Category Archives: Episode Writeup

The Big O – Episode 9

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Hello all, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I am eagerly awaiting our continued explorations of The Big O, a show that has impressed me anew with almost every new episode, marrying gothic grandeur and neo-noir smolder to dazzling effect. I say “almost” there as a specific nod to the show’s last episode, which was unfortunately a bit of a step down from the show’s standard; a little more monster-of-the-week than usual, and also a bit less impressive in terms of its overall storyboarding.

But of course, as we hopefully all understand at this point, an anime production isn’t really a singular, cohesive organism; it is a composite of many individual artists, all of whom tend to leave a definable signature on their work. And in this case, one of those artists happens to be Akihiko Yamashita, co-architect of the astounding Giant Robo, and one of The Big O’s most accomplished storyboarders. With him on boards and series mainstay Ikuro Sato on direction, I’m expecting great things from The Big O’s ninth episode. Let’s get to it!

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Oregairu S3 – Episode 3

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. We return to Oregairu at a particularly improbable moment, as the show establishes a point of connection between two deeply incompatible people: Yukino and Iroha. Yukino is a brittle pillar of integrity, determined to embody her ethos by living as a righteous example – meanwhile, Iroha is an incorrigible gremlin, always eager to foist her work on others, and most comfortable hiding her feelings behind an insincere smile.

At least, that’s who they used to be. Over the course of Oregairu’s first two seasons, Yukino has learned to be far less judgmental, and gained a sense of humility and closeness among her friends that has disarmed her originally unapproachable nature. Meanwhile, Iroha has realized she’s genuinely good at a lot of things, learned to take pride in her efforts, and decided she too wants the genuine connections Hachiman is seeking. Through each of their journeys, they have arrived at a point where Yukino can recognize Iroha’s shared desire to assert her competency and independence, and want to help her achieve her dreams. Whether attempting to organize a prom while also renegotiating her familial duties is wise is another question entirely, but Yukino’s tendency to overexert herself isn’t likely to disappear overnight. Without further ado, let’s see what our crew get up to next!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 29

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It’s currently raining outside my house; a cold, grey rain that promises no clear skies or emotional catharsis, but simply the inevitability of more storms, as I endure one more damp and dreary New England winter. Rain is a useful dramatic tool, but a lousy weather condition; though perhaps that’s a contradiction in terms, as it is only our personal experiences with rain that give it such strong narrative resonance. Either way, the short of it is that the weather here sucks, and I am once again employing that as an excuse to ship off to the shores of Alola, where it only rains when the drama absolutely demands it. Without further ado, let’s see what Ash and his companions have been getting up to this week!

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The Girl in Twilight – Episode 7

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re returning to one of our more unusual projects, as we explore the next episode in the hilarious and highly imaginative The Girl in Twilight. So far, the show has turned out to be a unique mixture of some very disparate priorities. On the one hand, it’s a high-concept timeline-hopping science fiction adventure… but in practice, the show frequently seems less interested in exploring the mechanics of its timelines, than it is in simply celebrating the personalities and friendships of its main cast, as well as the ways different worlds play off their “natural” temperaments.

As someone who generally cares a whole lot more about characterization than worldbuilding, this has been absolutely all right by me – and with endearing, multifaceted characters and a great script, The Girl in Twilight has consistently made the most of its unique dramatic balance. Additionally, Tomoyo Kurosawa is just plain killing it as our heroine Asuka, and proving she clearly needs more starring roles as soon as possible. However the secrets of our current world play out, I’m looking forward to spending more time with these idiots in another The Girl in Twilight!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 28

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. It’s friday for me right now, and though the particular conditions of my employment mean I don’t have a “work week” so much as an unending stream of content production responsibilities, it still feels nice to end the theoretical week with something lighthearted and fun. And I’m guessing you all know what that means: we’re heading back to the Alolan islands, back to the Pokemon school, and back to the adventures of Ash and his exuberantly animated friends. Last episode finally introduced Gladio into the show’s lineup, progressing the show’s actual, overarching narrative enough to clearly earn a retreat back into goofy episodic shenanigans. But whether this episode offers comfort or continuity, I’m confident we’ll all have a resoundingly pleasant time. Let’s get back to Sun and Moon!

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Symphogear AXZ – Episode 11

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You folks ready for some Symphogear? When last we checked in, Hibiki and Kirika had concluded this season’s “let’s do some off-brand Symphogear pairings” conceit with fabulous fury, as Kirika unleashed a Climax Song in order to protect St. Germain from her betrayal-happy superior. We always knew Adam and Tiki were huge assholes, but at this point their dickery has exceeded even my most jaded predictions, and I am beyond ready to see our team initiate some countermeasures.

In terms of narrative structure, it also feels like we’ve at this point basically resolved all of this season’s individual character conflicts. The season’s first half was essentially dedicated to Maria and Chris’s struggles with accepting their former lives; Maria resolved that through her trial with Elfnein, and then paid that assistance forward by assisting Chris with her conflict with Sonia. Then Shirabe and Kirika each received a boost from Tsubasa and Hibiki, leading us to a point where the cast can hopefully communicate more confidently and honestly among themselves. Hibiki herself has actually taken a bit of a backseat in terms of emotional development, but given she carried the bulk of season three’s drama, it makes sense to put her on the backburner for the show’s penultimate season. But anyway, that basically catches us up to now – let’s dive on in then, and explore a new episode of Symphogear!

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Dorohedoro – Episode 4

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Hello everyone, and welcome once more to Wrong Every Time. Today I come to you in a spirit of contrition, as my motives for this current article could not be more impure. We’re going to be continuing Dorohedoro, largely because I… I… I want to know what happens next.

I know, I know. I’m the one who always says that plot is details, and regularly spends a good third of my articles rambling about layouts, and who generally only addresses narrative events insofar as they’re relevant to character journeys or thematic arguments. But Dorohedoro’s world is just so damn interesting, and pretty much every time it offers an explanation for one of its magic tricks, that explanation blossoms into five new questions demanding an answer. I’m also genuinely invested in the fates of both our humans and our sorcerers, and also simply eager to see more of Hole’s beautiful architecture, as well as Hayashida’s marvelous narrative inventions. Most plots are not so fascinating that they offer much more than a template for genuine craft to shine, but Dorohedoro’s story has me genuinely intrigued, and I’m prepared to follow this alarming instinct where it leads. Let’s check back in with our friends in Dorohedoro!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 27

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Folks, I’ve been consulting the relevant sages, and it is absolutely time for some Pokemon Sun and Moon. They foretell of pleasant, lighthearted adventures under the Alolan sun, and perhaps even a generous dash of expressive, comically exaggerated character acting. They also mentioned a crew of characters it is impossible not to love, accompanied by creatures who are equally comfortable chilling out as cute pets or battling each other through sumptuous cuts of fight animation. I frankly think I need not have bothered consulting these sages in the first place, as all of their predictions seem suspiciously obvious, but I nonetheless agree with their fated prediction. Let’s enjoy another new episode of Pokemon Sun and Moon!

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Oregairu S3 – Episode 2

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After two long seasons of internal struggle, Yukino has made a decision. She cannot keep relying on the patience of her mother to maintain a double life, and simply avoid the family for as long as possible – she values her chosen life enough to fight for it, even if it means open confrontation with the family she fears. She’s spoken honestly with her friends about her feelings, and also about the potential consequences of this choice; but Yukino is Yukino, and if she didn’t approach this problem with the honor and forthrightness she approaches everything, she’d be lying to herself.

In structural terms, Oregairu’s three seasons have conformed relatively neatly to its three leads – Yui thanked Hachiman and helped solidify the group in season one, Hachiman admitted to his desire for honest friendship in season two, and now Yukino must reckon with her family, a task that promises to be the most difficult of all. But she knows now that she’s not alone, and though I’m sure we’ve got some painful episodes ahead of us, I’m eager to see this crew tackle them together. Let’s return to the fantastic Oregairu!

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Bodacious Space Pirates – Episode 8

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Hello everyone, and good to see you back at Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to return to Bodacious Space Pirates, as it feels like we’re at last settling into the daily rhythm of Marika’s new life, and thus have finally been assigned a mission outside of the usual smash-and-grab performances. Well, I say “assigned,” but in truth Marika’s actually dealing with a stowaway, a young girl who apparently smuggled herself off the last cruiser full of under-stimulated vacationers. But either way, her arrival likely marks the end of Marika’s transition phase, and the beginning of her true captaining career.

It certainly seems like the right time to me. These last two episodes have been greatly instructive in terms of fleshing out the day-to-day nature of pirating in Marika’s universe, but they haven’t given Marika much of a chance to express her own approach to captaining, or given us all that much insight into Marika’s new teammates. Bodacious Space Pirates’ ability to lightly build up an ensemble cast through bridge chatter is one of its strengths, but I’d like to see Marika actually developing some trust with her crew, and this seems like a fine opportunity. Whatever challenges await, the bay doors are opening, and the sea of stars is shimmering ahead of us. Let’s get to it!

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