And we’re back for another episode of A Tale of Memories. Last episode was, as usual, a mix of the good and the bad. On the positive side, Chihiro’s story has surprisingly turned out to be the strongest narrative within this series, with Chihiro’s condition being handled in a thoughtful way and her personality coming through gracefully throughout. On the negative side, Kei’s material last week was pretty much all romantic comedy cliches, as she flipped from a misunderstanding in the first half to a walking-in-on-her-rival moment in the second. But considering ef was able to turn Chihiro’s story into something compelling, I have reasonable hope that Kei will turn out the same. Let’s find out!
Tag Archives: Anime
Why It Works: My Hero Academia’s Tactical Tapestry
I returned to My Hero Academia this week, digging into the satisfying action fundamentals underlying its recent cavalry battle. This season has been an absolute joy so far, and the nature of the sports festival makes it just as fun to talk about. Here’s the piece!
Why It Works: My Hero Academia’s Tactical Tapestry
Chihayafuru – Episode 2
Let’s dive right into Chihayafuru’s second episode. There was a whole lot I liked about the first episode, from the strong use of color to the generally sharp direction and very likable protagonist. There were also things I was a little less enamored with, like the fairly routine love triangle framing and the flash-forward dramatic structure. But the things I liked are things whose worth is immediately apparent, while the things I’m not sold on can easily justify and complicate themselves over time. This is already a fun show, and its reputation is pretty stellar. I don’t need to be convinced here – I’m happy to give it another episode. Let’s get to it!
Tsuki ga Kirei – Episode 5
Tsuki ga Kirei continued to be just the most adorable goddamn thing this week. I was happy to see Kotarou branching out from his light-punching to also include some windmill kicks and situps in this week’s texting ceremony, and loved the whole charming date at the end. In a season full of great surprises, Tsuki ga Kirei counts among the best of them.
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my brief notes below.
Casshern Sins – Episode 14
Let’s get back to Casshern Sins! Last episode offered the most dramatic and fully articulated set of reveals yet, as we learned the true nature of Casshern’s design, as well as the secret of the old man. Casshern seemed kinda shattered by this revelation, unsurprisingly, but I hope he manages to pull himself together soon. Thoughtful, goal-oriented Casshern has been a joy to follow, and learning the truth of his past shouldn’t dictate his destiny. Of course, this is Casshern Sins, so he may also just spend six episodes wandering in a bitter malaise. I guess we’ll find out!
Steins;Gate: The Movie – Review
Today I’ve got a review of the Steins;Gate movie, which was… well, pretty bad. Also tedious, superfluous, and dramatically inert. It was somewhat nice just to see these characters again, but watching them go through the motions of a clearly uninspired story just wasn’t a particularly good time. Ah well.
You can check out my full review over at ANN.
Spring 2017 – Week 4 in Review
Hello all, and welcome back to the Week in Review! This was another strong week in what’s turning out to be an all-around excellent season, marked by great shows in a pretty broad spread of genres. I’d kinda figured this season would be Eccentric Family and The Rest, but given My Hero Academia’s improvements and the unexpected strength of shows like Tsuki ga Kirei and Re:Creators, I really don’t have anything to complain about. Let’s not waste any time then, and get started RUNNING THIS WEEK DOWN!
Kokoro Connect – Episode 5
And so Kokoro Connect’s first arc comes to its irreputable close. I’ll spare you the suspense: I didn’t really like this episode.
I didn’t like it for reasons that are likely predictable at this point, but still really harm the show’s emotional grasp. For one thing, Taichi is still just too damn good at what he does. While listening to him effortlessly disarm Iori’s lifelong anxieties, I wasn’t filled with respect or admiration – I mostly just wondered if the show was really going to make it that easy for him. It’s rare that a show prompts me to think “I wish Araragi were here,” but Kokoro Connect actually demonstrates how much Araragi’s myriad flaws add to his narrative. Araragi’s attempts to “help” his friends actually demonstrate his weaknesses, and thus his humanity. Taichi’s attempts are all successful and all based in “I just want to help people, okay,” which really doesn’t offer me anything to hold onto outside of imagining myself as his eternally competent self. Thoughtful character dramas can’t have Kiritos as their protagonists.
The Eccentric Family 2 – Episode 4
The Eccentric Family had another terrific episode this week, which, I know, big surprise. Though I guess it would have been just as easy for this season to have somehow lost the spark of the original, so I can’t complain that things are as heartfelt and magical as ever. I’m still waiting on something like the “flying teahouse above the Kyoto skyline” moment, but this week’s love story between Yaichiro and Gyokuran was so cute that I can’t really complain. Good shows are good.
You can check out my full review over at ANN, or my notes below.
Why It Works: Sakura Quest Doesn’t Have the Answers
For this week’s Why It Works, I dig into the established world of Sakura Quest, which is basically just the crumbling world we already live in. I’m not totally confident this show will ultimately go to interesting places with its narrative, but it’s certainly established a solid starting line. I hope you enjoy the piece!
Why It Works: Sakura Quest Doesn’t Have the Answers
