Author Archives: Bobduh

Symphogear – Review

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To the surprise of no one, it turns out I wrote up a review for good ol’ Symphogear. This show was a trip and a half, and I hope I was able to convey some of that in my text. It’s a little weird “evaluating” a show like Symphogear – I mean, metric-based evaluation is always weird, because art doesn’t really work that way, but with a show like Symphogear it’s even more difficult than usual. Normally, I can sort of fudge the reality that the intersection of narrative storytelling and aesthetic execution can only really be discussed in, well, discussion-oriented terms, and vaguely declare that one show is “better at what it’s trying to do” (relative to my valuation of the merit of its inherent goals etc etc) than another. But Symphogear is good because its story is a mess, so it’s a bit tougher to judge.

Anyway. Did my best. You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my episodic notes below!

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A Silent Voice, Volume 1 – Review

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And the manga reviews continue, this time with Oh God This Is So Uncomfortable Why Am I Reading This Why Do I Like Drama What Is Wrong With Me. A Silent Voice was one of the most teeth-clenchingly painful reads I’ve encountered lately, but that was only true because the story was told so damn well. The very strong dialogue paints characters in immediately humanizing strokes, making it all the more painful when awful stuff happens to them. Piercing character drama, why can’t I quit you.

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

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Summer 2015 – Week 8 in Review

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Ah crap it’s Wednesday. Things were actually looking pretty dire for the week in review this time, considering Gatchaman Crowds took the week off. That’s basically the only show I’m watching weekly that lends itself to more than a shrugging gladiatorial up-or-down thumb, so with that out of the picture, what could I even talk about? Could I really spin Prison School and Monster Musume into four paragraphs of discussion? Maybe I could… maybe I could just talk about my favorite lunches of the week? Actually that’s not the worst idea, but either way, my worries ended up being unfounded, because this week I watched the entire first season of SYMPHOGEAAAAAAR.

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Paranoia Agent – Episode 7

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Oh jeez what a surprise another phenomenal episode of Paranoia Agent. This show is so consistently excellent that it’s kind of a hassle to think of new ways to praise it – it possesses an absurd mastery of tone that’s expressed both through its visual language and disgustingly well-composed sound design, it’s got a distinct personality and clearly defined goals, and it occupies a thematic space that’s largely unchallenged by other television anime. The show remains a little emotionally distant, but I’ve come to expect that; at this point, I’m kind of getting the impression that Satoshi Kon doesn’t actually like people, but certainly finds them very interesting. Which is lucky for all of us, because dear god, he sure is a talented storyteller – I know he didn’t directly storyboard all of these episodes, but between the overall tonal consistency and stylistic echoes like his heroes consistently waking from maybe-dreams into maybe-realities, it’s clear he’s poured blood and sweat into this entire production. Keep it up, Paranoia Agent. You are a friggin’ marvel.

You can check out my full writeup here, or my episode notes below!

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Classroom Crisis – Episode 8

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Classroom Crisis had likely its best episode yet this week, using Kirishina’s school festival as an opportunity to contrast Kaito and Nagisa against both their past selves and the political interests they each theoretically represent. It was a very nuanced performance when you break it down, but it came off very lightly in practice, with the show once again riding on firmly constructed character relationships. It’s kind of sad that it seems like Classroom Crisis is somehow slipping through the cracks of this season – it’s an odd and occasionally awkward show, but it nails the best stuff a show can nail, the important character stuff that makes everything else worth caring about. It’s a very endearing production.

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

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Summer 2015 – Week 7 in Review

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Wednesday has come again, and with it one more entry in my increasingly less timely week in reviews. At this point, I’m watching an even four airing shows, which is probably the least since I started this tradition – but on the other hand, I’ve had School-Live, Gangsta, Snow White with the Red Hair, and Rokka all recommended to me with varying levels of enthusiasm, so clearly other people have found a bit more to love in this season. This week, I’ve largely been making up the difference with manga, which has made for a nice change of pace. But let’s hold off on that for now, and start by running down what episodic stuff I actually have seen!

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Paranoia Agent – Episode 6

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This was a bravura episode of Paranoia Agent. This show is all about creating a specific mood and revealing synchronicities in modern fears, and this episode did a better job of both of those than pretty much any episode before. Taeko’s story, the old woman’s testimony, and the gathering storm all played off each other to create a heavy, oppressive atmosphere that built to a triumphant peak drawing all of them together. At its best, this show feels like one long, ominous note, gathering in intensity, building and building up to that moment of release as Shonen Bat arrives. This is a damn good show.

You can check out my oversized writeup over at ANN, or my notes below!

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Gatchaman Crowds insight – Episode 7

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Welp, Tsubasa and Gelsadra seem to be “getting their wish,” and by that I mean holy shit this nightmare world could they possibly have conceived of a worse reality. Those shots of upbeat Gel-citizens politely inquiring as to why you weren’t feeling exactly the way they were feeling definitely took the creepy-cake. I also really loved seeing all the Gatchaman basically on the verge of murdering Tsubasa – Rui kinda effortlessly mocking her words, OD shaking his head, and Hajime actually getting up in the rookie’s face. Tsubasa is definitely a trial.

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

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Classroom Crisis – Episode 7

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Classroom Crisis had another strong episode this week, with the show at long last allowing Angelina to escape from those awful gags that have been dragging her character down. Nope, no stupid age jokes this time – instead, Angelina got to drink wine and kick ass, knocking out some hijackers and making friends with Iris in the process. This episode also featured a whole bunch of payoff on Nagisa’s side, as the relationships the show has developed between him and the rest of the class led to some satisfying moments of real friendship and camaraderie between them. We’ve reached that sweet spot where it’s inherently satisfying to see these characters spend time together, which is a very good place for any drama to be. Keep it up, Classroom Crisis!

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

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Saekano – Review

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Yep, there was actually a reason I was going back and watching Saekano. REVIEW TIME! If you’ve been checking my week in review posts, you’ll know I haven’t been so hot on the show, and that carries through to the review. Saekano takes elements from a bunch of things I like (Genshiken, Monogatari, TWGOK), but the overall package comes across as just way too lightly felt, scattershot, and indulgent to really drive at the humor and humanity any of those shows find in their weirdo characters. You could construct a good show out of Saekano’s pieces, but Saekano is not that show.

You can check out my full review over at ANN, or run through my consistently frustrated episode notes below!

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