And we’re back with more Nichijou! Last episode was a bit of a low ebb for the series – having to manage integrating Nano into the regular life of the other leads made for a somewhat uneven episode, light on jokes and awkwardly narrative-driven. Nichijou can certainly handle more sentimental material, but the demands of that episode’s structural transition were definitely felt in a variety of awkward ways. Fortunately, I assume the show will return to a stronger balance moving forward, now that Nano is already a member of the class. So let’s dispense with the doom and gloom and get right into more NICHIJOU!
Yearly Archives: 2016
Don’t Get Jaded: Cynicism in Anime
Today I’ve got a new ANN editorial for all you lovely folks! This time I’m diving deep into questions of tone and authorial voice, discussing the difference between cynical characters and cynical productions, and offering my own very predictable take on this whole mess of concepts. I had a lot of fun with this one – authorial voice is an inherently thorny and fascinating concept, and character writing is something I’ll never get tired of talking about. I hope you enjoy the piece!
Don’t Get Jaded: Cynicism in Anime
Kokoro Connect – Episode 3
Adolescent feelings continued to smash awkwardly together in the third episode of Kokoro Connect. This one opened right after the conclusion of the second, with Taichi challenging Inaba on her decision to declare his love for Iori while possessing his body. And so we got a long scene that was likely this episode’s best, but still demonstrated the extreme messiness of this production.
Sound! Euphonium – Episode 6
Sound! Euphonium had a goofy cooldown episode this week, which was reasonable enough for what it is. As I discuss at length in my review, Euphonium’s second season has consistently suffered for its adaptive nature, and so I’m not really expecting it to match the self-contained greatness of the first season. It’s messier, and the drama emerges far less naturally from the fundamentals of the narrative, and that’s just what we gotta deal with. Anime is a tricky business!
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below!
Girlish Number – Episode 5
Girlish Number seems to be experiencing some growing pains at the moment, as it expands beyond “Chitose is a jerk” to try and add some substance to the world around her. The show’s sometimes farcical tone and very simplified version of the industry can work against its attempts to add weight to its critiques, but I appreciated this episode’s attempts to tonally underline this increasingly disastrous production. It’s a messy show, but still a very interesting one.
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below.
Fall 2016 – Week 5 in Review
This was a perfectly respectable week in anime! In fact, it was more than respectable – Yuri on Ice managed to grab my interest in a way it never had before, Flip Flappers pulled off a stunning vignette that raised the bar for the show altogether, and Euphonium had possibly the best musical performance I’ve seen in anime. This season is just ridiculous, you guys – normally something like Yuri on Ice, Euphonium, or March comes in like a lion would be the bright spot in a largely weaker lineup, but this season’s crop basically starts at JoJo/Girlish Number and only goes up from there. Given I’m writing this prior to the election results, the world may literally be on fire by the time this gets posted (UPDATE: the world is literally on fire), but at least we’re going out with some pretty cool cartoons. Let’s RUN ‘EM DOWN!
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya – Review
My journey into KyoAni’s past has finally brought me to back to Haruhi Suzumiya, which was… well, not as friendly or endearing as it felt when I left it. Beyond the show itself aging like a sack of wet tomatoes in the sun, the fact is, I have aged too, and that means Haruhi herself is less enchanting than she is constantly abusive and a misery to be around. Still, it was a solidly rewarding experience running back through these episodes, seeing what things really do hold up and what things don’t work anymore. Haruhi was a pretty key show for me, so I didn’t mind stopping by to catch up.
You can check out my megasized review over at ANN, or my copious episode notes below!
Mawaru Penguindrum – Episode 11
The contradictory pull of fate guides all actions in Penguindrum’s fatalistic eleventh episode. The theme is established quickly here, as Kanba heads to the estate of the red-haired woman in pursuit of the diary. Caught in the middle of painting Kanba’s portrait, his tormentor talks of how “the canvas doesn’t lie,” and that the Kanba she paints is more honest and true than the untrustworthy Kanba of the real world. Kanba’s current nature is capricious and mercenary, but by capturing him in painting, this woman can maintain the love she once felt for him like a perversion of Dorian Grey. While Momoka’s perfection is assured because of her absence, Kanba’s current presence undercuts his meaning for this woman, and thus she creates her own version. An object of adoration’s “true form” is the form which is most meaningful to us.
March comes in like a lion – Episode 5
We finally got a full expose on Rei’s childhood this week, which was about as horrifying and suffocating as imaginable. March’s execution is still a mixed bag, beyond stuff like its uneven animation – the show just doesn’t feel confident enough to discard the parts of either its source material or SHAFT quirks that don’t work in this format/narrative. It’s still a show I’m very much enjoying, but it’s frustratingly short of the show it could be.
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below!
Why It Works: SHELTER’s Animation Genius
So yes, I technically may have used SHELTER as an excuse to ramble about Idolm@ster again. Those may ultimately be the facts as they are presented – but is that a crime you could convict me for? Could ANYONE fault me for using this clearly valid opportunity to talk about why Megumi Kouno is extremely good? I present myself to the people: let he among you who is without moe cast the first stone.
Why It Works: SHELTER’s Animation Genius
