For this week’s Why It Works, I wrote up my traditional slew of recommendations for Crunchyroll-specific properties. All four of this article’s properties genuinely seemed pretty darn great to me, and though I probably won’t be sticking with all of them, they’re certainly fine entries in their own genres. Let’s get to it!
Nick’s Anime Picks for Spring 2019
Well folks, the time has come again. With basically every spring premiere on the books, and me having watched them all in some misguided pursuit of cartoon enlightenment, we can at last run down the hits, misses, and egregious humanitarian crimes of the spring anime season. Though to be honest, the international tragedies were actually in pretty short supply this time – this was a premiere season defined by consistency, and low on outliers in either the positive or negative direction. That’s not to say there’s nothing worth watching, though; there’s actually a pretty wide array of respectable premieres in all sorts of genres, along with a couple genuine gems.
As usual, I’ll be breaking down my evaluations into a vague tier list, and keeping my blurbs fairly brief, while also linking to all of my lengthier reviews over at the preview guide. This isn’t meant to be an authoritative ranking of quality or anything – I mean, these are just first episodes, pretty much any of these productions could surprise us (except for AFTERLOST). In light of that, I’ll be returning to the most simultaneously telling and useless of evaluation metrics – silly anime gifs, the only true currency in our apocalyptic age. Starting with the best of shows and happiest of anime gifs, let’s run this whole damn season down!
Well folks, I’m still trying to manage the flood of new anime premieres, but today I’ve also got a review of one of last season’s very best shows. Run with the Wind impressed from its debut all the way through its recent conclusion, and I was happy to celebrate this terrific production. Here’s my review!
New anime have been tumbling down the pipe every day this week, and today I’ve returned with another bounty of fresh previews. So far, the main thing that seems to be defining this season is its middle-of-the-road consistency – I’ve rated nothing above a four and only one show below a two, but nearly everything I’ve seen has been pretty competently executed on the whole. In light of that, this season is full of properties that are at least worth investigating, and seeing if their particular strengths gel with what you’re seeking in a show. Per usual, you can check out the full list of reviews right here, or scroll below for my own scores and links to individual reviews. Let’s break down some anime!
Today on Why It Works, I return to JoJo with another mostly nonsensical article about bizarre adventure best practices. While it’s true that JoJo is full of incredibly bullshit abilities that will kill you for the most preposterous of reasons, the seasons so far have also established a clear catalog of actions that will pretty much always get you injured, killed, or otherwise punished for your foolishness. Today we break down just a few of those classic mistakes in JoJo’s Bizarre Survival Guide!
Surviving this Bizarre World: JoJo’s Bizarre Survival Guide
Well folks, the seasonal deluge is well underway, and the preview guide bulwarks are only barely containing the flood. I’m needed back on the preview front lines, but I felt it about time to send this message home, and let you all know the course of the battle. The first wave of spring shows has actually been very solid so far, with a fine scattering of recommendation-worthy shows across an array of genres, and basically nothing that actively lessens my faith in humanity. As usual, you can check out the full list of previews here, or scroll below for my own scores and links to individual reviews. Let’s run down the season so far!
“As long as we collect enough parts, we can be put back together.” That’s the promise that Rutile makes to our protagonist Phos, while explaining the unique nature of their crystalline bodies. It’s a true statement, and a source of comfort for Land of the Lustrous’ stars, but its implications also speak to the fundamental question and hope of this entire narrative. “As long as we collect enough parts, we can be put back together” we tell ourselves, as the world chips at us, and our bodies betray us at every turn. We can be fixed. We can be remade. Perhaps, one day, we could even be whole.
Aw shit you guys, the season’s over! It was all epic conclusions and goodbyes this week, as everything from Kemurikusa to Run with the Wind turned in their final assignments. The strengths or weaknesses of those final episodes were as diverse as the shows themselves; Kemurikusa attempted to switch gears for a genuine action spectacle, The Magnificent Kotobuki decided to hone in on all the things it does best, and Mob Psycho balanced its absurd animation feats with a lengthy and well-deserved epilogue. It’s been a pretty excellent anime season, and though some shows have had their ups and downs, I’m still astonished that both Mob Psycho and Run with the Wind were as consistently terrific as they turned out to be. Let’s run it all down in one last Winter 2019 Week in Review!
Today I wrote the necessary followup to last week’s Watanabe-focused article, this time exploring the career of the equally remarkable Kunihiko Ikuhara. It’s a pretty classic retrospective, focusing on both his themes and influences, with a solid shoutout to Junichi Sato for good measure. Let’s get to it!
Revolutionary Girl Utena’s Ikuhara is Directing an Anime this Spring!
Folks, I’m so happy to be watching another episode of Huggto! The show has been a total joy so far, constructed on a variety of stellar fundamental pillars, from Hana’s excellent performance as the heroine to its great sense of humor, along with both its generally appealing art design and its major directorial highlights. Huggto! has already offered some truly stunning cuts of action animation, with their signature appeals so far seeming to be their clear sense of scale and weight. You can really feel how massive and imposing these Precures’ enemies are, as well as the impact of their attacks, be it through the carefully animated struggle of their limbs to hold back some attack, or through the understanding of tempo and sound design that informs the often terrifying distance between when a Precure is knocked aside and when they actually hit the ground.
And outside those fight scenes, Huggto! has established a clear thematic thrust and a team of heroines worth rooting for. After last episode offered Homare’s proper introduction into the team’s everyday life, I’m guessing this one will be ramping up the threat of their foes, or perhaps even moving us towards our next Cure. I have no goddamn clue, frankly, but I’m excited regardless. Let’s check out some Precure!