Author Archives: Bobduh

Why It Works: Dragon Maid’s Yamada Touch, Part One

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Today I’ve got the first of a two-parter all about Naoko Yamada’s recent episode of Dragon Maid. This one offered me the chance to do something I love doing, but only infrequently get a chance to – breaking down a massive number of visual choices made for one specific scene, exploring how all of them facilitate the sequence’s dramatic intent. Not all shows or episodes reward that kind of close look, but Yamada’s stuff and Kyoto Animation’s work in general do it all the time. Good anime are fun to talk about!

Why It Works: Dragon Maid’s Yamada Touch, Part One

Natsume’s Book of Friends – Episode 4

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Natsume’s Book of Friends got intense this episode! After three episodes of melancholy pastoral fantasy tinged with slight danger, this episode dipped directly into horror and even action territory for the first time. The results were as uneven as you might expect, but I appreciate the show branching out, and doubly appreciate an extension of the central cast. Loneliness might be one of Natsume’s fundamental themes, but Natsume doesn’t need to be lonely all the time.

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Wandering Son – Episode 8

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Wandering Son’s eighth episode is titled “Spring.” Just one episode after the fall leaves heralded Nitori’s unfortunate acne, we’ve arrived at the beginning of a new school year, a time of renewal. Once again, we open with the scenery telling the story. As the main cast discuss their new class assignments, blooming cherry blossoms signal a chance to start over, a new beginning for these awkward friends.

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Bakemonogatari – Episode 8

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Today we concluded one of Monogatari’s most famous arcs with that arc’s most famous episode. The climactic showdown between Kanbaru and Araragi was as great as ever, but unsurprisingly, I spent most of today’s writeup pouring over both Araragi’s psychological hangups here and how they reflect the series overall, as well as the larger implications of this episode’s monkey’s paw shenanigans. Fun times all around!

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

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Winter 2017 – Week 9 in Review

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The winter heavyweights were both firing on all cylinders this week. Fresh from directing what’s apparently the most perfect anime film ever, Yamada turned in what was likely Dragon Maid’s most technically accomplished episode yet. And over in Rakugo land, the final act continued in fierce fashion, as Bon struggled mightily against his own obsolescence. Seasons aren’t necessarily defined by only their best shows, but Winter ‘17’s top tier is making a strong argument in that favor. We only ever remember our favorites from any given year, anyway – even if nothing else stands out, as long as they shine bright, anime will keep. Let’s dive right into those and the other shows of the week!

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The Great Passage – Episode 1

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The Great Passage opens with an evocative shot of a ferris wheel suspended over a great sea, an expanse the narrator describes as the “vast ocean of words.” Our thoughts are imperfect instruments with no inherent vessel, and so our natural state is to be stranded on islands of misunderstanding. Words give our meaning form, and allow our thoughts to connect across this sea. And dictionaries are the ships that cross it, offering clear and sturdy definitions to master the tides.

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March comes in like a lion – Episode 20

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And so Shimada’s battle comes to an end. This episode wasn’t necessarily a full highlight, but the opening dream sequence was one of my favorite things the show’s pulled off yet, and there were plenty of other little highlights scattered throughout. I’m going to miss this focus on Shimada, but March doesn’t seem like a show that’d let a good character go to waste, so I’m sure we’ll see him again. You fought hard, Shimada. Now get some goddamn sleep.

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

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Seiren – Episode 9

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Seiren began its third arc this week, and that’s about all there is to say about it. Shoichi’s relationship with Kyoko does seem like it’ll be a bit more believable than the last two – instead of either being unconvincingly taken by Shoichi’s non-charms or the ultimate gamer girl, Kyoko has simply been friends with him forever. Their believable chemistry could easily make this Seiren’s best arc yet, but the bar has been set pretty low, so that still wouldn’t necessarily be all that impressive. Ah well.

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

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Why It Works: Tanya the Evil’s Unlikely Conscience

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I turned back to Tanya for this week’s Why It Works, exploring what was easily the show’s most unexpectedly powerful episode yet. It’s pretty tricky to make a war story that actually, successfully embodies the awful nature of war, but somehow I think the fascist loli show nailed it. Partitioning was the key – Tanya is normally a pretty fun watch, but this episode was intentionally sober and dispiriting from start to finish. It was a pretty great episode!

Why It Works: Tanya the Evil’s Unlikely Conscience

Planetes – Episode 26

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Planetes’ final episode is one long goodbye to all the people we’ve come to know. There’s virtually no conflict in this episode – as a series of arrivals and departures and long-awaited meetings, it feels more like a family reunion than a space drama. It’s bittersweet, as everything in life tends to be. It offers as much hope as a show like Planetes could hope to give.

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