Mako time motherfuckers. The gods of Trigger have promised us Mako, and the lesser gods of staff list info have indicated this episode’s possibly being directed by the director of Death Billiards (which was great and only one episode, go watch it after this). In spite of what various deviants and bottomfeeders would have you believe, Mako is the best goddamn thing about this show, and logic thus dictates this will be the best goddamn episode. Grab the whiskey, pass me the gin. Let’s Kill la Kill.
Category Archives: Episode Writeup
Kyoukai no Kanata – Episode 7
Well, that was fun. Last week turned out to be a pretty good moment to stop giving a fuck about this show, since KyoAni apparently felt the same way. Stinky Idol Apocalypse was great, but it’s looking like we’re going back to serioustown this week. Not that this changes my resolution – as far I’m concerned, KyoAni and their half-assed commitment to legitimate storytelling can both go to… wherever aesthetically impressive but emotionally sterile shows go. I waited a year for KyoAni to stop twiddling their SoL thumbs and engage, and this is what I’ve got to show for it. I’ve got a stacked roster of shows with legitimate merits and barely one fuck left to give. With tracks or without, I’ll ride this last train to the end.
Kyousogiga – Episode 5
Alright, time for the best show of the season. My evangelizing has already begun in earnest – last night, I ended up watching the first two episodes again (1 and 2, skipping 0) with one of my housemates. Which, first of all, let me notice a few more nice details in this very well-designed piece. Yase’s lines in the first episode are great, and gain a retroactive poignance given the events of her own episode – when asked if she likes it in the Mirror Capital, she says “Yeah! I love being with Mom, and fun stuff happens all the time. Like that train station that just opened!” Ouch. Koto’s fox-father also wears a mask strongly reminiscent of the one worn by the priest who banished the first Myoe, and at this point it seems beyond question that her fox is Myoe himself.
But beyond seeing more clever details, just letting the show do its thing this second time really ground in exactly how strong this overall production is. There’s just no comparison – if most shows are daytime television, this is film. The aesthetic, the writing, the direction… it’s all great, and the show makes no mistakes.
Monogatari S2 – Episode 19
Can Monogatari top last week’s thrilling twenty-minute monologue? It seems difficult to imagine, but I guess we’ll see. Personally, I’m kind of set for this arc – that episode was impressive enough to cover my “wacky formal experiments” quota for the moment, and it also focused on one of the most interesting and emotionally charged relationships in the show. So I guess I can accept it if Mayoi has to go and regain consciousness or something.
Kill la Kill – Episode 6
Holy shit you fuckers, it’s Thursday. Time for friendship and violence and the power of questionable empowerment. Last episode was great, Ryuuko and Senketsu’s friendship is beautiful, and Mako was glorious as always. I am ready to be dazzled.
Kyoukai no Kanata – Episode 6
Well, at this point I think I’m ready for Kyoukai to impress or disappoint or whatever. Clearly expectations are antithetical to the various pieces KyoAni are putting together here, so I’m just giving up on them. Other shows can worry about being insightful or creative or ambitious – as long as KyoAni keeps making this stuff entertaining, I guess I’ll be fine.
Monogatari S2 – Episode 18
Look, the arc’s damn title is “Shinobu Time.” I don’t care if Shinobu already stole Mayoi’s actual title arc. Shinobu’s just a way better character than Mayoi, and if Mayoi ends up stealing this one, I will not be pleased. I don’t watch Monogatari for Mayoi/Araragi’s rambling, pointless conversations or “haha Araragi’s a pedophile” jokes – shit like that almost had me dropping Bake right in the middle of Snail, and has always been the centerpiece of the “in spite of…” list that silently follows any “Monogatari is fantastic” statements by me. Yeah, I know some people like it – they have that right. Personally, I’m hoping even Isin isn’t troll enough to name the arc Shinobu Time and then screw me like this.
Super mad about cartoons! Alright, let’s watch some damn Monogatari.
Kyousogiga – Episode 4
I’m guessing it’s time for a Yase episode. Eager to see how her own feelings reflect on those of her siblings – Kurama and Myoe each want out of the Mirror Capital for their own reasons, and I assume Yase will have a still different take. Let’s find out.
Kill la Kill – Episode 5
Alright. I’m not sure this is the episode to do this, and actually hoping it’s that episode probably borders on masochism all by itself. I’m fairly confident this is the show to do this. Fraying anyway, might as well commit, right? “Kill la Kill might be the show that finally drives me crazy!” Haha funny laffs. Yeah. Okay. Let’s see if we can just maybe hold it together.
Kyoukai no Kanata – Episode 5
And we’re back! Excited to see where this goes. Last week’s episode did a lot of work to bolster my faith in this series – I didn’t really care about Mirai’s sadsack past in the first half, but the second established a legitimate bond between the main two, giving Mirai a little substance and retroactively adding some interesting undertones to Akihito’s upbeat facade, pursuit of Mirai, and other relationships besides. A lot of efficient work for one I CAN’T CONTROL THE RAGE INSIDE ME RAAAH light novel sequence.
Speaking of which, yeah, this is obviously all Dark Flame Master as fuck. That doesn’t really matter to me – virtually every plot is a variation on other plots, and all I care about is the execution. Will they sell me on these characters to the point where I care, where I feel? Will the scenes be visualized and directed in such a way to create a compelling mood, tone, or world? Will it be about something, and will what it has to say be articulated well enough to have some resonance, or even some truth? This all seems like a very calculated effort, but in practice it really isn’t – if these things work, I’ll know they’re working because I’ll give a damn. Because in spite of all crustiness to the contrary, I’ll naturally care about what’s happening, and what this piece can show me.
Alright, enough of my own melodrama. I’ll let the show handle that.