Category Archives: Episode Writeup

Scorching Ping Pong Girls – Episode 4

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Hell yeah folks, we’re watching Scorching Ping Pong Girls! It has been a ridiculously long time since we last explored an episode of this one – so long, in fact, that I no longer have any idea what our ongoing conflicts are, or what narrative/emotional/thematic threads I should be paying close attention to. BE RIGHT BACK, GOTTA REFRESH.
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ALRIGHT, I’m back! So from what I’m gathering, the last episode was pretty much the end of Scorching Ping Pong Girls’ first act, ending on Agari at last embracing ping pong because she genuinely loved it, instead of simply using it as a vehicle for personal praise. That character turn all came about because of Koyori’s earnest love of the sport, and her desire to use it not as a way to prove her dominance, but as a way simply to communicate with others.

That’s a twist I really like, partially because it seems like a truthful reflection of the ways personal anxiety can express itself, and also partly because “competition as communication” is one of the things I find most compelling about sports drama and competition in general. It’s essentially another way of articulating the tactical appeal of really good competitive games; from fighting games to sports to board games, great contests involve a continuous exchange of proposals and counter-offers, an argument held in a language of tactics. That stuff is all pretty much fundamental to tactical drama, but setting it as Koyori’s signature skill seems to imply this show will be even more focused on tactical repartee than most, like a Mizushima production. But anyway, last episode concluded on the partial introduction of a Mysterious Stranger, and we’ve got work to do. Let’s dive into the next episode of Scorching Ping Pong Girls!

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Simoun – Episode 17

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Simoun! It has been far too long since we explored this fascinating show, particularly since the last episode ended on the cruelest possible cliffhanger. Having at last successfully performed the Emerald Ri Maajon, it seemed very much like Simoun was going to spirit both of my favorite characters up into the sky. I’m not cool with that! Dominura is both the dramatic irritant and iron core that this team desperately needs, and Limoun is both adorable and one of the only genuine friends a good half of this cast still have. Their team is far weaker without them, even discounting the fact that they’re two of the most impressive pilots in Chor Tempest – and ultimately, that may well be the point. What will the team do if they both lose their center and discover the Ri Maajons are a form of self-destruction all at once?

Man, it feels nice just to type out this show’s wacky terminology again. It’s good to be back, Simoun. Let’s see what episode seventeen has in store!

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Bloom Into You – Episode 9

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Alright everyone, it’s time to dive right back in to Bloom Into You. With the series over halfway over at this point, we’ve gained a solid understanding of Yuu, Touko, and even Sayaka’s feelings, as each of them grapple with shifting desires and an inability to fully embrace their own identities. “I have to perform an artificial self in order to maintain my status in high school” is a very common sentiment, but it’s taken a different form for each of these girls. For Touko, denying her identity is something she does willingly, or even gladly – she’s happier acting as her sister’s replacement than being herself, and afraid of being rejected for performing anything less than perfection. For Yuu, what was initially a comforting relationship with Touko has begun to feel significantly less so, as her own desires grow beyond what Touko is willing to accept from her. And for Sayaka, the overarching social prejudice against same-sex relationships weighs down heavily, making her question if there’s something fundamentally wrong with her.

Though I initially felt more sympathetic to Yuu and Sayaka’s narratives than Touko’s, I’ve since learned that Sentai royally screwed up the translation of episode six’s big confession scene – Touko wasn’t threatening Yuu, she was expressing her own fear of being rejected if she embraced herself. Knowing that, I feel much better about the manipulation and backbiting and general angst all three of these girls are throwing at each other, as they all work to present a self they think the others could love. Teens just do shitty stuff to each other, it’s a fact – they’re not monsters for that, and growing out of the insecurity that causes you to be cruel is a big part of adolescence. Let’s see what our mixed-up kids do next in another episode of Bloom Into You!

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Princess Tutu – Episode 21

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Princess Tutu’s twenty-first opening monologue commences with a familiar line: “once upon a time, there was a man who died.” This is the same line it used to open its first monologue, before introducing the founding myth of the prince, raven, and Tutu herself. In that monologue, after describing the story, the narrator went on to speak of how the characters lived beyond their author’s death, and ultimately escaped their pages – only for the author to ultimately reappear and signal his approval. So how does this new version of the tale compare to that first story?

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Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha – Episode 13

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Time for the endgame, folks! With the assault on Precia’s fortress in full swing and Precia herself having fallen into some ominous dimensional crevice, it’s time at last to conclude the first season of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. This show has been a ride that shifted from intriguing but uneven to consistently thrilling, and at this point, it’s no surprise whatsoever that Nanoha inspired an entire franchise. So before we dive into this last episode, let’s do a brief overview of Nanoha’s strengths so far.

First off, there’s Nanoha herself, and her firm bond with Fate Testarossa. Nanoha has proven herself to be an exceptionally competent protagonist, which might feel a little odd in the abstract, but which works perfectly to build her up as a foil for Fate. And the situations surrounding these characters has felt unusually well-observed on both sides; Nanoha’s relationship with her family is illustrated through copious convincing incidental scenes, while Fate’s time with her “mother” contains some of the most brutal and immediate illustrations of both familial abuse and its psychological aftermath that I’ve seen in anime. And both of these situations have benefited from Nanoha’s signature stylistic trick, its tendency to extend certain scenes far beyond their theoretical “narrative necessity” in order to create a more convincing illustration of a genuine lived experience.

In aesthetic terms, Nanoha isn’t the most beautiful show out there, but it certainly has its strengths. Shinbo’s love of striking full block colors aligns very well with Nanoha’s focus on energy attacks over action choreography, and the show’s often surreal backgrounds and consistent fisheye shots do an excellent job of creating a sense of unease throughout. And finally, Nanoha’s underlying worldbuilding feels ripe for exploration and expansion – its techno-magical world has the key quality of feeling like it exists outside of Nanoha’s own story, full of wild tales we haven’t yet experienced. With all that said, let’s see how the first season of Nanoha comes to an end!

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The Woman Called Fujiko Mine – Episode 5

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Alright folks, let’s check out another episode of The Woman Called Fujiko Mine! This show has been steadily winning me over all throughout its early episodes, with its unquestionable stylistic strengths, clear thematic aims, and general narrative polish giving each of its first four episodes a strong fundamental appeal. Along with Saya Yamamoto’s terrific aesthetic vision and contemplation of female power, the show’s most recent episodes have been further buoyed by a sense of humor and vulnerability that’s given it a clear emotional appeal. That’s been great news for me – while I certainly respected the craft of Fujiko Mine’s first two episodes, its heavy focus on ornamented style and hard-boiled noir storytelling didn’t really give me much to invest in emotionally. For me, character vulnerability is my avenue towards engagement, and both Fujiko and new friends like Goemon have given the most recent episodes a welcome emotional touch. Fujiko herself is a fascinating badass whose fatigued negotiation of an inherently male-oriented world feels more sadly relevant every day. Let’s see whose butts need kicking or jewels need stealing in episode five!

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Bloom Into You – Episode 8

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GUYS, WE GOTTA WATCH MORE BLOOM INTO YOU. I’ve been enjoying this show ever since the first episode, and it’s had consistent peaks all along, but HOLY CRAP episode seven. That episode by itself jumped this show from “extremely good character drama” to “turn on the next episode you fuckin’ nitwit,” neatly illustrating both the consequences of oppressive social assumptions, and the counterbalancing necessity of mentors or representational figures that validate your identity. In one neatly composed episode, Bloom Into You demonstrated one of art’s highest callings – weaving an intellectual argument into an emotional narrative, and through doing so making the consequences of some political reality tangible in an immediate, felt sense.

It is one thing to be told “gay people are harmed by a culture that solely embraces limiting, voyeuristic media portrayals of people like them,” and another to see Sayaka living with the consequences of that culture, doubting her own feelings and desperately wishing she were someone different. Most people just aren’t that great at imagining the lived experience of people unlike themselves – through media like this, that lived experience can be made clear, with sympathy hopefully ensuing. Without ever feeling didactic or insincere, Bloom Into You thoughtfully illustrated the close relationship between our media environment, our support structures, and our own sense of self, building Sayaka up as a genuine emotional force in the plot all the while. I can’t wait to see what this terrific show does next!

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Ojamajo Doremi – Episode 49

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Settle in everybody, the Doremi train is about to get moving. We’re actually right near the end of the show’s first season now, with the two-parter finale just ahead of us. Doremi has been a wonderful ride so far, offering charming and sympathetic characters, surprisingly nuanced narratives, plenty of unexpected dramatic turns, and a beautiful, highly expressive aesthetic to bring it all together. The show approaches its young intended audience with profound respect and honesty, and the result is a show smart, pretty, and poignant enough to appeal to any audience.

Great, family-friendly children’s entertainment doesn’t have to divide its focus between simplistic narratives for kids and occasional gags for adults – as long as the emotional throughlines are clear, it can craft narratives relevant to all people, and reflect on topics as heavy as the lingering scars of divorce, our limited ability to truly impact the world, or even coming to terms with death. By portraying such tales with unvarnished honesty and world-weary perspective, Doremi regularly eclipses the emotional and philosophical reach of more violent or escapist anime, all while maintaining an inherent sense of joy and a clear sympathy for its heroines. At this point, I’m mostly just sad this show apparently never received a dub – it genuinely feels like one of the best piece of kids’ media I’ve witnessed in any language, and its lessons are timeless. But I too can only do so much, so I’ll do what I can to raise the profile of this wonderful, utterly heartfelt show. Let’s explore another episode of Ojamajo Doremi!

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Hugtto! Precure – Episode 6

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Folks, it is absolutely time for more Precure. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying this journey through one of the modern anime institutions, and am eager to see how the dynamic shifts now that Homare has joined the team. I frankly don’t know how that dynamic is going to shift – Precure is a franchise that has established its own rhythms and assumptions over close to fifteen years now, but as a newcomer to the franchise, I’m basically in your care in terms of getting to know this series. Is there a specific pattern to acquiring team members? Will we experience a few episodes settling the dynamic before filling out the roster? Like with my Nanoha watch series, it’s very fun for me to finally get to experience works that so many of my friends and readers have such a strong attachment to, especially a work so earnest and kindhearted as this one.

So far, Hugtto’s fourth episode has been the clear standout so far, elevated through gorgeous compositions and plentiful fluid animation that all helped bring Homare’s story to life. I’ve been informed that can be credited to Yuuta Tanaka, one of Precure’s premiere directors, but the show in general has demonstrated a compelling aesthetic sensibility and a surprisingly keen eye for composing fight scenes. Hugtto’s manipulation of scale and momentum during its big battles puts a lot of straightforward action shows to shame, and I’m excited to see how these battles shift as our heroes grow into a real team. Let’s see what awaits us in another episode of Hugtto! Precure!

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Girls’ Last Tour – Episode 1

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be embarking on an entirely new adventure, as we make our way through the first episode of Girls’ Last Tour.

I remember enjoying Girls’ Last Tour well enough while it was airing, though I didn’t actually follow it to the end. That’s not necessarily the show’s fault, though  – it’s quite frankly just tough to find time for non-Crunchyroll shows in my schedule, as the demands of a weekly column mean I pretty much always have to be looking for new subject matter. The show was a lovely little production in its own right though, and struck firmly in that “quiet, intimate joy in the face of existential despair” niche occupied by shows like Sound of the Sky or Planetarian. I tend to love that particular tonal combination – “the world is a profoundly harsh and unforgiving place, but we still have hope and each other” might well be my general philosophy on life, and so I’m always up for narratives that temper an unflinching approach to illustrating life’s traumas with clear, emphatic sympathy for their central characters. When you couple that with the show’s beautiful environments and consistently evocative tone, you end up with an anime that I’m very happy to return to. Let’s see what there is to discover in the first episode of Girls’ Last Tour!

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