The opening shots of The Great Passage’s second episode serve as the firmest possible reaffirmation of its character acting acumen. Not only are the incidental characters walking through this establishing shot traditionally animated (itself a rarity for modern crowd scenes), they’re actually given personality, boasting distinctive body language and a variety of character-defining gestures in their time on the screen. It seems fitting that a show which has already attested to the intentionality of every creative choice you make would be so generous in animating these tertiary characters; as with the dictionary they hope to build, everything that is included is included for a reason, and honed to the highest possible standard.
Category Archives: Episode Writeup
Spy x Family – Episode 12
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we have the privilege of bearing witness to a key moment in alternate European history, as the Forger clan cement their alliance through the conscription of their final family member. That’s right, Anya wants a dog, and I doubt your usual mundane mutt will do. Considering the secrets that define the Forgers’ existing family members, I’m fully expecting their pet to transform into a giant robot, or at the very least shoot plasma rays out of its eyes.
Given both the ominous conclusion to the last episode, as well as Spy x Family’s consistent focus on the legitimacy and poignancy of found families, I’m expecting this episode will involve some sort of rescue from an animal testing facility, or perhaps a daring breakout staged by the dog in question. But regardless of the narrative details, I’m sure the execution will be a delight; Cloverworks’ preceding dodgeball episode was both one of the funniest and most impressively executed episodes so far, leaving me eager to see what they’ve been cooking up since. Let’s get on with it then, and find these Forgers their perfect pet!
Bodacious Space Pirates – Episode 26
Hello my friends, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we arrive at a day of great and terrible import, as we watch through the very last episode of Bodacious Space Pirates. This production has been a gleefully irreverent, often illuminating, and perpetually charming smash of seemingly incompatible genres, fostering an unexpectedly vivid compromise between grounded science fiction and club-based slice of life shows. Between the depths of space and the bustle of the classroom, Bodacious Space Pirates found its own points of commonality: an emphasis on relatable yet larger-than-life characters, a reverence for the small details of craft and execution attendant in any task, and a general sense of wonder regarding the world around you.
It’s been delightful watching Marika take command of this strange universe, rising from a carefree high schooler to a confident pirate captain at a meteoric pace. And though I’m sad to be parting, I’m happy that the show is ending on a high note, expanding its conception of space piracy to include an entire galaxy’s worth of enticing foreign shores. With Marika’s crew at her back, let’s face off with that stuck-up interloper Quartz, and show these invaders what Sea of the Morningstar pirates are made of!
Star Driver – Episode 13
Hello folks, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. Today I am beyond eager to dive back into Star Driver, because goddamnit, what is happening in this show!? The last episode saw the narrative seemingly tensing for a whole-scale board flip, with Kanako demonstrating the variable subfactions and distinct priorities within Kiraboshi, even as Sugata slipped ever closer towards proud villainy. Having shifted from just sort of being a generally creepy guy to receiving private lessons on arrogance from Head, it’s clear that Sugata is now headed down a dark road; even if he’s currently using the King’s Pillar simply to assist Takuto, I can’t imagine he’ll stop there. After all, as Head says, power is gifted by the gods, and the gods intend us to use our gifts.
Meanwhile, the drama of both Kanako’s makeshift family and the You sisters is demonstrating a variety of awkward fault lines both within and adjacent to the Kiraboshi organization. Both Kanako and Marino seem more dedicated to protecting their loved ones than progressing the organization’s central cause, so I’m hoping we might see some defections in the near future, which could shed some light on how this organization came to be. Regardless, with Igarashi and Enokido at the helm, I’m sure we’re in for a fun and fascinating time. Let’s get to it!
The Demon Girl Next Door S2 – Episode 3
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I am happy to report that we’re diving back into The Demon Girl Next Door, and continuing the squad’s investigation of Sakura Chiyoda. Their attempts to trace Sakura’s final known activities have reaped both strange rewards and further mysteries, with the biggest victory so far coming in the form of Momo’s newly acquired Combat Fork. An apparent relic of her father’s, its appearance at Mikan’s old family factory seems to draw a line between Mikan, Sakura, and the fate of Shamiko’s dad. But what could it all mean?
Well, I’m sure these mysteries will unveil themselves in time. As you might have guessed, I’m more intrigued by how these developments will impact the story on a personal and thematic level, rather than that of pure plot. The fact that Shamiko only heard a voice guiding her to the fork after thinking back on a time when Momo seemed happy feels significant; after Momo spent so much of the first season looking after Shamiko, developments like Momo’s move to Banda Terrace seem to be leveling out their relationship, and giving Shamiko more opportunities to take care of Momo instead.
All of this serves as a direct challenge to one of Momo’s greatest weaknesses: her inability to admit weakness, or to accept the help of others. As such, Shamiko’s acquisition of the Combat Fork feels like a validation of both her personal progress in becoming someone who can support Momo, and also an illustration of how Momo is becoming more willing to be supported, and not take all the weight on herself. I expect we’ll be seeing more negotiation of their evolving dynamic in the wake of this victory, and I’m eager to get to it. Let’s return to The Demon Girl Next Door!
Spy x Family – Episode 11
Hello folks, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to return to the preposterous drama of Spy x Family, which most recently blessed us with its funniest goddamn episode so far. Anya’s high-stakes volleyball game was a symphony of playful animation and outrageous punchlines, elevating the manga’s excellent comedic fundamentals with generous visual embellishments at every turn. It was intelligent in its pursuit of humor in ways both subtle and obvious; sometimes a joke would emerge simply from the camera’s framing relative to Bill Watkins, and sometimes it would stem from the luxurious executed anticlimax of an incredible power-up animation leading into a super-deformed faceplant.
The episode was so funny that I didn’t even mind that it was only funny, with no real family drama to speak of. I often struggle to maintain interest in pure gag comedies, and tend to require some sympathetic human element to supplement the appeal of a comedy-centered production. For twenty minutes of lunacy, Spy x Family’s last episode proved the exception to that rule, and if this is a sign of Tatsuya Endo gaining more confidence in his writing, I can only imagine what madness lies ahead. Let’s dive back into Spy x Family!
Bocchi the Rock! – Episode 1
Hello folks, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. Today I am excited to announce that we are embarking on a new journey, and exploring a show that has been lighting up the internet for the last few months. That’s right, it’s time to check out Bocchi the Rock!, wherein social anxiety meets musical passion with hilarious results.
In a season that by all rights was destined to be dominated by Chainsaw Man, Bocchi has gone above and beyond in distinguishing itself, offering an impressive mix of thoughtful direction, impressive character acting, and regular feats of imaginative animated fantasy. Though I checked out the first episode near the beginning of the season, I’ve since then merely been admiring its theatrics via the excerpts posted by friends, and am eager to see for myself how all this nonsense comes together. Additionally, I also love performing music and frequently suffer from overwhelming social anxiety, so I’m sure there’ll be plenty to dig into on a more personal scale. Let’s quit with the rambling and get with the rocking then, as we explore the thunderous misadventures of Bocchi the Rock!
Star Driver – Episode 12
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re going to be continuing our examination of the fascinating Star Driver, which as of now appears to be settling into the rhythm of its second act. After a tumultuous climax wherein Sugata first activated his King’s Pillar, the show rapidly shifted gears, introducing first Mizuno and then Marino as fresh dramatic irritants. But now that both sisters have been reasonably established, it seems we’ve reached a point of relative stability, allowing for the reintroduction of more tangential side stories like last episode’s Simone vignette.
Still, it’s clear that larger forces are rearranging themselves beneath our surface drama. Last episode’s most potentially consequential moment was undoubtedly the meeting between Sugata and former Kiraboshi leader Head, wherein Sugata’s misgivings about his power were ameliorated by Head’s assurance that “talent is bestowed on us by the gods for a reason. To not use it might be a sin.” These words gave Sugata the confidence to activate the King’s Pillar during the ensuing battle, which was lucky for Takuto at the time, but will likely incur more significant long-term consequences. The flipside of “talent is bestowed on us by the gods for a reason” is “my actions are righteous because I am a chosen vessel of god,” which aligns alarmingly well with both Sugata’s self-righteousness and his preordained role in this island’s ritual structure. Takuto and Sugata were able to settle their differences with some old-fashioned roughhousing last time, but with Head whispering flattering devilry in his ear, I imagine there’s trouble in store for our core trio. Let’s check it out!
Bodacious Space Pirates – Episode 25
Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we stand at the penultimate episode of Bodacious Space Pirates, with Marika having assembled the remnants of Sea of the Morningstar’s once-proud pirate armada. From a position of strength so great they were once relied upon to maintain the region’s independence, these pirates have been winnowed down not by open combat, but by the steady erosion of the economic climate where they once thrived. Once proud privateers, they have been reduced to couriers and theme park attractions, more emblems of local flavor than drivers of martial destiny. And now, they are being targeted practically for sport, their existence deemed an acceptable loss for the cause of testing new weaponry.
It’s a dark day for pirates, to be sure, but they fortunately have the irrepressible Marika on their side. Though a life of piracy initially seemed far-fetched to our young heroine, she now appears to represent piracy’s future, or at least the hope of piracy having a future. With the implacable storm head of capitalism bearing down on her and the remaining stalwarts of piracy at her back, Marika stands ready to make history however this plays out. Let’s embark on a fresh episode of Bodacious Space Pirates!
The Demon Girl Next Door S2 – Episode 2
Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I figured we’d check back in on The Demon Girl Next Door, which at long last is demonstrating some genuine honesty in titling. With both Momo and Mikan taking up residence in Banda Terrace, Shamiko is now literally next-door neighbors with her local magical girls, a development that is sure to accelerate her and Momo’s blooming relationship. With a full summer break ahead of them, our leads are certain to at least enjoy a bounty of shared home meals, if not necessarily make any progress on their larger quest.
And to be honest, I’d be totally fine with that. Between the first season’s last episode and this season’s premiere, Demon Girl has stuffed in more plot development in two episodes than the rest of the first season combined. With both their larger goals (the hunt for Sakura Chiyoda) and personal shifts in circumstance having been sorted out, I’d be happy to see an episode or two spent exploring this new normal, now that Shamiko and Momo are only separated by a thin apartment wall. With a bright summer stretching before our heroes, let’s see what awaits in The Demon Girl Next Door!