Category Archives: Episode Writeup

Hugtto! Precure – Episode 16

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m delighted to be returning to the always-charming and frequently visually dazzling Hugtto! Precure – in fact, I’m even more excited than usual, given just how good Hugtto’s previous episode was. That episode saw Emiru returning in a blaze of glory, teaming up with Lulu to teach her about music and friendship and stuff. Emiru rocketed to the top of my favorite characters within her very first opponent, and pairing her with the ostensibly emotionless Lulu was an inspired choice, as Lulu was able to learn from Emiru’s passion and sensitivity, while Emiru gained a bit of necessary self-confidence from Lulu’s support.

Along with last episode’s rich character chemistry and consistently excellent humor, it was also one of the show’s most visually impressive episodes so far, with Emiru in particular being brought to life through plentiful character acting and goofy expression work. But most importantly, while I was busy raving about last episode on twitter, I received a number of responses telling me to keep on watching through the next episode, since they’re apparently a matching, equally accomplished set of episodes. The wait from there to the point where I actually had the next episode funded was agony, but it’s over now, and we’re all set to dive back into Precure. Let’s see what the sequel to Emiru & Lulu’s Big Day has in store!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 19

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Right now, I’m still mired in what I believe is known as the dog days of summer, where it’s too hot and humid out to even appreciate the sunshine. Meanwhile, with COVID preventing any sort of group outing that might distract from the heat, my current Survival Strategy is to sit within an air-conditioned room, silently staring at the blistering heat outside. This is not a particularly enthralling summer vacation experience, but fortunately, I know a place where the summer heat is always just right – Alola, a special archipelago that just so happens to also house a diverse menagerie of friendly, collectable creatures.

Last time on Sun and Moon, we joined Mallow in her quest for the perfect Alolan soup, a journey that ultimately resulted in Bounsweet evolving into the powerful high-kicking Tsareena, as well as the acquisition of aforementioned perfect soup. After a fair stretch of episodes that have all been episodic adventures, I’m somewhat expecting us to return to Ash’s island pilgrimage today – but if not, I’m also absolutely down for some kind of wacky one-off again, perhaps involving hot air balloons or an angry Miltank. Whatever’s in store, Sun and Moon is always a good time, so let’s dive right into our next episode!

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Symphogear AXZ – Episode 8

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The ancient rites have been completed and the door to eternity is cracking open, so I hope you folks are ready for another episode of SYYYYMPHOOOOGEAAAAAR! Last episode was mostly just a continuous series of battles from start to finish, but we did end up learning more about the internal dynamics of the Bavarian Illuminati – namely, that everyone except Tiki thinks Adam sucks, and are actually loyal to St. Germain. However, with Prelati potentially having been destroyed outright by the young Symphogears, and Adam now asking St. Germain to sacrifice her one remaining follower, it’s looking like the time for any potential leadership struggle may already be passed.

That’s generally how it goes with Symphogear, though – the enemy team starts with maybe a half dozen or so individual members, and gets whittled down over the second half of the season, leaving us with a climactic confrontation with whoever the biggest bad guy is. Structural forecasts aside, what I’m actually most looking forward to is seeing whatever new power mode Hibiki and her friends synthesize out of the “Fool’s Stone” that they’ve been seeking. Let’s hit the ground running with another episode of SYMPHOGEAR!

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The Girl in Twilight – Episode 6

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Hello everyone, and welcome back. You all feeling ready for some The Girl in Twilight? So far, this show has proven itself to be absolutely full of surprises, as it shifted from the relatively grounded and thematically concise Nana arc, to the absolutely fantastical and often just-plain-ridiculous Mia arc.

Not to say Mia’s arc was bad in any way – it was actually a very entertaining ride, and Mia’s own journey was convincingly executed. Using this world of cowboys and outlaws to illustrate Mia’s desire to be more than “cute” was a neat trick; not only was it a fun way to explore her character, but it also neatly illustrated how the conditions of our own world can be just as limiting as any other, further emphasizing how there is no such thing as a “neutral” or “true” self. We are all reflections of our environments in myriad ways, and coming to terms with that is a necessary process both for learning to understand ourselves, and learning to coexist with others.

That aside, Cowboy World was also just an incredibly fun, silly adventure, and made great use of this show’s charming cast and their various duplicates. The Girl in Twilight’s excellent character writing has proven to be not just a welcome asset, but the show’s foundational bedrock – it is our understanding of the initial main cast that makes these what-if versions so compelling, and it is their overall chemistry that makes their adventures so fun. I’m eager to see what world we visit next as we continue this strange and hilarious journey!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 18

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I have just concluded my duties on the summer season’s preview guide, meaning I am treating myself to another fun-filled episode of Pokemon Sun and Moon. I hope you’re all enjoying this journey as much as I am; while I often ramble at exhaustive length about the visual beauty and thematic poignancy of anime’s most ambitious productions, a great deal of anime’s importance to me comes down to how soothing and rewarding it is to settle down with a show as comforting as a good friend or a long, lazy nap.

As someone who watched a great deal of anime growing up, the art form’s fundamental modes of visual and emotional expression feel a bit like home to me. And when you combine that with the artistry and affectionate characterization of a show like Ojamajo Doremi, or Chihayafuru, or Sun and Moon, you end up with productions that aren’t just pleasant to watch, but a genuine source of stability and emotional support. Supporting people through difficult times is one of art’s greatest callings, and I can only hope that joining me on these journeys has given some of you that sense of support, as well. I’m glad you’re all here with me, and eager to get back to the adventure, so let’s dive into another episode of Sun and Moon!

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Big Windup! – Episode 1

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re embarking on a new journey, as we explore the first episode of 2007’s baseball-focused drama, Big Windup! I didn’t really know anything about Big Windup! before starting this project, save for a general familiarity with its character art, so I of course went to work checking out the staff and such to get some picture of what I’m in for. That led to me discovering this was directed by Tsutomu friggin’ Mizushima, and with that, my anticipation for baseball action was thoroughly primed.

If you’re not familiar with Tsutomu Mizushima, I’d describe him as a workmanly director with a particular mastery of editing, meaning his shows usually benefit from both high-paced narrative momentum and phenomenal comedic timing. His shows are defined less by specific visual signatures than a general sturdiness of form and lightness of tone, and his recent catalog is brimming with fine shows like Girls und Panzer, Shirobako, Witch Craft Works, and Prison School. Both Witch Craft Works and Prison School clearly demonstrate he’s able to augment his style to match the aesthetic of his source material, and beyond that, I’m also excited to see an award-winning sports manga by a female mangaka.

As a final point, this first episode is directed by Mizushima himself, with animation direction by the show’s character designer and Chief AD Takahiko Yoshida, meaning we’re undoubtedly in for a blueprint of the show’s intended style going forward. With all that established, let’s check out the first episode of Big Windup!

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Bodacious Space Pirates – Episode 6

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Hello everybody, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time! Today I’m excited to dive back into Marika’s celestial adventures, as we join her intrepid team for another episode of Bodacious Space Pirates. The show’s previous episode served as the climax of its second mini-arc, as Marika, Chiaki, and their classmates managed to fend off an enemy boarding attempt, making excellent use of resident tech expert Lynn’s hacking skills, as well as Marika’s own confidence and quick thinking. Having passed what was essentially her pirate captaining practical exam, Marika has also come to a personal decision: she’s ready to take on her father’s legacy, and assume leadership of the Bentenmaru.

Of course, we’ve still got some preparations to consider before setting sail on that great starry sky. For one thing, Marika should probably set about actually recruiting her yacht club classmates, who’ve already proven they’re pretty much bridge-ready. And also, apparently Chiaki is a pirate captain too? That seems worth investigating. Regardless, the sails are beginning to unfurl above our young leads, and I’m eager to see their journey begin. Let’s get to it!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 17

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Right now it is technically summer where I am living, which in local terms means the weather outside shifts at random between punishing, stagnant humidity and unrelenting rainy downpours. Even as I sit in my office (aka my bedroom), my air conditioner can do little to protect me from the swampy tension in the air, which clings to my clothes and utterly dishevels my beautiful hair. I am tired of this damnable place, but fortunately, I also know a place where summer works exactly how it’s supposed to – the islands of Alola, which just so happen to also be brimming with adorable pokemon and thrilling adventures-in-waiting. So let’s not waste any more time reflecting on the atmospheric deficiencies of my own climate, and instead take a trip back to some islands that embody the very best of slice of life and children’s animation. Let’s explore another episode of Pokemon Sun and Moon!

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The Big O – Episode 6

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m delighted to be returning to The Big O, that exceptional mix of noir and giant robots that we all enjoy so much. Well, at least I’m greatly enjoying it; it’s a delight simply exploring the diverse sights of Paradigm, and Roger and Dorothy have made for dynamic, endearing tour guides.

Along with the show’s excellent art design and likable cast, what I most appreciate about The Big O is its willingness to embrace the weirdest consequences of its genre mix. While it’d be easy to construct a series of propulsive, action-packed murder-mysteries in the context of this world, The Big O has instead embraced both gothic horror and noir’s tendency towards ambiguity and even surrealism, frequently spending more time luxuriating in the atmosphere of Paradigm’s mysteries than following clues towards a destined end. Personally, I think ambiguity and atmosphere tend to be far more effective worldbuilding tools than outright exposition; through presenting a world with a rich sense of place but no clear answers, The Big O grounds us in the day-to-day experience of Paradigm, while implying there is more to this world than we could ever know. Let’s sift through the detritus of the sleeping city, as we explore a new episode of The Big O!

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Symphogear AXZ – Episode 7

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Hello everyone, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. Today we are absolutely continuing our journey through Symphogear AXZ, as our last episode left us on a… hm, is there a unique word for a positive cliffhanger? Like, normally “you need to know what’ll happen next” is something relevant to a moment of great narrative uncertainty and distress, but in this case, we’re not hanging on to see “how will the good guys get out of this one” – the good guys are fine, and actually just resolved their whole LiNKER subplot last episode. We’re instead in the reverse case: “wait and see just how badly the good guys beat the crap out of the villains.” I’m actually pretty certain that’s still just a cliffhanger, but either way, with all six wielders now at full strength, episode six left us with the promise of a full ensemble battle, or at least an immediate forced retreat by those dastardly alchemists. Let’s see where our journey takes us in another episode of SYMPHOGEAAAR!

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