Category Archives: Episode Writeup

Trigun Stampede – Episode 2

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d return to the action-packed Trigun Stampede, for the simple reason that I greatly enjoyed the first episode and am hungry for another one. The always-reliable Studio Orange are outdoing themselves in terms of this production’s energetic storyboarding and expressive faces, and the underlying material has so far offered a confident blend of scifi trappings and western drama. I may have missed the original Trigun during its heyday, but I’m happy to be getting a second swing at this beloved universe.

So far, we’ve received an intriguing mix of narrative variables, with the ambiguous idol of scientific progress appearing central to the story’s thematic ambitions. Scraping by in the ruins of a futuristic empire, the humans of Noman’s Land find what relief they can in the fragments of the old world, with Vash and Knives descending like angels offering either salvation or damnation. I’m intrigued to see how far this “mythology of science” thread stretches, and also on a more basic level eager for more goofy Meryl faces. Let’s see what new hazards await us in Trigun Stampede!

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Neon Genesis Evangelion – Episode 22

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A full moon draws us back to earth after an episode of painful revelation. After spending so much of this series guessing at the intent behind Gendo and his compatriots’ actions, the reveal of NERV’s origins proved more harrowing than we could have imagined. Not because the goals of this group are so ominous or esoteric; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. By drawing back the veil cloaking Seele, Gehirn, and NERV, Evangelion has revealed that its architects are driven by motives just as petty and human as the rest of us.

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The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You – Episode 5

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Hello folks, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d return to the trials of Rentaro and his soon-to-be hundred girlfriends, and see how the happiest harem in history is coming along. Having won over the diminutive Shizuka, tsundere Karane, and charmingly oversexed Hakari, Rentaro has clearly proven himself a lover beyond compare – so is it time now to adopt a fourth member of the flock, or are we off on some other bizarre adventure?

Regardless, our last episode served as a fine demonstration of one of the most important ways 100 Girlfriends distinguishes itself from other harems. First, as I’ve discussed previously, it’s crucial that Rentaro himself is profoundly likable – that he’s as much of a catch as any of his lovers, and thus actually, convincingly deserving of their love. But secondly, it’s also crucial that Rentaro’s girlfriends are also each other’s girlfriends, that they appreciate and care about each other as much as they love their darling boy.

If these girls were only bonded via their mutual love of Rentaro, he’d still have all the power here – and frankly, such a situation would profoundly limit the effectiveness of future drama, as many “everyone knows the hero, but barely know each other” stories have proven. For 100 Girlfriends to remain a charming ensemble drama, the girlfriends must be a part of each other’s lives as much as they are a part of Rentaro’s, and last episode’s getting-to-know-you shenanigans more than demonstrated Rikito Nakamura’s dedication to fostering such bonds. With Nakamura’s sage understanding of harem dynamics proven once more, let’s see what awaits for Rentaro and his merry maidens!

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One Piece – Episode 1089

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today’s project is a bit unusual, as we are neither touching down on a new production nor continuing one of our existing journeys – instead, we’re plunking down right at episode 1089 of the long-running One Piece. As any followers of my twitter account likely know, I’ve spent the last few years diving ever-deeper into One Piece, and ultimately coming to appraise it alongside Hunter x Hunter as a superior and frankly incredible shonen production. The story’s scope, skill of execution, and constant creative embellishments make it a source of continuous wonder; it embodies the essence of cartooning while also succeeding as a grand fantasy epic, and I would recommend anyone who’s curious about it to at least check out the manga.

As for our current assignment, episode 1089 marks the transition from the long-lasting, feudal Japan-themed Wano arc to the current Egghead arc, which the anime production accompanied with a wholesale reimagining of the One Piece aesthetic. Gone are the formidable line weights and bright colors of Wano, replaced by delicate lines and pastels that harken back to One Piece’s original look. It’s a transition with a clear thematic intent: after the high dramatic peaks of Wano, Egghead is partially intended as a nostalgic return to form, a reminder of the freewheeling “what will the next island hold” spirit that once characterized this production. From their arrival at the second half of the Grand Line through Wano, Luffy and his companions’ course was largely directed by their alliance with fellow pirate Trafalgar Law – but now that the goals of that alliance have been achieved, the Straw Hats are again free to sail wherever the winds might take them. Let’s get to it!

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Neon Genesis Evangelion – Episode 21

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After twenty episodes of increasingly claustrophobic drama, with our perspective perpetually honing closer into the psychological disarray of Shinji and his companions, Evangelion’s twenty-first episode offers an unexpected broadening of the camera’s frame. No longer must we guess and wonder at the motivations inspiring Gendo, Fuyutsuki, or Ritsuko Akagi; episode twenty-one brings us right back to the beginning, charting a course from the Second Impact through the formation of NERV and the first Eva tests. At last, the grand mysteries of Evangelion will finally be revealed!

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Ojamajo Doremi Sharp – Episode 11

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m delighted to be returning to Ojamajo Doremi Sharp, as we check in on the continuing fortunes of our increasingly competent ojamajos. Our last episode featured the welcome return of Aiko’s best friend Nobuko, who came ready to greet the fourth grade with a new adventure, “The Boy Who Ran.” Seeing all of Aiko’s friends add their own additions to the narrative was both inherently funny and also a satisfying riff on their individual personalities – even if they hadn’t inserted themselves as characters, it would have been easy enough to assign Hadzuki, Onpu, and Doremi to their respectively gothic, melodramatic, and steak-obsessed contributions.

Ojamajo Doremi’s classmate-focused episodes embody one of its greatest strengths: its dedication to furnishing its entire ensemble cast with distinctive, multifaceted, and evolving personalities, such that they feel like people we’re coming to know better all the time, rather than devices serving some specific dramatic purpose. With its remarkably thoughtful, generous narrative and marvelous production team, every episode of Doremi is a reminder of just how good anime can be, and I’m looking forward to whatever comes next. Let’s find out!

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Star Driver – Episode 24

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we return to Star Driver on the eve of apocalypse, as Sugata embraces his fated role standing atop Kiraboshi’s nefarious organization. Though to be honest, he’s been trending in this direction for at least half the show so far; though he denied Benio and the others in the wake of the first King’s Pillar activation, he was clearly not willing to go so far as to actively reject his birthright. And since then, Tokio has become a close confidant of our would-be king, all while his alleged fiancé grows closer to that interloper Takuto.

So yes, I was frankly expecting this from Sugata, and can only hope his bond with Takuto is strong enough to save him from his dark destiny. On a pure plot level, releasing the Cybodies from Southern Cross would at best instigate an era of forever-adolescent robotic terror, and at worst instantly kill every single person who’s not similarly apprivoised. On a thematic level, this act would represent the victory of stasis over embracing maturity, the latent awareness of self as an active participant in the world gestured towards by the fusion of adolescent and Cybody. Cybodies are essentially masks our characters use to play-act adulthood, but if true maturation is to be achieved, our heroes must set aside their armor and, like all of the hopeful maidens trapped in Tokio’s gallery, at last set sail for the real world. Let’s get to it!

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Neon Genesis Evangelion – Episode 20

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Dull green eyes possessing a keen yet feral intelligence. Gleaming teeth that rip and tear with abandon, uncomfortably human in shape. Bulging muscles that test and snap their bindings, revealing the grotesque organism beneath the metal shell. Too human and also not enough – uncanny in its scale and alarming in its movement, like some great and bloody wolf that has risen on its hindquarters, nose drifting in search of threat or quarry. In order to fight angels, mankind has conscripted devils. Unit 01 is free.

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Call of the Night – Episode 4

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m feeling a hankering to return to the low-stress drama of Call of the Night, and see how our young vampire-in-training is getting along with his, shall we say “socially indifferent” temptress. Though Nazuna aspires to the sort of effortless cool and seductive allure of your traditional Draculas and whatnot, she in truth possesses the kind of personality you’d expect for someone who’s been wandering the night alone for decades: awkward, prone to self-doubt, and desperate for companionship.

As such, the reveal that Kou actually has daylight friends waiting for him was a nasty shock for Nazuna, who understandably feels a little possessive of her first real friend. But in characteristic Call of the Night fashion, this friction was resolved not through violent conflict, but through intimate conversation, with Kou reaffirming his dedication to one day truly sharing the night. Watching these two grow closer through their adventures is a pure and simple pleasure, and I’m eager to see how they reconnect in the wake of their first quasi-fight. Let’s get to it!

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Spy x Family – Episode 31

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to dive back into Spy x Family, wherein we’ve most recently commenced the Grand Forger Cruise Ship Operation, involving Yor protecting the wife and child of a recently deceased crime lord while Loid learns to relax for once in his fuckin’ life. And so far, it unfortunately seems like neither of their missions are proceeding smoothly; Yor has just accidentally clued the entire ship’s worth of assassins into the assumed identity of their target, while Loid is, well, still Loiding it up in his usual, painfully self-reflective fashion.

Personally, I’m just delighted to see a specifically Yor-focused extended arc, particularly since this mission is clearly prompting her to reflect on the motivation and continued relevance of her Thorn Princess persona. Having taken on this role in order to provide for her brother, she is now beginning to question whether it’s still a necessary part of her life, or if it’s simply a crutch preventing her from discovering her own purpose. That’s some satisfyingly weighty personal drama, and though I very much doubt her ultimate conclusions will shift the show’s status quo, I’m happy to see Yor at last getting the sort of layered, conflicting interiority that lends some dramatic heft to Loid, Anya, and even Damien’s stories. Our choices are only meaningful if we’re the ones making them; by shifting Yor from a passive to an active actor, Spy x Family will ultimately make her bond with Loid and Anya that much more impactful, a reflection of the priorities she herself has chosen. Let’s get to it!

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