Well now I’ve got too many damn shows. Having added two shows to the schedule, along with rewatching and writing the hell out of Bakemonogatari, means I’m actually feeling at least as overbooked as I did last season, and I don’t even have something as infinitely layered as Flip Flappers to make all my Crunchyroll articles easy. This anime gig is tough! Still, “too many good shows” is not the worst of problems, and I certainly don’t mind this season shaping up to be more respectable than anticipated. Thank you KyoAni for introducing me to my perfect dragon daughter, your charity truly knows no bounds. Let’s get right to it and RUN SOME SHOWS DOWN!
Author Archives: Bobduh
Nichijou – Episode 23
Alright, let’s get back to Nichijou! It’s been a little while since I’ve entered Nichiland, at least from my perspective – I’ve burned through half a dozen Casshern Sins since I was last in the neighborhood, for example. With only four episodes left, it’s important for me to carefully ration the remaining Nichijous for the sake of my own emotional stability. A world where there are no more Nichijous is significantly darker than the alternative, but I actually have to watch these Nichijous to get any advantage out of them, so ultimately it’s tough all over. That’s why I gotta savor this exact moment, right before I chomp through another precious episode.
Mmmmmmmm… yeah. Alright. That’s some good savoring. LET’S NICHIJOU!
Why It Works: Saga of Tanya the Evil’s Snappy Cuts
Yep, Tanya gets a Why It Works. Before ACCA, before Maidragon, before Rakugo, here’s the friggin’ fascist loli show getting top billing. What can I say – Tanya is a well-constructed piece of entertainment. It feels professional in the way Hollywood films feel professional, and that gives me a lot of fundamental craft stuff to talk about. So here we are, starting off my Crunchyroll deep dives of the winter season with Saga of Tanya the Evil!
Why It Works: Saga of Tanya the Evil’s Snappy Cuts
10 Anime to Watch if You Loved ‘Yuri on Ice’
I wrote an article and now it’s on the Daily Dot! WHAT THE HECK IS THAT.
Anyway, here’s a list I wrote up of what I felt were reasonable “next steps” from Yuri on Ice. The show brought a whole bunch of new fans into anime, and I’d love for them to stick around, so I hope they find this useful! Regular readers have probably heard of most of these, but hey, lists are fun. PLEASE ENJOY:
10 Anime to Watch if You Loved ‘Yuri on Ice’
March comes in like a lion – Episode 15
March got back onto steadier footing this week, offering a strong episode that made solid use of the show’s secondary cast. The flashback sequences with Kyouko were terrific, and it was also just really nice to see Rei actually invested in something once again. I’m looking forward to the conclusion of this surprisingly gripping match.
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my episode notes below.
Seiren – Episode 4
Welp, here’s the end of Seiren’s first arc. Not really much to say that I haven’t already covered in the review – Seiren is a bland and by-the-numbers production in general, so there’s only so much to cover. I have to assume Amagami SS was a lot better than this one, because people really seem to like that show. Ah well.
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below.
Mawaru Penguindrum – Episode 13
Penguindrum’s thirteenth episode begins with the Takakura siblings at the hospital, now at the mercy of “Doctor” Sanetoshi. The Penguindrum has been stolen, and the woman who possesses Himari has seemingly run out of power. Only Sanetoshi can save Himari now.
Owarimonogatari, Part Two – Review
Today I return to Owarimonogatari, for the inconsistent but ultimately satisfying Shinobu Mail. Stuck at the end of a broadcast run and crunched by SHAFT’s generally over-ambitious scheduling, Shinobu Mail definitely suffers in the visual department, but it’s still a very rewarding arc in terms of character and theme. Some of the peaks of this arc count among the franchise’s peaks in general, Kanbaru’s argument with Shinobu and Araragi’s phone call with Senjougahara among them. Even in a less consistent arc, it’s hard to keep this series down.
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my episode notes below.
Planetes – Episode 22
Continuing with Planetes’ cheekily appropriate episode titles, episode twenty-two is called “Exposure.” Though you might initially assume that refers to exposure in a “safety in space travel” sense, it becomes clears throughout this episode that they’re referring specifically to a camera’s exposure. Gigalt literally gifts Hachimaki a camera containing his final teaching, and physical motifs aside, the idea of exposure guides the drama of this episode.
Bakemonogatari – Episode 2
Today I return with the second episode of Bakemonogatari! This one ended up being another tome of an episode review, but we’re still in the period where I have to kind of establish “how to get the most out of Monogatari,” so I assume things will get more reasonable shortly. Particularly since we’re about to embark on Mayoi Snail, which should offer a nice opportunity to really dive into my love-hate relationship with the series. But as for now, let’s explore the second half of Hitagi Crab!
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my episode notes below.