March comes in like a lion – Episode 16

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March had another solid episode this week, buoyed by some strong execution and some fundamentally rewarding material. After that fatiguing low swing over the holidays, Rei seems to have rallied back emotionally, and is actually invested in the world around him again. The show is building up towards his reunion with the sisters, but I’m already having a solid time with his recommitment to shogi practice. Hopefully the show can stay this strong!

You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below.

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Seiren – Episode 5

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Seiren didn’t suddenly become a good show this week, but its new arc promises to be more inherently ridiculous than the last one, which I am all for. Shoichi’s new love interest Toru is pretty much a perfect idealized fantasy of a gamer girl, and their gaming-focused flirtations were as charming as they were ridiculous. Good for you Toru, you finally found a boy who can appreciate you for your sick headshots.

You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below.

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Why It Works: Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid and the Power of Adorable Daughters

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Today on Crunchyroll, I use the perfection that is Kanna to take a look back at wonderful anime daughters of days past. I guess it’s because I’m an old man now, but it turns out that a fantastic anime daughter is one of the fastest ways to my heart. I’m very grateful I have Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid to ease the passing of Nichijou, even if nothing will truly replace the professor in my heart. And for now, please enjoy this celebration of one of anime’s greatest treasures!

Why It Works: Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid and the Power of Adorable Daughters

Nichijou – Episode 24

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Aw jeez, we’re really in the last act now. With only three episodes to go, we’re in the final days of what I’d now confidently call the best anime comedy I’ve ever seen. Hell, it’s one of the best comedies I’ve seen in any medium – very few comedies demonstrate the persistent invention, creativity, and beauty of execution that make Nichijou so special. If there’s any consolation, it’s that Nichijou’s craft is so strong that I’ll probably enjoy it almost as much on a second viewing. Comedies often hang heavily on the element of surprise, but in Nichijou, it’s often clear where a gag is going to go, and that doesn’t make it any less funny. So thank you for being so rewatchable, Nichijou. We’re all going to need it.

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Casshern Sins – Episode 7

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And we’re back with more Casshern Sins! Last episode dumped a fair amount of actual information on us, from the fact that Luna’s death was very directly responsible for the Ruin to Casshern’s “gift of immortality” really just being the mechanical secret locked inside him. That first one was easy enough to extrapolate from what we know, but the second puts Casshern’s importance in a far more realistic context than “kill him and the rest of you can be saved.” It also introduced a pair of new antagonists, and saw Casshern reuniting with most of his prior traveling companions. For all that, it was a mostly expository episode, so I’d be happy to get back to the evocative vignettes that started this show off. Let’s dive right into another Casshern Sins!

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Bakemonogatari – Episode 3

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Welp, we’re finally into Mayoi Snail. I expected this episode writeup to be a lot more negative than it was, but I actually ended up really enjoying this first episode. None of the stuff that generally frustrates me about Mayoi and Araragi’s material made an appearance here, and the conversation between Araragi and Senjougahara was terrific from start to finish. I forgot just how strong of a rapport those two have – the romantic tension here was as strong as basically anything I’ve seen in anime.

You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below!

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Winter 2017 – Week 4 in Review

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Well now I’ve got too many damn shows. Having added two shows to the schedule, along with rewatching and writing the hell out of Bakemonogatari, means I’m actually feeling at least as overbooked as I did last season, and I don’t even have something as infinitely layered as Flip Flappers to make all my Crunchyroll articles easy. This anime gig is tough! Still, “too many good shows” is not the worst of problems, and I certainly don’t mind this season shaping up to be more respectable than anticipated. Thank you KyoAni for introducing me to my perfect dragon daughter, your charity truly knows no bounds. Let’s get right to it and RUN SOME SHOWS DOWN!

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Nichijou – Episode 23

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Alright, let’s get back to Nichijou! It’s been a little while since I’ve entered Nichiland, at least from my perspective – I’ve burned through half a dozen Casshern Sins since I was last in the neighborhood, for example. With only four episodes left, it’s important for me to carefully ration the remaining Nichijous for the sake of my own emotional stability. A world where there are no more Nichijous is significantly darker than the alternative, but I actually have to watch these Nichijous to get any advantage out of them, so ultimately it’s tough all over. That’s why I gotta savor this exact moment, right before I chomp through another precious episode.

Mmmmmmmm… yeah. Alright. That’s some good savoring. LET’S NICHIJOU!

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Why It Works: Saga of Tanya the Evil’s Snappy Cuts

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Yep, Tanya gets a Why It Works. Before ACCA, before Maidragon, before Rakugo, here’s the friggin’ fascist loli show getting top billing. What can I say – Tanya is a well-constructed piece of entertainment. It feels professional in the way Hollywood films feel professional, and that gives me a lot of fundamental craft stuff to talk about. So here we are, starting off my Crunchyroll deep dives of the winter season with Saga of Tanya the Evil!

Why It Works: Saga of Tanya the Evil’s Snappy Cuts

10 Anime to Watch if You Loved ‘Yuri on Ice’

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I wrote an article and now it’s on the Daily Dot! WHAT THE HECK IS THAT.

Anyway, here’s a list I wrote up of what I felt were reasonable “next steps” from Yuri on Ice. The show brought a whole bunch of new fans into anime, and I’d love for them to stick around, so I hope they find this useful! Regular readers have probably heard of most of these, but hey, lists are fun. PLEASE ENJOY:

10 Anime to Watch if You Loved ‘Yuri on Ice’