Well folks, we’re technically approaching the end of the summer anime season, though we’re actually on the verge of October. That’s okay though, since I didn’t technically watch any anime beyond my Current Projects shows this week, and so I’ll once again be offering you a grab bag of scattered media experiences. As far as those go, this week was both diverse and lucrative; I watched a satisfying array of films in a variety of genres, and am eager to share my findings with all of you. Let’s explore the miracle of cinema together, in yet another Week in Review!
Symphogear AXZ – Episode 9
Hello everyone, and welcome the heck back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re heading back on down to Symphogear City, where the girls kick ass and the sakuga’s pretty, in the wake of Chris having at last come to terms with her past, and hopefully set herself on the path to a happier future. Of course, this is Symphogear we’re talking about, so this emotional revelation was accompanied by an absurd display of action fireworks.
In fact, the fight between Cagliostro and Chris/Maria was one of the most impressive displays in this franchise altogether, and though I’m sad to say goodbye to the ever-entertaining Cagliostro, I appreciate that she at least went out in a gorgeous blaze of glory. Meanwhile, with Prelati still incapacitated from her fight with the babies, it appears that Adam is finally making some major plays, and forcing St. Germain to choose where her loyalties lie. However these nefarious machinations turn, I’m eager to enjoy a fresh helping of explosions and lovey-dovey relationships as we barrel through another episode of SYMPHOGEAAAAR!
Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 22
Hey everybody, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. I could open with another reflection on the darkness in the world today, leading into a paean to Sun and Moon for its levity in these dark times, but the last time I did that I got completely burned by an absolutely terrific (and heartbreaking) reflection on mortality and grief.
So I’m not going to do that, and instead I’ll merely acknowledge that I’m happy you’re all reading, and I hope the week is treating you kindly. For all our overwhelming daily concerns, time always keeps passing, one week follows the next, and eventually things are different from how they are now. Some weeks will possess pain and grief as sharp as that last episode, but other weeks will not, and if we keep muddling through, we can learn to embrace the good times, and take heart during the bad. Today I’m watching some Sun and Moon – if you’re feeling up to it, I’d love for you to join me.
Brand New Animal – Episode 1
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re embarking on a fresh journey, through one of 2020’s most high-profile releases: Brand New Animal, a Trigger production helmed by the distinguished Yoh Yoshinari, and written by Kazuki Nakashima. Given my experience with both those artists, I’m fully expecting the contrast between them to more or less define my impression of Brand New Animal – an expectation that I must admit has been solidified by having watched the show’s first two episodes.
So the deal is, Yoh Yoshinari is one of anime’s greatest working talents. He contributed beautiful, remarkably weighted animation for Gainax classics like Evangelion, and since following Imaishi to Trigger, he’s directed the charming Little Witch Academia, which grapples with SSSS.Gridman for the position as my favorite Trigger show. The man is a genuine treasure, and regardless of how Brand New Animal shakes out, my love for Yoshinari will hold firm.
Meanwhile, my impression of Kazuki Nakashima is that he basically can’t write at all. He’s gotten by so far by partnering with Hiroyuki Imaishi, whose stories don’t actually benefit from scripts, but his scripts and stories have themselves been uniformly unimpressive – Gurren Lagann had bad writing, Kill la Kill had bad writing, and Promare had bad writing. His stories are defined by simplistic characters, conflicts and worlds with too little grounding to evoke dramatic tension, and perpetual veering towards new conflicts, in order to mask his inability to construct any coherent long-term dramatic structure. I know that’s not exactly a universally agreed opinion, but it’s certainly mine; I have never been impressed by any element of Nakashima’s scripts, and feel you could replace him with a monkey who’s been taught to type “EXPLOSIONS!” without any significant impact on the quality of his work.
So that’s basically where I’m at: Yoshinari’s a genius, Nakashima’s a hack, and I’m warily intrigued to see how those flavors mix. Let’s get to it!
Summer 2020 – Week 11 in Review
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. This has been a revival-filled week for me, as not only did I complete my Bill and Ted journey with Face the Music, but I also checked out the first season of the new Karate Kid show, Cobra Kai. It would have been easy for either of these properties to turn out as joyless cash grabs, but for once, the opposite proved true: Face the Music serves as a worthy conclusion to the Bill and Ted saga, while Cobra Kai not only embraces the absurdity of its premise, but also discovers a remarkable degree of human truth within the Karate Kid’s shadow. Without further ado, let’s break down these excellent revivals!
Hugtto! Precure – Episode 17
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. We’ve been enjoying an absurd slate of top-tier Precure episodes lately, and today I’m eager to get back to the story. Both the Lulu-Emiru episode and the subsequent Junna-Aki followup stand among the greatest of Hugtto’s accomplishments, featuring remarkably expressive animation, dynamic storyboards, and some of the most endearing, impactful writing of the series so far. The unique back-and-forth of Lulu and Emiru’s unsteady friendship, the vivid cinematography of Junna and Aki’s falling out, the absurd highlights of both episode’s concluding battles; Hugtto’s been an embarrassment of riches lately, and I’m happy to fully understand why my friends love this show so much.
With all that said, my understanding from fans of the show is that things are going to settle back down a bit now, as the production only has so many all-star storyboarders and key animators. Fortunately, even if we’re not in for another aesthetic spectacle on the level of the last two, this episode has something else in its favor: an urgent cascade of narrative continuity. Both Lulu’s cover and true feelings have been exposed, and if Hana and her friends are going to help her, they might have to go on the offensive against Criasu Corp for the very first time. Let’s continue the story of their charming robot friend, as we ramble through one more episode of Hugtto Precure!
Pokemon Sun and Moon – Episode 21
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. I hope you’re all keeping it together out there, and taking some time to treat yourself and maintain your mental health during this absurdly taxing time. I know that’s a reminder I have to give myself a lot – that I’m not necessarily feeling bad because of anything I did, and that I should learn to cut myself a bit more slack, because we’re all struggling with a uniquely demanding moment in history. It’s completely natural to feel overwhelmed by everything happening – if you try to bear the weight of all of it, all the time, you’re likely to be crushed.
All of this is to basically say that I could really use some Sun and Moon, as it’s turned into one of my own favorite emotional oases, and I can only hope it’s been similarly helpful to all of you. Not all art needs to challenge or devastate us; in a world filled with hardship, we also desperately need beautiful, charming works that help us get through the day, and remind us of our capacity for kindness and joy. Sun and Moon’s firm friendships and adventurous spirit are a steady comfort for me, and I hope you’re cheered up as well as we explore one more episode!
Bodacious Space Pirates – Episode 7
Hello everybody, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’ll be returning to Marika’s journey through the stars, as she continues to adjust to life as the legal captain of the Bentenmaru. Last episode was fully dedicated to speeding us through this transition, and actually accelerated the show’s pacing considerably, relative to its methodical first act. We sped through the legal portion of the procedure, and moved swiftly into her training on board, culminating in her successfully leading her first boarding operation.
That climax, framed more as a theater performance than a heist, left me with a number of questions about the nature of piracy in this universe. Pirates were initially offered Letters of Marque due to being conscripted as mercenaries in a local war; but after all the planets in this sector were swept up into the Galactic Empire, their role seems to have shifted more to something like “preserving local heritage,” taking advantage of the Empire’s decision to respect local rules of governance. In light of that, I’m not really sure who the pirates are working “for” at this point, and their cultural role seems to mostly be a kind of local flavor, a performance you enjoy because you know every single thing on a cruise ship is heavily insured. That’s an interesting role to play, but I’d be the first to admit that my understanding of the overall politics of this situation is still pretty tenuous, and I’m eager to learn more about Marika’s strange world. Without further ado, let’s get right on that, and check out a new episode of Bodacious Space Pirates!
Summer 2020 – Week 10 in Review
Pack it on in folks, it’s time for the Week in Review. This week I barreled through a pretty strange selection of feature films; the closest thing to an acknowledged classic was Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, but aside from that, I was essentially guided by the whims of my streaming services’ recent additions. The Almighty Algorithm actually did a pretty reasonable job this time, though I had to toss in a recent horror pick of my own, because what week is complete without introducing a new monster into your nightmares? I think that about covers the shape of the week, so without further ado, let’s break down some new movies!
Why It Works: Animating the Impossible, the Breathtaking Works of Kou Yoshinari
This week, I actually took my Why It Works inspiration from an airing show, though not one I’m actually watching. It turns out Kou Yoshinari showed up to flex his incomparable animation talents on Sword Art Online, which seemed like a fine opportunity to celebrate just how impressive Yoshinari’s skills truly are. The man makes animation that no other person could create, and exemplifies the simultaneously individualist yet collaborative anime ethos, where any one artist can leave an unmistakable mark on a production. Let’s get to it!
Animating the Impossible: The Breathtaking Works of Kou Yoshinari
