Category Archives: Episode Writeup

Scum’s Wish – Episode 11

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re checking in with what might well be the most gleefully self-destructive cast of characters I’ve critiqued in my animation tenure, a group who could literally trip over happiness and fulfillment and emerge only with scuffed knees and fresh demons. That’s right, it’s time for Scum’s fucking Wish, as our misguided collection of high schoolers and high school-brained teachers bash against each other in some grotesque, self-harming approximation of intimacy.

When last we left off, Scum’s Wish had dedicated a full episode to articulating Akane’s psychology, and her feelings towards both Kanai and Mugi. Brief summary: she sucks, being simultaneously empty and self-absorbed, and combining Hana’s desperate need for affection with a power-hungry cruel streak all her own. Like many of Scum’s Wish’s characters, she is more of an exaggerated articulation of one particular feeling than a coherent psychological profile, a melodramatic irritant who, if you opened up her skull and looked inside for the real story, you would discover is literally defined as “melodramatic irritant.” Akane is less of a person than a slow-moving natural disaster, and at this point I can only hope Hana is strong enough to pull at least one of her delusional suitors out of her orbit. Let’s get to the bloodshed!

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BanG Dream! Ave Mujica – Episode 4

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Hello folks, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. Today it’s looking to be another day, another dissociative episode as we return to BanG Dream! Ave Mujica, with Mutsumi clearly on the verge of some kind of psychotic break. Having been exploited and abandoned by her parents, her former bandmates, and now apparently Sakiko herself, Mutsumi has decided there is only one person she can rely on: her alter ego Mortis, the implacable guitarist of Ave Mujica. Mutsumi is not strong enough to carry the weight of her own pain and Sakiko’s as well, but Mortis is free from such responsibilities, a grim realization of the facile “liberation” Sakiko seeks through this group.

It’s been quite a journey for the girl who was initially defined as “quiet, likes cucumbers,” but I suppose that’s of a piece with Ave Mujica’s general dramatic maximalism. What’s becoming increasingly apparent is that Mutsumi’s complaint of “my sound was drowned out within a band” applies to more than just her; frankly, it seems like not one member of Ave Mujica is seeking the same thing as any other, save for the amusing compatibility of the equally professionally-minded Nyamu and Umiri. So if the only members getting what they want are the ones who are here for a paycheck, and the players who actually share Sakiko’s desire for a community are only suffering more, who exactly is benefitting from this group? For Sakiko, breaking up the band might not just be a tragic inevitability – it might be the only way anyone who cares about her can escape her toxic orbit.

But for now, the show must go on. Take it away, Mortis!

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Trigun Stampede – Episode 6

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d journey back to No Man’s Land, and see how things are faring in Trigun Stampede. Our last episode offered a ruthless demonstration of life’s brutality here in this desolate place, as we were introduced to a young boy named Rollo suffering from a debilitating illness, and that same boy as a man who had been monstrously transformed by Knives and his associates. Vash’s promise to this boy was proven hollow; while he could do nothing but offer tears and apologies, it fell to Wolfwood to provide Rollo’s last rites.

The episode offered a tidy summation of Vash’s ambiguous role here in No Man’s Land. His motives are pure; he simply wants to help people where he can, and refuses to raise a hand in anger. He is understandably afraid of his own god-like power, and wishes at all costs to avoid becoming a self-assigned arbiter like Knives, the one who unilaterally chooses who lives and who dies.

However, in a world as harsh as No Man’s Land, simple kindness is often not enough to ensure a positive outcome. Saving Rollo would have required dismantling the society that chose to sacrifice him – similarly, saving many others could have been achieved simply by executing one or another murder-happy bandit, an act of arbitration that most would agree is worth the cost. Equipped with infinite power yet unwilling to use it for even the most obviously righteous reasons, it’s understandable that someone like Wolfwood would call Vash a hypocrite; even if pacifism is a noble pursuit, it is a philosophy unequipped to handle the cutthroat moral calculus of life on the barren frontier.

What good is a superman who never interferes, who offers moral support or stands in judgment, but will not lift a hand to change the world? I imagine these questions are weighing on Vash as well as we return to Trigun Stampede!

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Shoushimin Series – Episode 1

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re embarking on a new journey, as we check out the first episode of the ongoing Shoushimin Series, bearing the curious subtitle of “How To Become Normal.” Of course, if you’re familiar with original author Honobu Yonezawa’s other works, that title actually seems perfectly appropriate – for it is Yonezawa who wrote Hyouka, centered on Oreki Houtarou and his own quest to live an ordinary, low-energy life.

Yasuhiro Takemoto’s adaptation of Hyouka is a masterpiece; to be honest, it stands among the handful of shows I’d consider uncontroversial choices for best television anime of all time. And while much of that brilliance comes from Kyoto Animation’s singular elevation of the material, they would have nothing to elevate if not for the fundamental richness of Yonezawa’s characterization, his keen interest in human psychology and mastery of using incidental mysteries as tools for illustrating human nature. I’m frankly not a fan of mystery fiction in general, but Hyouka embodies what I consider art’s highest callings – its ability to illuminate the countless peculiarities of human identity, and to bind such inquiries into anthemic statements regarding our fears and ambitions, our relationship with ourselves, each other, and the world at large.

That’s a tall order for any show, but Shoushimin Series does seem to have a solid team behind it. Director Mamoru Kanbe has a variety of excellent productions to his name, having served as director of Sound of the Sky, The Perfect Insider, and The Promised Neverland, among a variety of other productions. That trio in particular demonstrate a clear knack for matching his direction style to the material at hand; Sound of the Sky is expansive and atmospheric, The Perfect Insider is sterile and precise, and The Promised Neverland features some of the best horror cinematography in anime. Meanwhile, series composer Toshiya Ono both composed and wrote half the scripts for Gatchaman Crowds, alongside working with Kanbe on both Perfect Insider and Promised Neverland, giving me every reason to expect a thoughtful, expertly realized adaptation. Let’s get to it!

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Blue Reflection Ray – Episode 8

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re returning to Blue Reflection Ray, in the wake of a confrontation that proved devastating for our would-be heroes. Hiori’s positive attitude has always seemed brittle at best, an aspirational facade draped over a core of hurt and longing for her sister’s return. Having been abandoned by both her mother and sister, she was nonetheless beginning to embrace the new family of her fellow reflectors – until her sister Mio at last reappeared, now dedicated to stealing the pain from the hearts of others, and with a replacement sister standing at her side.

Hiori’s situation echoes the moral ambiguity of our reflectors’ general ambitions. Though they seek to address the pain of others through offering companionship and nurturing their hopes, Hiori clearly demonstrates that such an approach doesn’t necessarily address or repair their core emotional wounds. If even a blue reflector like Hiori is only pretending to have overcome her trauma, what right do any of our heroes have to claim their mission is just, particularly when the alleged victims of the red reflectors are outright telling them to mind their own business. Is it truly any healthier to live with trauma than to excise it? We cling to the post-hoc rationalization that suffering makes us who we are, but is it fundamentally noble to feel broken, or are we simply attempting to draw meaning from the senseless violence of life? With such difficult questions now clouding the air, we return to the battlefield of Blue Reflection Ray!

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Yuri is My Job! – Episode 9

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we are returning to the exclusive halls of Liebe Girls Academy, where dark clouds are currently gathering across the shimmering, verdant fields where our ladies practice their polo and dressage skills. Having attempted to disarm the threat Kanoko represents for Cafe Liebe, Sumika has discovered there is no reasoning with the girl, and that Kanoko’s passionate feelings for Hime have set her against the Schwestern system altogether.

Kanoko’s feelings are understandable: she’s only attached to this cafe because Hime is here as well, and her sole desire is to halt whatever transformation she believes is carrying her friend away from her. Hime is actually growing into a more well-rounded, socially earnest person, but Kanoko desires a monopoly on Hime’s sincerity, and will do everything she can to achieve that. It’s a selfish, one-sided love, but it’s certainly a common motive. On the other hand, I am quite intrigued to learn why Sumika is so attached to this cafe, what it represents for her, and how it reflects her ambitions and self-image. Let’s try and divine how our gyaru senpai really feels as we return to Yuri is My Job!

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Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End – Episode 10

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we reach the grand finale of Frieren’s confrontation with Aura the Guillotine, as the woman whose bloody history earned her the title “Slayer” confronts one of the proud remnants of the Demon King’s army. This has been a fraught and ambiguous arc for Frieren both in a dramatic and conceptual sense; the distrust these characters have felt towards Frieren judgment has been matched by my own distrust of the author’s judgment, in theoretically making the theme of this arc “some people are born evil and the only thing for it is to butcher them.” That’s a bad theme and a boring narrative, but the evidence we’ve seen points towards a slippier, more interesting truth: demons are just as emotional and full of diverse passions as humans, but their conception of value and society may be inherently incompatible with our own.

Demons are “animalistic” in the fact that they value strength above all else, and are ruthless in their pursuit of such strength – but then again, does that make them any different from a great number of humans? And aside from that, they exhibit pride, scorn, loyalty, playfulness, and a gamut of other emotions, often seeming more animated by their passions than the blank-faced Frieren and Fern. It was in fact Aura’s offhand mockery of Himmel, the man who first introduced Frieren to love and loss, that convinced her Aura is beyond understanding – an entirely personal judgment, and one emphasizing how little distance exists between Frieren and Aura’s perspectives. If war is inevitable, so be it, but I am happy to leave this arc more uncertain of Frieren’s judgment, and more attuned to the ruthless moral ambiguity of this world.

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The Legend of Vox Machina S3 – Episode 6

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we return to Vox Machina in a moment of unqualified triumph, as they have not only retrieved Pike’s spiffy new breastplate from the depths of hell, they’ve also managed to kill the ice dragon Vorugal in the bargain. The Chroma Conclave’s most relentless bulldog, and the destroyer of the party’s own delightful chateau, now lies buried among the frigid wastes of Tal’Dorei. It’s starting to seem like our team might actually pull this off!

Given that, I imagine Mercer has some terrible reckoning awaiting our heroes. DnD campaigns obviously shouldn’t feel hopeless, but they also shouldn’t feel effortless – ideally, the party should feel like they have the weight of the world on their shoulders, but that their best efforts might just come to some triumphant end. In practice, this tends to mean DnD drama follows a sort of roller coaster structure, building the party up just to send them plummeting down, often at moments aligned with some sort of narrative act change. My own prior campaign integrated such plummets at the conclusion of its first and second acts, letting each act finale serve several roles: offering a massive action payoff, reaffirming the party’s bonds with the world and characters, and putting the overall forces of good on the backfoot in order to give the party room to rise again.

So far, Vox Machina’s only such reckoning has been the arrival of the Chroma Conclave. Given their recent successes, I imagine we’re due for some manner of rude awakening, something to assure both party and audience that Thordak still has the upper hand. Mechanical and narrative design are in agreement on this one: challenges must feel challenging, drama must feel heart-pounding, and parties that are doing too well must be properly chastened. Let’s drop that other shoe, Mercer!

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Hugtto! Precure – Episode 49

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today is a bittersweet moment indeed, as we at last reach the conclusion of the emphatically charming Hugtto! Pretty Cure. After having brought so much joy to both her familiar town and us in the audience, Hana and her friends will be charging towards the camera and greeting us for the very last time, before racing off towards their shining futures. Popple, Dr. Traum, Hugman, and all the rest – it feels like we’ve come to know this community intimately, which only makes it that much harder to say goodbye.

Of course, to lament the necessity of moving forward would be to disregard all the lessons Hugtto has worked to instill in both its characters and its viewers. The future need not be a source of fear or anxiety; it is forever an opportunity, an open canvas, a chance for transformation and renewal. Just as Saaya and Homare grappled with their shifting ambitions, just as Popple and Gelos picked themselves up and charted a new path forward, so must we bid farewell to this persistent source of comfort and cheer, this show that has been a companion to me for years now. Hugtto was wonderful, but its spirit assures me that there are still many wonders ahead. Now let’s finish strong!

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Yuki Yuna is a Hero (Washio Sumi Chapter) – Episode 6

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I announce with great trepidation that we are returning to Yuki Yuna is a Hero, and concluding Togo’s ill-fortuned first tour as a defender of the divine tree. In the early episodes, I occasionally felt eager for the other shoe to drop, to at least save us from the anxiety of watching these girls come to care for each other, knowing the cruel fate awaiting them. Now I know I was too naive; this production’s mastery of torment is simply too well-honed, its hooks barbed with a heart-rending acuity of convincing, incidental characterization. I was able to genuinely believe in the bond between these three, and that has made the fallout all the harder.

Now, with Gin having nobly sacrificed herself to an ignoble cause, our two remaining heroes stand awakened but depleted. Even if they were to challenge the authority of the divine tree, what would be left for them? They exist wholly within its sphere of influence, and to falter now would be to betray the faith Gin fought and died for – not as a sacrifice to the divine tree, but as a proud defender of her friends and family, who would give everything without question that the people she loves might carry on. We cannot always choose our cause, but that is not to say we can’t choose our conviction; for Togo and Nogi, the fight continues for Gin’s sake, and for all the dreams they once shared.

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