Tag Archives: Anime

BanG Dream! It’s MyGO!!!!! – Episode 2

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to dive back into the thorny drama of BanG Dream! It’s MyGO!!!!!, after a premiere that seemed to promise far more tears and resentment than starry-eyed musical performances. MyGO opened on a band breakup and continued more or less in that vein, as the scattered members of CRYCHIC all went about their separate ways, some eager to pick up the pieces, others hesitant to invite such pain again.

Into this tangled web of relationships stomped Anon Chihaya, who has no idea what’s going on, but goddamnit if she’s not gonna make it about herself. Anon is a delightfully self-absorbed heroine who exhibits none of the optimistic or inspiring qualities you’d expect from a music drama lead; she’s pursuing a band purely to fit in at her apparently band-obsessed high school, and has so far responded to the emotional troubles of her compatriots with a mixture of gossip-hungry curiosity and loud indifference. Basically none of the characters introduced so far seem to exhibit healthy relationships with their peers, which seems like a terrific recipe for some Rumors-style musical alchemy. Let’s see what they get up to next!

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Bocchi the Rock! – Episode 10

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I thought we’d check in on the misadventures of Bocchi and the gang, as our crew settles back into their school routine after a semi-triumphant summer break. Bookended by the shining victories of Kessoku Band’s latest performance and their trip to the beach, Bocchi’s vacation was otherwise characterized by a retreat to Bocchi’s familiar bedroom hermitage, emphasizing how personal growth is never quite as easy or consistent as we might hope.

That said, Kita has promised she’ll be paying more attention to Bocchi at school, so I imagine we’re in for a fresh run of socialization immersion therapy as classes reconvene. Can Bocchi square her desperate need to be seen with her paralyzing terror of being known? Let’s find out!

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We Are Not Fireworks: A Silent Voice

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“I hope I die before I get old.”
– The Who, ‘My Generation’

A Silent Voice begins with an ending, as Shoya Ishida settles his affairs and prepares to end his own life. Saturated in a cold, otherworldly light, he runs through a list of final preparations: give notice at his part-time job, sell off his belongings, close his bank account, repay his familial debts. Trembling, uncertain piano keys offer a murmur of anticipation like slipping off into a dream; bathed in soft focus, he floats like a ghost towards his terminal destination. It is a somber moment, but also an oddly liberating one. After this moment, he will no longer struggle, no longer suffer, no longer labor under the weight of guilt and self-hatred and despair. Stepping up to the edge of the bridge, he prepares to reenact a familiar ritual of his childhood, leaping out into space in a final prayer of escape. 

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Tsurune S2 – Episode 5

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’d like to check back in on the boys of Tsurune, and see if Minato’s team can drag themselves out of their current funk. Having failed to compete as a true unit in their recent tournament, Masaki ordered all of them to figure out what they’re lacking, and that’s precisely what they’ve been doing. After most of an episode of morosely practicing off the range, Minato seems to have realized he’s lost sight of his team – and what’s more, that he doesn’t actually know what his own preferred style might be.

With the bold examples of Nikaidou’s team proving the variable nature of “correct form,” Minato isn’t alone in this uncertainty. Ryouhei is beginning to doubt the value and nature of “beautiful archery,” while Kaito is realizing for the first time how his own play inherently builds off the performance and mentality of his teammates. Their strategic concerns serve as natural echoes for the process of identity reassessment all adolescents experience; social pressure instigates a process of self-analysis that causes us to doubt our unconsidered modes of behavior, and perhaps consciously assign ourselves new patterns and perspectives. Given this, it’s little surprise that the already self-critical Seiya and highly emotionally intelligent Nanao are weathering this challenge with grace; after all, self-assessment is second nature to both of them. But our other boys will likely need a little help, so let’s see how they’re fairing in a fresh episode of Tsurune!

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BanG Dream! It’s MyGO!!!!! – Episode 1

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re embarking on a new adventure, as we explore the first episode of the currently concluding BanG Dream! It’s MyGO!!!!! I’ll confess, I have virtually no experience with the overall BanG Dream! franchise; I found the first season’s first episode perfectly watchable back when it premiered, but have since then skipped out on the continuing struggles of its various bandmates. However, I’m told that MyGO is more or less self-contained, and beyond that, everything I’ve been learning about this show via twitter osmosis seems to indicate MyGO is a unique and apparently kinda devastating experience.

I’ve seen musicians choking out performances through tears, memes wagering the relative toxicity of all the show’s principle relationships, and all manner of other inexplicable reactions to MyGO’s clearly tempestuous drama. Alongside their wealth of experience composing for various idol shows, series composer Yuniko Ayana also tackled the brilliant and devastating given, so I’ve no doubt they can articulate convincing human tragedy. What form that tragedy will take remains a tantalizing mystery, so let’s not waste another moment – onward to MyGO!

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Land of the Lustrous – Episode 11

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Land of the Lustrous’ eleventh episode begins moments after the last, with Dia shattered on the floor and Bort squaring off with this imposing, now apparently divided Lunarian. Having faced this creature on the shoreline, Bort’s finely tuned instincts came to an obvious conclusion: we cannot defeat this creature, and thus we must flee to await Sensei’s guidance. Ensconced in the certainty of their role and purpose, it was an easy call to make, and thus Bort fled without a second glance. Though Bort takes pride in their strength, they are not arrogant or foolhardy; the very fact of their strength means they must take all the more care in applying themselves, ensuring their abilities serve as not just protection, but also a model and guide for their fellow gems.

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The Demon Girl Next Door S2 – Episode 12

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to hop back into The Demon Girl Next Door, and join our heroes in exploring Mikan’s tempestuous mindscape! With the instigator of her curse having been identified as the demon Ugallu, Shamiko and Momo hope to negotiate with the creature, and perhaps come to some sort of compromise that will allow Mikan to enjoy her daily school life. Well, that’s Shamiko’s hope, at least; I imagine Momo thinks that goal is very cute, but she’ll probably have to end up cracking some skulls nonetheless.

All of this serves as a commendable and perfectly normal final goal for a season that has committed itself to a variety of perfectly normal milestones. And I don’t mean that as a jab at all; I was genuinely curious where the show would go after its apparent half-season climax, and have been delighted to learn the answer is “illustrating commitment to the everyday practice of self-improvement and bonding with the people you love.” So many shows end at the moment when some pair of characters commit to a life together, but I personally find the perpetual compromises, commitments, and personal reorientations of life as a couple even more interesting than the breathless courtship. Beyond its layer of magical girl as metaphor, The Demon Girl Next Door is simply a thoughtful, earnest human story, and it’s been a privilege to watch these characters grow together. Let’s send them off right!

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Skip and Loafer – Episode 1

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today we’re embarking on a brand new adventure, as we explore the first episode of last season’s highly regarded Skip and Loafer. I’ve had a few friends single this production out as my sort of thing, a school drama that takes unusual and welcome care in elucidating the nuances of its characters’ personalities, and also simply a particularly charming romantic comedy.

As for the production, I find myself immediately struck by the resume of director and series composer Kotomi Deai. Alongside episode director and storyboard credits on productions as diverse and distinguished as Flip Flappers, House of Five Leaves, and Kids on the Slope, she also served as the overall director for the enchanting Rolling Girls. Rolling Girls’ late-season stumbles and generally oddball nature have sadly dimmed its profile over the years, but the show’s joyful energy and fanciful visual style secured it a permanent place in my heart, with Deai’s personally directed first episode standing as one of the best premieres I’ve ever seen. Deai’s one of those top caliber talents who’s never quite gotten the recognition she deserves, so I’m eager to see how she brings this drama to life. Let’s get to it!

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Summer 2023 – Week 8 in Review

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. It’s been another hectic week on my end, as we approached and marched by the due date for moving all our shit out of the old apartment. I’d been living at the old place for a full-on decade at this point, which meant moving out involved not just grabbing all my furniture and figurines, but also the towering boxes of manga, blurays, and everything else I reviewed during my Anime News Network tenure. Also I lived on a third floor, and the only passage down from that floor was a winding little staircase, and… look, I won’t bore you with any more details, but rest assured it made for a sucky sequence of days. I’ve now basically got a leopard’s coat worth of bruises down both my pale, twig-like arms, and have vowed that it’s just me and my laptop moving in wherever I head to next.

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Dear Brother – Episode 6

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Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m delighted to be returning to the tangled drama of Dear Brother, wherein Nanako has found herself isolated from basically everything that once brought her comfort or security. Thanks to Shinobu’s expert manipulation, Nanako’s best friend Tomoko has abandoned her, and now refuses even to answer her phone calls. Through the cruel performances of Miya-sama, it has become abundantly clear that the Sorority is essentially a kind of cult, with Miya-sama as its tyrannical leader. And even at home, the secrets her parents are keeping regarding Henmi’s identity mean they can no longer serve as confidants. The last shot of our preceding episode made Nanako’s position wincingly clear, casting her as isolated in shadow before a veil of tearful raindrops.

All of this is a real bummer for Nanako, but an absolute dramatic feast for us in the bleachers. Riyoko Ikeda is clearly a master of melodrama, spinning a variety of narrative plates with grace while ensuring Nanako’s experience feels tense and propulsive rather than simply hopeless. And Dezaki is the perfect director for this tale of woe, with his evocative compositions and clever manipulation of lighting raising Nanako’s trials into a decadent realm of visual theater. I’m frankly not sure what else Nanako still has to lose, but I’m eager to find out. Let us return to the imposing halls of Seiran Academy, and see what our unfortunate teens get up to next!

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