Author Archives: Bobduh

Sherlock Hound – Episode 2

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d continue our journey through Sherlock Hound, that beautiful collaboration between TMS Entertainment and the Italian public broadcasting corporation RAI. So far, Sherlock Hound’s inviting aesthetic and measured storytelling have felt akin to the legendary World Masterpiece Theater productions, and with good reason – many of Sherlock Hound’s key staff members also worked on WMT productions, including scriptwriter Yoshihisa Araki, storyboarder Seiji Okuda, and of course, director Hayao Miyazaki. The late ‘70s and early ‘80s were an incredibly fertile time period in anime production, as a new generation of master artists brought to life a diverse selection of world literature.

So far, Sherlock Hound seems a tad more fantastical than its WMT contemporaries, embracing elements of science fiction and action-adventure that seem more specifically up Miyazaki’s alley. That’s all fine by me; I’m happy to season my Arthur Conan Doyle with a hearty dash of Lupin the Third, and perhaps even a garnish of Future Boy Conan. Speaking of which, episode two was actually directed by Keiji Hayakawa, who served as assistant director under Miyazaki on the Conan film, so I imagine we’ve got more high-flying adventures in short order. Let’s get to it!

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The Legend of Vox Machina – Episode 5

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d sidle back into The Legend of Vox Machina, wherein the party most recently set off for Percy’s ancestral home. Well, most of the party – Pike apparently broke her magical doohickey, and thus has to set off on a personal journey to “apologize to the Everlight.” This narrative development seems messy, but it’s precisely the kind of messy that embodies Vox Machina’s difficult negotiation between narrative and game, which in turn makes it of tremendous interest to me!

As I reflected in the last episode, the “primacy of the party” is one of the central tenets that defines D&D-format fiction, as it is the interplay of the party members that forms the backbone of any campaign. As such, any separation in the party must be undertaken for the most crucial of reasons, when the narrative absolutely demands it – and “my Everlight phone broke” certainly doesn’t qualify. Forcing a character to leave because an object that had been assigned no prior significance now needs attention is, quite frankly, hack storytelling – it’s the equivalent of a character exiting the narrative because they think they left the oven on, not because anything in their existing character or narrative demands it.

When I put together “breaking the party is a D&D cardinal sin” and “Pike’s reason for leaving is entirely disconnected from the ongoing narrative,” I arrive at just one reasonable conclusion: Pike’s actress was busy for a while, and had to step back from the game. This, too, is a natural quirk of D&D narrative design: sometimes the whole cast just can’t be there, and so your rogue or your druid will exist in a weird liminal space behind you, until the whole party can regather. It’s a very strange thing to see such a pragmatic design limitation translated into earnest narrative drama, but that’s precisely the sort of weird negotiation I like about this series. Let’s see what’s in store at Whitestone Manor!

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The Demon Girl Next Door – Episode 8

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be winding our way back to The Demon Girl Next Door, wherein our two leads have been busy balancing out their lopsided relationship. Though Momo appeared all confidence at the start, it’s clear now that she’s maintaining a stiff poise to mask her internal sea of fears and regrets. Momo believed anything short of perfection would be failure – but with Shamiko at her side, she’s at last willing to acknowledge her insecurities, and maybe even share some of her emotional load.

Unfortunately, it appears our heroes have run out of time to sort out their emotional issues. A new magical girl has just arrived in town, and given everything Momo has told us about their usual disposition, I expect some fireworks are shortly in order. To be honest, this new girl’s prominence in all of the season two material people are sharing means I already know our leads will befriend the shit out of this newbie, but I imagine the path there will be as messy as it is hilarious. Let’s return to The Demon Girl Next Door!

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Spring 2022 – Week 11 in Review

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Hey folks, and welcome to Wrong Every Time. How’s everyone doing today? I’m currently attempting to will myself into writing up another article after this one, because goddamnit, that Current Projects list is not going to watch itself. But dubious productivity aside, I’m actually feeling pretty great at the moment, and looking forward to a jog later this afternoon. It’s becoming something of an annual tradition for me to start up one of those “couch to 5k” running plans in early spring, get pretty darn fit by the end of summer, and then squander my gains when it gets too damn cold out. I really should invest in a gym membership or something this winter, but as of now, I’m currently in the peak improvement segment of my fitness arc, which syncs up perfectly to the brief period of tolerable New England weather. Also I just received an extremely nice note from a long-time reader, which is, you know, day made right there. I know it can be intimidating to send messages to creators you like, but there is nothing more rewarding than hearing you made a positive impact in someone’s life. And don’t limit that courage to internet folks – we’re not on this ball for very long, and I’d say the best thing we can do with that time is to let people know they are loved.

Alright, I’m getting all mushy here and you folks don’t need any of that. I’ve sifted through my review sack and emerged with an interesting medley of features, with topics ranging from the apex of genetic engineering to the lawless drama of the old west. Let’s run down some movies!

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Ranking of Kings – Episode 5

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today the sky is bleak and overcast, and the summer heat has cooled to a murky chill, so it seems time for a show that will brighten this atmosphere. And what better source of light and joy is there than young prince Bojji, with his warm smile and generous heart? Surely we can count on Bojji to part these clouds, summon the sun, and generally restore vitality to this cold gray day?

Well, perhaps he could if not otherwise occupied, but as of now it appears that Bojji has been kicked into hell itself. Domas has carried out his terrible assignment, choosing loyalty to the crown over his own moral compass, and Bojji has resultantly plummeted from the surface world. Meanwhile, his brother Daida doesn’t actually seem to be faring much better, having been convinced by his mirror to consume his father’s power. It’s a messy situation for both our boys, but as Mitsumata once told Bojji, they would do well to remember that there are people who care for them. Let’s see how both prince and king handle these new obstacles as we return to the Ranking of Kings!

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Zoku Owarimonogari – Episode 2

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Alright folks, let’s get right back into it. Araragi’s stuck in a mirror world, Shinobu’s nowhere to be found, and Hachikuji is having altogether too much fun being Araragi’s big sister. Monogatari’s victory lap has so far been just as self-aware and indulgent as I expected, and I’m eager to see which mirror-shifted companion we run into next. Nisio Isin can’t help but embrace his goofy idiosyncrasies as a writer even at the most serious of times, so I imagine we’re in for at least another episode or two of shenanigans before he brings the hammer down.

As far as themes go, this mirror world is providing a clear externalization of Araragi’s internal discord, as he seeks to solidify both his own identity and his relationship with others now that he’s no longer a high schooler. Araragi is no longer certain of his place in the world, and in classic Monogatari tradition, that uncertainty is now defining his external reality. Let’s see if Araragi gets any closer to figuring his shit out, as we dive back into Zoku Owarimonogatari!

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Spy x Family – Episode 1

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Hello folks, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d check out a new production, both in terms of the site and the world at large, by diving into this season’s much-loved Spy x Family. I’ve been hearing lots of positive buzz about Spy x Family, and am well acquainted with the show’s larger genre space – so much so that I even jammed out a recommendation article for any recent arrivals to the adorable daughter subgenre. For my part, while it’s the exceedingly rare anime comedy that appeals to me, I’m a sucker for charming family dynamics, and hope to find this show slotting comfortably among anime’s many found family dramas. The hype was high even before this one came out, owing to the much-beloved manga, and given this production’s animation director Kazuiki Shimada handled that same duty on FGO Babylonia and a bunch of Cinderella Girls episodes, I’m assuming the show will offer plenty of its own aesthetic flourishes. Let’s check it out!

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Spring 2022 – Week 10 in Review

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. You all doing okay this week? I’m personally feeling fan-fucking-tastic, having knocked out a couple of anxiety-provoking appointments late last week, and also just reveling in all the great shows we’ve been munching through recently. Anne of Green Gables and Sherlock Hound are simply wondrous slices of pre-Ghbili goodness, Star Driver embodies all that thorny thematic density that first enthralled me in anime, and even the ongoing Spy x Family is proving to be more charming and hilarious than I expected. You subscribers are treating me very well at the moment, and I only hope I can return the favor by suggesting some awesome films for you all. Without further ado, let’s burn down a fresh Week in Review!

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Anne of Green Gables – Episode 8

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Hello everyone, and welcome to Wrong Every Time. Today I’ve got all sorts of anxieties plaguing me, and thus have decided the perfect thing to clear my mind is a visit to Green Gables. When last we stopped by, Anne had just celebrated her adoption into the family by declaring war on the neighbors, affronting Rachel Lynde with such venomous barbs as “how would you like it if someone called you red-haired and freckled!?” Lynde was deeply scandalized by this display, but fortunately, Anne is as good at melodramatic apologies as she is at cutting insults, and thus peace was eventually restored.

When all was said and done, the ultimate result of Anne’s misadventure was actually a deepening of her bond with Marilla. Anne’s reluctant caretaker is at last beginning to feel a sort of motherly affection for her charge, and you just know that Anne’s going to be testing that bond with relish. Let’s see what nonsense she gets up to this time, as we return to the blooming hills of Green Gables!

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Hugtto! Precure – Episode 30

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Hello everyone, and welcome on back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m delighted to announce we’re returning to Hugtto! Precure, a show that most recently tore my heart to pieces with the introduction of Hana’s grandmother. Last episode’s reflection on the cruelty of time, and how we can age out of the things that define us, was an unexpected but very welcome compliment to Huggto’s usual optimism. There was no great victory Hana could achieve to dispel last episode’s worries, no villain to defeat in order to restore her grandmother’s youth; aging is just tough, and I always appreciate when a children’s show handles such difficult aspects of life with both sensitivity and frankness. We cannot hope to stop the clock or turn back time; all we can hope for is to age with grace, and not miss out on future happiness by lamenting the things we’ve lost.

Episodes like that demonstrate the emotive potential of great children’s media, stories that trust their audiences can handle complex and difficult topics. Most children are not foreigners to loss, and can appreciate media that acknowledges and helps contextualize the hard moments in their lives. That said, I’m also a big fan of Hugtto’s goofier content, and I’m guessing an episode that heavy demands an extremely silly followup. Let’s see what we’ve got!

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