Category Archives: Episode Writeup

Simoun – Episode 25

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m happy to report we are at last returning to the skies of Simoun, and discovering the ultimate fate of all our brave pilots. Chor Tempest currently stands on the brink of dissolution, having surrendered their vehicles to foreign pilots and proceeded to the spring that will decide their fate. There, they find not Onashia, but their companion Yun – for having been inspired by Rea’s words, she has decided that saving Onashia is the purpose she has sought.

Yun might be one of the lucky ones. For all of its limiting strictures, the order of Simulacrum at least promised certainty, a knowledge of what you are and what you must do. But with their military superiority and religious authority crumbling at once, the people of Simulacrum are being forced to recognize their beliefs were ultimately arbitrary, the calcification of power and doctrine concealing the core truth of the simouns’ nature. And of course, none feel this shift more acutely than the sybillae, who have transitioned from living avatars of faith to redundant markers of a lost age.

It is entirely in keeping with Simoun’s thoughtful narrative approach that this be our final conflict – not the great battle for the fate of Simulacrum, but the painful necessity of moving on in its wake. With their past discredited and future uncertain, let’s bear witness to Chor Tempest’s final mission.

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The Legend of Vox Machina S2 – Episode 6

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m delighted to be diving back into The Legend of Vox Machina, and seeing how our ragtag heroes are faring in the wake of their battle with an active volcano. Keyleth’s literal trial by fire proved an excellent vehicle for improving her confidence, with the distinctions in form between this task and the Briarwoods arc demonstrating the importance of tailoring your conflicts to the players they’re prioritizing.

Percy’s trial spanned a full arc, involved a massive amount of active roleplaying, and resolved in more of an emotional victory than a tangible, mechanical one: an ambitious demand for any player, and thus a challenge that could only be set before a particularly confident one. In contrast, Keyleth’s victory was more sidequest than main arc, its challenges mostly involved performing well in combat, and its conclusion was marked by the super-tangible awarding of fire mastery, all choices better-suited to a player who needs some encouragement, and perhaps doesn’t want to be put on the spot for big speeches. You can theoretically apply a generic adventure to any party, but the best adventures involve meeting your players where they’re most comfortable, and giving them the tools needed to shine in their own way.

Well, that’s the theory, anyway. I’ve been doing my best to apply that logic to my own campaign: my lore-focused player has been deeply integrated into the political tides of the region, my mechanics-focused player has been given lots of flexible combat abilities to express himself with, and my shy player has been afforded more skill-based abilities so they don’t have to roleplay as much. My only real problem at the moment is the player who thinks DnD is a comedy improv hour, and we’re, uh, working on that. But enough about me, let’s get back to Vox Machina!

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The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to dive back into the annals of anime history, as we explore another of Toei Doga’s classic films: The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon. A loose retelling of Susanoo’s battle with Yamata no Orochi, the film is considered a standout among Toei Doga’s films, featuring uniquely modernist art design and bountiful, beautiful cuts of animation. This was also the first film to formalize anime’s approach to an “animation director,” here handled by the incomparable Yasuji Mori (who previously animated all of the animals in Panda and the Magic Serpent, that touching Rin-Rin scene from Alakazam the Great!, and much else besides). With Toei Doga’s team in top form animating a story that’s genuinely worthy of them, The Little Prince has retained a reputation as one of the true masterpieces of anime, and I’m eager to see it in motion. Let’s explore!

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Bocchi the Rock! – Episode 6

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Hey folks, and welcome on back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to return to the continuing trials of our long-suffering Bocchi, who has found herself in yet another moment of crisis. After the brief elation of learning their band was good enough to perform at Starry, Bocchi was hit with a terrifying new trial: selling five tickets of her own to promote the concert. With some quick mental math proving she indeed lacked the requisite family members to keep this in-house, Bocchi is now faced with the terrifying prospect of talking to someone she hasn’t talked to before, and convincing them that Kessoku Band is worth their time.

It’s a big step up from the rigidly structured interactions of working the Starry concession stand, and will likely demand Bocchi act like she actually believes in her music around strangers. That’ll certainly require some strained performance, but to be honest, that’s a lot of what personal growth in terms of social development actually is. We fake confidence until we realize we’re not faking it anymore, flinging ourselves out into the world one wild, uncertain leap at a time. Bocchi’s already grown enough to feel comfortable around her bandmates, and with that bulwark beneath her, I’m eager to see her vault new seemingly impossible hurdles. Let’s sell some tickets, Bocchi!

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Big Windup! – Episode 9

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be returning to Big Windup!, for the most simple and pure reason of all: I really, really want to know what happens next. With Mihashi’s initial insecurities about joining a new team at least mitigated, if not resolved, Big Windup! has swiveled its focus outwards, introducing close to half a dozen new rivals, and floating the upcoming summer tournament as the crucible that will bind them together. It was certainly compelling watching Abe navigate the potholes of Mihashi’s battered psyche, but now that they’re a genuine battery, I’m eager to see our team face off against all manner of nefarious foes.

Of course, it’s clearly not going to be quite that simple. Mihashi is still largely commanded by his insecurities, and with last episode having introduced Abe’s previous star pitcher, I’m guessing our anxious ace will need some consoling. At the same time, this new arrival offers an opportunity to dip into Abe’s own history, and perhaps reveal why he’s gained such a distrustful disposition. Either way, I’m sure Big Windup!’s delightful mix of psychology and tactics will carry us through the drama to come. Let’s get to it!

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Dear Brother – Episode 5

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I am feverishly impatient to get back to Dear Brother, and continue Nanako’s descent into the vicious rivalries and cunning subterfuge of Seiran Academy. After spending the first several episodes being tormented by the dreadful Misaki, it was actually Shinobu who struck the deepest blow against our beleaguered heroine. Playing up Tomoko’s preexisting anxieties about Nanako’s new status, Shinobu managed to forge a rift between Nanako and her one true friend, leaving the Sorority’s newest member adrift in a sea of adolescent animosity.

All this has made for delightfully melodramatic entertainment, particularly when you couple in Osamu Dezaki’s energetic direction. His use of heavy shadows and silhouettes, clever partitioning of the screen, gracefully audience-guiding boards, and postcard memory punchlines collectively provide Nanako’s story the theatrical framing it deserves, making Seiran feel as grand and imposing for us as it must surely feel for Nanako. Add in incidental delights like Shinobu calling people “potato heads” and “daughter of a rat dog” at every turn, and you end up with a show that demands tears, rage, and laughter in equal measure, all of which I’m happy to provide. Let’s get to it!

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Thunderbolt Fantasy S3 – Episode 2

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to jump back into Thunderbolt Fantasy, and see how our heroes are faring against the combined forces of the demon realm and the Order of the Divine Swarm! Gosh, even just describing the literal events of a given episode feels like hyperbole, but that’s simply how it goes with Thunderbolt. It is an exercise in cinematic maximalism, and all the greater for it.

Of course, the show wouldn’t be nearly so satisfying if all those lofty titles and action theatrics weren’t grounded in strong character dynamics and driving themes. Fortunately, Thunderbolt is also Urobuchi’s warmest, most character-rich show, offering both delightful curmudgeons like Shang and a revolving cast of endearingly terrible villains. Among these, the incorrigible Xing Hai is one of my favorites, and her newly developed Void Junction seems like it’ll prompt all manner of problems for our beleaguered heroes. Let’s see how Shang and the gang escape yet another gruesome fate, as we rally the troops for a fresh episode of Thunderbolt Fantasy!

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Hugtto! Precure – Episode 36

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m delighted to be returning to Hugtto! Precure, after an episode that embodied many of the show’s finest qualities, and certainly had me sniffling as well. Aya’s anxieties regarding her mother’s new baby were relatable and poignantly illustrated, with Hana’s words of advice reflected Hugtto’s general, laudable willingness to acknowledge the fallibility of its adult characters. Hugtto often expresses its thematic focus on hope for the future through the promise of change and excitement of finding your profession, but equally important are moments like this, where young audiences can be assured that even adults suffer from worries and anxieties, and that people of any age are capable of turning over a new leaf.

Having just survived such a tearjerker of an episode, I’m expecting we’re in for some lighter fare this time, but in truth I’m ready for anything. Hugtto has proven itself full of surprises and unexpected treasures, so let’s dispense with the preamble, and see what adventure our crew is getting up to next.

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Star Driver – Episode 18

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to storm back into Star Driver, which most recently commenced its third act with the introduction of Ko and Madoka, alongside a power grab by Head that has left him as the undisputed leader of the Kiraboshi council. Between Head’s clear hostility and the growing misgivings of Kiraboshi leaders like Kanako and Benio, I’m guessing the time for plotting in dimly lit council chambers is coming to a close, as we lead into Star Driver’s tumultuous finale.

Where is all this chaotic striving headed, you ask? Well, while I’m not sure the precise narrative destination of Kiraboshi’s variable machinations, it’s easy enough to see how things are culminating in a thematic sense. Just like he did with Revolutionary Girl Utena, Enokido has constructed a cage of adolescence overseen by adults who wish to harness the power of youth, wherein the barriers of propriety and insecurity form invisible but nonetheless implacable bars.

Sex is at the center of this universe, yet it is framed as unreachable, the uncertainty of our protagonists recast as the lock and key to oblivion in the form of the shrine maiden system. The yonic gate of Wako’s shrine, the phallic weapon that is the King’s Pillar – all roads lead towards consummation, and yet the act itself is framed as the end of the world, thereby echoing in worldbuilding the war between natural instincts and conservative social mores the whole cast is struggling with. To overcome this system, Takuto will undoubtedly have to reach out his hand as Utena once did, and forge a bond that denies and shatters the staid ethics of Southern Cross Isle. Let’s get to it!

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Spy x Family – Episode 18

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to dive back into Spy x Family, and see if Anya’s skillfully executed Griffin Plan has earned her any points with the dreaded Damian. The end result of their collaboration threaded the narrow needle of impressing school officials while being useless as an offering to Damian’s father, so I imagine Damian’s own feelings are as jumbled as Anya’s collaborative blessing. Regardless, the episode offered us significant insight into Damian’s motivation, with Anya’s powers offering us a window into his sense of alienation and inferiority relative to his brother.

Damian and his family are clearly being set up as a thematic inverse of the Forgers: while the Forgers are a technically fake family that genuinely love each other, the Desmonds are a technically real family that share no personal affection. In fact, it seems like Damian’s closest confidant is the one member of his family who isn’t related by blood, his butler Jeeves. I’m always a sucker for these “families are the people you choose” sorts of narratives, and love the particular disconnect represented by Anya and Damian’s relationship. What Damian truly needs is someone who cares about him for reasons other than his status, and thus teaches him to avoid reproducing his family dynamic in his school life (as he has with his current toadies). Anya isn’t mature enough to realize this, but in her flailing attempts to impress him through stuff like showing off her cool dog, she’s nonetheless offering friendship without strings, and showing him that not all relationships need to be about structures of power. Let’s see how these kids are doing as we return to Spy x Family!

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