86 – Episode 7

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today you will have to forgive me, as we’re stepping back into the world of 86, and almost certainly have a tragic journey ahead of us. 86’s last episode certainly didn’t pull any punches; a momentary tactical error resulted in Daiya’s senseless death, while even before the fresh tragedy, flashbacks to our unit’s first deployment offered a melancholy reminder of all that we’ve lost.

That episode exemplified 86’s thoughtful, compassionate approach towards portraying the horrors of war. While many stories use the depiction of graphic violence as their central markers of horror and tragedy, 86 understands that how these characters die is only noteworthy in how pointless it is, not how graphic. Rather than laboring over gore, 86 celebrates its characters for how they lived, focusing chiefly on the vibrant characters we’ve lost and the empty spaces they leave in their communities. It can be difficult to convey violence without in some way glamorizing it, particularly since the excitement of high-stakes action is one of anime’s chief exports. But 86 is determined to celebrate its characters as multifaceted people, not simply effective warriors, and thus both its lack of glamorous action and resultantly mournful tone are intentional and essential to its purpose.

Last episode also served as an aesthetic high water mark for the series so far, proving that young director Kuniyasu Nishina is a talent to look out for. I’m looking forward to seeing more of their work in a few episodes, but for now, I’m eager to see how Spearhead handle their doomed current assignment. Let’s return to the world of 86!

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Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 49

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C’mon, we can’t stop right there, can we? Lillie’s in jeopardy! After fighting hard to overcome her pokemon phobia, an unexpected confrontation with Silvady has left her as traumatized as ever, and unable even to hug the bundle of light and joy that is Snowball. Alola is supposed to be a place of peace and comfort, and I cannot accept abandoning our heroes in their hour of greatest need. Indeed, it seems the only honorable choice is to keep watching Sun and Moon until all of its characters are happy again.

Alright, you caught me, I’m just fishing for more excuses to watch Sun and Moon. The show is delightful, spending time with its cast is fun even in moments of crisis, and I’m sure Lillie will overcome this trial with her usual can-do spirit. Let’s settle in for another episode of Sun and Moon!

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The Woman Called Fujiko Mine – Episode 11

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be returning to the sensual thievery of The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, and hopefully discovering what the heck is going on with Fujiko. Though she prides herself on her independence, it’s clear that she’s still running from the scars of her childhood, and at least partially defining herself in opposition to the wishes of Count Armeid. The lingering influence of that trauma was made clear in her reaction to the tattooed woman, as she nearly destroyed herself in her attempts to obliterate this shadow of her past.

This shouldn’t have come as a surprise; at the beginning of every episode, Fujiko herself warns us of her urge for “beautiful destruction,” a seduction that leaves both participants as hollow as she believes herself to be. Embracing thievery seems to be a way for her to redefine her fundamental “emptiness” as a strength, a weapon – but ultimately, it seems that framing Armeid’s influence in this way has only tightened his grip on her psyche. Fujiko has taken the insults thrown at her and sewn them into luscious finery, but for Armeid, only total rejection will suffice. Let’s hope her Samurai Friend can help her back to her feet then, as we storm towards the climax of The Woman Called Fujiko Mine!

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Winter 2022 – Week 1 in Review

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Alright folks, pile in, pile in. It’s technically the new year from where you’re standing, but I’m currently starting this article on 12/28, and doing my best to keep the weekly content flowing while also catching up on 2021’s best anime. Turns out it might not have been wise to leave like three quarters of the year’s most highly acclaimed shows unwatched, but hey, at least I’m eating well right now. I’ve already stormed through Ranking of Kings, will be following up with Heike Monogatari, and should have Sonny Boy finished by some time this weekend. To be honest, you’ll probably be seeing the fruits of this watch grind within a few days of this very article – but for now, we’ve got other fish to fry. Let’s charge through an eclectic collection of films, as we run down the new year’s first Week in Review!

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Hugtto! Precure – Episode 27

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Hello everyone, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. Today I am delighted to be returning to Hugtto! Precure, where we most recently accompanied Saaya on a trip to her mother’s TV production studio. It was a classic character-building installment, as Saaya gained more confidence in her professional decisions, while the rest of us were gifted a generous array of gently painted compositions. I’ve always admired Hugtto’s softly textured background art, so it was nice seeing the show’s intricate, almost cut-paper background textures take center stage. And now, with Saaya’s confidence reaffirmed, I must admit I have no idea where we’re going next.

The last three episodes were “pool party” into “Harry’s history” into “Saaya spotlight,” so it’s not like there’s any pattern to draw on. Emiru and Lulu were kinda central to the pool party, and Homare got second billing in Harry’s episode, so maybe it’s a Hana adventure? Although personally, I’d love to get back to Harry’s drama, and maybe meet the rest of his notorious hamster gang. Or maybe it’s time for some George backstory? Regardless of what the future holds, I’m sure Hugtto will execute it with the same warmth and aesthetic distinction it brings to all its stories. Let’s get back to Hugtto Precure!

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When Bleach Was Great: The Ballad of Ichigo and Rukia

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Hello everyone, and welcome to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re going to be engaging in a somewhat unusual exercise, as I’ve been assigned a unique request: expand this tweet on Bleach characters’ Ichigo and Rukia’s suitability as a couple into an entire article. I was initially intending to decline, because it was a tossed-off tweet about a series I hadn’t fully read in decades, more intended to be an emotionally charged stab of nostalgic resentment than a critical thesis. But upon further reflection, it does feel like there’s a bit more meat to this feeling than “the couple I liked didn’t get together.” Framed more generally, the narrative failings of Bleach stand as a handy example of the narrative pitfalls of shonen storytelling altogether – so let’s dig into this topic a little, and see what we can suss out.

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ODDTAXI – Episode 12

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Right from her early childhood, Rui knew she was born to be a star. Even her first teachers marked her as someone overflowing with ambition, and since then, her unerring pursuit of excellence has led her to the lead position in an idol group. Working hard every day, she has brought her group to the brink of their formal debut, while also saving just enough time to maintain a relationship on the side. In both her personal and professional life, Rui has grabbed the horns of the modern era, and triumphed over the turbulence of the social media age.

So why isn’t she happy?

Well, there is the slight matter of her helping to cover up her costar’s murder. But as Rui herself admitted, she herself was ready to murder in that moment, after learning that her coveted lead position was being handed to another. In spite of her lifetime of effort, there was ultimately someone better than her, just as there always will be. And to someone like Rui, who defines herself by her unparalleled excellence, playing second string to another might as well be a death sentence.

To those who don’t wish to compete in a zero-sum game of personal commercialization, social media is an inauthentic nightmare, a game show where you are directed by cattle prods to smile at the camera. You cannot promise as much as it demands; to master it is to embrace the dreams of Icarus, only to tumble like Kakihana and Taichi. But even to those who love competition, and see it as the natural state of being, the modern world’s continuous demand for insincerity and excellence is a source of perpetual erosion, grinding down your energy day after day. Rui is now fighting to defend a position she’s not even sure she wants, having been condemned for the very measures she took to be publicly adored.

But even if the internet cannot make us happy, there’s always the chance it can make us rich. So trend the hopes of ODDTAXI’s remaining contenders, as the day of reckoning continues to unfold. Let’s get right back to the action, as we explore the penultimate episode of ODDTAXI!

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Fall 2021 – Week 13 in Review

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Apparently we’ve reached the end of another year, though with all the fires of 2020 still raging, it certainly doesn’t feel like that much time has passed. Biden has settled into the bemused indifference of most modern democrats, COVID is still running wild, and the environment is in chaos; so far, so normal for our apocalyptic era. With the external world maintaining its all-seasons horror show, I’ve mostly been marking my time in art consumed, which frankly isn’t all that different from my usual behavior.

To be honest, the biggest difference is this project right here. With a clear incentive to actually jot down my thoughts on everything I’m watching, I’m engaging in more active thinking about the connections between all these films, and broadening my appreciation of cinema at record pace. Transitioning these articles to my weekly film adventures has been a great boon for both my artistic education and mental health, so I’m thankful to you all for bearing with me as I sail through the history of cinematic storytelling. Let’s break down one more week in film!

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The Big O – Episode 17

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be journeying back to Paradigm, as Roger continues to uncover the secrets of his amnesiac city. That process has actually been going quite smoothly lately; this season has already offered new context for the histories of Roger and Dorothy, and the last episode even saw Roger trading barbs with Rosewater directly. Explaining that his plans are predicated on the “memories of the future” extracted from his stolen data disc, Rosewater seemed almost eager to reveal his grand designs. As we move further into what was always intended as Big O’s second half, it seems the series is gearing up for both a physical and metaphorical paradigm shift.

I apologize for that awful play on words, but seriously, Paradigm’s name is feeling more appropriate all the time. The city of Paradigm is not a stable reality – it is one way of seeing reality, a specific set of assumptions underpinning an artificially conjured present. Paradigm is a state of mind, a world that could only be created through cultural manipulation on a mass scale: the great wave of amnesia. Now, Rosewater holds the blueprints of a new Paradigm, and intends to use that knowledge to remake the city in his image. Whether he succeeds or fails, the dream that is Paradigm is sure to dissipate in the harsh morning light. Let’s get to it!

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Fall 2021 – Week 12 in Review

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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I have some lamentable news: every single film I watched this week was great. No grand failures, no experimental misfires, not even any random nonsense my housemates dredged from the depths of Netflix. Every single movie was great, and that means I actually have to provide meaningful commentary for all of them, rather than tossing them aside with a terse summary and a jab at the director’s mother. On the other hand, I suppose this is actually good news for all of you, as you get to enjoy my cinematic ramblings for that much longer. So let’s get to it, ya animals, as we run down a worryingly distinguished Week in Review!

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