by this episode’s buffet of thematic meat and sharp character writing. The confrontation between Mob and Teruki turned into a bitter, mutually destructive meditation on each of their insecure positions in life, ending in tears all around. I really didn’t expect this show to be the emotional highlight of the summer, but a couple more episodes like this, and it’ll easily be one of my favorites of the year. What a ride.

You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below!

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Orange – Episode 6

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Naho’s determination to “save” Kakeru led her to spend this episode’s climactic scene prodding a clearly vulnerable friend about his feelings on his mother’s death. That wasn’t really a high point as far as Naho’s emotional sensitivity goes, but it was certainly a compelling scene in a dramatic sense. There were some wobbly bits and pieces in this episode, but also a nice scattering of excellent character bits. Orange is far from a perfect show, but it’s still a compelling character drama.

You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below!

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Planetes – Episode 11

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There is something deeply romantic about the freedom of space. Unmoored from the limitations of home, kingdom, or even gravity itself, space promises an open horizon of exploration, a new world where anyone’s potential can be realized. Space is often framed as a realm of conquest to be claimed by bold pioneers; what holds you back is not the gritty specifics of your prior life, but the reach of your spirit. If you can dream it, you can build it. If you can seek it, you can seize it.

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Why It Works: Anatomy of a Rat Fight

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I took another stab at JoJo this week, breaking down some of the genre craft stuff that made one of the recent episodes so effective. JoJo’s just a really easy show to talk about, particularly this season – it’s got a wide variety of clear strengths, and yet tends to be strong in ways that make it quite different from most anime. I’m sure I’ll find my way back to covering it again!

Why It Works: Anatomy of a Rat Fight

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

Mawaru Penguindrum – Episode 6

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There’s a strange, uncomfortable disconnect at the heart of Ringo’s mission. Of course, you don’t really need to dig very far to find her actions uncomfortable – even within this episode’s first scene, what has up until now “confined” itself to mere obsessive stalking seems to take an even darker turn. Ringo murmurs breathily about “wedding night” and “our first night together” as the camera trawls across her blue-toned room, the undersea framing echoing both Himari’s room and the general visual language of “fate.” Given their current relationship and her past actions, it seems like Ringo is overtly fantasizing about sexually assaulting Tabuki. But Ringo’s feelings are even more tangled than that.

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Planetes – Episode 10

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Secrets abound in Planetes’ tenth episode. There is one secret we know of, and that is being consciously held by Tanabe – Mr. Gigalt’s failing health, which he asked Tanabe not to share with Hachi. There is one secret who even its holder isn’t aware of: Hachi’s shifting feelings for Tanabe, a truth he is unwilling to admit to himself. And there is one new secret, the secret of Yuri’s past, which is slowly unspooled across the course of one more melancholy adventure.

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Planetarian – Episode 5

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Planetarian ended in likely the most easy way to predict, but that’s not a bad thing – it was a tightly designed narrative and it rode to a satisfying and well-earned conclusion. I even got to be surprised by how well the show pulled off a legitimate action sequence, elevating through smart plotting and sound design what it couldn’t sell entirely through animation. Looks like I can finally say I’m a fan of a Key work!

You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my final notes below.

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Summer 2016 – Week 5 in Review

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Oh god how are we already nearing the halfway point what the fuck. Soon enough we’ll be past that and entering the final stretch and I can’t even imagine how I’m gonna handle Why It Works and preview week at the same time what the fuck have I done to my life. It’s all out of my hands. I can’t hold onto it anymore. It’s slipping away and I can’t write fast enough and I need to sleep but when I sleep I fall behind and then I wake up and it’s all there again and what am I going to DOOOO.

Hey guys! Wednesday again. You know the drill. LET’S RUN ‘EM DOWN.

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Mob Psycho 100 – Episode 4

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Mob Psycho was as consistent as ever this week, offering plenty of unique visual highlights while also further exploring the sad contradiction of Mob’s character. Mob’s insecurity is the heart of this series, and the fact that we now have a foil who basically represents everything Mob cannot be is a nice complement to that. Mob Psycho is just damn good entertainment – like Love Live, it’s the kind of high-quality popcorn I’d be happy to munch on every season.

You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below!

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Shonen Hollywood, Season 2 – Review

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Shonen Hollywood is back and, well, pretty much the same as ever. Same subdued character work, same cynical edge, same pretty-much-crap visual execution. If you’re one of the five or six other people who watched the first season, you know what to expect here. Shonen Hollywood is always a fun watch, and based on the end of this season, it looks like there may be even more coming down the pipe. Who knows what minor disappointments might next await our eternally disenchanted heroes!

You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my episode notes below.

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