Author Archives: Bobduh

Star Driver – Episode 2

Posted on by

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to dive right back into Star Driver, having been thoroughly impressed by its first episode. The show has offered beautiful character acting and storyboarding so far, while also demonstrating the thematic complexity and clarity that you’d expect from an Enokido production. That first episode threw a lot of fantastical variables at us, but they all seemed to fit within a thematic paradigm centering on adolescence, sexuality, and sexual agency in particular.

Both the language of the masked actors and the prominent cage imagery seemed to frame the shrine maidens as passive figures, objects to be “acted upon” by their male controllers. The correlation of that patriarchal perspective with the traditional figure of the shrine maiden surely isn’t a coincidence; moving forward, we can probably assume that Takuto and his companions will be providing a more progressive counterpoint, where female agency and desire is respected just as much as male power. I’m also interested in seeing if the last act’s aesthetic debt to Utena signifies more of a structural parallel to that series, but all of this is likely getting a dozen or so episodes ahead of ourselves. For now, let’s see what Star Driver’s second episode has in store!

Continue reading →

Anne of Green Gables – Episode 6

Posted on by

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I am eager to return to the rolling hills and shimmering seas of Green Gables, where Anne has at last succeeded in winning over the obstinate Marilla. To be fair, Marilla put up quite the battle, and likely would have ruthlessly abandoned any lesser children. But Anne made swift work of her through a multi-pronged attack, demonstrating both her intense personal charm and tragic backstory on the ride to Miss Spencers’ place, and then capping that off with the looming threat of alternative adopter Blewett. Seeing Anne’s look of despair at returning to her childhood of suffering was too much for Marilla, and thus both our heroines made their way back to Green Gables.

With the initial trial of simply earning a space at Green Gables behind us, I’m looking forward to seeing the show settle into some sort of comfortable rhythm. Though Gables’ pastoral beauty and meditative pacing make for an inherently slice of life-reminiscent experience, its origin as a young adult bildungsroman means it’s unlikely to simply luxuriate in any one tone; there is conflict and momentum, it is simply illustrated at the pace of life in Green Gables. With this episode boarded by Masterpiece Theater mainstay Fumio Ikeno and scripted by Takahata himself, I’m guessing this will serve as a fine indicator of the road ahead. Let’s return to Anne of Green Gables!

Continue reading →

The Demon Girl Next Door – Episode 5

Posted on by

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today it seems past time that we check back in on The Demon Girl Next Door, and make sure Shamiko hasn’t fallen into a pit or been cornered by a scary dog or something. It really doesn’t take much to best our local demon girl; really, if you leave her to her own devices for a few days, she’s liable to best herself somehow.

Fortunately, Shamiko now has Momo to protect her, and the two have been getting along better than ever. In spite of being allegedly destined foes, their burgeoning friendship seems to be the most rewarding element of either of their lives at the moment. That’s not too surprising; with each of them feeling poorly represented by their assigned identities, the only person they can actually relate to is their equally miscast counterpart. The very system that’s supposed to build them into rivals is instead forcing them to find common solidarity, making for a natural commentary on the inherent injustice of this system (and through their class disparity, further tethering that commentary to the caste systems of the real world). But beyond that themey-wemey stuff, the two are also just ridiculously charming together, so I’m eager to get back to their nonsense. Let’s return to The Demon Girl Next Door!

Continue reading →

Winter 2022 – Week 9 in Review

Posted on by

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. This week, I thought I’d take a break from our usual film medley, as the past month has clearly been more defined by videogames than cinema. Basically the entire would-be holiday release schedule was released over the past several weeks, with Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Dying Light 2, Horizon: Forbidden West, and Elden Ring all staking their claims to the open world throne. Given this bounty, my house elected to save Horizon for a future sale, but the other three have been consuming my life for some time now. Let’s take a moment to break down this marvelous bounty, before I’m inevitably dragged back to Elden Ring!

Continue reading →

Oregairu S3 – Episode 10

Posted on by

After three seasons of personal revelation and emotional catharsis, is it really going to be Iroha who fixes everything? The girl whose name is a synonym for chaos, who has loudly and proudly declared her total self-interest at every opportunity, and who seems to take pride in never learning from her mistakes? The girl with the psychological profile of a common housecat, who will happily push your full glass off the table while maintaining eye contact the entire time? Iroha is going to save us?

Well, desperate times call for unusual heroes, I suppose. And to be fair, it’s clear that Iroha has been dedicating herself to genuine self-improvement all season long, having been genuinely inspired by the ambitions of Hachiman and his friends. Frankly, it seems like Iroha has actually raced ahead of Hachiman’s crew in self-actualization, unburdened as she is by their paralyzing weight of self-doubt. Yukino still sees herself as an appendage of her family, and Hachiman lacks the confidence to challenge her directly, so I suppose it’s Iroha’s turn to lead the drama for a change. With high school’s end approaching, let’s return to Oregairu!

Continue reading →

Symphogear XV – Episode 8

Posted on by

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re returning to the battlefield of Symphogear, just in time for one of its most distinguished Symphotraditions: the last-second arrival of a former enemy, now forming an unexpected rescue party for our intrepid heroes. Dr. Ver is dead-dead and I’m pretty sure the season four villains disintegrated into pixie dust or something, so it now falls to the once-ruler of the Autoscorers to hold strong. That’s right: Carol Malus Dienheim, Alchemist Extraordinaire and Murderer of Miracles, has joined the battle.

Given the simple fact that it’d be more exciting and dramatically meaningful for this season to end on  a reprise of Evil Miku, I’m guessing Carol’s last stand won’t be too effective in defending Hibiki’s wife. But Carol certainly knows how to put on a show, so let’s sit back and enjoy the fireworks, as we surge towards the final conclusion of SYMPHOGEARRRR!

Continue reading →

Sonny Boy – Episode 1

Posted on by

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be embarking on a journey through one more of 2021’s most acclaimed productions, as we check out the first episode of Shingo Natsume’s original production Sonny Boy. Natsume has been one of the top anime directors to watch for years at this point, having risen from being a formidable animator in his own right to something like an “animator’s director.” Through productions like Space Dandy and One Punch Man, Natsume has proven uniquely capable of attracting and collaborating with the best artists and animators in the business, resulting in some of the most aesthetically impressive works of the last decade. And with his works spanning from action spectacles to tone pieces like ACCA and Boogiepop, Natsume has demonstrated a welcome diversity of aesthetic interests, including a cross-medium passion for art design that makes it easy to see why he and Shinichiro Watanabe were so quick to collaborate.

And now, after spending a decade repeatedly proving he’s one of the greatest working anime directors, Natsume is at last tackling his passion project. With Natsume both writing and directing this project, it’s clear that Sonny Boy is his baby. Even through choices like hiring Hisashi Eguchi as character designer, we can glimpse Natsume’s broader appreciation for art design. As for Sonny Boy’s narrative, I’m going into this almost entirely blind, with merely a vague impression that this story will be “my sort of thing” to guide me. I’m eager to see this story Natsume was so determined to tell, so let’s not waste another moment, as we dive into Sonny Boy!

Continue reading →

Winter 2022 – Week 8 in Review

Posted on by

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. I think we’re over the hump now – February has nearly ended, the skies are clearing, and we’re even getting some occasional warm days to remind us that nature isn’t always a villain. Meanwhile, the COVID-delayed holiday release bounty is now in full swing, with Dying Light and Horizon already released, and Elden Ring looming in the near distance. So lush is this bounty that my house has actually decided to hold off Horizon, as there will likely be no time for anything but Elden Ring for the next month or so. Let me know if you’d all be interested in some game design thoughts for next week, but for now, let’s charge through some excellent films!

Continue reading →

Eureka Seven – Episode 11

Posted on by

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to return to the Gekkostate, as it seems Eureka Seven is about to transition into a new phase of its narrative. The show’s last two episodes each offered crucial revelations regarding Renton’s idols, as we learned Holland and his subordinates were once willing dogs of the military, while Talho was some kind of prisoner. Even the ships and robots that define Gekkostate are stolen military hardware; far from standing as ideals of courageous freedom, it seems like Gekkostate are more fleeing the world at large, distracting themselves from the moral obligations of this era by seeking the next big wave.

And personally? I love it. While many anime tend to sort their characters into audience-relatable children and inscrutable adults, Eureka Seven is reveling in the messiness of young, uncertain adulthood, through the ambiguity of characters like Holland and Talho. Their dynamic is something I’ve seen before, but rarely in anime – a young woman being rescued from her oppressive situation by a seemingly perfect prince, only for that prince to reveal himself as far less of a man than she’d hoped. Holland is selfish, cowardly, and seemingly disinterested in the grand struggle of his era, and all of that makes him far more fascinating to me than your traditional hero. He’s clinging to an ideal of freedom that’s swiftly becoming too childish even for Renton to believe in, and with an entire community relying on him, he simply can’t afford to keep entertaining this fantasy. I’m eager to see how his story turns, so let’s dive right back into Eureka Seven!

Continue reading →

Hugtto! Precure – Episode 28

Posted on by

Alright everyone, pile on in and welcome to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be returning to the epic trials of Hana and her companions, as the team attempt to find their destinies, save the world, and keep Hugtan happy all at the same time. Our last episode was a particularly charming excursion, featuring the triumphant return of Hana’s father Hug Man, who did his best to make a father out of their homeroom teacher. The episode culminated in a delightfully ridiculous battle outside the hospital, wherein Dr. Traum proved he was at least enough of a gentleman to keep it down for the sake of the babies.

And now, sweet continuity! After a series of episodes that mostly saw the Precures faffing about without much narrative direction, last episode’s conclusion revealed that Traum is actually Lulu’s father (or creator, I’m not really sure of the nomenclature when it comes to robot daughters). With Traum having repeatedly proven he possesses a tad more moral complexity than someone like Charalit, and Harry’s old friends still bound to the will of Criasu Corp, I’m hoping we’ll learn more about our villains’ motivations over the episode to come. But either way, it’s hard to have a bad time watching Hugtto, so let’s get to it!

Continue reading →