Ranking of Kings – Episode 6

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I figured we’d check back in on Ranking of Kings, where our two aspirants to the throne are currently each contending with their own dire turns of fate. Having been betrayed by Domas and cast into the depths of hell, it seemed like this was the end for Bojji – but between Kage’s interference and the “protection” offered by his existing curse, our boy was safely carried to the King of the Underworld.

Unfortunately, it seems there’s no corresponding Kage-like ally here to rescue the young King Daida. Though he has claimed the crown he so fervently sought, he has in doing so pushed away all allies who might genuinely aid him, be they loyal protectors like Domas or the ever-hopeful Bojji. Fear of betrayal has ironically made him all the more susceptible to it, as by rejecting all who were willing to challenge him, he has left himself vulnerable to those whose unerring support was always a façade.

As Ranking of Kings has so consistently expressed, all people contain multitudes, and unique circumstances can always lead them to embrace their worse or better instincts. That is precisely why it’s so important to have companions who wish you to be your best possible self, and are willing to step in and say something when you embrace your less charitable instincts. Having spent his youth trusting in his own strength and always fearing betrayal, Daida lacks the sense of humility and compassion that would foster such relationships, putting his fate squarely in the mirror’s hands. Let’s see what fate awaits him as we return to Ranking of Kings!

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Ganso Tensai Bakabon – Episode 1

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be checking out a feature that’s a little distant from our usual selections, as we explore the first episode of the ‘70s comedy Ganso Tensai Bakabon. This is actually the second adaptation of Fujio Akatsuka’s original Tensai Bakabon manga, focused on the original’s breakout character: Bakabon’s idiot father, famed for his nonsensical neighborhood schemes.

The manga is one of those Japanese cultural institutions like Sazae-san that never really got much traction abroad, presumably due its culturally embedded perspective and the general difficulty of adapting comedy between languages. Of course, all those challenges only make this viewing more interesting to me, as a snapshot of a particular moment in mid-century Japanese culture. And beyond its historical relevance, this particular adaptation happens to benefit from the presence of Osamu Dezaki, one of the greatest titans in anime history. Dezaki directed over thirty episodes of Bakabon under his Makura Saki pen name, including the one we’re about to get on with. I’ll admit this seems like a somewhat unusual place to begin my Dezaki investigations, but I’m sure you’d all agree that some Dezaki is better than no Dezaki, and I’m happy to provide. Let’s see what Ganso Tensai Bakabon has in store!

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Hugtto! Precure – Episode 32

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d stop back in with the heroes of Hugtto! Precure, which my autocorrect will probably never stop replacing with “procure” every time I type it. Boo to autocorrect, but hurray for Precure, which never fails to conjure a tear and a smile. Our last episode fell more towards the tearful end of the spectrum, as Hana at last confronted the girl who inspired her pre-series transformation. Hana’s defense of Eri back in middle school led to her total ostracization, forcing her to rebuild herself as a new and resolutely chipper Hana for high school. But when faced with the girl who forced that change, Hana reverted to her old fears, worrying that even her courage was a burden to Eri.

Fortunately, the Hana we know is a far cry from the Hana of middle school – and perhaps even more importantly, she now has an unwavering support group of friends to stick by her. Just as Hana has so often demonstrated the power of a friend cheering you on, so was she invigorated by the words of her own friends, to the point where she actually rekindled her friendship with Eri. As it turns out, the feelings we anxiously assign to others are often just projections of our own fears; both Eri and Hana truly wanted to reconnect, and simply needed a slight push to get there.

Meanwhile, it seems like the forces of Criasu Corp are cannibalizing themselves faster than ever. Funny thing, that; when your organization is designed as a zero-sum corporate bloodbath, it’s kind of difficult to maintain a willing labor force. With our heroes on the ascent and Criasu on the backfoot, let’s see what new schemes our villains concoct in a fresh episode of Precure!

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Summer 2022 – Week 5 in Review

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Hello folks, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. How are you all enjoying the advent of August? Though I’m certainly not happy about the speed with which yet another summer is slipping through my fingers, I can at least appreciate the dissolution of our boiling planet’s latest heatwave. As for more personal affairs, I’m currently in the process of hashing out the early beats of my first me-led D&D campaign, and am having an incredible amount of fun with all of it. I’ve been wanting to get back to writing my own fiction for years now, and hammering out area descriptions, side characters, and narrative beats has served as a delightful return to the world of pure creation. I’m taking this opportunity to indulge in my own favorite flavors of storytelling, so I’m sure it comes as no surprise that the campaign will be commencing during a Wicker Man-style harvest festival. I’ll keep you all posted on that as it develops, but for now, it appears we’re due for the Week in Review. Let’s run down some movies!

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Symphogear XV – Episode 12

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Hello folks, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. Are you ready for the penultimate episode of Symphogear!?!? Yes, it has been a long and frequently minigun-pockmarked road, but we’re at last nearing the conclusion of this modern action classic. Standing proudly on the shoulders of giants like JoJo and Nanoha, Symphogear is proud to answer every call of “too much?” with a resounding “not enough,” and has somehow found a way to outdo itself for five seasons straight. But all good things must come to an end, and it would be an utter tragedy for Symphogear to ever fall into predictability, so I’m happy to see the show concluding at the peak of its powers.

When last we left off, a computer containing the soul of a Sumerian deity had just explained to our heroes that the villain is now both a language and a DNA sequence, making directly punching her a little trickier than usual. But I have confidence that Elfnein will ramble off several sentences of nonsense that everyone else nods gravely at, eventually resulting in Shem-ha transmuting into a more punchable body. Let’s see what everyone’s favorite pint-sized scientist has cooking, as we barrel towards the conclusion of SYMPHOGEAR!!!

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Star Driver – Episode 6

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d take a trip back to Southern Cross Isle, where the heroes of Star Driver most recently faced off with their predatory school nurse. Last episode basically felt like a classic Igarashi comedy episode, with a single ridiculous concept leading a parade of goofy expression work and improbable punchlines. He’s directed more than his share of such episodes over the course of Sailor Moon and Ojamajo Doremi, but of course, given Star Driver’s unique preoccupations, the tone here was just a smidgen different. Igarashi has been involved in some of the most poignant and thematically rich anime in history, but he still finds time for goofiness in all of them, and for that I am thankful.

Given the proud irreverence of the entire previous episode, I’m expecting this one will steer us back into murkier waters, perhaps elaborating on the odd bond between Wako and her “fiancé” Sugata. We know troublingly little about Sugata considering his centrality to the narrative, but to be honest, we know troublingly little about basically everything at this point. More data is clearly required, so let’s break out our thematic notepads and settle in for another episode of Star Driver!

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The Demon Girl Next Door – Episode 9

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be checking back in on The Demon Girl Next Door, where we most recently met an old friend of Momo’s, the luckless Mikan. Though Mikan is also a magical girl, she suffers from some sort of curse that brings calamity whenever she’s in emotional distress. And given the actual nature of a magical girl’s day-to-day activities, that presumably means she’s more or less constantly showering her companions in garbage and other variable debris.

In terms of the overall comedy dynamic, Mikan has already proven herself a welcome addition to the cast, and gotten in some truly ferocious dunks at Shamiko’s expense. Additionally, her prior relationship with Momo is serving to clarify our understanding of Momo’s own character. Rather than just feeling sorry for Shamiko in particular, it’s clear that Momo is someone who strives to judge others by their intentions – Mikan’s curse might create complications, but Momo would never condemn her for something outside her control. And with Momo’s weakened condition revealing her own vulnerability, we are now seeing Shamiko motivated by something much more meaningful than her arbitrary assignment as a demon girl, as she seeks to become the kind of person Momo can rely on. Let’s see how that journey fares as we return to The Demon Girl Next Door!

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Summer 2022 – Week 4 in Review

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. This week I’ve got an offering of surprisingly timely features for you all, as we actually watched a couple new releases alongside the usual temporal grab bag of selections. I still haven’t checked out Nope, but the film’s universal acclaim is really testing my plague-era aversion to theaters; I compromised for The Northman, and I might just have to compromise for Peele as well. Along with that, I’ve got a wildly impressive action film, a scattering of the usual horror fare, and also a political thriller that prompted some feisty/fatigued reflections on our terrifying political climate. It’s a very strange thing, watching films from back when people had faith in our political institutions, and those institutions were kept in check by a free and respected press. But we can save those reflections for later – let’s start off with something spooky and satisfying, as we burn down the latest Week in Review!

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Sherlock Hound – Episode 3

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d take in a fresh episode of Sherlock Hound, largely because I am having a delightful time with it, and am eager to see more. But don’t worry, I’ve also got a more technical excuse for diving back in: we have arrived at last at the first episode actually directed by Hayao Miyazaki, and will be enjoying his directorship for two more straight episodes to come.

Even without Miyazaki actively directing, it feels like the show already bears a great number of his signatures. He was the show’s initial chosen director, and only left the project when rights issues sent it into development hell, meaning he was likely responsible for establishing a great deal of the show’s aesthetic, narrative style, and tone. The results of this seem clear in its every aspect: the slightly steampunk, ramshackle technology, the celebration of turn-of-century European urban spaces, the Lupin-derivative physical comedy, the design and personality of our heroine Barbara. Only Holmes’ personality seems to push against the general Miyazaki tone, though you could perhaps draw a line from him to Miyazaki’s curmudgeonly Porco Rosso.

Given we’re already seeing so much of Miyazaki in Holmes’ design philosophy, I’m eager to see how the show executes in his hands. Episode three was not just directed, but also storyboarded and even written by Miyazaki, so if any episode might give us an indication of his vision, it would be this one. Let’s see what the master has in store for us, as we explore another vivid episode of Sherlock Hound!

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Eureka Seven – Episode 15

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Hello everyone, and welcome to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be diving back into Eureka Seven, because goddamnit, I want to know what happens next! You can’t just stop your screening on a recap episode, that’s ridiculous. I need some action!

Granted, last episode’s series of Dai Sato-scripted monologues certainly helped flesh out our understanding of Eureka Seven’s wider world, relaying a great deal of exposition that would be difficult to integrate into active conversation. On Stoner’s side, we learned the Coralians are creatures of such awe and complexity that human language is simply incapable of describing them. That led into a discussion of the impossibility of fully conveying any felt experience, emphasizing language’s general inability to express all of the infinite facets that make up any moment or feeling. This impossibility is essentially the conflict that drove Neon Genesis Evangelion, though it feels less central to Eureka – Renton generally doesn’t have much difficulty expressing his feelings, it’s only the ostentatiously strange Eureka he has trouble reaching.

Dominic’s material was fittingly more practical than Stoner’s, and mostly focused on the interactions between the Corallians, military, and Gekkostate. We crucially learned that the LFOs were found rather than created, implying that they are also products of the Corallians. And we were also introduced to a former Holland who seemed far more competent and self-assured than our current leader, raising the question of what precisely happened to him between then and now. With all of these new thoughts to ponder, I’m eager to move into the second act of Eureka Seven. Let’s get to it!

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