Category Archives: Episode Writeup

The Girl in Twilight – Episode 1

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Hello all, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time! Today we’ll be embarking on a new notes project, as we explore the first episode of 2018’s The Girl in Twilight. This show was technically just the first wing of a theoretical multimedia project that also included a mobile game, a specific cross-promotional mix that has become increasingly common in recent years. It’s only really the mobile game aspect that’s new, though; anime are rarely green-lighted as fully self-contained commercial objects, and are generally intended to at the very least sell toys or music. In the age of massive mobile game sales, anime productions have naturally migrated towards promoting more mobile games; though in The Girl in Twilight’s case, the game it was promoting barely survived until the end of its own seasonal airing.

Moreso than its promotional intent, The Girl in Twilight’s most noteworthy feature is the presence of Kotaro Uchikoshi, who contributed the show’s base concept and scenario. Uchikoshi’s anime work has been pretty limited; his biggest “claim to fame” there is writing 2015’s Punch Line, which was a conceptually interesting and visually appealing production whose unfortunate “if I see panties the world ends” gimmick kept me from sticking with it. However, Uchikoshi is also responsible for writing the acclaimed Zero Escape game trilogy, along with a variety of other reality-bending, mystery-centered visual novels. The golden age of visual novels has tragically passed (they too have largely been replaced by mobile games), but Uchikoshi is considered one of its titans, and I’m excited to see his ideas at work in The Girl in Twilight. With our journey’s first steps established, let’s dive into The Girl in Twilight!

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Symphogear AXZ – Episode 1

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Well folks, it’s looking like we’re watching some goddamn Symphogear. I’m frankly not quite sure how much I’ll be able to critique for you all here – Symphogear is pretty much insane nonsense from start to finish, and attempting to soberly quantify it as an artistic text feels like a bit of a fool’s errand. That said, I am an acknowledged fool, and have actually already reviewed the show’s first three seasons over on Anime News Network.

Looking back on those, I see I docked the second season for “losing any semblance of intelligent writing” and the third season for “going all-in on narrative ideas it’s not nearly well-written enough to support,” so uh, I guess that’s where we’re at as we embark on season four. But really, Symphogear has never actually been about clever or thoughtful writing – it’s about absurd, bombastic action setpieces tethered to an incredibly charming core cast, making for an experience that can see-saw wildly between goofy character drama and world-threatening apocalyptic theater at a moment’s notice, or even faster. It is indulgent and exuberant at all times, and by following the Nanoha model of “giant robot action, magical girl heart,” it’s able to tether its excesses to characters I would probably die for. Let’s dive into the fourth season of Symphogear!

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Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha – Reflection

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Hello all, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’ll be returning to a franchise that has at last transcended the boundaries of TV anime production, as we continue our post-A’s journey into Nanoha with Nanoha Reflection. As with the two seasons that preceded it, I’m seeing this film for the first time myself, and eager to see how the Nanoha universe expands beyond Hayate’s narrative. Though I’m watching them in reverse order, it’s easy to see how Nanoha’s villain-redeeming structure would go on to set the blueprint for shows like Symphogear; and at this point, the recruitment of Hayate and her Belkan Knights mean this is truly an ensemble narrative, demanding ensemble narrative-scale conflicts.

Reflection isn’t a direct followup to A’s, though, at least in terms of its release schedule. A’s was actually directly followed by Strikers, which jumped the timeline ten years forward, and then ViVid, which takes place four years after that. Those TV productions pushed the Nanoha universe past the point of Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate all working together as young magical girls – but ten years later, Reflection and Detonation would reverse the clock, establishing a “movie timeline” that would allow the franchise to return to that immediate post-A’s dynamic. In an artistic sphere that often seems hamstrung by its reverence for worldbuilding, it’s nice to see a franchise saying Fuck It, we’ll establish a new timeline to justify returning to this franchise’s most promising dramatic template. And if this is just an excuse to see Nanoha, Fate, and Hayate be badasses, that’s fine with me too. Let’s dive into Nanoha Reflection!

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Neon Genesis Evangelion – Episode 14

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It’s a strange thing, how the process of describing history seems to fundamentally transform it. Fitting the events of Evangelion’s first half into a historical record lends its battles clarity, coherency, perhaps even a sense of purpose. New trials are announced through stark title cards, and their resolutions are conveyed just as cleanly, twenty minutes of hardship transformed into thirty seconds of recap. The picture that emerges depicts an inexperienced but talented team, rushing to improve their defensive capabilities, but handling each new challenge with absolute professionalism.

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 7

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Folks, it has been altogether too long since we visited the shores of Alola, and I’m very happy to be returning. When last we left off, Ash and Sophocles had just survived their own electric adventure, wherein the two of them got trapped in a locked-down mall courtesy of a fairly dubious plan by Team Rocket. As usual, the narrative itself was mostly just an excuse for rambling escapades and Pokemon-centric competitions across the main cast, and though it was a fun episode on the whole, its mall setting meant it really didn’t get to fully embrace Sun and Moon’s usual visual charm. I can go to a mall any old time – it’s the beaches and forests of Alola that I’m here for, and I’m guessing we’ll be visiting them soon. Let’s explore episode seven of Pokemon Sun and Moon!

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Chihayafuru S3 – Episode 23

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Hello again, everyone. You all ready for Taichi’s Birthday Party Tournament? I know I certainly am – frankly, I wasn’t aware quite how much stress I was carrying for the sake of these mixed-up kids, until Chihaya suddenly announced it was time for a birthday party.

Though the friction of misunderstandings and hidden romantic longing has always been a key element of Chihaya and Taichi’s relationship, Taichi’s increasing feelings of inadequacy as a player, as well as his insecurity regarding Chihaya and Arata’s relationship, have recently made it so they can barely even communicate with each other. Taichi is a tightly wound ball of anxiety and inferiority, and by throwing this party tournament, Chihaya will hopefully prove to him that he is loved regardless of what he chooses to do, and that he can still play karuta just for the fun of it, and not only to prove his value. We are fixing your headspace whether you like it or not, Taichi. Let’s get to it!

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Simoun – Episode 22

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Let’s return to the tempestuous drama of Simoun! Last episode served as a crucial turn for the series, as a massive number of secrets were revealed all at once. Most crucially, Onashia revealed the true nature of the spring: it is a conduit between worlds, or rather, a channel for traveling through time within the same world. The Emerald Ri Majoon turned out to be the key to this process, leading into the further reveal that Dominura and Limone are technically “alive,” but have been sent to a far-distant point in the past. On top of that, we further learned that both Dominura and Aaeru’s grandfather were both members of Chor Dextra, the choir intended to master the Emerald Ri Majoon, and the reason Dominura feels personally responsible for the violence of the present timeline. That is a ridiculous bounty of information!

Given all these time travel-focused reveals, it was no surprise to see Neviril immediately ask if Amuria could still be alive. Having just recently mended her relationship with Aaeru, I’m really hoping Neviril doesn’t backslide into false hope and depression – her grieving process has been the primary narrative of this entire series, and I was happy to see her seemingly recovering at last. With that in mind, let’s dive into the next episode of Simoun!

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Bodacious Space Pirates – Episode 3

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Folks, I think it’s about time for more Bodacious Space Pirates. This show hasn’t really taught me anything about the meaning of life yet, and it’s actually been mostly my comment section that has been teaching me about the meaning of piracy, but Bodacious Space Pirates is a very entertaining time, and I’m happy to return to it. When last we left off, Marika was at last starting to crack through the emotional defenses of her new classmate Chiaki, as the pair of them prepared to fend off an electronic assault on their class ship-slash-pirate relic. Having already demonstrated her strong piloting skills in the first episode, it seems like it’s time to test her leadership, quick thinking, and courage under pressure all at once. Let’s get to the pirating!

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Chihayafuru S3 – Episode 22

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Strap yourselves in everyone, it’s time to WATCH CHIHAYAFURU and GET SAD. Last episode concluded on a brutal punchline, as Chihaya and Arata accepted first and second place tournament finishes, while Taichi was forced to return home after losing to Arata. While all three of these friends are now racing to surpass each other, Taichi has suffered from feelings of inferiority all through his karuta career, and both Chihaya and Arata recently securing “destined matches” against the Master and Queen likely hasn’t helped those feelings. As his two friends soar ahead, Taichi is likely feeling increasingly left behind, distant from them in both a professional and personal sense.

Fortunately, it seems like Suo might actually have taken an interest in Taichi’s destiny, and be willing to give him some training in Master-style karuta. Suo’s defensive karuta style, which depends so heavily on exploiting the psychology of the opponent, seems tailor made for Taichi – ever since Harada pointed out that Taichi is better-suited to defensive karuta, I’ve been waiting for him to study under the true master of the form. That’s my top hope for this episode, but whatever comes, I’m eager to explore another episode of Chihayafuru!

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Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! – Episode 8

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Hello all, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time! Today we’re returning to Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken, after an episode that essentially served as Mizusaki’s dedicated statement of purpose. That episode opened on one of Eizouken’s most poignant sequences yet, as we learned that Mizusaki’s fascination with the human body was in large part inspired by her love of her grandmother, with her studies of human movement eventually helping to restore her grandmother’s own mobility. The roots of artistic inspiration are varied and personal, and for Mizusaki, conveying the fluid beauty of bodies in motion likely brings her back to those days with her grandmother.

At the same time, Mizusaki is clearly passionate about animation as a tool for self-expression, and eager to announce her existence through cuts intended to dazzle even fellow animators. Anime is one of those rare mediums where an individual artist can sear a blazing signature into the work – like a dazzling guitar solo, an inspired cut of animation reaches up out of a work and grabs you by the throat, demanding you acknowledge the passion and talent of its creator.

This, unfortunately, is all just bad news to Kanamori. She just wants to ensure the project actually gets finished – and with her lead animator rambling about animation for animation’s sake while her director dithers and refuses to delegate, that’s currently not looking too likely. With the fate of their giant robot anime hanging in the balance, let’s return to Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!

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