Hello all, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. We’re just about due for another trip to Alola by my watch, so I hope you’re all prepped and ready for more adventures on Akala Island – thermoses filled, compasses secured, and tiny ball-bound creatures prepped to smack the holy terror out of each other. Last episode was a ridiculous highlight, as Lana once again proved her power and ferocity by personally besting the Lord of the Lake. In the wake of that victory, Lana earned both a Z-crystal and the wrist guard for it, as well as a new move for Popplio. Given all that Lana powerleveling, I’m expecting the story to transition to another member of our team this time – but wherever the story takes us, I’m happy to return to Sun and Moon!
Category Archives: Episode Writeup
The Big O – Episode 10
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’d like to return to The Big O, if that’s okay with you all, as I feel this show is one of the most rewarding projects I’m currently working on. The show is just such a complete package – I’d be happy enough simply to marvel at its terrific architecture and use of visual geometry, but it also succeeds as a polished, tightly written noir drama, somehow finding a natural meeting point between mystery, horror, and giant robot drama. As for this episode, it apparently features a storyboard by Kazuyoshi Katayama himself, the series’ overall director, and also the architect of its first three storyboards. If anyone has a natural fluency in The Big O’s aesthetic mix, it’d be Katayama, so let’s see what he has in store for us in episode ten!
Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 33
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. You all okay with some leisurely Sun and Moon today? I’ve been scrambling to catch up on work this week, and I could personally use a dose of unconditional Good Feelings. Sun and Moon has been remarkably effective at lightening my mood over these past few months, and considering I’ve started to get cranky comments whenever Saturday isn’t accompanied by a Pokemon post, I assume I’m not the only one.
When we left off, Lana had once again proven her clear supremacy over her classmates, by defending a savage Stoutland with such courage and distinction that it had no choice but to reward her with a Z-ring. Lana now joins Kaki and Ash in her wielding of Alola’s nuclear-grade Pokemon accessories, but I have hopes that Mallow and even Lillie might one day join them – though Sophocles is probably asking a little much. We’ve also gotten a better grip on Olivia’s teaching style, which reflects her own personal pokemon magnetism by encouraging students to develop a closer relationship with their critters. What we have yet to see is a whole lot of Akala Island, so that’s what I’m hoping for as we return to our crew. Let’s see what adventures await on Akala!
Yuyushiki – Episode 1
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time! Today we’re checking out something new, as we explore the first episode of Yuyushiki, a show I know virtually nothing about. In fact, I know so little about Yuyushiki that it’s probably time for a little research, just to see what I should be looking out for. Back in a moment!
Alright, I’m back. SO. Yuyushiki is a 4koma adaptation by Kinema Citrus, a smaller studio created by former members of BONES and Production I.G., whose relatively brief history includes such highlights as Scorching Ping Pong Girls, Made in Abyss, and Revue Starlight. Yuyushiki in particular is directed by the mysteriously attributed “Kaori,” whose work on shows like Endro!, How to Keep a Mummy, and Ping Pong Girls would seem to make her a perfect fit for these sorts of clubroom shenanigans. And with an equally accomplished series composer with a strong degree in Aikatsu, and animation directors who’ve spearheaded projects like Heaven’s Feel and Macross Delta, it seems like Yuyushiki is equipped with excellent key staff on all fronts. I still don’t really know what it’s about, but that’s not really the point of slice of life, is it? Let’s dive right in!
Brand New Animal – Episode 2
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be continuing our exploration of Studio Trigger’s latest production, the characteristically high energy Brand New Animal. BNA’s first episode had some clear strengths and weaknesses, and they broke down largely how you’d expect, given the staff involved. Hiroyuki Imaishi himself offered a dynamic storyboard, full of the angular, energetic compositions he’s known for, and elevated by Trigger’s remarkable collection of in-studio animators. It’s still a joy just to see this post-Gainax crew bring characters to life; their sense of cartoonish energy is second to none, and felt like the strongest part of that premiere.
On the negative side, this show is still being written by Kazuki Nakashima, meaning the plot felt simplistic and predictable wherever it didn’t feel disjointed or incoherent. Nakashima has handled series composition on nearly every Imaishi production, and his writing has disappointed me on all of them. He has no understanding of character writing beyond hot-blooded energy and basic tropes, he has only the barest understanding of narrative structure or momentum, and he never gives an indication that he’s thought deeply about anything, or grappled with the idea of thematic intent on a level beyond “wouldn’t it be cool if this happens.”
Nakashima has made it this long because he generally writes shows whose narrative is “what if the protagonist punched everyone,” so pairing him with a production that’s clearly attempting to discuss societal prejudice seems like an incredibly dicey proposition. But we’ll see how it plays out, as we explore another episode of Brand New Animal!
Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 32
Folks, we’ve no time to lose. Olivia’s first day as the team’s interim teacher has begun, and it’d be terrible form to show up late for our very first class. Having finally arrived at Akala island, I’m eager to see Sun and Moon explore this fresh new environment, and possibly even move our crew forward on their island pilgrimage.
If this were a pokemon game, I’d say we’re somewhere between the second and third cities at the moment, perhaps right around where your starter evolves into its second form, and your team begins to resemble a cultivated roster, rather than whatever birds and rats you found in your backyard. Ash’s team is certainly getting there, and I expect Olivia’s training to accelerate that – but then again, I’d be just as happy simply to ramble around this new island, and see what its beaches and towns are like. It’s hard to go wrong in Sun and Moon, so let’s see where our journey takes us this time!
Symphogear AXZ – Episode 12
Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. You all ready for some goddamn Symphogear? When last we left off, Hibiki had just consumed all of the energy Adam and Tiki were using to essentially summon a god, which has apparently harmonized somehow with her Gungnir’s god-defeating energy, and now left her inside some kind of massive supernatural chrysalis.
That all sounds pretty bad, but really, that’s about par for the course for Hibiki – she was having her hand bitten off and going berserk around this time season one, and watching the fabric of reality itself get torn asunder in season three. As in those seasons, I’m presuming that Hibiki’s unwilling crystallization means it’s about time for her friends to step in, and either rescue her from her prison, or fight Nega-Hibiki and return her to her former self. Either way, I’m sure that plenty of songs, fists, and passionate speeches await us, as we surge towards the climax of Symphogear AXZ!
Hugtto! Precure – Episode 18
Hello all, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. It has been far too long since we checked in on the stars of Hugtto! Precure, so today we’re addressing that oversight directly, and diving back into the world of Hana and her very patient friends. We arrive on the heels of an absurd run of episodes, with two of the series’ greatest animation spectacles leading directly into Lulu’s long-awaited break from Criasu Corp. In our last episode, Lulu’s story came full circle, as she once again confronted Hana in a maelstrom of flowers, and ultimately came to embrace the joy and the pain of a human heart.
All that’s well and good, but personally, I’m mostly just waiting for Lulu’s reunion with my own favorite Precure, the anxious rock star Emiru. Last episode left her stranded mid-step, as she raced to save her friend in need, so I’m hoping this episode will open with them bonking heads pretty much immediately. But however the story winds, I’m sure we’ll have an excellent time with Huggto. Let’s get to it!
Bodacious Space Pirates – Episode 9
Folks, I’m thinking it’s about time for more Bodacious Space Pirates. We last left off the series on the cliffhangeriest of cliffhangers, as Marika found herself on the brink of confrontation with a seemingly hostile force. Though the point of this mission was ostensibly to gain more information on the ghost ship from Gruier’s associates, their initial assumption was that this meant they’d be meeting some kind of reconnaissance ship, with no real possibility of open conflict. Instead, Marika’s now facing down five Serenity combat vessels, one of them already having taken serious damage, prompting the very real possibility of Marika causing an interstellar political incident.
Of course, Marika’s already proven herself a capable mediator, and more practically speaking, we’re only eight episodes into a two-cour production. I can’t imagine Marika getting blown into space dust quite so soon into the show, but I’m eager to see how she avoids that possibility, so let’s dive on into another installment of Bodacious Space Pirates!
Dorohedoro – Episode 5
Hello everyone, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. Today I am delighted to be returning to Dorohedoro, a show which has swiftly established itself as one of 2020’s very best productions. Heck, Dorohedoro would still be a top show even in a year less beset by plague and isekai; from its charming cast and confident worldbuilding to its absolutely gorgeous background design, the show is an embarrassment of riches, with only the unfortunate weak point of its CG character designs holding it down. But it’s a credit to this story’s appeal that even though its actual fight scenes are pretty lousy, it’s still keeping me gripped with its narrative turns.
Dorohedoro is a fusion of many things, but one of my favorite of its combinations is how it transposes old school magical ritual to a gritty urban setting. Magic isn’t a clean or obvious process here; it’s personal and unmanageable and terribly messy, in the way you’d see in an old-school fairy tale (or more recently, something like The Ancient Magus Bride). Dorohedoro has taken that old-school woods magic and recast it as both the symptom and cause of urban decay, the dark energy that runs through the drainage lines beneath Hole’s concrete jungle. It’s a fascinating mix, like a witchier variation on cyberpunk, and I’m eager to see what else Q Hayashida can do with it. Without further rambling, let’s get to Dorohedoro!