Classroom of the Elite – Episode 9

This week’s Classroom of the Elite represented a big step in the right direction for the show, returning to its bombastic comfort zone with a Lord of the Flies setup perfectly suited to its strengths. Even the show’s visual execution was much more engaging here, and the small outbursts of comedy were well-implemented as well. Classroom is certainly not going to turn into a good show, but this week put it on the right track to being an entertaining one.

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

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Tsuredure Children – Episode 10

Tsuredure Children actually got kinda serious this week, and demonstrated it can handle thornier dramatic territory just as gracefully as the fluffy stuff. There was plenty of fluffy stuff too though, making this an all-around excellent episode. Who would have expected Tsuredure Children to be one of the better character dramas of the… year???

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

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Ojamajo Doremi – Episode 20

Let’s get back to Ojamajo Doremi! The last episode we watched was utterly absurd, turning what theoretically should have been Doremi’s most serious conflict yet into a rolicking, ridiculous caper. Ai and Doremi used magic so freely they both ran out of magic spheres, but the whole “revealing magic to mundane people gets you frogged” deal was handwaved for the sake of an absurd adventure. Doremi is more often thoughtful than ridiculous, but it can do ridiculous very well.

In light of that episode, I’m expecting this one to return to the show’s usual mode, and probably involve some new classroom drama. Let’s get to it!

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Casshern Sins – Episode 21

And so we return to Casshern Sins. After nineteen episodes of seeking, last episode saw Casshern and his companions finally making contact with the new Luna – but regardless of whatever Dune saw in her, it seems this Luna offers no salvation at all. Though she claims to heal those dying to Ruin, the people who come to her ultimately find themselves in a great mass grave. On top of this, Luna herself seems disgusted at the thought of decay, and would rather pave over the dying than witness their final days.

In contrast, Casshern has come to both value life and also see great dignity in death, having been forced to work with and come to care for many robots and humans across the course of this series. Casshern may not have any kind of healing touch, but he has the forward-looking perspective and hope you need in a prophet, if not in a savior. Even his design, a white canvas touched with red markings, now seems to echo his vitality, aligning him with the cyclical inevitability of blood. I don’t know what Casshern can do to save these people, but it’s great to see him determined to try. Let’s see what the future holds.

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Classroom of the Elite – Episode 8

Classroom of the Elite managed to sink to a variety of new lows this week, which is perhaps impressive in its own way, given the show is already hot garbage in all respects. I’ve basically lost all ability to extract any joy from watching this show be melodramatic, and am in minute-counting mode at this point. Some anime sure is bad.

You can check out my full review over at ANN.

Tsuredure Children – Episode 9

Tsuredure Children’s ninth episode seemed to be themed around “what do you do when your relationship’s moving backwards,” which resulted in a very realistic but kinda inevitably frustrating viewing experience. This cast is so charming that it’s tough watching them all screw up this badly. Good luck, Tsuredure kids!

You can check out my full review over at ANN.

Chihayafuru – Episode 9

Let’s get back to Chihayafuru! Chihaya has her team now, the full squad of five necessary to actually make a club. In spite of that, her new crew haven’t really interacted in any meaningful ways yet – we’ve basically just put each character on the roster and then moved on to recruiting the next one. Chihayafuru’s heavy character focus makes me think we’re likely to see some bonding before we return to the initial love triangle, but that bonding could come in the form of any activity that forces the group to approach a challenge together, be it finding a faculty advisor or training for their first tournament. Either way, this last stage of Chihayafuru was an altogether strong one, so I’m ready for whatever’s next. Let’s get to it!

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Tsuredure Children – Episode 8

This week’s Tsuredure Children was more focused on relationship progression than gags, but I’m already fully invested in these relationships, so I certainly didn’t mind that. The show’s balance of comedy and narrative would be impressive even if we were only focusing on one of these relationships – the fact that we’ve got so many couples and they’re all so strong is really something. Tsuredure Children continues to own this season.

Tsuredure Children – Episode 8

Classroom of the Elite – Episode 7

This week’s Classroom of the Elite was stupid in ways the show isn’t normally stupid, but not particularly surprising ways nonetheless. This was a goofy pool episode, meaning it was full of fanservice and even some jokes riffing on the show’s own usual absurdity. I’ve basically lost all expectations for this show, so eh. Do your thing, Classroom.

Classroom of the Elite – Episode 7

One Piece – Volume 13

The very cover of One Piece’s thirteenth volume filled me with skepticism. Emphasizing a balloon-shaped Luffy and the Baroque Works baddies, it seemed to promise a volume filled with meaningless battles, where Luffy’s buddies fight inconsequential enemies while Luffy sleeps off his meal. “Luffy is incapacitated” has already become something of a warning sign in this manga – though Oda’s art is strong, the tactical interplay of One Piece’s fights can’t really aspire to the heights of something like Hunter x Hunter, meaning its battle scenes are less likely to be rewarding for their own sake. And after a volume dedicated largely to One Piece’s actual specialties (discovery! adventure!), a volume of empty fighting seemed like a bit of a letdown.

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